Twins

After Merlin left to take his volume of The History of Man back to the library, my thoughts flowed - like rivulets around pebbles - and pooled into the subject of the three Butterglove brothers. The differences between us.

I recalled something my mother once said.

"I love my boys. Every day I marvel how they've grown. And yet it's been there since they were tiny. If you'd given them a music box they would react to it in different ways. Merle would examine it then want to know who made it, how many different variations there were, and document its quality and place in the range of music boxes. Jack would borrow a needle and poke inside in an attempt to play different tunes. Newt would take it apart and then try and reassemble it to improve on the design."

 

I smiled. She had it right.

We were different. More noticeable when comparing Newton and me. Twins we may be, but not identical - neither biologically nor in nature. Newton is academically brilliant. He was the one to leave Mellowdene and attend university. He was the one who came back, became a Professor, taught talented villagers, engaged in research, and was head hunted by the Sylvanian Research Group, leaving the village again. 

Me? My roots are firmly in Mellowdene where I'm happy to tinker about inventing tunes. 

Yes, I know I'm being self-deprecating, but I'm not serious. If I were, there are enough family members and friends to disabuse me of that notion. 

 

My point is, twins we may be, but identical? Never.

The same can't be said about the Bonny twins.

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The Bonny twins. Most would agree that the name is most apt; Cecile remarked upon it years ago, and indeed, they are very pretty. Seeing them together, the effect is multiplied. The first time you encounter them one wouldn't be surprised to find a mirror between them, and it can take a little time before you can distinguish which one is Audrey and which one is Athaliah.

 

You may wonder why they came into my thoughts. Don't worry - it's not their appearance! Cecile remains my number one. No. it's the similarity in their lives that struck me, and not for the first time. It was also because Trafalgar Cornflower recently brought Nugget for a play date with our little Russell.

 

You may not remember that Trafalagar and Newton live in the same house. I will explain how that came to be.

 

When the Bonny twins arrived in the village - and it only just occurs to me that I don't know from where - they made a change to two families' lives in much the same way.

Two bunnies - both giving the impression they were confirmed bachelors - were smitten. One was Trafalgar Cornflower, eldest of the Cornflower clan living at the eastern extremity of Mellowdene County. The other was Newton Butterglove.

Newton had been working away from home for some time. He was heavily involved with the Sylvanian Research Group and this was his main concern. Don't get me wrong. I love my brother. But as I have already said, we are different in many ways. He was very focused on his work, often to the exclusion of other concerns. Maybe that's how it is with such brilliant people. And yet occasionally he would realise his unintended neglect, apologise profusely and spend time with the family. It was on one such time that he first set eyes on Audrey Bonny. I don't know if the phrase "love at first sight" applied but there was definitely a connection. Also, Newton started to spend more time back in Mellowdene. Of course, we were delighted at this.

About the same time, Trafalgar Cornflower had ventured into the village on an errand. Let me tell you about the Cornflowers.

I believe they share a heritage with the Buttergloves, Dandelions and Ivory rabbits. They have the same creamy complexion, bent ears and general appearance associated with this lineage of rabbits. This particular strand of the Cornflowers are what one might call simple people. By this I do not mean stupid or intellectually challenged - far from it. They are quite astute. In the main, they choose to live an uncomplicated life. 

 

They chose to live in an area that has not yet been reached by the utilities used by the majority of Mellowdene village, having no electricity and using water pumped from a well. That isn't to say they don't make use of the village's facilities when there's a need or desire; they aren't anti-social. A few were slightly overwhelmed on their early visits, but everyone is made to feel welcome in Mellowdene.

Trafalgar is the oldest of five children. He thought he'd never get married but this thought melted away when he saw Athaliah Bonny. It may even have been the same week that Newton saw Audrey.

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Advance a couple of years and there was a double wedding. With Audrey and Athaliah being so close, no one was too surprised at that. 

 

Trafalgar, Athalia, Kelvin Waters, Audrey, Newton

Newton had moved back to Mellowdene, permanently, he declared. He must have been valued at the Sylvanian Research Group - whatever his job is there - as they helped finance the building of a modern home in the village. It was big enough to include a home office, but more importantly, it was big enough for two small families. The Bonny twins and their new husbands set up house together.

 

The parallel lives of Audrey and Athaliah continued when they gave birth on the same day. Trafalgar and Athaliah named their little boy Nugget. 

 

Newton and Audrey didn't have a little boy. Maybe it was because both parents were twins, they produced twin daughters, Dinah and Donna.

 

 

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With Tragalgar Cornflower now established as a villager, his relatives visited a little more often. Brother Boswell brought his wife Carolinda, and babies Unity and Phoenix. It was on Carolinda's first visit that she encountered Cecile. My lovely wife must have made a positive impression as the next time we saw Carolinda, she wore an identical dress!

This wasn't the most notable consequence relating to the visits of Trafalgar's siblings. When his young sister Tabitha visited, she met my cousin Jonathan. They are now married!

 

All as a consequence of the spell woven by the Bonny Twins.

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