Part Five Chapter XIV

XIVWhen Shirley opened the bedroom door, she saw nothing only if two empty beds. Justice required a sleeping Howard she would exact to advise him to return to bed.But there was no sound from both the kitchen or the bathroom. Shirley was worried that, by taking the river road home, she had missed him. He must have got dressed and set off for work he might already be with Maureen in the back room, discussing Shirley planning, perhaps, to divorce her and wed Maureen instead, now that the game was up, and pretence was ended.She half ran into the sitting room, intending to yell the bullshit Kettle. Howard was lying on the carpet in his pyjamas.His face was purple and his eyeball were popping. A faint take a breath noise came from his lips. One hand was clutching feebly at his chest. His pyjama top had ridden up. Shirley could see the very patch of scabbed altogether skin where she had planned to plunge the needle.Howards eyes met hers in mute appeal.Shirley stared at him, terrifie d, then darted out of the room. At first she hid the EpiPen in the biscuit place then she retrieved it and shoved it down the back of the cookery books.She ran back into the sitting room, seized the telephone receiver and dialled 999.Pagford? This is for Orrbank Cottage, is it? Theres one on the way.Oh, thank you, thank God, said Shirley, and she had or so hung up when she realized what she had said and screamed, no, no, not Orrbank Cottage But the mover had gone and she had to dial again. She was panicking so much that she dropped the receiver. On the carpet beside her, Howards wheezing was becoming fainter and fainter.Not Orrbank Cottage, she shouted. Thirty-six Evertree Crescent, Pagford my husbands having a heart attack