Annabel's Starring Role (5 page)

Chapter Five

“Great news,” said Mrs Ryan at breakfast the next morning. “I spoke to your Auntie Janet last night after you'd gone to bed and told her all about the ballgown and the play. She's agreed to help me put it together, Bel, and suggested we bring the pattern and everything with us when we all go up to London.”

Annabel promptly spilt milk down her sweatshirt. “Auntie Jan's going to help? Oh, Mum, that's fantastic.”

“Hey, watch it!” The milk was still dripping, and Katie was trying to keep her sleeves out of the way. “Bel! Wake up and look what you're doing, will you?”

Becky dived for a cloth to wipe up Annabel, and Mrs Ryan just stared resignedly at the state of the breakfast table. Annabel ignored the carnage around her entirely, and concentrated on the important issues. “Auntie Jan's so good with clothes and stuff – my dress'll be perfect!”

Her mother made a face. “Well, thank you too, Annabel. I'm not that bad!”

Annabel wasn't listening. She'd been excited enough about the trip before, but the thought of having super-fashionable Auntie Jan make her dress had pushed her into bliss. “I can't believe we're going to London
tomorrow
!
Actually” – she was suddenly serious – “I need to plan what clothes to take.” And she was dead silent from then on, gazing into space as she worked out her wardrobe. She only woke up halfway to school, when she'd covered every possible combination, and then she started dancing along the pavement.

Katie looked at her irritably. “Bel, will you please try to get your head in gear for school? Remember what happened on Monday? I know it's turned out OK in the end, but I'm not going through that again. Just calm down.”

Annabel gave her sister a shocked look. This was truly grumpy behaviour from Katie, and it was difficult for Annabel to process someone being grumpy when she felt so bouncy herself.

“What's the matter?” she asked curiously, walking backwards to stare into her sister's face. “Why are you all cross? Aren't you excited about tomorrow?”

“I'm not cross,” Katie muttered crossly.

“You are.”

“I'm not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“If I
say
I'm not cross, I'm not cross, OK?” Katie snapped.

“
Fine
,
then. I was only trying to be nice.” Annabel stomped off ahead.

Becky decided it was definitely time to intervene. “Don't you want to go to London, Katie? It's going to be fun.”

“Huh.”

“It will! What's the matter?”

Katie huffed crossly. “It was bad enough when it was a whole weekend of shopping, but now we've got to sit around while Mum and Auntie Jan make
dresses
for Annabel. I'd rather stay at home.”

Becky gave her a troubled look. “It won't be like that! It's nearly Christmas, we're going to do loads of present-shopping. Don't you want to get something nice for Megan?” she wheedled.

“Course I do!” Katie snapped back. “But it's all going to be clothes shops and stupid girly stuff – really boring.”

“Speak for yourself,” muttered Annabel, who'd let them catch up again. She was feeling grumpy herself after her spat with Katie, but she couldn't stay down for long with the prospect of a day's shopping. Everywhere would be all Christmassy, with loads of party outfits in the shops, and decorations all over the place. If there was anything better than just plain shopping, it was shopping at Christmas. She looked sympathetically at Katie. How awful to be depressed by shopping! Suddenly she remembered that Katie had sorted out her audition-disaster for her, and felt guilty. She gave her sister a hug. “It won't all be clothes, honestly. We'll go to places you like too. And I'll be good today, I promise. Perfect little angel until home time, and then I'll go crazy. OK?”

Annabel managed to keep her word – just. When she felt the excitement bubbling up (a particular problem in geography – it was a mystery at Manor Hill how Mrs Travers managed to be quite so amazingly boring) she looked very firmly at Katie, and thought about her being sweet enough to do a detention for her. As soon as she got outside the school gates, though, she gave in completely. She shoved her bag into Becky's arms, dashed down the road far enough to find a clear spot, and actually turned a cartwheel to work off some of the accumulated craziness. She was giggly and silly all the rest of the way, and when they got home she dashed upstairs immediately.

The triplets' mum, who'd seen her go past only as a streak of blonde hair, looked worried. “What's the matter with Annabel?”

“Nothing,” explained Becky, grinning. “She's just desperate to get changed out of school clothes and get the weekend started.”

She was interrupted by Annabel, hanging over the banisters. “Come on! You have to change too, I don't even want to
see
school uniform. I wish we lived in America.”

