Hey readers, we're back with another update! Please enjoy this next installment!

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Chapter 18: Teatime

The next few days really felt like a breath of fresh air, like a new beginning. The mountain of stress that I had over my head had all but disappeared. Today would be an interesting day.

To start, I met up with the other kids on the cul-de-sac, Bluey's friends were more than happy to see me again. They showered me with praise for standing up to the bullies. Apparently, I had been in the discussion of topic in Calypso's Class. However, I had to remind Bluey and Bingo to try not to tell anyone about my origins and they agreed.

Anyway, Mackenzie and Rusty approached me sometime during the day with an interesting proposition.

"You play Cricket at all?"

I shook my head as the Australian Kelpie gasped (with "Mack" laughing a bit in the background before voicing his opinion.) "I think Dustin'll be great, she's tough!"

"Yah! You should play with us, Dustin! We'll teach you how to play!" Rusty added.

I thought about it. I've only watched the sport, barely-but it seemed pretty fun to play.

I nodded my head, "sure."

"Sweet as!" Mack said in Kiwi slang, bringing his fist down as Rusty smiled, "how's later this week sound?"

"Sounds good" I smiled back, "of course, if our parents let us."

The Border Collie beside him rolled his eyes before his friend grabbed him and led him elsewhere, "we'll see you, Dustin!"

I waved bye before I rejoined Bluey with her other friends.

By sunset, we returned to the Heeler Residence just as Chili (who had recently returned with Bingo from the doctors and groceries) called us in. I decided to help the mother unpack some things, helping her put away what I could. I then followed her to their bedroom where she started cleaning the floor (with my helping.)

"I have carpet in our room, it feels a lot easier to clean…unless you drop a gallon of soda or something" I said, smiling sheepishly as the mother playfully chuckled in response, "here, you try" she handed the mop before I took it.

As I cleaned the floor, Chili crouched to inspect my bruise (which had mostly faded since the fight) "how are you doing?" I knew what she meant, and I looked up to meet her gaze, "I'm fine." I used to fight a lot when I was younger, after all, I thought to myself.

Seconds passed before I stopped, which got her ear to twitch and face me, "Chili" I began as she looked with a neutral, yet inquisitive, expression, "I appreciate you teaching me how to do all this. I really do."

"Of course, you're doing a fantastic job, Dustin" Chili smiled back.

Our moment is soon interrupted when Bluey and Bingo come running into the bedroom, "hey Dustin! You wanna play Tea Party with us?"

Chili looked at me as I gave a sheepish grin back, "can I?" I said in an overly childish manner.

The adult Heeler chuckled, putting her paw against her hip in response, "go ahead."

The two girls jumped with excitement before I joined them in their signature playroom.

The girls had already set up the scene for playtime. It's a circle of plushies and dolls that are all placed facing plastic teacups and fake plates. Bingo goes and puts on a simple dress to wear, and I decided to play along (putting on a similar dress.) I wasn't too embarrassed like before with Muffin and company…as stated before: it was all in good fun.

After putting it on, I asked the small Red Heeler if I could borrow a plushie and she nodded. I went to grab one, but I was instead offered one of her favorite toys: Floppy.

I've seen this one with her many times and I assumed her being careful with it meant she cared for it so much. Bingo must trust me enough to offer me Floppy to hold and use during playtime. I nodded, carefully taking her plushie with both paws to hold. Bingo smiled, and both of us ran off to sit down around the table as Bluey went outside to the patio. The blue canine rode in with her toy car, stopping by the entrance, "sorry I'm late, ladies" she began, getting out of the foot-powered vehicle to join us.

"Here you go" Bingo said, offering the plastic teapot to her older sibling. The blue canine giggled, leaning over (cup in paw) to receive the tea (which, if it isn't obvious…has no liquid in it.)

"Why thank you, Bingo."

The five-year-old reached over to me next, "here you go Dustin."

I smirked as I received the "tea" "my name is Mrs. Keatle"

"Okay! Here you go, Mrs. Keatle" Bingo laughed as I unintentionally giggled back (oh, the seven-year-old mind strikes again!)

Both girls broke character, tittering as I blushed in embarrassment. Soon though, Bluey got back in character and asked the Red Heeler across from her, "how's the little one doing?" The latter brandished the plushie and said in an over-the-top posh accent, "she's getting so heavy!"

"What about you, Mrs. Keatle?" Bluey asked as she brought the cup to her mouth, pretending to be drinking. I held Floppy as I gave a wink to Bingo before answering, "oh good, we finally paid off our mortgage, and the kids are off to college. You know how it is, dear" I said in a fake deeper accent to pretend I was much older. Bluey and Bingo were lost but were nevertheless amused by it.

To them, all they heard from me was: blah blah blah, kids, blah blah blah!

I shrugged before we continued our playtime. Then comes the time in the day we need to clean up. Of course, the girls didn't want to. It gave me an idea to assert my inner "parent" to them…might as well practice, ye?

"Come on girls, we ought to tidy up the place" I said as I gave Bingo her plushie, Floppy. I began moving plushies and other toy furniture. I stopped when I noticed the two standing there, "what?"

Bluey held her mouth with both paws trying to hide in laughter, "Dustin, you're not a parent, silly."

"Not yet anyway. Come on girls, it's not that much to clean." I insisted. Chili Heeler was outside passing by as she noticed me talking to the girls about cleaning.

Not long after the girls and I organized the playroom, they went to go watch some T.V. in the living room while I decided to sit by the door leading to the patio. It was a nice sunset outside (something not too terribly common in Canada…especially this time of the year.) The poinciana tree is lit up…providing a beautiful contrast to the quickly darkening purple sky. Chili had finished organizing some things left outside for the night and had approached me, "I see you got the girls to tidy up before dinner, very nice" she put her paws on her hips as if to survey the good work we had done. I chuckled back, standing up, "I figured I was there, why not practice good parenting skills?"

She nodded.

I had a fleeting thought on my mind about today, something that caught my interest. Something that seemed random for the moment, but I blurted it out without much thought, "Chili, how do you play Cricket?"

She smiled, gesturing toward the inside of the house to me, "it's something I would ask Bandit, he can explain it to you better."

I nodded back, "gotcha."

She rubbed my shoulder as she led me back inside, "come on, dinner'll be ready soon."

"I'm STARVING" I groaned as she laughed.

During dinner, I asked Bandit and he was more than happy to show me tomorrow the basics of the sport. I smiled, this ought to be interesting.

I went to bed that night, excited for tomorrow. But…as I drifted to sleep, I could have sworn I heard a whisper…perhaps it was a hallucination…maybe…I don't know.

What I do know for sure is that I heard: three days.

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I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. We're close to the end of this story, only a few chapters more. Until then, take care!