Nine-year-old Amy Winter's holiday plans have gone from exciting to total disaster.
How is she supposed to have any fun being packed up and sent to stay with a weird relative she can't even remember?
And Aunt Penelope is as weird as they get. With...
"That was awesome!" Amy was still glowing from their return trip. "Can we do it again?"
When Aunt Penelope had said hold on, the last thing Amy had expected was for a rollercoaster wave to lift them high into the air before plummeting, ducking and weaving through star-lit tunnels and gently dropping them off inside the house, near the front door.
"Someday I'll teach you how it's done." Aunt Penelope murmured, patting down her windswept hair before straightening the folds of her dress. "But first you had better answer your phone."
Amy's suitcase materialized in front of her, spreading its zipper teeth open like the jaws of a shark.
Ring... Ring...
Amy gave her aunt a surprised look before gingerly picking up the phone she found crushed between Scruffy's front paws.
"It's mum!" She called out excitedly. "Mummy, you won't believe what I've been doing!" Amy spoke enthusiastically into the phone. She had so much to tell them.
"Amy, my darling," her mother laughed, sounding relieved. "I'm so glad you're not too upset we had to leave in such a hurry. I really miss you." It was so wonderful to hear her mum's voice.
"I miss you too, Amykins," her father's voice echoed in the background.
"I miss you both," Amy told them.
"We only just arrived at the airport. It's bedlam here. I would put you on speaker, but its so noisy. We would love to hear what you've been up to?"
"Oh mum, there' so much to tell you. The face is called Alfred and guess what? He can talk. Also, Aunt Penelope has a miniature horse called Henrietta and she likes me. Three men broke into her room and kidnapped me and took-" Amy was too enthralled in telling all her adventures, that she missed her aunt's warning signals, as she shook her head, waving her hands, mouthing 'no, not that!' until it was too late.
"What?... Hold on a minute - It's hard to hear you - Did you say 'Kidnapped?" Her mother's voice changed pitch as she did when she got worried or annoyed.
Under directions from her aunt, Amy quickly replied, "No... err... I said nanna naps. Aunty has had at least three in her room already."
"Oh.... Your aunt always was a good napper."
Aunt Penelope looked indignant. But her mother was happy again.
Crisis averted....
"That's our flight. They're calling us to board the plane. Honey we have to go. I am so happy you're having a good time. We'll call you when we get to England."
"Goodbye Amykins.... Love you! We will ring you when we land." Her father's voice sounded so far away.
"Goodbye daddy!" she shouted back. But Amy really didn't want to say goodbye; she wanted them here, with her.
"Amy sweetheart, I love you."
"Don't cry mummy" Amy whispered, struggling to hold back her own tears.
"Say hello to your aunt for us. I am sure you're going to have the time of your life. Bye darling!"
"Bye mummy! Love you..." the line went dead. "...too."
All the joy had disappeared. Misery had taken its place. They were really going overseas without her. It had always been the three of them here in Australia, together forever. Now she was the only one. There was no escaping the cascade of tears falling onto her cheek as she slowly sat on the floor, hugging her knees against her chest.
"Maybe this will help."
Aunt Penelope handed Amy a faded tan cocker-spaniel, whose floppy left ear was way shorter than its right, frowning after looking into its huge, black, soulful eyes.
"Scruffy," Amy sobbed, pulling the plush puppy against her cheek, burying her face in his soft fuzzy fur.
He was her best friend in the whole world.
The two of them had shared numerous adventures since she was three years old. He had never complained once, not even when the dog next door had chewed his ear off or when he had fallen out of her bike basket into a puddle of mud. He was always there for her after every nightmare, when she cried herself to sleep, his furry woolen coat soaking up all the tears.
And she needed him now, more than ever.
Amy raised glistening eyes to look into kind consoling green ones, so familiar to her and yet foreign. All it took was her aunt opening up her arms and Amy flew into them... only to find her face pressed up against a black purring ball of fur with two very expressive golden eyes.
"Meeooww!"
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