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Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (1/1)
This story is a follow up to Betting on Family. It'll make more sense if you've already read that.
Iolani Palace—Parking Lot
Friday 4:30 P.M.
Catherine sat in her car taking a break from a long day and finishing up a call with Grandma Ang. She'd spent the afternoon interviewing potential witnesses in a huge, statewide drug case, none of whom were eager to cooperate with law enforcement in any way and had no problem making that perfectly clear, so it was nice to hear a friendly voice on the other end of the line.
"I just wanted to say thank you again, sweetheart. The gift is so generous. You kids really didn't have to do that. I'm sure you have other things to spend your money on."
Even from thousands of miles away Catherine could hear the happiness in her grandmother's voice and it made her smile.
"We wanted to do it," she said definitively. "You and Nonna deserve it. We thought about keeping it a surprise until time for actual the trip but then we realized you two might want time to make some plans and get some things ready so we decided it was better to let you know now."
"Well I'll tell you one thing, I was the envy of the Bingo hall tonight, that's for sure. I mentioned the trip to Sonia and one or two other people and next thing I knew everybody was talking about it. You and Steve and Danny and Mary have made me a celebrity at the senior center."
There was no missing the delight in the older woman's voice.
"Enjoy it. You deserve it."
"Your mother and I were looking at the Borgata website this afternoon. That's a very fancy place."
"You'll love it. Steve and I spent night there when we were in New Jersey for Christmas and it was amazing."
"I see they have a burlesque review. I haven't seen a good burlesque show in years. I'll have to talk to Nonna but I think we might need to put that on the To-Do list."
"It sounds like a lot of fun."
"It really does. And the casinos look amazing and the restaurants too. I may need to cut back for a week before I go just to save enough room for all the food. But of course you know what the best part is."
"I do indeed," Catherine grinned. "Tony Bennett."
"Live and onstage. I'm so excited. The last time I saw him in concert must have been at least ten years ago. What are the odds he'd be performing in Atlantic City the same weekend as our trip?"
"It's like it was meant to be."
"I'm gonna buy a new dress for the show. Maybe shoes too. And I might take one of his CDs you and Steve bought me and see if I can get him to sign it."
"That's a great idea. I'm sure there'll be a chance for autographs."
Catherine was thrilled her grandmother was so excited.
"Listen to me, carrying on like a schoolgirl with a crush."
"I like it when you carry on. You know that."
"You're a sweet girl and I could talk to you all night but I'm sure I'm keeping you from something important so I'm gonna let you go."
"I always have time to talk to you."
"I know you do and I appreciate that. I'll be talking to the others very soon but in the meantime please tell Steve, Danny and Mary I said thank you again. This really is the most thoughtful gift. I'm going to listen to Tony while I'm falling asleep so I'll have sweet dreams."
"Sounds like a plan. You get some rest and we'll talk soon. I love you."
"I love you too, sweetie."
Catherine disconnected the call and exited her car wearing a huge smile and with an extra spring in her step as she crossed the parking lot.
Five-0 Headquarters
Steve's Office
Friday 4:30 P.M.
Steve and Danny sat on the couch in Steve's office beaming at the smiling face of Nonna on Danny's laptop which rested on the coffee table in front of them. They had just finished interrogating a suspect and were waiting for the rest of the team to return so they could plan their next move when the Skype call came in.
Nonna spent the first few minutes of the call admonishing them for the extravagance of their Grandmother's Day gift but they could tell by the look on her face she was thrilled with the idea of a weekend gambling trip with Grandma Ang.
"We wanted to do it," Danny told her again, just as he'd told her at least a dozen times since they broke the news of the trip a few days earlier.
"But the Borgata. So fancy. We could have stayed somewhere less expensive."
"You deserve the best," Steve said adamantly.
"My friend Mary-Alice went there last month with her sister and they saw the burlesque show. She said it was amazing. I'll have to talk to Ang and see if she wants to go see that."
"Nonna … are you sure … I mean you know what they … and that they're … " Danny fumbled for the right words.
He looked at Steve for support but his partner had a look of panic on his face that let Danny know he wasn't going to be any help.
"What are you trying to say, Daniel? Just spit it out."
"Nothing … I'm just … you know what a burlesque show is, right?"
"Of course I do. Do you?"
The look on Nonna's face made both men flinch.
"Yes," Danny said defensively. "I'm just saying there's some … you know …" he trailed off.
"Nakedness," Steve said in a loud whisper.
Nonna couldn't keep a straight face any longer and burst out laughing.
"The two of you are so adorable. We're talking about a tasteful burlesque review here not some seedy strip club."
"Maybe," Steve said skeptically. "I guess we could call and ask some questions and then we'd know if it's … you know … the kind of thing you and Grandma Ang should see."
"Maybe they have some sort of preview clip online somewhere we can watch," Danny added, suddenly in planning mode.
"You can call and ask all the questions and watch all the videos you want," Nonna chastised them, albeit with an indulgent grin, "But Ang and I are grown women and we will decide what shows we see."
"Of course," Steve said slightly guiltily, "but I think I'll check anyway so I can warn Joseph if there's something he needs to be ready for," he mumbled as Danny nodded in agreement.
