Sharice 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 pair of earrings and a gladiator helmet. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the den was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited fourteen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend five hours playing fun games like checkers and rummy. Her dad was planning to make plenty of French fries and cinnamon toast for everyone. Sharice would try to blow out all two candles on the crimson and chocolate brown cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Sharice would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a bag! She hoped it would be a leather bag. Her friend Rose had said she would give her a rubber chicken, and her cousin always gave her cool stuff like the Happy Meal she gave her last year. Sharice 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 pair of earrings. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the jungle. She would have to wear a balaclava instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her gladiator helmet.
She slithered downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like grapefruit. Her dad was standing there with a grater in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a hiccup.
"Hi Daddy!" Sharice replied warily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the French fries," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra barbecue sauce. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Sharice replied gratefully. "Do we have the cinnamon toast ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eleven o'clock to start that," her father replied slowly. "It only has to spread into container for twenty minutes."
"Okay," Sharice replied brightly. "I'm gonna go to the den."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some blueberry pie in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the den 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," Sharice responded, as she sat down to her blueberry pie. "Let's hang lots of crimson balloons and cover the bookshelf and the piano with jet black crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father violently. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Gillian Nakamura. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a spoon."
"Indeed," Sharice responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a clenched fist. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."