leaned over the desk. �Becky, we need to talk.�

Without looking up, she snapped testily, �Not now, Baloo! Can�t you see I�m busy?�

The pilot grabbed two donuts from the kitchen, placing one on his wife�s desk as he passed. �Eat up, Becky. Your favorite - cinnamon roll from Lee�s Bakery.�

He dropped into the easy chair, pleased to see that she was at least nibbling on the donut, and waited until she stamped, stapled, and filed her paperwork.

�Okay, shoot,� she said, slumping wearily in her chair. She swept her bedraggled hair from her eyes.

Baloo sat facing her on the edge of the desk. �I think ya need a vacation away from here. Ya need about a week�s worth of doin� lotsa nuthin�.�

�I don�t need a vacation!� she snapped.

�I thought a vacation would help ya unwind.�

A dangerous glint flashed in her eyes. �I�d like to unwind something.� Too tired to engage in an all-out battle, she said, �Baloo, you know there�s no time between Higher for Hire and taking care of all of you. And now there�s Cassie to care for. I can�t just up and leave her.�

�Rebecca, I�m serious. Have you looked in the mirror lately?� he asked gently, folding his massive paws around her small ones.

Tears of anger, exhaustion, and depression sprung to her eyes. �I�m not attractive to you anymore?� she asked, fighting to keep her trembling voice under control.

Smiling at her fondly, Baloo looked beyond her unkempt appearance, her quivering chin, her bloodshot eyes, and saw the woman he loved. Knowing that compliments went a long way in soothing her nerves, he pulled her into his arms and lied through his teeth. �Honey, I think you�re more beautiful now than the day I married ya.�

�Liar,� Rebecca retorted, running her fingers through her tangled hair. �You just insinuated that I�m a total mess.�

Baloo chuckled at her characteristic outburst, not exactly sure what �insinuated� meant. �I�m just sayin� that ya deserve a bitsy break from work an� the baby. I know,� he said casually, as if he had just thought up the idea; �why doncha come with me on the cargo run today? Kit an� Molly can watch Cassie.�

�Ohhh...I don�t know.� Rebecca looked at her desk and thought of all of the work she had to do.

Cupping her chin in his hand and turning her head so that she had to look at him directly in the eyes, he cajoled, �C�mon, sweetheart, ya know ya wanna. The work will be here when you get back.�

�Well...� One day away probably wouldn�t hurt, and it was nice that he was looking after her for a change. She relaxed her head against his chest, smiling. �Okay, Baloo.�

Fifteen Minutes Later

�Diapers are in this drawer, Kit. I�ve prepared extra bottles. They�re in the refrigerator. Make sure you warm them in a pan of water - lukewarm, mind you, not hot. Test a drop on your wrist before putting it in her mouth. You don�t want to burn her. Um...I feel like I�m forgetting something.� Ever since Cassie had been born, it seemed that she had been forgetting things - major things, minor things, her mind, everything - due to lack of sleep.

�C�mon, Beckers, we gotta skedaddle if we�re gonna make the delivery on time!� Baloo bellowed from the front door.

�In a second!� Rebecca yelled testily.

�It ain�t gonna deliver itself!�

�Hold on for one single second, flyboy!�

Rebecca kissed all three cubs. �Be good, Pumpkin. Help your brother,� she told Molly. �Good luck, sweetie. Radio if you need anything,� she instructed Kit.

�Let�s go, sweetheart!� Baloo sang as he slung his wife over his shoulder and carried her out the door.

�Baloo Augustus von Bruinwald, put me down this instant! You know I hate traveling backwards! Ba-LLLLOOOO!� she screamed, pounding him on the back with her fists.

The pilot laughed. �That sounds, an� feels, more like my Becky.�

�If a customer calls or stops by, make sure you get their name and telephone number. And be polite to them!� Rebecca shouted from the plane. �Remember, Kit, I�m depending on you!�

�Don�t worry, Mom. We�ve got it all under control,� he said from the doorway. �Have fun!� Kit, holding Cassie, stared at the departing plane with a puzzled expression. �That was weird - Papa Bear worrying more than Mom about being on time.�

�What do you want to do now, Kit?� Molly asked.

�Anything that�s quiet and doesn�t bother Cassie.� He put the infant in her bassinet, turned on her mobile, and stretched out on the sofa with the latest edition of Flyboy Magazine.

Molly pouted, crossing her arms. �I�m sick and tired of hearing, �Be quiet. Don�t bother Cassie�. Bleh! She�s the one who wakes me up in the middle of the night with her crying. It�s not fair! I wanna run and shout and play Danger Woman or pirates or tail gunner.�

Kit said, �Shhh!� as the baby started to fuss softly.

