Twelve Candles

Well, today was Hilary's birthday. And it rained. All day.

I didn't really want to go to the party, and didn't really have anything to wear, but Harriet called and convinced me to go. I even borrowed her Sparkly Tunic top -- and I NEVER borrow any clothes from Harriet, lol.

So we got over to Hilary's house and the place is in a tizzy, but not because of Hilary's birthday. It's because today was also her little sister's ballet recital. "Hallee," Hilary's mother called, "do you have your costume?"

Hallee Lang is blond like Hilary and has blue eyes like Hilary, but that's all they have in common. She walks on her tippie toes and wears a fake plastered grin. Hallee's been in beauty pageants, local shopping mall fashion shows, and has taken dance lessons since she was in diapers. She's an eight-year-old spoiled brat and her parents clearly favor her.

Hilary looked sad, even though she was wearing a cute blue and white floral babydoll dress. "They forgot my birthday," she said as Harriet handed her our present.

"No, they didn't forget --" I tried to cheer her up.

"You don't know. They really forgot my birthday."

"Hilary, are you coming to the recital?" I heard her mother ask. She was putting on earrings as she walked up the hall.

"Mom, you know today's my birthday, I'm not going to sit down at another one of Hallee's recitals."

"Hill, what did I tell you about disrespecting your sister's dancing?"

Hilary's parents tried to get her involved in the things Hallee's into, but she was never interested.

When her parents and Hallee left, Hilary walked to the cupboard and got out some snack chips that were left over from her parents' last get-together. Katarina and Kristy showed up awhile later.

Hilary's a big Disney fan, so she pretty much had a Disney themed gathering. We watched Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, The Hunchback of Notre Dame -- and then she told us she'd read the books these movies were based on, too. "Nothing I do pleases them," I heard Hilary mutter. "It's always Hallee this, Hallee that. It's like I don't exist and Hallee is their only child."

Afterwards the five of us got in a circle and held hands, as Hilary suggested. We sang "Happy Birthday" and blew out the candles from twelve cupcakes that Katarina baked. I'm not much for mushiness, but Hilary is a sap and she started crying. "You guys are the best!" she exclaimed, wiping sloppy tears from her eyes.