"I'd rather she didn't." And that's as close as Anwei will get to an admission of guilt.

Howard keeps laughing so hard he can hardly breathe, all doubled up on himself with the hammer still in hand. He's fairly certain at this point that Anwei's dead serious, which makes it all the more entertaining. That she'd worry this much about it when it's a glorified hatbox is unbelievably amusing to him. Finally he manages to stop laughing long enough to get a word in.

"Happy birthday, dear Maw." Then he starts laughing again.