Disclaimer: This story is based upon characters created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle for Disney. If you recognize the characters, they aren't mine. I will never make any money from this.
For the next few minutes, they all watched a dishtowel annoy an uptight lobster. Then Cindy said, "I hear you and A.V. boy are dating."
"Yeah, he's pretty nice. Smart too. He's a little too into Space Passage, though."
"So he is a geek."
"Pretty much, but he's sweet."
"Good luck," Cindy said sadly. "Thank him about the hall thing for me, too."
"You can do that yourself, you know."
"When I get out again."
"What's stopping you?" asked Anne brightly.
"Just getting to the restroom is a chore," she griped as she pointed to the bathrom door only a few feet away. "I've still got a while before I can go out."
"Watch this!" cried Frankie. "He's gonna really get that guy steamed."
"I know," Cindy said testily. "Aren't you tired yet, Frankie?" She griped.
"No, just bored," he chimed as he bounced spiritedly on the ball.
Cindy cocked her head painfully, "Did you get your pill tonight?"
He bounced and shrugged, "I don't know."
Anne and Cindy looked at one another. For once they were thinking the same thing. Frankie had actually not had his medicine.
Frankie then lost his balance and landed half in Cindy's lap.
Cindy screamed.
Anne quickly grabbed Frankie and lifted him off Cindy, swung him gently around and plopped him on the couch.
"Sor-ry," the boy squeaked as he was carried through the air.
Anne then reached for Cindy's pain medications and brought them for Cindy to choose from.
Cindy tapped one of the bottles.
Anne opened it, took out a dose and offered it to Cindy.
Cindy ate the pills out of Anne's hand and swallowed them before taking a sip from her drink that Anne then brought up.
Anne waited until Cindy had calmed and asked, "So where is his medication?"
"Over the fish," Cindy panted.
Anne looked around. "Where's that?" she asked once she had determined that no fish were about.
Frankie jumped off the couch and pulled Anne to the kitchen. "Over here!"
He stopped at the end of a counter that came out of the wall as a peninsula, separating the kitchen from the living room. "Right here," Frankie patted the counter.
Anne looked blankly at the counter, doubting that the medication would be kept in his reach. Only pieces of mail were visible.
"We had a fish tank here, but Mom said it was old and dirty. So Dad got rid of it," Frankie rattled off happily.
"Oh!" Anne opened a cabinet immediately over the spot.
There was a pair of pill bottles bearing Frank's name in the cabinet. Anne found the one for evening use and gave a dose to him.
"Thanks," he said before dashing back into the living room.
Anne hurried after him, "Frankie, wait. You need to slow down."
Frankie tossed himself onto the couch to watch more television.
Anne sat next to Cindy again, warily watching Frankie.
"Sorry about that," Cindy whimpered. "The fish tank's been gone like a year, but we all still talk like it's there."
"You didn't have time to think," Anne said with understanding.
"I'm bored!" announced Frankie.
"Maybe we can play a game," asked Anne.
"Cindy wasn't in the mood to play anything, so it was just Frankie and I", Anne told her friends. "Then he took all the pieces and acted out scenes from that cartoon throughout the game."
"I suppose it could have been worse," offered Trent.
"Well, I'd rather not go into helping Cindy to the bathroom," Anne Mumbled.
Trent and Kate just frowned.
"It seems to me that your real enemy is Mrs. Mankey," said Kate.
"Several thefts have been reported around Europe and North America by someone matching the description of a Keego," Will Du reported.
"What was taken?" Kim tried to hide her embarrassment and annoyance, maintaining a professional mask.
"In each case the same thing," Will's face was as cold as usual.
Don had often wondered as a child if the gray in his hair was in fact snow.
"A 'Cuddle Buddy'," Will said with disdain. "Specifically, a 'Flamingoat'."
"Flaming-goat?" Flo asked with surprise. "Sounds like a warped little stuffy."
Don tapped her lightly on the hand, in the fashion of a silent slap.
Don ignored Flo's confused look and addressed Kim, "If Keegos are stealing Cuddle Buddies, does that make being a 'cuddler' genetic?"
Kim glared at Don for only an instant, "Doubtful." She turned back to Will, "How many have been stolen?"
"Three."
"Have you determined the location of the other seven?"
Will raised an eyebrow, "Six, actually."
"Oh?" Kim failed to hide both her surprise and the fact that she was obviously a 'cuddler'.
Will checked his notes, "While ten were made, one was destroyed in a fire in 2015."
