A Boo-tiful Halloween
TaleSpin and
its characters are property of
Disney. All other characters are
mine and cannot be used without
permission.
Higher for Hire
October 31, 1938
Molly von Bruinwald, clad in her pink pajamas, hopped from one foot to the other outside of the bathroom. "Mommy, hurry up! I gotta get ready for school!" the seven-year-old cried desperately, feeling as if her bladder was about to burst.
The girl's father, Baloo, lumbered down the stairs from his bedroom on the third story and patted her golden head with a sleepy smile. "Who's in there, Pigtails?" he yawned.
"Mommy," Molly replied with a distressed expression.
"I shoulda guessed." The big grey bear pounded on the door with a meaty fist. "Open up, Becky. Molly's gotta go real bad. I can see her eyes swimmin'." He winked at his daughter, prompting a tiny giggle from her.
There was no answer.
"Are ya sure she's in there, kiddo?" he asked.
Molly nodded positively. "I saw her go in."
When Baloo pressed his ear to the door, he heard an awful retching sound. He felt as if he was going to be sick himself.
"Is Mommy all right?" Molly, her little ear also pressed to the door, asked in a pitifully small voice. Her big brown eyes grew wider with fright. "She was sick yesterday, too."
"She was sick yesterday?" Baloo echoed, astonished.
"Yeah, Daddy, in the morning."
Peeved that his strong-willed wife didn't inform him about her bout of sickness, Baloo pummeled on the door. "Becky, honey, are ya all right in there?"
A few seconds later, Molly sprinted into the bathroom as a nauseous Rebecca emerged.
"Ya okay, Beckers?" Baloo asked with a concerned look at his pale wife.
The petite brown bearess gulped. "I think I'm coming down with something."
"Maybe ya oughta lie down fer a spell," Baloo suggested, taking her by the arm. He led her back upstairs to their bedroom.
Rebecca jerked her arm away, frowning. "I can't rest now, Baloo! The Mango Wango delivery will be here any second, and there's paperwork to do, and clients to call, and I need to...ooohhhh..." She swallowed hard again, clutching her stomach.
"Right now ya need to rest, sweetheart. I'll handle the Mango Wango shipment and call the doctor for ya." He gently prodded her towards the bed. "Go on, Beckers, a little snooze won't hurt ya."
She smiled weakly at him and closed her eyes with a sigh as she curled up on the bed.
Baloo walked downstairs to the kitchen. "Do ya know what doctor ya mama goes to, Li'l Britches?"
"Uh-oh. That's not a good question." Kit, a brown bear cub, swiftly shifted his gaze from the back of the cereal box to his father. "What's wrong with Mom?" the thirteen-year-old inquired around a mouthful of corn flakes.
"She's got a tummyache."
"That's too bad. Hope she feels better soon." Kit tipped back in his chair. With the bowl of his spoon, he pointed to a name on the list. "Mom always keeps a list of emergency numbers here on the fridge."
"Thanks a heap, Kit-boy." Snatching the piece of pink notepaper from the refrigerator, Baloo affectionately tousled Kit's hair through his baseball cap. He selected a banana from a bunch sitting on the table.
"Papa Bear, do I have to take Molly trick-or-treating tonight? We Jungle Aces were going to check out all the haunted houses, and I don't want to be the only one with a little sister tagging along. Can't Wildcat take her?"
Baloo chomped the banana down in three bites. He deftly flipped the peel over his shoulder into the garbage can. "Tell ya what, kid, if Becky don't feel up ta goin' to the Pilot's Halloween Ball, I'll take Molly." He walked into the office/living room to call the doctor from the telephone on Rebecca's desk.
Kit fleetingly wished that his mother wouldn't feel better before the Pilot's Ball. He loved his sister, but having to drag her all around town - especially with his friends along - was going to be a real drag. The boy returned to doing the word find on the back of the cereal box.
Later That Morning
Rebecca stepped into Higher for Hire with a huge smile on her face. She went to the doctor thinking that she had stomach flu and left knowing that she was pregnant. She couldn't wait for Baloo to get home from his cargo run to share the good news. Then she thought, why wait?
Picking up the microphone, she said brightly, "Higher for Hire to Sea Duck. Come in Sea Duck."
Baloo's voice crackled over the radio. "Sea Duck here. What's up, Beckers? 'Sides me, that is." He chuckled at his own joke.
Excited, Rebecca blurted out the news. "You know my doctor's appointment? Well, darling..."
"You're well?" Baloo interjected cheerfully. "That's swell, honey!"
"No, I'm not well," Rebecca said flatly, annoyed that he had interrupted her. "I mean, I am, but there's something else. Something wonderful." She smiled to herself, wondering how he was going to take the news. "We're going to..."
"What? Whoa!" the pilot screamed. A big crackle of electrical interference shivered through the radio.
Rebecca was downright scared. Gripping the stem of the receiver tightly in both hands, she cried, "Baloo! What's happening?"
"Man...too close...breakin' up...some...lightnin'...Beck...ten miles out from Louies." Then silence as the radio cut out completely.
Rebecca slammed the receiver on the desk down in frustration. "Great! Just great! I have something important to tell him, and he has to fly through a thunderstorm. Wait a minute. He said Louie's." She smiled with self-satisfaction at her deduction. "I'll just call him there."
Sorting through invoices and shipping orders on her desk, the bearess waited impatiently for what she thought was a proper interval for Baloo to reach Louie's. A half an hour ought to do it. She quickly dialed Louie's number. "Come on, pick up..." she muttered as the telephone rang several times. "Doesn't anybody ever answer the phone there?"
"Louie's place. You're in luck. Ya got Louie." The big ape laughed.
Rebecca could hear the raucous laughter of customers and a loud swing tune being belted out. Obviously a party was in progress. "Hi, Louie. Is Baloo there?"
"Heeeeeey, Becky baby. How's things shakin'?"
"Fine. Can you please put Baloo on?" Rebecca asked, forcing herself to be calm.
"Sorry, Toots, no can do. Your man's doin' a mean mambo on stage right now."
"A mambo?" Rebecca gritted her teeth.
"Yeah, that bear can sure party down. Whoo-hoo! Go, Cuz, go!"
"I don't care if he's juggling flaming sabers and balancing a bowling ball on his nose at the same time, Louie. Can you please put him on? It's a very urgent matter!" she yelled over the deafening music.
"You goin' bowling tonight, Rebecca? Sounds like fun. Oops, gotta motor, Sugar Cubes. More customers comin'. Dig ya later!" Louie shouted before hanging up.
Rebecca slammed down the receiver in disgust. "Oooo! I'm going to strangle that bear when he gets home! And that ape, too, if he ever gets within reach!"
That Evening
"How does my costume look, Mommy?" Molly said, twirling around before her mother. She was dressed as Danger Woman, her favorite radio heroine, in a colander hat and red blanket cape.
