Day 2: Childhood Duck - Webbigail

It was a beautiful Saturday morning. The children met downstairs for breakfast, after which Webby stood up, declared she would be busy all day and that she'd see them all at dinner. Huey, Dewey and Louie looked up from their cereal (Mrs. Beakley turned up her nose at their frosted puffs, but their uncle said they could have it on the weekends).

"Whatcha up to, Webbs?" Louie asked.

"Oh, nothing… You'll see later." She evaded. Then she pointed her spoon at them. "Just obey the 'Do Not Disturb' sign!"

"Well… okay," Dewey agreed. He was curious, but not overly-concerned. "Just remember we're here if you need anything."

"I won't need anything," She said, confidently. Then frowned, "I think."

According to her promise, Webby was closed up in her room the remainder of the morning, a homemade 'Do Not Disturb' sign hung from her doorknob. The boys let her be, and enjoyed their Saturday playing hide-and-seek in Uncle Scrooge's massive yard.

Around lunchtime they ate hot dogs by the pool with their Uncle Donald. As they sat on the edge of the pool, cooling their feet in the water, their uncle asked them where Webby was.

"Oh, she's in her room working on something," Louie answered.

"I hope she's okay, she's been in there all day," Huey added.

"Well, if we don't see her by dinner, we should investigate," Dewey said.

Donald smiled at his boys. "Mrs. Beakley will make sure she's okay."

And that was the truth. In another part of the mansion, Mrs. Beakley knocked gently on Webby's door. In her other hand, she balanced a tray of sandwiches, sliced fruit, and a glass of juice.

"Webbigail, dear, would you like some lunch?"

Her granddaughter called from the other side, "Are you alone?"

"Yes, dear, the boys are at the pool."

"Okay, then, you can come in!"

Mrs. Beakley entered the bedroom, and glanced around. Her granddaughter's floor was covered in craft supplies: markers, construction paper, scissors… There were also books, each lying open to a different page. A box labeled "DO NOT OPEN," with a drawn-on skull and crossbones was shoved against the wall, and had indeed been opened. Beakley recognized colorful streamers, and balloons spilling out of it.

"Dear, are you certain you wish to do all this on your own? I believe Huey is a self-professed 'expert party planner.'"

Mrs. Beakley made a space available on the floor beside Webby, and set the tray down. Webbigail picked up a sandwich and smiled.

"Thanks for lunch, Grannie," she said. "But, I really do want to do this by myself. I can't have Huey, Dewey and Louie helping me if they're going to be my guests. It'd give away all the surprises!"

"Well, as you wish," Mrs. Beakley sighed, "Would you like my help, at least?"

Webby set her marker down and looked at her grannie, considering this. "You're already taking care of the food; I've got this! Besides, I'll get some extra help from Duckworth!"

Webby smiled, and Mrs. Beakley felt her heart lighten. "This is your first real birthday party, dear. Are you at least having fun planning it?"

"It's going to be the best!" Webby affirmed.

"Then, I'll leave you to it." Mrs. Beakley turned to go, but looked back at Webby as she reached the door. "You will promise to tell me if this task gets too much for you? It would betray the spirit of the 'birthday party' if the birthday girl is undone by the planning of it."

"Yes, Grannie," Webby promised. She was already back to making invitations.

As the afternoon drew to a close, the family moved indoors. Huey, Dewey, and Louie draped themselves on the couch in front of the tv. Launchpad drove Scrooge home from the Bin. Donald started putting tools away, deciding he'd worked enough on the boat for one Saturday.

The boys texted Webby, to which she responded, "Will summon u in a bit"

Huey, Dewey and Louie looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders, and went back to watching tv.

The sun was setting when Duckworth floated in with a tray in hand. He held it out to the boys.

"A message for you, young sirs," He intoned.

"What's that?" Dewey snatched one of 3 heavily glittered cards with his name on it and turned it over in his hand.

"That is what I imagine you'll discover when you read it, sir."

Dewey tore open the envelope and started to read it as Louie and Huey selected their own cards.

