The balloons bobbed lazily against the ceiling of the community center, their bright colors clashing with the grim determination on Molly’s face. She adjusted her glittery headband—*disguise, not fashion*—and nudged Bill with her elbow. "You look like a dad who just realized he forgot the cake." Bill, sweating through his "World’s Okayest Uncle" T-shirt, glared at her. "I *am* a dad. And I *did* forget the cake. Twice." Molly sighed, tossing a handful of confetti into the air like a general assessing the battlefield. The room was a minefield of tiny humans, their shrieks piercing the air like alarm bells. A piñata shaped like a unicorn hung in the corner, its pastel flanks taunting them. "Alright, here’s the play. You distract the birthday girl—tell her you’ve got a *magic trick* that turns her into a princess. I’ll hit the present table." Bill paled. "You want me to *lie* to a child?" "Bill, we’re stealing *toys* from a *party*. The moral high ground left the building when you packed the bolt cutters." A toddler waddled past, clutching a stuffed dinosaur. Bill’s eye twitched. "What if we get caught?" Molly grinned, pulling a lollipop from her pocket. "Then we blame the clown." She jerked her chin toward a sad, deflating balloon animal near the snack table. "Looks like he’s already taking the fall for something."