One Night Only (113 page)

“I’
m
sur
e
Dadd
y
i
s
fe
d
u
p
baby-sittin
g
b
y
now!
”

Mummies
?
Mummies
?
T
es
s
wa
s
livid
!
Sh
e
wa
s
no
t
a mummy!
She
was
an
independent
glamorous
career
woma
n
wh
o
woul
d
no
t
b
e
categorise
d
b
y
thi
s
dickhea
d
in
hi
s
jazz
y
shir
t
an
d
tie
!

“
What
di
d
yo
u
jus
t
say?
”
sh
e
asked
,
tryin
g
he
r
bes
t
to stan
d
u
p
straigh
t
whic
h
wa
s
provin
g
ver
y
difficul
t
with hal
f
o
f
Gina
’
s
weigh
t
dependin
g
o
n
he
r
.
Gin
a
wa
s
a
tiny
littl
e
thin
g
but
,
bo
y
,
sh
e
wa
s
heav
y
afte
r
a
while
,
especially
whe
n
bein
g
le
d
b
y
Dum
b
an
d
Dumber
!

“What
’
s
wron
g
wit
h
bein
g
a
mummy?
”
snappe
d
Poll
y
.
“
Onl
y
fo
r
you
r
mothe
r
yo
u
wouldn
’
t
eve
n
b
e
here
,
you prick!
”

“Prick!
”
mumble
d
Gina
,
wh
o
wa
s
slowl
y
comin
g
back t
o
life
.
Slowl
y
.

“Neve
r
mind,
”
sai
d
th
e
bounce
r
.
“
T
ax
i
shouldn
’
t
b
e
long.”
“
Y
o
u
sai
d
t
o
g
o
hom
e
t
o
ou
r
babies
,
didn
’
t
you
,
you smarm
y
git?
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
“Go
d
lov
e
th
e
woma
n
wh
o
ever
ha
s
you
r
babies
!
Y
ou’
d
b
e
luck
y
i
f
yo
u
eve
n
go
t
a
rid
e
in
th
e
firs
t
place!
”

Sh
e
wa
s
seething
.
Sh
e
coul
d
fee
l
he
r
inside
s
bur
n
and th
e
rag
e
pumpe
d
throug
h
he
r
mor
e
an
d
mor
e
whe
n
she
looke
d
a
t
hi
s
pompou
s
acne-scarre
d
face
.
H
e
looke
d
her u
p
an
d
dow
n
an
d
the
n
licke
d
hi
s
thi
n
lip
s
befor
e
taking anothe
r
dra
w
fro
m
hi
s
cigarette
.

“
W
ell
,
I
hav
e
n
o
proble
m
i
n
tha
t
department,
”
h
e
said, pattin
g
betwee
n
hi
s
legs
.
“
I
coul
d
hav
e
a
differen
t
woman
ever
y
night
,
especiall
y
whe
n
the
y
ge
t
int
o
th
e
stat
e
you
girl
s
ar
e
in
.
I
coul
d
hav
e
anyone!
”

“
W
ell
,
whoeve
r
you’
d
get
,
she’
d
nee
d
t
o
b
e
mor
e
than drunk
!
She’
d
nee
d
t
o
b
e
blin
d
o
r
dea
f
o
r
bot
h
t
o
pu
t
up w
it
h
you
r
ba
d
manner
s
i
f
that
’
s
ho
w
yo
u
spea
k
t
o
women!”
sai
d
T
ess
.
Sh
e
kne
w
sh
e
shoul
d
jus
t
wal
k
awa
y
bu
t
h
e
h
ad a
fac
e
tha
t
wa
s
i
n
dir
e
nee
d
o
f
a
goo
d
slap
.
A
fac
e
onl
y
his
mothe
r
coul
d
love
.

“Look
,
lad
y
,
mov
e
alon
g
an
d
ge
t
int
o
you
r
bed,
”
sai
d
the bounce
r
.
“Jus
t
a
s
wel
l
you’r
e
alread
y
wearin
g
you
r
nightie!
Y
ou’r
e
onl
y
askin
g
fo
r
troubl
e
i
f
yo
u
g
o
ou
t
lik
e
that!
”

T
es
s
looke
d
ove
r
a
t
stump
y
Micke
y
wh
o
wa
s
enjoying
thi
s
littl
e
sho
w
t
o
th
e
full
.

“An
d
a
s
fo
r
you
,
short-ass,
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
“
Y
o
u
couldn
’
t
ge
t
a
tur
n
a
t
a
roundabout!
”

Micke
y
spa
t
o
n
th
e
pavemen
t
an
d
the
n
stubbe
d
ou
t
his
cigarette
.