"Lovely, Pumpkin," Rebecca replied. She sat on the sofa sewing up a rip in Kit's costume. "And it was so easy to make."
Molly giggled. The little girl pranced about the room, pretending to ward off evildoers with her spatula.
"Mom, why do I have to take Molly trick-or-treating?" Kit asked as his mother slipped the brown bomber jacket over his arms. He was already sporting a brown leather flight cap, goggles, and a beige scarf.
Rebecca snipped a loose thread from the hem of the jacket. "Because she's been looking forward to going with her big brother all month, and it won't kill you to have her along."
Kit scowled morosely. "None of my friends have to take their kid sisters."
"Think of it as a favor to me. You'll have fun with her along. Just wait and see." Rebecca smiled, playfully tweaking his nose. "Look at yourself in the mirror, Ace Pilot Kit." She handed him a small mirror.
When Kit saw himself in his costume, a big grin shattered his frown. "Just four more years, Mom, then I'll be a real pilot. Get my own plane. Gee whiz, it'll be great!"
"You already have the outfit for it," Rebecca laughed.
"I'll be the navigator and the tail gunner!" Molly offered, jumping onto Kit's back.
Kit ran around the office/living room with Molly making machine gun noises. "Ack-ack-ack! Ack-ack-ack-ack!"
"Ah, I've been shot!" Baloo exclaimed as he walked into Higher for Hire. "Oh! Ow! Ack! This is the end! I'm doomed! This is me dyin'! So long, cold, cruel world." Clutching his chest, he pirouetted three times before dramatically dropping into his favorite red easy chair. "I'm solid gone! This is it!" He gave one last wheezy cough and was still.
"Finally!" Rebecca grumbled under her breath. "Baloo Augustus von Bruinwald, you're late, as usual! We're supposed to be at the Pilot's Ball in fifteen minutes."
The big bear cracked one eye open and flashed a mischievous grin at the giggling cubs. "Couldn't help it, Becky. I got waylaid by a thunderstorm."
Rebecca put her hands on her hips, scowling at her husband lounging in his easy chair, one leg slung over the chair's arm. "And a party at Louie's."
"How'd ya know that?"
"I called there, flyboy. Louie told me that you were doing a mambo."
"Hey, I had to wait out the storm. Might as well enjoy it. Why'd ya call Louie's anyways?"
"Because I have a surprise for you."
Baloo's eyes lit up. He leaned forward in his chair. "Really? What is it, Beckers?"
"It's something you want very much," Rebecca said vaguely with a sly smile.
"An icebox for the Duck?" Baloo guessed.
"No."
"Shucks." He snapped his fingers with disappointment and slumped in his chair, reaching for a bowl of grapes on a crate beside his chair.
"It's something much, much better than an icebox. Get into your costume, and I'll tell you." She thrust a garment bag into his paws.
The doorbell rang. Kit bounded to the door. Waiting outside were the other members of the Jungle Aces Secret Midnight Club: tan hyena Ernie, grey hippo Felix, brown rabbit Sam, white crane Burt, and beige bear Oscar dressed respectively as Bullethead, a pirate, a ghost, a mummy, and a football player.
"Ready to be scared, Kit?" Ernie asked, pushing his Bullethead helmet back on his head.
"You bet!" Kit replied.
"You bet!" Molly jumped down from Kit's shoulders.
Ernie looked Molly up and down with a scornful smirk. "Don't tell us she's coming, too!"
The boys' protests overlapped each other.
"We have to drag a little kid with us?"
"Oh, no!"
"That's no fun!"
"Whose idea was that?"
"She'll slow us down!"
"What a baby! She's got a dolly."
"Lucy's my sidekick!" Molly cried indignantly.
Kit grimaced as he self-consciously tugging at the collar of his flight jacket. I knew this was a bad idea. "Sorry, guys, but I promised my mom that I'd take her trick-or-treating with us."
"Can she handle the haunted houses?" was Ernie's snide remark.
"Yeah!" Burt, Felix, and Sam said in unison. "Can she?"
Molly glowered at the older boys. "Danger Woman isn't afraid of anything!"
"C'mon, guys, you won't even know she's there," Kit turned to Molly, saying pointedly, "will they, little sis?"
"Nope," Molly chirped brightly. "Danger Woman's a master of stealth."
Oscar, who hadn't said anything so far, smiled kindly at Molly through his football helmet. "I like your costume."
"I like yours, too." Molly grasped Kit's hand, whispering, "I like Oscar. He's just my size, and he's nice."
Ernie glanced scornfully at Kit and rolled his eyes. Kit knew it was because Molly was holding his hand. He dropped Molly's paw, resulting in a confused, hurt expression to appear on the little girl's face.
"You forgot your sacks, kids." Rebecca handed them a small brown paper sack each. "Remember to look both ways before crossing the street, don't talk to strangers, or eat any candy before I look at it, and stay together!" she called after the retreating cubs.
Baloo descended the stairs dressed in a dark green velour shirt with a matching green hat that sported a jaunty red feather on the left side. "Becky, I look like a flyin' fool in this getup. Why'd ya pick Robin Hood an' Maid Marian anyways?" Frowning, he swatted at the feather tickling his ear.
The bearess, who was clad in a matching green floor-length dress with a low, clinging bodice, clenched her teeth. "I've told you a thousand times, Baloo. This was the last couples ensemble that Fran's House of Finery had. If you don't like it, you pick out the costumes next time! And another thing - I'm so sick and tired of you complaining about everything that I do or don't do! It's enough to drive a saint stark raving mad!" she snapped, her eyes blazing.
"Easy, honey, don't go gettin' yerself all upset." Baloo wrapped a placating arm around her shoulders. "Ya might lose yer lunch again."
Rebecca immediately thawed and placed an affectionate paw on his chest. "Darling, about that..."
She was interrupted by a noisy car horn honking insistently.
"Cab's here, Becky."
Rebecca found herself being hustled outside. All the way to the party, Baloo chattered on in high spirits about the mambo contest that he had won at Louie's that afternoon. An enormously irritated Rebecca couldn't get a word in edgewise.
Across Cape Suzette
The sun was sinking low in the horizon as the Jungle Aces and Molly arrived at the haunted house set up in the high school gymnasium. They snaked their way through a crowd of children and parents in costumes. A set of triplets - two girls and a boy - about five years old were crying on the steps. Their frazzled mother was trying to calm them down with offers of candy and ice cream.
"Maybe you oughta stay with those crybabies, Molly," Ernie suggested, snickering.
Molly scowled. "Kit!"
"Leave her alone, Ernie," Kit said. "Stay close, Molly; you don't want to get lost in the maze."
"I won't," Molly proclaimed confidently, brandishing her spatula. "You better stay close to me, big brother. Danger Woman will protect you from the goblins and ghosts!"
