"Guys, stop! This is madness!" Wally cried.
Kiki raised an eyebrow. "Madness?"
Kacey yelled at the top of her lungs:
"THIS!!! IS!!! CAKE TIME!!!".
She took a knife and cut into the 9-layer cake that everyone helped bake for Abby's birthday. Each layer was a different flavor (which made it even MORE special....and weird-tasting considering the flavors that everyone else picked). Before Abby could take a bite, Maddy stuck a candle into her piece. Kiki lit it.
"Make a wish!" they both chirped.
She thought for a minute. Then smiled and took a deep breath and blew out the candle.
"What's you wish for?" Hoagie asked, all impatient.
"You're not supposed to ask, numbnuts!" Kuki sassed. "If you do, it won't come true!"
"It's not that big of a deal, Kuki. It's nothing spectacular like a Rainbow Unicorn that can shoot mashed potatoes and cupcakes from it's horn.
"Dang it!" Kiki stomped her foot.
"That would've been EPIC.....Well, what DO you wanna do?" Kacey asked. Abby sighed.
"Promise you guys won't laugh?"
Everyone nodded.
"Well.......you know that indoor playground at IKEA? I wanna go there."
Kiki burst into a fit of laughter.
"YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T LAUGH!" Abby yelled, upset.
"I'm only laughing cuz Kacey says that place sucks! I know where a better indoor playground is!" she managed to gasp.
All of the younger kids raised their eyebrows.
"How much better?"
Kiki smiled. "Do the phrases '10-story indoor playground', '5 foot deep ball pit', 'movie theater' and ' huge kiddie-cafe' mean anything to you?"
Valentina and Maddy jumped up and down happily shouting "I WANNA GO! I WANNA GO! I WANNA GO!"
"Guys, it's a LONG ways away. Remember what happened the last time we went on a long road trip?"
The two thought for a minute.
"Um.....N-N-no...." they mumbled.
"Well, I do."
Val thought for a minute.
"Well, I could always pop you guys from here to there...."
"No. Remember what happened the last time?"
She couldn't help but giggle. The last "pop-from-place-to-place" ended up with the kids temporarily stranded in International (or to Kiki: "Frostbite") Falls, Minnesota... in the middle of January....30 degrees BELOW ZERO. Boy, did SHE get scolded afterwards.
"Well, I've been working on it. I could get you guys there in only one pop. I promise!"
Kacey planted her feet firmly on the ground. "No. We should just go to the IKEA one and save the trouble."
Maddy, Kuki, Megan, Kiki and Minerva burst into tears. Val cursed under breath in Romainian. Then smiled evilly.
"If you don't, I'll tell Daddy!"
Kiki grabbed her arm. "What are we waiting for?" she asked nervously. Even though the previous month she almost boxed him into a coma, the dude still scared the CRAP out of her.
Val smiled. Manipulation was always fun.
"YAY! All right, everyone grab hands. To!....Kiki, where is this place again?"
-------------------------------------------
Kacey and the others jaws dropped.
"Isn't it amazing?" Kiki added.
"CRAP!!!" Megan whined.
"What's wrong?" Abby asked.
"It says we have to pay money to get in!"
Everyone sighed sadly.
"Look at the fine print: Birthday Parties are free!" Hoagie added.
Everyone gasped happily.
Wally sighed "Look at the FINER print: With a pre-scheduled appointment."
Everyone groaned. Val got a mischevious smile on her face. She looked at the computer, waved her hand a couple times and snapped her fingers.
She motioned the others to come forward.
"How can I help you?" the lady behind the desk asked.
"We're here for the party. Abigail Lincoln's party." Val answered.
The lady looked at her computer. She nodded.
"Yes!" Kacey mouthed.
"Do you have an adult to pick you up afterwards?"
Everyone stuttered.
"Yes." Val finally answered. She gave the lady her dad's phone number.
The lady gave each of the kids bracelets.
"You guys have a good time, k?"
Everyone dashed in. The gate behind them clicked shut. They didn't know it, but this was gonna be the LONGEST 4 hours of their lives....