When nine year old Andrew was told that he and his six year old sister Gemma would be going to stay at their grandparent's house again for a week or two during the summer Andrew was ecstatic Because Andrew knew that staying at his grandparent's home meant eating plenty of pizza hamburgers plenty of ice cream and all the sweets he could eat It also meant having fun at the local park and enjoying Grandad's menagerie in his back garden But what Andrew's grandad didn't tell Andrew about was a secret animal in his collection a rather large one
Chapter One Andrew and Gemma Tyler were happy in fact they were very happy The reason for this happiness They were going to stay with their grandparents for a long weekend They would do this several times a year and as far as Andrew and Gemma were concerned these weekends away were great holiday adventures filled with fun and games ice cream cakes and chocolate It was July and the start of the summer holidays for the children The weather was sunny and hot and with no school the kids just wanted to play and have fun Andrew and his sister were in Andrew's bedroom Gemma was bouncing with joy on Andrew's bed We're going to stay with Grandma and Grandad said Gemma over and over again I can't wait said Andrew I want to play in Grandad's garden again I want to play hide and seek in his garden yeah The children started to run around Andrew's bedroom jumping on his bed as they did so their mother called upstairs to them Andrew Gemma make sure you pack your bags with everything you're going to need at Grandmother's house Okay Mum Andrew and Gemma said together Andrew was nine years old and his sister was six Andrew picked up his large sports bag which he used as a travel bag and filled it with some clothes his computer game console and a picture book about spacecraft Gemma left Andrew's bedroom walked into her bedroom took out her pink travel case which had a picture of a princess on it from under her bed and started to put what she would need into it As well as her clothes Gemma made sure she brought along her favourite Teddy Bear and her number one doll her make up bag and her book about fairy tales Soon the children were in their father's car with their mother driving to the other side of town on their way to their
grandparent's house Now remember said their mother be well behaved for Nana and Grandad Make sure you don't overexert them Nana and Grandad love having fun with us mum said Andrew And they always give us nice treats to eat added Gemma Yes but you heard your mother kids don't go too crazy around them as they aren't as young as your mother and I said their father Okay Dad Andrew said He was so looking forward to playing hide and seek in their house and back garden that he couldn't conceal his excitement And make sure you both wash properly every morning and if you play a lot in the back garden make sure you shower or bathe afterwards understand said their mother Yes mummy we will said Gemma Before long the Tyler family arrived at their grandparents house Nana opened the front door with a beaming smile and Andrew and Gemma rushed up to her and hugged her As usual when Andrew and Gemma went to stay with their grandparents tea and lots of cakes would be waiting for them strawberry cakes and chocolate cakes vanilla cakes and banana cakes ginger cakes and blueberry cakes Some cakes were bought from the local supermarket but often Nana would bake these lovely cakes especially for their grandkids as baking cakes was one of Grandma's hobbies Like most children Andrew scoffed down as much cake as he could eat Don't eat too much at once Andrew said his mother Grandma Joyce had a pet dog and cat the dog was an old English sheepdog named Napoleon and the cat was a moggy called Cleopatra Gemma and Andrew loved these pets Gemma liked to feed Napoleon cakes under the table which the dog eagerly wolfed down Napoleon was such a big soppy old dog that Gemma would sometimes ride on his back around the living room As for their cat Cleopatra she had a look of indifference on her face as all cats seem to have no matter what was happening Andrew's grandparents had an open plan living room dining room and while the children enjoyed their delicious cakes Grandad asked Andrew's dad how his job was going
