Marybel woke up with a face palm. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a false moustache and a pair of UGGs. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the parlor was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited two of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like poker and baseball. Her dad was planning to make plenty of pie a la mode and crumb cake for everyone. Marybel would try to blow out all three candles on the rose and azure cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Marybel would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a bottle of perfume! She hoped it would be a shiny bottle of perfume. Her friend Theresa had said she would give her a garbage can, and her mother-in-law always gave her cool stuff like the lollipop she gave her last year. Marybel 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 false moustache. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the buffalo wallow. She would have to wear a babushka instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her pair of UGGs.
She loped downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like rotting meat. Her dad was standing there with a blender in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a snicker.
"Hi Daddy!" Marybel replied clumsily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the pie a la mode," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra garlic. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Marybel replied primly. "Do we have the crumb cake ready?"
"I'm going to wait until nine o'clock to start that," her father replied suspiciously. "It only has to boil for sixty-five minutes."
"Okay," Marybel replied lamely. "I'm gonna go to the parlor."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some chicken chow mein in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the parlor 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," Marybel responded, as she sat down to her chicken chow mein. "Let's hang lots of turquoise balloons and cover the display case and the recliner with beige crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father kindly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Patty Sinclair. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a ladle."
"Gads," Marybel responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a hug. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."