One Night Only (22 page)

S
o
wh
y
di
d
h
e
mak
e
he
r
fee
l
lik
e
sh
e
wa
s
worthless,
ever
y
hou
r
o
f
ever
y
da
y
,
eve
n
tha
t
da
y
–
o
n
thei
r
tenth weddin
g
anniversary
?
Lik
e
she’
d
don
e
somethin
g
wrong, whe
n
al
l
sh
e
ha
d
eve
r
don
e
wa
s
tried
?
Reall
y
,
reall
y
tried
.

“
Y
o
u
wouldn
’
t
recognis
e
m
e
no
w
i
f
yo
u
looke
d
a
t
my
weddin
g
photos,
”
sh
e
ha
d
onc
e
tol
d
Poll
y
.
“
I
wa
s
a
Size
1
0
bac
k
then
.
I
wa
s
beautiful
,
i
f
I
d
o
sa
y
s
o
myself
.
My hai
r
wa
s
lon
g
an
d
thic
k
an
d
gloss
y
an
d
I
wa
s
radian
t
with healt
h
an
d
happines
s
an
d
hope
s
fo
r
th
e
future.
”

Bu
t
al
l
tha
t
ha
d
changed
.
He
r
clothe
s
wer
e
to
o
bi
g
for he
r
no
w
an
d
he
r
hai
r
wa
s
a
ruffled
,
wir
y
mess
.
W
retched
,
a
s
he
r
mothe
r
woul
d
sa
y
.

“Di
d
yo
u
eve
r
drea
m
yo
u
coul
d
jus
t
ru
n
away?
”
she
onc
e
aske
d
Poll
y
.
Sh
e
aske
d
Poll
y
lot
s
o
f
thing
s
thes
e
days. “
Y
o
u
kno
w
,
lik
e
i
n
tha
t
movi
e
Shirle
y
V
alentin
e
wher
e
she
pack
s
u
p
an
d
leave
s
an
d
ha
s
thi
s
wonderfu
l
holida
y
fling
b
y
th
e
se
a
an
d
drink
s
nic
e
cocktail
s
o
n
th
e
san
d
an
d
tops u
p
he
r
ta
n
whil
e
leavin
g
al
l
he
r
care
s
behind?
”

“I’
d
lov
e
t
o
d
o
a
Shirle
y
V
alentine.
”
Sh
e
remembered hearin
g
he
r
mothe
r
an
d
he
r
aun
t
sa
y
tha
t
wit
h
a
giggle
whe
n
the
y
wante
d
t
o
moa
n
abou
t
thei
r
othe
r
halves
,
but o
f
cours
e
the
y
neve
r
would
.
The
y
neve
r
could
.

Gin
a
neve
r
though
t
sh
e
woul
d
eithe
r
.
Sh
e
ha
d
a
young
chil
d
t
o
loo
k
afte
r
.
An
d
him
.
Y
es
,
him
.
T
revo
r
.
He
r
husba
n
d
o
f
te
n
year
s
an
d
seve
n
hours
.
I
f
h
e
kne
w
tha
t
sh
e
ha
d
to g
o
nex
t
doo
r
yesterda
y
an
d
as
k
fo
r
mil
k
an
d
a
lif
t
t
o
the sho
p
she’
d
neve
r
hea
r
th
e
en
d
o
f
it
,
bu
t
i
t
wa
s
on
e
o
f
those quic
k
decision
s
sh
e
ha
d
t
o
make
.
Di
d
sh
e
ris
k
havin
g
no mil
k
fo
r
hi
s
te
a
whe
n
h
e
go
t
home
,
an
d
wors
e
again havin
g
nothin
g
prepare
d
fo
r
dinner
?
O
r
di
d
sh
e
swallow he
r
prid
e
b
y
goin
g
nex
t
doo
r
an
d
askin
g
Poll
y
fo
r
a
neighbourl
y
favour
?
Again
.

Gin
a
reall
y
like
d
Poll
y
.
Sh
e
ha
d
on
e
o
f
thos
e
face
s
that
everyon
e
liked
.
A
lovel
y
,
lovel
y
girl
,
a
s
he
r
mothe
r
would hav
e
said
.
A
rea
l
lad
y
.

Polly
’
s
husban
d
Jame
s
wa
s
a
decen
t
sor
t
too
.
Gina
woul
d
se
e
hi
m
comin
g
hom
e
fro
m
hi
s
wor
k
ever
y
da
y
at th
e
sam
e
time
,
lik
e
clockwork
,
an
d
Poll
y
alway
s
ha
d
a delicious
smell
coming
from
the
kitchen
or
on
sunny
days
sh
e
migh
t
b
e
ou
t
hangin
g
he
r
washin
g
o
n
th
e
lin
e
whe
n
he pulle
d
int
o
th
e
driv
e
i
n
hi
s
nic
e
Mercede
s
Benz
.