Rebecca Detti

“Through her own looking glass” by Rebecca Detti

Submitted to Contest #233

Please note this story comes with a Parental Guidance (PG) certificate: mum and dad, please do not read. ‘And how many sexual partners have you had?'‘Um, I’m not sure. More than ten, less than one hundred. Is there a multiple-choice option?’‘On a scale of ten to twenty, twenty to thirty, thirty to fifty, more than fifty?’‘Let’s say Fifty.’ said Alice looking at the various hideous healthcare posters on the wall behind her doctor, ‘How to live your life with a positive diagnosis’ and so on.Feeling increasingly mortified by the situation,...

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“Into the light ” by Rebecca Detti

Draft version..not completeAnd the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it notGospel of St John 1-5 ‘Was it just me or did your dad mentioned moving to the West Country a thousand times this time round?’  ‘I know I feel he is really ramping it up. Maybe they just want us nearby to look after them when they become old and crusty?’ ‘Ha. Maybe!’ ‘Mum even said we’ll have to buy a double buggy to wheel them round the town when they’re old and incontinent.’ ‘I know. None of that shit. One way tick...

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“A period in time ” by Rebecca Detti

Submitted to Contest #229

It was Christmas Day, 1990 at 'Mount Farm' in North Cornwall and thirteen-year-old Jemima was sure she had heard her parents stir from their slumber. She always knew it was her dad going into the bathroom because he had a knack of letting the whole household know. He couldn't do anything quietly including lock the door. He was a champion wrestler taking on ‘The Lock’. He had a multitude of other opponents including furniture which hadn't done anything to him, gadgets, even DIY projects usually lost the fight. Then the familiar sounds of fart...

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“Fatto con amore” by Rebecca Detti

Submitted to Contest #228

Do you remember that advert from the eighties? You know the one, advertising canned baked beans or maybe it was a toy kitchen? I can’t really remember the point of it or what they were selling. All I remember is the sweet little girl waking up early on what I suspect must have been Father’s Day. Creeping downstairs so that her unsuspecting parents didn’t realise what culinary delight she was preparing. She puts some cold beans on a plastic plate and adds what looks like a huge jam- sponge roll next to it. I honestly don’t know whose decision...

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“The most wonderful time of the year” by Rebecca Detti

Rebecca breathed a huge sigh of relief as she cozied up with her beloved on the sofa. They both gave each other a knowing look before clinking their very full glasses of Pol Roger.‘Well, we had been meaning to save this bottle as a special reward. And what’s more special than surviving Christmas without an impending jail sentence for murdering one of them.’‘You mean, my sister and her spacky boyfriend. I agree. Cheers to us.’ Kieron was reviewing their details on the screen before clicking ‘book now’.‘There is nothing more motivating th...

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“Faith in N'Awlins” by Rebecca Detti

Submitted to Contest #224

As Faith sat at her desk reviewing her travel plans for the year, she couldn’t really complain. She loved how much travel was involved in her marketing role at the prestigious publishing house she worked for and she felt this year she had completed lucked out. A trip to New Orleans in April followed by a few Italian trips and Alaska later in the year. These academics really wanted a ‘good old jolly’ away from their families, with whatever shenanigans that involved.Last year at a Russian studies conference, Faith couldn’t believe how much fli...

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“My first 'meet cute'” by Rebecca Detti

Submitted to Contest #223

Rachel was ridiculously relieved when at last she saw the signs on the motorway for Bath. She wasn’t clueless behind the wheel but had found herself turning off prematurely a few times on the journey from Cornwall. When she felt completely lost, she’d had to park up somewhere to reset, look at the map, grab a coffee, quick wee break and then chant quite a few positive mantras mostly to help her stay awake for the last few miles ‘Come on Rachel, stay awake, almost there.’In recent years, Rachel and her best friend from college, Fiona or ‘Fi-F...

