Muffin Roulette

Cecile reminded me of this tale from a few years ago. I didn't personally witness the events, but together with Cecile's information and other independent sources, it seems fairly accurate. Given the people involved, I don't have any doubts.

Cecile was in the middle stage of pregnancy with Russell. Beverley was trying to be helpful - overly so, bless her - and Brendan was... Brendan. I could see that my darling wife would benefit from a day or two of peace, and knew that I could care for her with the balance she needed.

Her cousin Coltsfoot Ivory had suggested that Brendan could go to his house on Cherry Blossom Avenue to participate in an overnight board game extravaganza. His son Chervil had been pressing for this for some months. Now seemed a great time.

That left Beverley. 

 

 

Cecile had been chatting with my cousins Samantha and Barbara (Bobbie) when they came over from Butterglove Lodge, and they thought their daughters would enjoy a sleepover together. This, of course, was long before Sam and Denzel had their quads. Also, my other cousin and resident there - Jonathan - was as yet unmarried to the bunny who had claimed his heart (Tabitha Cornflower). Consequently, there was space at Butterglove Lodge to have a slumber party without the restrictions there would be at the time of writing.

It was arranged. Beverley would join Sam's daughter Lena, Bobbie's daughter Biddie, and Colt & Celandine's daughter Anise for a sleepover and all that entailed. Beverley needed a little persuasion - her "mummy needs her" - but she finally acquiesced. Brendan just said, "Great. I'll get my stuff."

 

I subsequently heard the sleepover details from Beverley via Cecile, and from my cousins. I'd expected to hear about talk of food, music, clothes and schoolmates. There was, but that wasn't all. 

o 0 O 0 o

"Have you heard Dingle Boy's latest record, Beverley?" asked Lena. "It's marvy."

"I've only heard Fleece Oddity"

 

"No, that was last year. This is The Lamb Who Sold the Wool. Look," she said, showing the album cover.

 

"He dresses funny," said Biddie, then she giggled. "You should get your dad to wear funny clothes too, Bev. He'd be a proper pop star."

Beverley dismissed Biddie's teasing with a tolerating smile. "He doesn't need to be. Lionel Grand is going to record some of daddy's songs with Tamara Lynx."

 

Lena stared. "You're joking, aren't you?"

Anise put her arm around Beverley's shoulders. "It's true. I heard Aunt Cessie tell my mum. Mr Snow-Warren is doing the words but Uncle Jackson is doing the tunes."

 

Biddie regarded Beverley and Anise whilst she pondered this information. Then, a smile. "Okay. No funny clothes for him. He could buy you some, though."

 

"I think," said Beverley, "if there were any funny clothes to be worn in our house, my brother would have first dibs."

"Brendan's funny," said Biddie, nodding sagely.

 

 

"Brothers are," said Anise. "It's an unwritten rule."

o 0 O 0 o

Elsewhere, the rule was being demonstrated. Brendan was laughing as his cousin Chervil told him of his recent activities. 

 

 

o 0 O 0 o

Before the girls retired to their sleeping bags, Anise delved into her bag to produce a cake tin. She opened it and revealed the contents. Chocolate muffins.

"You see, Beverley?" she said, "I told you that I'd fix it so that your mum wouldn't need to bake for us. I've brought cake for us."

"They look yummy," said Biddie, poring into the tin. "Did you make them?"

 

Beverley's mouth twitched. "If she did, she's kept that skill a secret. Must be her mum. Is that right? Was it Auntie Celandine?"

Anise shook her head, smiling widely. "No. These are from Breezy Babblebrook's mum."

"Ooh!" said Lena, and there was a shared delight that they were going to sample something made by one of the best home cooks in Mellowdene. Crystal Babblebrook's reputation was long established, and the girls were almost bouncing in anticipation. 

"I used some of my pocket money to buy Breezy a present when she was poorly. As a thankyou, Mrs Babblebrook said she'd reserve some cakes for me when she next baked. I thought tonight was just the right time to enjoy them."

