One Night Only (41 page)

“Oh
,
I
agree
!
A
m
I
ther
e
yet?
”
aske
d
Gina
,
a
dream
y
,
farawa
y
loo
k
i
n
he
r
eyes
.

“Let
’
s
d
o
it,
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“That
’
s
i
f
.
.
.
well
,
I’
m
hoping
I’
m
.
.
.
”

“O
f
cours
e
you’r
e
invited,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“S
o
you’r
e
in then
,
Gina?
”

“I’
m
s
o
in,
”
Gin
a
replied
.
“
I
can
’
t
believ
e
I’v
e
finally
don
e
it
.
He
’
s
gone
.
O
h
m
y
God
!
Poll
y
wha
t
hav
e
I
done?
I’
m
oka
y
,
I’
m
okay!
”

Befor
e
th
e
tear
s
coul
d
burs
t
fro
m
he
r
eyes
,
Gin
a
was
ushere
d
upstairs
,
covere
d
wit
h
a
Thoma
s
th
e
T
an
k
Engine
duvet
,
ordere
d
t
o
hav
e
a
we
e
snooz
e
i
n
Polly
’
s
twi
n
sons’
bedroo
m
(wit
h
Rut
h
i
n
th
e
singl
e
be
d
acros
s
fro
m
her) an
d
the
n
whe
n
sh
e
wok
e
u
p
fro
m a
coma-lik
e
snooze
,
she
wa
s
fe
d
sou
p
an
d
sandwiche
s
a
t
Polly
’
s
kitche
n
table, instructe
d
t
o
g
o
hom
e
an
d
pac
k
a
weeken
d
ba
g
an
d
the nex
t
morning
,
feelin
g
refreshe
d
an
d
read
y
fo
r
action
,
they al
l
–
Ruth
,
Poll
y
,
T
es
s
an
d
Gin
a
–
woul
d
se
t
of
f
o
n
a
weeken
d
brea
k
tha
t
woul
d
giv
e
the
m
th
e
tim
e
ou
t
the
y
all s
o
badl
y
needed
.

Lik
e
Poll
y
ha
d
said
,
i
t
wa
s
jus
t
wha
t
th
e
docto
r
ordered
.

O
n
Saturda
y
mornin
g
Poll
y
wok
e
u
p
t
o
th
e
soun
d
of
dishe
s
bein
g
don
e
an
d
th
e
smel
l
o
f
baco
n
an
d
egg
s
frying
i
n
th
e
pan
.
Sh
e
rubbe
d
he
r
eye
s
an
d
pinche
d
herself
,
just t
o
b
e
sur
e
sh
e
wasn
’
t
dreamin
g
tha
t
sh
e
wa
s
alread
y
i
n
the fou
r
-sta
r
hote
l
T
es
s
ha
d
foun
d
fo
r
thei
r
on
e
nigh
t
away fro
m
i
t
all
.
Sh
e
checke
d
th
e
clock
.
I
t
wa
s
eigh
t
fort
y
.
She’d
bee
n
allowe
d
t
o
li
e
in
?
Wha
t
th
e
–
?

“James
?
James
?
I
s
everythin
g
oka
y
dow
n
there?
”
she
called
,
bu
t
Jame
s
couldn
’
t
hea
r
he
r
ove
r
th
e
musi
c
tha
t
he wa
s
listenin
g
t
o
a
s
h
e
cooked
.
Jame
s
neve
r
cooked
.
He coul
d
barel
y
boi
l
a
n
eg
g
bu
t
no
w
h
e
wa
s
actuall
y
making
a
full-blow
n
effor
t
an
d
fryin
g
bacon
!
Ther
e
wa
s
a
God
!

Sh
e
decide
d
no
t
t
o
roc
k
th
e
boa
t
an
d
wit
h
contentment i
n
he
r
hear
t
sh
e
pu
t
th
e
showe
r
o
n
an
d
steppe
d
beneat
h
its soothin
g
spra
y
an
d
dreame
d
abou
t
th
e
da
y
ahea
d
a
s
she
scrubbed
.

A
girl
y
nigh
t
ou
t
wa
s
withi
n
inche
s
o
f
he
r
reac
h
and
sh
e
couldn
’
t
wait
!
On
e
nigh
t
awa
y
wit
h
he
r
siste
r
,
her
neighbour
and a
reformed school
bull
y
. The
chance to
get
t
o
kno
w
hersel
f
again
.
T
o
relax
,
t
o
switc
h
of
f
from mumm
y
an
d
wif
e
duties
.
Jus
t
on
e
night
.
I
t
couldn
’
t
d
o
any harm
,
coul
d
it
?