This came around due to the ridiculously cold weather lately... part of the 'There's No Place Like Home' universe. Read and review!
Rhyleigh xoxox
"What colour, Jake?" Dave Rafter said pleasantly, holding out a box of ice blocks. Jake Barton early poked through the colours, a small frown on his face. Rachel Rafter bounced on the balls of her feet, eagerly awaiting the red ice block she would no doubt enjoy.
After much contemplation, Jake accepted a green ice block, tearing off the wrapper and poking out his tongue.
"Red please Daddy", Rachel giggled, and Dave presented his eldest with a bright red raspberry ice block.
The two seven year olds sat in the middle of the backyard, wearing swimming costumes, making conversation and licking their ice blocks. They had been best friends as long as they could remember, and that summer was all about them. Moving mountains, slaying dragons, being the king and queen of their castle.
With a swift movement, Jake leant over and licked the bottom of Rachel's ice block, his tongue catching the drips about to stain Rachel's tummy.
"Hey!" Rachel squawked, outraged at his actions. "Get your own!"
"It was dripping!" he defended, licking the drips of his own green ice block.
In an act of pure retaliation, Rachel snatched a lick of his ice block, leaving him sitting their gaping.
"What was that for?" he hollered.
"It was dripping!" Rachel, two little red devil horns on either side of her mouth, grinned innocently.
Their ice blocks were nothing but green and red stains by the time they were finished- sticky lips and fingers from where they had not caught the drips.
But Ted Taylor, Rachel's grandfather, was one step ahead of them. With a flick of his wrist, the sprinkler was turned on, spraying both of them with cool water in the summer heat. Rachel let out a shriek, chasing Jake until they collapsed, water raining down on them. They lay on the grass, without a care in the world, laughing hysterically at the times they shared.
It was not the first ice block and sprinkler shower they shared- nor was it the last. It was a summer tradition, one they kept up well into their teenage years.
And, when the two married, it was a tradition they kept up with their kids and their kids' cousins. Jake would pass around ice blocks (making sure there was one green one and one red one left for him and Rachel), and they would be let loose into the backyard, sticky syrup being the last of their worries.
And, just like they had done when they were kids, Jake and Rachel joined Isabelle, Ryan and Zayne in the sprinkler, because there was nothing better on an Australian summer day than ice blocks and sprinkler showers.