“Care for un autre chocolat?” Pudgy fingers proffered the gilded box, languidly withdrawing it at the gentle wave of dismissal effortlessly executed by equally pudgy fingers.

“No. Je suis bonne.” Stomach full, the chestnut haired beauty rolled over and closed her eyes.

“Pleine.”

“Where?!” She sat up abruptly, nearly knocking the glasses off her companion’s face as she frantically searched the skies.

“No, silly,” the curly haired one giggled. “It’s ‘Je suis pleine’....not ‘bonne’. Although you are bonne, too, but not with le chocolat.”

Sighing in relief that a plane was nowhere in sight, the heavier of the two resumed her reclined position on the fluffy white cushion beneath her. “You had me worried there, for a moment. I guess I’ll take that chocolate now. You’ve got my heart all a-twitter.”

“Twitter? What are you talking about? Birds twitter. Hearts thump.” The third of the small set sat up and grabbed a chocolate out of the box as it passed before her. “Get it straight.”

“It twittered,” the chubby one retorted, taking two chocolates and superciliously stuffing both into her mouth. “Wi’ a ‘apital T,” she added, chocolate drool nearly escaping with her words.

“That’s enough, girls. Twitter, thump, pound, skip, leap, jump. They’re all words that...”

“We get you, Lady Thesaurus,” the tallest of the four cut in, displeased at having her tirade trumped and muttering something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like, “I liked her better when she thought she was Betty Crocker.”

The arrival of an out-of –breath, wild-eyed brunette suddenly disrupted the serene sanctuary that had been home for the curious quintet and their occasional drop in friends.

“Everyone look! Look what I’ve discovered!” She plastered a worn and weathered document against her chest, holding it at the top and bottom lest it attempt to scroll itself shut. “It says it right here! It’s the law! It’s my right! No one can say a thing! Listen!” Passage nearly memorized, she scanned it, mumbling her way through the upside-down words. “Here we go.... certain inalienable rights.....” She stopped and dramatically cleared her throat, pulling herself to her full height and proudly reciting, “...to life, liberty, and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS!” She nearly fainted at the thought, tossing the tattered text into the air. It’s my right! No one can stop me! Look out Jack Hudson, here I come!”

They're back! They're back! You've made my day, but how will I ever be able to get to sleep now??? and it's past midnight!!!!! Oy!!!! I love you to pieces!!!! And can they pass some chocolate my way -- just drop it down from the sky, I'll go pick it up from outside. I've run out and I don't want to risk going to the store to stock up on supplies in case I miss a post!!!!

I'm so excited!!!!!!! (I know it's hard to tell 'cause I'm the calm, retiring type )
kav

Oh, yay! I couldn't help but smile as I read this first post, finding these characters just a tad familiar. What a wonderful treat this is going to be!

You took the words right out of my mouth, Kav ... Just hope you left the chocolate there, though!!!

And I'm like her too ... you know, the CALM, RETIRING TYPE

Oh, shoot. Allie??? I sure hope not! Ugh.

Good to see you've started yet another new story! It sure was an almost cryptic beginning. I'm looking forward to more!

I hope I don't sound totally silly, but what characters have come back??

That being asked, an amazing start, Jill! I'm thinking that the last girl is Allie?

“When I get my hands on that Gabby, I’m gonna...”

“You’re going to do nothing. We’ll just all set her down and gently explain to her that the Constitution of the United States was written for people, not cherubs, and that even if her idea of happiness is Jack Hudson, she may not pursue him.”

“Especially since he’s getting married in a few days,” Grace added, backing up Pammie’s plan.

“Ain’t gonna need no fireworks display for them,” Trecey smirked, mind momentarily off Gabby as she ducked a tree branch and flew speedily along. “They’re gonna be shooting off fireworks of their own.”

“Really? Do you think theirs will be as good as the ones at the Capital? I do enjoy a fireworks display. Maybe we should watch theirs instea..”

“Marene,” Grace hissed. “Not that kind of fireworks...I’ll explain later.” She grabbed her friend by the hand and raced after the other two.

