Just a little piece of drabble that popped into my mind on a 4 hour road trip. As always all mistakes are of my own making.
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"Uncle Steve, Danno asked me to bring you a bottle of water."
Taking the offered bottle of water from the little girl Steve gives her one of his award winning smiles, but the smile doesn't really reach his eyes. She might only be 10 but Grace has seen enough in her lifetime to know that something was bugging Steve and she understood that her dad sent her on a mission when he asked her to bring Steve a bottle of water where he was siting on the lanaii just staring out into the ocean.
"Thank you Gracie, that's very thoughtful of you."
"Uncle Steve can I ask you a question?"
Of course you can Grace. What's on your mind ?"
"Uncle Steve why do you love me?"
"Where is this coming from Gracie. Do you think I don't love you anymore?"
"Just answer my question Uncle Steve."
"Of course I love you Grace. I love you because you draw me beautiful cards and pictures, because we have so much fun when we swim in the ocean and when we hide from Danno. I love you because you bring me cookies when you bake with your mom. They are good and I have them as a special treat every evening before I go to bed."
"Uncle Steve if I have none of those things, if I can't draw for you or swim with you anymore or bake you cookies would you still love me?" She wasn't going to give up on getting behind what is bugging her uncle and she stares at him waiting for his answer with those big brown eyes that has her dad jumping at her every command.
"I will always love you Grace even if you can't do all those things with and for me anymore."
"Why Uncle Steve, why will you always love me?"
"I love you because you are beautiful, kind and caring Grace. You always think of other people first. Danno told me about how you are taking lunch to school every day for one of the kids in your class so that the other kids don't tease him because he can't afford to buy his own lunch. I love how you make Danno happy and that makes it easy for us in the office. A unhappy Danno is a difficult Danno. I love how big and open your heart is, that you always have space in there for everyone and everything. You are such a good big sister to Charlie and he is lucky to have a big sister like you. I cherish every moment we get to spend together because you make me happy and I have a very special place in my heart for your Gracie."
"Those are the reasons I love you Uncle Steve. Why do you look so sad Uncle Steve?"
"It's just been a bad day at work but I promise things will be better tomorrow."
Not really happy with that explanation Gracie ploughs on and decides now is the time to let Steve understand that although he had a bad day at work that he also has people on the outside who loves him and cares for him."
"OK Uncle Steve but before we go home I want you to know that I love you very much and not because you take me swimming or for shaved ice but because you keep me and Danno safe. You keep the islands safe and always help people who are in trouble. I love the way you make me smile even when I am tired or sick. How you tuck me in over weekends when we stay over if we had to much fun. You need to know uncle Steve that you deserve to be loved, not because you are SuperSeal or the leader of the Governor's task team. You are special and if we love someone we should tell them every day. I'm going to tell you every time I see you that I love you uncle Steve." Moving in she gives him the biggest hug her tiny body can manage and looks up at him with such hope and trust, hoping to see all the worry from the day disappear from his face.
"I will not cry in front of this precious child" Steve tells himself as he swallows back the tears and disguises the hitch in his voice as a frog in his throat.
"Thank you Gracie. It is always good to know that people love you. Run ahead and go and look in the hall closet. I have something for you in there and I'm sure Danno won't mind to much."
Squeeling she runs off into the house to the hall closet and the promised surprise.
"Danno, that's one perceptive child you have there."
"Yeah I know. She had to grow up so fast when we divorced and to this day it is one of my biggest regrets. As a child of divorce she has seen so much more than any child of her age should have seen. I hope that by having joint custody she will finally be able to settle and put down roots. If there is one thing that I have learned over the years then it is that there is nothing like the innocent love of a child to make you realise that there is always hope for the next day to be better, tomorrow to be brighter and shinier than today. I was eavesdropping and I want to repeat what she said. You are loved and respected by a lot of people on this island babe. Don't you ever forget it. Now I know that envelope that arrived for you today put you in this funky mood. I am not going to nag you about it because you will only tell me that it is classified but I want you to promise me that you will come and talk to me when you feel ready. I promise to listen and not interrupt you."
Moving in to hug his partner their manly hug is interrepted by an excited shrill shriek from Grace.
"Danno ! Uncle Steve bought me my own surfboard ! Come and look, it's pink and everything. It's beautiful ! Danno we are going to have so much fun learning to surf."
"We ! Excuse me Grace but I am not going into that shark invested water ! It is bad enough that the pineapples on this island are our to get me ! I am not going to give the sharks the satisfaction of making supper out of me ! and you young lady won't be getting on that surfboard before you have completed a bootcamp on proper surfing procedures and etiquette. I will ask Kono tomorrow when she is free to give you your first lesson."
"But Danno uncle Steve ..."
Don't but Danno me Grace. I will not let SuperSeal make an hors d'oeuvres out of you. It is either Kono or me teaching you to surf. End of discussion."
"O Danno that I have to see, you can hardly walk a straight line on the sand, let alone surf" Steve thinks to himself as he stares at the ongoing battle between the two stubborn Williams'. Being around these 2 normal people does make him feel loved and like he has finally found a family again after all these years. He looks forward to Grace telling him tomorrow that he is loved. The news from the letter will eventually pass and be replaced by the warm feeling of being loved. Tomorrow will indeed be a better day.