Disclaimer: You know the drill, I own nothing but the shirt on my back ;)

Author's note: Thanks to rubyrosettared for the tip about a little mistake here, corrected it ^^

16. September 1960

Pearl wanted an electric refrigerator. That's how it had started. By now they were throwing insults at each other that would make a sailor blush. Leo sat at the kitchen table chin resting on his clasped hands following the argument like it was a tennis match. "We are not, I repeat not, wasting any money on this foolish notion of yours", Hal said for the fifth time in about 30 minutes. Leo turned his head to the right looking at the vampire. "The icehouse has been perfectly fine for storing perishables for centuries, why is it not good enough for you?" They were still all seated at the table after a delicious dinner of cawl but Hal was a veritable volcano of pent up frustration just waiting to explode. His muscles were cramped up with the need to pace and vent but he kept himself seated hands holding on tight to the edge and rattling the silverware on the table a bit.

Pearl on the other hand seemed too still, like a mantis about to strike. And strike she did: "Oh, not good enough for me is it, Mr. I-need-a-new-Suit-this-one's-a-Week-old? We are the only household for miles, no the only household in all of England, that doesn't have a refrigerator." Leo turned his head to the left focusing his attention on the ghost. "And Mr. Old-as-Dirt if we had a refrigerator I wouldn't have had to bloody walk half way across town to get the meat for this stew." Pearl lifted an eyebrow. "It's not like you ever offer to go over there and stock up or to get me the ingredients I need to make dinner."

Hal exasperatedly threw up his hands. "How many times Pearl? I can't be among humans, it's not safe, I'm not safe." Leo turned his head to the right again. "And it's not like you actually need to walk there. You just appear there, grab the meat, and disappear again. It doesn't take long." Pearl opened and closed her mouth a few times without uttering a word, making Leo turn his head her way again, admiring her perfect ruby lips. "That's not the bloody point", she finally blurted out. "It doesn't matter how long it takes, I shouldn't have to leave this kitchen at all to get the meat. I'm doing all the work and I can't even eat it." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You just never properly appreciate what I do for you men. I do all the housework, I wash you clothes, I iron them, I hoover, I clean the windows, and what do you do? Play with your dominoes and listen to the bloody radio all day!"

"I'm not being lazy, Pearl, I'm only barely keeping myself from drowning this town in blood! You want me to hoover? To wash up the dishes? Fine! I'll do the damned washing up!" Hal jumped up and started grapping the dirty dishes off the table. Leo turned his head back to him and hiding a smile behind his hands watched his friend carry the dishes to the sink. Hal turned on the water. "Are you happy now? I'm helping!"

Pearl sank down lower in her chair. "Fine, you're helping, but I'm still doing most of the work and Leo's the only one actually earning any money so you don't get a vote in this refrigerator-decision, Grandpa. Oh, and use that new bottle of Fairy liquid, it's in the cupboard under the sink. And I brought some of those new marigolds, saw an advert in the latest issue of Modern Woman."

Hal shot Pearl an angry look holding up the package of marigolds. "I do not wear something named after a flower. And don't you think calling me Grandpa will make me back out of this discussion. We don't have the money to buy a refrigerator right now." He filled the sink with water and started washing the dishes.

"We don't have the money, but you do," Pearl pointed out. "Have you been going through my things again", Hal asked turning around his eyes shooting daggers at the ghost. "Bloody hell Pearl, stay out of my room! My finances are none of your business. We are not buying a refrigerator with my money, that's my last word on this subject." Pearl was not giving up quite yet: "Well, but I'm not going to cook anything ever again if I don't get a refrigerator." They entered a staring contest then, Pearl pouting in her chair and Hal dripping soap suds onto the kitchen floor.

Suddenly they turned as one fixing their demanding stares on their werewolf friend. "Leo, what do you say", they asked in unison. Leo leaned back, folded his hands behind his head and asked: "Is there any more cawl left, I wonder?" Then he ducked out of the kitchen as fast as he could to avoid a flying pair of marigolds.