CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: Happy Birthday Bette

“Good morning Miss Bette!!”

Sonja screamed at the top of her lungs as she entered the double doors of Bette’s bedroom. She waddled over to the queen-sized bed and poked the huge lump underneath the thick cream-colored comforter. She smiled as she heard a low groan being emitted from within. She placed her hands on the mattress and gently leaned forward, moving her head a few inches closer to where she had guessed that the brunette’s ear would be. She knew that what she would do next would induce a healthy round of swearing from her precious young master, but she really didn’t mind. After all, this has been their tradition since she started taking care of the heiress all those years ago. She cleared her throat and inhaled deeply as she began her usual April 20, special wake-up routine.

“Haaaaappppppyyyyyy birrrttthhhddaaayyy tooooooooooooooooooooo youuuuuuuuuuu! Haaaaappppppyyyyyy birrrttthhhddaaaaaaaayyy tooooooooooo youuuuuuuuuuu!” Sonja sang piercingly and passionately off-key as the birthday girl groaned and stirred beneath the covers. “Happy birthday.. happy birthdaaaaaayyyyy.. happy birrrrrrtttttthhhhdddaaaaaayyyyyyy tooooo youuuuuuuu!!!” She wrapped up her little performance by hugging the life out of the balled-up lump known as Bette Porter. She pulled back after a few minutes and waited with baited breath for her ward to emerge from under her comfy hiding place. Here we go, she braced herself for the upcoming onslaught of colorful vocabulary as Bette threw down the covers from her face and rubbed her eyes sleepily.

“Sonja..” Bette whispered hoarsely, her voice still thick with sleep. “You..” She narrowed her eyes and pointed at the older woman standing by her bed.

“Me?” Sonja pointed an innocent finger at herself as she looked at the brunette expectantly. Let’s hear the potty mouth, she grinned inwardly.

“..are not the first one to greet me this year!!!” Bette shouted, laughing wholeheartedly. Sonja’s eyes widened in response as her mouth opened and closed in shock.

“H-how can that be?” The chambermaid looked apprehensively at the teenager who was shooting her a smug grin. She had always been the first one to greet Bette.. it was tradition! Sure, there were some people who would send their text greetings to the girl as soon as the clock struck twelve, but Bette never counted them as first. The greetings from the people she held close to her heart weighed more to the brunette. And for the past thirteen years, she was always the first. Sam was usually the second one followed closely by either Shane or Alice. Those two were always in competition for third place. She knew her ward’s sleep-loving friends never woke up before six in the morning and she used this knowledge to her advantage. So to her delight, and to Bette’s dismay, the daily wake up routine was always much earlier than usual during Bette’s birthday.