When the daylight has faded

Thanks, Napoleon (#crack)

Janice's heart stumbled and she stopped breathing, until – crack – her sister's palm brought colour back to Janice's cheeks.

"Don't be such a drama queen, Janny! We'll just turn the teapot round. It's been gathering dust in the cupboard since before we were born. Mum and Dad will never notice."

"They'll kill us if they do," Janice sobbed, drawing in a deep breath. "We should never have used the Napoleon service our great-grandfather brought home from the war to entertain our friends."

"They were very impressed with the history of those hideous purple and gold cups and saucers and stuff. And we didn't exactly use any of it. We only put them on the table for show. They're much too small for proper use."

"Yeah, but Danielle managed to topple the teapot over anyway, and now there's a massive crack on the side. This service is mother and father's most prized possession. What are we going to do? They'll be back any minute." Janice sounded a bit like a cat in heat now.

"Shush now!" her sister instructed. "You'll crack the whole lot with your own voice. Plus, I just heard a car pull up."

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh..."

"Shut up!" Janice popped the teapot back onto the shelf where it belonged, then turned it around and breathed a sigh of relief. "See, Janny-dear, looks totally normal. They'll never spot the difference."

Janice managed to draw in another ragged breath, before the living-room door flew open and mother crashed through the door with a bright smile on her face.

"Janny, Betty, we're back! Dad and I had a great time at the outlet. Driving home was a bit of a nightm..." Mother's voice slowed, then stopped altogether. "Something is different."

Janice froze; Betty jumped into action.

"Did you buy us anything?" she squealed and grabbed her mother's arm to turn her around surreptitiously.

"We always do, don't we, sweetheart?" Mother smiled at Betty who gave Janny a sly, but triumphant look.

"But something is different!" Mother turned again, her eyes going straight to the shelf housing the Napoleon service.

"She knows! I'm going to confess!" Janice mouthed.

"No, you won't!"

"Yes, I will!"

"No, you won't!"

Betty used her elbow to strengthen her argument, but misjudged the effect of her elbow on her sister's abdomen.

"Ouch!" Janice doubled over.

"Janny! Are you alright? What happened?" Mother's eyes swivelled to her daughter with concern.

"Just a cramp, Mum!" Janny put a smile on her face but her eyes shot daggers at her sister.

Mum gave Janice a quick kiss on the cheek, then turned back to the shelf.

"George, come here for a minute, love! There's something weird about the one shelf in our display cabinet."

Janice nearly smiled when she saw a crack in her sister's composure. Dad was an imposing figure, to say the least.

George took one look and said, "It's my grandfather's Napoleon service!" He started to walk towards the cabinet when an ear-splitting shriek pierced the air.

"Betty broke my finger, Mum! It hurts so much!"

Dad looked back for a second to make sure that Janny's injury and Betty's attitude was taken care of, then opened the cabinet and straightened the lid of the sugar bowl.

"There, love, all sorted. Is Janny alright?"