The quartet slowed at the corner, frantically looking in all four directions for their fellow cupid. “Life on that cloud didn’t do much for our stamina,” whooshed Pammie, still trying to catch her breath.

“Or our derrieres, either,” huffed Marene. “Although I’m sure I don’t have a stamina. Gabby sometimes does, when she gets excited and her words get all mashed together. Have you ever noticed that?”

“Only when the subject of Jack Hudson comes up.” Trecey hovered above the stoplight, getting her bearings straight. “It’s this way. Let’s fly.”

Trecey expertly guided them through the mayhem of street signs, striped flags, hanging flower baskets and bold banners, her navigation skills still honed and true. Arriving breathlessly at the Hoover building, she pulled up quickly, jumping to the side at the last moment to avoid being bowled over by the band of beleaguered cherubs that had furiously fluttered behind her. “Whoa there,” she called, snaring them with the string of her wooden bow. “No time for games. Keep an eye out for Gabby.”

“Check the revolving door. Maybe we’ll be in luck and find her trapped inside.”

At Pammie’s suggestion, they flew in that direction, carefully avoiding the centrifugal suction that threatened to draw them into its glass lair.

“I don’t see any sign of her,” called Grace, flitting around the sidewalk. “Nary a feather...except for this gray one. Pigeon, I’m sure.”

Pammie eyed it speculatively. “I don’t know. Could be mallard. It’s rather big for a pigeon, don’t you think?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I thought mallards’ feathers had a little more brown to them and that the ends were a little more rounded...”

“If you two Audubon aficionadas could stick to the game plan, here....” Trecey hovered over the doorway, waiting impatiently. “We have work to do!”

“Right!” Grace sharply replied, dropping the feather instantly. “Game. Plan. Work. Got it.”

The four fluttered into the building and soon split into pairs. “You two take the elevator and we’ll take the stairs. Find Jack Hudson and we’ll probably find Gabby.”

They're back! The lovely cherubs are back!

Oh I don't know, Trecie, feathers are their business after all. I'm sure the type has everything to do with how true the arrow its attached to flies. Nothing like getting a little shoptalk in on an assignment.

to thinking what Gabby is up to with Jack. I mean she worked so hard the last time to get Jack and Sue together...under great personal sacrifice, I might add. I guess I'll just have to wait impatiently for you to continue...any time soon would be lovely.

kav

THe cherubs have returned. What do they have in store for Jack, I wonder?

Oh, Oh, Oh!!! I'm so excited!!

(yeah, I know I'm late to the party... some of us have to sleep now and then )

“Three more days.” He mouthed the words to her, waggling his eyebrows just enough to make her blush and look away. I am the luckiest man alive. His attention went back to the stack of papers in front of him, but the smirk remained.

Independence Day. Sue smiled and finished coloring in the little heart that had somehow formed in the margin of her paper. I’m getting married on Independence Day, she wrote beneath it.

“That’s an oxymoron if I ever saw one,” Gabby scoffed. “Marriage and independence.” She fluttered around the blonde analyst’s desk. “Now if you really wanted to be independent, you wouldn’t be getting married.”

Sue frowned, swishing at the air around her. “Anyone have a flyswatter?” she called out, abruptly standing and leaving her desk. “Something’s annoying me.”

Brandishing a rolled up magazine, Jack closed the distance between their desks in two giant strides. “Can’t have my dazzling damsel dismayed. I’ll take care of it for you.”

“Look...It’s a job for Superman!” Myles shouted, rolling his eyes. “Please tell me that once you two are married, things will get back to normal around here.”

“Normal is as normal does, mate,” quipped Bobby, tossing a wink in Tara’s direction as he followed Sue to the coffee maker.

“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...” Gabby whispered, urging determination to ride shotgun over a suddenly wavering want. Flying into an empty conference room and loosening the knot at the bottom of her sash, Gabby pulled out the paper, held up the scrawled out words and read them aloud in an all out effort to bolster her courage. “Okay. Back to work.” With one flap of her wings, she performed a perfect pirouette......and instantly crashed to the floor, landing with a thud.