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“The Road to Merton” by Rebecca Detti

Submitted to Contest #222

September 5, 1993As she looked at herself in the full- length mirror in her parent’s bedroom, Libby couldn’t believe how revolting she looked. She’d gained a bit of weight over the summer holidays. This was mostly due to a sedentary existence of watching Tim Burton films and reading gothic horror fiction while consuming Lion Bars. Her skirt had ridden up to her kidneys due to the increased bulge of her tummy despite several attempts to pull it down. When her Aunty Catherine, whom Libby secretly named 'Lady Catherine of Pompousville' called i...

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“They call me naughty Nancy” by Rebecca Detti

Submitted to Contest #220

St Olaf’s Parish Church, St Agnes, Cornwall‘Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the life of Alberta Joyce Nancy Ball, also known as ‘Nancy’ to her close friends.’Sound of gigglingHelen thought she heard a snigger coming from the back of the Church. Surely not?! As she was sat at the end of the front pew, she thought she could turn her head without being noticed. At the back of the Church, she saw four very dapper elderly gentlemen. They all wore a single brightly -coloured feather in their lapels. Why do the feathers look...

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“Can you keep a secret?” by Rebecca Detti

I don’t think I’d really thought about what had happened that night and the subsequent fall out until I was sat facing my best friend at a quiet little Trattoria off San Marco’s square. Annie was looking good; she had lost a ton of weight after training for and completing the London Marathon the month before. ‘I had better stop stuffing my face. I am still in training diet mode but without the training.’ ‘Well, I wouldn’t worry, you are looking fab! When in Venezia?’ ‘Ha! Thanks! I’m so pleased I managed to shift four stone.’ ‘That’s...

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“Operation William Wallace” by Rebecca Detti

Submitted to Contest #218

‘Ok babe. I’m just outside now. Time for one last performance. I know, you too, have a great night and I’ll see you tomorrow at Gatwick. Can’t believe it. We will be out of here and Rome here we come!’It was absolutely chucking it down in the village of Tollhurst in a sleepy corner of East Sussex and Sophie often wondered why she hadn’t accepted a lift from her pa to work. He was always so insistent about chauffeuring her and other members of the family around. She suspected it was a rouse to get out of the house and avoid any chores her mum...

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“The crossroads” by Rebecca Detti

Submitted to Contest #217

Layla looked at the dark sky as she pulled into Bristol Temple Meads station and couldn’t help but feel a bit queasy. Was it the drawn-out journey from Oxford that had tipped her over the edge after a long week at work? The clocks were about to ‘fall back’ next week and maybe it was the thought of the shorter days. What was it Shakespeare said about entering the night? ‘The night is long that never finds the day’. She was a grown woman for goodness’ sake! She wasn’t walking into a Lion’s Den! Far from it, she was re-uniting with friends, her...

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“Cocktail Time” by Rebecca Detti

Rascals: beautiful cocktails for beautiful peopleRachel started giggling as she passed the ridiculous sign on the coolest new bar in the coolest part of Oxford. She couldn’t believe she’d agreed to go there that night.‘Seriously, how obnoxious. I could write something better than that.’The Benny Hill theme tune started ringing on her phone.‘Hello Benny’‘Who? Is that the name of your latest conquest?’She couldn’t help but giggle…it didn’t take long for her friend Chris to get on to the subject of sex with her.‘Hello Christopher, how can I hel...

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“Here comes the sun” by Rebecca Detti

I’m so excited to watch them come back home after school. They all look so excited and little Olivia is doing so well in her first year of prep school. I love that her uniform just hangs off her tiny frame and the way she screws her nose up before she laughs is truly adorable. And what is she holding today? Oh, my goodness, some sort of award with a star at the top of it? I’m so proud. And Clara is so tall and graceful, just like her mother with that silky raven-colored hair which falls to her waist like a mermaid. She has a beauty which is ...

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“How hard you can get hit” by Rebecca Detti

Submitted to Contest #214

‘de ne nerrr, de ne nerrr, de ne nerrr, de ne nerrr….’ Rose usually giggled when the Rocky theme tune started on her phone as it was her brother’s favourite film and it made her think of the countless impressions he had done of Sylvester Stallone over the years, mostly with a sweet or olive in his mouth for extra effect. He frequently recited:  ‘It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward’ When she had travelled to Philly for work a few years back, he was insistent she had ...

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