She disappeared again, leaving her mother looking confused. “What's America got to do with anything?”

Katie smiled understandingly. “They don't wear school uniform over there. We'll be down soon.”

Annabel's giggliness could be very infectious – if you weren't in a bad mood to start with – and she'd tried so hard to be sensible all day that Katie had forgiven her entirely and started to get excited about the weekend too. After all, it would be fun to see Auntie Jan, and Becky was right, she
did
need to get Christmas presents. The three girls spent teatime giggling so much that Becky got hiccups from trying to laugh through her shepherd's pie. It took them longer than usual to eat, but as soon as they had choked down enough, Annabel dragged the other two upstairs. “Come on! I've got really important stuff to talk about!”

Becky sat down on her bed, clutching Orlando, and cooing sweet nothings in his ear. “What is it, Bel?”

“Christmas-present shopping!” Annabel announced importantly.

“We know!” Katie looked unimpressed.

“What I mean is, we ought to make a plan. There's no point going shopping with no idea what you want to buy. I mean, a bit of impulse buying is good, definitely, but we ought to know what we think people want for Christmas, or we'll end up with three things for Saima, say, and nothing for Megan.”

Katie nodded – for once Annabel was right. How did she manage to be sensible and organized only when it came to shopping?

Annabel rounded on Becky. “And you've got a massive problem,” she declared, waving a finger in her sister's face in a doom-laden way.

Becky shrank back – not actually because she was worried by Bel, she was too used to her being overdramatic for that, but because she could tell that Orlando was objecting to fingers being waved in front of his jaws, and was preparing to have a piece out of her sister. “What?” she enquired curiously.

“What are you going to buy David for Christmas?” Annabel folded her arms and looked down at Becky smugly.

“Oh. I hadn't thought. I don't know, really.” A worried expression appeared on Becky's face. What on earth
was
she going to get him?

“You see? We need to make a list of everyone we want to get presents for, and start thinking before tomorrow.” Annabel smiled sweetly. “You two need to start thinking what to give
me
,
as well. I could show you some stuff in magazines if you like.” She started over to the teetering pile of magazines by her bed, but Katie grabbed her and bundled her over to the big table.

“
No,
thank you. We want you concentrating for now. You can drop hints later, when we've got everyone else sorted.” Katie was in organizing mode now, and she grabbed paper and pens for list-making. “Let's start off with making a list of everybody we need to get presents for.”

“Well, each other, obviously,” Becky suggested. “But you want to leave that till last, don't you.”

Katie grinned. “Oh, I don't mind discussing
you
,
I just want Bel's mind clear, that's all. Got any ideas what you want?”

Annabel gasped indignantly, and would have protested, but Katie put her hand over her mouth. “Shut up, Bel, or I'll tickle you.” She waved her fingers threateningly close to Annabel's neck. Annabel was so ticklish that if she was in the right mood even this could send her into hysterics. She struggled feebly, and made pleading eyes at Katie.

Katie released her. Annabel sighed resignedly and she started making the list. “OK. Saima. Megan and Fran, yes?
David
—” with a teasing look at Becky.

Becky refused to rise. “Mum, Dad, Auntie Jan, Grandma and Grandpa, Nan.”

Katie came round to look over Annabel's shoulder. “What on earth are we going to get Mum?”

“Haven't a clue. But we should probably get Auntie Janet something wedding-y, do you think?” Becky suggested. “You can get lots of books on how to organize weddings, I've seen them.” Auntie Janet was getting married to her fiancé, Mark, in the spring, and she was full of wedding plans already.

Katie pointed at their grandparents' names. “Mum'll probably have good ideas about what to get. But her present's really difficult.”

“Mmm. It would be nice to get her a surprise that she actually did really like.” Becky frowned. “She's not easy to get presents for.”

Annabel nibbled her pen. A tiny scrap of an idea was gathering. She nibbled harder. They were going shopping with Auntie Jan… Auntie Jan who was very,
very
similar-looking to Mum – different hair, but their figures and faces were almost as identical as the triplets' were. Mum was always complaining that she had nothing nice to wear, but she didn't really enjoy clothes shopping all that much (which Annabel found very hard to understand). Mum said she always ended up trying on things that looked lovely on the hanger but horrible on her. So… The idea was slipping round the edges of her brain…

“I've got it! We get rid of Mum somehow” – Annabel was still sketchy on the details – “and then we borrow Auntie Jan!”

