One Night Only (160 page)

Sh
e
brok
e
dow
n
agai
n
an
d
Poll
y
rubbe
d
he
r
shoulde
r
.
Poo
r
Gina
.
Sh
e
didn
’
t
deserv
e
an
y
o
f
this
.

“Where
’
s
we
e
Dann
y
now?
”
aske
d
Poll
y
.
Sh
e
didn
’
t
thin
k
i
t
wa
s
a
goo
d
ide
a
fo
r
Dann
y
t
o
se
e
hi
s
mu
m
i
n
such
a
state
.
“
I
coul
d
tak
e
hi
m
fo
r
a
whil
e
i
f
i
t
give
s
yo
u
time t
o
ge
t
you
r
hea
d
aroun
d
things.
”

“No
,
no
,
it
’
s
fine
.
Thanks
,
Poll
y
,
bu
t
I
kin
d
o
f
nee
d
him, yo
u
know?
”
sai
d
Gina
,
tryin
g
t
o
tal
k
withou
t
sobbing.
“He
’
s
dow
n
th
e
roa
d
playin
g
wit
h
tha
t
we
e
fell
a
wit
h
the
funn
y
voice
,
bu
t
I
nee
d
t
o
mak
e
hi
m
somethin
g
t
o
ea
t
soon
an
d
i
t
migh
t
soun
d
stupi
d
bu
t
somethin
g
a
s
simpl
e
a
s
that
give
s
m
e
strengt
h
t
o
carr
y
on
.
Jus
t
knowin
g
h
e
need
s
me.
”

Poll
y
nodde
d
i
n
silence
.
Sh
e
coul
d
totall
y
understand wher
e
Gin
a
wa
s
comin
g
from
.
Dann
y
wa
s
th
e
onl
y
thing
keepin
g
he
r
togethe
r
a
t
th
e
minute
.
H
e
wa
s
th
e
only reaso
n
wh
y
sh
e
wa
s
stil
l
functioning
.
W
ithou
t
him
,
she
woul
d
g
o
t
o
piece
s
altogethe
r
.

“
W
ell
,
i
s
ther
e
anythin
g
I
ca
n
d
o
t
o
help?
”
aske
d
Poll
y
,
knowin
g
i
t
wa
s
on
e
o
f
thos
e
stupi
d
question
s
tha
t
people wer
e
aske
d
ove
r
an
d
ove
r
agai
n
a
t
th
e
tim
e
o
f
a
crisi
s
such a
s
a
break-u
p
o
r
a
deat
h
i
n
th
e
famil
y
,
bu
t
tha
t
ther
e
was n
o
‘yes
’
answe
r
to
.
(Unles
s
yo
u
coul
d
men
d
a
broken heart
,
brin
g
someon
e
bac
k
fro
m
th
e
dea
d
o
r
chang
e
a
violent
,
cheatin
g
bastard
’
s
way
s
–
an
d
mos
t
human
s
were incapabl
e
o
f
thos
e
things
.
Funnil
y
enough.)
“Jus
t
b
e
ther
e
fo
r
me
,
Poll
y
,
”
sai
d
Gina
,
graspin
g
her
friend
’
s
hand
.
He
r
knuckle
s
wer
e
whit
e
agains
t
he
r
pink
ski
n
an
d
he
r
han
d
shoo
k
despit
e
he
r
tigh
t
grip
.
“
I
just nee
d
t
o
kno
w
you’r
e
ther
e
fo
r
me.
”

“Always,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
,
feelin
g
emotiona
l
no
w
.
I
f
thi
s
was
wh
a
t
a
marriag
e
break-u
p
wa
s
like
,
sh
e
dreade
d
th
e
da
y
it migh
t
eve
r
happe
n
t
o
he
r
.
“
Y
o
u
kno
w
tha
t
I’
m
onl
y
a phone
call
or
a
text
awa
y
,
or
just
call
over
to
me
any
time
da
y
o
r
night
.
Y
o
u
don
’
t
hav
e
t
o
g
o
throug
h
thi
s
o
n
your own
.
I’
m
her
e
fo
r
yo
u
an
d
s
o
ar
e
T
es
s
an
d
Ruth
.
T
ess
migh
t
b
e
i
n
prison
,
min
d
you
,
bu
t
she’l
l
hav
e
yo
u
i
n
her thought
s
an
d
prayers.
”

T
o
Polly
’
s
relief
,
Gin
a
sa
w
th
e
funn
y
side
.

“
Y
o
u
kno
w
,
I
totall
y
forgo
t
abou
t
al
l
that
.
An
y
word fro
m
her
?
Ha
s
sh
e
tol
d
Rob?
”