One Night Only (152 page)

‘
Y
o
u
see
,
th
e
bounce
r
.
.
.
well
,
h
e
wa
s
reall
y
nast
y
and h
e
grabbe
d
m
y
ar
m
an
d
the
n
h
e
stoo
d
o
n
m
y
to
e
an
d
it broke
,
i
t
actuall
y
broke
!
Look
!
Evidence!’
O
h
Go
d
no
!
Definitel
y
not
!
Ro
b
woul
d
b
e
afte
r
Joe
McAlee
r
lik
e
a
sho
t
i
f
sh
e
tol
d
hi
m
tha
t
an
d
the
n
they woul
d
al
l
en
d
u
p
i
n
jail
!
No
,
ther
e
wa
s
n
o
poin
t
i
n
trying t
o
flowe
r
i
t
u
p
o
r
skir
t
aroun
d
th
e
issue
.
Sh
e
woul
d
have t
o
bit
e
th
e
bulle
t
an
d
tel
l
i
t
ho
w
i
t
was
.

Sh
e
hear
d
th
e
ke
y
tur
n
i
n
th
e
doo
r
an
d
he
r
heart skippe
d
a
beat
.

“Wher
e
i
s
m
y
preciou
s
girl?
”
sh
e
hear
d
Ro
b
sa
y
from dow
n
th
e
hallwa
y
.

Sh
e
walke
d
(well
,
hobbled
)
t
o
mee
t
hi
m
an
d
th
e
smile
o
n
hi
s
fac
e
turne
d
sou
r
whe
n
h
e
sa
w
tha
t
sh
e
ha
d
been injured
.
H
e
droppe
d
th
e
bag
s
o
f
shoppin
g
ont
o
th
e
hall floo
r
,
includin
g
a
hug
e
bouque
t
o
f
flowers
,
an
d
walked toward
s
he
r
,
concer
n
etche
d
ove
r
hi
s
gorgeou
s
face
.

“Wha
t
happened?
”
h
e
asked
.
“Ar
e
yo
u
okay?
”

Thi
s
wa
s
good
,
though
t
T
ess
.
H
e
wa
s
ful
l
o
f
sympath
y
.
Sh
e
woul
d
hav
e
t
o
pla
y
o
n
thi
s
whol
e
to
e
issue
,
big-time!
“O
h
Rob
,
i
t
i
s
so
,
s
o
sore
!
It
’
s
broken
!
I
t
wa
s
an accident.
”
Sh
e
actuall
y
though
t
h
e
wa
s
goin
g
t
o
pic
k
her u
p
an
d
carr
y
he
r
throug
h
t
o
th
e
livin
g
roo
m
bu
t
that woul
d
b
e
jus
t
ludicrou
s
s
o
sh
e
kisse
d
hi
m
slowl
y
an
d
then
ease
d
awa
y
,
leadin
g
hi
m
inside.
“Bu
t
wha
t
happened
?
”

“
W
el
l
.
.
.
w
e
wen
t
t
o
a
karaok
e
clu
b
an
d
Rut
h
stood o
n
m
y
foo
t
b
y
acciden
t
o
n
th
e
danc
e
floo
r
.
.
.
I
didn
’
t
realis
e
i
t
wa
s
s
o
badl
y
hur
t
a
t
th
e
tim
e
.
.
.
”

“What
?
That
’
s
incredible!
”

Sh
e
la
y
o
n
th
e
sof
a
an
d
h
e
pu
t
a
cushio
n
unde
r
her foot
,
starin
g
a
t
th
e
broke
n
to
e
a
s
i
f
i
t
wa
s
a
lif
e
o
r
death
injur
y
.
Sometime
s
hi
s
lov
e
fo
r
he
r
wa
s
s
o
ove
r
-the-to
p
that i
t
go
t
o
n
he
r
nerves
,
bu
t
no
t
now
!
No
w
,
sh
e
neede
d
every
ounc
e
o
f
attentio
n
sh
e
coul
d
ge
t
fro
m
him
.

“Di
d
yo
u
hav
e
i
t
see
n
to?
”

“
I
.
.
.
wel
l
.
.
.
yeah
,
I
spen
t
mos
t
o
f
th
e
nigh
t
i
n
hospital.
Thos
e
A
an
d
E
department
s
ar
e
s
o
bus
y
,
Rob
!
Honestl
y
,
the wai
t
wa
s
atrocious!
”

Sh
e
couldn
’
t
tel
l
him
!
Sh
e
jus
t
couldn
’
t
tel
l
him
!

“
T
el
l
m
e
abou
t
it!
”
h
e
said
.
“
I
wa
s
talkin
g
t
o
that
Sheil
a
lad
y
wh
o
work
s
dow
n
a
t
th
e
Spa
r
.
Sh
e
spen
t
last nigh
t
i
n
hospita
l
wit
h
he
r
grandso
n
an
d
the
y
ha
d
t
o
wait fo
r
fou
r
hour
s
t
o
b
e
seen
.
H
e
ha
d
pulle
d
a
muscl
e
when tryin
g
t
o
kic
k
hi
s
siste
r
whe
n
the
y
fel
l
ou
t
ove
r
a
gam
e
of
Supe
r
Mari
o
Brothers
.
Blood
y
ridiculou
s
i
f
yo
u
as
k
me!” “
I
kno
w
,
imagin
e
fightin
g
ove
r
Supe
r
Mario
!
Tha
t
is
ridiculous!
”
sai
d
T
ess
,
hopin
g
t
o
rais
e
a
smile
.
I
t
worked.
“H
a
ha,
”
sai
d
Rob
.
“
I
mea
n
th
e
waitin
g
time
.
O
h
come
here
,
you
!
I
hav
e
misse
d
yo
u
s
o
much
!
D
o
yo
u
realis
e
how
har
d
i
t
i
s
t
o
fal
l
aslee
p
withou
t
you?
”