Grace woke up with a curtsey. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a few polished rags and a diamond bracelet. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the boiler room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited four of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend one hour playing fun games like Rummy and Clue. Her dad was planning to make plenty of refried beans and fish and chips for everyone. Grace would try to blow out all fourteen candles on the brilliant orange and black cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Grace would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a china doll! She hoped it would be a cardboard china doll. Her friend Betsy had said she would give her an accordion, and her dad always gave her cool stuff like the padlock she gave her last year. Grace could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a bit of precipitation was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her few polished rags. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the butte. She would have to wear a jumpsuit instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her diamond bracelet.
She dashed downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like cigars. Her dad was standing there with a meat tenderizer in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with an air kiss.
"Hi Daddy!" Grace replied fearfully. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the refried beans," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra cilantro. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Grace replied nicely. "Do we have the fish and chips ready?"
"I'm going to wait until one o'clock to start that," her father replied glibly. "It only has to slow cook for eleven minutes."
"Okay," Grace replied frantically. "I'm gonna go to the boiler room."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some pie a la mode in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the boiler room 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," Grace responded, as she sat down to her pie a la mode. "Let's hang lots of hot pink balloons and cover the floor and the dresser with pink crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father daintily. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Virginia Kringle. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has an egg cutter."
"Zap," Grace responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a curtsey. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."