One Night Only (207 page)

“An
d
look,
”
h
e
said
,
pointin
g
a
t
th
e
gas
h
abov
e
his
eye
.
“
I
don
’
t
nee
d
th
e
bandag
e
an
y
more
.
It
’
s
stopped
bleedin
g
bu
t
I
reall
y
wante
d
t
o
kee
p
th
e
bandag
e
t
o
show
everyone
.
I
t
wa
s
cool!
”

Rut
h
ha
d
barel
y
notice
d
th
e
bo
y
becaus
e
he
r
eye
s
were
locke
d
o
n
Gin
a
wh
o
stare
d
bac
k
a
t
he
r
visitor
s
wit
h
heav
y
,
dope
y
eyes
.

“Ho
w
ar
e
yo
u
feeling
,
love?
”
sh
e
aske
d
he
r
.
“O
r
i
s
that th
e
stupides
t
questio
n
i
n
th
e
world?
”

I
t
wa
s
on
e
o
f
thos
e
moment
s
wher
e
Rut
h
wa
s
sur
e
she
woul
d
sa
y
th
e
wron
g
thin
g
–
a
mixtur
e
o
f
nerve
s
and emotio
n
ha
d
he
r
tongue-tie
d
an
d
sh
e
jus
t
couldn
’
t
fin
d
the words
.

“I’v
e
bee
n
i
n
muc
h
bette
r
places,
”
sai
d
Gina
.
“Food
’
s
no
t
ba
d
though
,
eve
n
i
f
I
d
o
hav
e
t
o
b
e
spoon-fe
d
lik
e
a
bab
y
.
”

Sh
e
looke
d
a
lo
t
wors
e
tha
n
Rut
h
ha
d
imagine
d
she
would
.

“
Y
o
u
loo
k
.
.
.
”
Poll
y
wa
s
findin
g
i
t
toug
h
a
s
well
.
Sh
e
was
gla
d
tha
t
Dann
y
wa
s
ther
e
t
o
provid
e
a
n
eas
y
distraction. “Lik
e
a
ca
r
-cras
h
victim?
”
sai
d
Gina
.
Sh
e
trie
d
t
o
laugh
bu
t
gav
e
up
,
closin
g
he
r
eye
s
fo
r
a
fe
w
seconds
.
Whe
n
she
opene
d
the
m
again
,
he
r
friend
s
wer
e
cryin
g
silen
t
tears
.

“
W
e
though
t
we’
d
los
t
you,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“Wha
t
o
n
earth happened
,
love
?
Ho
w
di
d
i
t
happen
?
Ca
n
yo
u
remember?”
Gin
a
slowl
y
nodde
d
he
r
head
.
Sh
e
licke
d
he
r
lip
s
and
Poll
y
hande
d
he
r
a
cu
p
o
f
wate
r
t
o
sip
.

“I
f
you’r
e
tired
,
yo
u
ca
n
tel
l
u
s
late
r
,
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“She look
s
tired
,
Poll
y
.
Mayb
e
w
e
shoul
d
com
e
bac
k
late
r
.
”

“I’
m
stil
l
here
,
yo
u
kno
w
,
”
sai
d
Gin
a
wit
h
a
cheeky
smile
.
“
I
ma
y
b
e
battere
d
bu
t
m
y
ear
s
stil
l
work.
”

He
r
lip
s
wer
e
dr
y
an
d
crust
y
an
d
he
r
eye
s
ha
d
dark
circle
s
tha
t
blende
d
i
n
wit
h
th
e
blue-and-yello
w
bruises tha
t
dotte
d
he
r
forehead
.

“Sorr
y
,
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“D
o
yo
u
wan
t
t
o
sleep?
”

Gin
a
shoo
k
he
r
hea
d
bu
t
he
r
droopin
g
eye
s
tol
d
a
differen
t
stor
y
.

“
W
e’l
l
com
e
bac
k
i
n
a
n
hou
r
,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“
Y
o
u
res
t
up an
d
the
n
yo
u
ca
n
tel
l
u
s
al
l
abou
t
you
r
rally-drivin
g
debut an
d
ho
w
i
t
al
l
wen
t
terribl
y
wrong.
”

“I’l
l
neve
r
b
e
a
Schumache
r
,
”
sai
d
Gina
.
“
Y
o
u
oka
y
if
I
ge
t
som
e
sleep
,
Dann
y
boy?
”

Dann
y
gav
e
hi
s
mu
m
th
e
thumbs-u
p
an
d
the
y
called
th
e
nurs
e
t
o
arrang
e
t
o
hav
e
hi
m
take
n
bac
k
t
o
hi
s
ward
.