" JAY! JAY WALKER! WAKE UP!" Theee year old Mia yelled into his ear.

Jay jolted up, and looked at his innocent little sister.

" Yes? Why must you wake me up this early in the morning?" He asked, slightly grumpy.

Mia giggled. " Guess that day it is!"

" Is it... Sleeping in day?" Jay nestled under the covers.

" No!" Mia laughed.

" Is it Be Quiet day?"

Mia grumbled. " You're no fun."

Jay sighed. " Fine. What day is it?"

But Mia was gone. She went to complain to her dad.

" Daddy!" She called, stepping into the kitchen.

" Hello, princess. How are you?" He asked, stepping away from the stove and hugging her.

" Guess what day it is!"

Her dad pretend to think. " Hmmm, it's some really important day."

" Yes?" Mia said.

" And.... It's one day a year." He continued.

Mia nodded eagerly.

" Is it.... Your birthday?" He asked, presenting her a stack of strawberry pancakes, with a side of chocolate ice cream.

" Daddy, you're the best!" She cried, hugging him tightly.

" Anything for you. Now dig in! Your pancakes will get cold, and the ice cream will melt."

Mia nodded eagerly, and stuffed her mouth with the delicious food.

" Sis is da beth, gatty!" She said through a mouthful of pancakes.

Her dad smiled.

Then Jay came down the stairs, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He saw Mia at the kitchen table, happily munching on her pancakes.

"Did you figure it out yet?" Mia asked, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.

Jay yawned. "Is it your birthday?" He said, half-jokingly.

Mia giggled. "Yes! It's my birthday!"

Jay started to respond, "It is no-" but then he saw the calendar on the wall, clearly marked with Mia's birthday. He stopped mid-sentence and smiled. "Never mind. Happy birthday to you, Mimi!"

Mia beamed, her face lighting up even more. "Thank you, Jay!"

Their dad smiled as he brought another plate of pancakes over for Jay. "Come join us, Jay. It's a special day."

Jay sat down, ruffling Mia's hair affectionately. "Alright, let's celebrate. What do you want to do today, birthday girl?"

Mia thought for a moment, then grinned. "Can we go to the park? And have ice cream? And play games?"

Jay nodded. "Anything you want, Mia. Today is all about you."

" Yippie! Let's go now!" Mia got up and ran to the door.

" Uh, Mia? Clothes?" Jay said, pointing to her nightsuit.

" Oopsie." Mia giggled. " I'll go change."

Mia sprinted up the stairs and changed into a purple gown with white rhinestones. She put on white socks and black heels that looked like Mary Janes.

When she came down, Jay was holding a paper. " This is for you."

" Wow, thank you!" Mia gushed, accepting the paper. ( Her parents had taught her to like any gift she was given. If it was something she already had, her parents would give her something the same amount and gift it to someone else).

She opened it, to find writing. It wrote,

Follow the path

Confused, she gave Jay a glance.

" The path?" She asked. " We have so many paths!"

" Then take them all." Jay gave her a sly look.

Mia sighed. " Can I have a hint?"

Jay shrugged. " Why not." Then he said, " Sparkles."

" Sparkles? Where on earth will I find-" she stopped. Sparkes.

Mr. Sparkle's home! She ran to the backyard door, pushed it open, and sprinted to the garden.

" Mr. Sparkles!" She called. " Where are you?"
" JAY! JAY WALKER! WAKE UP!" Theee year old Mia yelled into his ear.

Jay jolted up, and looked at his innocent little sister.

" Yes? Why must you wake me up this early in the morning?" He asked, slightly grumpy.

Mia giggled. " Guess that day it is!"

" Is it... Sleeping in day?" Jay nestled under the covers.

" No!" Mia laughed.

" Is it Be Quiet day?"

Mia grumbled. " You're no fun."

Jay sighed. " Fine. What day is it?"

But Mia was gone. She went to complain to her dad.

" Daddy!" She called, stepping into the kitchen.

