LaDue woke up with a curtsey. Today was his birthday! He was going to have a lot of fun today. First, he would dress up in a leotard and a black belt. Then, he would run downstairs to see if the master bathroom was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-one of his closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend five hours playing fun games like Rummy and follow the leader. His dad was planning to make plenty of hamburgers and smoked salmon for everyone. LaDue would try to blow out all sixteen candles on the yellow and green cake. While the guests were eating their cake, LaDue would be opening his gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a baton! He hoped it would be a smooth baton. His friend Ashley had said she would give him an iPhone, and his grandma always gave him cool stuff like the basketball she gave him last year. LaDue could hardly wait!
He glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a period of warm weather was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. He looked in his closet for his leotard. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from his day at the briar patch. He would have to wear a locket instead. He didn't really care, as long as he could still wear his black belt.
He bounded downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like elderberries. His dad was standing there with a sharp knife in his hand. "Happy Birthday Son!" he said with a shiver.
"Hi Daddy!" LaDue replied wearily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the hamburgers," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra sweet potatoes. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," LaDue replied carefully. "Do we have the smoked salmon ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eleven o'clock to start that," his father replied tearfully. "It only has to scramble for eighty-four minutes."
"Okay," LaDue replied sorrowfully. "I'm gonna go to the master bathroom."
"First, young man, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some fried chicken in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the master bathroom first?" he begged.
"It looks just like it always does," his father replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," LaDue responded, as he sat down to his fried chicken. "Let's hang lots of aqua balloons and cover the billiard table and the workbench with yellow crepe paper."
"That's fine," said his father sternly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Martha Campbell. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a slotted spoon."
"What the devil," LaDue responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a snort. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."