Katie and Becky looked at her sceptically.

“What?” said Katie witheringly.

Annabel sighed. They were so
slow
sometimes. “We go to a clothes shop,” she said, her tone indicating that they were idiots and she was talking in words of one syllable on purpose, “and we get Auntie Jan to try on clothes so we can see what would look good on Mum!” She sat back looking pleased with herself.

“Bel, that's a brilliant idea,” breathed Becky delightedly. “We should be able to get her something perfect.”

Katie grinned. “I've changed my mind – pass those magazines, Becky. OK, Bel, here's your reward. What do you want for Christmas?”

Chapter Six

“Ummm.” Annabel fiddled with her hairclips. “‘It's not fair, the invitation was addressed to me as well'?”

“Nope, that's in about three lines' time. It's ‘I really wish I could go to the ball'.” Katie looked round the script at Annabel. “You're getting better though. You know what the lines are – now it's just a case of getting them in the right order…”

Becky giggled – Annabel's affronted face was very funny.

The triplets and their mum were on the train to London, sitting round a table sharing some cookies that Mrs Ryan had bought at the station as a treat. Katie was testing Annabel on her words for the play, and it wasn't going too well.

“You know,” said Katie thoughtfully. “I think the problem is that you're only learning your own words.”

Annabel glared at her, even her hair looking irritable. She hated being wrong. “What, I'm supposed to learn everybody else's words as well? Come on, Katie!”

“No, no, no. I mean, you know your lines, and you know
approximately
when you're supposed to say them” – Annabel snarled – “but it would be better if you said the lines as though you were actually answering the person before you. So you
do
need to know their line too. Or at least know what it is they're trying to say.”

Annabel was silent. She very much wanted to tell Katie not to be so stupid, but it sounded horribly as though she might be right. Mum was nodding as though she thought so too. She stuck out her hand. “Give it here.”

Katie handed the script over, and Annabel looked down at it gloomily. Still, the more she did now, the less she'd have to worry about it later on that day while they were shopping. She didn't want any distractions. She scowled down at the script and concentrated hard until Mum tapped her on the shoulder – they were pulling into Paddington station. She stuffed the script away in her bag quickly, and jumped up to help the others get the bags down from the rack over their heads.

“Bel, how come you need so much stuff when we're only going for one night?” asked Becky, nearly collapsing under the weight of Annabel's rucksack.

Annabel looked at her, honestly confused. “Well, how do I know what I'm going to feel like tomorrow? If I only brought one outfit, it might be totally wrong for the way I'm feeling, and then I'd just be really weird all day.”

Katie and Becky exchanged looks, and Katie coughed suspiciously, but they wisely decided not to say anything.

The triplets looked around excitedly as they walked through the station. They'd been to London before, to see Auntie Janet, and Dad had taken them all to see a show a couple of years earlier, but it was still an event. They attracted quite a lot of attention themselves – several people did a double take as they saw the three girls go by.

Mum drilled the triplets firmly on where they were going as they waited for a tube to arrive. She knew that Annabel especially had an amazing knack of getting lost – just because she got distracted so easily. At least if she knew where the flat was she had a chance of getting back there – and Mrs Ryan had made sure Auntie Janet's number was in Annabel's mobile. Eventually the train roared into the station, pouring out shoppers and tourists. They had to wait for a whole party of French schoolkids to go past them, giggling and pointing, before they could get on.

“Come on, Bel!” snapped Katie, feeling ruffled. Annabel was still making faces back at the last of the French boys.

The train was quite full so they clutched desperately at one of the rails, holding on to each other and swaying round the bends, giggling. Luckily it wasn't a long way to the stop nearest to Auntie Janet's flat.

As they walked up the street towards her building they could see a figure waving madly at the window. Then it disappeared, and the front door opened as they got to it, with Auntie Jan, breathless, hanging on to the handle.

“You got here! Oh, this is so nice, it's ages since I've seen you. Come on!” And she dashed back up the stairs, grabbing a couple of bags and calling, “Mark! They're here!”

