It's the time of princess's and pirate ships, I am only five, but my birthday is sometime soon, Mommy keeps asking what kind of birthday cake I want, but she's slowly learning that I am going to change the answer every time.

    She stopped asking today.

    Today is a big day, because Daddy is coming home, Daddy isn't home often. Naturally, as mommy says before sentences I don't like, you're going to wear a dress.

    The fit I threw.

    "Mommy, but, Mommy we aren't even going outside!" I tried and tried to get her to understand, I really didn't want to wear a dress. I wanted to be like daddy, who wears cowboy boots and camo pants and titled up baseball caps.

    Mommy did not understand, and she made me wear a stupid pink dress anyway.

    "Time stops in this stupid pink dress," I tell Mommy as I help her shape cookies for daddy and Santa Claus, "I feel like Daddy is never coming home in this dress!"

    Mommy smiles, washing her hands with soap that smells like pretty flowers, "Go brush your hair, Daneah," she nods toward the hallway.

    But the hallways dark, and I don't want to go through the dark hallway, "some kids don't brush their hair, why do I have to?"

    Mommy sighs, "because you are able to, you have brush and running water." Now she's mixing chocolate chips into the cookie dough, we forgot them earlier.

    I glare at her, "I'm not brushing my hair until all the kids in the world brush theirs." I cross my arms over my chest to show how serious I am.

    Mommy stops stirring the cookie dough and gets down on her knees so she is my level, "You have three seconds to go brush your hair or I'll brush it for you." It was Mommy's big threat.

    I laugh and lay my hand on her shoulder and pat as I say real loud, "Mommy, I'm almost six, that doesn't scare me anymore!"

    "What's all that ruckus?" I hear a big man voice from down the dark hall.

    Loud banging noises.

    "Daddy!" I yell and run into the dark hallway, hands in front so I'm ready for my hugs and kisses. "Mommy, Mommy, Daddy's home! Daddy's home, Mommy!"

    "Alright, Danny, I think she knows now," Daddy has me up on his shoulders, his big hands holding onto my legs tight so I don't fall off.

    "Grant, stop calling her that please, her name is Daneah," Mommy calls from the kitchen. She comes into the dark hallway and kisses Daddy, "I missed you, love."

    Mommy is smiling, and she's forgotten about my hair.

    We have gone through the Santa Claus ate the cookies part, the begging and pleading of opening the presents before breakfast part, and everything else you do on Christmas Day. I know Santa Claus isn't real, and that's okay, but Mommy and Daddy don't know.

    And now, I am six in three days, but today is someone else's birthday, that's what Mommy keeps saying, as we eat breakfast.

    Mommy says that we get presents instead of the other person because he's not here anymore.

    "Well, where is he?" I ask as I stuff myself with yummy scrambled eggs and stuffed French toast.

    "He's in Heaven, Daneah," is the response. It's from Daddy, and he's already done with his food, now he's separating the presents underneath the tree.

    Last year I accidentally opened Mommy's present.

    "Where's Heaven, Daddy?" I ask, very lost, why would someone miss their own birthday party? "Why isn't here at his birthday party?" Jumping down from the tall chair, my brown hair still not brushed, and my tummy more than full.

    Daddy shrugs, not sure how to answer my question, "People around the world celebrate his birthday, Danny, he can't go to every party."

    Anastasia, our one year old chocolate Labrador, bounds into the living room, knowing what time it is. "Anastasia, sit, girl." Mommy says sternly, it's how she talks to me sometimes.

    Anastasia stops short, and sits, giving Mommy the funniest look. I giggle, petting the puppies soft fur and scratching behind her ears.

    "Daddy, remember when we got Anastasia from that mean dog place?" I ask, looking up from the Lab to Daddy, who is done separating the presents.

    There aren't many for me, and I know that, and it doesn't make me cry like it would most kids, because my birthday is soon, and I'll get more presents then.

    "It's called the Humane Society, hun," he has a present for Anastasia in his big hands and is teasing her with it.

    All the presents are wrapped in a shimmering blue, it's not my favorite color, but it's on the top five list. "What's that, Daddy?"

