One Night Only (213 page)

Sh
e
stoo
d
up
,
fixe
d
hersel
f
an
d
washe
d
he
r
hands
.
What
wa
s
goin
g
on
?
Sh
e
wa
s
suppose
d
t
o
b
e
panick
y
,
c
on
f
used
an
d
distraught
.
Sh
e
wa
s
suppose
d
t
o
b
e
angr
y
a
t
the contraceptio
n
fo
r
no
t
doin
g
a
s
i
t
wa
s
suppose
d
to
.
She
wa
s
suppose
d
t
o
b
e
worrie
d
abou
t
ho
w
i
t
woul
d
slow dow
n
he
r
abilit
y
t
o
mak
e
i
t
t
o
Hea
d
o
f
Departmen
t
at school
.
Bu
t
instead
,
sh
e
ha
d
thi
s
soul-fillin
g
feelin
g
of euphori
a
an
d
sh
e
wante
d
t
o
shou
t
i
t
fro
m
th
e
rooftops
.

Sh
e
wa
s
goin
g
t
o
hav
e
a
baby
!
Sh
e
an
d
Ro
b
wer
e
going
t
o
b
e
parents
!
Despit
e
al
l
he
r
protesting
,
Mothe
r
Nature ha
d
othe
r
plan
s
i
n
stor
e
fo
r
he
r
an
d
sh
e
jus
t
couldn
’
t
wait t
o
tel
l
he
r
husband
.

“I’l
l
g
o
bac
k
t
o
se
e
Gina,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
afte
r
Rut
h
ha
d
found ou
t
fro
m
th
e
Enquir
y
des
k
th
e
whereabout
s
o
f
he
r
sick
mothe
r
.
“
I
hop
e
yo
u
kno
w
wha
t
you’r
e
doing
,
Ruth
.
I
don
’
t
wan
t
t
o
se
e
yo
u
hurtin
g
an
y
mor
e
ove
r
you
r
so-
calle
d
famil
y
.
Jus
t
don
’
t
expec
t
to
o
much.
”

Rut
h
tilte
d
he
r
chi
n
back
,
straightene
d
he
r
to
p
an
d
fixed
he
r
brigh
t
re
d
hai
r
.
“
I
jus
t
wan
t
t
o
sa
y
m
y
piece
,
mak
e
my
peac
e
i
f
yo
u
like
,
an
d
leave
.
I
don
’
t
wan
t
he
r
t
o
di
e
without
m
y
havin
g
ha
d
th
e
chanc
e
t
o
d
o
that
.
Samanth
a
ca
n
sa
y
what
sh
e
wants
.
I
nee
d
t
o
dea
l
wit
h
thi
s
befor
e
i
t
eat
s
a
t
m
e
a
ny
more.
”

Poll
y
nodde
d
an
d
gav
e
he
r
frien
d
a
tigh
t
hug
.
“I’l
l
say
a
we
e
praye
r
,
”
sh
e
whispered
.
“Sta
y
stron
g
an
d
don
’
t
let tha
t
scumba
g
bea
t
yo
u
down
.
Y
o
u
ar
e
bette
r
tha
n
that.
Y
o
u
ar
e
Rut
h
Monaghan
,
woma
n
o
f
stee
l
an
d
powe
r
and don
’
t
yo
u
eve
r
forge
t
it!
”

“Thanks
,
Poll
y
,
”
sh
e
said
.
“
I
fee
l
a
bi
t
mor
e
lik
e
a
big
blo
b
o
f
putt
y
tha
n
a
woma
n
o
f
steel
,
bu
t
I’
m
doin
g
thi
s
for
al
l
th
e
righ
t
reasons
,
believ
e
me
.
Onc
e I
hav
e
i
t
deal
t
with
I
ca
n
mov
e
o
n
wit
h
m
y
lif
e
an
d
focu
s
o
n
peopl
e
wh
o
care abou
t
me
,
rathe
r
tha
n
worryin
g
abou
t
thos
e
wh
o
don
’
t.”
The
y
parte
d
compan
y
an
d
Rut
h
stoppe
d
b
y
th
e
hospital
gif
t
stor
e
whic
h
stoo
d
adjacen
t
t
o
th
e
Enquirie
s
desk
.
I
t
was
ful
l
o
f
th
e
usua
l
hospital-typ
e
gift
s
–
tedd
y
bear
s
i
n
blu
e
a
n
d
pin
k
fo
r
ne
w
arrivals
,
balloons
,
flower
s
an
d
hug
e
chunks
o
f
chocolat
e
an
d
honeycomb
,
row
s
o
f
magazine
s
an
d
books an
d
fizz
y
drinks
.
Sh
e
stoppe
d
a
t
th
e
stan
d
tha
t
hel
d
greeting
card
s
whic
h
wer
e
dominated
,
naturall
y
,
wit
h
a
variet
y
of
Ge
t
W
el
l
Soo
n
designs.