“Joy,” Justin tells her as she looks up at him with pain-filled eyes. “It’s your friend’s birthday party. He would really like you here. I think we should stay.”
“I want to go,” she says softly and clings to him.
Justin closes his eyes warily, then opens them and answers with the same tone of voice, “I think Charlie would really like us to stay. And it’s a good experience for you to see other birthdays.”
“Happy birthday to you!” Catori comes from the kitchen holding a cake with burning candles on it.
“Cake!” “Cake!” “Cake!” the kids gather around Catori as she carries the cake to the table. Other kids join in chanting the song.
“Look at that,” Justin tells Joy. “You love cake!”
Joy shrugs.
Catori puts the cake in the center of the table as the song ends.
Joy looks out of the corner of her eyes but doesn’t move.
“The cake looks like a condor!” one of the girls says.
“That’s my favorite bird!” I hear Charlie.
Justin gently shoves Joy away from him. “It looks like a condor. Go see!”
“I want to see, but on your shoulders.” Joy demands.
“I will not put you on my shoulders. You’re a brave girl. Go and look.”
“On your shoulders!”
“No!”
“Charlie, ready to blow out the candles?” Catori asks.
Joy looks around, then marches up to Master Mind. “Raise me so I can see the cake from above!”
“Don’t do it, Master Mind!” Justin raises his voice.
“You’re not his Dad!” Joy says. “He’s my friend. He’ll do it.”
“I order you not to!”
Everyone in the party has stopped to look at this exchange with Joy being loud, Justin being just as loud, and the killer robot standing in the corner.
“Pirate, I do not grant you the authority to order me, only to make requests. My only concern is the Little Pirate’s safety. She will not be threatened if I raise her. I will therefore grant her request.”
Master Mind bends down, and offers his arm. Joy sits on top of it, legs dangling out. He raises her, and she leans her back on his torso.
“Let the felicitations continue,” Master Mind joins the circle of children around the cake.
“Yeah,” Catori stares at him and Joy. Then she tears herself away. “All right! Let’s blow out the candles!”
(To be continued…)
—Told by Grampa Walt