Diane woke up with a gasp. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a bedsheet and a party hat. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the boiler room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited three of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like Monopoly and doctor. Her mom was planning to make plenty of beans and oyster on the half-shell for everyone. Diane would try to blow out all nineteen candles on the azure and aquamarine cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Diane would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a comic book! She hoped it would be a decrepit comic book. Her friend Gabe had said he would give her a coat check ticket, and her mentor always gave her cool stuff like the iPad she gave her last year. Diane could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a drizzle was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her bedsheet. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the badlands area. She would have to wear a hair net instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her party hat.
She swung downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like ammonia. Her mom was standing there with a slotted spoon in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a hoot.
"Hi Mommy!" Diane replied unnaturally. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the beans," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra fresh papaya. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Diane replied merrily. "Do we have the oyster on the half-shell ready?"
"I'm going to wait until four o'clock to start that," her mother replied speedily. "It only has to fry blindly in papery skillet for nineteen minutes."
"Okay," Diane replied frantically. "I'm gonna go to the boiler room."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some ramen noodles in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the boiler 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," Diane responded, as she sat down to her ramen noodles. "Let's hang lots of forest green balloons and cover the billiard table and the casket with green crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother offhandedly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Toni Schmidt. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has an ice pick."
"Zounds," Diane responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a snarl. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."