" Hello, princess. How are you?" He asked, stepping away from the stove and hugging her.

" Guess what day it is!"

Her dad pretend to think. " Hmmm, it's some really important day."

" Yes?" Mia said.

" And.... It's one day a year." He continued.

Mia nodded eagerly.

" Is it.... Your birthday?" He asked, presenting her a stack of strawberry pancakes, with a side of chocolate ice cream.

" Daddy, you're the best!" She cried, hugging him tightly.

" Anything for you. Now dig in! Your pancakes will get cold, and the ice cream will melt."

Mia nodded eagerly, and stuffed her mouth with the delicious food.

" Sis is da beth, gatty!" She said through a mouthful of pancakes.

Her dad smiled.

Then Jay came down the stairs, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He saw Mia at the kitchen table, happily munching on her pancakes.

"Did you figure it out yet?" Mia asked, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.

Jay yawned. "Is it your birthday?" He said, half-jokingly.

Mia giggled. "Yes! It's my birthday!"

Jay started to respond, "It is no-" but then he saw the calendar on the wall, clearly marked with Mia's birthday. He stopped mid-sentence and smiled. "Never mind. Happy birthday to you, Mimi!"

Mia beamed, her face lighting up even more. "Thank you, Jay!"

Their dad smiled as he brought another plate of pancakes over for Jay. "Come join us, Jay. It's a special day."

Jay sat down, ruffling Mia's hair affectionately. "Alright, let's celebrate. What do you want to do today, birthday girl?"

Mia thought for a moment, then grinned. "Can we go to the park? And have ice cream? And play games?"

Jay nodded. "Anything you want, Mia. Today is all about you."

" Yippie! Let's go now!" Mia got up and ran to the door.

" Uh, Mia? Clothes?" Jay said, pointing to her nightsuit.

" Oopsie." Mia giggled. " I'll go change."

Mia sprinted up the stairs and changed into a purple gown with white rhinestones. She put on white socks and black heels that looked like Mary Janes.

When she came down, Jay was holding a paper. " This is for you."

" Wow, thank you!" Mia gushed, accepting the paper. ( Her parents had taught her to like any gift she was given. If it was something she already had, her parents would give her something the same amount and gift it to someone else).

She opened it, to find writing. It wrote,

Follow the path

Confused, she gave Jay a glance.

" The path?" She asked. " We have so many paths!"

" Then take them all." Jay gave her a sly look.

Mia sighed. " Can I have a hint?"

Jay shrugged. " Why not." Then he said, " Sparkles."

" Sparkles? Where on earth will I find-" she stopped. Sparkes.

Mr. Sparkle's home! She ran to the backyard door, pushed it open, and sprinted to the garden.

" Mr. Sparkles!" She called. " Where are you?"

She activated the barking system, and followed the sound.

There stood her robot dog, and in his mouth was a folded paper. Excited, she grabbed it and read the writing.

Take Mr. Sparkles and give him the command, ' Uncle Gary'

Mia grabbed her pet's leash and said, " Uncle Gary!"

Mr. Sparkles barked and took off racing through the garden and into the house. Mia had to yell to Jay, " The door!" before she would go crashing into it.

Jay, bless his soul, understood and opened the door swiftly.

" Can you give me roller skates?" She called.

Jay nodded and threw her a pair.

She jumped into them, and the skates locked in.

She activated the barking system, and followed the sound.

There stood her robot dog, and in his mouth was a folded paper. Excited, she grabbed it and read the writing.

Take Mr. Sparkles and give him the command, ' Uncle Gary'

Mia grabbed her pet's leash and said, " Uncle Gary!"

Mr. Sparkles barked and took off racing through the garden and into the house. Mia had to yell to Jay, " The door!" before she would go crashing into it.

Jay, bless his soul, understood and opened the door swiftly.

" Can you give me roller skates?" She called.

Jay nodded and threw her a pair.

She jumped into them, and the skates locked in.

