Friday June 18th, 2032.
'Did you have a nice day at school?' Dianne questions her youngest daughter, 'grab my hand we are by a main road.' Her daughter sighs loudly, rolling her eyes as her mum grabs her hand. ''Enough of the attitude Matilda.' This was becoming a common thing, since Theo had gone to secondary school, her daughter seemed to have gained quite an attitude. Joe and Dianne weren't sure where it came from, but it came almost overnight.
'Mum I'm in year five.' Dianne shakes her head, exasperated at her daughters' attitude. 'Do you have my dance bag?' Dianne nods, Joe and Dianne had put all three of their children though dance lessons, both Ruby and Theo did it on a Monday after school, she fears that both are wanting to quit soon. Maddie, however, was the only one who took it seriously, having taken up ballroom, ballet and street jazz, Ruby and Theo having chosen to take up hockey and rugby respectively. Joe was immensely proud when his son told him he wanted to play rugby. It was their thing, something they did together. He would take him to Saturday morning practise and go to all his games. Dianne thought it was sweet, that they had something to-do.
'Magic word?'
'Please.' Dianne smiles, unlocking her car.
'Do you really think I would forget your dance bag?' She shakes her head as their pair get in the car. 'When is your exam?' She just shrugs, fiddling about with the air vent. It's the middle of June, so it's quite a hot day. 'You have an own clothes day tomorrow?' Her daughter nods as she starts the car engine.
'It's in like three weeks, it's okay because I am going to get a distinction.' Dianne smiles at her daughters' comment, she doesn't doubt her. It's the only thing she seems to care about, that bloody dance class. She isn't overly popular at school, but in her extra-curricular activities she comes into her own. 'Are we picking Ruby up?' Her mum shakes her head.
'Ruby has hockey practise tonight, and then she's going over to Lainey's.' This comment makes the younger girl smile cheekily, she brings out the hairbrush down the side of the car and brushing her hair. 'What?' The child flips her long, dark, hair over. 'Don't get Kirby grips all over the car.'
'Nothing.' Her mum lowers her eyes at the child. 'I can't tell you mum, its sister code.' Dianne snorts at this, this is the first time she's ever heard that comment.
'Sister code?'
'It's a code duh. Like hoe code?'
'What did you just say?' Unsure if she heard her nine-year-old correctly.
'Hoe code, it's like girl bro code, duh mum.'
'Where did you hear that?' Her daughter looks up at her. 'And stop with the attitude.'
'Lily. She was telling me it's about kissing people.' Dianne struggles to keep her laughter in, biting her lip so hard it starts to bleed. 'Mum your lip is bleeding.' She looks in the mirror, getting out a tissue and dabbing it. Dianne pulls up to the dance studio, her daughter getting her bag from the backseat.
'Daddy will pick you up at 5:15.' Her daughter nods 'Love you.'
'Oh mum, I forgot to ask you something?'
'Go on baby.'
'What's sex?' Dianne hopes her face doesn't give her shock away, she thought she was going to ask about dinner or the school trip she is going on next week. That's one thing about her youngest daughter, she was far more unpredictable than her older sister. 'Lily said her brother caught her mum and dad having sex. She didn't tell me what it means. She steps out of the car. 'Love you mum.'
'We will talk about it when you get out of dance.' She nods, seemingly happy with that answer. Dianne watches as she runs into the studio. 'Love you more.' She says quietly, unsure of what has just occurred.
Joe is home when she gets back, she flops down on their bed as he is tidying their wardrobe. 'Afternoon Dot.' He's met with a sigh from the younger woman. 'What happened?'
'Your daughter happened.'
'What has she done now?'
'Just as she hopped out of the car, she asks me what sex is.' Joe turns around, smirking at his wife. 'Joe it isn't funny, what am I supposed to say. She shouldn't know stuff like that, she is nine.'
'What did you tell her?'
'We would talk about it when she gets back. What was I supposed to say? I swear she is so much more grown up that Theo and Ruby were at these ages.'
'How did it even come up?' He joins her on the bed, moving nearer the redhead.
'Lily said Noah caught their parents at it.'
'That's hilarious. Aren't the McHarrisons too old?'
'Probably.'
'There should be an upper age limit, you know like you had to be sixteen?'
'You mean like we were?' She grins. 'Anyway, go on, what age are you thinking.'
'Fifty.'
'They aren't fifty, are they?' He shrugs.
'They look it.' A knock at the door alerts themselves to the fact that they aren't alone in the house. 'Come in Theo.' The skinny boy comes in. 'How was school?'
'It was okay.' He passes them a letter.
'What is this?' Hr shrugs, 'You aren't year nine?'
'Ruby cornered me.' He tells them.
'She's at Jasmines tonight?' Joe queries. 'What time does she need me picking her up.'
'No, she's going to Lainey's.' Theo tells them. 'She wanted me to give you this letter.' Dianne scans the letter, it's about an upcoming school trip, in September, to France. 'And to tell you she is staying around Lainey's.' Dianne stands up.
'I'm gonna phone her. She's not.'
'Dianne calm down, she's nearly 14. And she's known Lainey forever, text her asking if she's okay.' She looks at Joe. 'Dianne, you need to let her live her life. We were doing far worse when we weren't much older.' She agrees, he has a point.
'I'm taking this as my excuse to leave.' Their son tells them. 'I have homework.'
Maddie seems to have forgotten about their earlier conversation when she comes home from dance. 'When is dinner?' She asks, as she comes in her tracksuit. 'And what is it?' To Dianne, she sounds like more and more like Ruby every day. Except a far cheekier version of
'Ten minutes and it's jacket potato.'
'Can we not get a take out.' She asks, hopping onto the counter. 'We had that on Monday.'
'No.'
'Why.'
'Because I said so.' She rolls her eyes.
'You are ten going on sixteen.' She shrugs, grabbing an apple from the side of the bowl. Dianne doesn't even bother arguing about that. She gave up on that argument months ago. At least it's a piece of fruit, not some chocolate bar she is bingeing, much healthier. 'Anyway, you need to grate some cheese.' Her daughter narrows her eyes. 'Its that or the dishwasher.'
A/N I think I am going to do a few that focus on Theo/Maddie because I feel like I sort of neglect them? What do you think? Also if you have any ideas please let me know because I am running out of ideas.
