Mari's Notes - I am immensely thankful for the REAL World. I love and enjoy every second of it and it has brought me two of my best friends who I honestly could never imagine my life without. Sammy & Ilna I love you guys.
This would be a mishmash of disjointed scenes without Ilna. So I love you for the very kind words but you took time from your family holiday to work on this one so thank you!
Ilna's Notes - I have to be honest, this was mostly Mari. She has really gone above and beyond this week, and I think I can speak for Sammy when I say we are both so incredibly thankful *for* her and thankful *to* her for everything she does. Today and every day.
Love and hugs to Mari and Sammy for being amazing friends. I'm so thankful to have both of you in my life.
Readers and REAL McRollers - thank you for your amazing support. I'm thankful for you as well.
Happy Thanksgiving to those in the States celebrating today!
Thankful Always (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
Catherine woke slowly Thanksgiving morning, stretching out her muscles as she rolled to her side. When she opened her eyes, she saw Steve looking at her from his pillow.
"Morning," he said, a small smile on his face.
"Good morning," she replied, shifting closer to give him a short kiss. "You been awake long?"
He shook his head. "No, a minute or two, maybe," he said. He reached over, absently brushing her hair back over her shoulder and running a hand down her arm until her found her hand. "I was just thinking …"
"What about?" she asked, squeezing his fingers.
"Waking up with you on Thanksgiving," he answered. "Not such a … novel experience as it used to be."
She smiled. "Yeah."
He inhaled a deep breath, releasing it slowly. "Today is gonna be a lot different than that first Thanksgiving we did together fifteen years ago."
She chuckled. "I'll say." She nodded behind him. "For one, we've got our dog staring at us, waiting patiently to go outside."
He glanced over his shoulder at Cammie who was indeed staring at them expectantly.
"We see you, pretty girl," Catherine said with a smile. "Just a minute." Steve turned back toward her and she went on. "For another, our daughter will be up soon along with our niece, and I'm sure both will be bursting with excitement that in a matter of hours the house will be full of family and friends enjoying more food than we can possibly fit on the available flat surfaces we have at our disposal."
"Like I said," he quipped, grinning at her. "A lot different than our first Thanksgiving."
"You ready for this, sailor?" she asked, smiling wryly.
"Oh yeah," he answered without hesitation, giving her another quick kiss. "We got this."
The day played out much as Catherine described. Joan woke up bursting with excitement, and Angie quickly picked up on her energy. Cooking began almost immediately, for despite the prep work done beforehand, there was still a lot to do given the number of people who were slated to be there for at least some part of the day.
The traditional football game in the park had more players than ever, and also took longer than usual because Angie kept managing to escape the sidelines and run onto the field to join in, heading for whoever had the ball. Finally, Cody let her clutch the football in her arms, lifting her up and handing her to Kono, who passed her to Grace, who gave her to John, and finally over the goal line to Steve, all while Angie bubbled with ecstatic laughter. Despite captaining the other team, Danny declared it the winning touchdown by virtue of it being the cutest ever.
Later that afternoon, everyone sat down to a meal of epic proportions thanks to the contributions of everyone in attendance in some way or other. But even more than the food, they enjoyed the feelings of closeness and connection that permeated the house.
Angie sat between her parents for dinner with Joan next to Steve on his other side. When the little one eagerly consumed some turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, a bite or two each of yams, parsnips, stuffing and green bean casserole, Joan agreed to taste each food Mary and Aaron suggested. Just like back in the condo when Elizabeth told her Angie liked a vegetable and so Joan wanted the non baby food version for dinner, her cousin inspired her to a little food exploration.
However each bite of food eventually made it into the toddler's mouth, either via her spoon, fingers or even lifting her bib to lick the stray ambrosia fruit salad, Angie wanted to feed herself. Even Grace or Joan offering her spoon was met with a head shake and "No!"
Even fairly new parents learn to pick their arguments, and a nearly seventeen-month-old with a hearty appetite trumps the messy result of feeding herself. Steve and Catherine simply shared a grin and she shrugged. "Have at it, baby girl," Catherine said and placed tiny portions of several foods at a time on the high chair tray.
By the time dinner ended, Steve was wearing some mashed potatoes himself and Angie was in definite need of a wardrobe change.
As her daddy lifted her out of the chair and Catherine removed the tray to hose it down, Carrie chuckled. "While that very pretty dress needs washing, I somehow doubt a wardrobe change for the rest of the day is a problem." She eyed Elizabeth, who held you a hand in an innocent gesture.
"Every properly dressed lady needs a Happy Thanksgiving t-shirt and matching pumpkin pie patterned leggings for apres-dinner," she said with a smile. "Here, angel, come with Grandma, we'll get you all changed while Mommy and Daddy get a chance to eat while it's still hot."
