The Midnight Plot  
 

The day before Wiggle's birthday a rain-snow mix was falling to the ground. Cricket was finishing HT's dress, and adding tiny yellow beads to the trim.  It was hard thinking about the wedding while it was still so cold outside.  Wiggle told Cricket there is always another storm in March before spring gets here.

Cricket heard the door open and bang shut quickly.

"Is that you Molly?" she called out.

"I'm home," said Molly, banging the snow off her boots.
"It sure is a mess out there."
 

 
Molly Malone lugged in a big box she had just picked up at the auto paint store. 

"They gift wrapped them for me," said Molly, "so you won't be able to see them until Wiggle opens her package."

"The box is so pretty!" said Cricket. "How did they decorate them?" 

"You'll see," said Molly with a laugh.  "They are PAWFECT!"

"Let's order balloons to be delivered the second it is Wiggle's birthday," laughed Cricket.

"That would be midnight," said Molly Malone.

"She would be sleeping," said Cricket.

"And she would wake up to them!" laughed Molly as she hung up her hat and coat.
"Let's do it," smiled Cricket, and tell them to tippy-paw when they bring them so it's a surprise!"

"Especially in all the snow we got today," said Molly. "If they make a crunching sound it will wake her fast!"

"I hate to see snow when I am waiting for spring to get married!" said Cricket.

"The snow is supposed to stop today," said Molly.  "But you have to have winter before you can have spring!" 

"I guess balloons are almost as colorful as spring!" giggled Cricket.

The girls laughed about their ingenious plan and logged on to the internet to find someone who would help them with their plot.

 
"Wiggle came here in a snowstorm," said Henry thoughtfully. "On the back of a tow truck. It seems like the same kind of day out there today."

Cricket and Molly had heard Wiggle say that before, but Henry hardly ever talked about "the olden days".  The girls loved stories about the adventures of Wigglebus and her first crew, but it was usually Patrick who would tell them, and sometimes Wiggle.

Once in awhile Henry would remind them about appreciating time with the ones you love.  They knew he missed Guinness very much.

"We will tell Wiggle how much we love her with the best birthday ever," said Cricket. "We will give her time with who she loves, doing WHAT she loves!"

"What does she love to do?" asked Molly Malone.

"She loves to be with us of course," laughed Cricket, "in her new fancy hubcaps driving us around!"
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

"That DOES sound like the most valuable gift" grinned Henry.

While the gang planned Wiggle's special birthday surprises, she waited patiently in the snow for whatever adventure was next.

Perhaps it was due to old age, but Wiggle didn't have the foggiest recollection that her birthday was tomorrow.