“What was that?”

“You keep working on that code, luv...I’ll check.” Bobby set his coffee on his desk and headed for the closed conference room door.

Gabby moaned and shook her head. Reaching to rub her bruised posterior, the sudden sound of the doorknob turning had her immediately fleeing to hide behind the nearest chair, holding her breath as Bobby's head poked in and quickly scanned the room. What he saw made his mouth drop.

“Hello, Special Agent Manning.”

It's only been two posts, and I'm already rolling on the floor laughing

You have to give Gabby some credits here ... when she sets her mind on something ... or someone, in this case ... she puts all her efforts in it

Okay ... you posted while I posted ...

And what exactly did Bobby see? Since Gabby is hiding behind a chair? The other four cherubs???

It cannot be good but it could be very funny

There's only one thing better than a Jill story - a Jill story about cherubs!!!

How does Gabby plan on getting Jack anyway?? Every time she gets around him she becomes mush!!!

What has Bobby found in the conference room???

Joy

How in the world are you going to keep this a short story - when each of the cherubs, in their own way, are so mischievous? I guess we better hope that the rescue cherubs find Gabby before Jack does - with his rolled up magazine!

This is delightful, Jill.

Did you know that if you bounce up and down while laughing hysterically you get the hiccups? At least I do .

Now I don't know what's going on....but the only person who calls Bobby Special Agent Manning is... of course, I could be wrong. There might be a million others in that one building alone who refer to Bobby that way!

And Gabby, I love you dearly -- you're as sweet as can be and you have a good heart but keep your dimpled paws of our Jack. He can belong to us all collectively for purposes, but only to Sue for absolutely everything else. Got that?????????

kav

Well said, Kav!!!

Joy

Well, methinks Gabby's alter ego hears you, Kav...but as for Gabby herself, who knows?

Jill, I'm just at your new story!!!!!! I am SOOOO glad you've decided to treat us to another story starring the cherubs!

That's what I was thinking!

And I think I missed out on the last cherub story...could someone point me in the right direction?

Crazy4stfbe,

For Jill's other cherub story - go to Seasonal/Holiday Challenges, then Valentine's Day Challenges - 2006. The name of her story is Quiver of Love.

You'll love it!!!

Joy

Yipeeeee!!! Another story!

Now who could that be??

“She’s been here,” Pammie panted, pointing to a lone feather on the crook of the hand railing. They took the sharp turn and headed up another flight of stairs. “I can’t believe humans do this for exercise. I’d much rather watch a ball game or garden or ....”

“What ever happened to bake? You used to make the most delicious everythings!” Marene grabbed the cherub’s wingtip and tugged. “Slow down, just a bit. I think the attitude is getting to me.”

“Don’t you mean altitude? And we’re used to high altitudes. It can’t possibly be bothering you.”

“I think it’s the low altitude, to tell you the truth. I’ve never been so depressed in my life. Gabby, of all cherubs. She saved the day when we had our Valentine’s mission. And to have her do this...go rogue elephant...and undo everything we worked so hard to do.”

Pammie pursed her lips, unconvinced that their tried and true teammate had truly gone bad. “Just rogue...no elephant. Come on. Let’s just find her and get to the bottom of this.”

“Yah. Before Trecey does. I heard her ask Grace if she knew where the nearest lumberyard was.”

I love the rate at which you are posting, Jill---very nice to have three posts to catch up on this afternoon. The misadventures of your cherubs and the effect they have on the lives of our favorite agents are too funny!

The nearest lumberyard ??? Those 2x4 do come handy !!!!!!

too bad cherubs couldn't just wiggle their noses and materialize someplace else! Guess that would be found in a different fanfiction site!!!! Are you going to make us wait along side the other cherubs to find out what's happening upstairs or do we get a sneak peek?
kav

What a treat to find you started this! I am already . "Rogue elephants?" Too funny.

Oh, Jill, I'm just at your writing! Loving the story so far!

