One Night Only (188 page)

Melani
e
hande
d
Rut
h
th
e
phon
e
an
d
walke
d
he
r
t
o
the doo
r
.

“I’
m
sorr
y
t
o
hav
e
t
o
rac
e
ou
t
again,
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
She
gav
e
he
r
daughte
r
a
pec
k
o
n
th
e
chee
k
bu
t
Melani
e
wiped i
t
awa
y
.
“
I
reall
y
won
’
t
b
e
long
.
I’
m
jus
t
s
o
worrie
d
about Gina
.
Sorr
y
,
love.
”

Melani
e
didn
’
t
loo
k
to
o
perturbe
d
t
o
hav
e
th
e
hous
e
to
hersel
f
onc
e
again
.

“
I
nee
d
t
o
ge
t
a
n
earl
y
night,
”
sh
e
said
.
“An
d
who want
s
t
o
han
g
ou
t
wit
h
thei
r
mothe
r
,
anyhow?
”

Rut
h
walke
d
awa
y
fro
m
th
e
fron
t
doo
r
,
too
k
a
few
step
s
an
d
the
n
stopped
.

“Someda
y
yo
u
migh
t
regre
t
sayin
g
that,
”
sh
e
said
,
but Melani
e
ha
d
alread
y
gon
e
inside
.

Rut
h
yanke
d
th
e
handbrake
,
jumpe
d
ou
t
o
f
th
e
ca
r
and walke
d
a
s
fas
t
a
s
sh
e
coul
d
u
p
Polly
’
s
drivewa
y
.
She
presse
d
th
e
doorbel
l
an
d
the
n
checke
d
he
r
watch
.
I
t
really
wa
s
lat
e
t
o
b
e
calling
,
bu
t
sh
e
didn
’
t
kno
w
wha
t
els
e
t
o
do. Ther
e
wa
s
a
ligh
t
o
n
i
n
th
e
living-roo
m
windo
w
bu
t
apart fro
m
tha
t
th
e
hous
e
wa
s
i
n
darkness
.

A
t
las
t
sh
e
hear
d
footstep
s
an
d
Jame
s
opene
d
th
e
doo
r
.
H
e
looke
d
lik
e
h
e
ha
d
bee
n
asleep
.

“James
,
I’
m
so
,
s
o
sorr
y
t
o
cal
l
a
t
thi
s
hou
r
.
I
can
’
t
get
throug
h
t
o
Poll
y
an
d
I’
m
worrie
d
sic
k
abou
t
Gina.
”

“It
’
s
Ruth
,
yeah?
”
sai
d
James
.
H
e
opene
d
th
e
doo
r
and beckone
d
he
r
t
o
com
e
inside
.

“
Y
es
,
that
’
s
me
.
I
s
Poll
y
here?
”

“No
,
she
’
s
a
t
th
e
hospital
.
Bu
t
com
e
o
n
in
.
I’
m
sure
you’r
e
shocke
d
lik
e
al
l
o
f
us.
”

Th
e
hous
e
wa
s
silen
t
apar
t
fro
m
th
e
lo
w
hu
m
o
f
the t
el
evisio
n
i
n
th
e
sittin
g
roo
m
an
d
th
e
ai
r
smelle
d
lik
e
freshly
bake
d
cookies
.
I
t
wa
s
war
m
an
d
cos
y
an
d
Rut
h
fel
t
he
r
heart
tu
g
a
t
th
e
though
t
o
f
anythin
g
goin
g
wron
g
wit
h
Polly
’
s
seemingl
y
perfec
t
existenc
e
wit
h
Jame
s
an
d
he
r
children
.

“
I
wa
s
awa
y
thi
s
evenin
g
an
d
stupidl
y
forgo
t
m
y
phone. Hav
e
yo
u
hear
d
an
y
new
s
fro
m
Polly
?
I
s
i
t
reall
y
tha
t
bad?”
“Th
e
las
t
I
hear
d
wa
s
tha
t
Gin
a
i
s
i
n
ICU
.
N
o
broken bone
s
bu
t
sh
e
hasn
’
t
responde
d
ye
t
an
d
he
r
hea
d
injuries
see
m
prett
y
fierce.
”

Jame
s
le
d
he
r
t
o
th
e
kitche
n
an
d
invite
d
he
r
t
o
hav
e
a
sea
t
a
t
th
e
tabl
e
wher
e
sh
e
ha
d
broke
n
dow
n
i
n
tear
s
only day
s
ago
.
Sh
e
too
k
a
dee
p
breath
.
Thing
s
ha
d
really
change
d
tenfol
d
i
n
al
l
thei
r
live
s
sinc
e
then
.
Sh
e
ha
d
made
new
friends
she
now
depended
on
wholl
y
,
and
the
confidenc
e
i
t
gav
e
he
r
t
o
hav
e
peopl
e
wh
o
care
d
mad
e
her
realis
e
tha
t
sh
e
didn
’
t
nee
d
he
r
ow
n
famil
y
a
s
muc
h
a
s
she
though
t
sh
e
did
.