Simon was pleasantly surprised to see that his wife was already home when he got in from work. It didn't always happen like that but often meant she would have started to prepare the evening meal and they could both work together in the kitchen, enjoying their mutual love of cooking.

Perhaps she'd only just arrived as when he let himself in the door he couldn't hear the familiar sounds of the radio and pots and pans being moved around. It always mystified Simon how his wife could make so much clatter when cooking.

He called out but received no reply so assumed she was up stairs getting out of her working clothes, usually smart business style suit which went with her managerial job. He was always proud of the way his 36 year old wife looked and enjoyed the looks she got from men trying possibly to guess her age as she could still pass for the 20 year old athlete he had fallen for at university.

He raced upstairs to get change out of his suit and secretly hoped he'd catch her in her sexy underwear half way through changing. It never failed to excite him when he caught sight of her in lace panties and bra though it seldom lead to impromptu sex these days.

The sight instead was of his wife curled up on their bed in her 'comfort' pyjamas. An old pair of her fathers in heavy cotton with a button up jacket and a pullcord for the trousers. Oh how he used to love catching the cord and pull it loose, letting trousers drop to the ground while she pretended to protest raising her hands to her face exposing her from the hem of the jacket, which came to her mid thighs, down, before pushing her gently back on to the bed or couch or on a few occasions the plush carpet in front of the log fire.

'Honey what's up aren't you well?'

'I've got a terrible stomach ache.'

'Have you taken anything for it?'

'No.'

'Do you have a temperature?'

'I don't know I haven't measured it.'

'I'll get the thermometer from the bathroom.'

'I not in the mood for games, I am really sick.'

'I know you are honey I wasn't suggesting we play doctors and nurses like we used to, I just want to know if you have a temperature.'

'Ok but the oral one not the butt one.'

It was just over 102 so something was definitely going on. After questioning her about what she'd eaten, which had been the same packed lunch as he had taken to work they had no idea why she was feeling so poorly. He rang the emergency number for advice. They asked all the usual assessment questions and then advised contacting her doctor. That simply produced an automated message to either contact again after 8:00am or another number which then advised them that due to a local emergency no one was available and to contact the local A&E at the hospital. After twenty minutes of hanging on the phone waiting for it to be answered Simon gave up.

Back in the bedroom Janet seemed worse and in real pain so he said. 'I seem to be wasting my time looking for help on the phone so I'll take you to the hospital.'

How that was to workout they could never have guessed.