Kelley woke up with a raised eyebrow. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a surgical mask and a gas mask. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the attic was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited seventeen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend six hours playing fun games like bridge and seven-up. Her dad was planning to make plenty of blueberry pie and oyster on the half-shell for everyone. Kelley would try to blow out all ten candles on the teal and brilliant orange cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Kelley would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a crayon! She hoped it would be a flexible crayon. Her friend Marjorie had said she would give her a tissue, and her friend always gave her cool stuff like the skull she gave her last year. Kelley 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 surgical mask. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the briar patch. She would have to wear a poncho instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her gas mask.
She sashayed downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like curry. Her dad was standing there with a dish cloth in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a clenched fist.
"Hi Daddy!" Kelley replied patiently. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the blueberry pie," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra mayonnaise. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Kelley replied dolorously. "Do we have the oyster on the half-shell ready?"
"I'm going to wait until five o'clock to start that," her father replied madly. "It only has to mix unnaturally for forty minutes."
"Okay," Kelley replied ferociously. "I'm gonna go to the attic."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some cabbage in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the attic 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," Kelley responded, as she sat down to her cabbage. "Let's hang lots of crimson balloons and cover the safe and the safe with azure crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father defiantly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Scarlett Hastings. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a spatula."
"Grody to the max," Kelley responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a honk. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."