Book: Adopted by Falsettos
Josie's Age: 15, almost 16

Day 1

"It's my birthday." I said to myself, rubbing my eyes to wake myself up.

I took a look at my desk calendar and sighed. The calendar read May 23, 2022.

"Well. Almost my birthday." I sighed and got out of bed, trying to find a sufficient outfit for school. I felt someone tap my shoulder and I yelped, jumping back with my dress in my arms.

"GEEZ, MAMA! I LOVE YOU, BUT DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT!" I said, putting my dress back on my bed.

"I have pancakes!" Stephanie said cheerfully. I rolled my eyes and said, "I'm going to slap you with one in a minute." Stephanie laughed and then I said, "I'm going to take a shower, I have to be at the bus stop in 45 minutes."

"You're not going to school this week."

"I'm sorry, what? It's almost final exam week!"

"It's also your birthday week! And I have a special surprise for you..." Stephanie said. She handed me a fancy piece of paper and I looked at it in confusion.

"Josie Block's Sweet Sixteen Extravaganza? Mama, what is this?" I said. Stephanie laughed and said, "Since you hate large parties, we're gonna have a family party this week! Every single day this week leading up to your birthday, we're gonna go out as a family and do something fun! First order of business, mini golf!"

_______

"Christian, why do you have all the golf balls in your pocket. Give me mine!" I said.

"Which one is yours again?" Christian said, pulling out all the golf balls and handing me a random one. "This is Tracie's, try again."

"I forgot."

"IT'S THE DARK PURPLE ONE." I said. Brandon ran up to us and frantically tapped my shoulder. "What do you want?"

"Is that the way to speak to your father, Josephine?"

"Oh my God...Christian hoarded the golf balls and we're all trying to remember which one of us got the hole in one cause I know some of us won't be honest about it! Where's the score card?" I asked, holding my hand out.

"What score card?" Brandon said, blinking a little.

"BRANDON URANOWITZ!" I said. "Great. We need to start over."

"I'm going first this time." Andrew said. I sighed and said, "I go first cause it's my Sweet Sixteen." Andrew sighed and moved over and I smiled. "Watch and learn, peasants! I'm not on the varsity soccer team for nothing!"

"Remind us never to play competitive sports with each other ever again." Tracie said.

"Oh, how funny! We're going bowling tomorrow!" Stephanie said cheerfully.

___________

Day 2

"Thank God this place keeps score for us automatically." Brandon said. "Josie, put the pickle down, it's your turn." I smiled and got up and watched as Betsy got a gutter ball from the lane next to ours. Because we had eight people, we split up into two teams of four.

"Don't steal my pickle while I'm up." I said, rolling the bowling ball. "Yes! I got a strike! Josie wins!"

"Whizzer wins..." Andrew said under his breath.

"You got what I was trying to do there." I said. Andrew smiled and then said, "Christian, it's your turn!"

"Wait, huh, what?"

"Have you not been paying attention?" Andrew asked. I giggled and sat back down, eating a pickle.

"How is the other team so much more organized than we are?" Brandon asked. I shrugged and then Andrew said, "We're more chaotic then them, I suppose."

"What are we doing tomorrow, Mama?" I yelled to the next lane over.

Stephanie put down the bowling ball in her hand and said, "We're going on a road trip!"

_________

Day 3

"Josephine Block, give me the pretzels right this minute." Andrew said. I made a whining noise and said, "No. My pretzels."

"We're in this car for three more hours and I'm hungry, give me the pretzels!"

"You're acting like a five year old." I said, taking one more pretzel out of the bag before handing the bag to Andrew. He grinned and then said, "Hey, look, Josie. Let's beg your mom to stop and get us some chicken nuggets."

"I agree." Christian said.

"How am I acting more mature than you two?" I asked. I rolled my eyes and then suddenly got tired. I yawned a little and then leaned my head on Andrew's shoulder.

"Awww. Josie, getting tired there?" I nodded sleepily and closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep and feeling calmed by the movement of the car.

_______

"WHAT?! HUH?!" I yelled, waking up to the sounds of police sirens. Andrew laughed and gave me a side hug. "It's okay, Josie, your mama just got pulled over for speeding."

"I'm sorry- Mama did what?"  Tracie laughed from the front seat and said, "It's nothing."

"Mama's a criminal!" I said, laughing.

"No, I'm not a criminal, we're good, now let's go. We're supposed to be at the hotel in...oh my God we're supposed to have dinner in an hour."

"Mama! What are we doing tomorrow?" I asked. Stephanie sighed and started driving again.

"We're going to play laser tag!"

______

Day 4

"Why is it so dark in here! Oh my God. Brandon! Are you colorblind? That's one of our teammates!" I said.

"OH MY GOD! Josie! You scared me!" Brandon said. I smiled cheerfully and then said, "Hey, there's Anthony, let's go get him."

"Not if I get you first!" Anthony said. He blasted both Brandon and I and we both groaned. "Welp, we both are on the other team now. Why don't you go find your auntie?"

"Okay." I said. "Auntie Tracie? Where are you?"

"Do you seriously think that's gonna work?" Anthony said. I giggled and skipped off to find my auntie.

"JOSIE QUIT THE MANHUNT WE WON!" Andrew yelled from the other side of the room. I grinned and Tracie walked up to me. "Y'know, at the last second, I was gonna sneak up and blast your mama, but I got bored of the game and decided to get myself out." I started laughing and then gasped.

"I turn sixteen tomorrow!"

"That you do, baby. Happy Sweet Sixteen." Mama said, ruffling my hair as we made our way to the car.

________

Day 5

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Josie, happy birthday to you!"

"Happy Sweet Sixteen!" Christian said. "Wow. Our little girl is able to drive pretty soon."

"I passed the Driver's Ed course, and Mama sat through the boring parent's course, I got my driving hours in with Uncle Andy-"

"Which were terrifying, by the way." Andrew said.

"Andrew! Be supportive!" Stephanie snapped. I giggled and said, "Anyway, all I need is my license, then I'm good to go!"

"Attagirl!" Brandon said, giving me a high five.

I grinned and said, "This is the best birthday ever!"