"Just have Mrs. Gouter do it, Dad. She does it better than we can," Adrian said.
"That's not the point. It should come from you."
"It will. We'll sign a dozen and have them available ahead of time like you do. Dad." Cade followed,
Daddy blanched, but his lips whitened. He looked at Danielle, who quickly dropped her eyes.
"They're impossible," he told me. "Should we start?" Adrian asked.
"Start," Daddy said and turned to one of the maids hovering at the door, "You can bring in their cake. Claire." he told her.
The boys lunged at their gifts, tearing away the wrapping and the cards without even taking care to see who gave them what. Danielle had to check each card for them. Their gifts included very expensive imported silk shirts. Rolex watches, digital cameras, the hand-held PCs Daddy bought in my name, binoculars, and what they considered their piece de resistance: the keys to their own speedboat. It was going to be delivered tomorrow. There was a picture of it along with the keys.
She got it for us! She got it!" Cade cried. "I told Bunny what we dreamed of having, and she got it."
"Mon Dieu. Thatcher, Should they have such a gift?" Danielle asked.
"No," Daddy said. They both looked up at him with disappointment on the verge of rage. "But it doesn't surprise me that my mother would do such a thing. She loves providing dreams for people. You're not to take the boat out without first having me give you a full course of instruction." Daddy warned them.
"Sure," Cade said.
"I mean it. Cade. If I hear that you have. I'll have it towed off and sold. understand?"
"We understand, we understand. Don't we. Adrian?"
Adrian looked at him and then turned to Daddy and nodded. but I had no doubt in my mind that they would disobey him first chance they had.
Just then the maid brought in the cake, moving slowly so the candles would stay lit.
"Oh, my, my!" Danielle cried, clapping her hands.
It was an impressive cake, and the two dolls did resemble my half brothers, both with a small arrogant smirk on their lips. I thought,
The maid placed the cake on the cleared table, and the twins leaned over and started to blow out the candles, racing with each other to see who would blow out the most. When they were finished, the other servants gathered obediently at the door, and we sang happy birthday to Cade and Adrian. They both stood back, glowing as if they were finally getting what was always rightfully theirs. Two mare ungrateful, spoiled people did not exist anywhere, I thought.
"Happy birthday," I told Cade and kissed him on the cheek. I did the same for Adrian.
As Claire began cutting the cake and putting the pieces on plates for us. Daddy's butler stepped in to tell him he had a phone call. He left and the four of us sat eating cake and reviewing their presents.
"I've got to run out," Daddy announced when he returned. "Something has come up."
"Now?" Danielle asked. "but--"
"I'll be back in an hour. I promise," he said. "You two behave yourselves." he warned the twins.
Danielle rose. "I can't imagine what it could be," she said sadly, and then she followed him to the front door,
"So," Cade said turning to Adrian, "not a bad haul this year, huh, brother of mine?"
"Not bad," Adrian agreed, turning his new Rolex watch over and over.
"Too bad your mother dumped dear old dad for Fidel Castro." Cade said to me. Or you would be enjoying birthdays like this with piles of expensive gifts."
"There are a lot more important things in life than accumulating more possessions. Cade."
"Like what? Making music?" he said with ridicule.
"Yes, I think so." He started to laugh again. "At least I am doing something that pleases other people, too, and feeling good about myself. I don't have to have something new every week to keep me from being bored to death. either."