28 Fred's 7th Birthday

I told my parents everything that happened during the interview, including Victor's plan as we journeyed back home. They were pleased with how I handled myself and happy that Victor can now finally reunite with his mother and his sister. No one knew what he was passing through including my parents until I told them about it.

Mom also said that she forgot to tell me not to say anything about having any preference for a particular food and that a boarding student should be able to eat any food as long as they are not allergic to it.

Elite Academy slashed our number from five hundred to three hundred admitted students because of this flimsy reason of food choices. I had my senior to thank for getting it right.

Fred ate a lot in the car but I barely ate anything because I was overexcited.

One of my greatest wishes has been fulfilled and I had a sound sleep that night as we got home.

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"Young lady, what are you doing in my kitchen at this time?" Mom questioned me.

I was startled by my mom's voice that I quickly hid the food in the cupboard and wiped my mouth.

"Nothing, I just came downstairs to drink water." I lied.

"You came downstairs to drink water but the microwave feels hot on touch."

"Are you a rat that eats by 3 am?"

"Mom, I am sorry. I was hungry." I pouted my lips.

"You know I didn't eat last night."

"Weren't you the one forming that you won't eat yesterday?"

"You should have taken cereal instead. You didn't even reheat the food properly." Mom said as she brought out the plate of food from the cupboard.

She reheated the food properly and also made cereal for me to take.

"Mom, why did you come downstairs by this time?"

I heaved a spoonful of food into my mouth.

"I am not a rat like you. I came to bring out the meat from the freezer so it can start dethawing, I want to make stew when we return from service."

"Mom, I am not a rat."

"Just eat your food and make sure you turn off the lights when you are done." Mom chuckled.

I finished my food and quietly went back to sleep. I had woken up because of severe hunger pangs. Yesterday, I only took a few slices of bread before we left and I didn't eat any other thing because I was so excited. I had learnt the hard way to always eat something even though I wasn't hungry.

                            ***************

Fred has been unusually chatty the last few days, calling every family member that he knew to remind them of his birthday. He will be seven in the next one week on the 21st of August. I wasn't a fan of birthdays and so were our parents. Fred only looked forward to his birthday because of the gifts he will receive from our uncles and aunties.

"Daddy, has Uncle Sam called back?" Fred asked.

"No, he hasn't but he promised to do so if he returns from his trip."

"Fred, cheer up. Your Uncle will still call."

"Aaah, you love your uncle so much. You don't even act like that when either I or your dad travel and you can't reach us on the phone."

I laughed, "Mom, don't you know that absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"Fred will also miss us if we are far away."

"Who is going to miss you?

If I miss Mom and Dad, I won't miss you."

"I also won't miss you." I sneered.

"I still have something to do, I won't stay here and argue with you all."

"Elsie, come let's go and make lunch."

"Ok, Mom I am coming," I replied but I stayed still in the sitting room because I was watching a movie.

Dad peered at me through his glasses and continued with what he was doing. He wasn't in the mood for I and Mom's drama.

"Elsie! Don't make me come to you in the sitting room! You won't like what I'll do!" Mom shouted from the kitchen.

I scampered to the kitchen to avoid annoying her the more.

"Check If we still have enough ingredients for baking, make sure to list out the ones we no longer have."

"Mom, are you baking a cake for Fred?" I asked in excitement.

"No, you will do the baking and I will decorate it."

"Why do I have to do it....."

"I  will be busy and I also want you to learn. Don't worry I'll guide you."

"You will also have to do the decorations on that day also."

"Okay, I'll try my best."

I am always very reluctant to learn how to do things, especially household chores. My Mom already gave up on me but recently she found a new way of forcing me to learn. She will instruct me to do things she knows I don't know how to do and then I'll learn by repeated mistakes and practice, just like her telling me now that I'll bake Fred's birthday cake.

Anyways, it took me five attempts to bake the cake correctly and ice it. I barely finished the cake the night before Fred's birthday. To be honest, the cake wasn't bad for a novice home baker.

Our parents had planned a simple birthday party for Fred. They only invited some family members as they wanted it to be private.

                           **********************

"Happy birthday Fred!" I pulled the blanket away and helped him to sit up.

Fred yawned and opened his eyes slowly.

"Congratulations, you are now officially a child and no more a toddler." I teased him.

"Who is a child?" Fred yelled at him.

I laughed hysterically as I was enjoying teasing him.