Notes: Mari and Sammy - Thanks for everything as always. Special thanks to Mari for helping me flesh out the idea, and to SuperSammy for the title.
Readers and REAL McRollers - Thank you for all your amazing support. It's very much appreciated.
Hope you enjoy!
Forever Wrapped (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
"Wheeeeere's Angie?"
At the sing-song question from Esther, Angie put her hands over her eyes, smiling excitedly in anticipation.
"There she is!" Esther said, and Angie flung her arms wide, her smile bright as she bubbled with laughter. Grinning, Esther began the peekaboo game again. "Wheeeeere's Angie? There she is!"
The two were sitting in Angie's playroom facing each other, Cammie lounging a few feet away. Since the completion of the playroom, Esther had bought another bolster bed for her favorite four-legged charge so she would be comfortable as they spent more and more time in there.
This morning, Cammie was perfectly content as Angie's merry laughter filled the air and she clapped happily, enjoying one of her favorite activities with Esther.
"One of these days you're gonna peekaboo before I say 'There she is,' aren't you, sweetie?" Esther said. She leaned forward, cooing, "Yes, you are, you smart girl."
"Ehh!" Angie said, flapping a hand at her. "Mo!"
"Okay, okay, one more time. Wheeeere's Angie?"
Grinning, Angie covered her eyes. Esther waited, giving her a chance. At the delay, Angie peeked out from beneath one hand expectantly and Esther chuckled, relenting. "There she is!"
Angie threw her arms out exuberantly and laughed, her reaction causing Esther to bubble with her own laughter.
After indulging for a moment, Esther sighed and said, "Okay, silly girl, it's about time for your nap." She stretched, reaching over for Angie's now empty sippy cup on the child-sized table nearby, but missed, accidentally knocking it to the ground. "Uh oh!"
Angie giggled, pointing to the cup.
Esther grinned at her. "Oh, you think that's funny, huh?"
Angie continued to giggle, now sucking on two of her fingers. She pointed again as Esther picked up the cup. "Oh!"
"That's your cup," Esther said, clearly enunciating the word. When Angie held a hand out for it, Esther gave it a little shake. "It's empty. We'll get you a little more water before you lay down." She reached out her hands and Angie immediately raised her arms to be picked up. Cammie was already standing and ready to follow.
"Caa eee!" Angie said, a hand stretched in her direction.
"Cammie's coming to help tuck you in," Esther said as all three exited the playroom. "You've got her wrapped around your little finger."
Angie patted her shoulder as they walked. "Ehh! Mo!"
Esther chuckled. "And me, too, I guess." She shook her head fondly. "Wheeeeere's Angie?" She grinned when Angie managed to cover her eyes even as she was being carried. "There she is!"
That evening, Angie happily ate her dinner while Steve and Catherine shared news from their days.
"I talked to Mom today," Catherine said, adding a few pieces of cooked carrots to Angie's tray. "She said everything's pretty much set for the auction next week."
"Excellent," Steve said. "Cody and Jadon and couple of their friends are going to help set up."
"That's great."
As Angie reached for a piece of carrot, her arm bumped her sippy cup to the ground.
"Uh oh!" she said, looking down at it.
Catherine and Steve looked at her, surprised.
"Did you hear …" Catherine started.
"Yep," Steve said as he leaned down to pick up the cup. He set it back on the tray.
Catherine grinned at Angie. "I've never heard her say that."
"Me, either."
Angie smiled at them as she chewed on her carrot piece, already poised to put another one in her mouth.
"One at a time, honey," Catherine reminded her, gently stilling her arm.
"I wonder where she got that from," Steve said. "I'm not really an 'uh oh' kinda guy, and you don't say it very often. Your mom, maybe?"
Catherine knit her brow momentarily as she thought, then waved a finger in realization. "Esther. Gotta be."
He nodded. "You're right."
Catherine grinned at Angie. "That's adorable, honey. Saying 'uh oh' just like Esther."
Angie looked around hopefully at the sound of her beloved nanny's name. "Ehh! Ah ma!" She banged on the tray, accidentally knocking the cup down again. "Uh oh!" she said when it hit the floor.
Catherine chuckled as Steve again bent to pick it up. "Daddy should've known better than to put that back in the same spot."
This time Steve put the cup on the table, but it didn't matter. Angie had put two and two together and determined there was fun to be had. She grinned and pushed her spoon off her tray.
"Uh oh!" She looked at it on the floor and then up at Steve expectantly. "Uh oh!" she said again, now pointing to it helpfully. "Dada!"
He grinned at her expression as he picked up the spoon. "This is the new game, huh?" He held it out to her to see what she would do and, sure enough, as soon as it was in hand she flung it to the ground and beamed.
"Uh oh!"
"Uncle Danno warned me about this one. He called it a rite of passage for parents." He retrieved the spoon and wiped it off with a cloth napkin. Picking up her plastic bowl from the table, he asked, ""How about we use your spoon for your macaroni?"
At the sight of one of her favorite foods, Angie bounced excitedly and made a grabbing motion with one hand. "Ah bah! Dada!"
"Okay, don't throw it," Steve said, giving her the spoon back. He held the bowl while she scooped up some macaroni and cheese and maneuvered the spoon to her mouth.
"Mmmm," she said around the spoon, some of the cheese smearing around her lips.
"More?" Steve asked, motioning with the bowl.
In response, Angie grinned and threw the spoon down to the floor. She gave him a cheesy smile and giggled.
"Uh oh!"
He sighed, picking up the spoon, but couldn't help smiling. "Not what I meant."
Angie pointed to her cup. "Mama!"
Catherine gave it to her, unsurprised when, after a drink, Angie tossed it to the floor with a grin.
"Uh oh!"
"How long we gonna do this?" Steve asked his daughter wryly, grabbing the cup yet again and fighting a full blown grin at her expression that could only be described as impish.
Catherine pressed her lips together in an amused and knowing smile. "With Steve McGarrett as your father? Forever."
Hope you enjoyed!
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