*claps like wildman...I mean, dignified mother of six--wait, like THAT's gonna happen. Wildman it is...sort of.*

The gang is back and wilder than ever, I see. Would that be pine or oak in the lumberyard? Mayhap mesquite? *wanders off to check Home Depot prices on 2 bys...

Joy, thanks! You were right, I loved it!

Jill, I just read Quiver of Love. What a terrific story! I laughed, I swooned...I think my family is about ready to send me off to the looney bin! Did I mention that I loved it? I'm ready to read more about the cherubs!

Glad you liked it, Nicole. It was a work of insanity!



“Darcy! What are you doing here?” Bobby stood frozen, his hand still on the doorknob.

“Surprise!” Darcy warbled, holding her hands out to envelope him in a welcoming hug.

“I’ll say,” he responded, still clinging to the door. “How....What...How did you get in here?”

She beamed up at him, her intentions more than obvious. “Oh, I still have my connections,” she chirped, running her fingers up his sleeve.

“Listen, Darcy, when you left......”

“When I left, I made a BIG mistake,” she cut in. “I was an idiot. You told me you loved me and I still left.”

“You loved her? The one that just about knocked me senseless? That walking stick with hair and fingernails? That...”

Bobby released the doorknob and took a step away from his former girlfriend. “Listen, Darcy. That was months ago. I thought you moved on.”

“Well, I did,” she casually replied, huge smile spread across her face. “But I realized I was a fool.”

“Understatement there,” grumbled Gabby, taking cover beneath a chair. “But the man has moved on. Believe me. I’ve seen him in action.”

“And now I’m back.” She leaned against the edge of the table, bare lean legs crossed seductively, waiting for his response.

“Yeah.” It was all he could think to say.

“So tell her you’ve moved on and make like a tree and leave.” Gabby eyed the door, her own pursuit of happiness taking second place to an obligation to stop the overt obliteration of the romance of Bobby Manning and Tara Williams. “And if you won’t leave, at least open the door so I can get some back up down here.”

As if on cue, Bobby’s hand returned to the door, opening it just a crack. “I’ve got to get back to work, Darcy. Nice seeing you.”

“Like, you couldn’t open it a little more?” Gabby thrust her barreled belly into the narrow fissure, pressing with all of her might. Nearly somersaulting from the ensuing propulsion when Bobby yanked on the door, she quickly got her feet beneath her and pushed off, winging her way to safety.

“Bobby!” Darcy followed him out of the conference room, her plan taking an unexpected turn in the wrong direction. “That’s it?”

“Can’t you hear?” Gabby reached back for her quiver, words unbefitting of any cherub nearly rolling off her tongue when she discovered it wasn’t there. “Oy! I need help.......and fast!"

Yep, Darcy, that is it for sure.

We love you insane, Jill !!!!

Gabby ... I'm glad you have your priority straight!!!

“What’d you find, Bobbycakes?”

Tara snorted at Myles’ falsetto voice. “Sick, Myles. That’s not how you say it,” she chortled. “You need to say it like this...”

“Bobbycakes? I like it. Much better than studmuffin.” Silence blanketed the bullpen at the catty sing-song voice coming from the doorway.

“Is this one of those moments where you can hear a pen drop?” Marene whispered, watching as the entire room turned toward the woman at the entrance who was guffawing at her own joke.

“Pin, pen...at this point, it doesn’t matter,” Pammie whispered back. “Gabby, who is she?”

“Queen of the Toothpicks. Thinks she still has a claim on old Bobbycakes over there."

“But, no! The arrows...those two are well on their way. She can’t interfere now!” gasped Grace, her wings flapping angrily as her blood pressure soared.

“Darcy!” Sue stood and came out from behind her desk, giving the journalist a societal hug. “Good to see you. Are you back for a........visit?” she asked hopefully.

“Well, that all depends.” She cast another glance towards Bobby, not at all amused that he had taken a seat on the edge of Tara’s desk. “It could be....permanent, should the right offer come along.”

