Sammy & Ilna - love you both and thanks for always having my back.
RealMcRollers & Readers - I'm swapped with Sammy today because it's her BIRTHDAY and I wanted her to have the day off. She'll be posting Monday :)
Happy Birthday, Sammy! I hope you know how very much having you in our lives means to us. We love you to the moon! xoxo
Dos and Don'ts
Grace took a seat in Steve's office and lifted Angie onto her lap. "C'mere, Angie, look what I have for you." The teen reached into her backpack and pulled out a yogurt and fruit bar. "It's reeeealy yummy." She settled the toddler and opened the wrapper. "Taste."
Angie opened her mouth not unlike a baby bird and tasted the strawberry bar. "Mmmm."
Grace nuzzled her cheek and smiled. "See, would I lie to you?" She laughed when Angie grabbed her hand for more.
"Dada mmmm!" She waved the bite of fruit bar to get Steve's attention.
He looked up and smiled. "I see, baby girl. Tell Gracie thank you."
"Ahh da bah mmmm."
Grace smiled. "You're welcome," she told the happily munching little one. "I'm so excited you're here so I get to see you." She clapped with her arms still around Angie's torso and kissed the tostled brown curls when her cousin did the same. "Uncle Steve, you're sure it's okay if I wait in here with you and Angie? I can take her to the conference room if you want," she asked.
"Totally okay," He smiled at the image of his daughter sitting on Gracie's lap. "It's actually good timing. Since Angie's occupied, I can finish up a case report and be free all weekend." He waved in response to the toddler's 'Dada, hi!' "Your dad should be on the way back from court - they got bumped 'til after lunch recess."
"Did you hear that, Angie, we can hang out and have fun til Danno gets here."
"Danno." Angie's eyes went to the door looking for her godfather.
"He'll be here pretty soon, we're getting our stuff for Halloween later." Grace shifted her to the sofa and faced her. "I did a list of funny Halloween dos and don'ts for your grandpa to put up on a poster at Pearl."
"Apa," Angie murmured around another bite of fruit bar.
Steve grinned at the thought of his squared away father in law posting Halloween lists for the base kids. Joseph and Elizabeth had volunteered to help set up the party for active and deployed service members' families and Grace offered to help by baking with Kaitlyn over the weekend and had apparently been her Uncle Joseph's decoration advisor as well. They'd created several other posters and with Boris' help, commandeered a donation of 250 orange and black balloons.
Steve finished the statistics part of the report, hit print and swiveled in his chair to grab the documents as his daughter regarded her cousin with rapt attention.
Grace pulled out her phone. "I have the list in Google Docs. You tell me your favorites, okay, Angie?" She tickled her cousin's tummy and pulled her sunflower patterned top back in place. Angie immediately lifted it back up and giggled delightedly.
"That's a losing battle, you know…"
"Mama!" Angie squealed at the familiar voice and began bouncing in place even before she'd turned fully to see Catherine enter the doorway, peck Steve's lips and imitate her daughter's grabby hand gesture with a smile.
"Hey, Auntie Cath. I'm waiting for Danno," Grace said as Catherine lifted Angie, snuggled her and took a seat with the baby on her lap. Leaning over to kiss her aunt hello, she tickled Angie again. "She had some yogurt bar and she's about to help me pick the best funny dos and don'ts for a poster at Pearl."
Catherine grinned and turned to Steve, who'd asked, "You all set?"
She nodded. "I'm good. I'm glad Cody was still there when the call came in." She explained to Grace, "I was ready to leave and got pulled into a conference call. Cody ran Angie over here to wait with Uncle Steve until we finished."
Grace nodded. "And lucky me, 'cause I get to see you!" She laughed at Angie once again exposing her tummy.
Catherine and Steve exchanged a look. She knew he was thinking it wasn't long ago Grace needed a sitter and now she often sat for Angie. "So what's on the list?"
"We did a list in school for the future leaders Halloween party and Uncle Joseph wanted some of the ideas to put on a poster for the party at Pearl."
She chuckled. "Your grandpa's turning into a party planner, hmmm, baby girl?"
"Apa!" Angie echoed.
"Yeah, you have a fun grandpa," Grace said with a smile. "So, what do you guys think of my list?" Swiping her phone, she began to read,
"Dos and Don't for Halloween ...
Number one, when it appears that you have killed the monster, NEVER check to see if it's really dead."
"That's good advice. Disable and retreat, like I've always told you," Steve closed a folder, came around his desk and nodded.
"Steve …" Catherine shook her head and bounced the baby on her knees. "Go ahead, Grace."
"Okay," Grace grinned at her aunt. "Two. Do not search the basement to see what made the strange noise, especially if the power is out.
Three. If you're running from a monster, expect to trip or fall at least twice. Also note that, even though you're running and the monster is stumbling, it's still moving fast enough to catch up with you."
"The first two are practical, well except for the monster thing. Now number three doesn't …"
"It's a joke, Steven," Danny's voice entered the room before he did.
"Daanno!" Angie bounced and slid off her mother's lap to make a beeline for him.
"Annnnnngie," her godfather responded, lifting her above his head and down for a hug when she reached him. "Your daddy is a crazy person." He looked at Steve. "You're a crazy person."
"So you said," Steve's grin unveiled the truth behind his snarky tone.
"Danno, Uncle Steve is just being … himself." Grace smiled. "I love you, Uncle Steve."
"Thank you, Gracie." He crossed his arms and leaned against the desk. "I love you back."
"So … " she went on, "Here's a good one: The minute you find out your house is built on a cemetery, is a good time to move in with your in-laws."
Catherine chuckled. "I've got one. Stay away from geographical locations with names like Amityville, Elm Street, Transylvania, the Bermuda Triangle, or any small town in Maine."
Steve chuffed a laugh. "We've been through the Bermuda Triangle."
She raised her brows. "Not on Halloween."
"True." Steve nodded. "Point taken," he acquiesced.
"I'm totally adding that one," Grace tapped it out on her phone.
"Ahh eee!" Angie reached for her cousin and laughed uproariously when the teenager spun them around. "Okay, you," she bopped the little nose. "Danno and I have to go get our Halloween stuff. Can you give me bye bye kisses?" She tapped her cheek and praised the toddler's kiss in response. "Good job, yay!"
"Yaaaay!" Angie cheered along as Grace passed her to Catherine. "I can't wait to see your costume. We're going to have a really fun Halloween," she enthused and clapped to see the little one's reaction. Hugging Steve and Catherine good bye, she grabbed her backpack and moved to join Danny near the office door. "You know…" she added, addressing her tiny cousin who was watching her with wide, alert eyes. "We're being silly with the list, but it won't be long before you understand there isn't a monster alive…" she realized what she said and grinned. "Or dead, that can take on our family."
# End. Thanks for reading!
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