One Night Only (16 page)

T
es
s
wa
s a
mode
l
studen
t
i
n
he
r
da
y
an
d
sh
e
wante
d
to produc
e
mor
e
mode
l
student
s
b
y
applyin
g
firm
,
fixed
rule
s
i
n
he
r
classroom
.
He
r
‘n
o
shit
’
attitud
e
ha
d
earned he
r
grea
t
respec
t
amongs
t
he
r
peer
s
an
d
sh
e
ha
d
he
r
eye
o
n
a
Hea
d
o
f
Departmen
t
jo
b
whic
h
woul
d
b
e
i
n
the
pipelin
e
a
s
soo
n
a
s
ol
d
Droop
y
Knicker
s
W
ilso
n
decided
t
o
cal
l
i
t
a
da
y
an
d
slum
p
of
f
int
o
a
lon
g
overdue retirement
.

T
ess
’
s
jo
b
wa
s
th
e
mai
n
focu
s
o
f
he
r
life
.
Sh
e
ate
,
slept an
d
breathe
d
S
t
John
’
s
an
d
lappe
d
u
p
th
e
admiratio
n
she
receive
d
fro
m
parent
s
an
d
pupil
s
alike
.

“
I
lik
e
you
r
dress
,
Mr
s
Matthews,
”
sai
d
on
e
o
f
her youn
g
students
.

T
es
s
smile
d
an
d
fixe
d
he
r
smar
t
royal-blu
e
wrap-over
dres
s
tha
t
brough
t
ou
t
th
e
dee
p
blu
e
o
f
he
r
eyes
.

“
Merc
i
beaucoup
,
Alannah,
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
“That
’
s
very
kin
d
o
f
yo
u
t
o
sa
y
.
No
w
,
ca
n
yo
u
tel
l
m
e
th
e
wor
d
for
dres
s
e
n
Français
?”

Th
e
littl
e
girl
’
s
eye
s
rolle
d
bac
k
i
n
thought
.
“E
m
.
.
.
is
i
t
un
e
robe
?
”

“
Oui
,
”
sai
d
T
es
s
wit
h
a
smile
.
Sh
e
love
d
ho
w
sh
e
could alway
s
tur
n
th
e
simples
t
questio
n
o
r
conversatio
n
with he
r
girl
s
int
o
learning
.
“Everyon
e
repea
t
afte
r
me
:
une robe
.
”

“
Un
e
robe!
”
sai
d
th
e
clas
s
i
n
uniso
n
an
d
T
ess
’
s
heart
fille
d
wit
h
warmth
.

Thes
e
girl
s
wer
e
he
r
babie
s
fo
r
no
w
.
He
r
jo
b
wa
s
her bab
y
.
Sh
e
couldn
’
t
possibl
y
fin
d
anythin
g
i
n
th
e
worl
d
to to
p
th
e
hig
h
sh
e
fel
t
whe
n
betterin
g
he
r
student
s
and
,
for th
e
moment
,
sh
e
ha
d
n
o
grea
t
desir
e
to
.
Motherhood woul
d
hav
e
t
o
wait
.
Sh
e
coul
d
mee
t
an
y
materna
l
instincts hea
d
o
n
her
e
i
n
he
r
teachin
g
jo
b
a
t
S
t
John
’
s
an
d
she
woul
d
b
e
th
e
onl
y
on
e
wh
o
woul
d
decid
e
whe
n
i
t
was tim
e
fo
r
he
r
t
o
d
o
otherwise
.

“So,
”
explaine
d
Poll
y
,
“
T
es
s
chucke
d
a
wobbl
y
wit
h
me, bu
t
wha
t
o
n
eart
h
els
e
wa
s
I
suppose
d
t
o
say
?
I
mean
,
I
couldn
’
t
b
e
rude
,
coul
d
I
?
I
couldn
’
t
jus
t
star
t
a
full-blown argumen
t
wit
h
Rut
h
Monagha
n
i
n
th
e
Spa
r
ove
r
stuf
f
that happene
d
s
o
man
y
year
s
ago
!
Frankie
,
ea
t
up!
”

“
I
don
’
t
lik
e
spaghetti.
”

I
t
wa
s
dinne
r
tim
e
i
n
th
e
Kno
x
household
,
whic
h
me
a
n
t a
constan
t
battl
e
wit
h
Polly
’
s
eldes
t
t
o
eat
,
a
wa
r
wit
h
the twin
s
t
o
sta
y
a
t
th
e
tabl
e
an
d
a
one-wa
y
figh
t
t
o
ge
t
her husband
’
s
attention
.
I
t
wa
s
neve
r
eas
y
t
o
compet
e
wit
h
the
tell
y
remot
e
contro
l
an
d
a
plat
e
o
f
spaghett
i
bolognese
.