Rebecca Split (Sparks will fly)

A day out

As Rebecca sat on the train back to her home in the beautiful wine region of the Wairarapa, at the Southern end of the New Zealand's North Island, she watched the blackness of the Rimutaka tunnel cut away the light of the day, and allowed herself to drift back over the days events.

The day had started as any other Saturday. She had slept until ten then got up and wandered around the house in her mothers thick pink dressing gown, searching for something to eat before she had to do the inevitable getting dressed bit. Although the words 'Grumpy but Gorgeous', that were embroidered into the back of the dressing gown, were one of her Dads little quips at her Mom, they appeared ideally suited to her as she dragged her unwilling body up and down the kitchen, shoulders slumped over, with hair looking more like it was intent on attacking her head rather than being attached to it.

Dad saw the shuffling ball of candy floss from the garden, where both he and the Old Lady, which was a traditional name for Mom that had been passed down through at least three generations, were carrying on with the never ending garden challenge. He shouted out the inevitable morning greeting.

"Get t' kettle on."

Although they had lived in New Zealand for nearly three years and hadn't lived in Yorkshire for at least five before that, both her parents carried thick Yorkshire accents and loved to take the Mickey out of the fact that Rebecca's was some eclectic mix of Yorkshire, Welsh, Cockney, and Kiwi, reflecting all the areas that she had called home in her short years.

"Aw Dad!" She responded. More because she felt it a duty than she was actually miffed. "I'm not just here to make you coffee you know?"

Dad had walked into the kitchen to join her.

"Course you're not love. Sometimes we like tea."

He grabbed her waist and tickled her through the dressing gown creating a few instinctive girlish giggles and gasps for breath.

"Then there's the dishwasher and making the beds. Do you know how much it would cost if we had to get someone in to do all that?"

Rebecca broke away and took up a mock boxing stance, holding back a smile as she pretended to challenge her Dads authority.

"When I get older I'm putting you in a home." She quipped.

"Good. At least then I might get a cup of coffee without being moaned at."

"Hello lazy bones." Mom chipped in as she came back into the house. "Thought you were going to town today."

Now that the Old Lady was back in the room it would only be a matter of time before two of the trio started picking on the other one. The teamwork depended on the moment.

"I was going to get ready but Dad wants me to make a coffee instead."

"Aw! Leave her alone you rotten Sod. You know she's been planning this for ages."

'Yes!' Thought Rebecca. 'It's the girl's team.'

"A cup of bleeding Coffee I'nt gonna urt er."

"It'll hurt you if you don't stop picking on her 'cos I'll pour it over your selfish head."

"Oh that's charming I'nt it? Rebecca, are you gonna let yer Mam talk to me like that?" Dad tried to change the balance of the teams but he was fighting a losing battle.

"It's you that started it Dad."

"I'll start something in a minute."

"Shut up moaning and give her some money to go to town with."

"What? I have to make my own soddin coffee and then pay her for letting me do it."

"Oh thanks Dad. I love you so much."