‘It’s the way you get to Cornwall’ Eileen answered mockingly, she grinned as it was the type of thing Peter would say. ‘Stop tapping’ she added,

Peter looked up at the skies that were just a mass of different shades of grey as the thunder roared once more,

‘Shit’ he shouted.

‘And stop the swearing’ she told him,

‘Bloody hell do you want me to get out and walk’ he said,

‘Probably be quicker’ mocked Eileen.

They had always spent their summer holiday’s on the east coast of England it wasn’t far to travel from their Sheffield home, the home they had shared together since setting up a life for themselves, Scarborough or Skegness was usually their preferred destination, once they went to a place called Filey, also on the East coast, but the kids didn’t like it much, truth be known neither did Peter or Eileen.

Whitby was a favourite of Eileen’s, with all the history of Count Dracula, it fascinated her and she really wanted to go on one of the many gothic weekends that were held there, but there really wasn’t all that much there for the kids, despite the beautiful scenery, this year, they felt like they wanted something different other than the east coast seaside that they went to every year, they would never go abroad, flying was a big no for Eileen, it terrified her, so after mulling it over for weeks and weeks, they had decided on going south England to Newquay in Cornwall, the journey would be longer, but the climate was a degree or two warmer, and it was a place they had never been to and Peter had heard so much about Bodmin Jail that it had been a no brainer, he was looking forward to Bodmin Jail more than anything, they still had the hanging pits there, and that had appealed to him, the history and the darkness of the place had a certain allure, it was the type of thing he liked, though with his personality that was mostly upbeat you would not have thought it, the kids and Eileen wanted to see the Eden Project that they had heard so much about from school, and when they googled it, Peter had to admit it looked pretty dam good, another world in a plastic dome, and then Peters face lit up when he found out you could get married in Bodmin jail, Eileen just hoped he wasn’t going to book her dream wedding in some jail full of ghosts, watched by all the people who had been hanged there, she had crazily imagined walking down the jail in her wedding dress, with a noose around her neck, being led by the hangman to take her vows, as much as she loved him, there would be no wedding in some haunted jail.

The sky was lit up by a flash of lightening followed shortly after by a clap of thunder that seemed to make the road beneath them shake, and for a moment all four of them sat opened mouthed as if they had never seen a storm before, certainly not one like the one they were experiencing now, it was making them nervous as the heavens poured once again bouncing off the road and clattering against the car, until Nathan spoke.

‘It’s four miles away’ said 12 year old Nathan who was sat in the back seat playing plants verses Zombies on his tablet, oblivious to any danger that the world outside of the car held, feeling safe with his family in the back seat of the car, he had been counting the timing between the lightening and the thunder, Peter smirked it was something his own father had instilled in him and he still done it until this day, he momentarily tried to recall the time he taught Nathan it, but he couldn’t, but he was sure it was him.

Nathan had dark brown hair just like his Father’s and wore it over his ears whenever he was allowed to, Eileen had tried to get him to have it cut before the holiday’s but this time Nathan had point blank refused saying the school holidays were the only chance he had to wear it long as the school would not allow boys to have long hair, Eileen had agreed but warned him he would have to have it cut before school starts again.

Nathan was a quiet child, often withdrawn and thoughtful, sometimes a loner, he was academically bright in his school, but sometimes found it difficult to mix with large groups, he was okay in two’s or three’s but seem to freeze in larger groups, the truth was Nathan liked his own company rather than the company of others.

‘Maybe it will pass over us soon’ Eileen told him, referring to the storm, she thought if the theory was true they would soon be at the centre of the storm, and hopefully it would pass them over.

‘Fifteen minutes to do one frigging mile’ said Peter, showing his frustration as he banged his hands on the steering wheel.

‘Not unless it’s following us’ he added referring to Eileen’s comment about the storm.

And still the rain poured down as if it was trying to drown all who stood beneath the storm, and still the wind howled like some wild animal as the skies again were lit up by an impressive sheet of lightening, that lit up the motorway and the cars that jammed it, and the swirling clouds appeared to form faces, laughing and taunting them.

Peter was desperate for a cigarette, his impatience again showing as his Werthers were getting low, soon he would have nothing left to try and take away the craving, smoking in the car was a definite no no, at one time when they were at a standstill, Peter had opened the window intending to stick his head out to have a fag, but within seconds the rain blew in soaking everyone, and amid protests he ditched that idea, he put yet another Werthers in, anything to take his mind off the craving, oh how he wished that he had taken his electronic cigarette, it didn’t completely take way his craving, but at this time it would have been better than nothing ‘just one cigarette’ he thought ‘I’d feel so much better’

He crunched on his Werthers as he gripped the wheel.

‘I need a wee’ said Lily crossing her legs and shifting about uncomfortably in the back seat, Peter tutted and ignored his daughter, though Eileen thought he would be doing a lot of that.

‘Keep still’ Nathan snapped at her, he nudged her, Lily gave him a stare, one which Nathan recognised as his first warning and not to nudge her anymore.

‘I told you to go before we left ‘scalded Eileen, as if Peter’s impatience had somehow instilled itself upon her.

‘Mum that was five hours ago ‘groaned Lily, Eileen looked at the clock on the dashboard, it was coming up to 5.30, it had been almost five hours ago and she could do with a wee herself, she felt guilty for chastising her daughter, she looked at Peter for answers’ why she didn’t know because he very rarely had those type of answers, this time he did.

‘I’ll have to pull up on the hard shoulder and wee behind the car as he set his indicators on.

‘I’m not doing that’ shouted Lily, determined not to be seen weeing in public, ‘could be perverts and all sorts about’ she told herself, she slumped in her seat with her hands folded but soon had to cross her legs again such was the need to wee.

‘You’ll have to wee yourself then ‘said her mother ‘because that’s what I’m going to do’

So that’s what they did, as did so many others stuck in that traffic amid the storm that rained upon them, and for the time it took them to take a wee, which because of the rain took no real time at all as they rushed as fast as they could, they were now both sat in the car drenched to the bone, but at least thankful that their bladders were now empty, the air was still humid and muggy, Peter pulled back onto the motorway, Eileen turned the blower on the car in the hope it would dry her clothes, the thunder clapped and the lightening flashed as if applauding them for completing the task.

‘That’s the wettest wee I’ve ever had’ said Lily and they all burst out laughing even Nathan, and for a moment, Lily wondered what they were all laughing at, until she realised what she said, then she joined in the laughter, and for a moment everything appeared okay again, Nathan went back to his tablet, all four looking forward to the holiday that lay ahead, if they ever get there.