Gossip Girls by Adrian Price

 Julie and Heather were old school mates, who were continuing a close friendship long after their school days. For many years they would meet up every week at roughly the same time and same place, 10am Tuesdays at the Biscuit Dunker. An aptly named café where each cup of tea or coffee, arrived with a free biscuit of the day for dunking. The ladies routine would always be similar, coffee and a chin wag. Followed by a stroll to the shops, followed by a swim at the local pool. The day would then end with a late lunch before returning to their families. Both ladies were in there late twenties and married, with young children. Julie with one boy, little Davey of pre school age. Heather with twin girls Charlotte and Chelsea, a year older than Davey and in their first year at primary school. Today however, the chit chat would last much longer. Julie’s husband you see, is a fireman and the story around his recent call out was a hot topic.

 Graham and his crew were called to a large disused warehouse fire, often used by the local vagrants for shelter. Having saved many trapped inside, one of Graham’s fire fighting colleagues lost his life when part of the building collapsed on him. The servicemen devastated by their loss, were all commended highly for the bravest of actions where not another life perished in this incident, only that of this brave officer doing is duty. 

 This conversation had been so intense that they decided to miss the shopping trip, stay for lunch at the Biscuit Dunker Café, and walk to the pool for their swim a little later. Taking a rain check on the shops for this week