A Swan

My soon to be five year old daughter wanted a swan for her birthday. She watched some Disney movie last week and since then, that is all she would talk about.

I kept saying. "I'm sorry, Hannah, but you cannot have a real swan. I can get you a stuffed animal swan like Bear-Bear," to which she would roll her eyes at me and stomp off.

What I wanted to know was where she learned to roll her eyes!

We called my mother Queen Beatrice instead of Grandma at her request. I'm not sure if she is really that chuffed about the granny name or if she really liked hearing "Queen Beatrice" called out by everyone.

The Queen wanted Hannah's 5th birthday party to take place at her home in the country.

"It's not like she has a ton of friends out by you. Let's do it out here with all the cousins," said my mother. You want a bunch of kids running around in your house? Fine, have it your way, I thought.

* * *

My mother placed the birthday cake I baked on her dining room table. One of my young nieces asked, "Is that cake for you, Queen Beatrice?"

"No, child. It couldn't possibly be mine. There are not enough candles on this cake to set off the smoke alarm," said my mother. She laughed heartily while lighting the five candles. My niece looked more confused than ever.

Outside on the patio, Hannah opened each of her gifts at the speed of light. She ripped the paper, barely looking at the gift and then moving on to the next one. Angry Birds Legos. Disney DVDs. A Barbie. I got her a touch lamp for her nightstand. I could tell she was not impressed at my attempt to get her to sleep with the light off.

The Queen's gift was always given last. So her gift would be better remembered, I suspected, but she would not admit to it. We walked down the hill and I stopped dead in my tracks. Three white swans were in the lake. It's more of a pond, but everyone calls it a lake.

"Queen Beatrice, I love you," squealed Hannah as she ran down to greet the swans.

"Before you say anything," said my mother. "They were rescued from a farm where the owner just died. They were pets. I knew it was kismet when Pauline called me up to tell me about it."

I had nothing to say as I walked down to meet the swans my daughter was hugging.

"Little Hannah, you can name them whatever you'd like," said Queen Beatrice all puffed up and proud of herself. "Get down between those two so I can take your picture. Perfect."

After talking more pictures, she walked over to me and said, "I thought about naming them that French trois words for a group of three, but I figured you'd disapprove. You know they even have a wine named that now."

Somehow I held my tongue.

* * *

With Hannah and all of her things packed up and in the car, my mother came out with a small gift in her hands.

"Mother," I exclaimed.

She threw me a look and handed Hannah the gift. "This is for you at home."

Hannah ripped open the gift to find a picture frame without a picture. My mother squatted down beside the car seat and flipped over the electronic picture frame. "Here's the power button. Now if you look at the pictures as they go by you'll see the ones of the swans. This way you can have them at home with you."

I rolled my eyes and stomped off to the driver's seat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Writer's Cramp Prompt 6/14
Use all of the following words/phrases in your story or poem - they can be in any order but must be bolded:

5th birthday party
swan
Queen Beatrice
lamp
not enough candles
frame

Word count: 625