Mummy's night out

Margaret "Mummy" Pig stared at the middle-aged swine in the mirror. OK, so she wasn't what you would call "young" anymore but she still felt like she could pull off the pink dress she was wearing. She'd had it for years, ever since her and her husband's third anniversary. Reaching inside a ruby box, she pulled out a gold locket and opened it up. Tears started to well in her eyes when she saw the picture: a much younger, fitter Daniel "Daddy" Pig. His facial hair was just starting to come in, his stomach wasn't lined with the layers of fat he was currently sporting and his eyes... His eyes shone with his youth, with endless potential promise laid out in front of him, ready to take life by the horns.

Margaret sighed and closed the locket, slipping it around her neck. She wouldn't open it again, not tonight. She sprayed herself with the perfume he had bought her a few weeks ago and stood up. Tonight, she was going out. She never went out for herself anymore: Whenever she did, it was to take her children somewhere or to go to the shops. She loved Peppa and George with all her heart but sometimes, they made her wonder why she'd even had kids.

Occasionally, she would ponder what life would be like if she hadn't had kids. Maybe she could have gotten a better job, followed her childish desires to be an actress. Ever since she was young, she wanted to be on stage, to make people happy. Now, she always had an audience of three people, all of them expecting her to play the role of the kind, patient mother and understanding wife while he sat in his easy chair, watching the television or reading the newspaper.

No, she mustn't think like that. Daniel was great with the children and always did his best to help life run smoothly. He wasn't the best when it came to fixing shelves or putting up swing sets, but she still loved him.

Maybe.

She had to admit that some of his finger features had been shed over the years, replaced with a larger stomach, more facial hair and a more laid-back attitude than she would have liked.

From the sitting room, the sound of running engines caught her ears. Peppa and George had known she was going out for some time, Peppa even asked if she could come. Nostalgia caught up to her as she remembered how she always used to ask her mother to come with her to the pub, eager to try her first taste of alcohol. Of course, she had to gently let her daughter down. She'd have her time eventually.

Though come to think of it, where was her husband?

Opening the door, she was treated to the sight of her husband and two little bundles of joy watching TV. Six little eyes were entranced by flashing colours and fast movements, almost sucking them into the screen entirely. Rolling her own, she knocked on the door to grab everyone's attention.

"Everyone! It's time I was off!"

"Can't we wait until the race is over?" Daniel groaned. "It's nearly finished!"

"No, I'm already running behind as it is!" She snapped, a little harsher than she'd meant to sound.

The sounds of the television abruptly ended as the four of them centred the hall. George was holding Mr. Dinosaur, as per usual. Peppa looked slightly disappointed but still managed to smile. Daniel was looking back at the TV with regret in his eyes.

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"Are you going to have fun, Mummy?" Peppa asked.

"Yes," Snorted her mother. "But don't worry, I'll be back in the morning."

"I wish I could come with you."

Margaret bent down as if to bring herself down to the status of a child.

"I know darling, but Mummy needs to have some time to herself," She said.