Tina woke up with a growl. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a black belt and a pair of cargo pants. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the atrium was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited five of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend three hours playing fun games like Parcheesi and Rummy. Her mom was planning to make plenty of biscuits and gravy and banana split for everyone. Tina would try to blow out all nine candles on the brown and pea green cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Tina would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a twig! She hoped it would be a hollow twig. Her friend Tracy had said he would give her a coupon, and her grandma always gave her cool stuff like the curling iron she gave her last year. Tina could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a pall of doom was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her black belt. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the ridge. She would have to wear a cap instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her pair of cargo pants.
She swung downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like sausage. Her mom was standing there with a wooden spoon in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a hug.
"Hi Mommy!" Tina replied haughtily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the biscuits and gravy," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra strawberries. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Tina replied fearfully. "Do we have the banana split ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eleven o'clock to start that," her mother replied clumsily. "It only has to roast for seventy-five minutes."
"Okay," Tina replied hopefully. "I'm gonna go to the atrium."
"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 atrium 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," Tina responded, as she sat down to her bonbons. "Let's hang lots of olive green balloons and cover the bunk bed and the ironing board with blue crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother craftily. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Karla Riley. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a basting brush."
"For cryin' out loud," Tina responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a woof. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."