Title: Super Soakers and Seventh Birthdays
Author: Mully Sculder
Disclaimer: Well, William originally was property of CC and 1013
productions but then they gave him up so he’s kind of everyone’s now
I guess. The whole “it takes a village of philes to raise a William”
idea I guess. Also, I didn’t write “Happy Birthday” I’m just
borrowing it for a few lines. No copyright infringement intended.
Feedback: YES! Please, I would love to hear what you think really if
you like it let me know, if you don’t let me know that too. Please
send all feedback to mullysculder@yahoo.com

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William Van De Kamp watched the children playing around him
happy that his friends were at his home to celebrate his special day.
He watched as his they pelted each other with water balloons and
launched stealth Super Soaker attacks on one another. As he watched
he noticed one of his friends, Alison Gordon, no Alison Michelle
Gordon he silently corrected himself, also biding her time as she
tried to figure out the way to cause the most damage without getting
too wet herself. He watched as she launched a sneak attack on Alan
Huffman, a boy who constantly teased Alison with his taunts of
“midget freak”. William watched as Alan was drenched in about 30
seconds by Alison, listening as she giggled and he yelled threatening
to get her. She turn and ran across the field knowing that he would
never catch up with her, because even though she was small she could
outrun half the boys in the class and one of those boys was Alan
Huffman.

William laughed in amusement at the scene unfolding before him
pushing his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose, his bright
blue eyes twinkling in amusement as he grabbed two water balloons and
launched them at his friend Nathan Arnold laughing as first one and
then the other made contact with Nathan drenching him causing the boy
to laugh and threaten his own version of revenge. It was then that
William noticed the gianormous Super Soaker in Nathan’s hands, saw
him begin to pump the thing then squeezing the trigger and begin
drenching William as he ran away for some cover. Nathan knew that
finding William would be rather easy though, his red hair always
stood out and made him easy to find even when he was trying to hide.
 
Charlotte Van De Kamp listened to her son’s laughter and the
laughter of his friends from the yard. She could hardly believe that
seven years had passed since William came into hers and her husband’s
lives. From the day he was first placed in her arms by the social
worker she knew that she had been given a blessing, now seven years
later she understood what a blessing it was. She couldn’t imagine
their lives without him or him without them, how quickly the initial
reservations gave way to this need to care and love this child who
was given to them she saw now as a true gift. He was the smartest in
his class and one of the kindest souls she could imagine. That may
sound like a proud mother talking, but it was all true. William was
kind to any and everyone he met and everyone just seemed to like him
without him really doing anything other than being himself. This
party was a testament to how liked her son was, he had invited
everyone in his class and almost every one of those thirty kids had
shown up.

Charlotte made her way outside to check on her son and his
guests, smiling as she walked out and heard the happy squeals of the
children emitting from various parts of her front yard. Just as she
was stepping off the porch she felt a thwack on her back as a water
balloon thrown by an unseen assailant broke and water cascaded down
her back. She heard her son’s laughter as he muttered out a half
heartened apology “Sorry mom!” she heard him yell from behind a bush
near the corner of her house. Laughed as she turned around and
spotted her son hiding behind the aforementioned bush. She picked up
a nearby Super Soaker and ran over to where he was and began pelting
the bush with water from the water gun on steroids. She heard her
son’s laughter from behind the bush and erupted with laughter of her
own. “Are you ready to have your friends come in for cake, William?”
she asked when she regained her breath.
     
“Sure mom, but I’m not sure you want all of them inside right now.”
     
“You’re right, would it be alright with you if we did it in the back
yard, on the picnic table?”
     
“That’s fine with me, but how will we get their attention.”
     
“Leave that to me. OK everyone, who’s ready for cake and ice cream?”
     
At the mention of a probable sugar rush all of the children came out
of their hiding places and put down their Super Soakers and water
balloons. Charlotte and William led their guests into their backyard.
Charlotte went inside the kitchen through the backyard and placed the
seven blue candles on her son’s cake, and carried it outside. She
placed the cake on the table and lit the candles. “OK everyone, let’s
sing ‘Happy Birthday’ on three, 1, 2, 3 Happy birthday to you. Happy
birthday to you. Happy birthday dear William. Happy Birthday to you.”
     
William closed his eyes and made a wish, the same wish he had made
for the past six months after he had discovered his adoption. He
wished that one day he would find his real parents and ask them why
they had given him up. He then blew out all seven candles at one
time, thinking that this time the wish might come true. That this
might be the wish to end all wishes because he knew deep down that
you could be magic on your birthday.

                           The End