Lulu Bell and the Pyjama Party (2 page)

Lulu and Molly ran over to join their team mates – the Shelly Beach Squids. Lots of Lulu's best friends from school were on the team. As well as Molly, there was Lauren, Thomas and Flynn, plus the twins, Olivia and Jo.

‘Hi, Lulu,' called Lauren. ‘Hi, Molly.'

‘Lauren, how's Maisie?' asked Lulu. Maisie was Lauren's black Labrador. She was going to have puppies any day now.

‘Big and slow,' replied Lauren with a grin. ‘Mum said we should bring her in for a check-up with your dad today.'

‘I hope she has the puppies really soon,' said Lulu. ‘Labrador puppies are so chubby and wrinkly. They'll be adorable.'

‘Come on, girls,' called the coach, waving her arms. She gave Lulu a special smile.

The Squids' coach was Kylie the vet nurse. Kylie was a star soccer player. The Squids gathered around. Lulu jumped up and down to keep warm, and tucked her hands under her armpits.

Mum hurried over with her clipboard and pen. She was the team manager. She made sure the players swapped over regularly so everyone got a turn to play.

Dad was the referee, with his whistle
and cap. He helped Kylie to warm the kids up before the game.

The Squids jogged up and down the football field. They skipped sideways, stretched and sprinted. They practised passing the ball and tackling. Then Kylie gave them some last-minute reminders before the game began.

‘Remember to spread out,' said Kylie. ‘Pass the ball and kick hard.'

Rosie, Gus and Sam stood on the sideline with all the other families. Rosie held Asha's lead while Sam held Jessie's lead.

Then Dad blew the whistle to start the game. The two teams chased the ball. They kicked it back and forth. Flynn was the goalkeeper for the first half. He had to try to stop the other team from scoring. The others chased the ball, trying to shoot it towards their own goal net.

It was a very exciting game. Thomas loved doing tricks with his feet, flipping the ball in the air. The ball came close and Lulu kicked it with all her might. The ball shot down the other end of the field.

‘Great kick, Lulu,' yelled Mum from the sideline.

Thomas chased the ball and moved it further down the field.

He passed it to Lauren. Lauren gave a super-big kick. The ball flew over the goalkeeper's head and into the back of the net.

‘Goal,' yelled Thomas. He punched the air.

Everyone ran down to give Lauren a hug.

A few minutes later, the Mighty Sharks scored a goal. It was one goal for each side.

Then it was half-time. Mum passed out the container of orange pieces. Dad handed out the water bottles. Lulu had a long drink of water.

‘Great work, Squids,' said Kylie. ‘That was an awesome goal by Lauren and great passing by Thomas.'

Kylie patted Lauren on the shoulder. ‘Keep up the good work, team.'

Dad blew the whistle. It was time to
start playing again. For this half, Molly was the goalkeeper. The Squids played hard and finally scored another goal.

‘Two goals to one,' called Mum from the sideline.

Rosie clapped. Gus was lying on the ground with his head on Asha's tummy. Jessie sat beside him watching the ball shoot back and forth. Sam was picking blades of grass.

The other team huddled together whispering.

Dad blew the whistle. Lulu kicked the ball to Flynn. Flynn sent it flying towards the net. Lulu thought they would score another goal. But the Sharks grabbed the ball and kicked it back down the field.

Lauren ran in for a daring tackle. The Sharks were too quick for her. Then Thomas got the ball for a moment, but
it was stolen back by the Sharks. They scooted up the other end to score a goal over Molly's head. It was two goals each.

‘Come on, Squids,' yelled Kylie. ‘Grab the ball. Just a few minutes to go.'

Rosie and her friend Mia were standing on the sideline.

‘Go Lulu, go Squids,' Rosie chanted. She waved her arms in the air.

‘Go Squidses,' shouted Gus. He leaped up and down.

Sam jumped to his feet. Jessie barked with excitement. Her lead dropped to the ground.

The ball came bounding down the field. Lulu got to it first. She ran along, dribbling the ball with her feet. A Shark came in to tackle Lulu. She quickly passed the ball to Lauren.

Jessie bounded along the sideline. Her tongue was hanging out and her tail was wagging. Sam jammed his glasses back against his nose and hurtled after the dog.

Lauren charged forward. She paused, took careful aim and then kicked, straight towards the goal.

Jessie darted onto the field, chasing the ball. She ran straight in front of the goal nets and knocked over the Sharks' goalkeeper. The ball sailed into the back of the net. Lauren jumped in the air. Jessie barked.

‘Great goal, Lauren,' called Thomas.

Jessie licked the Sharks' goalkeeper all over his face.

‘Jessie,' shouted Lulu. ‘Naughty girl.'

‘That's not fair,' cried one of the Sharks' players. ‘The dog knocked the goalie over.'

Jessie sat in the middle of the goal posts with a big doggy smile. The Shark goalie stood up. He wiped his face on his sleeve.

Dad blew the whistle. It was full-time.

‘We won,' shouted Flynn. A cheer went up from the Squids. The players from the Mighty Sharks scowled.

‘Not so fast, Flynn,' said Dad.

Everyone looked at Dad. He pushed his cap back on his head.

