11.Party Queen Read online

  For Izzie, with love for Rick

  —MP

  Table of Contents

  All About Me, Kylie Jean!

  Chapter One - Sweet Sixteen

  Chapter Two - Lilly’s Surprise

  Chapter Three - Big News

  Chapter Four - Mailbox Fun

  Chapter Five - Party Time

  Chapter Six - Painting and Party Ideas

  Chapter Seven - More Mail

  Chapter Eight - Glamour Girl Party

  Chapter Nine - Sister School

  Chapter Ten - Party Favor Pickle

  Chapter Eleven - Princess Party

  Chapter Twelve - Birthday Baby

  About the Author

  About the Illustrator

  Glossary

  Talk!

  Be Creative!

  From Momma's Kitchen

  Copyright

  My name is Kylie Jean Carter. I live in a big, sunny, yellow house on Peachtree Lane in Jacksonville, Texas with Momma, Daddy, and my two brothers, T.J. and Ugly Brother.

  T.J. is my older brother, and Ugly Brother is . . . well . . . he’s really a dog. Don’t you go telling him he is a dog. Okay? I mean it. He thinks he is a real true person.

  He is a black-and-white bulldog. His front looks like his back, all smashed in. His face is all droopy like he’s sad, but he’s not.

  His two front teeth stick out, and his tongue hangs down. (Now you know why his name is Ugly Brother.)

  Everyone I love to the moon and back lives in Jacksonville. Nanny, Pa, Granny, Pappy, my aunts, my uncles, and my cousins all live here. I’m extra lucky, because I can see all of them any time I want to!

  My momma says I’m pretty. She says I have eyes as blue as the summer sky and a smile as sweet as an angel. (Momma says pretty is as pretty does. That means being nice to the old folks, taking care of little animals, and respecting my momma and daddy.)

  But I’m pretty on the outside and on the inside. My hair is long, brown, and curly.

  I wear it in a ponytail sometimes, but my absolute most favorite is when Momma pulls it back in a princess style on special days.

  I just gave you a little hint about my big dream. Ever since I was a bitty baby I have wanted to be an honest-to-goodness beauty queen. I even know the wave. It’s side to side, nice and slow, with a dazzling smile. I practice all the time, because everybody knows beauty queens need to have a perfect wave.

  I’m Kylie Jean, and I’m going to be a beauty queen. Just you wait and see!

  It’s May, and I’m as happy as a candle on a cake! I’m a May baby, and so is my big cousin Lilly. She’s gonna be sweet sixteen, and guess what? She invited me to her sleepover party! Can y’all believe it?

  Usually the older girls don’t want us younger girls around, but not Lilly. She loves me and Lucy. She has to love Lucy because they’re sisters, but she doesn’t mind when we’re around, and she always helps me out.

  As soon as I get home from school on Friday afternoon, it’s time to get ready for the party.

  Ugly Brother is waiting for me when I walk into my house. “Do you want to come help me pack?” I ask.

  “Ruff, ruff!” he replies. That means yes! We go straight to my room.

  I put my pink overnight bag on the bed. It’s real cute! The design has hearts and stars. I like to use it when I spend the night at Granny and Pappy’s house.

  “Now we’re ready to pack!” I say.

  Ugly Brother agrees. “Ruff, ruff.” He brings my hair brush and hair bows. The bows hang out of his mouth, but he does a good job carrying the brush.

  I put my PJs, robe, and clothes in the bag while Ugly Brother looks for my slippers. He finds them under the bed. After I put them in my bag, I zip it up.

  “Momma!” I yell. “I’m all packed up for the party!”

  “Did you pack your toothbrush?” she calls back.

  I smack my forehead. “Oops!” I say. I shake my head. I even put my toothbrush on the list and still forgot to pack it.

  I carefully put the toothbrush in my bag. “Got it, Momma!” I yell.

  Ugly Brother and I zoom downstairs. “I’ll be home tomorrow,” I tell him. He looks sad, but I have to go now or I’ll be late for the party. Momma is already waiting in the van to take me.

  One more big squeezy hug for Ugly Brother and then I slip out the door and hop into the van. It’s party time!

