son�s shake, Baloo�s stomach rumbled, but he said, �Uh...water an� leave the pitcher.�

Louie stared at the big bear in amazement for a second. He cleaned out his right ear with his index finger. �Did I hear ya right? Water - as in no artificial colors or flavors!�

�Yeah, water. W-O...however ya spell it. The stuff that comes outta the tap.�

�O...kay. The customer�s always right.� He poured a glass of ice water and set it in front of Baloo, then he poured one for himself. They clinked their glasses together. �Cheers.�

"You must be really outta it to order water, Baloo."

"It ain't that. Becky put me on this stupid diet." Baloo drained the glass in a few gulps and wiped his mouth with his palm.

"Well, there's goes half of my business," Louie laughed.

�But I am beat! Haven't got a decent night's sleep all week. I�m surprised ya can�t hear Cassie all the way out here, Louie. Man, oh, man, that little gal�s got a serious set of lungs on her!� After digging in his shirt pocket, he produced a plastic picture holder. �Wanna see some shots of my baby?� He let it unfold until it trailed, one hundred pictures at least, to the floor. �Gather �round, boys, don�t be shy.�

The two other pilots in the place mumbled excuses and hurried outside, their food half-finished.

Louie began backing away from the bar. �They must have some real urgent business to attend to, an� speakin� of urgent business, I got that...thing...in the back...real important...can�t let it go for a second longer...�

He thought he was home free until Baloo grabbed him by the arm, saying excitedly, �Ya gotta see these, cuz!�

�Aw, geez...I mean, oh, great,� Louie said with a forced smile.

Kit, slurping on his shake, made himself comfortable. This was going to take a while. Cassie had been Baloo�s favorite �toy� for the past week. He wondered when the novelty was going to wear off.

Baloo proudly displayed picture after picture of Cassie, most of which were only slightly different. �Here she is nappin�. An� ain�t this cute? She�s sleepin�. The Sandman�s visitin� her in this one. An� it�s beddy-bye for Cassie here. There�s the teddy bear that Kit an� Molly got her beside her there. In this shot, she�s wearin� the outfit I got her. It hangs off her now, but, man, she�s growin�. Gets bigger every day.�

Louie laughed, pointing to a photograph of Baloo in the hammock, Cassie on his chest. The big bear had a wide grin on his face. �Look at proud papa! Ha, ha, fuzzy! She�s got you wrapped around her little finger.�

�You better believe it. Dig this one where�s she�s snoozin� on my lap.�

�She�s not the only one snoozin�,� Louie chuckled.

�This is one of my favs. All three kids at the hospital on Cassie�s B-day. Becky�s thinkin� of gettin� that one blown up an� framed. Speakin� of Beckers, here�s one of her an� Cassie. Ain�t they a purdy pair?�

Thirty minutes later...

�This here�s the last one.�

Louie, chin wearily propped in his hands and a glassy look in his eyes, murmured a thankful, �Hallelujah!�

�She�s lookin� straight at the camera. Get a load of those bee-you-ti-ful big brown eyes.� Baloo began folding the picture holder back up. �Wanna do another run-through?�

The big ape stifled a yawn behind a white towel. �Maybe some other time, cuz.�

�Since I�m here, ya might as well look at �em again.� Baloo opened it to the first picture.

A petrified expression appeared on Louie�s face almost as if he had been shoved into a barrel full of anchovies. �Well, ya really don�t hafta...save �em for some other sucker...uh, I mean lucky person.�

With a covert wink at Louie, Kit made a big production of checking his watch. �Wow! Oh, boy! Gee whiz! Look at the time, Papa Bear. We need to get home to Mom and Molly and Cassie.�

Being towed out of the nightclub by his son, Baloo threw over his shoulder, �I�ll bring ya some new pics next time, pal. I took four more rolls a coupla days ago.�

Louie smiled tightly. �Can�t wait, Baloo.� After the door swung shut, his chin slipped from his hands, landing with a �thump� on the bar. �More shots? Shoot me now!�

Meanwhile
Higher for Hire

Molly, garbed as Danger Woman, scowled with all her might at Cassie in her bassinet. In the eight-year-old�s opinion, the baby was a usurper, trying to take her place and doing a wonderful job of it. �I don�t like you,� she whispered, glancing over at her mother to see if she had overheard.

Rebecca continued to rummage through the filing cabinet.

�Everybody likes you better than me. Daddy and Mommy and Kit and even Wildcat. Piggy baby! Hogging Mom and Daddy. I never get to sit on their laps anymore, �cause you�re always there.�

Cassie yawned and her eyelids drooped.

