The word 憊egetarian?always makes Nelson feel depressed.
Judy sleeps on the sofa. Thing is delighted and fetches his favourite squeaky toy so they can make a night of it. Judy manages to banish the toy but she can抰 do anything about the solid bulk of the bull terrier, who takes up most of the space and snores loudly in her ear. Not that Judy sleeps much. She can hear Cathbad coughing and twice goes upstairs to see if he needs anything. 慖抦 OK,?comes the reply, 慸on抰 come in.?
Judy lies awake, with Thing across her legs, wondering what to do. She wants to go into the bedroom but she can抰 afford to get Covid. She has to stay well for her children. It抯 as if the virus is lying in wait upstairs, as monsters of childhood are said to do. All she can do is hope that Cathbad抯 strong constitution will defeat the ogre. He抯 the fittest person she knows, honed by walking and yoga. Tanya says obesity is a contributory factor but Cathbad doesn抰 have an ounce of spare flesh on him. 慖rish peasant抯 physique,?he抯 fond of saying. He eats well and has never smoked, unless it抯 for hallucinatory reasons in his past life. 慉s tough as old boots? that抯 what Nelson said. Surely Cathbad will defeat corona?
She must have fallen asleep because Thing wakes her at six a.m. by licking her face. She lets him out into the garden. The sun is coming up and the birds are singing in the trees. Judy puts on her mask and goes upstairs.
慍athbad??
There抯 no answer. Judy pushes open the door. Cathbad is lying on his back and, for a heart-stopping moment, Judy thinks he抯 dead. Then she hears a faint rattle of breath. She puts a hand on Cathbad抯 forehead and snatches it away again. The dry heat tells its own story.
Judy runs downstairs and phones for an ambulance. The operator is reassuring and says they are on their way. Judy looks up from her phone to see Maddie in the doorway, wearing only an oversized T-shirt saying, 慓rey Sloan 璏emorial Hospital?
慖s he really ill??she says.
慔is temperature is very high,?says Judy. 慉nd I think he might need oxygen.?
Maddie puts her arms round her. 慔e抣l be OK. He抯 tough.?
慖 know he is.?Judy hugs her stepdaughter. They both jump when Thing barks from the garden, keen to get inside and start his day.
The paramedics are in full hazmat suits. They carry Cathbad downstairs on a stretcher. Judy and the children watch from the hall. Miranda is crying but Michael is silent. Maddie has Thing on the lead and he pants to follow the strange procession. Judy knows how he feels.
慍an I come with you??says Judy, knowing the answer.
慖抦 afraid not, love,?says one of the suited figures. 慍ovid restrictions.?
慔ow will I know how he is??asks Judy, hearing herself sounding like a frightened teenager, not like a tough detective inspector, used to dealing with life and death situations.
The paramedic hands her a piece of paper. 慪ou can ring this number but give us time to get him to the Queen Eliza璪eth. We抣l give him oxygen in the ambulance. His levels are very low. You and your family will need to go into quarantine too.?
Some of the neighbours have come out into their gardens, shivering in the early morning air. The ambulance moves away, lights flashing.
Thing starts to howl.
Chapter 28
Nelson is on his way to work when he gets the call. He has his phone on hands-free so Judy抯 voice fills the car. Nelson finds it hard to take in the details, even as he drives through the empty streets. Cathbad is in hospital, on oxygen, Judy is in quarantine.
慖 don抰 know any more,?says Judy. Nelson can hear her struggling to control herself. Judy, who is always in control. 慖t抯 very hard not being with him.?
慖 bet it is,?says Nelson, 慴ut he抯 in the right place. He抯 getting good care.?Even as he says this, he wonders if it抯 true. Is a hospital full of Covid patients really the best place to be during a Covid pandemic?