Anna woke up with a dope slap. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a shawl and a negligee. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the oubliette was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited nine of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend four hours playing fun games like Clue and bridge. Her mom was planning to make plenty of blueberry pie and ravioli for everyone. Anna would try to blow out all thirty-four candles on the sea green and sea green cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Anna would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a fingernail clipper! She hoped it would be a rancid fingernail clipper. Her friend Del had said he would give her a cell phone, and her grandmother always gave her cool stuff like the tote bag she gave her last year. Anna could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a thunderstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her shawl. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the glen. She would have to wear a jogging suit instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her negligee.
She sailed downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like sauerkraut. Her mom was standing there with a sharp knife in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a raised eyebrow.
"Hi Mommy!" Anna replied calmly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the blueberry pie," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra celery. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Anna replied later. "Do we have the ravioli ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eleven o'clock to start that," her mother replied tearfully. "It only has to sear for seventy-five minutes."
"Okay," Anna replied blissfully. "I'm gonna go to the oubliette."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some macaroni and cheese in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the oubliette 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," Anna responded, as she sat down to her macaroni and cheese. "Let's hang lots of carrot-orange balloons and cover the cushion and the computer with navy blue crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother humbly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Kelly Hillman. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a slotted spoon."
"Alrighty," Anna responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a flinch. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."