One Night Only (155 page)

“Bi
g
i
s
th
e
ver
y
word!
”
h
e
said
.
“Isn
’
t
tha
t
th
e
bi
g
one wh
o
use
d
t
o
bull
y
he
r
a
t
school?
”

“
Y
es
,
why?
”

“O
h
swee
t
Jesus
,
thi
s
i
s
hilarious
!
Wher
e
i
s
m
y
phone?
I
hav
e
t
o
cal
l
her!
”

“No!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
Sh
e
droppe
d
th
e
dishclot
h
int
o
the sink
.
“No
,
don
’
t
cal
l
he
r
yet
.
Sh
e
isn
’
t
read
y
t
o
se
e
the funn
y
side
.
No
t
yet.
”

Poll
y
trie
d
t
o
kee
p
a
seriou
s
fac
e
bu
t
the
n
sh
e
kept picturin
g
Rut
h
bouncin
g
aroun
d
th
e
danc
e
floo
r
an
d
her
clums
y
hee
l
scrunchin
g
o
n
to
p
o
f
T
ess
’
s
daint
y
porkies.
Sh
e
coul
d
se
e
wh
y
Jame
s
woul
d
fin
d
i
t
funn
y
,
bu
t
sh
e
was to
o
stubbor
n
t
o
le
t
hi
m
se
e
he
r
laug
h
alon
g
wit
h
hi
m
so
sh
e
lifte
d
th
e
dishclot
h
agai
n
an
d
bega
n
t
o
wip
e
up breakfas
t
cerea
l
fro
m
th
e
worktops
.

“Oka
y
,
oka
y
,
you’v
e
ha
d
you
r
laugh,
”
sh
e
said
.
“I’m sur
e
T
es
s
isn
’
t
findin
g
i
t
quit
e
s
o
funn
y
but
,
yes
,
I
ca
n
see
wh
y
yo
u
woul
d
fin
d
som
e
humou
r
i
n
he
r
injur
y
.
”

“Honestl
y
,
”
sai
d
James
,
wipin
g
hi
s
eyes
.
“Tha
t
i
s
the
funnies
t
thin
g
I
hav
e
heard
.
I
ca
n
jus
t
imagin
e
T
es
s
giving
i
t
all
,
posin
g
fo
r
al
l
sh
e
wa
s
worth
,
lappin
g
u
p
al
l
the attentio
n
o
f
ever
y
ma
n
i
n
th
e
ba
r
an
d
the
n
crunch
!
I
wouldn
’
t
lik
e
Rut
h
M
on
ag
h
an
s
t
a
nd
i
n
g
o
n
m
y
to
e
!
From wha
t
yo
u
hav
e
tol
d
me
,
she
’
s
n
o
lightweight!
”

“Enough
,
James!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
H
e
reall
y
wa
s
startin
g
to
ge
t
o
n
he
r
nerve
s
no
w
.
H
e
wa
s
ye
t
t
o
as
k
i
f
they’
d
ha
d
a
goo
d
time
.
Al
l
h
e
wa
s
intereste
d
i
n
wa
s
takin
g
th
e
pis
s
as usual
.
“
I
wa
s
thinkin
g
o
f
takin
g
th
e
kid
s
aroun
d
t
o
see
Mu
m
afte
r
lunch,
”
sh
e
said
,
hopin
g
t
o
chang
e
th
e
subject. “
Y
o
u
fanc
y
coming
?
W
e
coul
d
g
o
fo
r
a
wal
k
i
n
th
e
park afterwards
.
Ge
t
som
e
fres
h
ai
r
int
o
thei
r
lungs.
”

James
was
putting
on
his
socks
and
shoes
as
she
spoke
t
o
him
.
H
e
ha
d
foun
d
i
t
al
l
suc
h
a
doddle
,
h
e
hadn
’
t
even
ha
d
tim
e
t
o
ge
t
dresse
d
an
d
i
t
wa
s
lunchtime
.
Pah
!

“Eh
,
le
t
m
e
thin
k
abou
t
tha
t
one,
”
h
e
said
.
“No
.
Thanks
f
o
r
th
e
invitatio
n
bu
t
I’l
l
giv
e
i
t
a
miss.
”

Poll
y
thre
w
th
e
dishclot
h
int
o
th
e
sin
k
agai
n
i
n
bad tempe
r
.

“Wh
y
not?
”
sh
e
asked
.

“Becaus
e
I
ca
n
thin
k
o
f
othe
r
way
s
o
f
spendin
g
my
Sunda
y
afternoon
,
than
k
yo
u
ver
y
much
,
bu
t
yo
u
g
o
ahead.
I
jus
t
can
’
t
b
e
bothere
d
hearin
g
o
f
al
l
th
e
antic
s
yo
u
go
t
up t
o
las
t
night
,
whic
h
n
o
doub
t
wil
l
b
e
centr
e
o
f
conversation wit
h
yo
u
an
d
you
r
sister
s
onc
e
yo
u
ge
t
togethe
r
aroun
d
y
ou
r
mother
’
s
table.
”