“I’ll make you an offer,” Trecey grumbled, plucking the string on her bow. “How could we come without arrows...Any kind of arrows...rubber tipped suction cupped arrows, even. I’d hit her smack in the mouth and shut her up so fast she wouldn’t know...”

“Did you know that Jack and Sue are getting married on the 4th?” Myles interpolated, attempting to draw attention away from his partner.

“Really? Congratulations you two!” She hesitated and then asked what she felt was an obvious question. “But I thought there was a no dating....”

“Ah. That rule. Abolished for this unit. In fact, we, as a team, have ascertained that it is rather..........advantageous...for all of us.” Copying Bobby’s stance, he placed himself at the edge of Lucy’s desk, waiting for the obvious to make itself apparent.

“I don’t think he spelled it out clearly enough,” Pammie murmured, watching the blank look on Darcy D’Angelo’s face.

“I didn’t hear him spell anything,” Marene whispered back. “Maybe he needs to try it again, slower this time.”

“He could write it in the sky with purple cloud ink and I don’t think she’d get it,” groused Grace, apprehensively eyeing the dishwater blonde.

“We need to cook up a plan, and fast. Come on.” Pammie led the way as the troop followed right on her bare heels.

“Does this mean she’s going to start baking again?” Grace whispered hopefully to Marene.

“Maybe she’ll bake some of those studmuffins that the no good house wrecker was talking about.”

“Home wrecker, Marene,” Gabby corrected. “The only studmuffin I’m interested in baking is Jack Hudson." She licked her lips slowly, ogling the backside of the dark-haired agent. "But, first things first. Pammie, what's the plan?"

Oh, this is just priceless!!! I'm so glad you're writing our fav cherubs again, Jill!!

No!!! They came down without arrows?! And Darcy?
That's where I started laughing! Thank goodness for Gabby's comic relief because I was still reeling from shock over the dreaded D!

Pammie has a plan! Pammie has a plan!! Though that doesn't mean that the other cherubs are going to execute it without a hitch! Can't wait.

kav

Hey ... the others cherubs could take offense in the insinuation that they are less than capable ... though they do tend to get easily distracted

Queen of the toothpicks!! I love it!!!

Darcy is just a little dense, isn't she?? Of course, no one came right out and said it!! Some people just don't take hints well!!!

I can't believe our favorite cherubs came down without arrows - not even rubber-tipped, suction cup ones?? It's definitely time to head to the lumberyard!!!

So, Jack and Sue are getting married on the 4th!! What does Gabby have in mind?? Stealing him from Sue???

You're welcome, Nicole - I knew you would!!!

Joy

Because I am so shamefully late, I will have to collect the things I liked all in one post...
The chocolate at the begining (I had to go and get ice cream before I could continue...), Gabby getting trapped in the revolving door , feather talking, definitely the two cherubs who understands all about those things, independence and marriage Darcy (shudders), can Pammie really bake studmuffins? they sound delicious

Wonderful, Jill, I'm thrilled to read another cherubs story!

Yup, Trecey'll show her...maybe Pammie has her rolling pin stuck in hammerspace, that everpresent place of mystery that cartoons pull gadgets out of thin air....

“No, Grace. I don’t think asking Cupid for poison arrows is a good idea,” Pammie exasperatedly exhaled. “Not that he would have any anyway,” she softened. “That’s just not up his alley.”

“Well, then whose alley is it up?” Grace retorted, silently sending sugar cookie ESP messages towards their leader, as her glycemic levels continued to plummet.

“I really don’t care for those dark narrow places, but I’ll go there if that will get us ammunition,” Marene offered quietly, giving up on her search for any stray candy that might have lodged between the two file cabinets.

Pammie sighed, a sudden urge to mix up a batch of sugar cookies gnawing at her. Determined to use diplomacy over confection, she pulled her lips back into a smile and tried again. “Grace, no poison. Marene, we need you to go and get arrows....good arrows. But not in an alley. Head up to the clouds. I heard that Cupid is on vacation. You might try Charlene. Take anything she’ll let us have. Tell her it’s an emergency.”

