One Night Only (135 page)

“
I
haven
’
t
puke
d
yet,
”
sai
d
T
es
s
an
d
th
e
othe
r
three glare
d
a
t
he
r
.

“No
,
yo
u
don
’
t
reall
y
qualif
y
fo
r
a
pukin
g
pass,
”
said Ruth
.
“
Y
ou’r
e
i
n
enoug
h
troubl
e
a
s
i
t
is!
”

The
y
go
t
bac
k
int
o
th
e
ca
r
,
duckin
g
an
d
divin
g
like
r
eal-lif
e
criminal
s
(whic
h
on
e
o
f
the
m
no
w
potentiall
y
was)
an
d
the
n
eac
h
breathe
d
a
huge
,
exaggerate
d
sigh
.

“Tha
t
wa
s
a
sig
h
o
f
relief
,
b
y
th
e
wa
y
,
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“I a
m
s
o
gla
d
thi
s
nigh
t
i
s
ove
r
a
t
last.
”

“M
e
too,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“
I
neve
r
wan
t
t
o
g
o
throug
h
that again
.
Eve
r
.
Giv
e
m
e
boredo
m
an
d
schoo
l
run
s
and spaghetti-staine
d
clothe
s
an
y
da
y
.
”

“Oh
,
wha
t
di
d
yo
u
hav
e
t
o
mentio
n
spaghett
i
for? No
w
,
I
reall
y
wan
t
food,
”
sai
d
T
ess
,
luxuriatin
g
i
n
the hea
t
o
f
th
e
ca
r
a
s
sh
e
stretche
d
he
r
lon
g
legs
.

“Ooh
,
m
e
too,
”
sai
d
Gina
.
“I’
d
lov
e
a
bi
g
greas
y
kebab.
An
d
a
chees
y
chip
.
I’v
e
neve
r
ha
d
a
chees
y
chi
p
befor
e
but
I’v
e
alway
s
wante
d
t
o
tr
y
one
.
Whoeve
r
though
t
o
f
p
u
tting
chees
e
o
n
chips
?
Mmm
m
.
.
.
”

Poll
y
leane
d
bac
k
i
n
th
e
fron
t
sea
t
o
f
th
e
ca
b
an
d
closed
he
r
eyes
.
Sh
e
wa
s
peckis
h
no
w
too
.
An
y
tirednes
s
ha
d
left
he
r
an
d
th
e
showe
r
ha
d
sobere
d
he
r
u
p
somewha
t
bu
t
there
wa
s
n
o
doub
t
abou
t
it
,
th
e
munchie
s
wer
e
settin
g
in
.

“There
’
s
n
o
chanc
e
gettin
g
a
takeawa
y
a
t
thi
s
time roun
d
here
,
ladies,
”
sai
d
th
e
taxi-man
,
deflatin
g
their hope
s
an
d
makin
g
thei
r
bellie
s
see
m
eve
n
emptie
r
.

“Unles
s
.
.
.
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“Unles
s
w
e
orde
r
roo
m
service
whe
n
w
e
ge
t
back
.
I’
m
nearl
y
sur
e
ther
e
ar
e a
fe
w
ho
t
food
item
s
o
n
th
e
men
u
i
n
th
e
room
.
Imagin
e
ho
w
irritate
d
th
at
ponce
y
Pee-t
a
wil
l
b
e
whe
n
w
e
orde
r
a
s
muc
h
a
s
w
e
can!” “
Y
es
,
let
’
s!
”
sai
d
Gina
.
“I
t
wil
l
cos
t
a
fortune
,
though!
”

“
I
thin
k
you’r
e
forgettin
g
abou
t
Melanie
’
s
W
a
y
,
”
said Ruth
,
pattin
g
he
r
handbag
.
“
Y
o
u
ca
n
orde
r
whateve
r
you want!
”

Th
e
taxi-ma
n
raise
d
a
n
eyebro
w
an
d
looke
d
i
n
the rea
r
-vie
w
mirro
r
a
t
Rut
h
wh
o
wa
s
squashe
d
betwee
n
T
ess
an
d
Gina
.

“Ar
e
yo
u
th
e
on
e
the
y
wer
e
al
l
talkin
g
abou
t
i
n
th
e
T
op O’Th
e
Road?
”
h
e
asked
.
“Th
e
on
e
who
’
s
a
psychi
c
with th
e
horses?
”

Th
e
girl
s
playe
d
dum
b
an
d
shoo
k
thei
r
heads,
rememberin
g
ho
w
th
e
othe
r
taxi
s
ha
d
rippe
d
the
m
off
onc
e
the
y
go
t
a
sens
e
the
y
ha
d
wo
n
mone
y
o
n
th
e
horses
.