Again, Shane spent almost another week trying to get in touch with Karina. He called, drove by the house, visited the stables, but he could never find her. It was like she’d disappeared. But finally, when he called her one evening, she picked up.

‘Hello?’ Her voice was different on the phone, eerily familiar.

‘Karina? It’s Shane.’

‘Oh, hi.’

‘Are you okay? I’ve been trying to phone you for the past few days, but there’s never been any reply.’

‘Yeah, I’m fine. I just had to go up to Dublin for a couple of days, see some friends and stuff.’

‘Oh cool. Look, I’m sorry about the other day, y’know, the kissing thing. I guess I just read the situation the wrong way. Sorry. I thought you liked me.’ Shane was being honest. He had thought that she liked him.

‘Shane, I do like you, just not that way. I can’t. I’m sorry too, I guess I should have kept my calm, and just explained then. You need to know.’ Her voice trailed off.

‘Know what? Karina, what’s going on?’

‘Nothing. Doesn’t matter.’

‘Karina? Please, tell me. I’m really confused. I don’t know what's going on with you.’

‘Okay, I’ll tell you, but not over the phone. Can I come across to your place?’

‘Yeah, of course. Can you remember how to get here?’

‘I think so. Give me an hour or so, yeah? There’s a couple of things I need to do here before I can come.’

‘That’s fine. I’ll see you soon then.’ They hung up, and Shane spent the next hour pacing around the house, wondering what on earth it could be that Karina has to tell him that’s so important that she can’t tell him over the phone. Karina spent the next hour digging out some old papers. She was sure Shane would want to see them when she told him.

A while later, there was a knock on the door, and Shane answered.

‘Karina, hi. Come in.’

‘Hey. Thanks.’

‘Just go through.’ He motioned into the living room. ‘So, what’s the ‘big secret’?’ He smiled, trying to lighten the atmosphere, but Karina didn’t get the joke.

‘Look, Shane, a lot of people are going to say that I’m just telling you this now, because of what you’ve done with the music and stuff, if this gets out, but honestly, the only reason I’m here now is because I’ve been able to track you down since you’ve become famous.’

‘Track me down? What do you mean?’ Shane was totally baffled by now.

‘Dad lost touch with Mum ages ago. They didn’t speak, and cos I didn’t talk to Mum, I never knew where she was either.’

‘But what’s that got to do with me?’

‘Please, just let me finish. I’ll explain it all later. Dad, he didn’t want to tell me, but then, when he got sick, and when you guys started hitting the big time, he decided he should tell me. Shane, I know you're never going to believe me when I tell you, but you have to know. I’m your sister Shane. Your twin sister.’