One Night Only (124 page)

“O
r
lam
b
dresse
d
a
s
mutton
,
a
s
T
es
s
woul
d
say!
”
said Gina
.
“A
s
i
f
w
e
are
!
No
w
,
com
e
on
.
Let
’
s
g
o
an
d
se
e
if
Rut
h
i
s
alive
.
That
’
s
al
l
w
e
woul
d
need
.
A
blood
y
heart attac
k
o
r
somethin
g
t
o
hav
e
wipe
d
he
r
out.
”

“Don
’
t
eve
n
jok
e
abou
t
it,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
,
takin
g
he
r
pyjamas
an
d
toothbrus
h
an
d
followin
g
Gin
a
ou
t
o
f
th
e
room
.

Rut
h
wa
s
ou
t
fo
r
th
e
coun
t
whe
n
th
e
girl
s
go
t
t
o
th
e
room
second
s
late
r
.
The
y
didn
’
t
kno
w
whethe
r
o
r
no
t
they shoul
d
wak
e
he
r
an
d
fil
l
he
r
in
,
o
r
t
o
le
t
sleepin
g
dog
s
lie
an
d
allo
w
Rut
h
t
o
b
e
th
e
onl
y
on
e
o
f
the
m
t
o
ge
t
a
full
night
’
s
sleep
.

“
I
sa
y
leav
e
he
r
be,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
,
slumpin
g
dow
n
o
n
the bed
.

“Bu
t
wha
t
i
f
sh
e
get
s
angr
y
tomorro
w
tha
t
w
e
didn
’
t
w
ak
e
her
?
Sh
e
ma
y
thin
k
sh
e
ha
s
misse
d
ou
t
o
n
something.
Sh
e
ma
y
eve
n
b
e
abl
e
t
o
com
e
u
p
wit
h
som
e
sor
t
o
f
help?
Rut
h
seem
s
t
o
b
e
cleve
r
–
”

“An
d
I’
m
not?
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
He
r
eye
s
wer
e
close
d
and
he
r
arm
s
wer
e
folde
d
a
s
sh
e
la
y
o
n
th
e
bed
,
stil
l
i
n
her jumpsuit
.
Sh
e
didn
’
t
hav
e
th
e
energ
y
t
o
change
.
No
t
yet
.

“That
’
s
no
t
wha
t
I
meant!
”
sai
d
Gin
a
fro
m
th
e
bathroom.
“It
’
s
oka
y
,
you’r
e
right
.
I’
m
no
t
academicall
y
clever
lik
e
Rut
h
o
r
T
ess,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
,
he
r
voic
e
tremblin
g
with
self-pit
y
.
“
I
neve
r
wa
s
th
e
sharpes
t
too
l
i
n
th
e
box
.
Pretty
Poll
y
,
that
’
s
al
l
I
eve
r
blood
y
was
.
Goo
d
enoug
h
for havin
g
babie
s
an
d
cookin
g
an
d
cleanin
g
an
d
mayb
e
the od
d
sha
g
o
n
a
Saturda
y
night
,
bu
t
certainl
y
no
t
cleve
r
.

Nuh-uh
!
Mayb
e
that
’
s
wh
y
m
y
husban
d
i
s
s
o
bore
d
with me.
”

Gin
a
walke
d
bac
k
int
o
th
e
room
.
He
r
mout
h
wa
s
full
o
f
toothpast
e
an
d
sh
e
wave
d
he
r
toothbrus
h
a
s
sh
e
spoke
.

“Neve
r
eve
r
sa
y
that,
”
sh
e
said
.

“An
d
I
neve
r
a
m
listene
d
to,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
,
knowin
g
the tear
s
tha
t
wer
e
streamin
g
dow
n
th
e
side
s
o
f
he
r
eye
s
and int
o
he
r
ear
s
wer
e
heape
d
wit
h
pur
e
self-indulgenc
e
but sh
e
wa
s
to
o
drun
k
t
o
care
.
“Eve
n
m
y
childre
n
tur
n
a
deaf
ear
when
I
try
to
tell
them
off.
I’m
weak
and
pathetic
and I
ca
n
se
e
wh
y
Jame
s
i
s
s
o
fe
d
up
.
I’
m
bore
d
t
o
tear
s
with hi
m
bein
g
bore
d
t
o
tear
s
an
d
–
”

“Poll
y
Knox
,
yo
u
liste
n
t
o
me!
”
sai
d
Gina
,
sittin
g
on th
e
edg
e
o
f
th
e
bed
.
“
Y
o
u
ar
e
on
e
o
f
th
e
kindest
,
smartest, carin
g
peopl
e
I
kno
w
,
Mis
s
Madam
!
I
f
i
t
weren
’
t
fo
r
you ove
r
th
e
pas
t
fe
w
days
,
I’
d
b
e
i
n
th
e
clini
c
b
y
no
w
.
Y
ou ma
y
no
t
hav
e
a
bi
g
fanc
y
jo
b
bu
t
yo
u
hav
e
qualitie
s
that
wil
l
las
t
wel
l
beyon
d
anyone
’
s
retirement
.
Y
o
u
hav
e
soul!
”