“A cake like that is gonna cost a pretty penny,” he’d said, but neither of them flinched.
“We want the best,” Gregg replied, and Darla Sue nodded her agreement.
Knowing full well that once a secret is out it can spread like wildfire, they waited until two weeks before the party to start inviting people.
On a balmy evening, when Ida was sitting in front of the television laughing at The Real McCoys with Annie, Gregg and Darla Sue strolled up and down the street, sliding invitations under the neighbor’s doors. In bold strokes she’d written, The party is a surprise, so don’t breathe a word of it to Ida. To make certain her message wasn’t missed, she’d underlined the words.
Once the invitations were sent, she began telling the ladies who came to the shop and the merchants that lined the streets. On her lunch hour she went from shop to shop saying,
“It’s the first Sunday in April at the Elks Club. Mark your calendar, but it’s a surprise so don’t mention it to Grandma.”
On the Saturday before the party, she was on the telephone explaining to the florist that she wanted balloons as well as flowers when Ida walked in and overheard her.
“Balloons?” Ida said. “Why on earth…”
Before she could finish the question, Darla Sue fluffed it off saying that she was working on arrangements for the next holiday fashion show.
“This early in the year?” Ida asked suspiciously.
Darla Sue just nodded and ducked out, saying she had some errands to run.
Since Annie shared all her secrets with Ida, they held off telling her about the party until the day before, and then they only did so because it became a necessity.
“Mama, Lori’s having a sleepover. Can I go?” she’d asked.
“Not this time,” Darla Sue said.
Annie argued “why not” for the better part of an hour before Darla Sue pulled her into the bedroom and explained about the party.
“But,” she said, “I’m warning you, if Grandma, gets wind of this, you’re going to lose your allowance for a year!”
“That’s not fair. What if she hears it from somebody else?”
Darla Sue eyed her with a raised eyebrow. “You’re the somebody most likely to tell.”
Annie pulled her mouth into a pout, sat there for a minute, then said, “If I don’t tell, I’m gonna be breaking a promise.”
“What promise?”
“Me and Grandma pinky sweared we’d never keep secrets.”
Darla Sue turned away so Annie wouldn’t catch her smile. “It’s not really breaking a promise, because this is something that will make Grandma happy. Happy secrets are not really secrets; they’re surprises, and those are okay to keep.”
On Sunday morning, they all had breakfast together. Then Gregg said he had something to take care of and hurried off to check on the last-minute preparations at the Elks Club. Darla Sue then suggested she take Ida and Annie to Lady Anne’s Tea Room for lunch.
“Let’s dress up in something fancy,” she said, “and make this a special girls’ day out.”
Annie giggled. “Yeah, Grandma, it’s gonna be very special.”
Darla Sue glared at her, expecting that she might say something more, but she didn’t.
Ida wrinkled her brow. “That’s a nice idea, but the tea room isn’t open on Sunday.”
That was something Darla Sue hadn’t taken into account. With no more than a few seconds hesitation, she came back saying they’d just started opening and this was their first Sunday.
After a fair bit of back and forth, with Ida arguing they should at least call to check, and Darla Sue saying it wasn’t necessary, they all climbed into the car wearing their Sunday best and started for Barston. When Darla Sue pulled up in front of the Elks Club and said she had to stop there for something, Ida offered to wait in the car. Poo-pooing such a suggestion, Darla Sue opened the car door and helped Ida out.
“There’s something I’d like your opinion on.”
Without finishing the statement, she hooked her arm through Ida’s and started for the door. Annie followed along with a grin stretched clear across her face.
As they entered the building, Ida gave a nostalgic sigh. “The last time I was here was the day of Bill’s memorial luncheon.”
“I know,” Darla Sue said. “I remember that day.” She pushed the door to the ballroom open and stepped aside so Ida could enter first.
The moment Ida entered the room, the band broke into a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday, and the crowd of friends and neighbors shouted, “Surprise!”
Ida stood there looking astonished for a few seconds; then tears filled her eyes.
“So this is what everyone’s been whispering about,” she finally said and laughed.
When they returned home that evening, the grin Ida had been wearing all day was still tugging at her face. She kicked off her shoes and dropped down onto the sofa.
“I can’t imagine anything better than this day,” she said. “It was the best birthday ever.”
“Really? The best ever, in your whole life?” Annie asked.
“Absolutely! Why, I never suspected—”
Not waiting for Ida to finish, Annie jumped up and started dancing around.
“I did it,” she shouted. “I did it again!”
“You did what?” Darla Sue asked.
“I used my wishing power to make something else come true.”
“Wishing power?” she repeated quizzically. “I don’t believe there is such a power.”
“There is, Mama, there really is. Remember in the Christmas movie, Susan wished for a house and she got it? Well, I did the same thing. I wished for a house and a grandma, and my wish came true. Then I wished the tree elves would tell Santa to stop at our house and bring presents, and that wish came true too. Last night when I was almost asleep, I wished Grandma would have the best birthday ever and she did. That proves I’ve got the same wishing powers as Susan.”
Darla Sue laughed. “Annie, Susan was a make-believe girl in a movie. She was pretend acting. I’m happy your wishes came true, but there really is
