Molly looked up at Rebecca from the floor where she had been drawing shapes in the sand. “Aren’t Daddy and Kit done talking yet? We’ve been here forever!”

Rebecca glanced at her watch. “Three hours and forty-seven minutes to be exact. There goes the schedule for today.” She shouted across the hangar at the top of her lungs, “Ba-LOOOOO!”

Baloo’s languid voice echoed across the hangar. “Yeah, Becky?”

“Let’s go!”

“Just a few more minutes, honey.”

“You said that an hour ago! Now, flyboy!”

“After we take this one for a test flight. I promise, Becky.”

“Ooo...that bear! I’ll test flight him,” Rebecca murmured darkly. “Ouch! Don’t hit Mommy, Cassandra!” She sighed wearily. “Molly, could you run out fo the car and get Cassie’s diaper bag? It has some of her toys in it.”

“Okay, Mom.” Molly hopped up, eager for something to do.

“And get my purse.” Rebecca placed a hand to her aching head, mumbling, “I need an aspirin.”

Meanwhile...

Weazel had just pulled up beside the grey Chevrolette after driving down what seemed like every road in the county. Donning his sunglasses to protect his identity, he got out and, remembering the dog, cautiously peeked into the Chevrolette’s windows. Seeing the pink bag in the backseat and no dog, he grinned from ear to ear. This time for sure. He was about to open the car door when Molly came skipping outside.

A wide-eyed Weazel dropped to his knees and hastily crawled under the car, pulling his brown fedora in after him. He breathlessly watched as Molly got the pink diaper bag out of the car. She set it on the ground mere inches from his nose while she rummaged around for her book. It was so close, yet so far away! Pinioned between the car and the ground, he lacked maneuverability.

He watched helplessly as Molly slammed the car door, picked up the bag, and headed to the hangar.

“Drat!” Weazel swore under his breath.

His spirits rose when he saw Molly returning - or rather her feet returning. She plopped the diaper bag on the ground again, tantalizingly close to him. It was even closer than before. Grunting softly, he scooted his body around so that the fingertips of his right hand could close around the bag.

Molly slammed the car door. She shouldered her mother’s purse and reached for the bag. But when she tried to pick it up, it wouldn’t budge. Must be caught on something, she thought. She bent down to look under the car when...

“Molly!” Rebecca called frantically over the noise of the squalling baby. “Where’s Cassie’s toys?”

“Got ‘em, Mommy!” With a fierce tug, Molly yanked the bag out of Weazel’s grasp and ran to the hangar.

“Stupid! Stupid! Stupid girl!” Weazel fumed, pounding his fist on the ground. “I almost had it. I was this close to...getting...that...map.” He laughed nervously. A snake was eye-to-eye with him.

“Ssssss!” hissed the snake.

“Aaahhhhhh!” Faster than a streak of lightning, Weazel shot out from underneath the car. He ran and ran and ran some more, right onto the runway, into the path of a Piper Superduper Cub airplane was taking off.

“Aaahhhhhh!” Weazel screamed again, taking off in the opposite direction. He ran as fast as his short, stumpy legs would go, but it wasn’t fast enough.

The hem of his raggedy coat got jammed between the strut and the landing gear, and he was whisked into the air along with the plane. Legs dangling, he glanced at the receding ground below before shutting his eyes, shouting, “There’s gotta be an easier way to get that map!”

Flaggstone, Aridzona
The Dewdrop Inn
9:30 PM

The von Bruinwalds were relaxing in the clean, modest motel room that they had rented for the night. All had taken their baths and had gotten ready for bed. In fact, Cassie was already asleep in one of the double beds.

Baloo drifted in and out of consciousness as he lounged, hands folded behind his head, on the other bed. Kit and Molly were curled up side-by-side on the small roll-away bed listening to Kit’s portable radio.

The comedian - George Burning - said over the radio, “Say goodnight, Macy.”

“Goodnight, Macy,” Macy replied.

Rebecca emerged from the bathroom where she had been washing Cassie’s diapers. She flicked off the radio. “It’s time we say goodnight, too, kids. We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow at the Colossal Canyon.”

Molly picked up her doll from atop the pile of luggage and climbed into bed beside the slumbering Cassie. “You know what, Mommy?”

“What?” Rebecca asked quietly, tucking the blanket around her daughters. She lovingly patted Cassie on the back.

Molly beamed, exclaiming enthusiastically, “I like vacations!”

“Amen, sister!” Baloo said heartily, waking from his doze.

Rebecca chuckled softly and kissed Molly on the cheek. “Night, Pumpkin.”

“Night.”

Baloo rolled off the bed to give Molly a kiss. “Nighty-night, Cupcake.”

