Birthday Series 1 Kinch-
Summary: Hogan and the men are planning a surprise birthday party for Kinch. However there are complications.
…
Kinch sat in the radio room looking over his equipment and waiting in case London had any messages for them. Then Hogan came down into the tunnel. "Hey Kinch," Newkirk and Carter were behind him.
"Hey," Kinch said looking up then back down at the radio. The cords seemed intact, the bombing last night hadn't knocked them about to badly.
"Why don't you take a break, we can handle the radio." Hogan said casually. However he had ulterior motives.
Kinch didn't looked up at him. "It's fine, I can handle it."
"No really I insist." Hogan said eagerly. Hopefully Kinch wouldn't catch on.
Kinch shook his head. "It's fine."
Hogan knew better than to push, Kinch wasn't stupid like Klink or the Krauts were. He couldn't use his usual tactics to convince Kinch. "Well, okay if you're sure, just don't want you over working or anything." Hogan turned and shrugged at Newkirk who wanted the colonel to push. Hogan climbed the ladder back to the barracks.
"Sir, we gotta get that stuff from London without 'im knowing. Lebeau doesn't 'ave what 'e needs to make the cake. And we can't get out of camp to get the stuff for 'im and the officer's mess doesn't 'ave it either." Newkirk said. He was Mr. Party Planner and he wanted it to go off without a hitch. He always tried so hard to make everyone's birthdays the very best that they'd ever had.
"Well we'll just have to try again later, or make due with what we have. Besides I don't know if London would even send it. Air drops are for really important things." Hogan said placing a hand on Newkirk's shoulder before departing.
Hogan didn't understand that Newkirk had to make everything perfect. The Party was important. Newkirk sighed. "Lebeau do you think you can make a cake with out the ingredients?" Newkirk asked hopeful.
Lebeau thought about it. "Yeah I might be able to, but I don't know if it would turn out." Lebeau shrugged went back to looking for a cake recipe that didn't need too much.
Then Schultz walked in.
Newkirk jumped up. "Hey, Schultz, did you get any?" He had sent Shultz out to get balloons.
Shultz shook his head. "There aren't any in the camp. I looked. But I can get some in a few days when I go on pass."
That wasn't good enough. Newkirk groaned and sat back down.
Schultz went over to Lebeau. "What's his problem?"
Lebeau shrugged. "He just wants this to go over well."
"Oh." Schultz straightened and turned and looked over to the brooding man on the bunk. Carter was trying to assure him that everything would go over really well.
Newkirk wasn't convinced. Then he thought of something. "Carter can you put some fireworks together and hide them in the candles?"
Carter seemed happy with that request. "Sure! No problem!" The young man hopped up and went to the tunnel entrance.
Hogan came out from his office and saw Newkirk thinking and writing down different plans on his pad of paper for the birthday party for Kinch. He kept writing then slashing them out and writing something else.
Hogan sighed. "Where'd Carter go?"
"He went down to put some candles together for Kinch's cake." Newkirk said with a smile.
Hogan smiled in return. Some Roman Candles would certainly lighten up this party.
Kinch's party was that night, and Klink had given them permission to have it. Newkirk always tried so hard for his friends, to give them the best birthday ever. Hogan's birthday was certainly nice, a bit unexpected at first, and not because it supposed to be a surprise party. The men were trying to get him an ammo dump for his birthday with some minor issues. More like huge issues. They used the roman candles trick to put out the radio truck to cancel the mission to bomb the ammo dump. Hogan had otherwise had a very nice birthday.
But even then, Newkirk had been terribly disappointed that he'd spoiled the colonel's birthday by troubling him with the mission. Although Hogan hadn't been upset about it. How were his men supposed to know that they had to refrain from any sabotage activity for a while?
Newkirk took his job planning parties for his friends very seriously.
Hogan knew that this party would go over well. Kinch was an appreciative person. And it's the thought that counts.