    Sigh, "it's a shelter for homeless dogs and cats and other animals, it's where people that can't afford their animals put them." Daddy slowly unwraps the toy he's teasing Anastasia with.

    The chocolate Labradors tail whips back and forth against the couch. 

    Today is the day, I wake up slowly, stretching, I rub the sleep nuggets out of my eyes, and walk to my door, "so you're telling me you've been here, with her, the whole time and you forgot to pick up her cake?" It's Daddy, he's angry.

    "She was always changing her answer! I didn't know what to get!"Mommy sounds sad, and it's all my fault. I changed the answer too much.

    I open the door, sprinting down the hall to the bathroom, I don't want Mommy sad on my birthday. I quickly brush my hair, and put on big girl looking clothes when I get back to my room. I rush to the living room, "Mommy, Mommy!" I yell. "I don't want a cake, Mommy." I wrap my arms around her legs. "It's okay that I don't have a cake 'cause I don't want one!" I look up at her, smiling.

                                                              -Later-

    "Say cheese!" Some boy's mother is taking pictures of everyone, right now she's taking pictures of my friend Caroline and I. She's in the fourth grade, real smart. We have matching bracelets now, it was her birthday present to me.

    We face the camera and smile big, that's when I see them. Two boys standing side by side, talking and randomly slapping each other's arm. After the picture I ask Caroline who the boys are, "who them?" She tilts her head toward the arm slapping boys.

    I nod silently, busy staring.

    "That's the Harris boys, terrible bunch." She's shaking her head, glaring at the boys.

    "Well, what makes 'em so bad?" They're cute. One, the one on the left, has flat bright blonde hair with low straight eyebrows and bright eyes. The one on the right looks like a wilder version of the one on the left, with brown hair that juts out in every direction, high set eyebrows that make him look surprised with everything he says, and darker eyes.

    "They don't listen, it's like they never grew up with rules. They're two grades behind me." She shrugs, "But they're never in class, always in the principals office." She glares at them.

    "Hey, honey, we have to get you to dance class, say goodbye to your friend." Caroline's mom says sweetly, but I hear the sternness in her voice that I sometimes hear in Mommy's.

    Caroline frowns, looks at me, "well I hope you have a good birthday, and don't loose that bracelet!" She gives me a quick hug and she's gone.

    A start pushing my food around my plate, a few kids come over to me to wish me happy birthday. I thank them with a big smile.

    There are more presents than I had before under the Christmas tree.

    "Heya," a voice says from behind me.

    I turn around, it's the blonde Harris boy, "Hi," I say back.    

    He looks at me for what feels like forever. His eyes are big and blue, a pretty blue that reminds me of the water. "This is your birthday party, right?"

    I nod, "yes, are you having fun?" I watch him carefully, he's dressed up, like me, but he's in a nice button up shirt with a bow tie.

    I'm in the stupid pink dress.

    He shrugs, "I'm Seth," a small muddy hand is out waiting for a handshake, "Seth Harris."

    I shake his dirty hand and smile, "I'm Danny Pritmore." I do not bother to wipe my hand off.

    At this, Seth scrunches his nose. "That's a boys name." His brother is now standing by his side, Seth smacks his brothers arm, "Hey, Waldo, this girls name is Danny."

    This time I scrunch my nose, "Waldo is a weird name."

    Waldo seems hurt, "Walden is my real name," he shrugs a cute shrug, "but I'm always hiding from my parents, so they started calling me Waldo." He pulls out a white and red striped knit beanie, "ya know, like Where's Waldo." The beanie matches the knit sweater he's wearing.

    I do not know Where's Waldo. "Oh."

    "Anyway, here's your present," Seth shoves a pink box towards me, "we didn't know what a girl would want-"

    "-So our Mom helped us." Waldo finishes.

    "Well thank you, can't wait to see what it is."

    The times flies, and the presents have filled the space under the tree.

    I open them, the Harris boys present first. It's a brightly colored t-shirt with the words Let it Go in bold lettering. I smile at the Frozen shirt. I receive lots of girly things, most of which will stay in my closet until I grow big and can't fit them anymore.