One Night Only (192 page)

Jame
s
walke
d
t
o
th
e
sideboar
d
an
d
poure
d
another
glass
.
H
e
stare
d
a
t
i
t
an
d
the
n
h
e
thre
w
i
t
dow
n
th
e
sink. “
I
can
’
t
hid
e
i
t
an
y
more
,
Ruth!
”
h
e
said
.
“
I
nee
d
t
o
get
ou
t
o
f
thi
s
terribl
e
ru
t
i
n
m
y
head
.
I
nee
d
t
o
tal
k
t
o
Polly
an
d
tel
l
he
r
ho
w
I
fee
l
bu
t
I
can
’
t!
”

“The
n
please
,
pleas
e
tal
k
t
o
you
r
docto
r
.
”
Sh
e
feared fo
r
Jame
s
bu
t
sh
e
als
o
feare
d
fo
r
Poll
y
.
Ho
w
woul
d
she
cope
,
knowin
g
tha
t
Jame
s
wa
s
goin
g
throug
h
thi
s
o
n
top o
f
Gina
’
s
accident
?
Thi
s
wa
s
goin
g
t
o
hav
e
t
o
b
e
treated
ver
y
carefull
y
.

“I’l
l
thin
k
abou
t
it,
”
sai
d
James
.
“I’
m
goin
g
t
o
g
o
to be
d
no
w
.
Poll
y
ha
s
a
ke
y
.
Y
o
u
ca
n
wai
t
fo
r
he
r
her
e
i
f
you wan
t
bu
t
I’v
e
n
o
ide
a
whe
n
she’l
l
b
e
back
.
Sh
e
migh
t
even
sta
y
a
t
th
e
hospital.
”

“No
,
no
,
I’l
l
go,
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“Bu
t
pleas
e
promis
e
me
on
e
thing
,
James.
”

Jame
s
ra
n
hi
s
hand
s
unde
r
th
e
col
d
ta
p
an
d
splashed
hi
s
face
.
Sh
e
waite
d
fo
r
hi
m
t
o
respond
.

“
I
can
’
t,
”
h
e
said
.
“
I
can
’
t
promis
e
anything
.
I’
m
sorr
y
.”
“Oka
y
,
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
Sh
e
wouldn
’
t
pus
h
him
.
H
e
had take
n
a
hug
e
lea
p
o
f
fait
h
b
y
tellin
g
he
r
wha
t
h
e
already
had
.
Mayb
e
h
e
ha
d
spoke
n
enoug
h
fo
r
on
e
night
.

“Bu
t
thanks,
”
h
e
said
.
“Thank
s
fo
r
no
t
tellin
g
m
e
I’
m
a
wim
p
o
r
a
basket-cas
e
o
r
a
selfis
h
lose
r
.
I
didn
’
t
mea
n
to burde
n
yo
u
wit
h
al
l
that
.
I
don
’
t
kno
w
wha
t
cam
e
ove
r
me.”
Rut
h
wante
d
t
o
hu
g
him
.
H
e
looke
d
s
o
forlor
n
an
d
in nee
d
o
f
a
hug
,
bu
t
no
t
fro
m
he
r
.
H
e
neede
d
t
o
tal
k
t
o
his
wif
e
an
d
hav
e
he
r
hol
d
hi
m
an
d
reassur
e
hi
m
tha
t
it
woul
d
al
l
b
e
oka
y
.

“I
t
wa
s
n
o
burde
n
a
t
all,
”
sh
e
sai
d
softl
y
.
“I’
m
gla
d
you wer
e
brav
e
enoug
h
t
o
tel
l
me
.
I’
m
alway
s
availabl
e
t
o
lend
a
non-judgementa
l
ea
r
i
f
yo
u
fee
l
th
e
need
.
Jus
t
don
’
t
bottl
e
i
t
up
,
James
.
It
’
s
bette
r
ou
t
tha
n
in.
”

Jame
s
nodde
d
hi
s
hea
d
an
d
hi
s
eye
s
droope
d
heavil
y
as the
y
blinke
d
beneat
h
th
e
tirednes
s
an
d
drunkennes
s
that ha
d
overcom
e
him
.

H
e
walke
d
he
r
t
o
th
e
fron
t
doo
r
.
“Goo
d
night
,
Ruth,” h
e
said
.

“
Y
eah
,
ge
t
som
e
sleep,
”
sh
e
replied
.
“I’l
l
b
e
thinkin
g
of you
.
Don
’
t
eve
r
fee
l
yo
u
ar
e
alone.
”

Sh
e
walke
d
dow
n
th
e
drivewa
y
an
d
go
t
int
o
th
e
ca
r
,
glancin
g
bac
k
t
o
wher
e
Jame
s
stoo
d
watchin
g
he
r
.
She
wave
d
hi
m
goodbye
,
turne
d
th
e
ignitio
n
an
d
starte
d
the ca
r
,
lookin
g
acros
s
a
t
Gina
’
s
hous
e
i
n
sorro
w
.