“Night, Daddy. Kiss Lucy, too.” She held up the doll so that he could peck Lucy’s cloth cheek. “Can I sleep in the little bed tomorrow night, Mom?” Molly asked drowsily, snuggling down under the covers.

“Sure, honey,” Rebecca replied with a smile. She leaned down to pull the blanket around Kit, who was stretched out on the roll-away bed. “Comfortable, Kit?”

Kit shrugged and grinned; his feet hung over the edge, but he wasn’t one to complain. “I’ve slept on worse.”

A concerned frown momentarily crossed Rebecca’s face. “Oh, sweetie...” she murmured, brushing the hair from his face before planting a kiss on his forehead. “Goodnight.”

“Night, Mom.”

Baloo ruffled Kit’s hair with a “Night, kiddo.”

“Night, Papa Bear. Man, those Vertaplanes were awesome!”

“You better believe it. An’ flyin’ ‘em! Oh, baby! That was like...like...”

Rebecca cleared her throat. Sternly, she said, “I think we’ve had enough planes for one day, guys.”

“You can never have too many planes, Beckers,” Baloo retorted, getting into bed beside his wife.

“You wanna bet?” Rebecca said teasingly.

“Yeah,” Baloo rejoined, grinning mischievously.

Rebecca moved closer to her husband, placing her paws on his chest. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Baloo replied, grinning as he pulled her close for a long kiss. “Night, honey.”

“Goodnight, darling.” Rebecca flipped off the lamp.

Out of the darkness came Baloo's voice. "Say, Li'l Britches, didja notice how that Vertaplane...?"

"Oh, Baloo," Rebecca interrupted impatiently, "go to sleep!"

Meanwhile...
On the Road to Flaggstone

Weazel, swathed in bandages, drove through the desert, along the near-deserted highway. He scowled into the darkness, thinking, I’ll get that map if it’s the last thing I do! And I’ll get those bears if it’s the second-to-last thing I do, or my names’s not Weazel. For emphasis, he slammed his bandaged fist down on the steering wheel.

“Owwwww!”

End of part 2

A Map Made in Heaven
part 3

The Dewdrop Inn
Flaggstone, Aridzona
Sunday
Day 2

The early morning sunlight glinted off of the grey sedan patiently waiting for the von Bruinwalds in the motel parking lot. However, the weasel rifling through the car wasn’t quite as patient.

Inside the motel, the von Bruinwalds, with the exception of Baloo, were up, dressed, and ready to go. The family patriarch was still lazing in bed, pretending to sleep, when Rebecca and the cubs returned from gathering their complimentary breakfast of donuts, cereal, and milk from the motel office/lobby.

They crowded around the small table and dug in. Rebecca transferred a handful of dry Cheery-O’s from her bowl to the tabletop for Cassie’s consumption. The toddler carefully picked up a Cheery-O and put it in her mouth. Then, she offered one to her mother.

“Thank you, baby.” Rebecca smiled, eating the proffered Cheery-O. “Yummy,” she said, kissing the top of Cassie’s head. She poured milk over her cereal, ate a spoonful, then flipped through the official trip schedule that was beside her bowl.

“Daddy’s missing out on breakfast,” Molly sang loudly. She took a big bite of her powdered donut, leaving a white ring around her mouth. “Sure is good.”

“Daddy needs to get up,” Rebecca added pointedly, turning a page in the schedule. It was obvious that Baloo wasn’t sleeping. The lack of snoring was a dead giveaway.

“Mama?” Cassie said, holding up another Cheery-O for her mother.

“Yeah, Papa Bear needs to get up. But how should we do it?” Kit said, winking at his sister. He had seen Baloo’s eyes open and shut quickly before the big bear rolled over, turning his back to his family.

“Eat his donut?” Molly grinned when her father cleared his throat.

From the sly smile on Kit’s face, it appeared that he was going to suggest something, then he shook his head. “Nah...where are we gonna get a duck and a hose? How about tickle torture?” he whispered. With mock-solemness, he added, “I’m afraid there’s no other way.”

“Yeah!” Molly whispered back, barely able to contain the laughter bubbling up inside of her. “Tickle torture.”

Both cubs snuck over to the bed, pounced on the big bear, and tickled his ample stomach.

“I’m awake! I’m awake!” Baloo gasped out between guffaws. “Think ya could get away with a surprise attack, huh? Well, here’s yoursurprise.” He tickled both children, inciting a lot of laughs before ruffling their already blowsy hair.

“Very effective wake-up call, kids.” Rebecca plumped Cassie onto her husband’s chest. She planted a kiss on his lips, saying, “Good morning, darling. Now, get up!”

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