cheek.

Baloo squeezed his wife�s arm reassuringly. �Easy, Becky, don�t get yer feathers in a knot over the past. Anyways, Spiggy got it into his short head that me an� Kit were spies tryin� ta destroy their flyin� fish statue or somethin� stupid like that. He threw us in jail and asked me a lotta dumb questions. We only got out �cause Kit bribed Dunder.�

�Way to go, Kit! He�s so resourceful.� Rebecca put Cassie over her shoulder and gently patted her on the back. �He�s getting so tall. I stood next to him yesterday and could almost look him directly in the eyes.�

�I miss his squeaky voice,� Baloo said wistfully, prompting a nod and a sad smile from Rebecca. �An� Molly�s gettin� big, too. I thought I was gonna deflate like a balloon the last time she hopped on my stomach. The only real little one we got now is this little one.�

Bwaaaaap! went the infant.

�Big burp for a little baby,� Baloo chuckled.

The bearess wiped the infant�s mouth with a soft cloth. Flashing her husband a teasing glance, she commented ruefully, �Another trait she inherited from you.�

�An� on the way home, air pirates started chasin� us, but I...�

�Let me guess - the Baloo Corkscrew?�

Baloo was pleasantly surprised. �Yeah, how�d ya know?�

�I know my husband,� Rebecca replied with a mischievous grin. She nudged him gently in the ribs and settled back in his arms with Cassie nestled in her arms. Baloo joined her in gazing down at their baby.

Suddenly, the door flew open. Kit and Molly skidded into the room, closely followed by Wildcat.

�Whew! Made it!� Kit gasped.

Molly giggled. �We gave the nurse the slip.�

�And almost slipped on the floor,� added Wildcat, waving his arms wildly to illustrate his point. �It was, like, whoa, look out!�

�Are ya kids s�posed ta be here?� Baloo asked with mock sternness.

�We wanted to see the baby,� Molly said quietly. �Please, Daddy?� She shot him her best wide-eyed puppy-dog look.

�Wildcat figured since grown-ups were big, they had more germs than smaller kids,� Kit explained as he quietly closed the door. �And if grown-ups with their big germs were allowed back here, we kids should be, too.�

Rebecca laughed softly, then flinched at the pain that laughing inflicted. �Oddly enough, it makes sense. Okay, kids, since you�re here, you might as well say hello.�

Molly raced across the room and pounced on the bed,peering down at the baby eagerly. �Hi, I�m your big sister Molly. We�re gonna share a room when you get home. Won�t that be fun? But ya hafta promise not to touch my toys. Can I hold her, Mommy?�

�Sit in the chair and Daddy will help you. You, too, Kit.�

The two cubs squeezed into the chair beside the bed. Baloo laid Cassie in Molly�s arms with the following instructions: �Now, her neck muscles ain� strong enough ta support her little head, so ya hafta hold her head for her. Got her, Button-nose?�

�Yep, Daddy.�

�And be extremely careful with the top of her head. Don�t bump it. She�ll have a soft spot there until her bones grow,� Rebecca added. Every muscle in her body was taut, ready to catch her baby at a moment�s notice.

�My arm�s falling asleep!� Molly exclaimed after a few minutes. �Wanna hold her, Kit?�

�Um...sure,� the boy said tentatively, afraid that the fragile-looking baby would break if he touched her.

Baloo shifted her over into Kit�s arms. Fragile-looking Cassie screamed bloody murder.

�Sorry! Sorry! Papa Bear, take her!� Kit said. He cast his eyes to the floor in disappointment. �Guess she doesn�t like me,� he murmured to Molly.

�What?� Molly removed her hands from her ears.

Meanwhile, Baloo had given the baby to her mother. Patting Cassie on the back, the infant let out a huge burp.

�Excuse you!� said Molly.

�Been drinking soda pop, Cassie-cat?� Wildcat asked. �Do you like root beer or orange or cherry better? I�m more of a cherry soda kind of guy.�

�Another nickname,� Rebecca murmured, kissing the infant�s cheek. �You�re officially part of our family, Cassandra. A true blue von Bruinwald.�

�Now she�s got that outta her system, why doncha take another whack at it Li�l Britches?� Baloo once again placed Cassie into Kit�s arms.

This time, the baby studied Kit�s face and grasped a fistful of his shirt. He beamed down at her. �Hey there, little, little sis. You�re sure a cutie. When can you come home?�

�Day after tomorrow, sweetie,� replied Rebecca, yawning. She smiled at the pretty tableau: Kit and Molly bent adoringly over their new sister.

�Penny for yer thoughts, Beckers,� Baloo whispered in her ear.

�I wish I had a camera.� She bobbed her head towards her children. �They�re simply taken with her.�

From his overalls pocket, Wildcat produced a camera. �Will this do, Ree-becca?�

�Will you take the kids� picture, please, Wildcat?�

�Okey-dokey. Say �peas�!� Wildcat said, focusing the lens.

