: The SuRpRisE PaRTy
“I’ve got the crepe paper and Natty’s got the balloons,” Kim announced, charging through to the apartment across the hall.”
“Move out, troops. Operation: Rochelle’s birthday has commenced.”
“I can’t reach anything,” I complained. “I have to stand on the furniture to do the crepe paper.”
“Help with balloons,” Ashley directed.
“But Kim and Natty are doing that. I’ll be in charge of the tape,” I decided, picking up the Scotch tape.
“Stop the chitchatting,” Kim ordered. “She’s gonna be back any second. Tape!”
“I think we’ve got a few minutes. She told Erica she wouldn’t be back till closer to 7:00. Tape!” Ashley responded.
“Tape, please!” Natty sang from across the room. After handing her the piece of Scotch tape, we looked around. “I’ve only got one more balloon,” she announced to the room. “Where should I put it?”
“Hang it from that crepe paper that goes from one corner to the other,” I suggested.
“That’ll look stupid.”
“So? Who cares? That’s the point.”
As she taped the balloon to the crepe, the entire streamer fell down.
“Shit!” Ashley screeched from across the room. “Now you’ve done it!”
She struggled to reattach it to the ceiling while I got the tape ready. “I can’t reach it!” she huffed and puffed. “It’s too high!”
“Ash, it doesn’t have to be taped to the ceiling. Just tape it to the wall.”
“That’ll look stupid!”
“What is it with you people? What are we, a professional party service? Rochelle is not going to come in here and say, ‘That streamer’s not attached to the ceiling; it looks terrible!’ She’s not even gonna notice.” Ashley ignored me and hung it to the ceiling.
“Finished,” Kim declared.
We oohed and aahed and squealed and exclaimed over our work, then turned off the lights and sat down to wait for Ro to get home. After about two minutes, I whispered, “I’m bored.”
“Shh!” three other voices told me.
“How about if someone’s lookout?” Kim suggested.
Ashley manned the front window. “With the candle burning over there it looks like a scene out of Sleeping Beauty. ‘Touch the spindle of the spinning wheel!’” she commanded.
This caused Natty and me to get the giggles.
“She’s coming, she’s coming,” Ashley cried. “Here comes her car.”
We ran to resume our places and Kim and I pulled out our cameras. I couldn’t stop laughing. “Shh!” Ashley cautioned.
“She’s not coming yet,” I managed to say through my laughter. “First she’s gotta park her car and get her bag.”
Kim, Ashley and Natty exploded into laughter.
“What’s so funny?” I huffed.
“Shh! Shh! She’s coming, I heard the outside door.”
A second later the key was in the lock. Then—
“SURPRISE!”
