Made It Fantastic

Arthur is the first to arrive at the party.

Nice bow, says Arthur.

Yeah thanks, says Sweezus. Come in.

Who else is coming? asks Arthur.

The boss, and David, says Sweezus. Surfing-with-Whales might. Yeah, and Gaius is back. Terence is here already. He put up the socks.

Arthur is impressed with the non-festive look of the socks.

He plonks a bottle of absinthe on the table.

Thanks, bro, says Sweezus. Help yourself to the beer in the ice box.

Hi Arthur, says Belle. I don't suppose you brought any nibbles?

No, says Arthur. I didn't.

Have an apple, says Terence.

Arthur picks up a shiny red apple by its loop of gold string.

He bites into the shiny red apple.

Ha ha! laughs Terence. It's not a real one!

I knew that, says Arthur. 

And you wrecked it, says Terence.

Arthur swallows the piece he bit out of the red shiny apple.

Did you swallow it? asks Belle. 

Arthur coughs, and heads for the icebox.

Ding dong! goes the doorbell.

It's Surfing-with-Whales, with Lauren Swales, his mother.

Hey bro! says Sweezus. 

All right if mum comes? asks Surfing-with-Whales.

Sure! says Sweezus.

Hi Lauren ! says Belle.

How pretty those socks look, says Lauren Swales. And the Christmas lights on the window!

What would you like to drink? asks Belle.

Lauren has spotted the absinthe. She makes a beeline for it.

Ding dong! Gaius arrives with a bag of green apples and a bottle of spring water, followed by Vello and David.

Vello produces three bottles of bubbly.

David puts a large paper bag on the table.

Is that my present? asks Terence.

We didn't know you were coming. says David. This is dried fruit and chocolates.

Boo! says Terence. Have an apple.

But David, the great empiricist, can't be fooled by an apple.

How did you go with my video? asks Gaius.

Good, says Sweezus, cracking open a beer. Wanna see it?

Let's all see it, says Vello. What's it about?

I'd like to see it first, says Gaius.

It's about a quoll and some parrots, says Belle. But Sweezus has made it fantastic!

Oh, has he? says Gaius.