One Night Only (177 page)

Ro
b
stoo
d
u
p
fro
m
th
e
tabl
e
an
d
pace
d
th
e
kitchen floo
r
.

“I’
m
no
t
laughing
!
I
mea
n
–
arreste
d
fo
r
what
?
Y
ou? Arrested
?
Ar
e
yo
u
serious?
”

“
Y
es
,
I
a
m
ver
y
serious!
”
sh
e
said
.
“
I
spen
t
th
e
nigh
t
in
a
cell
.
I
t
wa
s
s
o
scar
y
,
Rob
.
I
f
the
y
pres
s
charge
s
I
am screwed
.
I
hav
e
bee
n
worrie
d
sic
k
abou
t
tellin
g
yo
u
and al
l
I
ge
t
i
s
a
smarm
y
giggle
.
Y
o
u
hav
e
n
o
ide
a
wha
t
I’ve
bee
n
through!
”

T
ear
s
spran
g
t
o
T
ess
’
s
eye
s
an
d
sh
e
sniffle
d
bac
k
her emotion
.
Sh
e
ha
d
bee
n
expectin
g
a
lecture
,
a
shameful
telling-off
,
a
‘wha
t
wil
l
th
e
neighbour
s
say
’
typ
e
o
f
sermon bu
t
h
e
wasn
’
t
sayin
g
anythin
g
lik
e
that
.
Instea
d
h
e
was pacin
g
th
e
kitche
n
floo
r
lik
e
a
n
expectan
t
fathe
r
i
n
a
labou
r
ward
.

“Bu
t
fo
r
what
?
Wha
t
th
e
hel
l
wer
e
yo
u
arreste
d
for?
Y
o
u
weren
’
t
drinkin
g
an
d
driving
,
wer
e
you?
”

“No!
”
sh
e
sai
d
defiantl
y
.
“I’
m
no
t
tha
t
reckless
!
I
t
was s
o
stupid
.
I
t
wa
s
a
drunke
n
argumen
t
wit
h
a
doorman tha
t
go
t
ou
t
o
f
han
d
an
d
I
.
.
.
well
,
I
go
t
angr
y
an
d
they
arreste
d
m
e
fo
r
assaul
t
an
d
.
.
.
an
d
damag
e
t
o
propert
y
.
.
. a
windo
w
.
I
wa
s
take
n
awa
y
i
n
a
ca
r
an
d
everything
.
It wa
s
th
e
wors
t
experienc
e
o
f
m
y
life
.
I
mean
,
I
kno
w
I
shouldn
’
t
hav
e
reacte
d
th
e
wa
y
I
di
d
bu
t
.
.
.
o
h
God
,
Rob, wha
t
hav
e
I
done?
”

Ro
b
sa
t
bac
k
dow
n
a
t
th
e
kitche
n
tabl
e
an
d
too
k
his
wife
’
s
hand
.
H
e
leane
d
acros
s
an
d
kisse
d
awa
y
he
r
tears
.

“O
h
bab
y
,
”
h
e
said
,
a
sympatheti
c
smil
e
o
n
hi
s
face,
“don
’
t
ge
t
upset
.
W
e
wil
l
dea
l
wit
h
this
.
It
’
s
no
t
goin
g
to
com
e
t
o
anything.
”

“Ho
w
d
o
yo
u
know?
”
sobbe
d
T
ess
.
“I’v
e
pai
d
fo
r
the damag
e
bu
t
th
e
polic
e
ma
y
pres
s
charge
s
an
d
s
o
migh
t
the bounce
r
.
Plu
s
I
a
m
s
o
humiliated
.
Imagin
e
i
f
th
e
school find
s
out
.
O
r
m
y
mothe
r
,
o
r
worse
,
you
r
mother
!
I
wil
l
be ruined
,
Rob
.
M
y
whol
e
reputatio
n
.
.
.
m
y
caree
r
.
.
.
oh God
,
I
wis
h
I
coul
d
tur
n
bac
k
th
e
clock
.
H
e
wa
s
jus
t
so rude
.
S
o
demeaning
.
I
shoul
d
hav
e
hi
t
hi
m
harde
r
.
No, that
’
s
no
t
true
.
I
shouldn
’
t
hav
e
hi
t
hi
m
a
t
all!
”

Ro
b
couldn
’
t
hel
p
bu
t
laug
h
again
,
n
o
matte
r
ho
w
he trie
d
t
o
hol
d
i
t
back
.
“
I
thin
k
yo
u
ar
e
gettin
g
upse
t
over
ver
y
little,
”
h
e
whispered
.
“
I
though
t
yo
u
wer
e
goin
g
to
tel
l
m
e
yo
u
di
d
somethin
g
reall
y
serious.
”