Hi! This will probably be a two-shot; I don't think I could fit it all in one chapter!
Enjoy it, if it strikes you!
"Happy birthday to you!" the whole council and Corny let out as IQ blew out the candles on the large cake that sat in front of him on a tray. After IQ blew out the candles, Corny clapped his brother on his shoulder and reached for the cake knife. Corny sunk the knife into the rich, moist chocolate cake and began carefully slicing the cake into large chunks while IQ poured the clear, sparking soda into the glass, fizzing and bubbling as it flowed into the glass.
After the cake and soda had been equally divvied up, Corny raised up his glass and announced, "To my brother, who has come such a long, long way from the naïve child he once was."
After a drink had been taken, IQ looked up at Corny as Corny sat down. "What do you mean by saying I was a naïve child? I was always brilliant!"
Corny snorted with laughter. "That's not the way I remember it!"
"What do you mean?" Mikey, always inquisitive, asked.
"Well…" Corny began as IQ shot Mikey a look.
"Well, there was this one time when IQ was about four," Corny began. "We were having dinner, and IQ hadn't exactly learned how tough our father was. So, we were eating and I hear these snorts coming from IQ's chair. I look over at IQ and he's smiling and looking at dad. So I nudged him and IQ looked at me and giggled, 'Dad looks funny, don't he?' Well, IQ hadn't been with us too long, so I told him, 'Ian, don't laugh at dad. If you don't stop, dad'll take a tree and kill you with it.' IQ didn't stop and IQ burst out laughing. Now, see, IQ laughed funny when he was young. He sounded like a sea lion. So, after a while, our dad looked at IQ and asked, 'What's wrong with that boy?' I guess IQ couldn't hold it anymore, and he said, 'You look funny, dad! You got a funny-looking face!' Now, you could see dad getting mad. He yelled, 'You keep laughing at me, I'll smack your face off!' That only made IQ laugh harder. I pleaded with him. 'Ian, stop. I'd hate to see you get hit, and besides, he may miss and hit me.' Well, IQ wouldn't stop, and our dad smacked IQ upside the head so hard he banged his head on the table! Well, IQ cried for a while, but he eventually quieted down and he never laughed at dad again!"
The whole council laughed as IQ sank deep in his seat.
"Now, I'll tell you another story…" Corny continued.
Actually, I think maybe I'll write another story with the other part of this story, so stay tuned!