Black Sheep

An hour later I too was covered in flour (as was the penguin) and a steaming plate of biscuits were left on the countertop to cool. I washed my hands and dusted the flour off my dress and went to join Harry in the front room.
“Vettel has really lost it this season.” I heard my dad say.
“I hate to say it but you’re true, you don’t go from world champion to the middle of the pack just like that.” Harry replied.
“I think it’s just the car. They haven’t given him a powerful enough car.” My brother chirped in. I stepped into the living room to see my dad, brother and Harry sat around the TV, watching the formula one race.
“No it’s his driving! He doesn’t race, he just drives.”
“I totally agree with you Martin. He drives fast in qualifying to get pole then drives fast enough in the race to stay in first.” It warmed my heart slightly to see Harry getting on so well with my dad and brother. If truth be told I was slightly nervous to see how they would get on; if my dad would be protective of me, or if my brother would be defensive of someone new in the house. In most households, the men would argue about football and if something was a foul or if a red card was necessary, but in this house it was the formula one grand prix. Ever since I was little my family have bonded over motorsport, whether it was standing outside in the rain at a racetrack for touring car races, or stood in the stands at Silverstone with sunburn for the British grand prix.
“I think Jenson is on the way out though.” My dad started, watching Jenson Button leave the pit lane to start his first qualifying lap.
“He is, I think this’ll be his last season.” My brother said.
“Yeah I think she should retire,”
“What’re you all up to?” My mum asked, sitting next to my dad on the sofa.
“Just watching the qualifying.” My brother answered, eyes still glued to the screen.
“Vettel is in pole so far, but Alonso in second so far.” All eyes were glued to the screen as the cars sped around the track.
“Auntie Becca!” A small voice shouted from upstairs. Following the voice upstairs I found Poppy sat with Geordon the penguin on the floor of the landing.
“What’s up sweetie?” I asked, joining her on the floor.
“Gordon wants to go outside and play.”
“I think we could go and play in the garden.”
“Grandma says we can’t because I’ll get my dress all muddy” All her words seemed to come out at once, followed by a big breath in.
“Well I say we can go and play in the garden. What should we play?”
“Can we be princes and princesses?”
“Of course we can sweetie.” I said, standing up and lifting her up on my hip.
“What’re you two up to up there?” My mum shouted upstairs.
“Auntie Becca says we can play in the garden. I could almost hear my mum roll her eyes, but sometimes you need to be a fun auntie and forget what grandma says. I carried Poppy downstairs to see my dad, brother and Harry sat in the front room discussing the tactics of team Red Bull. and my mum organising shoes and dresses and suits in the dining room that was transformed into a wedding haven, fully equipt with a sewing machine and the dining room table covered in lace and diamantes.
“Come on auntie Becca” Poppy started dragging me through the house, out of the back door to the garden.
“letting go of my hand she ran straight towards the climbing frame that had stood in the same place in the garden for 20 years, the wood was a different colour, but it was the same climbing frame that my dad had built for my 6th birthday. She ran up the ladder and onto the platform. Smiling, I walked towards the climbing frame that seemed a lot smaller than it was when I was 6.
“Once upon a time there was a princess called princess Poppy.” I heard her giggle and look over the barrier. “And she was the prettiest princess in the world! Princes from all over the world came to see how pretty she was.” She pranced around, swishing her dress. “One day Prince..”
I couldn’t think of a name. The only name that came into my head was Harry.
“Prince who?” Poppy asked, looking over the barrier.
“Prince…” I started again. searching for a name.
“Prince Harry.” A voice said from the patio near the house. I turned to see him running over to us.
“Prince Harry,” I sighed, happily. “Prince Harry travelled all the way from London to see the beautiful Princess Poppy in her tower.”
“Oh beautiful princess Poppy, will you come down from your tower so we can dance?”
“No.” A little voice said
“Why not?”
“Because you’re Auntie Becca’s boyfriend.” She said shily
“That doesn’t matter sweetie.” I said reaching up to lift her down. “You can dance with Harry if you want.” She grinned and giggled and wiggled out of my arms and ran towards Harry who scooped her up. I smiles, and headed back into the house.
“Harrys a good guy.” My mum said from the kitchen.
“He really is,” I leant on the countertop with my mum looking out of the window at them dancing in the garden.