Changing Places Read Online Free Page A

about turning down Rachel’s invitation, although it had
been more of a command! But, honestly, what was she supposed to do? Liam had made the arrangements with Helen and Tom ages ago. Anna opened a fridge door and rooted around the ready meals. Rachel
could be damn irritating at times and today was definitely one of them. They were sisters, for God’s sake, and with Mam and Dad away they only had each other.
    Anna missed the old times. She and Rache used to be so close. Yes, there had been rows, plenty of them, but that was normal. It was especially bad once Anna left school and started working.
Rachel developed a nasty habit of sneaking into her room to nick make-up, clothes and shoes – the ultimate sin in Anna’s eyes. From an early age she’d always had a thing about
shoes and once she’d started work, she’d spent every spare penny she had on them. Though usually quite easygoing, Anna would fight like a cat if Rachel took them without asking.
Inevitably they would be returned dirty or, worse, scratched. Bridie, their mother, would have to intervene and Anna would usually forgive her sister in exchange for one of Rachel’s
hair-do’s.
    Rachel had a talent for creating elaborate hairstyles and had infinite patience, taking time and care as she piled Anna’s auburn tresses high on her head. She would never let Anna look at
her reflection until she’d finished, at which stage her sister would stare in amazement at the sophisticated stranger in the mirror.
    It was Rachel who had done her hair the first time she met Liam. She had been an old married woman by then but agreed to call over to the house to do Anna’s hair because she’d been
invited to a charity Christmas ball.
    ‘Everyone who’s anyone goes to this ball,’ Rachel had told her big sister. ‘You have to look your best.’
    Anna had been invited by a guy she’d just met. She hadn’t really liked Baz and had no intention of seeing him again, but she couldn’t resist the thought of going to a ball. She
spent hours getting ready, with Bridie and Rachel’s help, and was very pleased with the result.
    The long black dress she’d bought for the occasion was a sleek and figure-hugging number with a plunging neckline. With her hair piled on the top of her head, tiny ringlets framing her
face and the pearls her mother had lent her, she didn’t look too bad at all.
    ‘Gorgeous,’ her mother had pronounced with tears in her eyes.
    ‘You’ll knock ’em dead!’ Rachel had agreed.
    The two women had stood at the hall door, waving as she and Baz had sped off in a taxi.
    Anna had been a bit disappointed in Baz on their second meeting. He’d looked a lot better the night they met. Having said that, the club had been dimly lit and she’d had one too many
glasses of cheap champagne. Still, despite his pallor and his bulging watery blue eyes, he looked quite nice in his black tux. Anna loved men in dresswear. Even the wimpiest guy could manage to
look like James Bond in a dinner jacket. She was determined to make the best of the night and enjoy herself.
    It didn’t take her long to realize that this would be next to impossible. Without even introducing her to anyone, Baz had left her at their table and disappeared to the bar. Anna made the
best of it and chatted to a couple of the other women. They were halfway through the starter before Baz finally returned, rather the worse for wear and without a drink for Anna. Ignoring her
reproachful look, he proceeded to slag off the food, the band and then he’d launched into a series of filthy jokes. By the time Baz had knocked a full pint of lager over the woman on his
right, Liam, who was sitting across from them, had had enough. Jumping to his feet, he’d strong-armed a somewhat bewildered Baz out of the room and handed him over to a bouncer, who promptly
threw him out.
    When Liam returned, he crouched down beside Anna to tell her what had happened.
    ‘I’m sorry if I’ve ruined your