Brooke 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 girdle and a pair of shin guards. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the pantry was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-three of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend seven hours playing fun games like volleyball and hearts. Her mom was planning to make plenty of lobster and roast beef for everyone. Brooke would try to blow out all thirteen candles on the camouflage and polka dotted cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Brooke would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain an ashtray! She hoped it would be a stolen ashtray. Her friend Johnny had said he would give her a peace pipe, and her mentor always gave her cool stuff like the purse she gave her last year. Brooke could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a typhoon was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her girdle. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the circus tent. She would have to wear a coat instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her pair of shin guards.
She traipsed downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like potpourri. Her mom was standing there with a chopstick in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a flutter.
"Hi Mommy!" Brooke replied speedily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the lobster," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra kiwis. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Brooke replied repeatedly. "Do we have the roast beef ready?"
"I'm going to wait until nine o'clock to start that," her mother replied lazily. "It only has to spread into container for sixty-three minutes."
"Okay," Brooke replied wryly. "I'm gonna go to the pantry."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some pot roast in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the pantry 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," Brooke responded, as she sat down to her pot roast. "Let's hang lots of maroon balloons and cover the credenza and the end table with indigo crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother courteously. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Nelda Nagy. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has an egg cutter."
"Kaboom," Brooke responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a death glare. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."