One Night Only (40 page)

“Gina
,
wher
e
i
s
we
e
Danny?
”
aske
d
Poll
y
,
totall
y
sure tha
t
Gin
a
wa
s
sleepwalkin
g
o
r
o
n
drug
s
o
r
something
.

“He
’
s
wit
h
hi
s
gran,
”
sai
d
Gina
,
a
stupi
d
gri
n
sittin
g
on he
r
fac
e
lik
e
a
baske
t
o
f
chips
.

“
W
it
h
T
revor
’
s
mum?
”

“
Y
eah
.
Mr
s
Humphrie
s
ha
s
him
.
She
’
s
a
lovel
y
woman,
i
s
Mr
s
Humphries
.
Mayb
e
T
revo
r
wa
s
adopted!
”

“Ho
w
lon
g
fo
r
,
love?
”
aske
d
Poll
y
.
“I
s
h
e
stayin
g
for th
e
evening?
”

“Sh
e
sai
d
a
s
lon
g
a
s
I
neede
d
he
r
t
o
hav
e
him,
”
replied Gina
.

Poll
y
beckone
d
he
r
ove
r
an
d
hel
d
he
r
tightl
y
.
Poll
y
felt
s
o
war
m
an
d
motherl
y
an
d
–
well
,
sane
.

“That
’
s
reall
y
nic
e
o
f
he
r
.
Y
o
u
nee
d
tim
e
t
o
think,
”
said
Poll
y
whe
n
Gin
a
finall
y
le
t
he
r
go
.

I
t
wa
s
th
e
firs
t
prope
r
hu
g
Gina’
d
ha
d
i
n
months, mayb
e
eve
n
years
.
Poll
y
looke
d
a
bi
t
ou
t
o
f
breat
h
when
sh
e
finall
y
loosene
d
he
r
arm
s
fro
m
roun
d
he
r
neck
.

“
I
jus
t
.
.
.
I
jus
t
nee
d
a
break,
”
whispere
d
Gina
,
looking
int
o
Polly
’
s
eve
r
-so-sympatheti
c
eyes
.
“Jus
t
a
littl
e
break t
o
ge
t
m
y
hea
d
aroun
d
i
t
all
,
yo
u
know?
”

Poll
y
scratche
d
he
r
head
.

“Oh
,
b
y
th
e
wa
y
,
thi
s
i
s
Ruth
.
A
n
old
,
e
r
–
schoo
l
frie
n
d
o
f
mine.
”

“
I
use
d
t
o
bull
y
he
r
.
I’
m
s
o
sorr
y
,
”
sai
d
Rut
h
an
d
she
bega
n
t
o
so
b
again
.

“
Shhh
,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“No
w
,
si
t
down
,
Gina
,
an
d
we’ll
ge
t
yo
u
som
e
tea
.
Thi
s
i
s
turnin
g
ou
t
t
o
b
e
a
ver
y
strange da
y
indee
d
bu
t
I
thin
k
w
e
al
l
kno
w
th
e
solution.
”

“
A
solution?
”
aske
d
Gina
.
“Bu
t
I’v
e
alread
y
foun
d
my
solution
.
I’v
e
kicke
d
hi
m
out
.
He
’
s
gone
.
N
o
mor
e
worrying abou
t
mil
k
o
r
dinne
r
o
r
frettin
g
ove
r
anniversari
e
s
.
I’
ve
don
e
wha
t
everyon
e
hope
d
I
woul
d
do
.
Wha
t
I
hope
d
I
woul
d
do
.
I’v
e
don
e
it
!
Aren
’
t
yo
u
prou
d
o
f
me
,
Polly
?
I
a
m
s
o
s
o
prou
d
o
f
me!
”

“
Y
es,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“Bu
t
yo
u
als
o
sai
d
yo
u
nee
d
a
break.”
“
I
do.
”

“An
d
s
o
doe
s
Ruth
.
An
d
s
o
doe
s
T
ess.
”

Rut
h
sli
d
th
e
newspape
r
acros
s
th
e
tabl
e
an
d
Gin
a
sat dow
n
an
d
rea
d
it
.

Th
e
Cov
e
Countr
y
Club
,
Count
y
Donegal
.
Last-minute
special
offe
r
.
Luxury
Spa
W
eekend
Break.
Bed
and
Breakfas
t
an
d
Sp
a
T
reatmen
t
o
f
you
r
choice.

Gin
a
looke
d
u
p
a
s
th
e
othe
r
tw
o
stare
d
a
t
he
r
,
nodding thei
r
heads
.

“
W
e
coul
d
g
o
i
n
th
e
morning,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“Just
imagin
e
.
.
.
on
e
nigh
t
onl
y
.
N
o
children
.
N
o
men
.
No worries
.
Jus
t
leav
e
i
t
al
l
behind
.
Wha
t
d
o
yo
u
think
,
Gina?
I’
m
n
o
docto
r
,
bu
t
I
thin
k
it
’
s
jus
t
wha
t
th
e
docto
r
would orde
r
i
f
h
e
wa
s
here.
”