The Pritchard's Daughter (A Nearly Departed Fanfic)

Fifteen

The Dooley's were in the kitchen earlier than usual in the morning.

"Why do we have to start celebrating Bethany's birthday this early in the morning?" Derek asked.

"Hey you should be lucky it's a four day weekend from school," Mike said.

"And we gotta make her a huge breakfast, a huge lunch, and a huge dinner. We gotta decorate the place with those balloons we bought-"

"Liz Liz Liz, she's turning fifteen, it's not like she wants clowns or a inflatable castle bouncy thing, whatever you call them."

"Bounce house," Jack said.

"Oh yeah, help us blow these balloons up."

Grant and Claire walked in the kitchen as the Dooley's blew up balloons.

"It's bloody unusual for the Dooley's to be up at this hour," Grant said.

"It's a four day weekend for the kids. And you know what day it is also?"

After a second, he gasped.

"It's Bethy's birthday! She's fifteen! Let's go wake her and sing my song to her!"

"But it'll spoil this surprise for her."

"We communicated with her in writing, we'll say to stay in her room until either of the Dooley's come to get her."

"I almost forgot we communicate in writing to her."

They went to Bethany's room in the basement. She was fast asleep, they both smiled at how adorable her sleeping form is. Grant wrote something down on Bethany's pad. Claire woke her as Grant put the pad on the bed. She opened her eyes and noticed the pad, she picked it up and read.

"Happy Birthday Bethany, we love you so much. As soon as you read the lyrics at the bottom, turn your head to your left, your father's gonna sing those lyrics for you, you may not hear us but imagine us singing to you on your birthday last year."

Bethany turn her head to her left, Grant started to sing.

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Bethany, Happy Birthday to you! From good friends and true, from old friends and new, may good luck go with you, and happiness too! Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Bethany, Happy Birthday to you!" Grant sang.

"Aw thank you Daddy and Mummy, even as ghost, you are amazing."

She looked at her clock.

"It's six in the morning!"

Grant wrote something on the pad.

"Stay here with us until one of the Dooley's come to get you, they're doing something special for you."

She smiled.

"Aw...I only been with them for a month and they're the best adoptive parents ever."

"For a plumber, a ditz, an old hick, and a boy who hides dirty magazine under his bed. That was a girl's room eight months ago. But they're not as bad as I thought since they adopted her."

"I knew that already Grant, you're slowly starting to like them."

"Because Bethy lives with them now. If she didn't come back, I would still want them out!"

In the kitchen, the Dooley's were finished with the decorations.

"Done! Now to breakfast, I was thinking pancakes, eggs, bacon," Liz said.

"Deeelicious!" Mike said.

Then, the phone rang, Liz went to the living room to pick it up.

"Hello...Millie, what a surprise!"

"It's the old witch again," Mike said.

"Yes, Bethany is here, we adopted her. Come on down to see her for her birthday...oh you're already in Chicago. Come on over, Bethany will be very happy to see you...ok bye."

She hung up.

"Aunt Millie's coming to see Bethany."

"Well get out our bowling uniforms."

"Oh Mike, she's coming to see Bethany, she's her family."

"I understand that but gosh I can't stand that woman."

"You'll survive Mike."

Liz made breakfast.