  Party Tip #1:

  If the party is a slumber party, don’t forget your toothbrush!

  Aunt Susie, Lilly and Lucy’s mom, is waiting at the door when Momma drops me off. “Hey there, Kylie Jean,” Aunt Susie says. She rubs her tummy. She’s going to have a baby soon, and I will have a brand-new cousin!

  “Hi, Aunt Susie,” I say. “I’m ready to party!”

  “Great, hon,” Aunt Susie says. She looks tired. “I was going to make pizza, but I’m not feeling well, so I ordered them from Pizza Pie Guys instead. They should be here any minute.”

  Lilly comes to take my bag, and I give her a happy birthday hug. Then she looks at Aunt Susie.

  Lilly says, “Momma, you should rest. Just lie down for a little while.”

  Aunt Susie nods. “Okay, but wake me up when it’s time for cake and presents.” She adds, “Daddy’s here if you need anything.”

  After we eat pizza, it’s time for cake. Lilly has a big square cake from Tasha’s Treats Bakery. It is black and white, like a zebra’s stripes. In the middle, in big, swirly, bright green letters, it says, “Happy Sweet Sixteen, Lilly!” It has sixteen candles on it.

  Aunt Susie is awake from her nap, and she lights the candles.

  When we sing “Happy Birthday,” Lilly looks so happy. She blows out all of the candles, so her wish is going to come true!

  Lucy asks, “What did you wish for?”

  Lilly laughs and says, “You know I can’t tell, or it won’t come true!”

  After we eat the cake, it’s time for Lilly to open presents.

  I’m excited about the gift Momma and I picked out for her. So I’m real happy when she picks my present to open first!

  Lilly picks up the little box and shakes it. “This is from Kylie Jean and her momma,” she tells everyone. Then she winks at me and says, “Good things come in small packages.”

  She carefully unwraps the box and looks inside. Then she squeals, “I love it!”

  She pulls out the sparkly rhinestone necklace in the shape of a bow. “This is perfect, Kylie Jean!” she says.

  “It’s from Momma, Daddy, T.J., Ugly Brother, and me,” I explain.

  “Did you pick it out?” Lilly asks, clasping the necklace around her throat.

  “Yup!” I tell her. “Momma helped me, though, because you’re sixteen and we wanted it to be an extra-special present.”

  “It’s definitely extra-special,” Lilly says. She gives me a hug and whispers, “Thank you so much.”

  She opens the rest of her presents. She gets makeup, clothes, some DVDs, and a pair of little diamond earrings from Nanny and Pa. They look perfect with the necklace I gave her. Momma probably already knew about Nanny and Pa’s present when we went shopping. Momma knows about everything!

  Once the presents are all open, Lilly says, “Thanks, y’all. I just love all of my presents!”

  Then her daddy, Uncle Jack, asks, “Did you miss a present?”

  Lilly frowns and looks around. “I don’t think so,” she says.

  “What about the one outside?” Uncle Jack asks. He winks at her and points to the window.

  We all run to the window. A little blue car is parked in the driveway. Lilly starts to scream so loud it sounds like a tornado siren. “Is that for me?” she asks. “For real?”

  “For real,” Uncle Jack says. “Now, it’s used, but it’
s in good shape. We’ll have to talk about how to take care of it. It’s your responsibility.”

  “Thank you, Daddy! Thank you, Momma!” Lilly says. She gives them each a big hug.

  Uncle Jack hands her some keys with a big pink bow tied on the key ring. “All yours, darlin’,” he says.

  I am getting sleepy and so is Lucy. I don’t think Lilly is ever going to sleep. She is too excited about her car.

  We watch a movie, and then we all get out our sleeping bags and line them up on the floor of the den. The big girls are whispering together. Lucy and I are quiet, listening to them.

  Just as I am about to fall asleep, I hear Lilly tell her friends that she is going to name her car Bluebell because she loves Bluebell ice cream and her car is blue.

  The next thing I know, it’s morning. Momma comes to pick me up so she can clean up the party mess for Aunt Susie. While she cleans, Momma and Aunt Susie have a sister chat, and Lucy and I play in the living room.

  On the way home, Momma says, “Did you hear me and Aunt Susie talking?”