�I�m not gonna �shh� and you can�t make me! You�re not Mommy!� Molly yanked on her brother�s paw, nearly pulling him off the sofa. �Come outside and play with me.�

The boy extracted his paw from her vice-like grip, shaking some feeling back into it. �I�ll make you a deal, Molly. You play quietly by yourself for an hour, and I�ll play with you later on.�

�Okay, Kit.� Molly skipped up the stairs. �I�m gonna check on Lucy. She broke her arm yesterday when she was taking flying leaps off of the bed.�

�Sure, whatever,� Kit mumbled, sticking his nose back into the magazine. There was a very interesting article about a Merrick Vertaplane - a controversial prototype that could translate from a fixed wing bi-plane to a rotating upper wing gyroplane. Staring at the pilot - George Townsen - waving from the cockpit in the picture, Kit imagined himself in his place. Besides his Papa Bear, George Townsen had to be the best pilot in the world.

A knock came at the door and Molly, with Lucy in her arms, sprinted down the stairs to open it. One of the doll�s cloth arms was swathed in toilet paper. A group of fourteen-year-old boys streamed in - the Jungle Aces.

�Hiya, shrimp, is your brother home?� Ernie, a lanky hyena, patted Molly condescendingly on the head. Seeing the toilet paper on the doll�s arm, he smirked. �Oh, does your dolly have a boo-boo?�

�Kit, it�s your friends and Ernie,� Molly said.

�Hey, Kit, ready to go to the Amazing Autogyro Expo at the Cape Suzette Aerodrome?� a small beige bear named Oscar asked, flashing a friendly smile down at Molly.

�That was today?� Kit cried, tossing the magazine aside.

�Today only,� said hippo Felix and crane Burt simultaneously.

Kit pulled a crumpled flyer out from underneath his shirt. Yes, the date on it was July 21, and it wasJuly 21. In all the excitement over Cassie, it had completely slipped his mind. He had been looking forward to the Autogyro Expo since before he had heard of it.

�You can�t go,� Molly said, hands on hips in a manner that resembled her mother�s. �Mom�s depending on you to watch Cassie.�

�Aw, darn it!� Kit kicked at the throw rug. �Why�d Mom have to navigate today of all days?�

�We have to hurry,� Ernie said, checking his wristwatch. �The first fifty people get a free ride.�

�In a real autogyro?� Kit was almost salivating.

The Jungle Aces nodded.

Kit seriously considered going. After all, Wildcat was nearby and Cassie would just sleep the day away. He could be there, take a quick ride, see the show, and be back before his parents. How would they know? Then, he caught Molly�s disproving glare. She would tell his parents. His heart sank right down to his feet. Feeling as if he was making a great sacrifice, Kit said, �You guys better get going if you�re going to get a ride. Make sure you tell me all about it.�

�We will,� Felix, Sam, and Burt promised.

�Bye, Kit,� Oscar said, flashing his disappointed friend a pitying look before he shut the door quietly behind him.

�No fair!� Kit yelled at the top of his lungs.

�Don�t wake up Cassie,� Molly said in a sing-song voice, prompting a death glare from him.

He plopped petulantly on the sofa and buried his face in the magazine.

Peeking under his arm, Molly said, �You did the right thing, big brother.�

�Yeah, I know, Short Stuff. I just wish I could believe it. A chance to ride in an autogyro and I have to babysit!� he cried in despair.

The Sea Duck
An Hour-and-a-Half Later

Baloo stole a sidelong glance over at his wife. She, staring blankly ahead, didn�t appear to be having fun. In fact, she didn�t even appear to be awake. �Becky?�

He had to repeat her name twice more before she snapped out of her stupor.

�Did you say something, Baloo?�

�Where are we? We should be gettin� close to Picante City.�

�Oh, we�re...� Rebecca wrestled with the map on her lap and peered at the compass. It had been a long time since she had navigated. She briefly gave him the coordinates.

Turning the plane slightly to port, Baloo chuckled. �I thought I was the only one who could sleep with my eyes open.�

Too tired to argue, Rebecca sighed. �I wasn�t sleeping. I was thinking about the kids.�

�Aw, they�ll be fine.� He leaned back in his seat and steered with his feet, knocking his left elbow against the wall of the cockpit. Two sodas popped out of their holder in the wall. He popped the lid off of one and offered it to her. �Orange Fizzie?�

She took a sip. �Maybe you�re right, Baloo.�

�Of course I�m right.� Baloo finished off

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