Brooke woke up with a grin. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a pair of briefs and a gas mask. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the lounge was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-five of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like checkers and Simon Says. Her dad was planning to make plenty of biscuits and gravy and cabbage for everyone. Brooke would try to blow out all fourteen candles on the terra cotta and emerald green cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Brooke would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a burqa! She hoped it would be an ancient burqa. Her friend Alissa had said she would give her a paintbrush, and her wife always gave her cool stuff like the chain she gave her last year. Brooke could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a downpour was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her pair of briefs. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the bog. She would have to wear a smartwatch instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her gas mask.
She dove downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like black pepper. Her dad was standing there with a spatula in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a pout.
"Hi Daddy!" Brooke replied numbly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the biscuits and gravy," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra soy sauce. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Brooke replied grudgingly. "Do we have the cabbage ready?"
"I'm going to wait until ten o'clock to start that," her father replied quietly. "It only has to bake at 450 degrees F for fifteen minutes."
"Okay," Brooke replied calmly. "I'm gonna go to the lounge."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some cabbage rolls in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the lounge 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," Brooke responded, as she sat down to her cabbage rolls. "Let's hang lots of mauve balloons and cover the bathtub and the recliner with terra cotta crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father properly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Juanita Tang. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has an electric mixer."
"Now we're talking," Brooke responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a roar. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."