Sheila, a skinny, ginger-haired child, hates her own appearance. But she grows up, wins a beauty contest and to her amazement becomes a world-famous model. Many men love Sheila, but only one matters to her - her ex-boyfriend, John Branagh - who thinks Sheila is a promiscuous slut.

Phil has other problems. She is deeply in love with Davy Hagan, a drug-dealer (one of many who have sprung up since the ceasefires). Phil is torn miserably between her hatred of drug-dealing, and her love for Davy.

Mary, at first a wild child, moves from underage drinking to hard drugs. But she ODs, narrowly escaping death, and begins to re-evaluate her life and her beliefs.

When Sheila is kidnapped by mistake, John realises she still matters desperately to him. Ignoring the risk, he follows to try to rescue Sheila.

The police discover a gun and a consignment of drugs in the flat Phil shares with Davy, and Phil is arrested. Now what?

Phil has other problems. She is deeply in love with Davy Hagan, but Davy is a drug-dealer (one of many who have sprung up since the ceasefires). Phil is torn miserably between her hatred of drug-dealing, and her love for Davy.

Mary (sister of John Branagh), starting off as a wild child looking for excitement, moves quickly from underage drinking to hard drugs. But when she ODs and just escapes death, Mary begins to re-evaluate her life.

Sheila is kidnapped in mistake for the red-haired wife of a supermarket millionaire. John realises that she still matters desperately to him. Ignoring the risk, he follows the kidnappers and manages to rescue Sheila. However, next day he is devastated to find her on close terms with Delmara, her boss. John has long been bitterly jealous of Delmara. He leaves in anger.

Sheila gives the police some information about her kidnappers, not realising that this will lead them straight to the flat Phil shares with Davy. The police discover a gun and a consignment of drugs there. Phil is arrested, and sentenced to two years imprisonment.

Davy, out of the country, doesn’t know that Phil has been blamed for his activities.

With remand time and remission, Phil is released after a year. She meets up again with Davy, and they make love. For his own safety, Davy leaves for Dublin. After he has gone, Phil discovers that she is pregnant.

Meanwhile, Mary, who has visited Phil in jail, bringing her comfort, decides to enter a Christian community. Distressed that John and Sheila seem unable to get it together, Mary tells John to act.

Davy is still involved with drug gangs. Just before Phil’s baby is born, he is shot and killed in an inter-gang shootout.

John wakes up. Life is passing, many of his friends have been killed in the Troubles. Now Davy Hagan, too. He can’t let his own life come to nothing.

Sheila returns to Belfast. John books a licence and a slot at the registry office, interrupts Sheila at rehearsal, and demands to know if she is going to marry him or not?

Sheila, after so many years of heartbreak, has no hesitation. She jumps down into his arms, and goes with him to the waiting taxi.