Something in the Water by Trevor Baxendale Page B

Thanks.’
    ‘I’ll call you again tomorrow. Take care, love.’
    ‘Yeah. Love you. Bye.’
    Bob switched the phone off and sank back into the cushions. He coughed up a mouthful of thick, stinking phlegm and spat it into a tissue. The urge to vomit was becoming increasing difficult to ignore.
    He switched the TV back on to distract him. There was a programme about estate agents on one channel, and on another it was beeswax. He flicked to another channel and this time picked up a news bulletin.
    The so-called flu epidemic had indeed made the news. Certainly there was a mention of it midway through the second round-up, as reports came in from across the UK of a sharp increase in respiratory complaints. Bob sat up at this point and listened properly.
    ‘… and a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said it was too early to say whether or not this represented a serious flu epidemic.’
    The picture switched to a junior health minister – Bob didn’t bother looking at the name which scrolled along the bottom of the screen – standing in front of the Houses of Parliament saying, ‘We don’t want to overreact to this, obviously. The National Health Service has every provision in place to not only recognise a serious epidemic, but to cope with it as well. So far we have not had to reach that stage, and I don’t think we will.’
    The picture changed back to a shot of a doctor’s surgery somewhere. ‘Nevertheless, many GPs are concerned at the sudden increase in respiratory problems, which, they said, cannot entirely be blamed on seasonal variations.’
    Cut to a GP in his surgery, an older guy, wearing heavy glasses. The caption said Dr Graham Walker. ‘I’ve seen nearly four to five times as many patients in the last week with what I would term serious respiratory conditions. It isn’t normal, and we should be on our guard. The problem is that Westminster is ignoring this simply because the epidemic is in Wales and not London.’
    ‘Some commentators feel that the concerns of GPs are being overlooked, and this may be putting the public’s health at risk,’ the reporter continued. ‘The Government has been quick to point out, however, that there is a widespread vaccination programme available for free for anyone over sixty-five to protect against flu. This is also true for vulnerable people below that age, such as those with chronic heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease or asthma sufferers. This is David Coulton, reporting for BBC News 24.’
    Bob muted the TV and coughed into his tissue again. A part of him felt just a little bit better knowing that he was not the only person suffering, but he did wonder what, if anything, the Government would do. Perhaps nothing until his blood sample had been checked.

THIRTEEN
    Gwen eventually found Owen standing at the rail at Mermaid Quay. It was chilly so close to the water, and she had to pull her denim jacket tighter to ward off the hard south-easterly blowing in towards Cardiff. Owen was still in a T-shirt, looking out across the bay.
    ‘Hey,’ Gwen said as she joined him at the rail.
    ‘Don’t bother,’ muttered Owen, without taking his eyes off the horizon.
    ‘Don’t bother what?’
    ‘Don’t bother trying to sweet-talk me back into the Hub. I need a break.’
    ‘We’re all pretty tired,’ Gwen remarked evenly. ‘Jack says he needs you though.’
    That provoked a harsh laugh. ‘Sent you up after me, did he? Thought you could work your womanly wiles and get me to come running back? So I can go back in and say sorry I messed up, Jack. Again. Please let me prove myself to you by solving the problem in five minutes flat.’
    ‘Bollocks,’ said Gwen. ‘It’s not like that and you know it. Jack wanted to come after you himself.’
    ‘That would’ve been even worse.’
    ‘I said I’d come because I knew how you’d be feeling.’
    He looked at her for the first time. ‘Bet you don’t.’
    ‘Yeah, I do. You’re feeling pretty stupid and ashamed