The three young women met in Rome struggling to learn the Italian language at a school for foreigners. Liz was Australian, Rosemary American and both worked as Au Pairs. Judy was English and worked in a hotel doing anything that didn't involve speaking Italian. Food and accommodation was included in their very low pay enabling them to live reasonably well. The girls became great friends and enjoyed seeing the beautiful sights of Rome when not on duty.
Rosemary was the first of the trio to find an Italian boyfriend and she explained excitedly that the first date with an Italian was always to an ice-cream parlour. Rosemary's knowledge of the language and the customs grew in leaps and bounds. That was fifty-five years ago.
The six years the girls spent together forged a bond that became unbreakable, strangely neither of the young women had children and only Liz and Judy married, but all three had their hearts broken and experienced many exhilarating high moments and many lowest of the low times as is the pattern of life.
Rosemary returned to America and was for several years a legal secretary. One of her highs was when her boss encouraged her to become a lawyer as she was so good at her job and she enjoyed it. At the time Rosemary had at the back of her mind that she would marry and have children and didn't want the big study commitment. When she realized her expectations would not materialize she took the opportunity to study law and never regretted her decision.
Liz returned to Australia where she met and married a sheep farmer's son and eventually lived in the outback a million miles away from Rosemary's New York environment. One of her high's was to have a book published, she never forgot the thrill of the call from the publisher saying her book had been accepted and knowing it was on a shelf somewhere in a Sydney book shop. The Royalty cheque that arrived twice a year encouraged her to write more and her name was now known in the literary circles.
Judy returned to England and married an Italian. Judy often smiled at the circumstances that brought them together because during the six years she spent in Italy she hadn't had many Italian relationships and then shortly after her arrival in the UK she met Franco at a friends wedding and fell in love almost immediately. Her highest moments were when she and Franco opened their very first shop together selling Italian jewellery and leather goods. None of her family had their own business, most had managed through great sacrifice to buy their own home but none had ventured out into the unknown world of self-employment.
Rosemary's lowest point was when it was confirmed she had breast cancer and she remembers how the world stopped spinning. To this day she is deeply aware of the value of friends and family who pulled her through and thanks God every night for allowing her to get back on track.
The lowest ebb for Liz was when her sister died and her Mother's death followed six months later. The tragedy of losing the figure head of the family broke the family ties with her siblings. She tried to keep the family together but, as often happens, squabbles that remained under control whilst their Mother was alive were aired, followed by indifference.
Judy's lowest ebb was when her husband died of a heart attack. Their business was so successful they expanded to three shops in three towns. Their lives were high powered, working hard for the Rotary club, enjoying private health care, entertaining and being entertained. Then suddenly the banks arrived and called in the money they owed. Their stock was sold for next to nothing, their beautiful house with the landscaped garden went and they were left with nothing. They lived in a caravan in a farmer's field for several months before being allocated a council flat. Franco just couldn't live with the shame and feeling of guilt, a massive heart attack relieved him of this misery leaving Judy to cope with the financial loss and a broken heart. Eventually her knowledge of the Italian fashion industry and her fluency with the Italian language meant she could get a good job in the West End of London where she fitted in and made her mark.
Every few years the girls in their 40's, 50's and 60's would get together, taking turns to host the reunion. They all loved the buzz of New York, the peacefulness and remoteness of the outback and the cosmopolitan mix blending with the historic attractions of London.
In their mid seventies they were sitting on the veranda at Liz's farm house, having worked most of the day on the farm and loving every minute of it. They were looking forward to tomorrow when they would board a small aircraft to travel to Sydney to once again see the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. They would board a ferry to Manley; enjoy lunch at their favourite beach front restaurant – Australian wine flowing with the luxury of not having to drive. These very special trips when they were together were unique and emulated their vision of heaven.
Under the most beautiful Australian sunset with glass in hand Liz asked, 'When shall we three meet again?' There was silence as each knew this would probably be the last, but no one could bring themselves to voice that. The increase in air fares, the difficulty with getting health insurance and the long stressful journey all worked against them.
Liz put her arms around her two very dear friends and said, 'Please. Let's never say never.' They raised and clinked their glasses and all agreed.
Their answer to the question, 'When shall we three meet again?' . . .
'Never say never!'