"Dear Dewey," he read, "you are cordially invited to-"

"Webbigail's 11th birthday party?!" Huey finished, looking over Dewey's shoulder. "Wait - she planned her party without me?!"

"This Saturday at 1900 hours? Wait, that's…" Louie quickly did the math, "7:00? That's in 10 minutes!"

Realization hit the brothers at once, and they looked at each other in horror, "Today's Webby's birthday?!"

"What response shall I give the young miss regarding the invitation?" Duckworth asked, placidly.

"Yes!" Huey said, looking up from the card. "Tell her we'll be there!"

"Very good, young sirs." He floated off to deliver the news.

"How can today be her birthday?!" Dewey cried.

"Well, you see, my dear Dewford," Louie began, unable to resist teasing his brother, even if he felt the same way. "When a baby chick is ready to leave the warmth and security of the egg-"

"That's not what I meant!" Dewey hit Louie over the head with the invitation. "I mean, why didn't she tell us? We would've wished her a happy birthday this morning! We wouldn't have let her be alone all day!"

"I'd have made her a cake," Huey lamented.

"Maybe that's why she didn't tell you," Dewey snarked. Then, his shoulders slumped. "We don't even have time to get her a present!"

"Maybe she doesn't... want a present?" Louie suggested, as if the idea was foreign to him.

"No," said Dewey, "We have to get her something."

"It's too late for that now," Louie said, "what could we get her with 7 minutes to spare?"

"Wait," Huey's eyes lit up, "I might just have an idea. Come on!"

Huey ran out of the room with his brothers on his tail.

Seven minutes later, Huey, Dewey, and Louie entered the McDuck Manor ballroom. They heard the cheerful music playing before they entered. When they did, they gasped in awe. Even Huey was impressed.

A canopy of multi-colored streamers and ropes of balloons strung like pearls stretched from the middle of the ceiling to the walls, like the tentacles of a giant rainbow jellyfish. Confetti and glitter blanketed the floor. At a table in the center of the back wall, a simple but delicious-looking frosted pink cake with a crown of strawberries was featured. At another table, the boys could see a taco bar - one of Webby's favorite meals.

There were also what looked like stations for games. A deformed pinata that vaguely resembled a unicorn was hanging in one area. A section of wall boasted a banner for pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey. The boys spied dart guns, a bucket filled with water balloons, and chairs set up for what could be a game musical chairs.

The adults, having received invitations of their own, were already there, sitting around a table. Webby had been sitting with them, but stood and ran over to the boys when they entered.

"Huey! Dewey! Louie! You made it!" Webby greeted them, as if they didn't all live in the same house. "I'm so glad you could come!"

"Happy birthday, Webby!" The children met in a group hug.

"You should've told us it was your birthday!" Dewey chastised, and got an elbow in the rib from Louie for his trouble.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Webby frowned, "I guess I know so much about you, I forget you don't know that much about me."

"Something we should change," Huey insisted, "But, it's not your fault, Webs, we should've asked you when your birthday was by now. It's like, one of the first things friends find out from each other."

Huey handed Webby a small, wrapped item. "Happy birthday, Webby. This is from all of us."

"For me? Oh, wow! You guys really are my best friends!" Webby tore open the package as the kids and the grownups looked on. When she saw it, she held it up to admire it. "Oh my gosh! This is the best present ever!"

"Really?" Louie asked, looking doubtful. It was his turn to receive an elbow from Huey.

"Really!" She took a moment to admire the picture frame the boys had given her. It was made of a beautiful kind of wood, and Huey had used his talent as an engraver to carve their names, and the phrase, "best friends forever," into it. Dewey had found a picture of the four of them and Uncle Scrooge on one of their adventures. Webby hugged it to her chest. "It's the best!"

"Now wait just a minute," Scrooge protested, "Is that my antique frame from-"

Mrs. Beakley and Donald glared at Scrooge.

The old man coughed, having the grace to blush. "Yes, well, it's very nice."

*A/N: The Duckvember prompt was "Childhood Duck." We don't know anything about Webby's childhood, and I hope we'll find out more. One thing that seems clear; she never really had any friends before the boys moved in, so she probably never had a proper birthday party. Enjoy!