One Night Only (44 page)

“Mumm
y
wil
l
b
e
bac
k
tomorro
w
,
okay?
”
sh
e
said
,
but t
he
y
wer
e
al
l
to
o
engrosse
d
i
n
scribblin
g
ove
r
Postma
n
Pat
’
s
fac
e
t
o
care
.

“They’l
l
b
e
fine
.
Jus
t
go,
”
sai
d
James
,
walkin
g
he
r
to th
e
doo
r
.
“Don
’
t
b
e
doin
g
anythin
g
I
wouldn
’
t
do.
”
He
gav
e
he
r
a
ligh
t
pec
k
o
n
th
e
cheek
.

No
t
exactl
y
a
ma
d
passionat
e
I’m-going-to-miss-you-
so-muc
h
snog
,
bu
t
i
t
wa
s
bette
r
tha
n
nothing
.

“
I
won
’
t
b
e
visitin
g
stri
p
club
s
o
r
gettin
g
arreste
d
if
that
’
s
wha
t
you’r
e
hintin
g
at,
”
sh
e
sai
d
a
s
a
jok
e
wit
h
a
jag
.
Hi
s
sta
g
nigh
t
ove
r
te
n
year
s
ag
o
wa
s
stil
l
a
sor
e
point bu
t
sh
e
couldn
’
t
resist
.

“Oh
,
whe
n
wil
l
yo
u
eve
r
le
t
tha
t
go?
”
h
e
said
,
his
jovia
l
moo
d
breakin
g
eve
r
s
o
slightl
y
.

“I’
m
joking!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“No
w
yo
u
kno
w
where
everythin
g
is
,
don
’
t
you
?
I
hop
e
I
haven
’
t
forgotte
n
anything.
I
wil
l
call
,
o
f
course
.
No
t
a
lot
,
bu
t
jus
t
t
o
chec
k
in.
”

“
I
ca
n
loo
k
afte
r
m
y
ow
n
children,
”
sai
d
James
,
eve
r
on th
e
defensive
.
“
Y
o
u
don
’
t
hav
e
t
o
worr
y
abou
t
a
thing.
”

Poll
y
longe
d
t
o
sa
y
‘tha
t
woul
d
b
e
a
first
’
bu
t
she
buttone
d
he
r
lip
,
tryin
g
t
o
ignor
e
th
e
new-foun
d
heaviness
i
n
he
r
hear
t
a
t
leavin
g
he
r
famil
y
t
o
thei
r
ow
n
devices
.

“Com
e
on
,
sister!
”
sai
d
T
ess
,
beepin
g
th
e
horn
.
“
W
e
wan
t
t
o
ge
t
ther
e
toda
y
i
f
possible!
”

“
T
el
l
he
r
t
o
min
d
he
r
ow
n
business,
”
sai
d
James
.
I
t
was
n
o
secre
t
tha
t
h
e
an
d
T
es
s
ha
d
a
love/hat
e
relationship
.

“
T
el
l
he
r
yourself!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
an
d
sh
e
mad
e
he
r
way t
o
th
e
ca
r
.

“Min
d
you
r
ow
n
business
,
T
ess!
”
calle
d
Jame
s
and the
y
al
l
laughe
d
a
s
Poll
y
go
t
int
o
th
e
driver
’
s
seat
.

Sh
e
starte
d
u
p
th
e
engine
.
“Alrigh
t
i
n
th
e
back?
”
she
aske
d
Gin
a
an
d
Rut
h
wh
o
wer
e
starin
g
ou
t
a
window
eac
h
a
s
the
y
pulle
d
ou
t
o
f
Polly
’
s
drivewa
y
.
Jame
s
waved the
m
of
f
wit
h
th
e
littl
e
one
s
no
w
i
n
hi
s
arm
s
an
d
Frankie b
y
hi
s
sid
e
an
d
Poll
y
gav
e
hi
m
a
good-luc
k
sig
n
(no
,
not th
e
finger
s
althoug
h
sh
e
woul
d
hav
e
love
d
to
)
an
d
turned th
e
Jee
p
ou
t
o
f
th
e
cu
l
d
e
sac
.

“Int
o
th
e
grea
t
wid
e
open!
”
Poll
y
declared
,
determined t
o
kee
p
th
e
moo
d
ligh
t
an
d
jovial
.
“Her
e
w
e
go
,
girls
.
Let
’
s
mak
e
thi
s
a
nigh
t
t
o
remember!
”

“
W
oo-hoo!
”
sai
d
T
ess
,
wit
h
he
r
ar
m
ou
t
th
e
windo
w
,
ver
y
Thelm
a
an
d
Louise
.