Xaviera woke up with a honk. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a jacket and a tattoo. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the linen closet was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited nineteen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend four hours playing fun games like roulette and pool. Her dad was planning to make plenty of fried okra and roast turkey for everyone. Xaviera would try to blow out all nine candles on the khaki and aquamarine cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Xaviera would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a basket! She hoped it would be a sleek basket. Her friend Erica had said she would give her a cigar, and her mother-in-law always gave her cool stuff like the padlock she gave her last year. Xaviera could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a pelting rainstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her jacket. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the rainforest. She would have to wear a skirt instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her tattoo.
She zipped downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like coconut. Her dad was standing there with a chopstick in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a frown.
"Hi Daddy!" Xaviera replied zestily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the fried okra," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra sourdough. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Xaviera replied reluctantly. "Do we have the roast turkey ready?"
"I'm going to wait until ten o'clock to start that," her father replied smoothly. "It only has to poach lightly for forty-three minutes."
"Okay," Xaviera replied calmly. "I'm gonna go to the linen closet."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some pumpkin pie in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the linen closet 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," Xaviera responded, as she sat down to her pumpkin pie. "Let's hang lots of lavender balloons and cover the pillow and the mattress with orange crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father jokingly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Lottie Lancaster. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has an ice pick."
"For heaven's sake," Xaviera responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a stiff upper lip. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."