The triplets had only met Mark once before. He'd seemed OK, but they hadn't really talked to him, so they hung back a little. Mum and Auntie Jan were hugging and talking excitedly, and the triplets weren't quite sure what to do. Mark grinned briefly at them, and then groaned – he was playing a PlayStation game, and he'd obviously just mucked up. Katie wandered over to look at the screen – it was a football game that they had at home. Mark was on a pretty high level, she noted – quite impressed.

“Sorry.” He finally stood up. “Er – you got here OK, then?” he stared at them for a moment, looking nonplussed. “Look, I know this must be really irritating, but I can't work out which is which. You're Katie, right?” He
was
actually pointing to Katie, but she glared at him anyway. She really hated it when people got confused. Becky saw the look in her eyes and decided to head her off in case she said something snappish – that wouldn't be a good way to start off the visit.

“That's right. And I'm Becky and this is Annabel.”

Annabel smiled politely. How could anyone not remember who
she
was?

“OK. Right.” Mark could obviously sense the atmosphere. “Sorry. Er, would anyone like a drink?” He bolted into the kitchen.

“Be nice!” Becky murmured, frowning at Katie.

Katie sighed. “Oh, all right. You didn't have to cut me off like that, you know, I wasn't going to say anything.” Becky gave her a disbelieving look. “Well, nothing rude. Come on, let's go and get a drink.” She led the way into the kitchen.

Luckily, Katie spotted a photo on a board in the kitchen – Mark had run the London marathon. She was even more impressed, and by the time Mum and Auntie Janet stopped catching up and came to find them all, she and Mark were deep in a discussion about exercise routines, while Annabel and Becky pored over one of the piles of wedding magazines they'd discovered on an old armchair in the corner.

Auntie Jan peered over their shoulders. “Oh, no! I'm not getting married in a meringue, Annabel, no way.”

“What is your dress going to be like?” Annabel asked eagerly.

“I'm not totally sure yet, but if we go past any wedding shops today, I'll show you the kind of thing I'm looking for. Come on, we've got loads of shopping to do.”

 

Auntie Janet led them on another tube ride to Covent Garden. She knew Annabel and Becky would like all the cool clothes shops there, but she was hoping that Katie might find it fun to look at some of the places that sold gadgets and sports stuff too. Katie looked doubtful as they came out of the tube station – clothes, clothes and more clothes. She sighed. She had a feeling it was going to be a long day. Annabel was in seventh heaven as they headed towards the market, ooohing at all the Christmas lights, and pointing out shoes, and feathery handbags, and a whole lot of what Katie mentally classed as “Annabel-stuff”. When she squeaked, “Oh, look!” for what seemed like the millionth time, Katie was unenthusiastic.

“What?”

“A whole shop full of
Tintin
stuff! Do you want to go in? Mum, did you see? It's a really cool shop for Katie!”

Katie perked up. Annabel was right! “Bel, you star, I didn't even see it. Please, please, can we go in?” She'd loved the
Tintin
books for ages, and the shop looked fantastic.

“David likes
Tintin
,”
said Becky excitedly. “I could get his Christmas present here.”

It turned out to be a fab present shop. Katie, Becky and Annabel were darting about all over the place, dragging each other to look at things. Annabel wasn't a huge
Tintin
fan, but she
was
a shopping fan, and she really entered into the spirit of present-buying. The assistant was looking a bit bewildered – it wasn't a very big shop, and the triplets certainly filled it up.

“Katie, look at this!” Annabel pointed to the
Tintin
watch that Becky was holding, and stood back with her head on one side. Katie's reaction was crucial.

“Wow!” Katie took it longingly, and Annabel and Becky nodded in approval – one Christmas present solved!

As Katie wandered off to gaze happily at the posters, Annabel turned to Becky.

“So we'll buy that together for Katie?” Becky sounded pleased – sometimes it was hard to choose presents for Katie, because they weren't as into sporty things as she was.

“Definitely. She seemed to really like it. Have you found anything for David?”

“I'm not sure. What about this?” Becky showed Annabel a mug with some of the book, characters on.

Annabel chewed her lower lip thoughtfully. “It's OK, but a mug's a bit, well,
boring
.”

“Mmmm – I just don't know what to choose. Katie, tell me what to get for David,” Becky called over to her sister as she put the mug back, frowning. She certainly didn't want the first present she got David to be boring.

