"It is my birthday today and I think it stinks that I do not get to spend it with my mother and sister," Annabelle remarks.

                                   "I am sure if they could they would come here for your birthday," Susan Jefferies says.
                        
                                   "How could you just defend them like this?" Annabelle asks with a scowl across her face.

                                   "If I had realized the pact my sister and I made years ago would have upset you so much than I would have told you sooner," Susan remarks.

                                   "I know it is not the same, but I will try to get in touch with Emily for you," Susan tells Annabelle.

                                   "Who is Emily?"  Lenny asks rather curious now.

                                   "She is my real mother, you know my birth mother, Lenny," Annabelle answers.

                                   "Oh, you mean your biological mother," Lenny says.

                                    "Yes, that is who I mean, Lenny," Annabelle replies.

                                    "Hey, Annabelle and Lenny what is up?"  Paulette asks.

                                    "You know for someone having a birthday you sure look glume," She says.

                                    "Ok, so you have noticed, Paulette," Annabelle responds.

                                      "Yes, of course, I notice, you are my best friend," Paulette remarks.

                                       "It is not Lenny's fault," Annabelle says as she rolls her eyes.

 
                                     "Good news, Annabelle I just got off the phone with Emily!" Susan tells her.

                                    "What did she say, Aunt Susan Renee?"  Annabelle asks her aunt.

                                     "Lenny why did Alexa just call her mother, aunt?"  Paulette asks rather perplexed about the matter.

                                      "It is because Susan Renee is my aunt and she adopted me.  My mother is Emily and I have a fraternal twin sister named Margaret Ann," Annabelle tells her best friend.

                                      "Annabelle, you are fortunate to have a family who cares about you so much," Paulette tells her.

                                      "I have no idea who my family is nor do I care to find out," Paulette says.

                                  She goes on to explain, "I grew up in a local orphange and when I turned seventeen they threw me out."  "I was told I was too old to live there anymore, can you believe it?" Paulette asks.

                                    "Paulette, that sounds awful, " Annabelle says and gives her best friend a huge hug.

                                   "Awe, it is okay, I have a job now," Paulette replies.

                                   "Oh, hi, babe!" A guy with a funny looking baseball cap that is faded says.

                                  "Hi, dear!" Paulette says. She is rather happy to see him.

                                   "Lenny, Alexa, and Mrs. Susan Jefferies, this is my boyfriend, Jackson," Paulette says.

                                   "It is nice to meet you all.  Paulette has told me so much about you," Jackson states.

                                   "Nice to meet you too, Jackson!" Annabelle says.

                                  "It is a pleasure to meet you young man," Susan states.

                                 "Dude,nice to meet you!"  Lenny says and shakes hands with him.

                                 "Emily says, she and Margaret will come for a visit real soon!  They should be here in the next few weeks!" Susan says.

                               "Oh, wow!  Thanks so much for contacting her, aunt Susan!" Annabelle says as she hugs her aunt. She thinks this will take some getting used too.

                                    Jackson gives Paulette a confused look and she explains all to him. Then, he says , "Well that explains a  lot."

                                    "Alexa, I see your birthday blues are gone!" Paulette says.

                                   "Yes, they sure are and they will not be coming back anytime soon!" Annabelle says with a cheerful voice.

                                  "Good, glad to hear it babe," Lenny says as he wraps an arm around Annabelle.

                                   "Oh, should I bring the cake out here?" Susan asks.

                                  "Cake, what cake?" Lenny says.

                                   "The one I made for Annabelle's birthday!" Susan replies.

                                   "Sure, that sounds swell," Annabelle answers.

                                  "Well, then I will be right back," Susan states.  She goes inside and comes back out a few minutes later with the birthday cake.

                                    Lenny, Paulette and Jackson, and Susan all gather around Annabelle and sing Happy Birthday!  Then, they watch as Annabelle makes a wish and blows out her candles.

                                     "What did you wish for anyway?" Lenny asks.

                                     "Lenny, do not know the birthday wish is supposed to remain a secret?"  Jackson asks.

                                      "He is right, you know," Paulette says.

                                     "Yes, everyone knows this," Susan adds.

                                    "Sorry, can not tell you it is a secret.  Besides, if I tell then it might not come true," Annabelle responds.

                                        As Annabelle and her friends enjoy some of her birthday cake together she thinks this might be a great birthday after all!  Later, when they finish the cake it is time to open her gifts.

                             Annabelle smiles when she gets a new set of roller skates from her aunt Susan, a new set of knee and elbow pads, and an awesome phone cover from her best friend, Paulette, a CD with music that her

                         favorite band Big Daddy Weave sings from Jackson, an awesome poster, and two CD's  from Lenny, and finally a kiss from Lenny too.  In all, it was a better birthday than she could have imagined.

                                 "Thanks everyone!" Annabelle says with a huge grin and blush leftover from Lenny's kiss.

                                 "You are so welcome, girl!" Paulette says.

                                "You are welcome and Happy Birthday," Everyone else says.