‘Shit,’ he repeats.
‘Quite literally,’ she replies.
He attempts a smile, but she can tell his heart isn’t really in it. Neither is hers. She suddenly wants nothing more than a very hot shower and a gallon of mouthwash.
‘I work here – how is this the first thing I’m hearing of this?’ she catches the lifeguard saying.
‘And what about my business?’ chips in Hamish, waving a newspaper in the air. ‘If people aren’t going to come to the river, then my business is over. “Here, have a cherry Bakewell with a side of sewage.” I don’t think so. This is my livelihood.’
‘Look!’ someone says suddenly and Phoebe follows where they are pointing to see two people in Somerset County Council-branded T-shirts striding through the meadow, their expressions grave, carrying a large bag.
‘What do you think they’re doing?’ Luca asks. All Phoebe can do is shake her head, watching them approach.
‘Stand back, everyone,’ one man says as they get nearer. ‘Please stay away from the water.’
They reach into the bag and start pulling out equipment, the crowd watching on as they begin to cordon off the entry point to the river.
‘What’s going on?’ asks the lifeguard.
One of the workers looks up, his eyes landing on the newspaper still held aloft in Hamish’s hand.
‘You’ve seen the papers. This water is severely contaminated. We’re cordoning it off for everyone’s safety.’
His colleague finishes attaching tape around a tree and heads off towards the diving board and pontoon to do the same there.
‘Hey, that’s my chair!’ cries the lifeguard, rushing off as one of the workers drags her deckchair away to make way for the cordon.
Animated conversation continues around them, but Phoebe returns her attention to her phone. The WhatsApp group has gone wild ever since Kate shared a link to the news article earlier this afternoon, everyone expressing their disgust and shock.
But it always seems so idyllic,typed Jazz at 5.01It feels so jarring to think of what’s really been going on beneath the surface.
The latest string of messages are in response to one sent by Kate at 5.34.
Emergency meeting of the Farleigh-on-Avon River Swimming, Bathing and Recreational Water-Based Activities Club at mine tonight? 7 p.m., the Old Post Office. I’ve got wine. Bring snacks? Xxx
Everyone else has agreed that they’ll be there. Phoebe checks the time: 6.45.
‘I’ve got to go,’ she says to Luca, putting her phone away and trying her best to keep her teeth from chattering in her soaking-wet clothes. God, she can’t wait to get them off. Now sheknows what’s in the river, she can’t stand the feel of the water on her skin. ‘Actually …’ she adds, glancing at Luca. Maybe she doesn’t have to do this on her own. Maybe it doesn’t matter if her past relationships have all failed. Because they weren’t him. ‘Why don’t you come with me?’
CHAPTER 48
The Old Post Office is heaving. The regular swimming crew are here, plus Kate’s new mum friends. Jay has been busy making cups of tea for everyone, Rosie in the sling, watching everything with fascination. When Phoebe and Luca arrive on the doorstep, still dripping wet, Kate sends them straight up to the bathroom, lending them clean towels and dry clothes from her and Jay’s wardrobes.
Now they’re all sitting in the small living room on an assortment of chairs and cushions. Jay stands by Kate’s side with a hand placed on her shoulder. He might not be a swimmer, but he knows how much it means to her and how much the river has come to mean to her too.
Every time she glances again at the headline of theAvon Timeswhich is spread out on the coffee table, she can’t quite believe it. Nottheirriver. She might only have been swimming there for a short space of time, but it’s down on the riverbankand among these women that she has found herself again. She can’t afford to lose that. Just the thought of going back to the dark place she has been in for so long makes her shiver. She can’t let that happen, not for herself and not for Jay and Rosie either.
‘Well, this is bloody awful,’ says Sandra. She leans forward and reaches for a biscotti. Luca had briefly nipped down the lane to the deli for supplies. Kate likes him already. She wants to grill Phoebe about the date, but every time she looks at them and sees their damp hair, all she can think about is the river.
‘I can’t believe we’ve been swimming in, like,sewage,’ says Hester.
‘Or that the water company is able to get away with dumping literal crap into our river,’ says Jazz.
‘I fed my baby as soon as I got back from our first swim,’ says Lexi, shuddering. ‘I mean, I wiped myself with a wet wipe, but …’
Kate glances at Rosie, thinking the same thing.
‘So, no more swimming, then?’ asks Phoebe.