Mia, now gliding smoothly on her roller skates, followed Mr. Sparkles as he dashed through the house. The excitement bubbled within her as she sped along, trying to keep up with her robot dog.

Mr. Sparkles led her through the living room, around the dining table, and finally stopped in front of the closet under the stairs. He barked once, then dropped another folded piece of paper from his mouth.

Mia eagerly picked it up and unfolded it. The note read:

Look inside for your next clue!

With trembling hands, Mia opened the closet door. Inside, she found a small, wrapped box sitting on a shelf. She took it down and carefully unwrapped it. Inside was a tiny, ornate key and another note:

The key unlocks the treasure chest in the attic.

Her eyes widened with excitement. She had always been curious about the old treasure chest in the attic. She quickly skated to the stairs, where Jay was waiting at the bottom.

"Need a lift?" Jay asked with a grin.

"Yes, please!" Mia responded eagerly.

Jay picked her up, careful not to hurt her while she was still wearing her skates, and carried her up the stairs. When they reached the attic door, he set her down and handed her a flashlight.

"Here you go, birthday girl. Go find your treasure."

Mia nodded, her heart racing with anticipation. She climbed the narrow stairs to the attic, the flashlight beam dancing across old boxes and forgotten items. Finally, she spotted the treasure chest in the corner, covered in a thin layer of dust.

She approached it carefully, her small hand trembling as she inserted the key into the lock. With a satisfying click, the chest opened. Inside, she found an array of colorful, sparkling items. There were small trinkets, glittering beads, and a tiara that looked like it came straight out of a fairytale.

But what caught her eye the most was a beautiful, handcrafted necklace with a pendant shaped like a heart. She picked it up, and a card rest beneath it:

" This is to our darling niece who brightens up any day. Happy birthday. From Uncle Gary and Aunt Suzie."

Mia smiled and put on the necklace. It went good with her dress.

Then, she saw another note on the back of the card. Excited, she read it.

This is a place you go when you are sick

Mia sighed. The doctor room.

See, her mother was a doctor, and since Mia only trustwd Jay in these matters, her mother had trained him to give her check ups.

Long story.

She shuddered. She never entered that room except for those days. Otherwise she steered clear of that room.

But, she did want to see what the other clue said.

She she manned up, puffed her chest, took her skates off, and ran down the stairs to put her other gifts in her bed. Then, she decided that, just for extra precautions, to make Jay go with her.

" JAY?!" she yelled. " I NEED YOU TI GO WITH ME TO THE * ahem* room."

Jay peeked out of his room. " Sure, who not?"

Mia grabbed into his hand and walked to the door. She looked up at Jay and said, " you're opening it."

" But wh-" Jay started before realizing which door they were standing in front. " Oh."

Jay knelt down and gave Mia a reassuring smile. "Okay, Mimi. I'll open it for you."

He reached for the door handle and slowly turned it, pushing the door open. The familiar sterile smell of the doctor room wafted out, making Mia hesitate for a moment. But she steeled herself and took a step inside, holding tightly onto Jay's hand.

Inside, the room was just as she remembered it: neat, clean, and filled with medical supplies. Mia scanned the room, looking for her next clue. On the examination table, she spotted another piece of paper.

"There it is!" she exclaimed, pointing to the paper.

Jay walked her over to the table, and Mia reached up to grab the note. She unfolded it and read aloud:

Go to the place where stories come alive

Mia's eyes lit up. "The library!"

Jay smiled. "Let's go then."

Mia smiled, taking Jay's hand and leading him to her second favorite place in the house ( after her room). She opened it excitedly.

Inside, it smelled like coffee and books.

" Who drank coffee here?!" Mia gasped, picking up a coffee cup with a weary expression.

Jay laughed nervously. "Uh, that might have been me... or Dad."

Mia shook her head, giggling. "Coffee is for grown-ups!"

Jay nodded in agreement. "Yes, it is. Now, where do you think the next clue is?"

