Chapter 3: Playground

It’s morning time for the heeler family. They are enjoying breakfast slightly later than usual since Bandit and Chilli stayed up late. They mainly talked about how they would tell Bluey and Bingo about their situation.

“Ok! So what are we NOT going to do today?” Bandit asked.

“Yell and randomly jump on Mum.” Bluey and Bingo said in unison.

“And why aren’t we going to do those things?”

“Because Mum is sick,” Bluey replied. Bingo had to hear Bluey say it first to remember.

“Good job girls! We don’t want her getting hurt… Oh! And also no kisses or eating after her- All good?” “Yes Dad” Bluey and Bingo replied, now back in sync. “Alright.” Bandit clapped. “Since it’s still the weekend, and we have a few more hours before Mum’s appointment, we’re going to the park!” “Hooray!” The kids cheered. Bandit continued, “That way, Mum can relax at home without all the noise that you two create.” Bandit poked Bingo, causing her to giggle.

“What do you mean at home? I’m coming with you guys!” Chilli said, smiling at Bandit.

“Oh!... Ok! Uhh, sure!” Bandit stuttered. Chilli's eyebrows dropped. “Is that ok?” She asked. “Of course! I just thought you’d want to-” “What? Stay at home while you guys have all the fun?” Chilli interrupted.

Bandit paused, then cleared his throat. “The more the merrier! Sorry for assuming…” He smiled at Chilli. She just looked back.

“Finished!” Bluey exclaimed, getting up to put her plate in the sink.

…

“Alright! We ready to go?” Bandit asked, pulling the kids in a wagon behind him. “Yep! And you have your pack, right? Just in case something happens-” Chilli quietly replied while adjusting her fitness watch. Bandit gave her a thumbs up. “Alrighty! Leeeet’s go then!” Chilli cheered. Bingo brought one of her plushies to have a tea party while she waited. Bluey sat out the back like usual.

The family walked down the road. Bandit walked slightly slower than usual to talk with Chilli on the way. They ran into Doreen, chatting with her briefly. Bluey also thought of a new game where she could only step on the cracks in the sidewalk while keeping up with the others.

“We’re here crew! Go nuts.” Bandit waved the kids towards the playground and sat at a nearby bench. Chilli joined him. “Heh, look at them go…” Bandit leaned towards Chilli. “Remember when we could do all that?” He laughed. “Yeah, those were good times…” They were quiet for a bit, just watching the kids play.

Chilli sighed. “Hey… I’m sorry for… snapping at you earlier…”

“Hey... It’s all g-” “Hold on.” Chilli interrupted, putting her finger up. “It’s not just that.” She looked forward and continued. “I’m sorry for every time I’ve done that. Every time it happens, I feel like I have something to prove… like I NEED to say something… but I always feel terrible afterward.” She scoffed. “And to think I’m going to get MORE aggressive soon…”

“That being said… I’m sorry for anything I’ve done and I’m sorry for anything I’m going to do…” She tilted her head down, waiting for a response.

Bandit sat back on the bench and thought for a second.

“I appreciate that…” He leaned forward and sighed. “I know sometimes you can lose yourself… but… I’ll always be here when you come back… And you know why?” Chilli looked at him. “Because you mean WAY more to me than your outbursts... I would never be where I am now without you.”

“We have a house in a nice neighborhood, we can live comfortably, and we have a family…” He looked at Bluey and Bingo playing.

“So… Thank you,” he laughed, “for everything you’ve done… and everything you will do.” He looked at her smiling and then turned back to the kids. Chilli stared at him for a minute and then turned to the kids as well.

“I love you…” Chilli said quietly while smiling.

“I love you too” Bandit replied.

Bluey and Bingo were playing on the monkey bars. Bluey was sitting on the bar at the end, preparing to show Bingo a new trick she learned. She leaned back, carefully hanging on to the bar until she was upside down. At first, she was proud of herself, but her pride quickly turned into fear as she misjudged how high she was.

“Woah- Ummm- DAAAD-” Bluey yelled for Bandit, who was sitting on the other side of the park.

Bandit was talking to Chilli but quickly turned his head to see what was happening. “Oh! We’re coming!” They both got up. Bandit ran over quickly. Chilli tried running at first but slowed down. Bandit gently grabbed Bluey and held her in his arms. “You alright mate?” He asked. “Yeah… I just got scared… Thank you!” “No problem. But be careful next time.” Bandit put her down. “Ok! Come on Bingo, let's go race on the slides!” They both ran past Chilli, who just got there.

“All is good.” Bandit dusted off his hands. “Oh… ok,” Chilli replied.

