It was a life-changing decision – but was Beth doing the right thing?
Edinburgh! For a whole year?’ Carrie exclaimed. ‘But that’s miles away.’Beth put her cappuccino down carefully. She would have to come clean with her twin sister. It was now or never.
‘Actually, it’s further than you think. I don’t mean Edinburgh in Scotland, but a place called Edinburgh of the Seven Seas. It’s on a tiny island called Tristan da Cunha, and it’s the most remote inhabited island in the world.’
She sat back and braced herself for Carrie’s reaction.
‘Oh, Beth, are you certain you’re doing the right thing? Won’t you be lonely? Where on earth is it? How many people live there?’
Beth held up her hand, attempting to stem the flow of anxious questions. Carrie had her best interests at heart, but Beth’s mind was made up. She was going to accept the offer of a year working on Tristan alongside the local doctor, who currently ran his practice single-handedly. His wife had recently given birth to triplets. As he’d explained on their Skype calls, he could certainly use the help. For Beth, it would be a fantastic experience and look great on her CV.
‘Let’s get some more coffee and I’ll fill you in properly.’
The coffee arrived and Beth answered her sister’s questions patiently. Fewer than 300 people lived on the island, which lay in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean between South Africa and Argentina.
‘How will you get there?
Does it have an airport?’
Beth smiled and shook her head.
‘I fly to Cape Town, then jump on a ship. One week later, I arrive in Tristan.’ ‘A week!’ Carrie was aghast. ‘I told you it was remote,’ Beth shrugged. ‘Hope I’m a good sailor. Apparently the sea down there can be pretty unforgiving.’
‘Will it be warm like the Caribbean islands?’ Carrie had many strengths but geography wasn’t one of them.
‘I think it’s pretty cool much of the time. There won’t be any palm trees, that’s for sure.’
‘What if you don’t like it? Can you come home?’
‘Well, I’d have to wait for another ship, and they only run a few times a year. But I know I’ll love it. It will be something different, a challenge. It’s exactly what I need at the moment.’
Carrie nodded. She understood her sister’s reasoning. Her life hadn’t been going according to plan. Everyone, including Beth, had imagined she and Andrew would soon be announcing their wedding. After all, they’d
