Baby Secret

• India Cottrill, Grade 3
• Short Story
• 2021

“ATCHOO!” Ellie was definitely sick. She blew her nose into a tissue and shook her head at the twins.
“Beach! Beach!” they gurgled.
“No, Bonnie, sorry Jack, I’m too sick for the beach.” Actually, Ellie felt too sick for anything. She called James at work.
“James! I know you’ve just worked nightshift, but my cold’s too bad – I need to take the medicine that makes me drowsy… and I need to take it now. Can you come straight home to mind the kids while I have a nap?”
James was exhausted. Ellie had dozed off as soon as he walked in the door, but it had taken him an hour to get the twins to sleep. He knew they wouldn’t sleep long in the middle of the day, so he tried to keep himself awake by reading, eating and biting his fingernails… but it was no use. As the sun rose higher his eyelids closed and he drifted off to sleep.
“Beach!” said Bonnie.
“Beach!” said Jack. They both had the same idea. Bonnie helped Jack to climb out of the cot. Jack pulled her arm until she fell out too. Kitchen drawers make extremely good baby ladders. They crawled along the bench and out the open kitchen window.
Holding hands, they toddled off, down the garden path and out onto the street.
“Bus!” said Bonnie.
“Bus!” said Jack.
“Beep!” said the bus. Only the bus driver noticed two little babies crawling up the steps and onto two spare seats.
The beach was only one stop away. No one noticed two little babies crawling down the steps and onto the beach.
A news reporter adjusted her camera. “Melbourne Zoo is releasing five rehabilitated sea turtles and two dolphins back into the sea!” she exclaimed.
Everyone noticed the two little babies riding the dolphins frolicking in the sea!
“Wet!” giggled Bonnie. “Fun!” chuckled Jack.
“Bonnie! Jack!” called Sophie from next door. “Want a ride home in my little red wagon?”
She pulled them home in the wagon and let them in through the dog flap.
Ellie stretched. She felt better after her long sleep and was relieved that she wasn’t feeling sick anymore. She caught sight of James snoring loudly with his mouth open on the end of the bed. Suddenly she panicked,
“James!” James woke up with a snort, “What are you doing?! You are supposed to be minding the kids?!!!” James’ face screwed up in distress and he dashed down the stairs with Ellie close behind him.
James and Ellie breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the twins still sleeping soundly. While Ellie showered, James flicked on the TV to the news, as he tucked the twins in. He wondered why they were so sandy. And wet.
“Amazing scenes at Mornington today folks, when two little babies stunned zoologists by riding dolphins into the bay!”
James switched the TV off. Maybe best that Ellie didn’t watch TV for a while.
“Secret?” murmured Bonnie. “Secret!” whispered Jack.