One Night Only by Emma Heatherington Read Free Book Online

l he r t o ge t ou t whil e sh e wa s still youn g enoug h t o mak e a ne w lif e fo r hersel f an d her youn g son .
    Tha t wa s th e on e thin g tha t baffle d he r abou t lif e i n a smal l villag e wher e spor t wa s religio n an d religio n wa s a sho w . T revo r Humphrie s coul d ge t awa y wit h murde r and the y woul d forgiv e hi m fo r it . H e coul d sha g th e entire villag e an d h e woul d ge t a pa t o n th e back . I t wa s the village ’ s worst-kep t secre t tha t h e ha d a mistres s an d Gina kne w tha t sh e wa s mor e th e foo l fo r puttin g u p wit h their bi g fa t masquerad e o f happ y families .
    Sh e kne w sh e shoul d ea t he r stea k an d g o t o be d and coun t he r blessing s tha t sh e (th e othe r woman ) wa s the on e endurin g hi s ba d manner s an d dealin g wit h hi s moods an d grubb y clothe s whe n h e cam e bac k fro m work . She kne w sh e shoul d b e thankfu l tha t sh e wasn ’ t o n th e en d of hi s fis t fo r onc e whe n sh e forgo t t o pu t th e bi n ou t or chang e th e toile t rol l o n th e dispense r o r lef t th e heating o n to o long .
    Bu t sh e wa s wea k an d powerles s an d sh e didn ’ t have th e energ y t o stan d u p fo r herself . Sh e wishe d sh e had . She wishe d sh e ha d don e i t a long , lon g tim e ago .
     
     
     
     

5
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    “D o yo u fanc y goin g t o th e cinema? ” Rut h Monaghan aske d he r daughte r whos e finger s wer e i n a flurr y a s she type d int o he r Blackberr y wit h grea t gusto . “There ’ s a ne w Lia m Neeso n movi e ou t an d I hea r it ’ s reall y good. Y o u lik e Lia m Neeson , don ’ t you? ”
    Melanie ’ s bedroo m smel t lik e deodoran t mixe d with salt-and-vinega r crisps . Rut h couldn ’ t sa y i t wa s pleasant bu t i t certainl y didn ’ t bothe r Melani e wh o looke d very comfortabl e a s sh e la y o n he r bed , los t i n he r worl d of teenag e dreams .
    “Melanie ? Cinema? ” sh e aske d again , feelin g defeated alread y .
    “Nah, ” wa s he r repl y an d sh e giggle d a t whatever messag e sh e jus t receive d o n he r phone . Nah . No t eve n a ‘no t i n th e mood ’ o r a ‘there ’ s somethin g goo d o n telly’. Jus t nah . S o muc h fo r qualit y tim e an d makin g a n effort t o kee p th e line s o f communicatio n opene d betwee n mother an d daughte r . N o matte r wha t Rut h suggested , Melanie woul d answe r wit h a nonchalan t ‘nah’ . He r counsello r had advise d o n th e importanc e o f ‘communication ’ an d ‘quality time ’ afte r he r fathe r lef t the m tw o year s ago , bu t Ruth ’ s effort s wer e rarel y rewarded .
    “D o yo u fanc y pizz a fo r te a then? ” sh e tried , hoping fo r a mor e fulfillin g response . “ W e coul d g o t o tha t nice plac e i n town ? Y o u kno w , th e on e wit h th e waite r wit h the wonk y eyes? ”
    Melani e shrugged . N o word s thi s time , jus t a laz y shrug. Sh e wrappe d a thro w aroun d he r bar e leg s an d continued t o star e a t he r phone . I t wa s th e sam e thin g ever y da y since the y ha d move d here . Melanie ’ s phon e wa s a permanent barrie r betwee n them , lik e a wal l tha t Rut h ha d t o jump ove r befor e sh e go t he r daughter ’ s attention .
    “Melanie! ” sai d Rut h i n a prope r ‘I’ m you r mothe r so hav e manners ’ voice.
    “What? ” sh e asked , a s i f Rut h ha d interrupte d an intimat e conversatio n wit h Chri s Marti n fro m Coldpla y . Melanie was prime time in love with him. Not a crush. In prope r , like , love , like . Melani e sai d ‘ like ’ a lot .
    “ I hav e jus t aske d yo u tw o question s an d yo u barely answere d me! ”
    “ I did! ” sh e said , puttin g o n th e headphone s o f her iPo d s o sh e coul d liste n t o something , anythin g othe r than he r mother ’ s voice .
    “Melanie ! I a m speakin g t o you! ”
    “An d I answere d you! ” sh e snappe d i n he r strong Cockne y accent , the n gav e th e kin