Usuki Singing Stars #35: Lola Saves the Day

      "Lola, you’re a lifesaver!” Patricia exclaimed, tying a ribbon around the end of a balloon. The faerie Shoyru picked up another balloon and ribbon. “If you didn’t come over today, then I would have been swamped with all the decorating. But are you sure you don’t want any compensation?”

      Lola shook her head. “I don’t mind helping at all,” said the yellow Cybunny. She placed a tray of Chomby-shaped cookies on the picnic table and looked around the backyard. “While you finish up with the balloons, I’ll begin taping the streamers around the fence.”

      “Can you also unpack the party hats?” asked Patricia. “I’ll attach the balloons to the fence you.”

      “Sure.” Lola picked up the box of streamers and walked toward the fence. She weaved the blue, green and yellow streamers together and taped them in wide crescents across the fence. After finishing, she retrieved a box of party hats from the kitchen and unpacked them at the picnic table. “Your mother says the cake is almost done,” Lola reported to Patricia. “She just needs to frost it.”

      “Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake!” Alan chanted as she ran past the girls, blowing his noisemaker loudly. “I’m going to have the best party ever,” the blue Shoyru gloated, “and Mommy said I can have two slices of cake!”

      Brayden, who was crawling behind Alan, shook his rattle enthusiastically. “Ablooha!” cried the baby Shoyru.

      Patricia rolled her eyes, but Lola giggled. Today, the nineteenth day of the Month of Hiding, was Alan’s birthday. The girls were prepping the party decorations while Mrs. Winston worked on the party snacks and Alan’s birthday cake. “Do you know when your friends will be arriving?” asked Lola.

      “They’re coming eleventy-twelve,” said Alan, “and Mommy says Booboo will be coming, too!”

      “Who’s Booboo?” asked Lola, setting up the table with paper plates and cups.

      Patricia opened a pack of napkins. “He’s this pink Kacheek who dresses up as a clown and entertains birthday parties. Alan’s excited because he says Booboo can do magic tricks and make balloon pets.”

      “I love balloon pets!” Lola squealed.

      “They’re okay, but they’re too babyish,” said Patricia.

      After they were done preparing the picnic table, the girls met Mrs. Winston in the kitchen to report their progress. “Is the cake dome, Mom?” asked Patricia.

      Mrs. Winston nodded. “And the punch is ready, too,” replied the faerie Kau. She sighed heavily. “Girls, I’m afraid there’s a teeny problem.”

      “What is it?” asked Patricia.

      “Do we need more supplies?” asked Lola.

      “No, we have everything we need for the party,” confirmed Mrs. Winston. “It’s just that Booboo sent me a letter today. He is very ill and will unfortunately be unable to attend Alan’s party. I know how much Alan’s been looking forward to Booboo, but I’m afraid we’ll just have to find another way to entertain the guests.”

      “Is there another clown we can hire on such short notice?” Patricia suggested.

      “I’m afraid there isn’t anything we can do now,” Mrs. Winston sighed.

      Poor Allan thought Lola. She knew the young Shoyru was really excited for his party, and this “Booboo” seemed like a critical part of the whole party. The guests wouldn’t be entertained without a performer, and Alan would be very disappointed if there no clowns came to celebrate his birthday.

      “There has to be something we can do,” Patricia insisted. “Maybe we can play more games or something?”

      Lola nodded. “I have an even better idea,” she announced, “And it may be enough to save this party.”

      “You do? What is it?” asked Mrs. Winston.

      “All I need is a costume,” Lola instructed. “Patricia, do you still have your old Halloween costume?”

      Patricia placed the red rubber nose on Lola. “Are you sure you really want to do this?” she asked, inspecting Lola’s clown ensemble. “Is the costume too tight?”

      “I’m fine,” Lola insisted. She twirled, showing off the blue and white striped clown outfit she was wearing. She reached for her red horn and asked, “How do I look?”

      “Ridiculous,” said Patricia, giggling.

      Lola beamed. “Splendid! Now all I need is a wig, some clown makeup, and maybe a few balloons–”

      “We have all that stuff,” interrupted Patricia. She looked out the kitchen window and winced at the sight of Alan playing with his friends. “Lola, are you sure this will work? Alan isn’t as clueless as you think; he will ask about Booboo and he’ll get really upset if he finds out the truth.”

      “Well, I suppose we have no choice,” Lola sighed. “I’ll tell him while you…uh, watch. Okay?”

