Lulu Bell and the Pyjama Party (3 page)

With some help from Kylie, Lulu and Molly made a pouch for Mika to sleep in. It was made from an old blue flannelette pillowcase. A heat pad tucked under the pillowcase kept the joey warm.

Kylie helped them to mix up a bottle of special milk formula. Lulu carefully offered the teat to Mika. The joey took a few sips from the bottle but she wasn't very hungry. She hid her head inside the pillowcase.

Lulu wrinkled her nose in dismay. ‘She doesn't want to drink, Dad.'

‘Never mind,' said Dad. ‘She'll take some more milk a bit later when she gets used to us.'

Dad hung the pouch on the side of a special pen with high walls. ‘Time Mika had a little sleep,' he said.

Lulu and Molly set to work in the hospital ward. They made sure that all the animals had fresh water to drink.

A while later, Kylie popped her head around the door.

‘Your dad is seeing a special patient you know,' she said. ‘Would you like to come and see?'

‘Is it Maisie?' Lulu asked, excited.

‘It sure is,' said Kylie. ‘Your dad's checking the unborn puppies.'

‘Let's go,' squealed Molly.

Lulu and Molly raced to the consulting room. Lulu knocked on the door.

‘Come in,' called Dad.

Lulu opened the door. Inside was Lauren with her mum and her brother. Lauren grinned at them.

‘Hi, Dad,' said Lulu. ‘Kylie said we could come and see Maisie.'

Lying up on the consulting room table was a big, fat black Labrador. She was panting even though it wasn't hot. Dad was using his stethoscope to listen to Maisie's heartbeat.

‘Maisie made a big nest in the bottom of my wardrobe this morning,' said Lauren's mum, Kyra. ‘She dragged in lots of clothes from the washing basket.'

Lulu smiled at the thought of Maisie making a big puppy nest from dirty
clothes. Dad took Maisie's temperature.

Lauren looked at Dr Bell, her eyes shining. ‘Do you think she will have the puppies this weekend?'

‘I think Maisie is in for a very busy night tonight,' said Dr Bell. ‘By the look of her, there will be at least eight.'

Maisie looked at Lulu with big, dark eyes. She looked very uncomfortable with her swollen tummy.

‘How wonderful,' said Lulu. ‘Can Molly and I come to visit after they are born?'

‘Of course,' said Kyra. ‘Maisie and the babies will need lots of peace and quiet for a while. But I'm sure she wouldn't mind a little visit.'

Dr Bell asked Kyra some questions to make sure she had everything ready for the new puppies.

‘Ring me if you have any worries,' said Dad. ‘We'll be home all evening.'

‘Thanks so much, Dr Bell,' said Kyra. ‘We'll let you know how she goes.'

Dr Bell carefully lifted Maisie down from the consulting table. He stroked her head. ‘It's my pleasure.
Maisie will make a beautiful mother.'

Kyra took Maisie's lead and headed towards the door. Maisie waddled slowly, huffing and panting. Lauren's brother Justin followed.

‘Come on, Lauren,' her mum said. ‘Time to take Maisie home.'

Lulu looked wistful. ‘I wish we could be there when they are born,' she told
Lauren. ‘You're going to have such an amazing night.'

Lauren's face glowed with excitement. ‘It's going to be the best night ever.'

Lulu and Molly went home for lunch. Mum had made a big platter of sandwiches. Rosie, Sam and Gus had built a huge castle out of blocks in the middle of the kitchen floor.

Rosie jumped up from her chair as soon as she had finished eating. ‘Is it time for the pyjama party to start?'

Lulu wrinkled her nose. ‘We've only just had lunch!'

‘Yes, but I can't bear to wait any more,' complained Rosie. ‘You and Molly have been ages.'

Mum laughed. ‘Why not? Why don't you set up all the beds now? Then you can get into your pyjamas and play some games.'

Rosie giggled with delight. Everyone set to work in the lounge room.

They pulled out mattresses, pillows and sleeping bags. Rosie carried in the dog beds. Molly put Ebony's basket near the fireplace. Almost the whole floor was covered. It was like camping.

Gus carried out all his soft toys – bears, puppies, bunnies, lambs and a huge green crocodile. He piled them up on his mattress until there was no room on the bed for Gus. Sam's bed was the opposite – perfectly neat and tidy.

