Elephant Jam by Sam Jasper

Author:Sam Jasper
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781925027822
Publisher: Palmer Higgs

Chapter 8

At breakfast, the twins sit heads bowed over their bowls of cereal: they eat quickly.

‘I can hardly wait for the grapes to appear this year,’ Daphne says enthusiastically. ‘Then I can try that new stuffing: roast chicken with Camembert and white grapes. I can almost taste it now: melted Camembert and hot white grapes, the flavours blending beautifully with the delicious chicken. Now, I wonder what blend of music would be suitable? What do you think, Mother?’

‘Oh, something light and tinkling, I should think. What about the flutes of the Andes? Or something from Ireland: David Kinsella’s ‘Atlantic Arc’ – the happiest and lightest of music.’

‘Mmm, sounds good,’ Daphne says buttering a slice of toast. ‘What do you think, my dear?’ she says looking at her husband.

‘White grapes call for something watery, I think: maybe a small waterfall. Yes that’s it: some water music. That’s my contribution.’

‘I’m so excited,’ Daphne says. ‘In fact, I think I might dash down to the greengrocer this morning and see if he has any grapes. I know it’s early in the season but you never know.’

You never know, Pixie thinks. You never know what those tricky twins are going to get up to. I’ll have to watch them really closely from now on. She bites into her peanut butter toast hard, spraying crumbs all over the table. The twins reach for toast, butter and jam without looking in Pixie’s direction.

As Daphne and Great T. continue discussing several musical backdrops for the roast chicken, the twins glance sideways at each other perplexed. Pixie glares at each twin in turn but says nothing. Then three pairs of young eyes turn to watch the discussion going backwards and forwards between the women like a friendly tennis match. Pixie is particularly irritated with the strange topic. What’s so great about grapes? she thinks. Twin secrets are much more interesting. And why isn’t anybody talking about last night? She glowers at the twins as she picks up the milk. Quickly, the twins finish off their breakfast in case their luck runs out.

Just as Semmy and Demi get up, Daphne says: ‘Oh, by the way, poor Pixie has been having upsetting dreams so I’m putting the fold-up bed in your room. That way, you can keep an eye on her in case she starts having those bad dreams again.’

Demi and Semmy groan in unison but Daphne seems not to hear. They both look over at Great T. for help but she seems very intent on buttering her toast with slow, even strokes. Pixie suddenly has a great big smile on her face. The twins scowl at her but this simply makes her smile even bigger.

‘Now, we’ll be together all weekend all the time,’ she says clapping her hands with glee. ‘Won’t that be fun?’ The twins scowl back at her, “fun” being the last word they’d use. After that announcement, Pixie skips out onto the deck grinning from ear to ear.

Demi glances over at Great T. who suddenly looks up and gives her a sympathetic smile.

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