Run: 2026-09-23-01M37HBRBMHG2TK5H104X36N0F

Molly spread a crayon drawing across the café table. It showed a house, a garden, and a purple creature with seventeen legs. “Is that the party venue?” Bill asked. “Yes.” “What’s the creature?” “Unclear. Possibly a dog. Possibly security.” Bill studied the drawing. “Where did you get this?” “From the birthday invitation in my nephew’s backpack. He drew the map himself.” “Your nephew is going to be there?” “He’s turning six.” Bill set down his biscuit. “You want to steal your nephew’s presents?” “I want to retrieve them. There’s a difference.” “He hasn’t even opened them.” “Exactly. Minimal sentimental attachment.” Outside, a balloon bobbed past the café window, tied to a woman’s wrist. Molly watched it go with the grave attention of a general observing enemy aircraft. Bill watched Molly. “Remind me why we’re doing this.” “Because my sister said I couldn’t organise a successful children’s party.” “So you’re proving her wrong by ruining one?” “I’m proving I could organise a successful heist. It’s adjacent.” Bill turned the drawing sideways. A red arrow crossed the garden and ended at a square labelled CAEK. Beside it, someone had written NO BILL in large green capitals. “Why does the map say ‘No Bill’?” Molly snatched it back. “That says ‘no ball.’ There’s a pond.” “It’s spelled with an I.” “He’s six.” “He knows me.” “He knows you as Uncle Bill, who taught him to juggle eggs.” “I taught him to hold one egg.” “And look what happened.” Molly folded the map and produced two party hats. One was silver; the other bore a smiling dinosaur. “Disguises,” she said. Bill put on the dinosaur hat. It perched above his ears like a tiny, cheerful roof. “Nobody will recognise me.” “You’ll be a parent.” “Of which child?” “Whichever one isn’t looking.” They left the café and reached the party ten minutes later. Through the open garden gate came shrieks, music, and the unmistakable sound of a grown man losing an argument with a bubble machine. Presents were stacked on a table beside the cake, each wrapped in bright paper. Molly stopped at the gate. Her nephew spotted her immediately. “Aunt Molly!” he shouted. “You came!” She glanced at Bill. “We’re compromised.” The boy ran over and hugged her knees. Behind him, Molly’s sister emerged carrying a tray of sandwiches. “I thought you couldn’t make it,” her sister said. “We had a scheduling breakthrough.” “Wonderful. Can you help with the presents? The table’s collapsing.” Bill looked at the sagging legs. “That wasn’t in the plan.” For the next hour, they carried every present inside, arranged them by size, and kept them safe from a sticky child in a cape. Molly’s nephew supervised, issuing orders through a cardboard tube. At cake time, her sister handed Molly a slice. “Couldn’t have managed without you.” Molly stared at it. Bill leaned close. “Successful children’s party,” he whispered. Molly took a bite. “Not a word.”