One Night Only (195 page)

“
I
ca
n
tak
e
th
e
da
y
of
f
i
f
yo
u
want?
”
sai
d
James
.
He wa
s
behin
d
he
r
no
w
,
lookin
g
an
d
smellin
g
a
lo
t
fresher tha
n
a
fe
w
minute
s
before
,
a
towe
l
wrappe
d
aroun
d
his
waist
.

“It
’
s
oka
y
,
thanks,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“
I
hav
e
th
e
kid
s
organised
til
l
thre
e
an
d
the
n
I
ca
n
se
e
t
o
the
m
unti
l
yo
u
com
e
h
om
e
.
”
H
e
walke
d
toward
s
wher
e
sh
e
sa
t
a
t
he
r
dressin
g
table an
d
pu
t
hi
s
hand
s
o
n
he
r
shoulders
,
squeezin
g
them
lightl
y
.
Hi
s
touc
h
fel
t
s
o
good
.
Sh
e
ha
d
misse
d
hi
m
so much
.
Sh
e
wondere
d
wha
t
ha
d
change
d
i
n
him
.
H
e
hadn
’
t
reache
d
ou
t
an
d
touche
d
he
r
lik
e
tha
t
i
n
s
o
lon
g
an
d
she
neede
d
hi
m
s
o
badl
y
righ
t
no
w
.
Sh
e
ha
d
a
feelin
g
tha
t
he
neede
d
he
r
too
.

“
W
e
wil
l
ge
t
throug
h
this,
”
h
e
sai
d
an
d
whe
n
she
looke
d
a
t
hi
m
throug
h
th
e
mirro
r
,
sh
e
sa
w
tear
s
i
n
hi
s
eyes
a
s
h
e
spoke
.

“
Y
o
u
thin
k
so?
”
aske
d
Poll
y
.
Sh
e
hel
d
hi
s
stare
.
H
e
was
finall
y
facin
g
u
p
t
o
thei
r
problems
.

“Of
course
we
will,”
he
said.
“Look,
Poll
.
.
.
I
know
I
haven
’
t
bee
n
mysel
f
latel
y
,
bu
t
.
.
.
bu
t
I
thin
k
I
ca
n
learn t
o
dea
l
wit
h
thing
s
i
f
I
ge
t
som
e
help.
”

Polly
turned
around
to
face
him.
She
stood
up
and
put
he
r
arm
s
aroun
d
hi
m
an
d
hel
d
hi
m
tight
.

“Help?
”
sh
e
asked
.
“D
o
yo
u
mea
n
marriag
e
counselling?
”

Jame
s
nodded
.
“An
d
hel
p
fo
r
.
.
.
well
,
fo
r
whateve
r
it
i
s
tha
t
i
s
makin
g
m
e
s
o
dam
n
miserabl
e
latel
y
.
It
’
s
no
t
y
o
u
r
fault
,
Poll
y
.
It
’
s
jus
t
.
.
.
it
’
s
jus
t
a
sens
e
o
f
hopelessnes
s
tha
t
I
can
’
t
explain
.
I
nee
d
t
o
tal
k
i
t
throug
h
.
.
.
f
a
c
e
it
,
dea
l
with it
.
I
nee
d
t
o
finall
y
admi
t
tha
t
m
y
hea
d
isn
’
t
i
n
a
ver
y
good
plac
e
righ
t
no
w
an
d
tha
t
i
t
hasn
’
t
bee
n
fo
r
a
lon
g
time.
”

Poll
y
wa
s
shocked
.
W
a
s
Jame
s
depressed
?
I
s
tha
t
what h
e
wa
s
tryin
g
t
o
say
?
Sh
e
fel
t
a
kno
t
i
n
he
r
throat
,
choking he
r
wit
h
drea
d
a
t
th
e
though
t
o
f
he
r
husban
d
battlin
g
this horribl
e
nightmar
e
fo
r
s
o
long
.

“
I
thin
k
you’v
e
take
n
a
hug
e
ste
p
alread
y
b
y
tellin
g
me,
James
.
I
a
m
you
r
wif
e
an
d
I
wil
l
alway
s
b
e
you
r
best frien
d
s
o
pleas
e
don
’
t
hid
e
you
r
feeling
s
fro
m
me
.
How lon
g
hav
e
yo
u
bee
n
lik
e
this
?
W
eeks
?
Months?
”

“Months,
”
h
e
whispered
,
kissin
g
he
r
forehead
.
“
I
think
Gina
’
s
acciden
t
ha
s
pu
t
a
lo
t
o
f
thing
s
int
o
perspecti
ve
f
o
r
me
.
M
y
hea
d
ha
s
bee
n
a
mes
s
latel
y
an
d
I
thin
k
I
nee
d
to
di
g
dee
p
an
d
fin
d
ou
t
wh
y
.
It
’
s
lik
e
I
don
’
t
hav
e
energ
y
to d
o
anythin
g
an
y
more
.
Bu
t
I
kno
w
tha
t
I
ca
n
ge
t
i
t
sorted.
Y
o
u
an
d
th
e
childre
n
ar
e
th
e
mos
t
importan
t
thing
s
i
n
my
whol
e
life
.
I
nee
d
t
o
ge
t
i
t
fixe
d
fo
r
al
l
o
f
us.
”