One Night Only (4 page)

Hi
s
eye
s
darte
d
aroun
d
th
e
kitchen
.

I
t
wa
s
true
!
H
e
coul
d
barel
y
loo
k
a
t
he
r
.
Sh
e
remembered
a
tim
e
whe
n
the
y
couldn
’
t
kee
p
thei
r
eye
s
o
r
thei
r
hands
of
f
eac
h
othe
r
.
Peopl
e
envie
d
them
.
Othe
r
couples
admire
d
them
.
The
y
wer
e
love
’
s
youn
g
dream
,
childhood sweetheart
s
wh
o
ha
d
grow
n
u
p
togethe
r
an
d
no
w
,
after
twelv
e
year
s
o
f
wedde
d
bliss
,
the
y
wer
e
growin
g
apar
t
day b
y
da
y
.

“Mumm
y
,
ca
n
I
–
”

Franki
e
walke
d
int
o
th
e
kitche
n
a
t
exactl
y
th
e
wrong time
.
H
e
glance
d
a
t
bot
h
o
f
hi
s
parents
,
an
d
Poll
y
sensed
h
e
wa
s
awar
e
onc
e
agai
n
tha
t
a
ro
w
wa
s
i
n
th
e
ai
r
.
It
seeme
d
t
o
b
e
th
e
sam
e
thin
g
a
t
th
e
sam
e
tim
e
ever
y
da
y
no
w
,
onl
y
i
t
wa
s
usuall
y
a
one-wa
y
conversatio
n
wher
e
Polly
talke
d
bu
t
a
s
fa
r
a
s
sh
e
coul
d
tell
,
Jame
s
didn
’
t
listen
.

“No
t
no
w
,
Frankie,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“
Y
ou
r
da
d
an
d
I
are talkin
g
abou
t
–
abou
t
holiday
s
an
d
stuff
.
I’l
l
–
I’l
l
jus
t
be
a
fe
w
minutes.
”

Poll
y
watche
d
he
r
nine-yea
r
-ol
d
so
n
wal
k
ou
t
an
d
tried t
o
swallo
w
th
e
enormou
s
lum
p
i
n
he
r
throat
.
Sh
e
hated havin
g
t
o
tur
n
Franki
e
awa
y
lik
e
tha
t
bu
t
fo
r
onc
e
sh
e
had raise
d
a
respons
e
i
n
he
r
husban
d
an
d
sh
e
wasn
’
t
letting thi
s
opportunit
y
go
.

“I’v
e
a
lo
t
o
n
m
y
mind,
”
sai
d
James
.
H
e
go
t
u
p
and too
k a
fres
h
mu
g
fro
m
th
e
cupboar
d
an
d
flicke
d
th
e
kettle o
n
t
o
boil
.
“
I
don
’
t
mea
n
t
o
tak
e
i
t
ou
t
o
n
you.
”

“Bu
t
that
’
s
th
e
thing,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“
Y
o
u
don
’
t
eve
n
do
that
.
Y
o
u
don
’
t
eve
n
tak
e
i
t
ou
t
o
n
me
.
It
’
s
lik
e
I
don
’
t
exist.”
“Ah
,
com
e
on!
”

“It
’
s
lik
e
I’
m
i
n
thi
s
differen
t
world
,
o
r
a
t
leas
t
o
n
a
differen
t
tim
e
zone
.
M
e
an
d
th
e
kids
.
An
d
yo
u
ar
e
o
n
your ow
n
littl
e
journe
y
wit
h
blinker
s
on
.
Y
o
u
g
o
t
o
work
,
you
com
e
home
,
yo
u
hav
e
dinne
r
an
d
the
n
yo
u
watc
h
T
V
until yo
u
fal
l
asleep
.
W
e
don
’
t
d
o
anythin
g
togethe
r
an
y
more.
W
e
don
’
t
eve
n
tal
k
lik
e
w
e
use
d
to.
”

Jame
s
leane
d
o
n
th
e
workto
p
wit
h
bot
h
hand
s
and stare
d
a
t
th
e
kettle
.
Sh
e
notice
d
hi
s
breathing
,
stron
g
and stead
y
.
Jame
s
neve
r
ha
d
a
tempe
r
but
,
t
o
a
n
outside
r
,
he
ver
y
muc
h
looke
d
lik
e
a
ma
n
wh
o
wa
s
abou
t
t
o
los
e
it
.

“I
s
thi
s
abou
t
sex?
”
h
e
asked
.
“Ar
e
yo
u
goin
g
t
o
make
m
e
fee
l
wors
e
b
y
throwin
g
tha
t
u
p
i
n
m
y
face?
”