‘I'm sorry, Lauren,' said Dad. ‘I can't allow that goal. There was interference from the spectators – well, from Jessie.'

Lulu felt her stomach sink. She hoped no-one would be angry with Jessie.

Sam watched Dad with worried eyes.

Lauren looked at Jessie. Jessie smiled back, her ears cocked. Lauren grinned.

‘That's okay, Dr Bell,' said Lauren. ‘I think Jessie loves soccer as much as I do.'

Everyone laughed. Sam smiled too. Lulu felt the weight lift from her tummy. She gave Lauren a hug.

‘So it's a draw between the Shelly Beach Squids and the Mighty Sharks,' said Dad.

The Mighty Sharks cheered. All the kids crowded around Jessie. They patted her and joked about her dash. Jessie wagged her tail. She looked very pleased with herself.

‘Oh, Jessie,' scolded Lulu. ‘You're not supposed to run onto the field.'

Jessie licked Lulu's hand to say sorry.
Lulu hugged her back. She couldn't be cross with Jessie for long.

‘Never mind, Lulu,' said Mum. ‘It was still a great game.'

After the soccer game, all the parents crowded around. Kylie listed the best moments in the game, and praised all the kids. Lauren won the Player of the Match trophy. She would keep it for the week. Lauren's parents and her little brother Justin beamed proudly.

Then it was time to go home.

At home, Gus and Sam played superheroes. Gus zoomed around the
garden, pretending he could fly. His cloak swirled behind him. Sam followed him, wearing a tablecloth tied over his shoulders. Jessie chased them in circles, her ears flapping like wings.

Mum helped Rosie to sort through the dress-up box. Rosie
oohed
and
aahed
over ball gowns, pirate swords and witches hats. Ebony pounced on a scrap of white lace, tumbling and rolling.

‘Molly, would you like to come next door and help Dad for a while?' asked Lulu.

Lulu and her family lived in the rambling old house behind the Shelly Beach vet hospital. Saturdays were always busy, with lots of animal patients to see. Lulu loved to help out.

‘Yes, please,' said Molly. ‘There's always so much going on there.'

Lulu pushed open the thick green door that separated the Bells' home from the vet hospital in front. Immediately she could smell the tangy odour of antiseptic and animals.

In the very front of the vet hospital was the waiting room. It was crowded with people and pets. There were cats and bunnies in carry cages, and dogs on leads.

Kylie was sitting at the desk talking
to a client. She had changed out of her soccer coach outfit. Now she wore her crisp blue vet nurse's uniform.

The client had a funny-shaped bundle in her arms. It was wrapped in a white towel. The woman carefully passed the bundle to Kylie. Lulu wondered what animal could be hidden inside.

Kylie waved to Lulu and Molly.

‘Come and take a peek, girls,' Kylie said. ‘Look what Mrs Russell rescued up on the Parkway.'

Lulu and Molly came closer. Kylie peeled back the towel to reveal a furry grey creature curled up in a ball. A long thin ear flicked back and forth.

‘It's a wallaby joey,' said Kylie in a low voice. ‘She's an orphan. Her mother was hit by a car. Mrs Russell found the joey safe in her mother's pouch.'

‘Oh,' said Lulu, feeling sad. ‘The poor baby.'

‘Is she all right?' asked Molly.

The joey wriggled. Kylie covered her up again in the towel.

‘Dr Bell will check her over, but she seems fine,' said Kylie.

Kylie turned to Mrs Russell. ‘We'll look after her. Thanks for bringing her in.'

Mrs Russell said goodbye and left. A client came out of the consulting room with her huge Great Dane. She came to the counter to pay. The Great Dane was limping and his back leg was shaved. Dad had operated on his leg last week and the dog was finally going home.

Lulu patted him. ‘Glad you're walking better, Sultan,' she said.

Kylie smiled at Sultan's owner. ‘I'll be right back. I just need to pop this wallaby joey away safely.'

Kylie beckoned to Lulu and Molly to follow.

‘Lulu, can you please ask your dad if he could quickly check the joey in the hospital ward? Then I'll send the next patient in,' said Kylie.

Dr Bell came at once to see the wallaby. Slowly and carefully, he lifted the joey out of the towel and put her on the table. Lulu and Molly stood beside him. The joey kicked and struggled. Dad gently put his hand over her eyes and she settled. He checked her all over.

‘She's had a nasty shock,' Dad said. ‘She's dehydrated. But she's quite big and not injured. If we can get her feeding well in the first twenty-four hours, I think she'll be all right.'

Lulu and Molly smiled at each other.

Dad gave the joey an injection to
rehydrate her. Then he wrapped her up in the towel so only her head was peeking out. She looked at Lulu with big brown eyes.

‘Can we look after her, Dad?' asked Lulu.

Dad nodded. ‘We'll care for her for a few months. But only until she's old enough to go back into the wild.'

‘Hurray,' cried Lulu.

‘What would you like to call her?' asked Dad.

Lulu thought for a moment. She looked at the beautiful grey wallaby, curled in the white towel like a ball.

‘I think I'll call her Mika,' said Lulu. ‘Our Aboriginal friends told me it means moon.'

Molly nodded in approval. ‘That's very pretty.'

‘Well, girls,' said Dad with a grin, ‘time for you to get to work to make Mika comfortable.'