…
Lebeau stood at his cooking station staring at the recipe book. He could have sworn he had eggs. He sighed. Okay what do the eggs do? It's the protein right? He looked around, what had protein in it. There in the officer's mess, he was using their supplies, he found some plain yogurt. That had protein in it. Lets see the recipe called for two eggs… then he'd put in two egg sized spoonfuls in. Plausible. Now it was time for the sugar. He opened the pantry. All the sugar was gone there was only the confectioners sugar. He figured it would have to do. He put it into the batter. He looked to the recipe book. Table spoon and a fourth of baking power. Check! He had that. Then he had to add the water, he had that, but he had to cut down the liquids because of the yogurt. He looked back to the recipe…
He groaned. The last two ingredients were measured from another recipe on the page. And it was baking soda not powder. He slapped his forehead. Okay time to make shift. He grabbed the baking cocoa…but the canister only had about a table spoon in it. He growled. He looked around. There was chocolate syrup, he could use that. It is chocolate after all. Okay at least he had the rest of the ingredients.
Now to mix it all up and baking it. He prayed it turned out okay.
…
Newkirk was pacing the barracks. Carter should have been done with those candles by now right? And where was Lebeau with the cake? What about the music? Had Colonel Hogan gotten it? Kinch's favorite record?
Then the door opened and in walked Lebeau.
Newkirk rushed up to him. "The cake is done?"
"Just have to put the icing on it. Let's hope it turned out." Lebeau said immediately regretting it when he saw the look on Peter's face. "I'm sure its fine." He said putting his hands up.
Newkirk groaned. Great his party for Kinch was going to be bad.
Hogan came up from the tunnel followed by Carter. "I found his favorite record." Hogan said handing Newkirk the vinyl.
Newkirk took it gratefully. And took the candles that Carter handed him. He prayed this party would go over well.
Hogan got Kinch outside just as Schultz sent some soldiers to get the cake. "Colonel you really didn't have to."
"Oh it was all Newkirk, I just helped." Hogan said putting his hand on Kinch's shoulder.
Kinch chuckled. He knew Newkirk was responsible. Every year he tried to make things for their birthday parties perfect for them. He smiled.
As they came to the center of the party everyone began to sing. The cake came out and was placed before Kinch. Carter lit the candles and candles began to shoot sparks all over the place. Soon it got out of control. Everyone ducked.
Crackle! Crackle!
After a minute or so the candles subsided and everyone rose to their feet.
Newkirk gave an angry look to Carter and whispered, "You made it too powerful!"
Carter shrugged. "Sorry."
Kinch laughed. He hadn't heard Newkirk and Carter talking.
Newkirk looked at him.
"That was great. Really entertaining. Klink's face from the window is great!"
Everyone looked and a shocked Kommandant stared out.
Lebeau came forward with a knife. "Time to cut the cake."
Kinch took the knife and his record started to play.
Newkirk held his breath. He prayed that the cake came out okay.
Then the record started skipping. Oh No!
Kinch didn't notice. He continued to cut the cake. None of the others noticed either. Was it just him? What about the cake? Would that turn out?
Kinch took a bite of the cake. "Wow! This is great!" He was genuine about it. Was it really that good or was he just being nice? Newkirk took a bite of his piece. Wow! It was good!
Maybe he was over reacting about the party. But he definitely didn't want the party to turn out sour.
Later, Kinch came up to Newkirk who was talking with Lebeau. "Blimey mate, you gotta send me sister a copy of this recipe."
Lebeau just looked at him. "I don't have it. I kind of messed up on it and then make shifted it and guessed."
Kinch laughed from behind them.
Lebeau took his leave.
Kinch smiled at Newkirk. "Thanks for the party Peter, it was great!"
Newkirk smiled. "Thanks mate, I'm glad you liked it. I had hoped it would turn out better-"
"Nonsense, I'd never had a better party." Kinch said waving his hand dismissively.
That was good. It meant a lot that his friend enjoy their parties. Who was next on the list of birthdays? Carter's wasn't it? He hoped he'd make it a good one. He complained about the last party. Apparently he wanted a pony. Newkirk knew he was joking but he'd be sure to do something marvelous for the kid.
Hopefully that party turned out just as well.
[AN] Okay, this is the first of a series of four. Carter's is next, then Lebeau, then Newkirk. Hope you liked this. Please R&R.
Oh and the cake my dad actually made. I'm not overly sure about some of the measurements of the mess ups but it turned out amazing! Gotta love makeshift cakes! :)