One Night Only by Emma Heatherington

Frankie . “Wha t doe s touch é mean, anyhow? ”
    An d s o i t wen t o n fo r tw o whol e days .
    Poll y reluctantl y gav e i n o n Thursda y mornin g when sh e couldn ’ t fin d th e A T M car d an d neede d i t t o ge t her hai r done . Afte r th e Marg e comment , sh e neede d t o make hersel f fee l bette r . Sh e needn ’ t hav e bothere d speakin g to hi m directl y because , a s always , sh e ende d u p findin g it hersel f an d whe n sh e di d sh e als o cam e acros s Ruth Monaghan ’ s busines s card .
    “Rut h blood y Monaghan, ” sh e said , fingerin g th e card .
    Fo r a spli t secon d sh e contemplate d callin g he r , jus t for a cha t an d t o fin d ou t wha t ha d becom e o f th e school bull y o f S t John ’ s wh o lef t wit h bab y bum p when everyon e wa s studyin g fo r thei r exams . Wha t o n earth ha d mad e Rut h retur n here ? Wha t wa s makin g he r so sad ?
    Sh e wante d t o cal l but , rememberin g T ess ’ s reactio n to th e ver y ide a o f it , sh e pu t th e car d int o he r pocke t and decide d t o slee p o n i t fo r a da y o r two . Sh e woul d keep Rut h Monagha n a t a health y distanc e fo r a while .
    Sh e neve r , eve r fo r on e secon d expecte d Ruth Monagha n t o lan d a t he r doo r th e ver y nex t morning. Tha t wa s a shoc k an d a hal f an d sh e ha d n o tim e t o decide ho w t o react . So , sh e invite d he r i n fo r coffee .
    Rut h wa s empt y insid e an d mor e dow n tha n usua l when sh e visite d th e Spa r tha t Frida y morning . She’ d had absolutel y n o intentio n o f visitin g Poll y unannounce d but, befor e sh e kne w it , th e word s wer e ou t o f he r mout h to Sheil a th e sho p assistant .
    “D o yo u kno w Poll y W oodhead , I mean , Poll y Knox?” sh e aske d a s sh e pai d fo r he r pac k o f Ki t Kat s an d Diet Coke . “ W e wen t t o schoo l togethe r . I wa s thinkin g of lookin g he r up. ”
    Sh e kne w sh e sounde d lik e a stalke r bu t Sheil a seemed t o lik e he r . Sh e wa s on e o f he r bes t customer s afte r all. Ever y da y sh e woul d cal l a t th e Spa r o n a t leas t three occasion s an d ever y da y sh e an d Sheil a woul d cha t about everythin g fro m Chery l Cole ’ s hai r t o th e pric e o f a ba g of crisp s an d ho w the y wer e alway s half-empt y thes e days anyho w . The y jus t didn ’ t mak e Monste r Munc h lik e they use d to .
    “O f cours e I kno w Poll y . He r siste r T es s teache s my daughte r Frenc h a t S t John ’ s . Lovel y girl s the y are , the tw o o f them . On e o f thei r sister s ha s a bi t o f a problem wit h th e you-know-what. ”
    Rut h love d ho w Sheil a alway s thre w i n a we e titbi t of gossi p fo r goo d measure .
    “D o yo u kno w wher e sh e lives ? I don ’ t hav e her numbe r s o I though t I’ d po p round. ”
    Sheil a folde d he r chubb y arm s an d looke d u p a t the ceilin g a s i f Rut h ha d aske d he r a phone-a-frien d question fo r th e bigges t priz e o n Wh o W ant s t o B e a Millionaire? . “No w , le t m e ge t thi s right, ” sh e said . “ T es s live s out o f tow n I’ m almos t sure , i n th e snobb y end , an d Helen, she ’ s th e on e who ’ s fon d o f th e booz e – sh e live s in Rushfiel d Par k an d the n there ’ s Mar y th e sensibl e one wit h al l th e childre n . . . yes , I’ m nearl y sur e tha t Polly live s i n Ardglas s V illas . Y o u kno w th e pos h house s a t the en d o f th e village ? He r husban d i s ver y wel l t o d o an d a rea l hun k int o th e bargain . Som e girl s hav e al l th e luck, eh? ”
    Rut h wa s alread y feelin g lik e a dow n an d ou t and, whe n Sheil a tol d he r abou t Polly ’ s idylli c lifestyle , sh e felt eve n worse . Sh e wa s fa t an d alon e an d n o on e wante d to kno w he r an y more , bu t Poll y seeme d kind . Sh e was alway s muc h softe r tha n he r younge r siste r . Mayb e i f she gav e Rut h a chance , sh e migh t se e ho w muc h sh e had change d dow n th e years . Sh