Nicki woke up with a shrug. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a Panama hat and a baseball cap. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the linen closet was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-two of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like Candy Land and baseball. Her dad was planning to make plenty of falafel and potatoes and gravy for everyone. Nicki would try to blow out all three candles on the golden and maroon cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Nicki would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a pencil sharpener! She hoped it would be a sophisticated pencil sharpener. Her friend Katherine had said she would give her a vacuum cleaner, and her grandma always gave her cool stuff like the magazine she gave her last year. Nicki could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a thunderstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her Panama hat. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the canyon. She would have to wear a pair of dentures instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her baseball cap.
She pranced downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like toast. Her dad was standing there with a Sham-Wow! in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a wrinkled nose.
"Hi Daddy!" Nicki replied energetically. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the falafel," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra pistachios. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Nicki replied solemnly. "Do we have the potatoes and gravy ready?"
"I'm going to wait until ten o'clock to start that," her father replied furiously. "It only has to mix gleefully for ninety minutes."
"Okay," Nicki replied sadly. "I'm gonna go to the linen closet."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some bonbons in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the linen closet first?" she begged.
"It looks just like it always does," her father replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Nicki responded, as she sat down to her bonbons. "Let's hang lots of brilliant orange balloons and cover the bath mat and the bath mat with hot pink crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father energetically. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Marvella Silva. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a knife."
"Just a minute," Nicki responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a smirk. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."