A bit more X Cert than usual.
Cal, risking a punch or more likely a kick, considering how much smaller Ethan was than himself, said:
"Can't see why you're crying for Flossy."
Ethan's fists clenched.
"Seeing as she's having a great time in Rabbit Heaven", added Cal.
"R-rabbit Heaven?"
"Yeah. That's where she'll be now. In a big wide hutch with top class rabbit food and her other babies with her."
Ethan looked queryingly at Mrs Beauchamp.
She nodded. Ethan believed.
"But one thing will be making her very sad, Ethan. You won't help Janie, and she's one of Flossy's babies. Just imagine how she feels; she can't come back and look after her baby and you won't help Janie."
Ethan crumbled.
"I'll feed Janie and cuddle her. I'll not shout at her. But she'll just be my rabbit and not my friend."
"That's a good start, Ethan."
"Ben, I'm sorry I said Ron and Harry were rotten rabbits and I'm glad they're not dead."
Lofty considered holding out, he was a little upset on Harry and Ron's behalf about what Ethan had said. But he smiled and held out his arms.
"Man hug?"
Late that night, while Cal was dreaming of getting rave reviews for being Bad Prince Sebastian in 'Thorns' and Ethan was dreaming of Rabbit Heaven, Miss Freeman and Mrs Beauchamp, wearing mufflers, gloves and thick coats, and caterwauling "Do you wanna build a snowman?", tottered on to the lawn with a lot of wine inside them.
They built a snowman. With every detail included. Mrs Beauchamp put an old hat on that detail instead of on its head.
"What's his name?" she gurgled.
"Daaaaave!" replied Miss Freeman.
"Who?"
"Ah, you know, LUV."
Mrs Beauchamp pretended to vomit in the snow, and, breaking the willie off Dave, with the hat still on it, presented it to Miss Freeman, purring:
"Do you want fries with that?"
Then they both collapsed, screaming with laughter, in the snow.
Then they crawled off to bed and awoke with the hangovers from hell.
Mr Fairhead had to come and pick up Cal and Ethan from Mrs Beauchamp's, and Lofty on the way, and take them to school, a few hours later, where he announced:
"Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman have both picked up a – er- bit of flu and won't be in today."
He was unprepared for Ethan's white face.
"They won't DIE, will they?"
The Flossy experience had hit the small boy hard.
