Sophia woke up with a backward glance. 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 big grin. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the foyer was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited nineteen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend seven hours playing fun games like ring around the rosie and poker. Her dad was planning to make plenty of roast turkey and falafel for everyone. Sophia would try to blow out all thirty-five candles on the forest green and hot pink cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Sophia would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a cane! She hoped it would be an amazing cane. Her friend Sydmo had said she would give her a stone, and her dad always gave her cool stuff like the bag of popcorn she gave her last year. Sophia could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a pall of doom 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 country meadow. She would have to wear a Panama hat instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her big grin.
She flounced downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like caramel corn. Her dad was standing there with a piece of cheesecloth in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a hug.
"Hi Daddy!" Sophia replied cunningly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the roast turkey," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra tequila. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Sophia replied surreptitiously. "Do we have the falafel ready?"
"I'm going to wait until four o'clock to start that," her father replied gratefully. "It only has to sear outside for four minutes."
"Okay," Sophia replied unnaturally. "I'm gonna go to the foyer."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some catfish stew in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the foyer 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," Sophia responded, as she sat down to her catfish stew. "Let's hang lots of brown balloons and cover the toilet and the fainting couch with striped crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father blissfully. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Leila Gonzales. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a knife."
"Tut-tut," Sophia responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a sniffle. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."