The children waited in line for a few minutes before they were ushered into a smoky tunnel. Cobwebs brushed their faces. A tinny wolf's howl sounded in the distance. They faintly heard the rattling of chains and the screams of other children.
"Wha...what was that?" Oscar stammered, drawing closer to his friends.
"Your knees knocking," Ernie jeered.
They continued through the labyrinth. Suddenly to their right was a fiery red glow spotlighting a blood-spattered table. On the table reposed a silver serving platter, large enough to house an entire roast pig. The platter's lid was lifted by nearly invisible fishing line to reveal a gruesome, disembodied head. The head's bloodshot eyes rolled grotesquely. Its ominous chuckling evolved into maniacal laughter.
"Ah!" screamed the boys.
They hurried on past the head, laughing nervously, nudging each other playfully.
"You were scared."
"No way! You were."
They turned right and left and right, stumbling through the darkness. In front of them was a graveyard illuminated in hazy blues and greens where a host of ghosts floated. Seeing the children, they drifted towards them, arms outstretched, moaning.
"Whoa!"
"Aah!"
"Here they come!"
"Here I go!"
"Boring!" Molly stated loudly. She ruffled one ghost's costume with her spatula to reveal a pair of legs. "You can tell they're people in ripped up sheets."
"Molly, don't spoil the fun," Kit hissed.
"This is fun? I want candy." She gestured to her empty sack. "That's what Halloween is really about. Lots and lots of candy."
"You'll get your candy later." Exasperated, Kit grabbed Molly's paw and dragged her behind him.
Continuing on through the dark, misty tunnel, they encountered a witch stirring a bubbling brew in her cauldron. "A hex upon you! May you never have recess again!" she screeched, stretching a warty, green hand towards them. "Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!" the hag cackled in a high-pitched, nasal voice. She slowly advanced towards the frightened children.
"Help!" Oscar yelped, pressing up against the cardboard frame of the maze. The wall began to teeter precariously.
"I'll save you!" Molly cried. She furiously swung her spatula back and forth under the witch's nose. "You leave us alone, you old witch!"
The witch's olive green rubber mask caught on the spatula and flew off to reveal a pretty high school-aged girl. "Aah!" exclaimed the 'witch' in a sweet, breathy voice.
"Ha! Ha! I scared the witch," Molly laughed triumphantly.
"What a stupid little kid," Ernie said derisively.
"Molly..." Kit said through clenched teeth. He pulled his sister aside. In his best older brother voice, he scolded, "You can't hit at every ghost you see. It's just pretend."
"I know it's pretend. I'm not stupid, Kit." She crossed her arms, correcting smugly, "Besides, that was a witch, not a ghost."
"Whatever. Stop ruining everyone's Halloween." When he walked away, Molly heard him mutter, "Wish Mom didn't make me bring her here. It would be tons more fun without her tagging along."
Molly's chin quivered. Tears pricked her eyes. It hurt that her revered, beloved big brother didn't want her around. She didn't know what she had done to make him act so mean. He'd never treated her so horribly before.
"Hurry up, Molly, or we'll leave you here!" Kit snapped.
Brushing big teardrops from her cheeks, Molly blindly, miserably blundered through the rest of the maze behind her brother and his friends. She didn't see any of the ghosts or goblins along their path, and she didn't care about the small bag of candy corn that was dropped in her goody sack at the end of the maze.
The Spruce Moose
Baloo and Rebecca had arrived at the Pilot's Halloween Ball, which was being held on the Spruce Moose - the hulking Howard Huge designed aircraft shaped like a moose' head.
As the medieval-clad duo swept up the red-carpeted ramp towards the Spruce Moose, Baloo commented, "What better place ta have a Pilot's Ball than on a plane?"
Arm in arm they entered the ballroom/cargo hold teeming with pilots and their guests dressed in every costume imaginable. The ceiling was decorated with flying bats and crisscrossed with streamers of black, yellow, and orange. Topping each circular table was an authentic jack-o-lantern; their spooky faces were illuminated by flickering candles. Clustered around the jack-o-lanterns were bowls of jelly beans, candy corn, peanuts, popcorn, and pretzels. A long buffet table ran along the right side of the room. On stage, a band of 'dead musicians' was belting out a loud, fast swing tune.
"Baloo, about the doctor..." Rebecca began.
"Check out the buffet (he pronounced the 'T') table, Becky!" He gawked at the table laden with hors d'oeuvres, sandwiches, salads, desserts, and beverages. "They went all out this year!" Off he sped to grab a paper plate, leaving his wife standing in the doorway by herself.
"Oooo, that bear! He's going to need a doctor when I get through with him!" Rebecca muttered under her breath. She stomped to an unoccupied table with an indignant swish of her taffeta skirts and sat down. Chin propped in her hands, she glowered at Baloo piling food on his plate. It made her even more furious to see him joking and laughing with his pilot buddies and the servers. "I might as well not be here for all the attention he pays me. The most important news of our lives, and he won't even listen."
Baloo soon joined her. He brought his heaping plate, a glass of lemonade, and his friend Wiley Pole, who was dressed in an ape costume. "Mind if Wiley joins us, Beckers?" He stuffed a cocktail weenie in his mouth and picked his teeth with the toothpick.
"Fine," she muttered sullenly.
Baloo offered her a fantail shrimp. "Want one?"
"No," she said curtly.
He popped it in his mouth. "Better get in line, honey. The food is fan-dang-ta-bulous," Baloo averred, chomping down two finger sandwiches at the same time. "An' it's goin' fast."
Reluctantly, Rebecca rose from her seat and approached the buffet. The mingling smells from the different dishes made the queasiness return, but remembering that she was now eating for two, she placed a few hors d'oeuvres on her plate.
A familiar shaky voice behind her inquired uncertainly, "Are...are those st...strawberries?"
Rebecca turned to see her former employee - a skinny cheetah dressed as a pilot in a blue flight jacket and goggles - The Barber. He held a pair of tongs in his hands. They were used to pick up food, napkins, open the door, etc. His mismatched pale blue eyes emanated fear. He shivered from head to foot when she answered, astonished, "Why, yes."
Letting his plate fall to the floor, The Barber took off like a shot. "Ooo...strawberries!"
Meanwhile, Baloo had polished off his first round and was making a beeline to the buffet table for seconds. He tapped Rebecca playfully on the shoulder, causing her to jump. Her plate flew out of her hands and onto the table messy side down.
She whirled around, shooting daggers at him. "Baloo!" she hissed, incensed. "I know it's hard for you, but stop acting like a buffoon!"
The goofy grin disappeared from the big bear's face. "Sorry, Becky. Here. Let me help ya clean up." Impulsively, he kissed a splotch of cocktail sauce from her nose, prompting a warm smile from Rebecca.
