One Night Only (148 page)

“
I
thin
k
i
t
wa
s
too
.
Ar
e
yo
u
sur
e
yo
u
ca
n
driv
e
with you
r
sor
e
toe?
”

“I’l
l
manage,
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
“Believ
e
me
,
thi
s
to
e
i
s
th
e
least
o
f
m
y
worries
!
Pleas
e
don
’
t
tel
l
Jame
s
wha
t
happene
d
t
o
m
e
o
r
I
wil
l
neve
r
hea
r
th
e
en
d
o
f
it.
”

Jame
s
wa
s
a
t
th
e
doorwa
y
no
w
,
a
toddle
r
i
n
eac
h
arm. H
e
looke
d
exhauste
d
whic
h
mad
e
Poll
y
glo
w
a
little
.
Now h
e
woul
d
kno
w
wha
t
sh
e
ha
d
t
o
g
o
throug
h
ever
y
da
y
and
ever
y
night
.

“He
y
,
James!
”
sai
d
T
ess
,
makin
g
a
n
effor
t
t
o
sound muc
h
mor
e
chirp
y
tha
n
sh
e
fel
t
inside
.

“He
y
,
T
ess,
”
h
e
replied
.
“I’
d
lov
e
t
o
sa
y
yo
u
loo
k
well,
bu
t
–
nic
e
limp!
”

“O
h
shu
t
you
r
face!
”
sai
d
T
es
s
an
d
whe
n
sh
e
wa
s
sure
non
e
o
f
th
e
childre
n
wer
e
looking
,
sh
e
gav
e
hi
m
th
e
finge
r
.
“Charming
,
Mr
s
Matthews,
”
h
e
said
.
“Hop
e
you
don
’
t
teac
h
tha
t
t
o
you
r
pupil
s
a
t
school.
”

H
e
chuckle
d
an
d
steppe
d
asid
e
t
o
le
t
hi
s
wif
e
through th
e
doo
r
o
f
thei
r
famil
y
home
,
leanin
g
forwar
d
t
o
kis
s
her o
n
th
e
chee
k
a
s
sh
e
passed
.
Sh
e
stoppe
d
an
d
wrappe
d
her arm
s
aroun
d
hi
m
an
d
th
e
twins
.
Sh
e
neve
r
wante
d
t
o
leave
the
m
again
.
W
ell
,
no
t
fo
r
a
long
,
lon
g
time
.

Rut
h
drumme
d
he
r
finger
s
o
n
th
e
coffe
e
tabl
e
an
d
stared a
t
he
r
phone
.
He
r
mother
’
s
numbe
r
wa
s
emblazoned acros
s
th
e
screen
,
waitin
g
fo
r
he
r
t
o
b
e
brav
e
enoug
h
to
pres
s
th
e
dia
l
button
.
He
r
hous
e
wa
s
eeril
y
silen
t
an
d
it woul
d
b
e
th
e
perfec
t
opportunit
y
t
o
jus
t
bit
e
th
e
bullet.
Sh
e
picture
d
he
r
mothe
r
,
scurryin
g
aroun
d
he
r
hous
e
in th
e
cit
y
,
waterin
g
plants
,
runnin
g
afte
r
th
e
dog
,
reading th
e
newspape
r
cove
r
t
o
cove
r
twic
e
ove
r
,
visitin
g
he
r
late husband
’
s
grav
e
twic
e
a
da
y
.
.
.

Sh
e
wondere
d
i
f
sh
e
ha
d
change
d
an
y
ove
r
th
e
pas
t
ten
y
ears
.
W
oul
d
sh
e
b
e
greyer
?
W
oul
d
sh
e
b
e
frailer
?
Angrie
r
?
O
r
woul
d
sh
e
hav
e
becom
e
mor
e
subdue
d
i
n
he
r
later
years
?
Sh
e
alway
s
ha
d
bee
n
shar
p
o
f
th
e
tongu
e
an
d
was
neve
r
afrai
d
t
o
chang
e
he
r
mind
.

“Oh
,
you’r
e
home
.
I
didn
’
t
hea
r
yo
u
com
e
in.
”

Melani
e
walke
d
pas
t
Rut
h
withou
t
makin
g
ey
e
contact an
d
slumpe
d
ont
o
th
e
sofa
,
flickin
g
th
e
T
V
o
n
and automaticall
y
findin
g
th
e
musi
c
channe
l
o
f
he
r
choice
.

“
Y
es
,
I’
m
jus
t
in,
”
sai
d
Ruth
,
waitin
g
fo
r
he
r
daughter t
o
as
k
abou
t
he
r
nigh
t
awa
y
.
Sh
e
didn
’
t
.