A Fairy Good Birthday

Nearly a month had passed with no opportunity to go to the barn, and Teri was desperate to visit the magical worlds found inside. For years she had avoided that old place; the stories of it being haunted kept everyone away. That all changed when Rodrigo moved into the house by the barn. He had explored the wonders inside many times, having never been tainted by the fears associated with it. He and Teri became great friends from their first meeting. He had invited her to the barn a couple of times before he was finally able to convince her it really was safe. He had tried to tell her how magnificent it was, but she didn’t understand until she went inside and saw the wonders herself.

They planned on going the following weekend, but Rodrigo was sick. The weekend after that Teri’s family went out of town to visit her Grandparents. The next weekend they were determined to go, but the weather had other plans. It was pouring buckets when Teri woke up and was still going strong after she finished her chores. Her mother, Vanessa, worked out a visit to Rodrigo's home hoping to improve Teri’s sour mood.

Rodrigo and Teri had come up with a plan to sneak out and get to the magical old barn, but as often happens with whispered plans and mother’s intuition, their attempt at escape was stopped. They made the best of the rainy afternoon inside, but it was far from what they wanted. Her weekend may not have gone as hoped, but Teri was thankful for the rainy day visit for one reason; she overheard the exciting news that Rodrigo’s 11th birthday was the following weekend.

This news added even more excitement and anticipation for weekend fun to come quicker, which of course made the week tortuously long. When Saturday finally made its grand appearance, Teri was up before anyone else. She had a splendid plan and nothing was about to stop her today!

Her mother woke to clanks and clatter in the kitchen and when she went to investigate Teri was furiously beating a rich dark batter into submission. Teri held the large metal bowl in her lap a whisk in one hand doing the beating, and on each side of her a fairy doll sat with their head pointed towards the bowl.

“See Reena and Crystal, you want to stir it until all the dry ingredients are mixed in and it is nice and smooth. Crystal, get your hand out of there! You can’t eat this with the raw eggs, you’ll get sick. Reena, did you get the pans greased and floured like I said? Good, because we are ready to pour it in now. Are you excited? Only about 30 minutes until it’s done baking. No, we can’t eat it right away. We have to let it cool down first so we can frost it, and we won’t eat any until Rodrigo does.”

Teri’s mom smiled watching her daughter and listening to the little one-sided conversation, “She will make a wonderful mom someday,” she thought. Moving into the kitchen she exclaimed, “Wow, looks like you three have been very busy!” Scanning the mess of measuring cups, spoons, bowls, and the spread of various ingredients in and out of containers, she sighed, the slight frustration was completely replaced by the knowledge that not many years from now her daughter would be off busy building her own life.

Teri, hardly looking up from her task of pouring the batter in circular pans, said with pleasure in her voice, “Oh we have mama! Look how good we did! Rodrigo is going to love it, isn’t he! I asked him the other day and he said chocolate was his favorite. It will be the best birthday surprise ever!”

“That’s right, it is his birthday today,” in a mischievous tone Vanessa continued, “but what makes you think you’ll be seeing him today?”

Teri looked up, her eyes starting to fill with tears and her bottom lip began to pout. She managed to get out a trembling “but,” before her mom reached over ruffling her disarrayed hair and laughing merrily. “I am only teasing you hon. You’ve been talking all week about going over, of course, I am going to let you. That is as long as your chores are done first,” she said with that you know the rules look.

Motioning to her dolls, Teri announced, “Well, we have been very busy this morning, and all my chores are done already!”

Her mom raised her eyebrows and exclaimed, with a smile, “You are excited to go over there aren’t you. I don’t remember the last time I didn’t have to plead and threaten you to get chores done. We better get these cakes cooking. After we get the frosting made, let's get that disaster on your head taken care of!”

“You can help with my hair, but I wanted to do the cake.”

“Sounds good, but what’s the final rule of cooking?”

Nodding and in somewhat of an exasperated voice, Teri answered, “I know, I know, clean up your mess.”

Her mom waved her hand towards the mess before them and declared, “Very good, remember that means put everything away. I’m going to get showered and we can do your hair while the cakes cool down.”

Teri and her fairy helpers mixed up the frosting and set it aside to tackle the least favorite part of cooking, clean up. With her two helpers at her side, it wasn’t as bad, and they were almost finished when the timer went off signifying that the cake was done.

“Yes Crystal, that does mean the cake is probably done. We need to check it to be sure. Let’s get a toothpick to poke in and if it comes out clean the cake is done.”

Teri hated the part of moving food in and out of the oven, all that heat was a little scary. Her mom had taught her how, helping her and talking her through it many times before. So, she opened the oven, checked to make sure it was really done and pulled it out with no problems.

“It does look good and smells amazing. I’d say we did a fantastic job! No, we still can’t eat it; I told you it needs to cool and we are taking it to Rodrigo.”