“Charlene?” Suddenly, the fact that she had proudly informed the group of her recent routine of flying three miles a day on her treadmill didn’t seem like such a good thing any more. “Charlene doesn’t like me. She corrects my English and teases me about my accent and...”

“I’ll make a cake..........Banana, with chocolate chips and hot fudge frosting.”

“I’ll be back before you know it.” The leaves of the potted fern waved a frond farewell as the curly haired cupid winged her way upward.

“In the meantime, let’s get the stick out of here. Trecey, got any ideas that don’t involve splintering wood?”

The tall warrior stood to her full height, dusting off her wings.

“Ahhhchoo!”

“Bless you,” Lucy exclaimed, handing a tissue box to Myles, who presented it to Darcy.

“Ahhhchoo!” She repeated, the corners of the tissue puffing out from the velocity of the sneeze. “My allergies....don’t you people ever dust anything around here?”

“It’s....well, it’s not really in our job descriptions,” Tara softly snickered.

“What she means is, we’ve got more important things to do....like catch criminals, stop terrorist plots, decipher a code, TARA.....and as nice as it is to see you, Darcy, we really do have work to do.” Jack took her by the arm and led her to the doorway. “You know your way down, I assume.” He smiled pleasantly, wrinkling the bridge of his nose in a friendly sort of way.

“Gabby swoon at four o’clock.”

The three watched as the plump pixie toppled backwards from her perch on the flowerpot, her wings silencing what would have been a thunderiforous thud, even to human ears.

“You could have at least landed like a lady,” Grace chided, gently shoving Gabby’s splayed limbs into a much more conservative pose. “Do you think we should try to wake her?”

“Not yet. It’s going to take her a while to get focused on something other than Agent Hudson’s ....well Agent Hudson.”

“So in the meantime....” Grace turned, eyes glazing over at the sudden appearance of a mixing bowl and spoon.

“In the meantime, I’d better get cookin’.”

Love Pammie's bribe- and what instantaneous results!

This story is such a joy to read. That part REALLY made me laugh!

Where do you get those ideas???

Wait ... that was a rhetorical question !!!

Good thing, Marlene. I'd hate to try to answer it.

BTW.......from the looks of things, it's gonna take a miracle to make this under 5000 words.........

I hate failure.



As the elevator doors closed, encasing a deeply disgruntled diva, a collective sigh of relief exhaled through the bullpen. “You okay?” Tara gave Bobby’s hand a squeeze, attempting to reassure herself as much as she hoped she was reassuring him.

“Yeah. Just the last person I ever expected to see.” He laced his fingers through hers for a brief moment, running his thumb over the top of her tiny hand. “No worries, luv. We’ll talk after work.” Determined to keep work “work” and everything after work anything but work, he headed back to his desk and buried himself in the stack of papers waiting his return.

“I don’t know. Maybe they’ll be okay,” Pammie wistfully whispered, while busily beating banana cake batter.

“You think?” Grace chewed a hangnail, eyeing the Australian agent dubiously.

“They’re toast.” At Trecey’s words, they both turned, astounded by the certitude in her voice. “Look.”

Throwing down his pen, Bobby picked up his jacket, putting one arm through the sleeve. “I’ve got to get some air,” he stated to no one in particular. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

“Mayday! Mayday!” Pammie shrieked, nearly slipping on a discarded banana peel as she jumped to her feet. “Trecey...go with him! We’ll wait here for Marene to get back. Don’t let him out of your sight!”

Trecey nodded, slinging her bow over her shoulder. “Subject located and locked...ready to beam.” She scooted out the door on his tailwind, taking advantage of the enormous draft as he strode quickly toward the stairwell.

“Beam him up or beam him?” Grace plopped down dejectedly, keeping a careful eye on Tara. “And right now, I’m thinkin’ maybe she should just wallop him a good one!”



“Whoa, there, cowboy. Don’t make me get a lasso.” Trecey huffed, her wings beating at warp speed. “Where’s the fire?” So intent on keeping up with the long-legged agent, his sudden stop caught the whirlwind warrior off guard, her superfluous speed pummeling her into the back of his head.