They both started to walk back to their seat. “Oh wow! Look at those!” Bandit pointed to two birds sitting in a tree. He started to talk about their appearance and how he saw some birds just like them a few days ago. His voice slowly turned into noise. Chilli was deep in her thoughts. The two sat back down at the bench.

“Hey-”

This got Chilli’s attention. She looked over at Bandit staring at her. “You ok?” He asked, gently smiling. “Oh. Yeah… Just… thinking is all…” Bandit looked dissatisfied by her response. “What’s wronnng? Bandit laughed a little bit. “Nothing! Well… Don’t worry about it.” “Come onnnnn.” Bandit continued. “It’s nothing, it’s stupid…” Bandit touched her shoulder. “Please?” She sighed.

“Fine…”

“It’s just that…” She stopped for a second, embarrassed by what she was going to say. “I’m worried that I wouldn’t be able to help the kids if they got in trouble again… Say, if… you weren’t here and Bluey got stuck again… I don’t know…” She turned away.

Bandit looked forward and thought. “Hmm…”

“I agree. That is a problem,” Bandit said, sitting up. Chilli was surprised by his response. Bandit continued, “We don’t want anything happening to the kids. So how about we sit closer to where they are playing from now on? That way we can keep a closer eye on them.” “Heh… I appreciate it, but you could easily help them instead of me… It’s really not a big deal.” Chilli responded.

“Ok. Well, you can stay here if you want.” Bandit got up and walked towards the kids. Chilli’s jaw dropped. She looked at him in disbelief. He looked back at her smiling before sitting down at the other bench. Chilli eventually joined him and sat down next to him. Neither of them said a word. They only watched the kids enjoy themselves. Bandit eventually took a peak at Chilli out of the corner of his eye.

She was smiling.

…

Bandit checked his phone. “Oh! Time to go… Let me call the kids real quick.” “O-Ok…” Chilli responded.

“Alright! Let's go kids! We gotta get home before Mum’s appointment!” “OKAYY,” Bluey yelled, “JUST GIVE US ONE SECOND!” Bandit scoffed, “Of course. They always have one more thing to do... You know what I mean babe?” He leaned towards Chilli waiting for a response but he didn’t get one. “Babe?” He turned around.

Chilli was hunched forward, shaking with her arms wrapped around herself.

“OH, oh my god. Ok! Don’t panic Bandit…” He reassured himself while reaching into his pack. He took out a syringe-like device and grabbed her arm, injecting some of the solution into her shoulder. It’s important that he doesn’t inject her with too much. Bandit put the syringe back, grabbed Chilli by the shoulders, and leaned her back. He kneeled in front of her, trying to get a good look at her face. “Are you ok honey?”

She slowly picked her head up, feeling extremely sleepy, “Ughhhh. Yeah… My head…” Bandit let out a sigh of relief and stood up. “Thank g-”

“Hi :D”

“OH MY F-” Bandit took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “Hi dear!” Bluey and Bingo were standing behind him. “We’re ready now!” “Oh. Yeah. Great! Ummm-” Bandit looked at Chilli, who was half asleep and in no condition to walk. “Is everything ok?” Bingo questioned. “Yep!” Bandit replied, thinking about what to do. Then he looked at the wagon. 

“Hey… Bingo. Do you mind letting Mum sit in your spot on the way home? Her legs are tired.” Bandit would’ve asked Bluey, but he figured this was better than making Bingo sit in the same wagon with Chilli when she’s still upset. “What!?” “Sorry mate, she’s just having trouble walking right now.” “O.k…” Bingo was visibly disappointed. “Hey, don’t worry about it!” Bandit kneeled and whispered, “I have a game you can only play if you’re walking!” Bingo’s eyes lit up. GASP “Ok!”

Bandit helped Chilli into the wagon, and Bluey sat in her lap. Then the family started home along the same path they took to get there. Bluey was talking to Chilli about the games she played with Bingo. Chilli was tired but stayed awake to listen to Bluey’s stories. She loved them. Meanwhile, Bandit and Bingo played a game where she had to copy Bandit’s silly walks. 

They made it home. Bandit and Chilli went inside to get ready while Bluey and Bingo waited in the car. Finally, they were off to the hospital.

-End of Chapter 3- 

Note: Please excuse any medical inaccuracies when it comes to Chilli’s condition. I’m not trying to be perfectly, medically accurate with rabies in the case of anthropomorphic dogs. We are also aware that rabies isn’t a problem in Australia. We figure it’s the only fatal disease we can write about without offending anyone. Thank you all for the feedback on the previous chapters btw! We really appreciate it!