      “But what about the other clown stuff you need?” Patricia asked. “You’re not even wearing any make-up!”

      Adjusting her gigantic bow-tie, Lola grabbed a spare party hat led Patricia to the backyard. “We shouldn’t keep our guests waiting, so I’m afraid I’ll just have to skip the extra accessories. I just hope I can entertain them long enough for cake time!” Squeaking a red horn to get the guests’ attention, Lola announced in her happiest voice, “Hi, I’m Lulu the Clown! Who’s ready to see some magic tricks?”

      “Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!” cried a baby Usul, running to sit in front of Lola. Alan, Brayden and all the party guests made their way towards their performer. Laughing and squealing as they pointing to Lola and sat on the grass. “Are you Booboo the clown’s helper?” asked a blue Yurble.

      “Do you know if Booboo likes candy?” asked a baby Uni.

      “Aflakatees!” Brayden shouted, nestled in Alan’s lap.

      Alan shot his arm up and waved it eagerly. “Oh! I have a question, too!”

      “What is it?” asked Lola, beaming at her ecstatic audience. “Lulu can answer all of your questions!”

      “When’s Booboo coming?” Alan wondered. “Are you his helper? Or are you another funny clown here to play at my birthday?”

      Lola was speechless. What could she say that wouldn’t upset the birthday Shoyru? Should she be honest, like her original plan, or should she make something up? Patricia may be right with her assumption, Lola theorized as she blew up a pink balloon. Maybe I can stall everyone until cake time.

      “Are you making a balloon pet??” asked the baby Usul. “Ca you make an Usul?”

      “Well…I’m not that good,” Lola confessed. “But I can still it an Usul one.” Finding a black marker on the party table, she drew an Usul on the balloon and handed it to the baby Usul. “Do you like it?”

      “I LOVE IT!!” exclaimed the baby Usul. Lola was relieved. She also became a bit stressed, too, when all the other guests demanded their favourite pets on balloons, too. After drawing a Shoyru for a green Bruce, Lola decided to entertain her audience by juggling…though she knew she could juggle only three balls at a time. Regardless, Alan and his friends thoroughly enjoyed the juggling the same way they enjoyed Lola’s sing-a-long and clapping games.

      “You’re the best clown ever!” decreed a red Yurble.

      “I agree!” said the baby Uni.

      Alan tugged on Lola’s pant leg. “But Miss Clown, where is Booboo? Is he coming or not?”

      “Well…” Lola bit her lip. Despite all her entertaining, Alan was still curious about Booboo. Although she didn’t want to lie to the young Shoyru, she also knew that lying to him would be just as wrong as avoiding his question. Taking a deep breath, Lola knelt and looked Alan in the eye. “Listen, there’s something you need to know about Booboo.”

      “He’s going to bring dancing Puppyblews?” asked Alan.

      Lola shook her head. “No…um, it’s something else. You see…”

      “Cake time!” Patricia rang a Kau-bell as Mrs. Winston placed a two layer chocolate cake on the party table. “It’s time to cut the cake, everybody!”

      As Alan eagerly ran towards the cake, Lola sighed deeply and muttered, “Saved by the cake.”

      “Lola, you’re a lifesaver!” Mrs. Winston cried when the girls approached the cake. She handed Brayden to Patricia. “If it weren’t for your clever clown act, I had more than enough time to finish preparing the cake. And the youngsters really seem to enjoy you, too.”

      “Glooba!” Brayden agreed, shaking his rattle.

      Lola blushed. “Thank you. I had a lot of fun being Lulu the Clown…though I’m not sure if Alan would ask about Booboo again.”

      “Do you think he’ll get upset, Mom?” asked Patricia.

      “I don’t think so,” said Mrs. Winston, lighting the candles. “I’m sure he would have been much more upset if no clowns came at all. And again, Lola I must commend you for dressing up in Patricia’s Halloween costume to save the party! It really saved the day.”

      The baby Usul looked up at Lola and beamed. “Are you going to show us more tricks, Miss Lulu?” she asked hopefully.

      “Will you be eating cake?” asked the red Yurble.

      Alan clapped. “You can perform until Booboo comes! Then, if he doesn’t come, you can stay even longer!”

      Hearing all the young guests’ begging and pleadings, Lola giggled and announced, “Of course I’ll stay! Lulu the Clown has a special story she would like to recite after cake-time. How does that sound, everyone?”

      “GREAT!” cheered the guests as the cake was served.

     The End.