Her mom came in then, giving her a little hug from behind. She smelled like coconuts and sunshine, Teri loved that fragrance. “That does look wonderful Teri, you are becoming a great cook,” her mom said with awe in her voice.

“Thanks, you smell wonderful ma.”

“Ah, thank you. Shall we get started on your hair now?”

“Yes, can you do a waterfall braid today? The fairies say they love braids.”

“Well, if the fairies insist, then a waterfall braid it is!”

They chatted happily as her mom turned the mess into a beautiful braid across the back of her head with wisps of hair falling out of each weaved section like a cascading waterfall.

Teri frosted the cake than using a piping bag and star tip she added a decorative flare all around the edge. “No Crystal I don’t think he will want a bunch of purple and pink sprinkles all over it. It’s just right!” Teri gathered plates, forks, and napkins then took off for the barn, cake, and fairies in tow.

Thankfully, Rodrigo was already there. Teri was so excited to share her gift, she held it out belting “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

A smile split his face, “Wow, that looks incredible! Did you make it?”

“I did,” Teri gushed. “Well, I had some help from these two,” she said, nodding towards the fairies at her side.

Rodrigo bowed, “Thank you ladies, it is magnificent. I can’t wait to eat it!”

“They can’t wait either,” Teri laughed.

“Well, I have the perfect spot to eat it and for our fairy friend’s home,” Rodrigo proclaimed as he pointed up to the hayloft.

Teri gulped, “How am I supposed to get up there?”

“Fly of course! Remember, you said we would fly with the fairies next time you came,” he exclaimed while grabbing a rope that hung down from a pulley on the ceiling. “I have it all ready to go, come on over and let me get you tied in.”

“Are you sure it will work,” Teri asked nervously?

“Of course it will!”

His confidence set her at ease, and she giggled as he wrapped the ropes around, under, and through her wheelchair. He took the cake and carefully carried it up the rickety old ladder placing it on a bale of straw for a makeshift table. He went to the wall where the other end of the rope looped through another pulley, “Ready,” he yelled.

“Um, I guess,” she said with nervous excitement.

Rodrigo began to tug, the pulley system he set up making it an easy task.

Teri let out a scream as she started to lift off the ground swaying slightly.

She stopped moving upward and heard Rodrigo ask, “Are you ok?”

“I’m fine, it just scared me at first.”

“Ok, I am going to start again.”

Up she went, her knuckles white from holding tight to her wheelchair. Her eyes were sealed shut, but slowly she opened them and the apprehension began to disappear, as the pure pleasure of floating in the air flowed over her. She grabbed hold of Reena and Crystal; holding them over the empty space she squealed, “We’re flying!” She looked up, delight spreading across her face as she laughed and watched the hay loft come closer. A beam of sunlight from one of the cracks between the wood panels crossed her eyes, the dust particles dancing all about. Suddenly Reena and Crystal fluttered their wings and pushed off from her grip, twirling, spinning, and dashing about her. Wonder shone in Teri’s eyes as she watched them, then she stopped moving up. She looked to see the reason and there was Rodrigo surrounded by a forest of trees and gorgeous flowers of all colors and sizes. A golden sun shone in the most perfect blue sky filled with white fluffy clouds and thousands of lovely fairies darting here and there. Rodrigo tossed her a rope saying, “hold tight.” Reena and Crystal got behind her and pushed, both chatting away about who helped most with the cake and pleading to eat it now.

Teri giggled, jubilation washing over her as she landed on lush green grass. Rodrigo untied all his knots as Reena and Crystal began pleading with him, sharing about the horrors of being stuck in the house while it baked and the sweet smell filled the air.

“At least she let us lick the frosting out of the bowl.” Crystal pouted.

“It is the best ever for sure. Can we please eat it now?” Whined Reena.

Having set Teri free, Rodrigo agreed, “That is a great idea!”

They gathered around the straw bale and dug into the luscious rich chocolate layers, exclamations of yum, ahh, umm echoed around. Soon, they were surrounded by fairies who all wanted to join in the party. Someone called out, “This cake needs sprinkles!”

“I told you!” Scolded Crystal. Teri was about to reply when a shower of sprinkles shot out from every direction. Stars, hearts, jimmies, sanding sugar, pearls, and a thousand other kinds rained down on them in a rainbow of colors.

Teri and Rodrigo whooped and roared with laughter until tears ran down their faces and their bellies ached, while all around them fairies argued over the best kind and color of sprinkle.

“This is the best birthday ever!” Bellowed Rodrigo.

In the distance, Rodrigo's name was called out with a cheery “ Lunchtime birthday boy.”

He and Teri reluctantly said goodbye to the fairies and went off to enjoy lunch and dream of what adventures would come next time they came to the magic old barn.

For more adventures check this story out!

To read about the start of their adventures together check this story out!

If you’d like to read a nonfiction story about birthdays and chocolate cake from my own life check out this story.