Taking Angie from Steve, the blissfully happy grandmother headed upstairs.
"Pssst, c'mere," Catherine whispered into the hall as Steve passed their bedroom.
"Cath? What…" he started to say as he crossed the threshold, but she tugged him inside, closed the door and pulled him into a kiss.
"Just wanted to say …" She kissed him again. "You're lookin' really hot there, Commander…" She smirked at his T-shirt that sported the remnants of their daughter's mashed potatoes. When he'd been distracted by one of the kids on his way up to change his shirt, she ran upstairs and waited in their bedroom.
Steve grinned and kissed her again until they needed to breathe. Leaning his forehead against hers he chuckled. "Don't distract me, Lieutenant. There's a hoard of people down there waiting for dessert." He licked his lips and bent to whisper in her ear, "you saved us some chocolate sauce, right?"
Catherine pressed against him, and stepped back when he moaned. "Aye, aye. There's an extra bottle waiting for later. Tapping his chest she added, "I just needed a minute with my handsome husband, mashed potato shirt and all. Change and catch up, I'll get them started on dessert."
Pecking her lips once, then again, Steve was grinning as he tossed the soiled shirt and donned a new one to rejoin their guests downstairs.
In the living room, where Grandma Ang and Nonna were holding court with Aunt Deb, Grace was sitting with her tiny cousin in her lap.
"I remember I had to match Auntie Cath's dress the first time we spent Thanksgiving together," Grace said with a chuckle. "I called to ask and you were wearing blue so I made Danno help me wash my blue dress that morning so I could wear the same color." She bopped Angie on the nose and the toddler giggled.
"She always wanted to match Auntie Cath," Danny agreed. "I just wished you'd have told me sooner a few times so I wasn't washing clothes at 1:00 a.m."
Grace laughed. "Sorry." She adjusted Angie on her lap. "I wanted to match your mommy 'cause she always looks so pretty." She pointed at Catherine who was wearing a grey and green top with black fitted pants. "See what I mean?"
"Mama!" Angie said, pointing at Catherine.
"Awww, Grace, thank you, sweetie," Catherine said. They shared a smile.
"And once Cath started giving her clothes …" Danny put a hand to his forehead dramatically. "It was like she won the lottery. And God forbid I suggested something was a tiny bit too big and maybe you wait to wear it."
"I couldn't wait," Grace told the others. "I'd have put anything Auntie Cath gave me on in the car on the way home if I could." She placed a wriggling Angie on her feet and moved to hug Catherine. "I'm still happy to have any clothes you don't want. I wore the black jacket you gave me to work last Saturday and Boris said I looked very chic." Her eyes glinted at the compliment, even in memory.
"Sounds like someone else I know." Jenna smiled softly and squeezed Kaitlyn's shoulder. Her younger daughter's grin grew as she looked down at her purple patterned dress and across the living room at Grace.
"It looks great on you," the teen told her of the dress she'd given the younger girl when it no longer fit. "Better than it did on me," she added then glanced at Catherine as a memory surfaced. "Hey, you told me that …"
"I did, a few times," Catherine agreed with a smile. "It was true."
"The second Thanksgiving we spent together I wore a top you gave me, remember?"
"Of course. I'd bought it in Spain," Catherine explained to the others. "It was emerald green. It looked beautiful with Grace's hair and eyes."
"That was a great year," Grace said. "I was so happy we were all together for the holiday. It was Danno's turn for Thanksgiving so we had the whole week and then we came here for dinner and it was awesome. And you let me help you make the mashed potatoes and yams. And Uncle Steve, you and Danno couldn't agree on how to carve the turkey." She chuckled and moved to hug her dad while looking at Jacob and giving him a knowing smile. "I remember thinking it was the best Thanksgiving ever."
Joseph lifted Angie into his lap and kissed her cheek.
"Apa ah dee ee aye oh."
Elizabeth grinned from her seat next to them, telling everyone, "She's been practicing Old McDonald, right, sweetheart? Angie…" she prompted and sang, "Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O."
"Ee aye oh eee aye eee aye ohh," Angie repeated in tune with the song and the room erupted in applause.
"Look at you, smarty pants, just like your mama." Carrie elbowed her best friend when Steve said, "That's Daddy's brilliant girl!"
"Maybe she'll have a beautiful voice like you, Deb," Nonna observed.
"Yeah, cause that definitely skipped a generation," Mary motioned between herself and her brother.
Steve harrumphed but couldn't hide his proud smile as his daughter pointed and said, "Eee aye oooo May-ee!" to her aunt.
"She's gotten my better traits."
"Catherine's no slouch, either, but she definitely has your appetite." Mary chuckled. "She tasted pretty much everything on the table."
"She definitely got that from Steve," Deb said with a smile. "You, my darling girl, were just like your daughter."
