Notes: Mari and Sammy – Thank you for the not-so-stealthy peeking and the excitement and the love every day. You are the best of the best.

Readers and REAL McRollers – Thank you for your support, your insights, and your kind words. They are ALWAYS appreciated!

Hope you enjoy!

Seven Birthdays (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)

Danny emerged from his bedroom in the morning, stomach grumbling. He noticed Grace's door was open and a quick look showed her room to be empty, which surprised him. She was an early riser, but not that early.

Muffled sounds from the kitchen caught his attention. Brow creased, he moved quickly to the door but upon recognizing the voices, he relaxed and pushed the door open to enter at a more leisurely pace.

"Well, well, well," he said, a broad smile on his face at the sight. The entire island in the middle the kitchen was covered in bowls, cutting boards, utensils, and ingredients as two apron-covered chefs were hard at work. "What do we have here?"

"Danno!" Grace cried, then grinned, moving to hug him. "Happy birthday!"

"Thanks, Monkey," he said, kissing the top of her head. "What are you two up to?"

Gabby smiled from her place at the island and paused, whisk in hand. "We're making a birthday frittata."

His eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

"Wipe the shocked look off your face," she chided in amusement. "I have a good teacher."

Danny smiled proudly, looking at Grace, but his daughter shook her head, grinning back.

"Not me," she said, glancing toward the laptop on the counter beside Gabby.

"Happy birthday, Daniel!" a very familiar voice called.

His eyes lit happily, and he came around the island to see his grandmother's image on the screen.

"Nonna!" he said. He looked at Gabby. "When you said you had a good teacher, you meant it."

She grinned. "Yep."

"Gabrielle and the bambina wanted to make you a special breakfast, so I said I would help as much as I could with the Skype."

Gabby held up the whisk in warning. "No comments on my cooking skills."

He held his hands out innocently. "Would I do that?" he asked with a grin, then leaned over and kissed her briefly. "Although I believe it was you who said that pancakes were as complex as you got in the kitchen."

She looked at him narrowly, but couldn't hold the glare and laughed.

"Gabrielle is a very good student," Nonna insisted.

Gabby smiled happily. "Thank you, Nonna." She went back to whisking the contents of the bowl in front of her.

"How do the eggs look, dear?" Nonna asked.

"Pretty good … I think," Gabby replied, traces of uncertainty in her voice.

Grace popped up on her other side and peered into the bowl.

Nonna smiled. "What do you say, bambina?"

"I think they're ready."

"Okay, then you're going to stir in the ricotta next …" Nonna led Gabby and Grace through the rest of the preparations as Danny folded his arms and leaned back, smiling happily at the sight. Once they had poured the egg mixture over fried potato cubes, the pan went into the oven. "Normally I bake mine for an hour, but with Daniel's oven, you'll need to take it out after 50 minutes."

"Leave it to Nonna to remember the specifics of my kitchen appliances," Danny teased.

"Hush, Daniel. Now make sure you watch it," Nonna continued instructing Gabby and Grace without missing a beat. "The top should just be starting to brown when you take it out. Any more, and it will be over-baked in the middle."

Gabby wrung her hands, smiling anxiously. "Hopefully it tastes good."

Danny put an arm around her shoulders, squeezing gently.

"It will taste wonderful," Nonna said, "because you used the secret ingredient."

Gabby's brow creased as she looked at the various ingredients on the island. She picked up her print out of the recipe, scanning it. "Secret ingredient? I didn't know about any secret ingredient …"

"Tell her, bambina," Nonna prompted.

"Love," Grace said, beaming at Gabby and her father.

Gabby's cheeks flushed as she looked at Danny, and he smiled, kissing her lightly.

"Now, caro, I have to go … but before I do, you know what I need to say."

Danny grinned knowingly. "I do, and I'm waiting to hear it … 'cause it's not an official birthday until I do."

"Count your candles, count your years, count your blessings."

Danny's grin softened at his grandmother's traditional birthday message.

"You are so blessed, dear boy," Nonna said, smiling as he reached out and pulled Grace close, keeping his other arm around Gabby. "And I am blessed to have you as my grandson."