�Peas!� Kit and Molly chirped, grinning widely.

The camera flashed, causing everyone to see spots.

�Wildcat�s turn to hold Cassie,� Molly said.

The mechanic�s eyes lit up when the newborn was placed in his arms. �Happy birthday to you,� he sang, slightly off-key. �Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, little Cassie-cat. Happy birthday to youuuuuu! And happy New Year!�

The doorknob rattled.

�Uh-oh!� Kit cried. He and Molly dove under the bed.

The nurse appeared, stating, �Visiting hours are over.�

Baloo surreptitiously kicked Kit�s baseball cap under the bed. �Aw, do I hafta go so soon? Can�t I hold her one more time?�

�Yes, sir,� the nurse consented with a smile.

�Bye, Li�l Lassie Cassie. Daddy�ll come see ya tomorrow, Cupcake.� He cuddled the baby close and smooched her tiny nose before handing her to the nurse.

When the door clicked shut, the cubs crawled out from under the bed and Kit adjusted his cap.

�Come kiss me goodnight,� Rebecca said, holding her arms out to her children.

�Night, Mommy.�

�Night, Mom.�

The bearess kissed both children, saying, �I love you, Kit. I love you, Molly. Be good for Daddy. Kit, the documents for tomorrow�s Super Super Glue shipment are in my out-box, all signed, sealed, just needs to be delivered. Promptly.� She cast a pointed look at her husband.

�Count on us to stick to the schedule, Beckers.� The big bear chuckled to himself over the bad pun.

Rebecca and Kit shared a weak smile, groaning.

�See you in a couple of days, Mom.� Kit waved from the door. �Ready, sis?�

�Pull chocks, big brother.� She gave him a thumbs-up.

With that, the cubs snuck down the hall under the noses of the unsuspecting and unobservant hospital staff.

Wildcat squeezed Rebecca�s hand with an unusually perceptive smile, and he too walked out of the room and promptly went in the wrong direction.

�Wildcat, this way!� Kit hissed.

Baloo gathered his wife in his arms. �I�ll pop in tomorrow afternoon after the cargo run. Get lotsa shut-eye. You deserve it. You did a bang-up job.�

�I feel banged up, almost as if a truck had hit me,� she joked with a fatigued smile, too worn-out to return his hug. �But it�s difficult to fall asleep. It�s so quiet here.�

As if to disprove her statement, a dinner cart went rattling down the hallway.

Rebecca rested her head on Baloo�s chest and closed her eyes. Her voice grew softer with every syllable as she whispered, �You�re not...snoring...in...my...ear.� And she was asleep.

Baloo settled her back on the pillow and drew the blanket up to her chin. �Sleep tight, my darlin� Becky.� He kissed her on the cheek and forehead lightly and tiptoed to the door. Before flipping off the light, he regarded her sleeping form for a second, smiling. Then, he strolled down the hall to the waiting room.

�Can we go home now, Daddy? This place is boring, it smells funny, and I�m hungry,� Molly whined.

Baloo boosted her to his shoulders. �Whattaya say we eat out tonight, kids? This bear feels like celebratin�.�

Flo�s Diner

A half an hour later, Baloo, Wildcat, Kit, and Molly occupied a booth at Flo�s Diner in downtown Cape Suzette. Flo�s Diner was a little hole-in-the-wall place. It was longer than it was wider with two rows of booths divided by a narrow aisle. The kitchen, separated from the eating area by a makeshift plywood partition, ran down the length of one wall. Despite its shabby appearance, this diner served some of the best and fastest prepared fast-food in Cape Suzette.

�A coupla days, then we can get everything back ta normal,� Baloo said jovially, slurping his tapioca pudding.

Kit, seated diagonally across the table from the big bear, laughed. �It won�t be quite the same with Cassie crying in the middle of the night.�

The exuberant smile fell from the pilot�s face. �Forgot about that.�

Unexpectedly, Molly, seated beside Baloo, said soberly, �Daddy, do you love Cassie more than Kit and me?�

Baloo almost spit out his pudding. �No way, Jos�! What put such a crazy idea in yer pretty little head, Muffin?� He cupped her quivering chin in his palm and tilted her sad-looking countenance up towards him.

�I...I...I...thought since Cassie�s your real daughter and...and we�re...just your adopted kids that you...you...� she stammered, tears swimming in her earnest brown eyes.

Baloo thought seriously for a moment on the best way to answer. �Does yer mom love you more�n Kit, because you�re her real daughter an� he�s her adopted son?�

�No,� the eight-year-old sniffled, burying her face in her father�s shirt.

�It�s the same thing, sweetie.� Baloo hugged her tightly. �Now, turn

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