Lulu Bell and the Pyjama Party
Read Lulu Bell and the Pyjama Party Online
Authors: Belinda Murrell
Meet Lulu Bell. Where there's Lulu, there's family, friends, animals and adventures galore!
Molly, Sam and Ebony the kitten are staying the night for a pyjama party. Yay! Lulu is looking forward to stories and games and snacks.
But it's a busy night for Dad's vet hospital. An orphaned wallaby joey needs care and a mother dog arrives ready to have her puppies. Dad needs Lulu and Molly's help â even if they're still in their pyjamas!
For two beautiful nieces â
Meg and Lauren
Saturday Morning
It was early when Lulu Bell opened her eyes. She nearly rolled over and went back to sleep, but then she remembered. It was Saturday morning â hurray! Lulu loved Saturdays. And this was to be a very special one, because Mum had organised a pyjama party.
Lulu's best friend Molly was coming to stay. So was her little brother Sam.
Even Ebony the kitten was coming for the sleepover.
Lulu jumped out of bed. Lulu's sister Rosie was still asleep in the bed opposite, her dark hair fanned out on the pillow. Lulu got dressed quickly and quietly. Saturday was also soccer day, so Lulu pulled on her team uniform. There was a sky-blue soccer shirt, white shorts, shin pads and long blue socks.
She picked up her soccer boots and ran into the kitchen.
Lulu's mum was sitting at the table and reading the newspaper.
âGood morning, honey bun,' said Mum. âDid you have a lovely sleep?'
Her dad was at the kitchen bench.
âHow's my little soccer star?' asked Dad. âAre you ready for the big game against the Mighty Sharks?'
Lulu gave them both a good morning hug as she answered their questions. She stood behind the kitchen bench and helped Dad crack eggs into a bowl.
Next Dad sliced up mushrooms for the omelette. Dad and Lulu always made a special breakfast on Saturday mornings.
Lulu looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. Her brown eyes danced with excitement.
âWhat time are they coming?' she asked.
She whisked the eggs with a little milk.
âIt's seven o'clock,' said Mum. âMolly and Sam should be here any minute.'
Just then the doorbell rang.
âThey're here,' cried Lulu.
She raced to the front door, followed by two brown dogs.
Outside stood Molly, Sam and their mum Tien. They were carrying their sleeping bags and pillows. Molly was also dressed in her sky-blue soccer uniform.
Tien was holding a small carry cage and two overnight bags. One of Lulu's dogs, Jessie, sniffed at the cage.
Meow
, cried a cross voice from inside. Ebony the kitten didn't like being sniffed at.
âHello, Molly,' cried Lulu. âHello, Tien and Sam. Come in.'
âHello, Lulu,' said Molly and Tien together.
Tien was dressed in her high heels and a suit. She was going away for the weekend for work.
Sam didn't say anything. He looked up at Lulu with big, dark eyes. He held his mum's hand tightly.
Everyone came inside. Mum welcomed them.
âPut your pillows and sleeping bags in the lounge room,' suggested Mum. âI thought you could all sleep in there tonight in front of the fire.'
âMum said we can toast some
marshmallows over the fire,' said Lulu. âJust like camping.'
Molly and Lulu stacked the bedding neatly near the sofa. Rosie and Gus came in then. All the commotion had woken them up. Gus rubbed his eyes and yawned.
Dad popped his head around the door to say hello. Sam looked around at all the people and shrank closer to his mother's side.
âDo you have time for a cup of tea?' Mum asked Tien.
Tien checked her watch. âNo, I have to get going,' she replied. âThanks so much for having the children for me. I don't know what I'd have done without you.'
âIt's a pleasure,' replied Mum. âYou know we love having Molly, Sam and Ebony any time.'
Sam buried his face against his mother's skirt. Tien hugged him close. She lowered her voice.
âSam's feeling a little shy,' explained Tien. âHe's never stayed away from home before.'
Lulu came over to Sam. She threw her honey-coloured plait over her shoulder and crouched down beside him.
âDon't worry, Sam,' said Lulu. âWe're going to have so much fun. We have
soccer this morning. Then we can play games and eat party food. You'll love it, I promise.'
Sam looked up at Lulu. He blinked behind his glasses. Lulu thought he might start crying. She tried to think of something to cheer him up.
âDo you think Ebony is excited about having a sleepover at her mum's house?' asked Lulu.
Ebony was one of Pickles's kittens. She had been born in the washing machine. Now she lived with Molly and Sam.
Sam nodded slowly.
âShall we go and look for Pickles then?' asked Lulu. âI think she might be hiding somewhere. Let's hope she isn't in the washing machine this time!'