"Mama was like me?" Joan looked up from handing Angie various sized blocks which the toddler would then pass to Elizabeth, clearly interested in how she and her mommy were alike.
"Your mama could savor a chicken nugget for an hour." Her aunt chuckled and leaned over in her seat to kiss Mary's cheek. "And your grandpa John told me more than once, and I quote, 'I'm so happy we cooked for hours so my beautiful daughter could eat a roll and two tablespoons of mashed potatoes.' "
"Daddy says I'm picky and pokey." Joan grinned broadly. "'Cause I eat real slow." Seeing the opportunity to reiterate her great aunt's statement she turned to her mother and said, "I'm just like you, Mama!"
Aaron barked a laugh as Mary said, "Thanks for that, Aunt Deb, I love you back," with an exaggerated wince as her husband smiled.
"You're getting much better at trying different foods, pumpkin." He kissed his wife's cheek and she smacked his knee at his teasing, "You, too, Mare." He looked over at Steve. "And I'm guessing my brother in law was never a picky eater?"
"Ha! Never." Deb lauged. "If anyone epitomized the phrase eating with gusto…" She didn't finish, just pointed at a smirking Steve who was sitting on the floor next to Catherine, across from the sofa. "And your daughter's definitely a chip off the old block there."
"She totally had Seve's appetite from day one." Catherine patted his thigh as they shared a look. I wasn't sure about the mashed parsnips today, but…" She shrugged and addressed the toddler who was leaning against Joseph's chest while sleepily playing with his watch strap as his hand rested on her tummy. "You liked everything, didn't you, baby girl?"
"Ah mee bah!" Angie said.
"Especially the stuffed peppers," Kaitlyn observed.
"... I made those especially with you in mind," Nonna said, smiling warmly at Kaitlyn. "Just rice, gravy, and vegetables. No meat for my sweet girl." Nonna placed a kiss on her cheek. "So premuroso - considerate - even of the animals." She reached out and squeezed Kaitlyn's hand.
"Thank you, Nonna." Kaitlyn smiled. She looked around the room. "Thanks again, everybody, for making sure I had so many great things to eat."
In addition to many of the side dishes, Elizabeth and Grandma Ang made sure there were several meat free options, including the special Rollins stuffing now being 100% vegetarian. Aaron made his sister Alyssa's version of their abuela's rice and beans - no chicken stock - for his baking buddy and Catherine had Beyond Burger patties and sausage on hand as well.
"I loved the rice and beans," Joseph said. "Gotta say, they're delicious."
"Uncle Steve and Uncle Danny ate fake meat burgers at our house and couldn't even tell!" Jacob piped in with a grin.
Danny smiled. "Kaitlyn and Grace are such good cooks, I couldn't tell the difference." He winked at Gabby. "And someone was in on the taste test and didn't warn me. Besides …" He pointed at his best friend. "Your Uncle Steve will eat the weirdest things you can imagine … and probably has, so no surprise there."
"Hey, Danny ..." Steve began, but when Jacob asked, "Like what, snakes?" Danny barked a laugh.
"Uh, yeah, buddy, I've eaten snake. And eel, actually."
"Really?" Jacob's expression was incredulous. "How about …" He paused as he thought to find something yucky. "Bugs?"
Catherine chuckled and bent to kiss Jacob's blond hair as she passed him to grab Angie's sippy cup.
Steve smirked. "Those too."
"No way. Were they super gross?"
"They had protein, and my team was hungry," he explained with a small shrug.
"Oh, when you were a SEAL?" The blue eyes widened. "Coooool."
"Okay, boys, young and …" Nonna gestured between the partners. "Not so young … enough about bugs," she teased. "How about if we think about our favorite desserts instead?"
Steve spoke quietly as he placed Angie down for a short nap. "So, what did you think of the first Thanksgiving meal where you could actually eat turkey?" He bent to kiss her forehead and smiled when she grabbed his chin, kissing her hand.
"Dada, Caa-mee?"
"Cammie's right here, just like always," he assured as the dog huffed and gave a soft 'woof'. "She's gonna nap with you, so you're all ready to spend more time downstairs with your fan club." He chuckled when Angie murmured, "Ahh ba dee Dada," in a completely conversational tone even as she closed her eyes and sighed.
"She definitely has Catherine's people skills," Danny's voice came from the doorway as he entered the nursery. "Cath wants you downstairs. Go, I'll stay till she's asleep."
Steve straightened. "She'll be out in like two minutes."
"Go, ahead. Wave ten of your guests is heading out," he teased. "I got Miss Angie."
Steve touched his daughter's cheek and stepped back, handing the book in his hand to his best friend. "Thanks, Danny."
