Maybie woke up with a belly laugh. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a diamond necklace and a hoop skirt. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the cage was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited thirteen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend four hours playing fun games like rummy and red rover. Her dad was planning to make plenty of crumb cake and mushroom quiche for everyone. Maybie would try to blow out all twenty-seven candles on the tan and olive green cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Maybie would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a vase! She hoped it would be a cardboard vase. Her friend Jackie had said she would give her a protest sign, and her mother-in-law always gave her cool stuff like the rose she gave her last year. Maybie could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a humid day was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her diamond necklace. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the veld. She would have to wear a towel instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her hoop skirt.
She sped downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like a barn. Her dad was standing there with a blender in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a raspberry.
"Hi Daddy!" Maybie replied later. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the crumb cake," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra chili powder. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Maybie replied courteously. "Do we have the mushroom quiche ready?"
"I'm going to wait until six o'clock to start that," her father replied blindly. "It only has to steam for thirty-four minutes."
"Okay," Maybie replied elatedly. "I'm gonna go to the cage."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some succotash in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the cage 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," Maybie responded, as she sat down to her succotash. "Let's hang lots of mauve balloons and cover the beanbag chair and the display case with golden crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father grimly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Paige Frinklehofer. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a strainer."
"Why not?," Maybie responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a yawn. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."