Mum smiled at Lulu. âGreat idea, honey bun. But first, Sam, give your mum a kiss goodbye.'
Sam and Molly kissed Tien goodbye. Tien hugged them both, looking worried. Mum walked Tien towards the front door.
âSam will be fine,' said Mum. âWe'll look after him.'
Lulu took Sam's hand.
âCome on, Sam. Let's find Pickles!'
The Hunt for Pickles
Molly opened the carry cage and scooped out Ebony. The velvety black kitten purred and rubbed her face against Molly's chin.
âSam, would you like to carry Ebony?' asked Molly.
Sam nodded and took the kitten in his arms. He hugged her close.
Lulu led the way. The five children hunted for Pickles in all the usual spots.
Jessie tagged along, sniffing and searching. They looked in Dad's shoe cupboard, on the back step and under the lavender bush. On the way, they stopped to say hello to Flopsy the bunny and the ducklings in their run.
They even checked in the washing machine, just in case. But Pickles wasn't there.
Finally Rosie found Pickles, the tortoiseshell cat, curled up under Lulu's bed.
Ebony leaped out of Sam's arms and raced to her mother. Pickles meowed and licked her kitten on the head. Ebony purred with pleasure.
The children lay on the floor and watched the cat reunion under the bed. Ebony snuggled against her mother and butted her with her head. Pickles put her
paw on Ebony. She held her kitten down and washed her face with her rough tongue. Ebony squirmed and wriggled as she was licked all over.
âAren't they cute?' asked Lulu. âPickles is giving her a bath.'
Rosie screwed up her face. âI'm glad Mum doesn't lick me when she gives me a bath,' she said.
Lulu laughed.
âEbony loves seeing her mother,' said Molly.
At the mention of the word mother, Sam pushed his glasses back on his nose and gave a little sniffle.
âIt's all right, Sam,' said Molly.
âWhen is Mum coming back?' asked Sam. His voice cracked. âI don't like her going away.'
âShe'll be here tomorrow afternoon,' said Molly.
Sam pushed his bottom lip out, trying not to cry. Lulu thought for a moment.
Poor Sam. How can I help him feel better?
âSam, your mum doesn't want to go away,' said Lulu. âBut sometimes people have to do things they don't want to do. Sometimes we have to be a little bit brave.'
âBug Boy brave,' said Gus.
He pushed his bug boy mask back off his face. His antennae wobbled.
âCan you be brave, Sam?' asked Lulu.
Sam thought about it. âI'm brave too,' he decided.
âGood,' said Lulu. âLet's go and eat some breakfast.'
They all sat around the kitchen table. Dad served the cheesy ham-and-mushroom omelette on toast. It was delicious.
Everyone chatted and laughed as they ate. Except Sam.
He pushed his fork around the plate.
âNot hungry, Sam?' asked Mum. âDon't worry. If you can't finish your breakfast, the dogs will love it.'
The dogs lay on their bed in the corner. At the mention of breakfast, both of them sat up and thumped their tails. It was easy to tell them apart. Asha's muzzle was grey, while her daughter Jessie was the smiliest dog in the world.
After breakfast, the kids cleared the table. Mum and Rosie stacked the dishwasher. Lulu showed Sam how to feed the dogs.
âSit, girls,' ordered Lulu. Asha and Jessie sat obediently, their tongues hanging out. âStay.'
Lulu scraped the leftovers into the two dog bowls. Asha and Jessie looked up at Lulu hopefully.
Lulu whispered to Sam. âNow say, “good girls”. That's how they know they're allowed to eat. We've trained them to have beautiful manners.'
Sam looked at the two big dogs. Asha thumped her tail on the floor. âGood girls,' he said.
The two dogs leapt up. They gobbled up their breakfast in seconds and licked the bowls clean. Sam smiled.
âNow we'd better get going,' said Dad. âWe don't want to be late for the game.'
âRug up, everyone,' Mum reminded them. âIt's cold out there.'
Rosie wore a beanie and scarf with her angel wings. Gus pulled down his bug boy mask. Everyone grabbed a warm jacket.
It was a fifteen-minute walk to Lagoon Park. The dogs bounded along, sniffing all the wonderful smells. They loved coming to soccer on Saturday mornings too. Mum had the water bottles and the sliced oranges in a
container. Dad had his whistle and the soccer ball.
There were lots of families arriving at the park. Some of the kids wore the same sky-blue uniform as Lulu and Molly. Others wore the black and red of the opposition â the Mighty Sharks. Lulu felt a bubble of excitement well up. She loved soccer.
âCome on, Gus. Come on, Sam. Let's go. It's time for some super Squid fun.'
