Keiko woke up with a hoot. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a beret and a cap. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the library was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited thirty of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like follow the leader and Cootie. Her dad was planning to make plenty of beef bouillon and ceviche for everyone. Keiko would try to blow out all ten candles on the maroon and grey cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Keiko would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a button! She hoped it would be a hideous button. Her friend Riley had said she would give her a coat check ticket, and her mother always gave her cool stuff like the bag she gave her last year. Keiko could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a windstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her beret. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the pasture. She would have to wear a belt buckle instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her cap.
She dashed downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like spearmint. Her dad was standing there with a spatula in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a clenched fist.
"Hi Daddy!" Keiko replied innocently. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the beef bouillon," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra celery seed. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Keiko replied hungrily. "Do we have the ceviche ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eleven o'clock to start that," her father replied elatedly. "It only has to marinate for thirty minutes."
"Okay," Keiko replied miserably. "I'm gonna go to the library."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some macaroni and cheese in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the library 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," Keiko responded, as she sat down to her macaroni and cheese. "Let's hang lots of black balloons and cover the bed and the card table with salmon crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father briskly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Liling Marshall. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a chopstick."
"Waa," Keiko responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a gurgle. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."