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Be Careful of What You Wish For…

“Please, stop it!” Sarah cried out. There was anger and frustration in her voice. “I was wrong. I don’t want you all to do this any more. Please!”
“But, sweetie, this is what you wanted. This is exactly what you’ve been insisting upon for months now.” Her father reached out and patted the hand of the six year-old, before continuing, “And all of us agreed to it.
“Now, don’t you think you should go upstairs and change. You don’t want to keep your guests waiting.”
“But, Daddy…I was wrong. I don’t want this any more.”
Sarah’s mother smiled at her. “Sarah, the sooner you go up and change. The sooner we can begin, and the sooner it will be over…for today.”
With a heavy sigh Sarah climbed the steps, with all the enthusiasm of a condemned prisoner mounting the gallows.
Once she was out of sight and earshot, her mom frowned. She turned to her husband. “You don’t think we are being too harsh, do you?’
“Absolutely not. We’ve heard about nothing else for months now. She begged us for this. And it’s only been nine days, the agreement was for the month.
“But we can talk it over tonight, when all the kids have gone to bed. Perhaps we could stop after two weeks. Now, is everything ready?”
“Well, yes, of course…but Richard, she’s so unhappy.”
“I know, Cathy, but I’m hoping to make a point to not only Sarah, but all the children.”
“I suppose, although I doubt you’re making much of an impression on the twins. After all, they’re only three months old. But I’ll go make sure everything arranged.” She stopped at the door, “Is he coming again?”
“Do you even need to ask?”
“But she is so afraid of him. Please, Richard…couldn’t we just stop him from coming?”
“You need to toughen up. She wanted all this, and she’s going to get it.” But his face softened, “But maybe you’re right. Maybe it should end after today. We’ll talk later.”
A boy of about ten burst into the room, smirking. “Mom, Sarah’s crying again.”
“Really, Justin, you don’t need to sound so pleased. Now, run back upstairs and tell her to finish dressing and come down. And don’t tease her!”
“But Mom! I don’t see why she’s always crying about it. It’s what she’s been ragging on about forever. I think it’s great!”
“Yes, well, perhaps if your positions were reversed, you wouldn’t. Now, go!”
Justin ran up the stairs, two at a time, screaming the entire way. “Mom and Dad say you need to hurry up and get down.” And added, in a malevolent tone, “He’ll be here soon. You have to answer the door.”
Sarah opened her door and peered out. “I…I can’t. I’m…I’m sick. Tell Mommy I’m sick.”
“Give it a rest. You’re not. Besides, you tried that yesterday. I keep telling you, if you’re going to lie, you need to get creative.
“So unless you’ve managed to cough up a lung or something, get downstairs now.”
Sarah emerged from her room dressed in a frilly, pink dress, lace-edged socks and maryjanes, and had a silly hat perched on top of her curls. She reached the bottom of the stairs just as the doorbell rang out.
Justin slid down the banister and settled himself in a good spot to see everything and waited. Their father and mother came out of the kitchen, each carrying an infant, and gave Sarah a look and a nod.
***
Slowly Sarah reached for the doorknob and turned it. The door opened slowly, and there, standing on the front step stood a garish clown. He thrust a large bouquet of fake flowers at her and cried, “Happy Birthday, Sarah!”
And, as she had done for the last nine days, Sarah recoiled in horror, but led him inside. After all, once this party was over, she would be a third of the way through the month. She glowered at Justin, who was still standing nearby, wearing a smirk.
This had all been his idea. And he’d spent months convincing her that this would be the best birthday present ever. After all, who wouldn’t want to have a birthday party every day for a month?
Yes, it was all his fault. He’d even suggested the clown, and never having seen one up close, she’d agreed. But that was the worst part. He was soooooo very scary. She ‘d been having nightmares since that first party.
She thought of what he’d just told her. Well, she was going to get creative. She didn’t know how, but she was going to get even with him—eventually.