Free One Night Only by Emma Heatherington Page B

T ess. ”
    Rut h sli d th e newspape r acros s th e tabl e an d Gin a sat dow n an d rea d it .
    Th e Cov e Countr y Club , Count y Donegal . Last-minute special offe r . Luxury Spa W eekend Break. Bed and Breakfas t an d Sp a T reatmen t o f you r choice.
    Gin a looke d u p a s th e othe r tw o stare d a t he r , nodding thei r heads .
    “ W e coul d g o i n th e morning, ” sai d Poll y . “Just imagin e . . . on e nigh t onl y . N o children . N o men . No worries . Jus t leav e i t al l behind . Wha t d o yo u think , Gina? I’ m n o docto r , bu t I thin k it ’ s jus t wha t th e docto r would orde r i f h e wa s here. ”
    “Oh , I agree ! A m I ther e yet? ” aske d Gina , a dream y , farawa y loo k i n he r eyes .
    “Let ’ s d o it, ” sai d Ruth . “That ’ s i f . . . well , I’ m hoping I’ m . . . ”
    “O f cours e you’r e invited, ” sai d Poll y . “S o you’r e in then , Gina? ”
    “I’ m s o in, ” Gin a replied . “ I can ’ t believ e I’v e finally don e it . He ’ s gone . O h m y God ! Poll y wha t hav e I done? I’ m oka y , I’ m okay! ”
    Befor e th e tear s coul d burs t fro m he r eyes , Gin a was ushere d upstairs , covere d wit h a Thoma s th e T an k Engine duvet , ordere d t o hav e a we e snooz e i n Polly ’ s twi n sons’ bedroo m (wit h Rut h i n th e singl e be d acros s fro m her) an d the n whe n sh e wok e u p fro m a coma-lik e snooze , she wa s fe d sou p an d sandwiche s a t Polly ’ s kitche n table, instructe d t o g o hom e an d pac k a weeken d ba g an d the nex t morning , feelin g refreshe d an d read y fo r action , they al l – Ruth , Poll y , T es s an d Gin a – woul d se t of f o n a weeken d brea k tha t woul d giv e the m th e tim e ou t the y all s o badl y needed .
    Lik e Poll y ha d said , i t wa s jus t wha t th e docto r ordered .
     
     
     
     

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    O n Saturda y mornin g Poll y wok e u p t o th e soun d of dishe s bein g don e an d th e smel l o f baco n an d egg s frying i n th e pan . Sh e rubbe d he r eye s an d pinche d herself , just t o b e sur e sh e wasn ’ t dreamin g tha t sh e wa s alread y i n the fou r -sta r hote l T es s ha d foun d fo r thei r on e nigh t away fro m i t all . Sh e checke d th e clock . I t wa s eigh t fort y . She’d bee n allowe d t o li e in ? Wha t th e – ?
    “James ? James ? I s everythin g oka y dow n there? ” she called , bu t Jame s couldn ’ t hea r he r ove r th e musi c tha t he wa s listenin g t o a s h e cooked . Jame s neve r cooked . He coul d barel y boi l a n eg g bu t no w h e wa s actuall y making a full-blow n effor t an d fryin g bacon ! Ther e wa s a God !
    Sh e decide d no t t o roc k th e boa t an d wit h contentment i n he r hear t sh e pu t th e showe r o n an d steppe d beneat h its soothin g spra y an d dreame d abou t th e da y ahea d a s she scrubbed .
    A girl y nigh t ou t wa s withi n inche s o f he r reac h and sh e couldn ’ t wait ! On e nigh t awa y wit h he r siste r , her neighbour and a reformed school bull y . The chance to get t o kno w hersel f again . T o relax , t o switc h of f from mumm y an d wif e duties . Jus t on e night . I t couldn ’ t d o any harm , coul d it ?
    Sh e ha d applie d a laye r o f ta n th e evenin g before , had shave d he r leg s s o the y wer e silk y smooth , he r hai r had bee n freshl y coloure d an d cu t onl y a fe w day s befor e s o it woul d b e eas y t o handle . An d sh e fel t a buz z o f excitement sh e hadn ’ t fel t i n a long , lon g time .
    Sh e neve r di d anythin g spontaneous . T es s wa s always bookin g last-minut e trip s fo r hersel f an d Rob , o r having dinne r wit h he r friends , o r doin g ‘dat e nights ’ a t the cinema . Poll y neve r wen t anywher e tha t didn ’ t involve grocery-shoppin g o r th e pos t offic e o r somethin g t o do wit h th e primar y school . Sh e wa s alway s rushin g around, workin g har d an d takin g ver y littl e tim e ou t fo r