“You've been to his house, haven't you?” Katie asked thoughtfully. “If we had the space in our room, I'd love one of those posters.”

“Oooh yes!” agreed Annabel, nodding like mad. “Then every time he looks at it he'll think of you!”

Becky inspected the poster Katie was pointing out – Tintin and his dog in huge puffy orange spacesuits – and looked slightly insulted. The other two cracked up.

“Sorry – I didn't mean it like that!” Annabel sniggered.

“It really is a cool poster, Becky. I'd get it for him.”

They ended up with the poster, Katie's watch, and quite a few bits that Mum wouldn't let them see and that Katie suspected were for her stocking – and maybe Becky's too, as Tintin's dog was very cute.

After the
Tintin
shop Annabel spotted a stall full of mobile phone accessories – perfect for Saima. Luckily she knew exactly what phone her friend had, so she could get her a new cover – she'd had her silver one for ages.

“The glitter one, or that one with the purple flowers?” Annabel asked everyone, dithering. The problem was, she knew Saima would like them both.

“What colour's her favourite bag?” put in Auntie Jan.

“Oh, she's got a new purple one – brilliant!”

Annabel happily paid for the flowery phone cover. Good! Now that they'd got a few of the other presents sorted, she reckoned they ought to get on to their plan for Mum's present. She beckoned Katie and Becky into a huddle. “We've got to get rid of Mum!”

“Maybe we could suggest she goes and has a coffee or something?” Becky said doubtfully.

“No.” Katie shook her head. “Too obvious we've got a plan.”

“Hey, catch up you three!” Auntie Janet was waving. “You're coming with me for a bit – your mum wants to go and look at presents for you.”

Annabel beamed at the others. Fantastic! And presents as well! She just hoped that Mum had been listening properly earlier on. She and Katie and Becky tried not to look too excited as Mum disappeared off – they couldn't wait to let Auntie Janet in on the plan.

As soon as Mum had gone, Auntie Janet turned back to them, looking suspicious. “What are you three planning? Annabel, you look too smug for it to be anything sensible.”

“No, it's
really
sensible, honestly. We just need to borrow you without Mum knowing, and she's given us the perfect chance. Come on!”

She led the way into a shop she'd spotted earlier on, full of the kind of clothes Mum liked but never really had the confidence to buy for herself.

“Annabel, where are we going? You won't fit this stuff, and I don't think they have a teen range…” protested Auntie Jan.

“It's not for us,” Katie put in, propelling their aunt along from the other side. “It's for Mum!”

Katie and Becky gave Auntie Jan a quick rundown of the plan and marshalled her to the fitting rooms, while Annabel nosed along the rails looking for likely stuff.

Five minutes later a walking pile of clothes appeared outside the fitting-room door. “This'll do to start with,” said Annabel cheerfully, dumping all the stuff on a bench. “Why haven't you taken your coat off?”

Auntie Janet looked down at the pile in horror. “Annabel! This'll take
years
to try on. And look at it, it's all so – not black!” Auntie Janet almost always wore black, or sometimes grey when she fancied a change. Bright colours weren't her thing at all.

“I know. Mum really likes bright clothes, but she doesn't buy them because she thinks she'll look washed out. She just needs the right ones, that's all. And that's where you come in.” Annabel grabbed a couple of tops to start with and pushed Auntie Jan into the changing room.

She came out a few minutes later to face the triplets, who were sitting on the bench looking critical. Annabel stood up, folded her arms and put her head on one side. “Could you at least try to smile?” she asked acidly. “It's hard to tell when you look like it actually hurts.”

Auntie Jan muttered something, and fingered the burnt-orange fabric in distaste. “OK. Pretending for the moment that I would actually wear
any
of this, what kind of thing are you aiming to give your mum? Everyday clothes, party stuff, what?”

The triplets looked thoughtful. They hadn't really got that far. Annabel glanced at the others enquiringly as she answered. “Something in between? Not hanging round the house clothes, but she doesn't really go out to parties much. I suppose some of these sparkly things might not be quite right.” She stroked a sequinned top regretfully, and picked up a flowery dress instead. “This one?” she asked Katie and Becky.

“Yeah, I've always thought Mum wants to look like a walking rosebush, Bel. No,” said Katie firmly.