"That's very generous, Anise," Beverley said. "You're a good friend."

Biddie was still looking in the tin. "There are two layers too!"

They started upon the top layer, each approaching their treats in different ways. Lena nibbled hers daintily. Biddie bit off large chunks and held the food in her mouth to savour the flavour. Anise attacked the edges of her cake, turning it so that the shape was roughly maintained, shrinking as it was consumed. Beverley tended to break pieces off and eat it in regular portions. All made yummy noises.

"Well," said Anise, once the top layer had been decimated, "they didn't disappoint! Should we leave the second layer for later?"

 

She replaced the lid teasing her friends because she knew they would have other opinions.

 

"We could," said Biddie, still licking her lips, "but then we'd need to brush our teeth twice. If we ate them now..."

"Yes. We should definitely eat them now," said Lena. "It makes sense."

"Beverley?" said Anise, smiling when she received a nod in reply, "Then we're all agreed. Let's enjoy some more Babblebrook baking!"

 

Off came the lid again, and four paws reached forward. However, before any cakes could be removed, Anise took the piece of paper separating the layers and paused.

"Wait a minute. There's something written on this. It's Chervil's writing."

Anise read out the short message for the others to hear.

"Hello dear sister,
Just to remind you of a cake you gave to me a few days ago.
Granny Babblebrook's baking, you remember?
To return the favour, I'd like to include one amongst Mother Crystal's tasty cakes.
Make sure your sleepover friends don't eat it.
Your loving brother,
Chervil."

Beverley stared at the cakes. "Anise! There's one of Granny Pearl's 'things' in there?"

I should point out that, whereas Rocky Babblebrook was fortunate to have a culinary queen as his wife Crystal, his mother's cooking skills were widely recognised as... notably different. Pearl is blissfully unaware that her efforts are poor - and that's a kind description - as nobody wants to hurt her feelings.

Anise stared into the distance. "Surely he wouldn't..."

"But if you gave your brother one - and he ate it..."

The four young rabbits murmured, eyes fixed on the remaining cakes, and then all went quiet.

o 0 O 0 o

A few minutes passed. Biddie broke the silence.

"But most of the cakes will be alright. We could take one each..."

"Do you really want to take the risk?" Anise whispered.

"We could test it by nibbling, couldn't we? And how bad was Chervil affected?" 

"It was messy."

"Urrr!" said Lena, "Well, I'm not nibbling any."

"Nor me," said Beverley.

Anise was sniffing each cake and replacing them in the tin. "They look the same, they smell the same... but I'm not risking it."

She started to put the lid back on the tin.

 

Biddie pouted as she went to get the sleeping bags. "It seems such a shame."

 

 

Lena shuddered. "No. No, we'd best not risk it, Biddie. Anise has closed the tin anyway. Let's go clean our teeth."

And so the evening came to a close. Four disappointed bunnies crept into their sleeping bags and fell asleep. Biddie was the last to close her eyes, no doubt thinking about cake.

 

o 0 O 0 o

The following morning, when Beverley went with Anise to Cherry Blossom Avenue to collect her brother, they were greeted by Chervil and Brendan who were waiting outside.
Anise thrust the cake tin into Chervil's arms.

"Well I hope you're happy. You spoiled a lovely evening. All those lovely cakes wasted. When you ate Granny Babblebrook's cake you know I didn't expect you to be sick. I never thought you'd put us at risk knowing what you went through."

Chervil smiled brightly and opened the cake tin. He offered a cake to Brendan and took one for himself. In unison the two bunnies took large bites.

Anise and Beverley looked at one another then returned their gaze to their two brothers munching away with joyous abandon.

"They're all made by Breezy's mum?" Anise asked, although she knew the answer.

 

Chervil pointed to the tin. "You already said it, sis. I'd never put you at risk. Eat up."

Tentatively, Anise took a cake.

Beverley wasn't as tentative. She did cough a little - but that was because she was laughing as she ate.

o 0 O 0 o