"Baloo, I've got to tell you something."
"I already know you're cute in green. Ya don't hafta tell me that," Baloo chuckled, gathering her in his arms.
Rebecca blushed, placing her paws on his chest and feeling the velvety material of his shirt. "Thank you, darling." She smiled fondly up at him and straightened his askew hat. "I have wonderful news."
"About the thing that's not the icebox?"
Rebecca nodded. "Yes. We..."
"Yo, Baloo!"
Baloo whirled out of Rebecca's grasp, causing her to spin like a top. She leaned dizzily against the table. Her countenance darkened as she watched her husband greet yet another friend clanking towards them in a shining suit of armor. Does he know everybody here?
"Hey, hey! If it ain't my ol' pal, Clyde Haven't seen your mug around Cape Suzette these past three or so years." Baloo slapped a slim black canine with greying temples on the back, causing a ringing clang to reverberate through the ballroom. "Yeowch!"
"I've been busy fighting dragons. Can't ya tell from the getup?" Clyde laughed uproariously. "No, seriously, I own my own air cargo business in Pazuza."
"No jive, Clyde?"
"Yep. Ol' Clyde ain't a cargo jockey anymore. I'm more of a desk jockey."
"Won't catch me stuck behind a desk. No sirree, Clyde. Flying's what life's all about."
Plate in hand, Rebecca passed them by the way to the table. Without warning, Baloo wrapped an arm around her waist and yanked her to his side.
"Baloo!" She was barely able to hang onto her plate and keep it upright.
"Here's the desk jockey of Higher for Hire. My boss lady," giving Rebecca a fond squeeze and a tender smile, he added proudly; "and my wife."
Clyde looked from Baloo to Rebecca and back to Baloo. His shocked expression slowly changed to a smile. Punching Baloo's shoulder, he laughed boisterously, "Ya lucky dog! Why doncha tell your friends that ya got hitched?"
"I'm tellin' ya now."
"What's the pretty lady's handle?"
"Rebecca."
"And who is this, Baloo?" Rebecca asked, casting a pointed look at her husband.
"Oh, Becky, this is Clyde."
Clyde pumped Rebecca's free hand. "Nice to make your acquaintance. Me an your hubby go way back to when we were young pups just starting out in the air cargo game. What was that, Baloo? Nearly twenty years ago?"
"Aw, don't remind me!" Baloo groaned, slapping his forehead.
"Yep. Afraid we're gettin' up there, old buddy," Clyde chuckled.
"A pleasure to meet you, Clyde," Rebecca said politely. "What's the name of your car...?"
Baloo interrupted with, "We're sittin' over there next to the shaggy ape. That's Wiley. You remember Wiley Pole, doncha, Clyde?"
"Sure do, Baloo. Best pilot in these here skies."
"Hey," Baloo said with a mock frown.
Clyde laughed heartily, once again punching Baloo's shoulder. "Just kiddin', pal."
"You go on over an' snag a seat, an' we'll catch up on old times. I'm gonna get the 'Big Guy' a refill." Patting his ample stomach, Baloo once again strolled to the buffet table.
Clyde clanked over to the table in his armor.
I love him dearly, but that bear is driving me absolutely up the wall tonight! After glaring at her husband's retreating form, Rebecca sat at the table across from Wiley and Clyde. She felt out of place listening to them chat about airplanes, places she'd never seen, and people she didn't know.
Baloo plunked down beside her with his second full plate. He joined in the vociferous reminiscing about old times. "Hey, Clyde, do ya still own that Boang LE-3? That sure was a honey of a plane!"
Rebecca nibbled on her fruit and attempted to take interest in the conversation, but it was futile. Her mind was occupied with another matter. Brightening with an idea, she took a pen from her purse and wrote: 'Surprise! We're going to have a baby!' on a napkin. She slipped it in Baloo's direction. Baloo, being engrossed in the conversation, absently picked up the napkin, wiped his mouth, wadded it up, and tossed it in his empty glass.
"Oh, Baloo," Rebecca murmured, becoming discouraged. She knew it was silly and futile, but she wanted to cry. "At this rate, he won't know about the baby until he's actually holding it."
Meanwhile
On the way to the third haunted house, the Jungle Aces were trick-or-treating, much to Molly's delight. The little girl raced up the porch of a tall two-story house and stood on tiptoe to ring the doorbell.
An elderly female moose opened the door. Her wrinkle-crossed face broke into a smile. "Oh, aren't you kids cute? Here's a piece of candy apiece, and two for you, little girl. One for you and one for you dolly." The woman dropped full-sized chocolate bars in their outstretched sacks.
"Thank you!" they chimed together.
Molly peeked into her half-full sack - twice as much as any of the boys had. "I have more candy than you! I have more candy than you!" she sang to Kit.
"Woo-hoo," Kit said dryly. But he grinned at his sister as they traipsed down the sidewalk to the next house. He didn't even mind when she slipped her paw in his. Just for good measure, he gave her hand a little squeeze. Who cared what Ernie thought?
On the Iron Vulture
A gigantic airship - painted purple and black with a yellow beak for a cargo hatch - was zooming towards the air pirates' favorite place to plunder: Cape Suzette. It cast a mammoth shadow over the tops of clouds as it sped along.
At the helm of the huge airship was the suave pirate captain Don Karnage himself - a brown wolf in a blue suit trimmed with gold buttons and grey pants. He was barking out orders at the speed of the airship."Everybody, get your guns!"
Mad Dog, a skinny brown ferret with a drooping mustache, held up a tiny handgun. "Like this, Captain?" he whined.
"No, no, no, no! Bigger guns! Humungo guns! Guns big enough to blow a hole in the side of this ship!" Too late, the captain realized his mistake. "NO! STOP!" He hit the deck as bullets whizzed over his head.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Every pirate whipped out a gun and shot at the walls of the Iron Vulture, leaving the hull riddled with holes.
"These are big enough, Captain," the pirates droned stupidly.
"You dum-dums! I did not mean to actually shoot 'em up the Iron Vulture!" Karnage scrambled to his feet and slapped the pirates nearest him, causing them to recoil in fear.
A squat sepia canine named Gibber whispered a message in Karnage's ear.
Karnage perked up, striding over to the large window. He grinned an evil grin when he saw the massive cliffs guarding the tropical metropolis. "There she is, men. The glorious loot-filled city of Cape Suzette. Tonight it will all be ours, down to the last piece of Halloween-type candy! This will be a trick that Cape Suzette will never forget! And a big treat for us!"
The pirates cheered.
"To your posts!" Don Karnage yelled over the intercom system.
Mayhem ensured as pirates scurried throughout the Iron Vulture.
A Half Hour Later
"Molly, stop lagging behind!" Kit exclaimed, tugging on the girl's paw.
