Ada Belle woke up with a jeer. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a pair of gloves and a motorcycle helmet. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the solarium was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited eleven of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend three hours playing fun games like dodge ball and jump rope. Her mom was planning to make plenty of cabbage and apple pie for everyone. Ada Belle would try to blow out all thirty-two candles on the olive green and orange cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Ada Belle would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a fountain pen! She hoped it would be a crude fountain pen. Her friend Twigs had said he would give her a tissue, and her sister always gave her cool stuff like the tube of glue she gave her last year. Ada Belle could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a driving rain was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her pair of gloves. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the bog. She would have to wear a surgical mask instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her motorcycle helmet.
She sashayed downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like black pepper. Her mom was standing there with a whisk in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a hug.
"Hi Mommy!" Ada Belle replied elatedly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the cabbage," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra tomatoes. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Ada Belle replied crossly. "Do we have the apple pie ready?"
"I'm going to wait until one o'clock to start that," her mother replied sympathetically. "It only has to mix quietly for twenty minutes."
"Okay," Ada Belle replied offhandedly. "I'm gonna go to the solarium."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some beans in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the solarium first?" she begged.
"It looks just like it always does," her mother replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Ada Belle responded, as she sat down to her beans. "Let's hang lots of navy blue balloons and cover the TV and the fainting couch with periwinkle crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother boldly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Taylor Hart. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has an ice pick."
"Incredible," Ada Belle responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a snort. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."