One Night Only by Emma Heatherington

brus h hi s teeth ? W oul d h e kno w ho w to sooth e th e twin s wit h a vers e o f ‘ T winkl e T winkle ’ i f they wouldn ’ t g o t o sleep ? W oul d h e eve n drea m o f telling Franki e a bedtim e – ?
    “Sto p it! ” sai d T ess , readin g he r mind . “Sto p it immediatel y! I t ’ s on e nigh t onl y , fo r goodness ’ sak e and you’l l b e bac k i n you r W eetabix-staine d apro n b y tomorrow eve n i n g . Y o u neve r d o anythin g lik e this . Leav e th e guilt behind. ”
    “Oh , I can ’ t hel p it . It ’ s normal , it ’ s natural . Mayb e I shoul d jus t cal l an d – ”
    “Look! ” sai d T ess , lookin g he r siste r righ t i n th e eye. T he y wer e exactl y th e sam e height . “Ou t o f al l th e husbands involve d i n thi s we e getawa y , Jame s wa s th e most encouraging . H e migh t no t sa y much , bu t h e know s how t o kee p thing s i n contro l a t home . An d h e sai d he’ d cal l if h e neede d t o kno w wher e th e neares t hospita l was! ”
    “ T ess! ”
    “I’ m joking . H e sai d he’ d b e fine , didn ’ t he?” “ Y es. ”
    “An d h e wil l cal l i f h e need s to . No w com e on . Let ’ s no t wast e anothe r second . It ’ s almos t eleve n alread y and ther e i s a whol e ne w worl d awaitin g u s i n thi s lan d of luxur y . ”
    “Oka y , oka y , let ’ s ge t inside, ” Poll y replie d an d gave hersel f a littl e shake . “I’l l b e oka y onc e I hav e a nic e cool glas s o f Pino t Grigi o i n m y pa w . Oooh , ho w m y mout h is waterin g a t th e ver y thought! ”
    Rut h le d th e wa y int o th e hotel , he r hunched-ove r , sad figur e o f onl y a fe w hour s ag o no w a distan t memor y . She ha d bee n th e giddies t o f al l o n th e journe y bu t no w that the y ha d arrived , sh e seeme d t o switc h int o he r confident business-like poise that she was obviously used to turning o n whe n th e tim e wa s right . Despit e bein g overweigh t and complainin g abou t it , Rut h di d kno w ho w t o carr y herself well . Sh e wor e blac k a s sh e alway s di d an d he r heav y make- u p mad e he r loo k olde r tha n th e res t o f th e gan g bu t was obviousl y a mas k sh e wor e whe n Rut h th e Businesswoman wa s i n town .
    Littl e Gin a hurrie d alon g behin d he r , pullin g he r cerise- pin k cas e b y th e handl e an d ignorin g ho w i t bumpe d and bounce d alon g th e grave l drivewa y . Sh e wa s lik e a child goin g t o Disneylan d an d Poll y feare d tha t he r adrenaline- fille d enthusias m woul d explod e int o hysteri a a s th e night wor e on . Bu t fo r no w , sh e wa s happ y t o watc h Gina ’ s tiny figur e scurr y behin d Rut h i n he r hast e t o se e wha t this wonderfu l plac e ha d t o offe r .
    “I t look s gorgeous . Goo d find , siste r , ” Poll y sai d to T es s a s the y strolle d alongsid e eac h othe r . “Thi s i s jus t the bes t medicin e eve r , isn ’ t it? ”
    “I t i s indeed , bu t i f yo u sa y i t wa s jus t wha t th e doctor ordere d agai n I wil l sta b you, ” sai d T ess , starin g ahea d at th e unlikel y twosom e wh o wer e alread y approachin g the revolvin g doors . Poll y place d a be t t o hersel f tha t mousey Gin a an d he r pin k cas e woul d ge t stuck . Sh e did .
    “ Y o u coul d murde r m e fo r bringin g thos e two , couldn ’ t you? ” sai d Poll y , wantin g t o ge t ri d o f th e grea t bi g white elephan t tha t stoo d betwee n he r an d he r siste r .
    O f cours e T es s ha d mean t thi s littl e brea k t o b e fo r just th e tw o o f them , bu t Poll y couldn ’ t d o anythin g abou t that no w . Sh e ha d bee n i n Mothe r T eres a mod e yesterda y an d it wa s to o lat e t o tur n bac k th e cloc k an d chang e he r mind .
    “I’ m sur e i t wil l b e fine, ” sai d T es s i n a ton e tha t would hav e bee n bette r suite d t o a statemen t like : I coul d murder yo u wit h a ver y shar p objec t bu t I shal l refrai n fo r the tim e