One Night Only (3 page)

He
r
Groundho
g
Da
y
existenc
e
wa
s
a
fa
r
cr
y
fro
m
th
e
life
sh
e
ha
d
planne
d
whe
n
sh
e
marrie
d
he
r
childhoo
d
sweetheart o
n
th
e
ev
e
o
f
th
e
millennium
.
Y
es
,
sh
e
ha
d
anticipate
d
babies
an
d
burp
s
an
d
bump
s
o
f
al
l
varieties
,
bu
t
no
t
th
e
engulfing
lonelines
s
tha
t
she’
d
fel
t
latel
y
.
Jame
s
wa
s
a
har
d
worke
r
and
sh
e
kne
w
th
e
constructio
n
industr
y
wa
s
a
toug
h
business
thes
e
day
s
an
d
tha
t
h
e
worrie
d
int
o
th
e
nigh
t
abou
t
wher
e
the nex
t
projec
t
wa
s
comin
g
from
,
bu
t
a
littl
e
communication wit
h
hi
s
wif
e
wouldn
’
t
g
o
amiss
!

Sh
e
ha
d
alway
s
bee
n
s
o
glamorous
,
s
o
confiden
t
i
n
her ow
n
skin
,
bu
t
righ
t
no
w
sh
e
fel
t
lik
e
a
n
invisibl
e
doormat,
a
servant
,
a
voiceles
s
walkove
r
whos
e
ow
n
need
s
wer
e
frozen
t
o
mee
t
th
e
need
s
o
f
he
r
husban
d
an
d
thre
e
youn
g
boys, wh
o
sh
e
love
d
an
d
adore
d
mor
e
tha
n
anythin
g
i
n
the world
.

“James?
”
sh
e
aske
d
again
.
Sh
e
kne
w
sh
e
wa
s
nagging.
S
h
e
hat
e
d
nagging
.

“What?
”

“Jus
t
answe
r
th
e
question
,
James!
”
Sh
e
neede
d
t
o
know
i
f
ther
e
wa
s
eve
n
th
e
slightes
t
spar
k
ther
e
betwee
n
them
.
She
stil
l
foun
d
hi
m
sex
y
a
s
hel
l
bu
t
sh
e
kne
w
hi
s
min
d
was
anywher
e
bu
t
o
n
se
x
thes
e
days
.
“D
o
I
stil
l
t
ur
n
yo
u
on?
”

“Poll
y
,
honestly!
”
sai
d
James
.
“Th
e
kid
s
wil
l
hea
r
you!
And
I’m
trying
to
watch
the
news.
Where
the
hell
did
this
al
l
com
e
from?
”

“Wher
e
di
d
i
t
com
e
from
?
I’
m
tryin
g
t
o
sav
e
our
marriage!
”
Poll
y
retorted
,
feelin
g
th
e
familia
r
bur
n
behind he
r
eye
s
a
s
tear
s
threatene
d
t
o
burs
t
through
.
Sh
e
wouldn
’
t
le
t
them
.
No
t
thi
s
time
.
H
e
wa
s
alway
s
watchin
g
th
e
news,
o
r
readin
g
th
e
pape
r
,
o
r
checkin
g
sport
s
results
,
o
r
doin
g
his
book
s
fo
r
hi
s
business
,
o
r
pricin
g
a
jo
b
–
h
e
wa
s
always
doin
g
somethin
g
tha
t
avoide
d
d
is
c
ussin
g
thei
r
floundering relationship
.

“
Y
o
u
nee
d
t
o
sto
p
this,
”
sai
d
James
,
pushin
g
hi
s
dinner p
l
at
e
t
o
th
e
side
.

H
e
wasn
’
t
eatin
g
muc
h
thes
e
day
s
eithe
r
whic
h
insulted
he
r
greatl
y
.
He’
d
alway
s
love
d
he
r
cooking
.

“
I
don
’
t
kno
w
wha
t
ha
s
go
t
int
o
yo
u
thes
e
day
s
but
thes
e
rando
m
blood
y
question
s
ar
e
reall
y
wearin
g
thin.
”

Poll
y
didn
’
t
expec
t
th
e
ris
e
i
n
hi
s
voic
e
an
d
i
t
se
t
her bac
k
immensel
y
.
H
e
wa
s
pisse
d
off
.
Sh
e
wa
s
pisse
d
off too
.

“
W
earin
g
thin
?
Loo
k
a
t
me
,
James
!
Oh
,
that
’
s
right.
Y
o
u
don
’
t
.
Y
o
u
neve
r
loo
k
a
t
m
e
an
y
more
.
Y
ou’
d
rather star
e
a
t
th
e
T
V
o
r
a
t
you
r
blood
y
dinne
r
plate
.
Y
o
u
never
eve
n
loo
k
a
t
me!
”