"I don't wanna go in another haunted house and neither does Lucy. They're boring with the same stupid people in sheets jumping out at you," she whined. "I wanna go trick-or-treating some more and get more candy."
Kit glanced at his friends, who were restlessly waiting at the door of the haunted house, then back at Molly. "Tell you what. If you promise to stay here until we come out, I'll give you one of my candy bars," he wheedled.
"One of the big ones?"
"Yep, one of the big ones."
"For really?"
"For really. Now, promise you'll stay here."
Molly crossed her heart. "I promise."
"Good girl. Stay right here." Kit hurried to join his friends, elated that his little sister wasn't with them to complain about the cheesy costumes and bad special effects.
Molly fully intended to wait for her brother. After all, chocolate didn't grow on trees. As she was inspecting the goodies in her sack, she was distracted by a group of very tall trick-or-treaters carrying extra large candy sacks.
They have neat-o pirate costumes. Hm...they look kinda strange and familiar, she thought to herself as the rough band passed by. One of them dropped his sack. Molly got a peek of several sticks of dynamite before the pirate hurriedly snatched it up. Addressing her doll Lucy, she wondered, "What would Danger Woman do?" She held the doll's mouth to her ear. "You're right, Sidekick Lucy. She'd follow the air pirates and see what they're up to and put a stop to their dastardly scheme." So, forgetting all about her promise, the little girl trotted after the pirates at a discreet distance, dropping a piece of candy at even intervals so that Kit could follow her trail.
Ten minutes later, the Jungle Aces exited the haunted house.
"That was great!" Oscar shouted.
"Nah, that was the lamest one so far," Ernie said derisively. "I hear the Bearsley house on Maple Street is better."
"Let's go to that one!"
"Yeah!"
Kit wandered back to where he had left his sister only moments before. "We're ready to go, Molly. Short Stuff?" The boy searched the nearby bushes. "This is no time to play hide-and-seek!" he retorted angrily. "Molly, come out right this instant! You come out, or you won't get your candy bar!" His anger turned to fear when no little golden cub dressed as Danger Woman jumped out of the shrubbery. "Molly? Omigosh!" He became increasingly scared as he thought of what his parents would say when they found out that he had lost his sister. He would be grounded for life! "Oh, man, am I in big trouble!"
"What's the holdup, Kit?" Felix asked.
"Molly's missing," Kit replied, casting a panicked gaze up and down both sides of the street.
Ernie frowned, saying sarcastically, "Swell. I knew it was a bad idea to bring a little kid with us. Let me guess, now we have to waste time looking for her."
Kit squared his shoulders, his eyes narrowing at Ernie. Sometimes Ernie could be such a jerk. "No, you guys go on ahead. I'll find Molly by myself. She's my sister and my responsibility."
"Want any help?" Oscar offered.
"Nah, she's probably trick-or-treating down the street. I'll find her and catch up with you later." Kit feigned nonchalance, but his eyes were filled with worry.
Oscar cast a concerned backwards glance over his shoulder as he joined the Jungle Aces. "Sure, um...see ya around, Kit."
Kit sat down on the curb to collect his thoughts. If I was Molly, where would I go? She's gonna catch it when I see her! He saw a piece of candy on the sidewalk. Who would throw good candy away? Looking further to his right, he spotted another piece. And another. And another. Could Molly...? I bet she did! Here's Lucy's hair ribbon! Amazed and relieved at Molly's foresight to leave a trail, he raced down the sidewalk, following the trail of sweets. He laughed to himself. "Now I know what Hansel and Gretel felt like."
Back at the Pilot's Halloween Ball
Rebecca was finding it increasingly difficult to control her temper as the night crawled on. Her head throbbed with the beat of the blaring jazz music. The whalebone ribs sewn into her costume bodice cut into her back and made it difficult to breathe. The hot, crowded ballroom and the rowdy partygoers didn't help with her headache, or her mood either. She wished that she could get her husband alone somewhere quiet for just five minutes to tell him that they were expecting a baby. But to her increasing aggravation, he'd been chatting nonstop all evening. In addition to that, there was a multitude of people assembled around their table. It seemed that Baloo was an extremely popular pilot. She gritted her teeth as she watched him blatantly slurping his ice cream topped with hot fudge, peanuts, candy corn, and popcorn. None of the lectures she had given him about table manners had sunk in.
"Baloo, company manners," she hissed, nudging his elbow.
He ignored her and continued to gobble while loudly talking.
Rebecca's ears perked up as the band switched to a slow, slightly quieter song. Tugging on her husband's sleeve, she said, "Let's dance."
Baloo brushed her off. "Later, Becky. I'm right in the middle of somethin' here." He turned back to the crowd of pilots clustered around their table. They were all completely enthralled by the big bear's tale - Baloo's favorite kind of audience. "Where was I? Oh, yeah. The best part. Hee-hee. I did my famous Baloo Barrelhouse Backwards Roll, an' those pirates started droppin' like flies. Then Kit..." He excitedly rambled on about one of his recent adventures. He gestured wildly with his spoon, causing a dollop of vanilla ice cream to land in Rebecca's lap.
"Why me?" Rebecca sighed in exasperation, dabbing at the melting ice cream.
Meanwhile
A little figure dressed as Danger Woman shadowed the pirates across the city, down to the secluded cove where the multimillionaire's yachts were moored. Seeing Don Karnage and his group halt by the water's edge, Molly crept closer, making sure to drop a few pieces of candy on the sidewalk for Kit to follow.
Don Karnage was saying, "This time we can't fail if you sea slugs follow my directions to the teaspoon."
The pirates murmured assent.
"We've gotta get closer, Lucy. I can't hear anything." Molly crawled through the grass and hid under a wooden bench along the boardwalk. Her paper sack crinkled when she tucked it in beside her.
"Vat vas dat?" Dumptruck, a hulking grey canine, asked in a thick Norwegian accent. He perked up his ears. "Sounded like a candy sack."
Pulling her knees up to her chest, Molly made herself as small as possible. The pirates looked around, but weren't smart enough to check under the bench.
Karnage backhanded Dumptruck's cheek. "Get your hearing checked, you hulking fleabag!"
Molly breathed a sigh of relief.
Karnage jumped onto the bench. Gesturing to the Spruce Moose with his sword, he said, "This time our pilot enemies have done me, the dread pirate Don Karnage, a big party favor."
He was rewarded with blank stares.
"Do not you simpleton minds know? Do I have to spell it out for you?"
More blank stares.
"We don't know how to spell," Hal, an overweight orange feline, admitted, cringing as he waited to be slapped.
All of the pirates nodded in agreement.