  “No,” I say. “What were you talking about?”

  “Well, it’s the funniest thing,” Momma says. “Aunt Susie has a secret that she won’t tell anyone. Not even me, her own sister. She’s gonna tell us on Sunday dinner at the farm.”

  Sunday is tomorrow. I can’t wait!

  Party Tip #2

  Invite the same number of guests as your age.

  Sunday after church, we go to Lickskillet Farm. On the way there, Momma wonders what Aunt Susie’s big secret is. I wonder what it is, too!

  When we get to the farm, Lucy is already there. Lucy and I have on matching dresses with lace collars and big satin bows tied in the back.

  Nanny smiles and asks, “Did you two plan to wear those matching dresses to church?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I say.

  Nanny laughs. “I used to dress your mommas in the same dresses when they were little, too,” she says.

  Momma smiles. “I remember that,” she says.

  “Me too,” says Aunt Susie.

  I want to ask what the big secret is, but before I can, Momma says, “You girls run along and put on your play clothes now.”

  After we change, we go back to the kitchen. That’s where Momma, Nanny, and Aunt Susie are getting the food ready.

  “Can we peel potatoes while Nanny fries the chicken?” I ask Momma.

  “You can,” Nanny says. “But y’all be careful, and don’t get peels on the floor.”

  The potato peels look like little brown Slinkys. Lucy drops some on the floor, so I pick them up real quick and throw them away.

  I notice that Aunt Susie looks tired, and Nanny notices, too. She says, “Susie, sit down! You should be resting.”

  Aunt Susie shakes her head. “Momma, I can help,” she says. “Just give me something to do sitting down.”

  Nanny thinks for a minute and then says, “Okay, you supervise the potato peelers.” She winks at me and Lucy.

  The warm kitchen is full of lady talk and good-smelling food. I’m hungry and my mouth starts to water.

  Soon, the meal is ready. My cousin Jake rings the dinner bell and we all head outside, carrying big dishes, platters of chicken, and baskets of biscuits. Daddy and Uncle Jack have set up tables in the yard. Nanny shakes out the checkered tablecloths and they blow like sails in the breeze.

  I can’t wait to eat!

  We all sit down except Aunt Susie. She’s still standing up!

  Aunt Susie says, “I have been waiting to share our big news until I could tell everyone at the same time.”

  She looks at Uncle Jack, and they smile at each other. Then Aunt Susie says, “We’re having another little girl! Her name is going to be Libby.”

  We all cheer, hug, and laugh.

  Wow! I can hardly believe that in just four more weeks I’m getting a new girl cousin.

  I look at Lucy, but she doesn’t look very excited at all. I ask, “Isn’t it exciting to be getting a new baby sister?”

  Lucy says, “I guess.”

  “I would love to have a sister!” I say.

  Lucy says, “You can have Libby. I wanted a brother.”

  At first I consider trading T.J., but Momma wouldn’t like it. She’d miss him too much. Oh, well. I guess I’ll have to keep him.

  I feel bad. Lucy seems real sad about not getting a new brother.

  Party Tip #3:

  If you arrive at a party early, offer to help!

  When I get off the school bus on Monday afternoon, I head straight for the kitchen. Momma is waiting at the table with an afternoon snack for me: orange slices and a pink berry yogurt.

  Ugly Brother whines under the table.

  I tell him, “I’m sorry that you don’t get any snack today. It’s just because you don’t like anything I’m having!”

  He barks, “Ruff, ruff.” Then he sits down under the table.

  He probably thinks that Momma will feel sorry for him and give him something else to eat. She doesn’t, though. We’re too busy talking about my day at school.

  Just then, T.J. comes in, carrying his gym bag. “Is it snack time?” he asks.

  Momma says, “Help yourself to an orange and I’ll get some yogurt for you.”

  By the time she gets back to the table, T.J. has peeled his orange and shoved the peel in his mouth in front of his teeth. He smiles real big, showing his orange teeth when Momma hands him the yogurt and a spoon.

  Momma just ignores him.

  T.J. complains, “Aww, Momma, I thought you’d at least tell me I need to go brush my teeth!”

