“I still don’t understand why Dad gets a week and the rest of us only get a day,” Gracecomplained.
“Because, honey,” Scott patiently explained. “A birthday week doesn’t just happen; it must bedeclared.”
“Oh, is that how it works?” Jake asked. “We just have todeclareit?”
“That’s right, but it helps to be old and pathetic like me. It’s easier to gain acceptance. People just feel sorry for you and humor yourrequests.”
“I’m curious – what does one do on a birthday week?” Iasked.
“It varies. This one is pretty nice because I got an all-expenses paid trip – thank you, Jake… but normally my birthday just consists of different events throughout the week. All of them include Michelle here, but she usually refuses to come along or indulge me, if you know what I mean,” Scott said,winking.
“That’s just nasty.” Quinn fake-barfed over his plateofeggs.
“Quiet, everyone,” Kyle shushed. “I’m serious. I want to be a stuntman now. How would I get in to somethinglikethat?”
“You could probably go to a stuntman school. What skills doyouhave?”
“Skills? I thought they just set you on fireandshit.”
“There’s more to it than that,” Emma said. “Finn is an expert at jumping and free running and heights. He does aerial stuff where he getstofly.”
“Really?” Scott nodded, impressed. “Emma hatesheights.”
“I know.” I nodded, grinning at her. “I found that out on the Ferris wheel last night. I still have the clawmarks.”
Kyle said something under his breath, and Jake laughed. I realized then that my claw mark comment could have been misconstrued; but at that point, it was already out there, and I hadn’t been punched in the face, so I felt safeenough.
“So, Finn, what type of wristband did Sean get for you?” Jakeasked.
“The magic one,” I answered. “And thank you for that, by the way. I was shocked at all the doors that wristband opened up. Have you been to thegiftroom?”
“No.”
“The gift room?” Scott asked, wide-eyed with wonder. “I’m putting that on my birthday weekwishlist.”
“Yeah, it’s amazing. Everything is free. I had no idea. I thought they were trying to sell me stuff, so I kept making all these excuses, and then they said it was free and were throwing things at me. Now I have a storage unit with all my free gifts, and they’re expecting my entourage to pickitup.”
That got a laugh fromeveryone.
“I never told them I was a musician. They just assumed. One girl asked me what band I was in, and I froze. I had no idea what totellher.”
The siblings looked at each other and laughed. “Too bad you didn’t have our dad with you,” Jake said. “He’s an expert in thatarena.”
I looked over at him,confused.
“Well, okay, I’m somewhat famous for my band names, I’ll admit.” Scott’s self-congratulatory tone kept me rapt in my seat for more. “It’s simple, really. Any two random words will do. Someone, anyone, pull up a news story,please.”
Quinn and Grace rushed to find Scott an article before the teenage boy grinned and handed his father thephone.
“An article about smog checks? Really, Quinn. Okay, no problem. I’m a pro. Give me a moment,” he said, putting both index fingers to his temples. Scott was concentrating hard and Emma’s brothers were heckling him something fierce before he looked up with a smug smile on his face. “GrossPolluter.”
Everyone screamed his or her awed approval. It really was ageniusname.
“What was the one you came up with the other day? Something about awesomeness?” Caseyasked.
“The Vortex of Awesomeness, but I’ve decided that’s too good for a band name. I’m going to use it for my autobiographyinstead.”
“Are we still having girls’ day?” Grace, tiring of her father’s awesomeness, asked Emma, who then looked at me with aguiltyface.