The children took it in turns to have baths and change into their nightwear. Mum got into the spirit too. She changed into her nightie and slippers, even though it was the middle of the afternoon.

Lulu wore her favourite shortie PJs with her floppy-eared bunny slippers. Rosie wore a long white nightdress that nearly reached her ankles.
She had a circlet of orange roses on her hair. Molly and Sam had matching stripy flannelettes.

Gus came bounding out of his room. He had changed out of his bug boy costume into his all-in-one tiger suit. He even had black texta stripes drawn on his cheeks.

Lulu put her hand on her hip. ‘Gus, what have you done to your face?'

‘Grrrr,' growled Gus. ‘Gussie got tiger whiskers.'

Lulu and Molly laughed.

‘That texta won't wash off for days, honey bun,' said Mum,
with a sigh. ‘Looks like we'll have a tiger on our hands for a while.'

Then all the kids lay on the kitchen floor to play board games.

Ebony the kitten loved playing too. She dived on the board, scattering cards everywhere. She pounced on the pieces and whacked them across the floor.

‘Ebony,'
cried Rosie. ‘She's mucked up my cards
again
.'

‘Naughty Ebby,' said Gus. He jumped up and curled his fingers like claws. He roared at her like a tiger.

Ebony ignored him. She stole Lulu's playing piece and shot it under the sideboard with a sneaky sideswipe.

Molly jumped up and caught the cheeky black kitten. She kissed the top of her furry head.

‘It's a shame Ebony's so small,' said
Molly. ‘She'd make a great soccer player.'

‘I think we'd better lock Ebony in our room,' said Lulu with a sigh. ‘Otherwise we'll never finish our game.'

When the vet hospital closed, Dad came home. He carried a pale-blue bundle and a baby's bottle full of milk.

‘I have a very important job for you girls,' said Dad. ‘We have an orphan joey to feed.'

‘Poor Mika,' said Lulu. ‘I hope she drinks the milk this time.'

‘Everyone needs to be very quiet and calm,' warned Dad. He looked at Gus and Rosie. ‘Understand?'

The kids all nodded. Rosie put the dogs outside so they wouldn't frighten the wallaby.

Molly sat on the couch and Dad placed the joey on her lap. Mika was
curled up inside her flannelette pillowcase, so she felt safe and warm.

Dad showed Lulu how to cover the joey's eyes so she wouldn't get frightened. Lulu sat beside Mika and fed her special milk from the bottle. This time the joey was hungry. She butted her head against Lulu's hand as she sucked on the teat.

‘She's drinking,' whispered Lulu. ‘She's going to be all right.'

Sam, Rosie and Gus sat on the floor and watched. When the bottle was empty, Mika did a somersault and disappeared inside her pillowcase. Only her tail poked out.

‘That will keep her going for a few hours,' said Dad. ‘I'll get up and feed her during the night.'

Dad hung Mika's pouch from a doorknob in Mum's art studio where she would be safe.

‘Mika certainly was hungry,' said Lulu. She held up the empty bottle.

‘Tiger hungry too,' declared Gus.

Mum laughed. ‘I have just the right food for hungry tigers,' she said.

For afternoon tea, Mum made a special picnic with teensy, tiny cupcakes. There was a little teapot filled with apple juice and toy teacups. They had the picnic out in the garden, on a rug under the frangipani tree.

Most of the animals joined in too. There was Flopsy the bunny, the four fluffy ducklings, Ebony, Pickles and the two dogs. Rosie tried to make Pepper the cat join in but she stalked off in disgust.

As night fell, they played hide and seek in the dark with a torch. Asha and Jessie had to stay in the kitchen or they would sniff everyone out in seconds.

Gus found the best hiding spots but he could never wait to be found. He'd jump out way too soon, shouting, ‘Here I am.'

Sam was good at hiding because he was quiet and patient. In the last game, Lulu, Molly and Rosie searched high and low for him for ages.

Molly finally found him wedged in the tiny space under the sofa. Ebony had given her a clue. The kitten kept darting
back and forth under the sofa, patting Sam's glasses.

‘There you are,' cried Molly. ‘I thought we'd never find you.'

‘I think Sam was the very best at hiding,' said Lulu.

Sam smiled a big grin. ‘I like playing hide and seek here. There are so many secret spots.'