“Ow!” The Aussie reached for the back of his neck, whipping around and grabbing for his gun at the same time. The morning DC crowd careened past him, jostling him for a moment before he stepped out of flow. Rubbing the tender spot below vertebrae number four, he shook his head and headed for a park bench. “I’ve really messed this up,” he groaned. “Tara’s got to be freakin’ by now.”

“No duh. Hello.” Trecey wormed her way out of the collar of his overcoat, stars and little yellow birdies forming a carousel corona over her head. “Gotta get me a hardhat.” Irritably swishing her bow at the maddening mayhem circling above her, she inadvertently walloped the runaway Robert once again.

“Ow!” Glaring at a group of children playing behind him, he gruffly stood, ready and willing to immediately interrogate each and every one. “Forget it,” he finally mumbled to himself. “I deserved it. What am I doing out here anyway?”

“Good question. If you’re looking for she who has no flesh on her bones, forget it. Forget her. Now she who is soft and cuddly....”

Grabbing a mixed bouquet of flowers from a corner vendor, Bobby nearly sprinted back to the Hoover building, impatience for slow moving elevators sending him pounding his way up the stairs.

At the sudden swoosh of the bullpen doors, Tara looked up, dull eyes turning to diamonds as she ran to meet him.

“Duck!” Grace shouted, nearly knocking the mixing bowl and wooden spoon out of Pammie’s hands as she shoved her further beneath the potted fern, saving them both from being flower flogged by a free-falling frond of baby’s breath breaking loose from an assortment of asters to zinnias catapulting through the air to land behind them.

“That was no duck!” cried Pammie, scraping banana batter from her bangs.

“No, but it gives me an idea.” She pulled the frond of baby’s breath from the green of the fern, checking it for damage.

“If Trecey were here....” she mumbled, attempting to find a straight section of stem.

“You called?” Still beneath the shadow of a Tweetie and twinkle star carousel, Trecey dropped down to the top of the filing cabinet, taking a finger-swipe of sweetness out of Pammie’s bowl as she passed.

“Trece...What if we make our own arrows? Utilize flower power!”

With a final shake of her harried head, ridding personal space of all things small and fluttering, Trecey eyed the wooden stem carefully. “Might jus be able to do sompin........prolly....” With exact exactitude, she snapped the stem to the perfect length. “Need sompin to file....” she mumbled, scanning Lucy’s desk.

“Nail file....center drawer. I saw her using it when the toothpick was here. Thought maybe Lucy would whittle her down to size.” Grace flew to the rotor’s desk, hooking her toes under the drawer and pulling with all of her pint-sized might. Amazingly, the drawer slid easily, and she quickly returned with the designer emery board, bling and painted designs on one side, pink sandpaper on the other.

“Anyone know a Master Gardener? We need to know what we’ve got here for ammunition.” Pammie, banana cake baking, tore at the tissue surrounding the discarded bouquet.

“That Myles guy! Remember? He brought Lucy that rose he named after her. He might know what’s what.” Grace tugged at the fat rubber band holding the stems together. “Gotta get this off....”

A white tip sliced across the stretched binder, cutting it quickly. “Light sabre sharp,” Trecey grinned, twirling the makeshift arrow in her fingers. “Happy to be of service.”

Adding a few felled feathers from the wings of a still swooned Gabby, Trecey soon wielded an arrow in her shiny wooden hand-carved bow. “Better wake the gift of Gab. Gotta pick that blonde man’s brain.”

Jill, you make me laugh...you just don't know how much I needed this wee bit o' fun right now... Love these cherubs, all of them, even Gabby and her perpetual Hudson drool-a-thon....

Flower power? ... Those cherubs are ressourceful

There's just waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many good parts for me to quote my favorites! This is just so packed with funnies that I'm rolling the whole time.

I would imagine that these cherubs of yours aren't easily contained....I don't think anyone will forgive you if you have to remove the 'short story' from your description line, Jill. This story is just so much fun!!!