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The Grandy Mobile moved along the cobbles to park, Babs squealing as she clapped with delight, then threw herself at her beloved Grandy, his laugher bellowing as he hugged his lovely little princess.
James exited and started to remove a couple of suitcases as John rushed to help, "Here, I'll carry those. You get in to Ianto, he's doing that lockjaw thing I hate watching sure one of his teeth will pop."
James patted the man on the shoulder and the entered to find Ianto on the sofa with Ton, the little boy reading hesitantly from a book out loud, "So run and play said the frog."
"Well done darling, yes" Ianto crooned, "Froggy looks really tired. Do you think he wanted his little Froggies to give him a moment to relax?"
"Yeah, he has four little froggies like you!" Ton said as he counted them slowly with his finger, "You need rest too. We go play and you go flop. Poor Froggy Taddy. He tired too."
Ianto laughed softly as he kissed his son and then turned the page, everyone settling like Ton was reading the gospel or something, "The baby frogs swim…swam in the river"
"Look!" Ianto asked, "Is that our little river? Could these frogs be the ones we hear singing at night do you think?"
Ton looked at the picture of the winding river and then looked at the kitchen window, thinking of Herb's boat stream beyond, then he traced the S of the picture and smiled, "Yeah! Could be Tadda! These froggies are ours!"
"Well, better read what they did next then" Ianto said as he watched Ton eagerly turn the page, his face lighting up as he looked at the picture.
"Then they all had fly samages for tea!" Ton roared with laughter, his head flopping back and Jack sat with a sandwich in a plate that Ianto had made before sitting down.
"Here we are" he said grandly "For our Froggy bum."
Ton peeked as Jack peeled it back to show the raisins in the bread and Ton laughed some more as he pointed. "Flies! Flies with wings plucked off!"
He snatched it up and took a bite, humming as he leaned into his lovely Taddy's chest and Jack leaned in to kiss him.
"Ton, what lovely reading skills" James said proudly, "My goodness, that was impressive to watch. You are so clever!"
Ton shone with delight as he offered his sandwich to him and James sniggered, "No thanks Ton. I already had a spider stew earlier."
Ton giggled at the silliness of it all and then rubbed his face on his Taddy's shoulder and went limp, Ianto crooned as he hugged him tight, "If it's not all off you face and on my shirt, best go wash the rest off ya beast."
Ton clambered of the lap and leaned into Ianto's face expectantly, Ianto kissing him softly on the lips and then watching his son speed from the room.
"Jack got him a frog washcloth in town earlier, he's been dying to use it all evening" Ianto smiled, "That cast comes off soon, I think he will miss it. He talks to it like a family member."
"Well, the dogs are so boisterous and the cats are so aloof" Eugene reasoned, "I remember you at that age, wanting attention all the time. You had a pet snail one part of it. Speedy. Brought the bloody thing to the dinner table more than once."
"Oh my god, I had forgotten that" Ianto laughed easily, reassuring everyone that he wasn't dwelling, "Speedy Snail. Jimmy Lizard….of my god. I had a pet lizard!"
"You did, until the cat ate it" James snorted, "I had to lie and tell you he joined the circus."
"No! Snowball? He ate Jimmy?" Ianto's eyes widened as the truth came out and everyone laughed softly, "Bloody cats. Eat anything lovely. I swear, if fairies are real they don't stand a chance around a cat. I can just see one munching happily on a poor wee sprite or something, the wings spat out."
"Well, the point is, before it all went tits up Ton was telling me about the accident with the spaceship, going on and on about the wee dog. He was calling it a terrier but I think a wee Griffon or something that is less excitable and wants attention might be a good friend for him" Eugene smiled, "A calm, laid back one that doesn't mind the odd things its owner does for no apparent reason."
"Yeah!" Jack agreed, as he slid forward, "Mrs Hareworth has a Griffin and he loves it. Then there's the wee Pekinese, he was so upset about its face, remember love? Wanted us to pay for surgery to fix it."
They all laughed as Ianto leaned into Jack's arms and considered it.
Jack revelled in his cuddle Tiger, kissing his forehead as he watched Ianto start to relax.
It had been a good idea to invite them to stay, give Ianto a bit of back up while letting him fuss as well. Feel like he was still able to do that.
Also…a dog for Ton might be the go.
After a wee visit.