Karnage threw up his hands in resignation. "Ah, very well. Every pilot in Cape Suzette is here tonight in one single, very convenient place. It is as you say - one stop pilot shopping. Hee-hee! Here is my genius plan. But would you expect anything but genius from me? Half of you surround the Spruce Moose and cut off its power supply. The other half of you will detain anyone who tries to get on the Spruce Moose. Half of that half will climb into the plane and plant dynamite on the plane. The other half of that half will hold the pilots inside hostage. Then, we will light the dynamite. Boom! Poof! Bye-bye, annoying-type pilots! Hee-hee! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
Under the bench, Molly caught her breath with fright and anger. She frowned up at Karnage through the bench slats and hugged Lucy closer.
"Say what?" Mad Dog whined, scratching his head in confusion. All of the other pirates shared his confused expression..
"Is it not clear as muddy water, eediots? Keell the pilots so that they cannot stop us from plundering Cape Suzette!"
"But if the plane blows up, von't ve be killed, too?" Dumptruck asked timidly.
Seething with anger, Karnage said with forced patience, "Not if you jump out of the plane before it goes ka-blooey, you fools!" He slapped the nearest pirates across the snouts, who shrank away from Karnage. "Hurry it up to the point, and put my most brilliant plan into action!" The wolf sank onto the bench, crossing his right leg perpendicularly over his left knee. "I will wait here until you storm the plane, and then I will make my grand entrance!"
Molly peered up at Karnage, wishing that she had a fork to jab him with. Helplessly, she watched the horde of pirates advance towards the Spruce Moose where her parents were. She wanted to do something, but didn't know what to do. If she tried to warn her parents, she would have to sneak on board the nightclub, most definitely be caught by the air pirates, and probably be killed. But she couldn't stay here and do nothing. Everything seemed hopeless. Then she saw... "Kit!" she whispered, gesturing to her brother furiously.
Kit cautiously slunk over to the bench and crouched beside his sister. "Don Karnage," he mouthed silently, pointing up.
Molly nodded with wide eyes.
Kit grabbed Molly's hand. The cubs sprinted to a nearby oak, where they sank to their knees and peeked at the pirates around the large trunk. They were greatly relieved; they hadn't been seen by anyone.
"What's going on, Molly? Why did you run off like that?" the boy said sternly. "What are the air pirates doing here?"
Molly choked out her entire adventure from the time when she first saw the pirates to the present. "They're gonna kill Mommy and Daddy! We'll be orphans, Kit! I don't wanna be an orphan and live in an orphanage!"
The very thought of being an orphan again sickened Kit. He'd only had parents for a few months, and if he lost them at the hands of a cheap crook like Karnage... Kit pushed that awful thought from his mind. "We won't be. I promise." Kit hugged his little sister. Her paper candy sack crunched between them. Thoughtfully, he pulled a Tootsie Roll out of the sack and tossed it in the air. After staring at it in his palm for a second, he broke into a grin. "I've got a plan, but we've gotta hurry!"
Molly trotted after Kit as he ran into town. "Are we gonna tell the police?"
"Yeah, and get some more special 'ammunition'." This is a plan so crazy that it's worthy of Baloo.
A few minutes later, two breathless cubs burst into the nearest police precinct five blocks away."Air pirates...at...the...the Spruce Moose!" Kit gasped out.
"And a happy Halloween to you, sonny," one police officer - an alligator - chuckled. He believed that the children were playing a prank.
"Nice try, kids!" A second policeman - a brown, mustached canine - raised his coffee mug in an impromptu toast.
"It's for really true!" Molly cried.
"Run along, kiddies; we don't have any candy," a porcine policeman said in an Irish accent.
"Because you ate it all, O'Malley."
The officers, except plump O'Malley, roared with laughter.
Kit and Molly plodded out of the police station, dejected.
"I hate being little! No one ever believes you," Molly muttered.
However, Kit refused to be deterred so easily. "Cheer up, sis. You forgot about the second part of our plan."
Kit with Molly right behind zigzagged through the streets of Cape Suzette towards Maple Street. Seeing his friends emerge from the Bearsley haunted house, he shouted, "Hey, guys! Wait up!"
"What's up, Kit?" Burt asked.
"What happened to you?" Ernie said.
"Did you find Molly?" Oscar inquired.
"You missed the best haunted house ever!" Sam and Felix exclaimed simultaneously.
"That's nice," Kit puffed, "but we've got a bigger problem. Karnage and his gang are down by the Spruce Moose."
Molly nodded, breathing heavily from running. "Lots of pirates. Me and Lucy and Kit saw them."
The Jungle Aces were stunned. They knew Kit well enough to know that he didn't lie about things like this. All of his adventures that he had related to them, however outlandish, had been true. After they had gotten over the initial shock, the boys' tongues loosened in a flood of questions.
"What?"
"Why?"
"How'd they get past the cliff guns?"
"Don't know," Kit said. "The police didn't believe us, so it's up to us kids to stop them."
"Us? How?" the Jungle Aces cried in unison.
"Here's the plan. We've go to gather together as many kids as we can, and then we'll throw candy at them." Kit knew that his plan sounded lame, but it was the best that he could come up with. He, knowing the air pirates' limited mentality and their superstitious minds, thought that his plan was feasible in defeating whatever Don Karnage had cooked up. If nothing else, it would distract the pirates and give Baloo a chance to do something.
"That's not gonna work," Ernie retorted sarcastically. "What makes you think that pirates with guns and swords will be scared of a few kids?"
Scowling, Molly stalked right up to Ernie and poked him in the chest with every indignant syllable. "Kit knows! Kit used to be a pi..."
Kit clamped a hand over her mouth quickly. His friends weren't aware that he had been a pirate, and he wanted to keep it that way. "Just...trust me."
The Jungle Aces looked at each other for a few moments, then broke out cheering.
"Woo-hoo!"
"Let's do it!"
"Yeah!"
"Jungle Aces to the rescue!"
The Jungle Aces and Molly split up and sped down different streets, recruiting children for their mission. Ten minutes later, a crowd of costumed children swarmed towards the Spruce Moose.
The Spruce Moose
Outside, the pirates had secured the perimeter of the nightclub. The doormen had been clubbed over the head and were tied up, unconscious just outside the door of the airplane. Five air pirates shot their grappling hooks to the top of the airplane with a clang and began scaling it. Five more were climbing gingerly up the long, long ladder to the cockpit. All of them had sacks of dynamite and long coils of fuses. It was loud work. The pirates talked amongst themselves as they stomped with heavy footfalls along the boardwalk. Their armament clanked loudly. The noise grated on Karnage's nerves.
"Will you blundering boneheads make with the quiet!" Karnage hissed fiercely. "How can we take the pilots by surprise with this racket? Sneakity-sneak into the plane!"
Luckily for the pirates, the walls of the Spruce Moose were thick and the band was deafening.
