Hannah in the Spotlight Read Online Free PDF Page A

her mum, Cordelia, told me they were about to go shopping. Cordelia was young and very glamorous-looking, with blonde hair like Meg’s and designer sunglasses perched on top of her head. She was the sort of person who called everyone darling (even me, who she’d only just met) and she spoke so quickly it almost made my head spin.
    ‘So sorry for stealing her away, Hannah darling!’ she said with a smile. ‘But it’s quite the clothing emergency! Meg simply has nothing to wear!’
    ‘Don’t exaggerate, Mum,’ Meg said. ‘I just need some warm stuff,’ she told me. ‘Pretty much all I packed was light dresses, shorts and T-shirts. So we’ve got to stock up on leggings and hoodies and stuff.’
    ‘And I simply must find something more suitable towear for my interviews,’ Cordelia added. ‘I mean, tell me truly, Hannah darling, would you offer me a job in this sort of outfit?’
    I thought she looked pretty amazing in her lightweight white jumper, skinny jeans and high-heeled boots, but I didn’t need to say anything as Cordelia immediately answered her own question. ‘Of course you wouldn’t! It’s absolutely essential that one looks the part when applying for a job in an office. I’m a little out of practice, but I’m sure with the right look I’ll be able to convince someone to take me on.’
    ‘Hannah, have you seen Maisie?’ It was Mum, standing at our garden wall and shading her eyes from the sun.
    ‘No – has she disappeared again?’ Maisie has a habit of disappearing when someone is annoying her, and she seems to go completely deaf to anyone calling her. ‘I’ll come and help you look for her.’
    ‘Sorry to interrupt,’ Mum said to Cordelia. ‘I’m Claire, by the way.’
    ‘Cordelia,’ Meg’s mum told her, extending a long elegant arm to shake hands across the garden wall. ‘So nice to meet you.’
    ‘You must come over for coffee some day,’ Mum said, smoothing down her hair a little self-consciously. ‘I’d ask you in now, but I’m afraid the place is a bit of a mess.’
    ‘Oh, don’t worry, darling, we’re off to the shops justnow anyway. Meg here has got absolutely nothing to wear – I’d forgotten how changeable the Irish summers can be.’
    ‘I’m sure summers were much nicer when we were young,’ Mum agreed.
    Meg and I grinned at each other – that was exactly the kind of thing parents always say.
    ‘Mustn’t keep you,’ Cordelia said to Mum. ‘Come along, Meg, darling.’
    ‘There’s something familiar about her,’ Mum said, watching them drive away. ‘Where did you say they used to live?’
    ‘I’m not actually sure. But Cordelia grew up in Carrickbeg – maybe you knew her when you were kids?’
    ‘Maybe.’ Mum had already moved on. ‘I’d better go and look for Maisie. I can’t think where she’s got to.’
    ‘I’ll help you,’ I said.
    I headed upstairs, still wondering about Meg and her family. I couldn’t help being curious, but I didn’t want to pry. Someone like Tracey Dunne would have just come right out and asked Meg where they used to live, and why they’d moved, and where her dad was, and she wouldn’t have stopped until Meg told her everything she needed to know. Then she’d have used the information against her in one of her nasty little schemes. I knew Meg didn’t need that kind of pressure. Whatever was going on, Meg would tell us when she was ready. Sometimes talking is whatbeing friends is all about, but sometimes being a good friend means knowing when to shut up too.
    I found Maisie in the first place I looked – our room, where she was sitting on her bed, arms folded and bottom lip stuck out.
    ‘Mum, she’s here,’ I shouted down the stairs. ‘Maisie, didn’t you hear Mum calling?’
    Maisie unfolded her arms so that she could pointedly fold them again to let me know she was cross. I tried not to smile.
    ‘What’s the matter?’
    ‘Zach and Bobby are playing Star Wars again and they said I can only play if