My Brother's Hot Cross Bottom

by Jeremy Strong

  ‘I think it's an excellent idea,’ Mrs Tugg nodded. ‘I've been so busy with work. We don't really have the time to give poor Cilla. I'll check with her parents, but I'm sure they'll be more than happy with the new arrangement.’

  And that is exactly what has happened. Cilla has moved in. She's bossing me about already – at least she's trying to. She's also taken over training Saucepan and Nibblewibble for the Easter Rabbit Race. I've never seen rabbits run

  so fast. (They're probably trying to escape her evil clutches!)

  But we've got the chicks sorted out at last. They are amazing and so cuddly! They're going to help us raise loads of money for the new school library. As for Dad, he seems to have gone off chickens.

  ‘I'm going to stick to raising vegetables from now on,’ he declared. ‘I've had it up to here with newborns.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Mum. ‘That's a shame.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ asked Dad, eyeing her suspiciously.

  ‘Well, Ron, you know those two male rabbits your mother and Lancelot brought us?’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘It seems that one of them isn't male, after all.’

  ‘What? How do you know?’

  ‘Because Saucepan is pregnant. Soon we shall have a complete set of saucepans. To put it simply, we have baby rabbits on the way.’

  Dad closed his eyes and rocked back on his feet with one hand clamped to his head. ‘I'm going inside now,’ he said quietly. ‘I may be some time. I am going to lie down. Please do not disturb me until the world has gone back to being normal.’

  And he went indoors. Mum, Cilla and I grinned at each other.

  ‘Well,’ smiled Mum. ‘Anyone fancy a hot cross bun?’

  ‘Me!’ Cilla and I shouted together.

  And we marched off to the kitchen, singing. And I bet you know exactly what we sang!