Molly clapped her hands together as she unfurled the hand-drawn blueprints on her cluttered kitchen table. "Alright, Bill, here’s the layout of the Johnson’s place. The presents are likely in the living room, right by the giant inflatable clown.” Bill peered over Molly’s shoulder, his brow furrowed. “A clown, Moll? Seriously? They freak me out.” “Stay focused, Bill. We’re not here to judge your fears; we are here to snatch those gifts!” Molly pointed enthusiastically at the drawings. Bill sighed. “Okay, so how do we blend in? We can’t just walk in. I mean, we’re not exactly kiddie party material.” Molly grinned, pulling two brightly colored party hats from a drawer. “Behold, our disguises!” “Molly, a hat does not a disguise make. We need a plan.” “We will have a plan, my dear skeptic! You’re going to be Balloon Man Bill, and I, the Great Mollydini, magician extraordinaire.” Bill blinked, looking unconvinced. “Do you even know any magic tricks?” “Well, no... but I can juggle—sort of. Plus, if we’re entertaining, nobody will question our presence.” Bill shook his head but couldn’t suppress a smile. “Only you would think juggling badly is a crime deterrent. Okay, what’s next?” “Timing is everything. We arrive early, blend in, do our ‘show’, grab the gifts while everyone's dazzled by your balloon animals and my... juggling.” “Dazzled or distracted by disaster. Same difference, I suppose,” Bill muttered. He ran a hand through his hair. “Alright, what about getaway logistics?” Molly tapped the blueprint where a little garden was sketched on the side. “We stash the presents here, in the bushes. Then, during the grand finale—when they bring out the cake—we make our exit. Everyone will be too busy singing 'Happy Birthday' to notice.” “And you’re sure you want to go through with this? It’s just—this seems a bit low, even for us. Stealing kids’ presents?” Molly looked up, her expression stern. “Bill, those aren’t just presents; they’re high-end electronics, remember? The Johnsons brag about that stuff all the time. We pawn those, and we’re set for months.” Bill nodded slowly, the moral dilemma settling in his stomach like a bad meal. “Okay, Moll. No turning back now.” “Exactly,” Molly smiled, folding up the blueprint. “Now, let’s pack. Do you actually know how to make balloon animals?” Bill sighed, leaning back in his chair. “How hard can it be?” *** The day of the heist, Molly and Bill arrived at the party. Molly, in a sparkling cape, attempted to juggle three oranges, much to the children’s amusement as the fruits kept hitting the ground. Bill, meanwhile, handed out lopsided balloon animals, which vaguely resembled dogs and swords. The children were indeed distracted, laughing and pointing. As planned, during the cake ceremony, Molly and Bill quietly slipped the pile of wrapped electronics into two large, empty boxes they’d brought along. “Smooth as silk,” Molly whispered, as they snuck towards the garden. “Yeah, just hope these balloons don’t pop our cover before we get out,” Bill whispered back, glancing nervously at the bulging bags. They made it to the bushes, tucked the stolen goods away, and prepared for their great escape, the faint sounds of 'Happy Birthday' covering their retreat.