Miranda’s sister, Kim, is the family prankster — known for taking her pranks too far. When Miranda’s twins celebrate their sixth birthday, Kim shows up with gifts. Are they yet another prank or birthday presents?

Murphy’s Law always plays a hand during my son’s birthday parties. So, naturally, when the twin’s birthday party rolled around, I wasn’t surprised to see the storm clouds gather. My husband, Antonio, and I are parents to six-year-old twins, Colin and Daniel.

Antonio turned our basement into a pirate-themed dungeon usually found only dreams for their birthday this year. We had been planning the twins’ birthday for a while, so we expected everything to run smoothly on the day — tantrums were the only wild cards we couldn’t prep for beforehand. We were well into the birthday celebrations and almost ready to cut the cake when the doorbell disrupted the festivities, and there she stood — my sister, Kim, uninvited and unwelcome. Now, it’s not that I didn’t want her there. Our relationship had always been strained.

From childhood, she had a flair for pranks that were more disturbing than amusing. Her antics often left a trail of discomfort and displeasure among family and relatives. For example, Kim stashed slime at my wedding, so as I walked down the aisle and clutched the bouquet, thick green slime trailed down my wedding dress. So, her appearance at our celebration was met with surprise and dismay.

Ignoring the uneasy glances Antonio and I shared at her arrival, my sister presented the boys with large, enticing boxes — all beautifully wrapped. The twins’ eyes widened, eager to reveal the surprises hidden beneath the colorful wrapping paper. “Wow! Mom! Look at these, Dad!” Daniel exclaimed, his little hands tearing into the wrapping paper. “Can I open mine?” Colin chimed in, always the polite one. Antonio told the boys to go ahead. “Quickly, boys,” I said. “Your friends are waiting in the basement!”

As the gifts were opened with a quick “thank you,” genuine joy radiated from the boys. I thought that I was wrong. Maybe this time, Kim had shown up for them, wanting to celebrate them. So, I invited her inside and conversed politely, hoping nothing unnecessary would happen.

Soon, the joyful sounds of opening presents turned into exclamations of frustration and sad shrieks. “What’s wrong, my loves?” I asked. I knelt beside them, trying to understand. “These boxes are empty, Mom!” Daniel sniffled, shoving it my way. “There’s nothing inside, Aunty Kim. Did you forget to put our gifts inside?” Colin’s eyes were filled with disappointment.

Confused, I inspected the so-called gifts. Instead of the expected toys or games, they contained only empty boxes that once held toy cars — the remotes still attached to the plastic. Of course. Of course, it was yet another one of her heartless pranks.

“Kim, what is this?” I turned to her, frustration seeping into my voice. She burst into laughter, cold and unapologetic. “Oh, come on! It’s just a harmless joke, Miranda. Lighten up a bit.” My boys were devastated, declaring it was their worst birthday. “Come on,” Antonio said, ushering them back to the basement where their friends were having the time of their lives. Fueled by a surge of anger, I couldn’t contain myself.

I ushered my sister out of the door, demanding that she leave. “Just go, Kim,” I said. “You ruin everything with those dumb pranks.” Unaware of the consequences of her actions, she laughed her way to her car. The rain had started to come down heavy, and Kim dodged puddles as she went. I stood at the front door, ready to join the birthday party — but I needed the satisfaction of watching her drive away.

Just as Kim was about to get into her car, a vehicle sped by, inadvertently dousing her in rainwater from head to toe. She stood frozen, dumbfounded, and dripping, her laughter silenced by this unexpected twist of fate. I closed the door with a suppressed smirk and returned to the party — it was almost time to make the burgers for the kids’ dinner. But at that moment, it felt as if karma had finally played a prank against my sister.

I almost felt sorry that she had to drive in wet clothes, but the look on my children’s faces was enough to ignore her. “It’s almost burger time,” I said, walking into the basement. “It’s time for the real party now,” Antonio said. I pulled my boys into a big hug, giving them kisses on their heads. “Forget about Aunt Kim’s silly joke, okay? It was her being silly, and that’s okay. It was nothing to punish you. Come on! Let’s party!”

As bedtime approached and Antonio and I put the boys to bed, I was grateful that they hadn’t taken it to heart. Then, getting into bed, my phone chimed with a message. Only one word stood out on the screen. Sorry. I couldn’t help but smile. This may be the beginning of Kim’s awareness, a small step toward change. I hope she takes this to heart, and that Kim can be a part of the family again. But for now, I’ll keep my kids away from her. Do you have any relatives who come with strange pranks or stories?

Here’s another story for you: My son, Bobby, had always been a bit reserved, but one day, he came home with excitement bubbling in his eyes. “Mom, I made a new friend at school today! His name is Matthew, and he invited me to his birthday party!”