Molly prodded the baby none-too-gently in the chest, causing the startled infant to open her eyes. �You listen when your big sister tells you something, kid! Know what? I don�t think you�re as stupid as you look. You know what you�re doing. Just wait �til you get bigger. Then you won�t be so cute.�

�Having a nice chat with Cassie?� Rebecca asked as she sidled past the bassinet with an armful of folders.

�Yes, Mommy. Danger Woman�s having a nice chat with her,� Molly said in a sing-song voice, smiling innocently. As soon as Rebecca�s back was turned, she glowered at the baby. �But I�m not!�

�Want to hold her, Molly? You don�t get to hold her very much.�

Molly stuck her tongue out at the infant before replying with a resigned sigh, �If I hafta, I�ll hold her.�

�Go sit down, Pumpkin.�

As if she was going to her own execution, Molly trudged to the easy chair and sat down. Rebecca propped a pillow under Molly�s left arm and handed the baby to her.

�Oh, isn�t she cute, Molly, with her little curls?� Rebecca adjusted the violet bow in Cassie�s hair. �Aren�t they darling?�

�Yeah, yeah...� Molly muttered after her mother returned to her desk. She was beginning to hate the word �cute�. A trillion times a day, everyone - even total strangers - said that Cassie was cute. Cute, cute, cute. Next time someone says �cute� , I�m gonna scream! �You�re not that cute. You�re loud and smelly and messy - stuff that Mom hates. How come she likes you so much?�

Hearing Molly�s low, scornful grumbling, Rebecca looked up from her paperwork. She noticed that Molly was frowning at Cassie. �What�s wrong, honey?�

�Nuthin�,� Molly spat. Sotto voce, she said, �Everything�s perfect if you�re Cassie.�

�Does she need to be changed?�

�No,� Molly said brusquely. Sorrowful tears welled up in her eyes.

�Then what�s wrong, Molly?� Rebecca crossed the room and perched on the arm of the chair. She gently brushed a hand through Molly�s golden hair. �Come on, you can tell Mommy.�

Molly opened her mouth to speak and...

�Hi-ho, everybody!� Baloo burst through the door, followed by Kit. �It�s finally stopped rainin�.�

�Dinner ready, Mom? I�m starving.� He hurried up to the bathroom.

�Almost, Kit.�

When her father approached her, Molly�s eyes lit up. Someone was going to pay attention to her after all. �Hi, Daddy.�

�Hey, Button-nose,� he said absently. Baloo scooped Cassie up in his arms. �How�s Daddy�s little cutie pie? Man, yer cute!�

Molly let out a stifled shriek and ran outside.

�Great, Baloo. Just great,� Rebecca retorted, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

�What�d I do wrong now, Becky?�

Rebecca threw up her hands in exasperation. �You did everything wrong!�

�What else is new?� Baloo muttered sullenly. �Just got home an� already she�s breathin� down my neck. �Course that ain�t new either.�

She sighed. �I�m not breathing down your neck. I think Molly�s jealous of Cassie.�

�Why? Who could be jealous of this little sweetheart?� He repeatedly smooched Cassie�s round cheeks.

�Engage the brain, flyboy. How would you feel if someone took your place as the littlest?�

�Don�t think I�ve ever been this little, Beckers,� Baloo chuckled, �even when I was little.�

Rebecca peered out the window at her daughter. Molly stood on the edge of the seawall, stormily hurling stones into the harbor. �This is all my fault. I should have realized sooner...if only I had paid more attention to Molly.� She opened the window and was going to call her daughter in to have a little chat when...

Wildcat happened along, whistling. �Hey, Molly.�

�Hi,� Molly said quietly. SPLASH!

Rebecca anxiously watched and listened from the window, hoping that Wildcat could get through to Molly when she couldn�t. In his own simple way, the mechanic had a special rapport with her daughter.

�Playing torpedo, Mollycat?� Wildcat asked amiably, setting down his toolbox. He noticed her attire. �Oops, sorry, Danger Woman.�

�No.� SPLASH!

�Hey, you sunk my battleship!� laughed Wildcat, clapping his paws. �Evasive action! Abandon ship! Women and mechanics first.�

�Wildcat...� Molly said, not looking at him. SPLASH! �Do you think I�m cute?�

He rummaged around in his toolbox and pulled out a wrench. �Cute as a lollipop and twice as sweet.�

SPLASH! �Who do you like better - me or Cassie?� Molly spit out �Cassie� almost as if it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

�I like you both the same.�

�You�re the only one.� Molly hugged his legs, big tears welling up in her eyes. �Everyone else likes Cassie better, �cause she�s

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