Hello. My name is Reena Pan Apogee Dipper. I'm almost five-years-old. I live with my Mommy, Daddy, and bestest friend, my Uncle Clank. We're always together. They tell me I'm a very special child. It makes me happy when they're happy. That's why I try not to cry when I feel pain. They give me a special medicine everyday to make it go away. It helps when they hug me and kiss me, too.

Daddy made me a super comfy chair on wheels that's my favorite color: red. He added seats and seatbelts for my teddies so we can play and be together forever. I love my blankie my Mommy gave me. Mommy and Daddy said, "it's a ray of sunshine for our ray of sunshine".

I would like it if I could play with the other kids. We could ride down a hill like the roller coasters I've seen on TV. I wonder if Daddy could help me walk like he made my chair for me all by himself. I decided that's what I want for my birthday.

I asked Daddy, "Daddy, can you make me a way to walk for my birthday?"

He didn't say yes or no. He petted my head and put Uncle Clank on my lap.

"How about Uncle Clank tells you a story before bedtime?"

"But Daddyyyy…."

I didn't understand why he didn't answer me. He just wheeled me to my bed, unbuckled my seatbelts, picked me up, and tucked me in.

"I love you, sunshine," Daddy said. He kissed my head

"I love you, too, Daddy…."

He left and closed the door. I had Uncle Clank with me, but I was still sad and confused.

"What's happening, Uncle Clank? Why did Daddy do that?"

Uncle Clank held my hand.

"Reena," he said. His eyes looked so sad to me. "Your Mommy and Daddy love you very much. They want you to have a happy, healthy life."

"I know," I said. "But Daddy didn't answer my question."

"You are going to be five tomorrow, yes?"

"Uh huh."

"I think it is important for you to know the truth now so you can better understand when you are older. Your Mommy and Daddy are different from one another. Your birth is unlike anything the universe has ever seen. It has come with its set of challenges that children will never know or should have to know."

"But challenges are meant to be won."

"Sometimes. You are not wrong, Reena. However, some challenges are too great and too difficult to defeat. Your Mommy and Daddy don't always let you have what you want to teach you discipline and to appreciate what you have. At other times, they are absolutely unable to give you what you want."

"Unable to? Even if they really wanted to?"

"That is correct."

I could feel myself about to cry even though I made a self promise not to.

"So I may never be able to walk? Or play with the other kids?"

"There will be a way for you to play with the other kids. I know there will. I promise. It is just your Mommy and Daddy are very protective of you and have not seen a way to make play time safe for you and they fear the other kids will not understand."

"Sure they'll understand. They all seem so nice and look like they're having fun all the time."

Then, I heard Mommy crying in the hall.

"Oh dear," Uncle Clank said. He tried to take out my hearing aids, but I didn't let him. I held my hands over my ears.

"Don't take them!" I begged.

"But children should not be concerned by their parents's worries. They are not your responsibility."

"But--"

"Talwyn," I heard Daddy say. "It's going to be okay."

"Please stop saying that!" I heard Mommy cry. "We both know it's my fault she's like this!"

"That's in the past. We need to focus on what we can do for her now."

"What we're doing now isn't getting rid of the curse! She doesn't deserve to live the rest of her life in agony! Isn't it terrible that her own mother is thinking she'd be better off in heaven?? Just say it!!"

Clank hugged me suddenly.

"Do not mind them," he told me. "They are having an adult conversation."

Curse. Heaven. Those words played over and over in my head.

"Uncle Clank?" I said. "Am I cursed?"

He laid down with me, still hugging me.

"Reena, what I am about to tell you must be our secret, alright? Your Mommy and Daddy never wanted you to know this."

I hugged Uncle Clank back tightly. I had never felt so scared in my life.

"Okay, Uncle Clank."

"Before you were born, your Mommy and Daddy did not always get along. Your mother turned to a drug that made her bad feelings disappear, but it didn't make them stay away. That's what drugs do: they make us think you feel better but they do the exact opposite and make us hurt the ones we love."

"That's exactly what Captain Qwark said."

"And he is absolutely right. What do we do when someone offers us alcohol or an unknown substance?"

"We say no!"

"That is a good girl."

Uncle Clank stroked my hair. I always love it when he, Daddy, and Mommy do that.

"When the drug lost its effect," Uncle Clank added. "Your Mommy entered a dangerous and illegal racing competition to the death. Think of any possible bad thing a criminal can do, they gathered there."

"But Mommy wasn't a criminal…. Was she?"

"She was not. The race also attracted lost people with no help and nowhere to go. She was alone and could have been killed at any moment. At the same time, you were in her tummy. A competitor cast a spell on you while you were still inside. The spell was that you could never die, even if you were to be born too soon. That is exactly what happened. If not for the spell, then you most certainly would not have had a chance to live."

"But Mommy called it a curse. Why?"

My chest started to hurt.

"Should I be alive?"

"Reena," Uncle Clank said in a very gentle voice. "Sweetie, none of this is your fault. Maybe it will help if I ask you this: do you like being alive?"

"Of course! I have you, Mommy, Daddy, and my toys! I don't care if I can never walk or have to keep taking medicine! I want to stay with everyone!"

I broke my promise and cried. Uncle Clank kept stroking my hair.

"Do you know what else?" he said. "You get to have birthday cake. What is your favorite type of cake again?"

"Ch-chocolate cheesecake."

"It is really yummy, yes?"

"Mmhm…."

"And you know what compliments birthday cake? A scoop of ice cream. What is your favorite kind of ice cream?"

"Cotton candy."

"And what do you like to drink?"

"Strawberry kiwi lemonade!"

I started to feel tons better and be excited for my birthday again.

"Oh dear," Uncle Clank said. "I feel like I am forgetting what else happens on a birthday. Could you help me remember, Reena?"

"Presents!! And singing Happy Birthday and blowing out the candles!! Smashing a pinata and getting all the candy that falls out!! Playing Pin the tail on the Flabberfish!!"

"Oh yes, that is right. But I feel there is one thing missing. Before all that, what are we going to have for lunch?"

"Pizzaaaaaaaa!!"

"And I just so happen to have acquired the ten coupons needed for a single large cosmic crust pizza. With stuffed crust."

"Eeeeee!!"

Me and Uncle Clank hummed and giggled all happy and excited for my birthday. I want it to be the best birthday ever for my Mommy and Daddy, too.