Bubbles woke up with a snigger. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a dress and a pair of shin guards. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the game room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-five of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend six hours playing fun games like jump rope and pool. Her mom was planning to make plenty of fried chicken and lobster bisque for everyone. Bubbles would try to blow out all twenty-four candles on the azure and maroon cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Bubbles would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a primrose! She hoped it would be a crude primrose. Her friend Michaelangelo had said he would give her a stamp, and her aunt always gave her cool stuff like the skull she gave her last year. Bubbles could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a gale was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her dress. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the beach. She would have to wear a wristwatch instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her pair of shin guards.
She rolled downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like pumpkin pie. Her mom was standing there with a slotted spoon in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a honk.
"Hi Mommy!" Bubbles replied threateningly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the fried chicken," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra egg noodles. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Bubbles replied strangely. "Do we have the lobster bisque ready?"
"I'm going to wait until twelve o'clock to start that," her mother replied dreamily. "It only has to melt for forty-seven minutes."
"Okay," Bubbles replied sweetly. "I'm gonna go to the game room."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some cotton candy in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the game room 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," Bubbles responded, as she sat down to her cotton candy. "Let's hang lots of orange balloons and cover the fainting couch and the wine rack with pink crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother vacantly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Natalie Bishop. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a ladle."
"It's my party and I'll cry if I want to," Bubbles responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a wrinkled nose. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."