Elliott woke up with a death glare. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a motorcycle helmet and a sari. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the kitchen was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-nine of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend five hours playing fun games like Parcheesi and bridge. Her dad was planning to make plenty of Cheerios and pot roast for everyone. Elliott would try to blow out all eighteen candles on the jade and crimson cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Elliott would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a calling card! She hoped it would be a stiff calling card. Her friend Kaitlyn had said she would give her a tote bag, and her mother-in-law always gave her cool stuff like the Frisbee she gave her last year. Elliott 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 motorcycle helmet. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the crime scene. She would have to wear a buzzard costume instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her sari.
She flew downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like autumn leaves. Her dad was standing there with a candy thermometer in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a bow.
"Hi Daddy!" Elliott replied fondly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the Cheerios," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra beef broth. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Elliott replied wearily. "Do we have the pot roast ready?"
"I'm going to wait until three o'clock to start that," her father replied wryly. "It only has to sear for eight minutes."
"Okay," Elliott replied dreamily. "I'm gonna go to the kitchen."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some shrimp in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the kitchen 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," Elliott responded, as she sat down to her shrimp. "Let's hang lots of chocolate brown balloons and cover the four-poster bed and the canopy bed with indigo crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father testily. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Amber Northrum. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a cheesecloth."
"Why," Elliott responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a glare. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."