I awoke to the sun streaming through the curtains, and the smell of coffee wafting up the stairs and through the open door.

‘Rachel?’ I rolled over. She must already have got up. Her bed was made, and her dressing gown was gone from the hook on the back of the door. I sighed. The main different between me and my sister is the fact that she’s a total neat freak, and I’m, well, not! I sat up, rubbed my eyes and made my way downstairs, tying my dressing gown.

In the living room, Rachel was sitting reading the paper, and drinking coffee. She looked up. ‘Morning Hanny. Sleep well?’

‘Mmm, yeah. You?’ She nodded. ‘Where’s Liz?’

‘Outside, seeing Andy off. She won’t be a minute.’ I glanced out the window and saw Andy and Liz kissing, just before he got in the car and closed the door. I sighed, remembering me waving Mike off when he went to uni.

Liz waved as she came back up the drive, and brought me back to the real world. I went into the kitchen and made myself a coffee. Liz came in.

‘Morning. Did you sleep well?’

‘Like a log, thanks. That was one long drive!’

‘I thought you were a bit mad to try and do it all in one day.’

‘Yeah, probably. It’s good to be here though.’ We smiled. ‘So, Andy seems nice. How’s it going between you two?’

‘Really well. He’s great.’

‘He seems really sweet, and gorgeous too!’ I giggled. ‘Is he from Dublin?’

‘No. He was born in Sligo, but moved when he was about 16. I met him when he came back to see some friends.’ She went all starry-eyed. ‘I’m really, really happy.’

‘That’s cool sweetie. I’m so pleased for you.’ We went back into the living room with our coffees. Once we had sat down, Rachel put her paper down.

‘What are the plans for today then?’ She was unusually chirpy, even for her.

‘What do you want to do? I was thinking, we could just have a drive around, show you some of the hot spots! And I don’t mind driving to give Hannah a rest.’ We were using my car, since Andy had taken theirs to Dublin.

‘That’s cool. Thanks. And we could maybe grab some lunch somewhere, or something.’

‘Somewhere like the Carlton Cafe?’ Rachel’s eyes lit up. Liz and I looked at each other and laughed.

‘I guess we could, if that’s okay with Liz.’

‘Cool with me. Best fish and chips in the whole of Ireland.’

‘And the fittest waiters too!’ Rachel got that faraway look in her eye that appeared every time Westlife were brought into the conversation.

I rolled my eyes. ‘She’ll be like this all week, you realise?’

‘Especially on Wednesday.’ Rachel grinned.

‘Why, what’s happening on Wednesday?’ Liz looked puzzled.

‘God, yeah, I meant to tell you when we arrived, but I was so tired I forgot. Mum and Dad organised a bit of a surprise for me and Rach. But you’ll be getting it too!’ I grinned.

‘What is it?’

‘Well, we’re going to the Westlife album launch party on Wednesday!’

‘Oh my God! Hang on, though, I thought it was in Dublin next week.’

‘That’s the press one, but apparently there’s a private one for family and friends in Sligo on Wednesday, and somehow, Mum’s got all three of us passes!’

‘That’s amazing! I don’t believe it! How did she do it?’

‘I’ve got no idea, and I don’t think she’ll tell me, but all I know is we’re going to the Westlife party!’ The three of us sat there grinning like it was Christmas.

For the rest of the day, we drove in and around Sligo, being shown all the famous touristy bits, and some of the places only locals know about. We went into the Carlton Cafe for lunch, but none of the family were in there. Rachel was disappointed, but it gave us an excuse to go back later in the week.

As we were heading back to the car, walking along the High Street, a silver BMW with the top down, came driving past, music blaring out of the stereo. Liz and I kept walking. ‘Flash poser!’ We said. After a couple of paces, I noticed Rachel wasn’t next to me. I turned round.

‘Rach, what are you doing?’ He jaw was practically on the pavement.

‘Are you kidding? Don’t you know who that was?’

‘No, who?’

‘Shane! That was Shane Filan!’

‘Yeah, whatever. They’re in London at the moment, it couldn’t have been him.’

‘Yeah, and they’re supposed to be in London on Wednesday evening too, but they’re obviously not going to be. I swear to you, that was Shane!’

‘You’ve got Shane on the brain.’ I shook my head at her, and started walking again. But, I was thinking, maybe she was right. He certainly looked familiar.