Mia looked around the library, eyes scanning the shelves and tables. She walked over to the reading nook, where a stack of her favorite storybooks lay neatly arranged. Among them, she spotted a bright yellow envelope sticking out from one of the books.

"Found it!" she exclaimed, reaching for the envelope.

She opened it carefully and pulled out the card inside. The note read:

Look in front of you

Mia scanned her surroundings.

The chair DID have a suspicious amount of stuffing in it, though. Mia ran to it, and tore the blanket off.

Her next present was in a pink box with golden bow.

" This will be great for all those art supplies!" Mia exclaimed, looking at the messy table in a secluded corner.

" More open less think." Jay commented.

Mia giggled. " You're so impatient."

But she opened it. Inside lay a resin art kit, with a lot of molds.

" Yippie!" She cheered.

She also found a candle set in there.

The card attached to it read,

" This is to you, my dear friend.From Rose"

Mia smiled. " I love you, Rose.

Then, she vigorously shook the box.

" Woah, woah, woah. What are you doing?!" Jay exclaimed.

" Trying to find the note." Mia said through the sound of whooshes.

Finally, a little paper fluttered out. Mia picked it up and read the message.

Where do you go when you want to splash and play?

Mia's face lit up with recognition. "The pool!"

Jay smiled. "Great job, Mia. Let's go!"

They made their way to the backyard, where the pool shimmered invitingly under the morning sun. Mia's excitement grew with each step. She couldn't wait to find out what surprise awaited her next.

But, her happiness quickly turned into confusion. Until she realized she would have to get wet.

But she couldn't find her swimsuit.

And Jay was nowhere to be seen.

So Mia decided to change into her nightgown.

" Cannonball!" She cried, jumping into the pool.

Jay ran to Mia.

" What are you doing?!" He exclaimed.

" Looking for the clue. It said it was in a place where you wanted to play and stuff." Mia said, confused. " Why?"

Jay sighed. " Mia, it's not IN the pool. It's AROUND the pool."

"Oh." Mia's face turned red with embarrassment as she swam to the side and climbed out, dripping wet.

Jay handed her a towel. "Come on, let's look around together."

Mia nodded, wrapping the towel around herself. They started searching the pool area, checking under lounge chairs, around the potted plants, and near the pool toys.

Finally, Jay spotted a small, colorful box tucked behind a poolside table. "There it is!" He exclaimed, pointing it out to Mia.

Mia ran over and picked up the box, her wet hair dripping onto it as she eagerly opened it. Inside, she found a small, sparkly tiara and another note:

For our little princess, a crown to match your heart of gold. Follow the path to the playhouse for the surprise from your love life.

Mia's eyes sparkled with joy as she placed the tiara on her head. "To the playhouse!"

Jay grinned. "Lead the way, birthday girl."

Mia and Jay made their way to the playhouse, anticipation building with each step. Mia could hardly contain her excitement as she reached the door and flung it open. Inside, she found a particular boy sitting there, ring in his hand. He looked up, and his face flushed.

" Nelson?!" She cried. " Oh, Nelson! It's you!"

Nelson scratched his head. "Yeah, it's me."

He stood up, his face turning even redder as he held out the ring. "Mia, I know we're still young, but... will you be my wife?"

Mia's eyes widened with surprise and delight. "Yes! Yes, Nelson, I will!"

She threw her arms around him, and they both beamed with happiness. Nelson gently slid the ring onto Mia's finger, and they shared a shy but sweet hug.

Jay, who had been watching from the doorway, felt his knees go weak. "What... just... happened?" he mumbled, his vision blurring slightly as he stumbled backward.

Mia tilted her head, her eyes full of innocent confusion. "Oh dear, it looks like my brother is thinking about the time he went to the pool."

Nelson, equally confused, looked at Mia. "What does that have to do with this?"

Mia shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know. It just seemed like something he would think about."

Jay finally found his voice. " You're not getting married now... Right?"

Nelson shook his head. " Nah. We'll do that when were teens."

" Oka- wait, what?!"