Danny waved him off and took a seat in the rocker, pulling it close to the crib. "So what do we have here? Ahhh, a wonderful read, indeed. See that, I rhymed. Call me Uncle Danno Seuss." Angie's heavy-lidded eyes were tracking him, and he smiled. "You know, Uncle Danno's thankful for a lot of things, and getting to watch you grow up is pretty high on the list. Know what else?" His voice dropped conspiratorially. "Seeing your daddy so happy. Because of you. And your mommy. And you, too, Cammie," he added when the dog huffed a sigh and spread out on her side on the soft rug. "Don't tell him I said that, I have a reputation to uphold, but he deserves it. Every minute. He's a good guy, your daddy. And he loves you."
He smiled when his goddaughter murmured, "Dada."
"So much, Angie. He loves you so, so much." Shaking his head with a grin as he heard his partner's voice drifting up from downstairs, Danny sat back and opened the book. "One fish, two fish. Red fish, blue fish …"
Deb took the cup of coffee being passed by Jenna. "Thanks, honey." She patted the seat next to her and the younger woman sat. "I just wanted to say … and I know you probably hear this a lot, but you've got one beautiful family."
Jenna placed a hand over Deb's. "Aw, Deb, that's … thank you. I'm very lucky." Her eyes flicked towards the deck where her kids were outside with Joan and Angie.
"I think you know it's way more than luck, you've done an incredible job. Those kids are very much loved and they know it." Deb's smile was soft. "I don't know how much you know about my raising Mary after my sister in law …" She frowned and waved a hand dismissively. "After John sent her to me."
"I know you gave up quite a career to raise her," Jenna said. "That's very admirable."
"I did the best I could, but we had a few … quite a few ... rough years with Mary. I'm happier than I can say she's finally settled, happy and a great mom." She shook her head. "What I'm trying to say is I know a little about being a single parent, and I didn't have a deadbeat ex to deal with. Sure there were issues … lots of them, but John always sent plenty and I was only raising one child. You, all by yourself, made five remarkable people. Every time I see your kids they're more confident, more mature and most importantly, so very happy."
Jenna's eyes were shimmering and Deb pulled her into a hug. "I didn't mean to cause tears, darling, I just wanted you to know just how visible your parenting skills are. They're reflected every day for everyone who encounters one of your kids. And having you all as part of the family, that's something I'm very thankful for."
"Oh, Deb, that's … thank you. I don't know what to say." Jenna pulled back to see the older woman's smiling face.
"No need. I've always been pretty blunt - McGarrett trait." She shrugged and they shared a smile. "So I like to give credit where it's due. You, honey, deserve a whole lot of credit."
Slowly but surely, the guests left either for other obligations or for home. Those staying at the beach house eventually made their way to their bedrooms for the night.
Around midnight, Steve came back into the bedroom after a final check on Angie. Catherine had just climbed into their bed. She looked at him and smiled.
"Well, we did it," she said. "Another successful Thanksgiving."
"Told you we had this," he said, shucking off his t-shirt and giving Cammie a head rub before joining Catherine in bed.
"I never had any doubts," she said, turning toward him and pulling him in for a kiss.
When they parted, he sighed happily and sat back against the headboard, pulling her against him. He rubbed her arm, staring across the room thoughtfully.
"That first time we spent Thanksgiving together … or close enough to Thanksgiving," he continued. "It was just the two of us. Quiet, low-key …"
She smiled, stretching her arm across his bare torso. "And as I recall we didn't spend all that much time actually eating."
He chuckled. "Yeah, good thing turkey's pretty good cold." His expression softened as he gazed down at her. "I loved that Thanksgiving … just you and me. And now it's fifteen years later, and we had about two dozen people here over the course of the day. There was pretty much never a quiet moment, and we spent most of the time eating or getting ready to eat or … just having finished eating …"
She grinned at his description, nodding an amused agreement against his shoulder.
"And I loved that, too," he said, stroking the soft skin of her arm. "Two … completely different kinds of Thanksgivings but both exactly right … in their own way. And exactly right for that point in our lives, then and now. You know what I mean?"
"I do." She smiled, sitting up and reaching for his hand. "You know what I remember from that first Thanksgiving we celebrated together?"
He grinned. "You mean besides me wolfing down slices of cold turkey in between … amorous activities?"
She chuckled. "Besides that." Her smile softened and she squeezed his hand. "I remember thinking we celebrated the holiday our way … like we did everything else." She held his gaze. "And I think we're still doing that. It's just that 'our way' has changed along with us."
"Exactly," he said. His fingers tightened around hers. "But you know one thing that hasn't changed? The person I want to spend every holiday with … is you. And it always will be."
She blinked at the tears in her eyes. "Back at you, sailor." Releasing his hand, she touched his cheek and shifted closer to kiss him. "I'm thankful for you, Steve, today and every day."
He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to hers. "Thankful's not a big enough word, Cath, but it's all I've got. Today and every day, I'm so thankful for you."
# End thanks for reading
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