Inside, Rebecca was having anything but a ball at the Pilot's Ball. Slumped in her chair, she sighed wearily. "I feel as if I've landed in one of Louie's parties only with fancier surroundings." When the band switched to one of their rare slow songs, she grabbed her husband's arm, demanding, "Baloo, I've waited long enough. We're going to dance. NOW!"
Baloo knew that she wasn't to be denied this time. She had that determined glint in her eyes. "S'cuse me, fellas. Me an' Becky are gonna cut a rug."
Rebecca dragged Baloo onto the dance floor, which was quickly filling up with couples. Stepping into his arms, she said quietly but firmly, "Listen to me, Baloo. I have something important to tell you."
"That thing that you've been mentionin' all night? Go ahead. Spit it out, Becky."
"I will if you stop interrupting me!" She took a deep breath. "We're going to..."
The band broke into a very fast boogie-woogie number.
"Hey, hey! Now, this is my kind of music. Follow my lead, honey."
"As if I have a choiiiiiiicccce!" Rebecca shouted when he dipped her. "Baloo!" she giggled.
"If ya liked that, you'll love this." He picked her up by the waist and swung her around until happy dizzy butterflies fluttered in her stomach.
"Baloo, we're going to have a baby."
"Maybe what, Becky?"
"Baby!" she said more forcefully, enunciating every syllable."We're...going...to...have...a...baby!"
"What? Can't hear ya over the music! Can't this wait 'til later?"
"NO! I'VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH! I SAID..." Unexpectedly, the power was cut off, leaving everyone and everything in complete darkness. The band ceased to play. Into the vast silence, Rebecca shouted at the top of her lungs, "I'M PREGNANT!" A hot blush seared her cheeks. Even though she couldn't see anybody, she knew that they were all staring at her. "Oh, no," she whispered.
But Baloo was too overjoyed at the news to care about anyone else's opinion. "You mean we're gonna have a baby? Whoopee-he-he!" The big bear engulfed his wife in his arms and planted a hearty kiss on her lips. "Why didn't ya tell me sooner, sweetheart?"
Rebecca grinned wryly. "I tried, but..."
Everyone's attention turned to the swinging double doors of the ballroom when a heavily accented voice said, "Congratulations. Too bad that the little bundle of joyfulness will never see the sunny light of day. Listen up, you puny, pesky pilots."
"Don Karnage!" was whispered through the ballroom, inciting scattered frightened shrieks from the females - and a few males.
Gibber appeared behind Karnage carrying a flashlight. A larger-than-life shadow of the pirate captain was cast on the wall. The crowd began inching backwards.
"There is no escaping the horrible, awful, no-goodness that is I, Don Karnage. We, my noble pirates and I, have got you all surrounded-ed and out-numbered. I hope you enjoy the fireworks, because they will be the last you will ever see! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
"What makes ya think we'll give up that easy, Karny?" Baloo growled. He pushed his way through the cowering crowd and charged up to the pirate captain.
"The name is Karnage. Don Karnage. Roll the 'r'. What can you conceivably do with no weapons? No planes?" The wolf poked the business end of his sharp sword at Baloo's nose.
"What do you mean by 'fireworks', Don Garbage?" Rebecca retorted contemptuously, coming up to stand beside her husband.
"It is Karnage!" he screamed, outraged that they would dare slander his name. "At this very minuet, my men are plastering the plane with TNT." Karnage chuckled cruelly at the mere thought. "You will all be blown sky high into smithereens!"
A collective gasp spread through the crowd. Rebecca clutched Baloo's arm.
Sarcastically, Karnage said, "I am especially not going to miss you, Bahloo, and your annoying business-type, nosy boss lady. You two have caused me more trouble than you are worth, which is less than something."
"Baloo, do something!" Rebecca whispered urgently.
"Like what, honey?" Baloo eyed Karnage's sword.
"Anything!" she whispered impatiently with an accompanied foot stomp. For the second time that night, she wanted to cry. It had been an emotional roller-coaster of a day.
Outside...
The pirates were too busy carrying out their atrocious scheme to notice the drove of children creeping up upon them.
Kit gave orders to them to get 'his army' organized. "Okay," he said, pacing up and down the ranks, "when I say fire, throw your candy at the pirates as hard as you can. Ready!"
Approximately fifty children reached into their candy sacks and pulled out a handful of candy.
"Aim!"
The children drew back their arms in anticipation.
"Candy bombs away!"
"Ow!" yelped Sadie, rubbing the spot on his arm where a piece of hard candy had hit it.
"Ow!" screamed Hacksaw.
"What is that?" Mad Dog whined. "Ow!"
"Ouch! Who's doing dat?" Dumptruck said angrily.
"I dunno. I can't...ow!...see," Mad Dog cried. "Someone turn on the lights."
"Turn on the lights!" Dumptruck yelled into Mad Dog's ear, prompting a whiny, "OW!" from the ferret.
"Turn on the lights!" Hal echoed down the docks.
"Turn on the lights!" Hacksaw repeated even further down the docks.
"Turning on the lights!" Jacques yelled.
The Spruce Moose and the surrounding streetlights flamed into brilliance. "Lights are on!" Jacques said.
"Lights are on!" Hal and Hacksaw yelled at the same time.
"The lights are on!" Dumptruck shouted into Mad Dog's ear.
"I can see that!" Mad Dog spun around to see the children. "Ah! Ghosts and goblins!"
"M...m...mummies!"
"Teenage Mutant Tortoises!"
"Ballerinas!"
"Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhh! Not ballerinas!" the pirates shrieked.
The small ballerinas giggled mischievously as they lobbed candy at their targets.
"Let's get outta here!"
The pirates pounded down the dock. A few splashed into the harbor and swam towards the Iron Vulture disguised as a ocean liner docked by the cannery.
Don Karnage heard the clamoring of his pirate crew. He stuck his head out the door. "What is all the racket out here? Ow!"
Kit had beaned him squarely on the forehead with a cinnamon disc. "Have some candy, Karnage!" the boy snickered. "Don't say that I never gave you anything."
Karnage took in the situation at a glance - children in Halloween costumes throwing candy and his dim-witted crew running away from them. It was ludicrous that the children were winning.
"What? We are being attack-ed by puny little kids? Where do you think you are going, eediots? I order you to stop! Attack, men! Attack!" Karnage commanded, but the pirates were so busy dodging the stinging little candy bullets and running for their lives that they didn't obey his order. In the distance, police sirens wailed. It was the police sirens that really scared Karnage. "Ah, well...he who steals and runs away lives to steal another day. So long, pilots!" He struck a match and put it to a fuse. "I'm sorry I can't stay for the fireworks. I hear they're going to be a blast!" With an evil laugh, he leapt into the night.
Baloo tried to pinch and blow out the flame as it traveled along the fuse, but it wouldn't stop. It continued on its relentless path towards the dynamite glued right above the door. Rebecca grabbed a glass of lemonade from the table next to her and dashed it on the fire. With a sizzle, the flame sputtered and died.
