cocked her ears.
âHolidays, holidays â I love holidays,â sang Rosie.
She dragged the two dog mats along the floor. Jessie thought it was a game. She tried to jump on and off the mats as they were pulled along. She was much too heavy for Rosie to drag, so they made hippity-hoppity progress.
âJessie, off ,â commanded Lulu in her sternest tone.
Jessie looked up at Lulu, then she slunk off the mat and sat by the door.
Lulu and Rosie added the dog gear to the pile in the hall. Mum was carefully checking her list. She added an easel, a huge box of paints and four large canvases.
âGoodness, I donât know how weâll fit it all in the car,â said Mum. âLulu, could you pop next door and see if Dadâs finished yet? Remind him he needs to help pack everything into the car.â
Luluâs dad was a vet. A thick green door was all that separated their house from the vet hospital in front.
Kylie, the vet nurse, smiled at Lulu as she came into the waiting room.
âAll set?â Kylie asked. âDonât worry. Iâll feed all the animals while youâre away.â
âThanks, Kylie,â replied Lulu. âIs Dad finished yet? Mum says itâs time he started packing the car.â
âHeâs just seeing his last client,â said Kylie. âItâs a Labrador puppy that ate three pairs of socks. The poor thing has a nasty tummy ache.â
Lulu couldnât help laughing. âLabradors will eat anything ,â she said.
âHeâll be all right,â said Kylie, âbut the poor owners will be watching him all Easter to make sure the socks come out the other end!â
Lulu wrinkled her nose. âEeew,â she said. âIâm glad we wonât spend Easter that way. Weâre going to have so much fun at the farm. Weâll go horseriding and swimming in the creek and weâll sleep in a tent. And weâll get to play with our cousins and feed the cows and the chickens. I hope Dad hurries up because I canât wait another moment!â
Chapter 2
Whereâs Billy?
Lulu helped Dad pack the car. They pushed and heaved the bags around to make room for the dogs. Finally they were ready. Molly came over to say goodbye and wish them all a happy holiday. Everyone climbed into the car and snapped on their seatbelts.
âRighto,â said Dad. âOff we go.â
Dad steered the car down the driveway.
âNo,â shouted Gus. âGo back!â
Dad stopped the car. Everyone turned around and looked at Gus. He started to cry.
âWhatâs wrong, honey bun?â asked Mum, stroking his leg.
âBilly,â shouted Gus. âForgot Billy!â
Lulu and Rosie exchanged glances and smiled a secret smile.
âBilly?â asked Dad. âWhoâs Billy?â
Dad turned around and looked at the three children sitting along the back seat.
Gus frowned and pouted.
âBilly is Gusâs friend,â said Lulu. âGusâs invisible friend.â
âOh, for goodness sake,â said Dad impatiently.
Mum looked at Dad and raised her eyebrows.
âCome on, Gus,â said Mum. âLetâs go back and get Billy.â
Mum unclicked Gus from his booster seat and took him inside the house. A few minutes later they reappeared. Both of them were smiling.
âI canât believe we had to go back for an invisible friend!â whispered Dad.
Lulu and Rosie giggled.
Mum clicked Gus into his seatbelt and handed him his favourite puppy soft toy. Gus popped his thumb in his mouth.
It was a long drive to the farm. Mum had packed a chilled picnic lunch. There were egg-and-lettuce rolls, crunchy green apples and frozen fruit juice boxes. Aftertheir meal, Gus and Rosie fell asleep while Lulu read.
Three hours later, they finally crossed a clankety bridge and passed through the wooden gate of Uncle Nickâs farm. Gus and Rosie woke up and rubbed their eyes.
It was
Candace Anderson
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