Run: 2026-09-03-01M1KBXS1VTWFM6N50SHR3MSYC

The inflatable bouncy castle hissed like a dying whale as Molly and Bill crouched behind the catering van. A dozen screaming children were doing their best to rupture eardrums fifty feet away. “Okay, walk me through it again,” Molly whispered, adjusting her neon-pink clown wig. “I’ve told you three times,” Bill grumbled, his fake red nose squeaking. “I cause a diversion with the balloon animals. You slip in during the ‘Pin the Tail’ chaos and empty the gift table.” “And the parents?” “They’re all watching the magic show. The magician is my cousin, Larry. He does a forty-minute sawing-a-lady-in-half bit—it’s really slow.” “Slow is good,” Molly mused, peeking over the van’s hood. “What about the birthday boy?” “He’s four. He’s eating cake with his hands. He doesn’t care about presents until the crying part starts.” “Right. And you’re sure no one will notice we’re not parents?” Bill gestured to his sweaty, oversized polo shirt. “I look like a dad who gives up. You look like a mom who drinks. We blend.” “I’m not drinking. I’m holding a juice box for cover.” “Same thing, Molly. Same thing.” A piercing shriek erupted from the party. Bill’s eyes widened. “That’s Larry. He’s on fire. He did it early. Go, go, go!” Molly sprinted, tripped over a tricycle, and face-planted into the pile of gifts. “Perfect timing,” she muttered, shoving a wrapped dinosaur into her shirt. Bill skidded up beside her, shooing a toddler. “Grab the unicorn. That’s worth at least forty bucks on the black market.”