Late on Tuesday night, I double checked the passes for the party. It said that we should be at the club, where it was being held, for 4.30pm and that Westlife would be arriving after 5.15. By the looks of it, there were going to be about 15 fans allowed in, including us, but there was no indication of how many other people would be there.

As I got into bed, I tucked the tickets back into their envelope and hid them in the top drawer in the bedside table. I fell asleep smiling.

The next day, we had decided just to stay at Liz’s so we’d have plenty of time to get ready. I wandered downstairs just after 12.

‘Morning. Or should I say afternoon?’ Liz was cheerful as she pushed a cup of coffee into my hand. ‘How do you feel?’

‘I’m discovering muscles I didn’t know I had!’ We’d all gone pony trekking the afternoon before. This was so Rachel could impress Shane with her knowledge of horses, of course.

‘Me too. But there’s plenty of hot water, so we should all be able to have baths before this afternoon. Rachel had one when she got up.’

‘That’s good.’ I took a gulp of coffee. ‘Where’s Rachel gone?’

‘I dropped her in town earlier, when I went to get the papers. She wanted to go and try on that top again.’

‘Typical. What are you going to wear?’

‘I’m not too sure yet. My blue skirt, and the sandals I showed you last night, but I’m not sure what top. I don’t know how smart to be, so I can’t choose.’

‘Me too. I know what to where from the waist down, but not on top.’

‘Maybe we just should wear anything on top - that’d get their attention!’ We laughed together. The phone rang on the coffee table. Liz picked it up. ‘Hello? Oh, hi Rachel. Yup, I’ll come and get you. I’ll see you in about twenty minutes, outside the train station, okay? See you soon.’ She put the receiver down.

‘I’ll go and pick her up if you want. You shouldn’t have to be her taxi!’

‘No, it’s cool. I don’t mind. There’s a couple of things I need anyway. Why don’t you have your bath whilst I pick her up, and then the hot water can go on reheating?’

‘Okay. See you later.’ Liz picked up her keys and was gone.

I lay in a hot bath for 25 minutes, washed my hair, and then wrapped myself up in my dressing gown as I chose what to wear. I threw all the smartish clothes I had brought with me onto my bed, and surveyed them. I picked up my kitten heel shoes and my short pink skirt, and then tried to decide what top would go best with it.

After 15 minutes of holding different tops up against the skirt, I chose my lavender vest top and cardigan twin set. I dried my hair with Liz’s hair-dryer, and as I brushed my hair out, I started singing along to the radio.

I heard the door open downstairs, and went down, still in my dressing gown.

‘Hanny! Look at the top I bought!’ She dropped her bags and held up a pale green sleeveless top, with gold stitching woven through it.

‘It’s gorgeous Rach. And it’ll go with your creamy trousers.’

She nodded. ‘That’s what I thought. And it was only 12 quid!’

Liz came through the door behind her. ‘Nice isn’t it? Rachel insisted in me going into the shop so she could let me see it. That’s why we were so long.’

‘Don’t worry. It gave me time to have a long soak. Can you come and see what I’ve picked out to wear? I need another opinion.’ The two of them followed me up to our room, and I picked up my skirt and tops. ‘What d’you think?’

Liz fingered the material of the skirt. ‘It’s gorge Hannah. I love it! Is there any hot water left?’

‘Yeah, should be.’

‘Okay. I’ll go and have a shower then. See you in a bit.’

As Rachel and I got dressed, we chatted away about what we thought this afternoon would be like. I guess maybe I was a bit excited after all.

We left the house just after 3.45 so we could be there for when the doors opened at 4. As we pulled up outside the club, we recognised some of the regular Westlife touring crew. We drove round the back, and parked the car. We all took a deep breath, and headed round the front.