One Night Only (212 page)

Sh
e
opene
d
th
e
ba
g
an
d
sli
d
ou
t
th
e
lon
g
blue-and- whit
e
box
,
he
r
finger
s
tremblin
g
a
s
sh
e
opene
d
i
t
and remove
d
th
e
plasti
c
stic
k
tha
t
wa
s
t
o
determin
e
he
r
future.
Sh
e
ha
d
alway
s
bee
n
s
o
carefu
l
wit
h
contraceptio
n
and ha
d
no
t
ha
d
t
o
perfor
m
thi
s
tas
k
sinc
e
tha
t
horribl
e
scare
a
t
ninetee
n
whe
n
sh
e
wa
s
youn
g
an
d
stupid
.

Bu
t
wha
t
wa
s
th
e
wors
t
tha
t
coul
d
happen
?
I
f
sh
e
was
pregnant,
would
she
learn
to
live
with
it,
learn
to
love
the
prospec
t
o
f
bein
g
a
mother
?
O
r
woul
d
sh
e
resen
t
th
e
lack o
f
choic
e
sh
e
ha
d
whe
n
sh
e
wa
s
s
o
determine
d
t
o
do thing
s
he
r
wa
y
an
d
wai
t
unti
l
sh
e
fel
t
th
e
tim
e
wa
s
right? “Non
e
o
f
min
e
wer
e
planned,
”
he
r
siste
r
Hele
n
would
sa
y
.
“An
d
I
wouldn
’
t
chang
e
the
m
fo
r
th
e
world.
”

“
I
go
t
th
e
shoc
k
o
f
m
y
lif
e
whe
n
I
foun
d
ou
t
I
was havin
g
twins,
”
Poll
y
ha
d
tol
d
he
r
.
“
I
ha
d
onl
y
ever
planne
d
t
o
hav
e
tw
o
children
,
bu
t
no
w
I
can
’
t
imagin
e
life
withou
t
m
y
tw
o
littl
e
rascals.
”

Ther
e
wer
e
wors
e
thing
s
tha
t
coul
d
happen
,
tha
t
was fo
r
sure
.
Bu
t
bein
g
a
mothe
r
jus
t
wasn
’
t
i
n
he
r
plan
s
yet.
Sh
e
wante
d
t
o
g
o
o
n
a
t
leas
t
tw
o
mor
e
foreig
n
holidays wit
h
Ro
b
an
d
enjo
y
bein
g
fre
e
t
o
d
o
whateve
r
they wante
d
t
o
d
o
withou
t
th
e
responsibilit
y
o
f
a
tin
y
mouth t
o
feed
.

“Let
’
s
ge
t
a
pupp
y
,
”
she’
d
onc
e
suggeste
d
i
n
jest
.
“And ever
y
nigh
t
we’l
l
ge
t
u
p
a
t
2a
m
t
o
fee
d
it
,
an
d
the
n
we’ll
se
e
i
f
w
e
ar
e
read
y
t
o
hav
e
a
bab
y
.
”

Ro
b
wasn
’
t
impresse
d
an
d
objecte
d
solemnl
y
tha
t
she
wa
s
comparin
g
thei
r
chil
d
t
o
a
dog
,
whic
h
mad
e
he
r
laugh
eve
n
more
.

Sh
e
peele
d
th
e
plasti
c
wrappin
g
of
f
th
e
whit
e
stic
k
and remove
d
th
e
lid
,
the
n
di
d
wha
t
sh
e
ha
d
t
o
d
o
an
d
waited.
She
watched as
the moisture filled
one windo
w
, then
two,
an
d
th
e
firs
t
blu
e
lin
e
appeared
.
Bead
s
o
f
swea
t
forme
d
on he
r
bro
w
an
d
sh
e
dabbe
d
the
m
awa
y
wit
h
som
e
toilet tissue
,
ever
y
secon
d
seemin
g
lik
e
minutes
.

An
d
the
n
i
t
came
.
Th
e
secon
d
blu
e
line.
“O
h
fiddlers
!
”

Sh
e
didn
’
t
kno
w
wher
e
‘fiddlers
’
cam
e
fro
m
an
d
she
starte
d
t
o
laugh
.
She’
d
neve
r
sai
d
‘fiddlers
’
befor
e
i
n
her
life
.

Bu
t
sh
e
wa
s
pregnant
!
Sh
e
wa
s
pregnan
t
an
d
t
o
her surprise
, a
hug
e
smil
e
crep
t
acros
s
he
r
face
.
Mayb
e
i
t
was
nerves
.
Sh
e
hadn
’
t
planne
d
o
n
smiling
,
bu
t
agains
t
her bette
r
judgemen
t
sh
e
actuall
y
fel
t
a
rus
h
o
f
excitement
.