Kassie stood in the party supply aisle at Target, holding two different packages of princess-themed plates while Emma debated the merits of each with the seriousness of a Supreme Court justice.
“The pink ones have more sparkles,” Emma observed, pointing to the first package. “But the purple ones have Belle, and she’s my favorite because she likes books like me.”
“You can’t go wrong with Belle,” Kassie agreed, dropping the purple plates into their cart alongside the growing collection of birthday party supplies. “Good choice, birthday girl.”
It was hard to believe Emma would be five in just two months. The party planning had become Kassie’s favorite distraction over the past few weeks—researching princess-themed games, comparing prices on decorations, making lists of Emma’s friends from
