One Night Only (157 page)

Sh
e
lef
t
hi
m
fixin
g
hi
s
bel
t
ont
o
hi
s
trouser
s
an
d
took th
e
twin
s
fro
m
th
e
garden
,
tryin
g
t
o
sta
y
focuse
d
s
o
that h
e
r
tear
s
wouldn
’
t
flo
w
.
H
e
ha
d
mad
e
he
r
cr
y
fa
r
to
o
much
latel
y
.
Ever
y
tim
e
i
t
happened
,
i
t
wa
s
lik
e
h
e
wa
s
hammering
he
r
slowl
y
int
o
th
e
ground
.
Down
,
down
,
dow
n
sh
e
was
goin
g
an
d
ever
y
tim
e
i
t
happened
,
sh
e
vowe
d
sh
e
wou
l
d
neve
r
le
t
hi
m
d
o
i
t
t
o
he
r
again
.

Gin
a
ha
d
lef
t
he
r
husban
d
becaus
e
o
f
hi
s
violenc
e
and fondnes
s
fo
r
othe
r
women
.
Rut
h
ha
d
lef
t
her
s
becaus
e
he
had
an
affair
with
another
man.
Polly
knew
she
shouldn
’
t
thin
k
tha
t
wa
y
,
bu
t
sh
e
wishe
d
sometime
s
tha
t
James
woul
d
giv
e
he
r
a
n
excus
e
t
o
ge
t
out
.
Sh
e
didn
’
t
wis
h
for
violenc
e
o
r
infidelit
y
o
f
an
y
sor
t
–
tha
t
woul
d
b
e
jus
t
sick,
bu
t
something
,
jus
t
somethin
g
s
o
sh
e
coul
d
pinpoint exactl
y
wh
y
sh
e
ha
d
t
o
ge
t
awa
y
fro
m
hi
m
becaus
e
she
wasn
’
t
s
o
sur
e
sh
e
coul
d
cop
e
wit
h
hi
s
attitud
e
an
y
more
.

Gin
a
wa
s
o
n
th
e
phon
e
whe
n
Poll
y
arrive
d
a
t
he
r
doo
r
.
“Oh
!
Sorry!
”
whispere
d
Poll
y
.
“I’l
l
cal
l
back
.
I
wa
s
jus
t
–
”

Gin
a
shoo
k
he
r
hea
d
an
d
steppe
d
bac
k
fro
m
th
e
front doo
r
,
usherin
g
Poll
y
an
d
th
e
childre
n
insid
e
a
s
sh
e
cradled th
e
phon
e
o
n
he
r
shoulde
r
.

“
I
don
’
t
car
e
i
f
i
t
suit
s
yo
u
o
r
i
f
i
t
doesn
’
t
,
T
revor!
”
she
said
,
guidin
g
the
m
int
o
th
e
sittin
g
room
.
“I’
m
havin
g
the
lock
s
change
d
thi
s
afternoon
,
s
o
eithe
r
yo
u
com
e
b
y
and
ge
t
you
r
belonging
s
befor
e
then
,
o
r
the
y
en
d
u
p
i
n
the dump!
”

Gin
a
stompe
d
aroun
d
a
s
sh
e
spok
e
an
d
Poll
y
sa
t
down o
n
th
e
hug
e
cream-leathe
r
sofa
,
tryin
g
t
o
distrac
t
the twin
s
b
y
flickin
g
throug
h
a
magazin
e
tha
t
sa
t
o
n
Gina
’
s
coffe
e
table
.
I
t
wa
s
on
e
o
f
thos
e
psychology-fille
d
glossies
wit
h
lot
s
o
f
tip
s
o
n
ho
w
t
o
chang
e
you
r
life
,
b
e
more
creativ
e
an
d
focu
s
o
n
positivit
y
.
Th
e
twin
s
wer
e
having non
e
o
f
i
t
an
d
foun
d
a
baske
t
o
f
potpourr
i
muc
h
more fascinating
.

“
Oh
,
i
s
tha
t
so
?
”
aske
d
Gina
,
he
r
voic
e
quiverin
g
with tempe
r
no
w
.

Sh
e
wa
s
doin
g
lap
s
o
f
th
e
groun
d
floo
r
an
d
Polly
assume
d
sh
e
wa
s
somewher
e
nea
r
th
e
kitche
n
no
w
.

“I
s
tha
t
so
?
Ove
r
m
y
dea
d
body!
”
sh
e
squealed
.
“And yo
u
ca
n
tel
l
tha
t
bitc
h
tha
t
i
f
sh
e
a
s
muc
h
a
s
drive
s
past
m
y
hous
e
sh
e
wil
l
hav
e
he
r
tyre
s
slashe
d
an
d
I
mea
n
it
!
I
mea
n
it
,
T
revor
!
Ew!
”