"I'd expect nothing less," Nonna grinned. "I assume you're both alright with us seeing Tony Bennett?"
"Absolutely," both men nodded.
"Good. Because that is non-negotiable. I love him. I'm gonna have to get a new dress for the occasion. Maybe even a new hairdo."
"Don't get too fancied up," Danny teased. "Tony may not be able to take it."
"You might be right," Nonna grinned. "We'll just have to wait and see. Oh while I have you on the line Steven I wanted to set up a good time next weekend to have Catherine's birthday present delivered. I've made arrangements to have someone bring it to your house I just need to know when you'll be home."
"What'd you get her that needs hand delivered?" Steve asked.
He looked at Danny but his partner shrugged indicating he had no idea.
"Can you two keep a secret?"
"We're trained police officers," Danny scoffed. "We keep secrets every day."
"From Catherine?"
"Excellent point," Steve nodded. "But I still think you can trust us."
"Do you remember the rose milk bath salts Catherine loved so much when you were here over Christmas?"
"Of course. Your neighbor's daughter makes them from scratch with the roses from your backyard," Steve said and Nonna smiled.
She loved the fact that not only did Steve remember the bath salts but that he'd been listening closely enough to her story of where they came from to recall the details.
"Those are the ones. Anyway, I gave Catherine the 'recipe' because she said she didn't want me going to the trouble of sending them and she could get dried rose petals at the farmer's market there in Hawaii and make them herself."
"She did," Steve nodded. "She's made them a couple of times. She loves them."
"I'm glad to hear that. Because as soon as the weather broke I talked to my neighbor down the street, Carla, you remember her Danny, her daughter owns that big nursery you took me to to get flowers a couple years back."
"I remember," Danny smiled. "The whole backseat and trunk were filled with plants and I had to vacuum all the leaves out of the rental car before I could return it."
"I told you to just drive to the airport on the highway with all the windows down and they'd blow out themselves but you wouldn't listen to me."
Steve smirked.
"Go on with your story," Danny chuckled.
"Anyway I asked Carla's daughter if roses can grow in Hawaii and she said certain varieties can and the one in my backyard just happens to be the right kind. So she came out and took a start off it and took it back to her greenhouses and nursed it along and now it's a healthy rose bush and I thought it would make a nice birthday present for Catherine. Maybe she could put it one of the planters on your gorgeous new deck."
"That's … wow … Catherine is gonna love that," Steve said sincerely.
"You think so?"
"I know so."
"I planted that bush not too long after we moved into this house. I like the idea of a piece of it living on in Hawaii."
"She'll adore it. I know she will."
Just as Nonna was about to continue Steve looked up and saw Catherine heading straight for his office. He'd been so engrossed hearing about the gift he didn't see her till she was mere steps away.
Before he could react she was pushing open his door.
"Look, Nonna, Catherine's here," he said loudly. "She's back. From interviewing witnesses. Catherine's back."
He turned Danny's laptop towards Catherine who smiled as soon as she saw Nonna's face.
"Nonna was just telling us … well she called to talk about … you know … things," Danny stammered.
"What is wrong with the two of you?" Catherine looked from Steve to Danny then back with a puzzled expression.
"That's my fault I'm afraid," Nonna smiled. "I was just telling the boys how I'd like to see the burlesque show at the Borgata and apparently it has them flustered."
Catherine laughed. "Ahhhh. I see. Well I just talked to Grandma Ang and she'd like to see that show too so they may just have to get used to it."
"Excellent. I'll talk to her within the next few days and we'll make arrangements."
Catherine nodded. "I'll let you finish your call. I'm gonna drop my stuff in my office and then I'll be back to give you guys a report."
"Sounds good," Steve said as casually as he could manage.
"Bye, Nonna. It was great seeing you. I'll skype you soon," Catherine smiled.
"I'll be looking forward to it, bella."
As Catherine headed out of the office and down the hall Steve and Danny both breathed a sigh of relief that the secret hadn't been spoiled.
"You two aren't exactly smooth," Nonna chuckled. "I don't know how you ever get anything past your perps."
"We just didn't want the secret to get ruined," Danny said defensively.
"So you thought acting like crazy people would convince Catherine there was nothing going on?"
"We can't all be as smooth as you," Steve grinned. "You handled that like a pro."
"Thank you."
"And the secret is still intact," Steve said. "That's all that matters."
"Make sure it stays that way," Nonna teased. "Does noon on Saturday work for you for the delivery?"
"That'll be fine," Steve said. "I'll make sure we're home."
"Ok then, my love to everyone. Daniel, tell Grace I'll talk to her this weekend."
"I will."
"Bye, Nonna. Love you," the men said, nearly in unison.
Danny disconnected the call just as Catherine reentered the office carrying a stack of files.
Steve jumped up to take them from her and laid them on his desk.
"We were just … you know … saying goodbye to Nonna and … seriously … the burlesque show?" he stammered.
Danny smiled at the bemused expression on Catherine's face.
"If we make it to next weekend with that rose bush still a secret it'll be a miracle,' he thought to himself as he settled back to hear what Catherine found out in her interviews.
THE END
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