"Whew!" Baloo sighed in relief. "Another coupla seconds an' that would have been a real explosive situation."
Nodding, Rebecca smiled wanly.
Outside, the Jungle Aces gave each other high fives.
"Yeah, we beat the pirates!" Felix said, grinning.
"Did you see them run?" Sam laughed.
"What babies! Scared of kids in costumes!" Ernie scoffed.
"Man, what a swell adventure!" Burt said. "Let's hear it for the Jungle Aces Secret Midnight Club!"
"Three cheers for Kit!" Oscar suggested.
Kit grinned, blushing slightly as his friends patted him on the back.
Quickly, the children dispersed to continue their Halloween fun. Molly raced into the Spruce Moose.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Molly threw herself in her mother's outstretched arms.
"Molly? What are you doing here?" Frantically, Rebecca continued, "What was going on out there? Are you okay, Pumpkin? Where's Kit? I told you two to stay together." She hugged her daughter and kissed her on the cheek.
"We chased the air pirates away. I saw the pirates and followed them here, but it was Kit's idea to get a whole bunch of kids to throw candy at them."
"The air pirates were scared of children?" Rebecca murmured, astonished.
"Yep," Molly giggled.
"Now I've seen everything." Baloo grinned, shaking his head in amazement.
"Kit, there you are!" Rebecca wrapped an arm around her son and pulled him close, kissing his forehead. "Molly says you came up with the idea to scare the air pirates away, and why am I not surprised?"
"That's my boy!" Baloo grinned and tousled Kit's hair. "Lookee there. Ya had a fun time trick-or-treatin' with your sister after all."
"I guess so." Kit smiled sheepishly.
"Scared away the pirates all by themselves." If there had been buttons on Baloo's shirt, they would have been popping off with pride. "We got good kids, Becky."
Rebecca put a gentle hand on her stomach. "If this little one is anything like them, we'll be in for a treat."
Kit and Molly looked confused.
Baloo shared a smile with Rebecca over the cubs' heads. "Should we tell 'em our good news, Becky?"
Rebecca laughed. "Why not? Everyone here knows about it.They might as well, too."
"What good news?" the cubs said in unison.
Placing Molly on the floor beside her brother, Rebecca knelt down and put a paw on each of her children's shoulders. Softly, she stated, "You're going to have a little brother or sister." She studied their faces for their reactions.
"They're not getting my candy!" Molly blurted out, hugging the remnants of her collected goodies. "I worked extra specially hard to get this much!"
Baloo and Rebecca laughed.
"Nothin' ta worry 'bout there, Button-nose. The baby won't be able to eat candy for a long time, but I can." He teased her by pretending to reach into her sack, grab a handful of sweets, and shove them in his mouth, chewing noisily.
"Daddy!" Molly mock-scolded. "That's mine and Lucy's."
"Aw, Lucy doesn't look very hungry. I better eat her share."
"No way!"
"What do you think, sweetie?" Rebecca looked inquisitively at her son.
Kit simply smiled and hugged his mother tightly.
On the Way Home
The von Bruinwalds hailed a taxi and started for home.
"Man, what a great night!" Baloo sighed happily. He ripped off his Robin Hood hat and slung an arm around Rebecca's shoulders, kissing her on the cheek. "Good grub, good music, good friends, an' a super-duper surprise at the end."
"You would have known about it a lot earlier if you had shut up for ten seconds and listened to me!" she snapped.
"I don't talk that much."
"Ha! You talk more than a radio, Baloo. In fact, radios are better, because you can turn them down or off when they start to get annoying."
"I'm annoyin'? You ain't so perfect yourself, Rebecca."
"At least I'm not overly loquacious," Rebecca stated with a maddingly superior air.
"Huh? Locusts? What do bugs gotta do with bein' annoyin'?"
"Nothing. I said loquacious, not locusts," she laughed at his confused expression..
Baloo scowled. He didn't like that she was laughing at him. "Stop showin' off yer MBA, Becky."
While her parents sparred, Molly, seated on Rebecca's lap, inspected the meager contents of her candy sack. "All that candy wasted on air pirates, but it sure was fun! Let's do it again next year, Kit."
Kit yawned. "No thank you." He wearily leaned back against the seat.
"You still owe me a candy bar."
"What for?"
"For waiting for you outside of the haunted house, remember?" Molly held out her palm. "Pay up."
Kit, being too tired to argue, turned his sack upside down. "Sorry, Molly, but I'm all out."
Molly pouted, then brightened. "I know!" She divided her haul and generously dropped half into Kit's sack. "That's for a super fun night, big brother. Now you have a candy bar." She grinned smugly.
Kit forked over a candy bar.
Molly leaned over to whisper in Kit's ear. "Do you think Mommy and Daddy will stop fighting if we share our candy with them?"
Kit shrugged. He was feeling guilty, because he had treated Molly badly earlier, and she was repaying him with kindness.
Molly snapped a Choco Thriller in two, handing a half each to her parents, who broke off in the middle of their petty squabbling.
"Why, thank you, honey." Rebecca smiled.
"Thanks, Muffin." Baloo looked at his chunk of chocolate thoughtfully, then passed it to his wife. "Here, Becky, ya need this more'n me. You hardly ate anything at the party."
Rebecca nibbled on the sweet chocolate. She hid the smile she felt behind a stern expression. "So you were paying a little attention to me in spite of all of your friends and anecdotes."
"'Course I was. How could I ignore the purdiest gal there?"
Rebecca's countenance softened. She was actually speechless for a moment. "Darling, how can you be such a thoughtless slob, and yet manage to floor me with gallant compliments?"
The big bear shrugged. "I'm a gallant kind o' guy. Eat yer chocolate like a good girl, Rebecca. Remember: ya gotta take twice as much care of yerself now that you're carin' for two. Tell ya what, honey, from now 'til the baby's born, I'll help out with the housework an' try ta be on time."
Rebecca snorted. "I'll believe it when I see it, flyboy."
Baloo pouted. "Ya never take me seriously."
"I take you seriously, Baloo," Rebecca retorted airily, "just not as seriously as you take napping or eating."
Kit, sensing another argument approaching, piped up with, "I guess it's been a boo-tiful Halloween, huh?"
Baloo and Rebecca groaned, but shared slight smiles, indicating a temporary truce.
"From one to ten on the lame scale - one bein' the lowest an' ten bein' the highest - that was a three thousand, Li'l Britches."
"Oh, Kit, leave the bad puns to your father."
Baloo's indignant frown turned to a smile when Rebecca kissed his cheek, wrapped her arms around his left arm and nestled against him.
"I thought it was funny, Kit," said loyal Molly. She giggled. "A boo-tiful Halloween. I like it!" The little girl giggled all the way home.
The End