Chris Kunz - Penguin Bloom

After only a few days with us Blooms, Penguin felt like one of the gang. On the last day of the school holidays, we were in the living room, just hanging out.

Oli wasnt always super sensitive about Mums condition. But he was only little, so nobody blamed him. He poked Mums leg and asked, Can you feel this?

Mum shook her head.

Oli poked her leg a bit further down. Can you feel this?

Mum shook her head no again.

Oli called it a superpower, but Mum didnt see it that way.

I think Penguin could sense Mums unhappiness and did her best to cheer her up. She cheep-cheeped at her, expecting some kind of response.

Mum, Penguins talking to you, I prompted.

Mum just stared off into space, in her own

world. What?

Why dont you like her? I asked.

Mum shrugged. Its a wild bird, Noah, which means it cant stay here forever, right?

Id made a special breakfast mix for Penguin, but she was still not great at taking food from me. Cmon, Peng, I coaxed. Youve gotta get your strength up.

Rueben was as helpful as ever. She obviously doesnt like it, Noah.

She should, I said. I made it just like they said online, with bugs and eggs and stuff.

Rueben stuck out his tongue. You try it, see whether it tastes good.

Shut up, Rueben.

Mum just sighed. Normally Id get in trouble for telling my brother to shut up.

Dad arrived back from a job, and his presence made everyone relax slightly.

Hey? Sorry Im late. I was sposed to be taking a normal family portrait, but turns out they all hate each others guts. And mine too apparently. So that was a bit of fun.

He dumped his photographic equipment on the bench, and then went over to kiss Mum. Hey, how are you? Hows the pain: one to ten?

Mum looked angry at him for asking, but said, Im fine.

Dad turned to Penguin. And you? Gday, gorgeous.

He tickled the top of Penguins head, and she sneezed.

Gesundheit, said Dad.

Everyone laughed except for Mum.

I thought wed get fish and chips for dinner? suggested Dad with a grin. Eat on the beach?

Ye-es! said Rueben and Oli.

Can I bring Penguin? I asked.

Sure, said Dad. And Sam, I could carry you

Mum grimaced. No.

Dad persevered. Its beautiful down there. Come on. The boys can jump in for a dip.

Please, Mum? begged Rueben.

I dont think so. You boys go. Im almost ready for bed anyway. Mum wouldnt budge.

Dad tried again. Its too early for bed, Sam...

But Mum began to wheel herself away.

Please, Mum? asked Oli in his sweetest voice.

Mum turned to Oli, trying to hold back tears. Sorry, bub, just a bit tired. She gave him a big hug. Bring me back a shell, okay?

Oli nodded, feeling a little better. He liked having a mission.

Mum left and headed for her bedroom.

Dad turned to us. Grab your towels while I help Mum, okay?

While we gathered our beach stuff, I overheard Mum and Dad talking. He was helping her get ready for bed.

Never ask me that question in front of the boys again, Mum said angrily to Dad.

What question? he asked, confused as to why she was so upset.

How am I. I dont want to have to lie to them, Cam. Do you understand?

Dad sighed. Okay. Im sorry.

Roo and Oli were calling him, ready to leave by that stage, so he kissed Mum goodbye and left her alone.

Down at the beach, Penguin played on the sand with me and watched seagulls fly overhead. I reckon she missed her mum, just like I did. I found a really nice shell that I gave to Oli to give to Mum when he got back home. I knew shed like it. Then we ate fish and chips and oysters on the headland, looking out over the sea. Dad seemed particularly sad I knew he was worried about Mum, and he missed her being with us too.

There should be nothing else to mention about that day, but unfortunately that was not the end of it. We were woken in the middle of the night, with a sickly-sounding Rueben calling out to Dad.

Turns out the oysters gave both my brothers bad food poisoning. There was a lot of gross vomiting, and Dad was slipping around the bathroom floor, cleaning up the mess that happens when there are two kids vomiting and only one toilet bowl to vomit in. Luckily for Penguin and me, we didnt like oysters, so we could stay well clear of the bathroom.

When Oli and Rueben had finally stopped, and Dad returned them to their beds, I heard him trudge wearily back into his bedroom. Mum was crying. I knew she had wanted to help, to comfort Oli and Rueben. She had always been there to look after us when anything went wrong. And now she couldnt run to us when we called to her.

I did some internet research. Twenty million people holiday in Thailand every year. Thats a lot of people, right? And more importantly, there are twenty million other people that this could have happened to. There are forty million other hands that could have touched the railing that Mum leant on before she fell. A railing that was fifteen years old. That means there was a total of 5,475 other days in its lifetime that it could have broken.

But it waited for Mum.

And I... I havent really mentioned this before now, because, well, Im the one that had noticed the platform, and Im the one that told her to come up and take a look at it with me. If I hadnt pointed it out, if I hadnt...

Anyway, I needed to give Penguin an extra-big hug before I fell back asleep that night.

A new term began, and Oli, Rueben and I had to go back to school. Dad was busy with work and I was really worried about Penguin being lonely without us all there. So I needed back-up.

While the others were piling into the car, ready to get driven to school, I went to Mums bedroom and knocked on the door. She hadnt got up to help with our school lunches, so I knew she probably wasnt feeling too good.

Mum? I called out quietly.

There was no answer.

Mum? I said again.

Come in, Snow, said Mum, sounding tired.

I came in. She was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. Can you look after Penguin for me today, Mum? Shes not eating very well.

Mum didnt answer for a long while.

Mum?

Yeah, okay, Noah.

Dad was calling me to hurry up by that stage, so all I had time to do was give Peng a quick pat before sprinting to the car. I spent all day worrying about her too. Couldnt concentrate on schoolwork or what my friends had done on the holidays or anything normal.

But Mum told me later what that first day alone had been like for her and Penguin. Two minutes after the car had driven down the driveway, Mum heard Penguin start to cheep. And she got louder and louder and didnt stop. She was obviously wondering where my brothers and I had gone. She was used to being entertained by us.

Mum just wanted to stay in bed, but Penguins cheeping was driving her crazy, so she managed to get herself out of bed and into her wheelchair. She was angry by this stage. She wheeled herself out to the living room and there was Penguin in her laundry basket, cheep-cheeping away like a baby bird wanting her mother to feed her.

Mum felt a bit sorry for her and offered her some of the food Id left for her. But the cheeky bird wouldnt even take it. Mum got even more annoyed and decided to turn on some music to block out the sound of Penguins cheeping. Now that shed been forced to get up, Mum went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. By the time she came back from the bathroom, Penguin was no longer in the laundry basket. Mum couldnt see Penguin and couldnt hear Penguin. Where had she gone?

Mum turned off the music, and a game of cat and mouse began. (A game of Mum and bird doesnt sound quite right so youll have to be okay with cat and mouse.) Mum wheeled herself carefully around the room, but now Penguin had gone into stealth mode and stopped cheeping.