Nicki woke up with a power fist. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a pair of Crocs 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-seven of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend four hours playing fun games like ring around the rosie and jump rope. Her dad was planning to make plenty of fried eggs and burritos for everyone. Nicki would try to blow out all twenty-one candles on the emerald green and maroon cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Nicki would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a teacup! She hoped it would be a ragged teacup. Her friend Bethany had said she would give her a microphone, and her dad always gave her cool stuff like the spittoon she gave her last year. Nicki could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that an ice storm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her pair of Crocs. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the lagoon. She would have to wear a bow tie instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her pair of shin guards.
She stalked downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like mildew. Her dad was standing there with a strainer in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a simper.
"Hi Daddy!" Nicki replied suavely. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the fried eggs," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra canned pineapple. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Nicki replied sorrowfully. "Do we have the burritos ready?"
"I'm going to wait until two o'clock to start that," her father replied slowly. "It only has to smoke for sixty-three minutes."
"Okay," Nicki replied wearily. "I'm gonna go to the game room."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some apple pie 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 father replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Nicki responded, as she sat down to her apple pie. "Let's hang lots of red balloons and cover the cupboard and the dresser with mauve crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father ingeniously. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Marla Ferguson. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a dish cloth."
"I doubt it," Nicki responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a power fist. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."