  Momma smiles. Then she says, “Eat your yogurt and tell us about your day.” Then she says, “By the way, Kylie Jean, I forgot to tell you. You have mail on the hall table.”

  I gasp. I never, ever, ever, ever get mail!

  I dash to the hall, but my feet get more tangled up than ribbon on a birthday balloon, and I take a tumble.

  Thud!

  I call out, “I’m okay, Momma!”

  Ugly Brother comes running in. He licks me twice before I can stand up.

  “I’m okay,” I tell him.

  There is a white envelope on the table addressed to me, Kylie Jean Carter.

  Ugly Brother wants to open it, but he’ll get it all wet and slobbery. “No way, mister,” I say. “This is my mail.”

  I rip open the envelope. Inside is an invitation to my friend Katie’s slumber party on Friday night. It looks like a giant, red and white, polka-dotted bow, because she loves Minnie Mouse.

  Another party! I can’t wait!

  * * *

  The next day at lunch, Katie tells us all about the fun plans for her party. Cara’s having a birthday soon, too.

  I told you, May is a big birthday month!

  While we’re eating, Katie and Cara start to have a birthday party competition.

  “We’re going to play Pin the Bow on Minnie at my party,” Katie says.

  “I’m going to have makeovers at my party,” Cara says, narrowing her eyes.

  Lucy and I spin back and forth in our seats, listening to one friend and then the other.

  Katie shrugs. “My momma won’t let me wear makeup,” she says. She adds, “And we’re having the cutest chocolate Minnie Mouse cupcakes!”

  Cara crosses her arms. “It’s just kiddie makeup. And my cake is going to look just like a real purse.”

  Katie is getting mad. I can tell. She has her hands on her hips just like Momma does when she gets mad. She shouts, “Well, you can say anything you want, but my party is going to be first, so it’s the best!”

  Party Tip #4:

  Always R.S.V.P. to a party invitation. R.S.V.P. is short for the French phrase répondez s’il vous plaît or “please respond.”

  On Friday after school, Ugly Brother is going to have to help me pack. I don’t want to forget anything! While Momma finishes up the laundry, I get started. Ugly Brother tries to help me roll up my pink princess sleeping bag. We roll it up two ti
mes. Both times it looks really messy!

  I think Ugly Brother keeps standing on it when I try to roll it up. I don’t want to tell him, though. He thinks he’s helping me.

  “Can you get my pink duffel bag?” I ask.

  He barks, “Ruff, ruff.”

  Quick as a kid ripping paper off a present, I roll up that sleeping bag and tie it with two big bows on the ends. When Ugly Brother comes back with my duffel bag, I send him to get my stuffed animal. He’s so good at fetching things! Soon, my new favorite stuffed animal, a cat with a big pink bow around its neck, is hanging out of Ugly Brother’s mouth.

  “Thank you for helping me,” I say.

  He barks, “Ruff, ruff.”

  Before I know it, I’m all done. My pajamas and clothes are packed in my bag. Ugly Brother is sleeping under my bed. I carry my bag downstairs, where Daddy’s reading the paper and waiting to bring me to Katie’s.

  “I’m ready to go, Daddy!” I say.

  Momma asks, “Sweet pea, did you pack your toothbrush?”

  “Oops!” I shout. I keep forgetting my toothbrush!

  Now Ugly Brother is awake, and he’s trying to put his doggie bone in my bag! Maybe he wants to come to the party. Too bad it’s a girls-only party.

  “You can’t come with me,” I explain, “because you didn’t get invited. Okay?”

  He barks. “Ruff!” That means no!

  I bend down to pet him. “I know you don’t like it, but you’re going to have to stay here with Momma, Daddy, and T.J.,” I say. “I’ll be home tomorrow.”

  There is one sad doggie by the door. Ugly Brother cries when we leave. I’m missing him even before I get to Daddy’s truck. After T.J., he’s my best brother. Not too many people are lucky enough to have a dog for a brother!

  We drive straight to Katie’s house. Daddy plays KIKX Kountry on the radio and we sing along with the songs. Daddy sings in a deep rumbly voice. When we get there, I see a lot of other cars. Most of my friends are getting there at the same time I am.