For a second, Kim almost cried. She quickly composed herself. She told herself several important things; it had been over ten years earlier, she was an important executive in a meeting just then, and - as cute as it was - it was only a thing.
"Would you like Don and I to set a trap at one of those six locations?" asked Flo.
"That sounds fine," Kim seemed partially distracted.
"Mom?"
Kim looked at her son's determined face in response.
"We'll get 'em," Don stressed.
Kim managed a little smile beneath steel eyes, "Do that."
Don and Flo sat down at their desk. It wasn't exactly standard for teams to share a desk. Many agents worked alone, actually. Flo had a large desk and Don thought it a waste for teammates not to share resources.
Flo turned on the monitor and was greeted by a photo of her boss as a teenager about to lock in combat with a young Shego. "You changed the desktop again," she commented to Don in a flat tone.
"A tribute to motherhood," Don smiled.
Flo just glared at him a moment, then groaned as she brought up the data showing the locations of flamingoats throughout the U.S. and Canada. "Any useful ideas, funny boy?"
Don squinted at the screen and pointed at the map on it. "Florida's nice this time of year."
"And fairly close," Flo added. "But is it likely to be next?"
"We don't know how many of these things there are." Don frowned, "All these places could be hit tonight."
"Let's check that theory." Flo brought up the locations and times of the earlier thefts.
"None are simultaneous," Don observed.
"The time between allows for travel by jet as well."
"So there's only one?" Don said hopefully.
"It's possible," Flo cocked her head.
"Mom will be glad to hear that."
"I'll clear us a flight plan to Tampa." Flo began typing.
Don got up, "I'll get us some lunch." He paused and turned, "Sandwich?"
"Tuna," Flo nodded. "and Don-" Flo said in a business-like tone.
Don simply turned and grunted acknowledgement.
"A 'tribute to motherhood' would include my Mom." Flo's eyebrows were furrowed.
Don saw his mistake. "Okay." He licked his lips sheepishly, "I'll work on that."
"Please."
After quickly eating lunch, the couple took a plane from the hangar and set out for Mac Dill Air Force base, Tampa, FL. Once they had set down and checked in, Don couldn't resist looking around the Command center that ran operations for military coalitions worldwide. Flo indulged him a few minutes before insisting they get to their post.
An air force officer directed them to follow "DaIe Mabry Hwy" north to their destination, a lakeside home in the suburb of Carrollwood.
As the glowing couple flew past the main gate, a guard yelled up at them. "Did you get clearance before taking off?"
Flo wasn't sure if he was joking or not. Their personal flight took them through the city, past stadiums and parks and businesses.
"Hey, the Bankees train here!" Don pointed at one of the stadiums.
"We are not here to sight see." Flo snapped.
"Just making an observation."
"Thanks for allowing us in your home, Mr. Wilson." Flo said graciously.
"It seems you are doing me a favor by being here," the large, elderly man responded. "Make yourselves at home. I only live here part time, myself."
"So where's the flamingoat?" asked Don.
"In that case." Mr. Wilson gestured at a large entertainment center with extra shelving for display pieces. It dominated one wall of the living room.
Don walked over to look through the glass at the stuffed half-flamingo half-goat and a red/white football next to it on the shelf. "This ball has multiple signatures!"
"My mother lived here before she died. She was a big Redskins fan. That ball is autographed by every player on the team when they won Superbowl XXII. The cuddle buddy she originally bought for my younger cousin. When we all realized the rarity of this one, it was decided that Mom would keep it here. My cousin's grown up now, but it's still here."
Flo stepped up and looked in the case, "I was right. That is a warped example of a stuffed toy." Then she looked at Don, who was still staring at the football. "Drool much?"
"I think that one is Doug Williams'," Don said absently. Then he noticed Flo again, "What?"
"Never mind."
Mr. Wilson smiled, "There's several rooms if either of you need a nap. I have a flight to D.C. tonight. Lock up when you're done and notify me if anything happens."
"No problem, sir." Flo said happily, "Thanks for the hospitality."
Several minutes after Mr. Wilson had left, Don asked, "So what shall we do while we wait?"
Flo snapped, "We're on duty, Don."
"And you say I have a one-track mind," Don said, pleasantly surprised.
Flo blushed, "Did you bring any cards?"
"Sure thing," Don produced a deck and they sat down to play.
They eventually ordered pizza as well.
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Sorry for the delay, folks. I think my muse was on strike.