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Prompt #49: Languages - "Would it be too corny to say you have a talented tongue?"

Words: 589

"Oui. Mais oui. Oui, c'est vrai." Auggie sleepily stretched his entire body like a cat, listening with some interest to Annie's half of the phone call. "Pardonne, une moment."

A moment of silence, then he heard, "Si?" She listened for a few seconds, then said, "No. Cinco, cinco cajas negras. Uno momento, por favor." Again she switched calls. "I'm tryin' to swing things here, suga," she drawled in a perfect Southern drawl. "It'd be awful sweet of ya to send just a smidge more help, don't you think?"

A slow smile unfurled across Auggie's face as she switched between calls and languages. One hand reached over to lightly trace down her spine. The effect was immediate - Annie sat up ramrod-straight and twisted her torso, one hand grabbing his wrist in a crushing grip that would have broken an ordinary man's bones. "Relax," he said softly. "It's just me, love."

"Don't distract me." He felt her turn back to her phone conversations. "Monsieur? Oui, c'est parfait. Merci." She paused, cleared her throat, and spoke again. "Moshi moshi, Sakura-san? Hontōni? Sore wa subarashīdesu! Arigatō!" The way she spoke told Auggie that she was smiling widely. "Who's good? Who's good?" she asked in her normal voice.

"You're good," Auggie said good-naturedly. "Was that Sakura-san, possibly, Sakura Ise the wetwork agent who helped you in Okinawa two years ago?"

"The very same."

"And the Spanish caller?"

"Solange. She's in town for the next few days, I wanted to call her up and ask a favor."

Another familiar name in the spy game. The barest beginnings of a frown pressed at his lips and between his eyes. "And the French Connection?"

"That was Monsieur Boucher."

That made Auggie sit up with a puzzled frown. "Annie, what's got you calling at least three well-known operatives this early in the morning?"

"Trying to negotiate help for our daughter's Sweet Sixteen."

"They're helping you plan Hanna's birthday?" Those would not be the first people he called to plan a Sweet Sixteen party. Maybe to overthrow and knock off a dictator, but not plan a party.

Annie's smile was evident as she pressed her lips to his cheek. "They've been wonderful. I didn't think we'd get a DJ on such short notice, but Solange's cousin was able to shuffle his schedule around to make it. Boucher's niece runs a catering service and she's agreed to stock and work the buffet table. And Sakura has a sister who can help Hanna with her hair and makeup and nails." When Auggie shook his head in disbelief, she swatted his shoulder. "They weren't my first calls. I just didn't want to ask Joan for too much. She's working on putting together her son's graduation party."

"Only you would think to activate a spy phone tree to find last-minute help for our daughter's birthday." But it was a loving tease, and Auggie heard her laugh in response. "What does that leave for little old me to do?"

"Well, you could tell me I've done a good job..."

"You need me to tell you that?" Annie snuggled next to him as he rubbed her back. "Good wifey. Clever wifey."

He could practically hear her eyeballs rolling in their sockets. "You are a crazy pendejo, you know that?"

"You know, even when you curse, it's sexy."

After a long absence, an update!

Review please! Next up is the finale!

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