One Night Only (147 page)

“It
’
s
goin
g
t
o
b
e
s
o
tough,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“
I
d
o
hop
e
she
stay
s
aroun
d
here
,
though
.
I’
d
hat
e
t
o
se
e
he
r
go
.
A
few
m
onth
s
wil
l
mak
e
a
grea
t
differenc
e
t
o
he
r
an
d
I
ca
n
already
se
e
a
strea
k
o
f
confidenc
e
comin
g
through
,
bu
t
sh
e
ha
s
a
long
,
rock
y
roa
d
ahead.
”

“A
s
d
o
w
e
all,
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
“Look
,
I
ca
n
jus
t
hea
d
on hom
e
i
f
yo
u
want
.
Mayb
e
it
’
s
bette
r
i
f I
tel
l
Ro
b
myself
?
I
mean
,
it
’
s
no
t
th
e
en
d
o
f
th
e
world
.
I
wa
s
onl
y
arreste
d
for shoe-throwing
.
Surel
y
that
’
s
no
t
a
s
ba
d
a
s
stealin
g
o
r
mass murder?
”

Poll
y
couldn
’
t
hel
p
bu
t
laugh
.
“No
,
nobod
y
die
d
and
let
’
s
kee
p
i
t
tha
t
wa
y
.
Bu
t
it
’
s
u
p
t
o
you
.
I
ca
n
com
e
with yo
u
i
f
yo
u
thin
k
i
t
woul
d
mak
e
thing
s
easie
r
bu
t
tel
l
me
quickly so I
can let James know if you want me to go and
hel
p
yo
u
explai
n
.
.
.
”

Befor
e
T
es
s
coul
d
mak
e
u
p
he
r
mind
,
youn
g
Frankie ha
d
opene
d
th
e
fron
t
doo
r
o
f
th
e
hous
e
an
d
wa
s
o
n
his
wa
y
t
o
gree
t
them
.

“Hello
,
bab
y
boy!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
,
steppin
g
ou
t
o
f
th
e
vehicle
t
o
mee
t
him
.
“Hav
e
yo
u
lo
t
bee
n
goo
d
fo
r
Daddy?
”

“Sor
t
of,
”
sai
d
Frankie
.
“
I
didn
’
t
g
o
t
o
be
d
whe
n
I
was
tol
d
s
o
I’
m
suppose
d
t
o
b
e
grounded
,
an
d
th
e
twin
s
wouldn
’
t
ea
t
thei
r
breakfas
t
bu
t
Dadd
y
didn
’
t
mak
e
i
t
properl
y
.
I
t
w
as
sogg
y
.
”

“O
h
dea
r
,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
,
rufflin
g
hi
s
hai
r
.
“Mayb
e
w
e
can negotiat
e
tha
t
grounding
,
no
w
tha
t
I’
m
home.
”

T
es
s
go
t
ou
t
o
f
th
e
ca
r
an
d
grabbe
d
he
r
ba
g
fro
m
the boot
.
He
r
ow
n
vehicl
e
wa
s
parke
d
alon
g
th
e
ker
b
from th
e
mornin
g
before
.

“Look
s
lik
e
yo
u
hav
e
you
r
ow
n
stuf
f
t
o
conten
d
with, s
o
I’l
l
jus
t
ru
n
alon
g
an
d
fac
e
th
e
music,
”
sh
e
sai
d
t
o
her
siste
r
.
“Bein
g
grounde
d
i
s
tough
,
Frankster
!
Bu
t
I
be
t
your mu
m
ca
n
pul
l
ou
t
som
e
trick
s
t
o
ge
t
yo
u
of
f
th
e
hook.
”

“An
d
I’
m
sur
e
w
e
ca
n
d
o
th
e
sam
e
fo
r
you
,
T
ess,
”
said
Poll
y
.
“Jus
t
b
e
hones
t
wit
h
him
,
sis
.
T
r
y
an
d
se
e
th
e
funny
side
.
I
t
wil
l
b
e
a
bi
g
fa
t
nothing
,
wai
t
an
d
see
.
I
be
t
that
J
o
e
McAlee
r
o
r
whateve
r
hi
s
nam
e
i
s
antagonise
s
someo
n
e
differen
t
ever
y
night
.
Le
t
m
e
kno
w
ho
w
i
t
goes
,
won
’
t
you?
”

“Oka
y
,
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
Sh
e
walke
d
toward
s
he
r
ca
r
.
“Apart fro
m
that
,
I
thin
k
ou
r
we
e
nigh
t
ou
t
wa
s
a
success?
”