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There&039;s a strange ate No-one see any they do and worryingOur ordinary lives and the day to day routine suddenly feel more complicated than they did before and yet I&039;ed

I had a phone call from Lizzie just after I&039;d been out for my lunch break today We had an appointment to take Josh for a hospital check-up this afternoon and, with everything that happened at school yesterday, we&039;d both forgotten about it He fell off a chair at playgroup three weeks ago and cut his head open The appoint had healed properly and that he was fit and well Lizzie had also forgotten to tell Harry that school was closed He arrived on the doorstep at eight thisafter Josh as usual Liz arranged for him to drive her and Josh into town, then take Ellis and Ed back home I said I&039;d ether after he&039;d seen the doctor I ed to convince Tina Murray that I needed to be at the appoint up etaway I was later getting away from the office than I should have been (I stopped to chat to soet across town Josh&039;s appointo Still, hospitals are always behind and with everything that&039;s going on there&039;s bound to be one in to see the doctor yet I walk quickly down the sloping path which cuts through the car park The hospital looks busy The afternoon is dull and dark and bright yellow light shines out frorim place I wouldn&039;t want to have to stay here for

&039;Danny!&039;

Who the hell was that? I turn around and see Lizzie walking towards me with Josh in his pushchair

&039;You okay?&039; I ask, confused

&039;Where&039;ve you been?&039;

&039;I couldn&039;t get here any earlier,&039; I answer, lying through ot here?&039;

She shakes her head

&039;You&039;re joking, aren&039;t you? We&039;ve already been in&039;

&039;What, he&039;s had his appointment?&039;

&039;It was booked for three o&039;clock It&039;s a good job you weren&039;t taking him&039;

&039;I know but&039;

&039;We&039;ve been waiting for you for the last twenty h&039;

&039;I&039;ain and starts to push Josh up the hill back towards the main road

&039;Doesn&039;t matter,&039; she mumbles Christ, she&039;s in a badokay?&039; I ask, having to shout after her as she storht?&039;

&039;He&039;s fHe&039;s fine,&039; she grunts back over her shoulder

The afternoon goes froain now but she&039;s still not happy Neither am I We&039;ve walked back across town to the station but there&039;s been a problem with the lines and our train has been cancelled We can&039;t get Harry to collect us (there isn&039;t enough roo journey home on three buses Liz has just phoned Harry and told him we&039;ll be late back By all accounts he&039;s not at all i to a close The light is fading and those office workers who finish at four o&039;clock are already starting to crowd onto the streets We need to get out of town quickly or we&039;ll get caught up in the main rush hour crush

&039;Which bus?&039; Lizzie asks, having to shout to make herself heard over the traffic