One Night Only (231 page)

“So
,
tel
l
u
s
abou
t
Michae
l
th
e
journalist!
”
sai
d
Gina.
Sh
e
wa
s
i
n
flyin
g
for
m
no
w
an
d
th
e
smal
l
glas
s
o
f
wine
sh
e
wa
s
allowe
d
o
n
he
r
medicatio
n
wa
s
makin
g
he
r
gidd
y
.

Rut
h
purse
d
he
r
lip
s
an
d
di
d
a
shimm
y
o
n
he
r
seat
.
She
set
down
her
empty
carton
of
food
and
clasped
her
hands
i
n
fron
t
o
f
he
r
.

“
W
ell,
”
sh
e
said
.
“
Y
o
u
kno
w
th
e
wa
y
I
hav
e
been
avoidin
g
hi
m
lik
e
th
e
plagu
e
fo
r
a
s
lon
g
a
s
I
ca
n
remember?
”

“
Y
es!
”
sai
d
th
e
choru
s
o
f
eage
r
listeners
.

“
W
ell
,
Melani
e
answere
d
m
y
mobil
e
th
e
othe
r
da
y
.
She
i
s
suc
h
a
sweethear
t
thes
e
days
.
I
don
’
t
kno
w
wha
t
ha
s
got int
o
he
r
but
,
anywa
y
,
i
t
wa
s
befor
e
th
e
sno
w
cam
e
an
d
the su
n
wa
s
shinin
g
s
o
I
decide
d
t
o
tak
e
a
boo
k
outsid
e
and si
t
o
n
m
y
dad
’
s
summe
r
sea
t
a
s
th
e
worl
d
passe
d
b
y
.
I
couldn
’
t
concentrat
e
o
n
th
e
boo
k
an
d
s
o
I
lai
d
i
t
down an
d
le
t
th
e
su
n
war
m
m
y
face.
”

“
I
a
m
goin
g
t
o
bus
t
you!
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
“
W
oul
d
yo
u
cut ou
t
al
l
th
e
shit
e
an
d
jus
t
tel
l
u
s
wha
t
h
e
said!
”

“
Shh!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“Le
t
he
r
tel
l
th
e
stor
y
.
I
lik
e
a
bi
t
of anticipation.
”

“M
e
too,
”
sai
d
Gina
.
“G
o
on
,
Ruthie
.
Su
n
o
n
you
r
face,
b
oo
k
b
y
you
r
sid
e
.
.
.
”

“Oka
y
,
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“
T
o
cu
t
a
lon
g
stor
y
shor
t
–” “No
!
Don
’
t
cu
t
i
t
short!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“
T
ess
,
se
e
what
you’v
e
don
e
now
!
Y
o
u
hav
e
ruine
d
th
e
whol
e
flo
w
.
I
was
enjoyin
g
th
e
su
n
o
n
he
r
fac
e
an
d
boo
k
b
y
he
r
sid
e
bit!
”

“O
h
fo
r
God
’
s
sake
,
nex
t
thin
g
ther
e
wil
l
b
e
whit
e
turtle
dove
s
an
d
a
n
ange
l
playin
g
a
harp
.
H
e
rang
,
Melanie
answere
d
an
d
the
n
what?
”

Pregnanc
y
certainl
y
hadn
’
t
change
d
T
ess
’
s
abilit
y
to kee
p
i
t
real
!

“Melani
e
tol
d
m
e
i
t
wa
s
Poll
y
o
n
th
e
phone
.
I
didn
’
t
loo
k
a
t
th
e
scree
n
an
d
sai
d
somethin
g
smar
t
–
”

“O
h
no
,
wha
t
di
d
yo
u
say?
”

“Loo
k
who
’
s
interruptin
g
now!
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
“Honestl
y
,
it
’
s
doubl
e
standard
s
wit
h
yo
u
lot!
”

“
I
sai
d
somethin
g
lik
e
‘
W
ell
,
Fant
a
Pants
,
how
’
s
it
going?’
”
sai
d
Rut
h
an
d
th
e
other
s
laughed
,
coverin
g
their mouth
s
i
n
embarrassment
.

“An
d
he
’
s
ginge
r
,
right?
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“Oh
,
hell
,
sla
p
it
u
p
you
!
That
’
s
swee
t
reveng
e
i
f
ther
e
eve
r
wa
s
swee
t
reve
n
ge
fo
r
callin
g
m
e
tha
t
horribl
e
nam
e
fo
r
s
o
man
y
years!
”