Hephzibah woke up with a raised eyebrow. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a headscarf and a set of dentures. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the rec room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited seventeen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend one hour playing fun games like backgammon and Cootie. Her mom was planning to make plenty of mashed potatoes and chopped liver for everyone. Hephzibah would try to blow out all twenty-one candles on the crimson and brilliant orange cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Hephzibah would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a bouquet! She hoped it would be a chic bouquet. Her friend Otto had said he would give her a bird bath, and her mommy always gave her cool stuff like the tube of glue she gave her last year. Hephzibah could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a sandstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her headscarf. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the garden. She would have to wear a pair of nylons instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her set of dentures.
She strode downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like natural gas. Her mom was standing there with a knife in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a snarl.
"Hi Mommy!" Hephzibah replied speedily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the mashed potatoes," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra cottage cheese. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Hephzibah replied sarcastically. "Do we have the chopped liver ready?"
"I'm going to wait until two o'clock to start that," her mother replied daringly. "It only has to broil for thirty-one minutes."
"Okay," Hephzibah replied despondently. "I'm gonna go to the rec room."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some chicken pot pie in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the rec 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," Hephzibah responded, as she sat down to her chicken pot pie. "Let's hang lots of maroon balloons and cover the casket and the bed with indigo crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother proudly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Millie Silva. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a slotted spoon."
"Gawwwleeee," Hephzibah responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a caress. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."