June 1992

  “Happy Birthday!” Everyone cheers as Elle comes downstairs with Chris. She knew this was gonna happen, but she still felt the joy of surprise. Smiling wide, she looks at the decorations and big birthday cake. Decorated with a design imitating the four elements in a circle merging with each other in the middle. The water element, a waterfall, at the top and most prominent. Of course.

  Everyone was there. Ivy and Paul were there with their parents. Faith was there with just her mother. Her father couldn’t make it, but it was all right. Someone had to watch the store.

  “Come on and blow out the candles.” Melissa waves her on.

  “Make a good wish.” Chris tells her squeezing her hand.

  “No. I’m not gonna make a wish that’s already come true.” That got a shock out of everyone. “I’m gonna blow out the candles in thanks for the ability to walk again. To my dad and Mr. Talvert.” She feels her eyes getting moist.

  Simon and Larry come over and give her a big hug. They tell her they’d do anything for all of them.

  “You bet sweetie. You just happened to be the first.” Simon says, kissing her head.

  “And thanks to…just everyone.”

  Elle turns and takes a deep breath and sweeps her breath across the candles, blowing them all out. Cheers, cpping and hugs go around. Elle couldn’t be happier.

  Suddenly the candles relight themselves.

  Elle turns and stares, her jaw dropping. Oh great. Someone got the joke candles. She could only guess who did that. She beams a look at Jerry. He takes a step back, slyly pointing a finger to Jackson. Her evil eye moves to Jackson. He looks back and Jerry.

  “Jackson!” Elle gripes.

  “What? Jerry must have gotten the trick candles…”

  Smack!

  The candles on the cake go out. “You know we do it cause we love you, sis.”

  Elle hugs her brothers. “Yeah, I know. Doesn’t mean you won’t get smacked for it though.”

  Each person receives a pte while the mothers slice the cake. Birthday girl gets hers first, naturally. The waterfall design was all hers. The boys each got their respective element.

  “Just a little piece for now, then Elle can open her presents.” Ariel tells them all. “Then afterward we’ll have some dinner.” She pauses. “Then more cake.”

  Elle was fine with that. She was fine with anything. Especially present time. Everyone was more giving than she thought she needed, but accepted it no problem.

  Jackson and Jerry both pitched in on her present. A couple CD’s she’s been wanting for a while.

  “We were gonna get you some socks.” Jerry says. “But…”

  “Yeah? That would have been all right. Cause I would have given you both an equally boring present on your birthdays.” Elle then smiles wide.

  Jerry and Jackson just look at each other. Would have?

  Ivy and Paul got her a nice hand bag. Faith got her a gift pack from the store: incense, herbal bath soaps in her favorite scents, and candles. Elle couldn’t wait to try out the herbal bath. Ariel and Larry get her a gift certificate for Macy’s. This way she can get whatever she wants. Which she knows what she wants. There was some clothes she knew she wanted. She loves them all.

  “So where’s your present? Hmm?” She teases Chris.

  “Actually, I went together with your parents.” He says.

  Simon and Melissa hand her a ft, thin package. She takes it and unwraps it. Inside is a nice cardboard box. Her eyes light up when she opens it. It’s a brochure and application for the dance studio in town. Not too far from the high school.

  “You start in two weeks. Csses are at four o’clock until seven, three days a week,stream, for starters.” Simon tells her. “But! You’ll have to take it easy and not compin through any and all testing we’ll be doing to make sure the impnt is stable. Got it?”

  Elle was in tears. She agrees with a vigorous nod as she hugs her parents tight, then moves to hug Chris. Everyone cps and cheers for her.

  “And they do competitions and all that too. So you could become…famous.” Chris tells her. “Well, for something other than your impnt.”

  “Thank you so much, everyone. I love you all.” Her tears of happiness making her voice break.

  She accepts hugs from everyone. Elle felt like the happiest girl on the pnet right now.

  * * * * *

  Stinger and the Twins set up in the bushes next to the stream. Across the stream, an expansive backyard was their target. Elle Prowman. Apparently, today was a special day. Stinger checks the binocurs, a…birthday party it would appear. Something she never had a use for. A boring celebration. Worthless.

  “Target confirmed. Radio Master Garcia.” Stinger whispers.

  Yuki asks for the binocurs. Stinger hands them over. She continues to watch as Suki calls, using the satellite phone. Putting the headphones on.

  “Master Garcia. This is Twin Suki. Calling to confirm the target.”

  A pause.

  “Yes, sir. Over and out.” Suki cuts the transmission and puts away the phone. “We are to hold back until he arrives. We are to continue to observe until then.”

  “Understood.” Stinger and Yuki confirm.

  Yuki hands the binocurs to her sister. “So what exactly are we supposed to be watching, or who?”

  “He did not say. Only to observe the people at this address. One of them must have drawn Master Garcia’s attention.” Stinger says.

  “What is that they’re doing?” Yuki says.

  “It is called a birthday party. I read about these. You get family and friends together and give presents to the one whose birthday it is. Eat cake and…have fun. I guess.”

  The twins stop and look at each other. Their faces were unsure.

  “We never had birthdays. We don’t need them. Mr. Garcia told us the past is past. Not that I can remember things like that. Only the mission matters. We should get back to it.” Stinger says, taking the binocurs back.

  “Yes.” The Twins acknowledge.

  Stinger continues her observation of the families having…fun.