Chapter Text
Pat looked at two of his beloveds watching from the window, wondering what was going through their minds as he sat in the car awaiting salvation. Before long, his wife stepped away from the window. Worried she might try to walk the keys to him, he decided to warn her. In a heartbeat he was ringing her phone. He held his head in his hands as the phone was answered. It was his son.
"Hey dad!"
"Lucky? What's going on mate? Where's the keys?"
"Mom's still got 'em, she said she'll get them to you as soon as she can!"
"Yeah? And how exactly does she plan on-"
Pat trailed off in his question as he watched the operation unfold right before his eyes. Janelle had opened the door, blocked Bingo from rushing in with the pillow as a barrier, and then, after exchanging a few words and giggles, she handed over the car keys along with its clicker. Bingo turned and locked her mischievous eyes with Pat, leaving the latter petrified.
"Lucky... Let me have a word with your mum. Now. Please." He couldn't hide the desperation returning to his voice. The door lock popped up. He popped it back down. It popped up again. He answered by smacking it down once more, this time holding the button down until everything went quiet.
"Dad wants to talk to you!" Lucky said to his mom, trying to hide her grin from both her son and her husband as she accepted the phone.
"Yeah babe?"
He looked at his phone, panicked. "Babe... What've you done? I'm a goner!"
"Yeah babe."
"Janelle..." He had almost fully surrendered mentally, but he had to know one thing. "Babe... Why'd you do it?"
"Because you left the seat up again, you knob! Imagine the perfect sleep-in, just for me to wake up and go skinny dipping in my own loo?"
"Mum went skibidi in the loo again Chucky!" Lucky quipped, cracking up with his little brother who overheard the commotion.
"Lucky! What'd I say about that? Get back here you cheeky runts!" Janelle retorted, playfully giving chase to them both.
Pat looked at his hand and realized the lock hadn't moved again since he started chatting with his wife. He looked frantically out the window for a trace, any morsel of hope to convince himself he wasn't so deep. His eyes went wide when he looked at the rear view and saw the trunk was ajar.
"Hi Lucky's dad." Bingo perked up from the back seat. Pat jumped out of his skin, back pinned against the door as he looked his demise right in the eyes.
"Hey there Bingo... Nice onesie you got there squirt. What can I do for you?"
She responded by reaching behind herself, making Pat wince and avert his eyes in apprehension. Upon hearing the jangle of keys, he cautiously opened an eye to see her extending them in his direction.
"I... What?"
"Special delivery!" She shook the keys, with a disarming smile.
"You mean you're not gonna gobble me up?"
"Well, Lucky's mom said you're going to take him to the park today. You can't do that if you're eated." She rolled her eyes playfully, as though it were common sense in her mind.
"... Right. Thanks Bingo! I owe ya one." He took the keys, relieved at the revalation. Lucky was darting towards the car, having eluded his mother's wrath for now.
"Guess we'll be off. See ya later Bingo!"
"Maybe for dinner!" She opened the door and slid out of the car.
"Hang on, what? What do you mean by that? Hello?" He watched her scamper along as he was left in the dark.
"Dad?" Lucky pulled his dad from a fearful spell of brainstorming.
"Yeah mate? Ready to get a move on?"
"Yeah. Are you alright?"
"Never better squirt."
"I wanted to say sorry for waking you so early. I was just really excited to go to the park."
"No worries mate, I've got some lazy bones this weekend. Good for me to get out of the house I reckon." He stretched his arms to help drive the point.
"What about your coffee?"
"Eh, I'll live without it. Got a good workout in already."
"Babe? Still there?" The mother spoke breathlessly.
"Yeah babe, just about to get the lead out."
"Good, I got one more for ya." Janelle was walking towards the car with Chucky hurled over her shoulder, squealing and wagging merrily. She strapped him into the carseat next to his brother. Waving goodbye to them both, and turning to continue with chores. Before she could get very far, she heard the window rolling down.
"Babe, wanna come with?" Pat beckoned. "I hate to leave you here all by your lonesome."
"YES!" She beamed without hesitation, her freshly brushed teeth gleaming in the afternoon light. That contagious cheerfulness spread to everyone in the car. The chores could wait, time with family could not. As she was grabbing her sunglasses and a cold water bottle from the fridge to throw in her bag, however, her phone started to ring. She wasn't surprised to see Bingo's dear mother on the line.
"Hey Chili! Let me guess: Bingo?"
"Yeah girl. Is she causing a ruckus? I'm really sorry Janelle, we're on our way to come get the little scamp."
"Oh, it's no trouble! She sure got the sleepies out that's for sure." She reassured, with an audible stretch that caused her back to pop lightly. "And besides, she took off already. Homebound I reckon."
Upon hearing this, Chili covered the phone and spoke across the room to Bandit, who was in the process of stuffing a backpack with essentials and gear. Janelle could still make out her conversation, despite her efforts.
"Hear that babe? She's already on the way!"
"Yeah we'll see. Come on babe, get out and stretch your legs with me and Bluey. It's a good day for it."
"But I-"
"My mum's got it all under control here, and we'll be back before you know it. Trust me."
As Bandit finished up packing, Chili's escorted herself worriedly to the entrance of the kitchen. Christine was juggling between stirring pots and pans, dicing and prepping, and sprinkling spices like the maestro of a culinary symphony. How she was still able to maneuver about the kitchen with such speed and grace stupefied Chili.
"I'm getting old, but I'm not that old hun. Pick your jaw off the floor will ya?" Nana joked, without facing her in-law.
"Oh! Sorry Christine, I was just-" Chili noticed she was still on the phone and apologized to the mother she left on hold.
"No worries hun, just call us if you need anything."
"Hun, have you seen my sunnies? I can't find 'em anywhere." Bandit shouted from the living room.
"Mom look! Don't I look cool? Now I can stay up all day AND night!"
"Bluey? Bluey! Get back here with my sunnies!" Bandit's voice trailed down the hallway as screaming laughter echoed through the home. Chili returned her attention back to the call.
"Will do Janelle, thank you. Later hun."
After salutations, she ended the call and stepped outside, putting the key in the door and shaking her head at the Heeler family hijinks. It made her even more excited to spend the weekend making some memories with her own.
As she started toward the car, the sound of an incoming scream barreling down the street caught her attention as she turned the deadbolt. A young lad on his bike jetted rapidly down the road, followed by two others of the same likeness taking after him. Perhaps they're having a race, she thought. They do look oddly familiar though.
"Come on you slowpoke, daylight's burning!" Pat blurted cheekily. Janelle waved her paw at him to settle down as she walked to the car, getting cozy in the front seat. Her eyes trailed upward as she noticed a huge dent in the roof, as well as a lump on her husband's head. Pat backed out of the driveway slowly and they began their venture.
At the Heeler home, Bluey flapped about in her onesie, alongside a beautiful butterfly that caught her eye. She watched with wonder as it perched on a flower.
"One day, I wanna be as pretty as you are."
"You're already there squirt," Bandit said as he and Chili had emerged from the house. "Come on, let's get searching. She couldn't have gone too far." Bandit had donned a scala outback hat and Chili was wearing a pink button down shirt. Bluey grinned at their combined appearances, thinking they looked quite silly.
"Good to go love?" Bandit asked, glancing at his wife with a smile.
"Yeah babe. Let's get a move on, while we're young?"
"Alright alright." He rolled his eyes. "Let's get wrangling."