"Thank you, Nonna," Danny said, his voice a little rough around the edges. He cleared his throat. "Thank you for being … well, the word perfect comes to mind … also magical … stupendous … legendary … but no, I'm gonna go with perfect."

"Oh, I'm far from perfect, amore, but it's sweet of you to say."

"Thank you for your help, Nonna," Gabby said. She shared a quick smile with Grace. "We couldn't have done it without you."

"There's a cook inside you, Gabrielle," Nonna said. "It's in your blood."

"Thanks, Nonna!" Grace called. "I love you!"

"I love you, too, bambina. I'll talk to you again soon."

"Love you, Nonna," Danny said.

"Enjoy your birthday, Daniel, and never forget how much you're loved."

That evening, the extended family gathered at Danny's for a low-key birthday party. They milled around the living room and back patio, waiting for everyone to arrive.

"Did you enjoy your day off?" Steve asked his partner as he stood with Danny and Grace.

"As a matter of fact, I did." Danny wrapped an arm around his daughter. "I enjoyed a delicious breakfast frittata made by my two favorite ladies this morning …"

"A birthday frittata," Grace stressed. "Potato and basil, just like Nonna makes."

"Just like Nonna makes is right," Danny said, grinning. He looked at Steve. "They had Nonna on 'The Skype' to talk them through it."

Steve nodded approvingly. "If you're going to have a teacher in the kitchen, might as well have the best."

"You said it," Danny agreed. "Talked to my parents and my sisters later in the morning, then we went and saw Finding Dory."

"And Danno cried–"

"I did not cry …"

Grace looked at him reproachfully.

He held up a hand. "Let me finish … I did not cry as much as I did the first time we watched Finding Nemo."

Steve eyed him. "That's the one with the fish, right?"

"Yes, that's the one with the fish."

"You cried over some fish," Steve deadpanned.

"Yes, you animal, because it's a very touching story about a father and his–"

Steve grinned, winking at Grace who giggled at how he so effectively wound up her father.

"Anyway," Danny said with a sigh. "Where's your better half?" Before Steve could answer, he continued with a grin, "You know, not that I want Catherine to be late or absent a lot, but I do like asking that question."

Steve smirked and said, "She's finishing up an interview for the special case she's working."

"Right, right," Danny said, nodding. "With the lieutenant governor. How's that going?"

"Long days, but they're making progress. You can ask her when she gets here."

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud voice announcing, "Never fear, the food is officially here."

Kamekona, followed by Esther and Flippa, came out onto the patio, each carrying large rectangular serving dishes. The jovial entrepreneur caught Danny's eye and winked.

"No SPAM," he promised. "Just for you, birthday boy."

Danny grinned. "I appreciate that."

"We're here we're here we're here!" Jacob yelled as he ran outside, followed by the rest of the Allen family and Jadon. "Happy birthday, Uncle Danny!"

"Oof!" Danny exhaled at the enthusiastic hug from the boy. "Thanks, Jacob."

"Look look look what we made you!" he cried, jumping in place and pointing back at Kaitlyn. She was carrying a large tupperware container, and on top was a blue and purple crown.

"It's a birthday crown," she said and bit her lip. "But you don't have to wear it."

"Pleeeeease wear it, Uncle Danny," Jacob begged.

"Of course I'll wear it," he said without hesitation, smiling as Kaitlyn's face lit up. He lifted the paper crown and put it on his head.

"Here, let me just adjust that a little," Steve said with an amused smile, angling the crown to the side.

"Hands off, bub." Danny adjusted the crown. "You know, there's a way to do this without completely messing up my hair."

"No, there isn't."

Kaitlyn giggled. "It looks good!" she announced.

"Yeah!" Jacob agreed.

"Then that's all I needed to hear." He motioned at the tupperware containers she, Dylan, and Casey were carrying. "What's all this?"

"Kaitlyn made cupcakes," Dylan said. "Chocolate peanut butter."

Danny licked his lips in an exaggerated response. "Mmm, I love chocolate peanut butter cupcakes."

Kaitlyn smiled proudly. "I know."

"You've been a little cupcake-making machine this week," he said. "First the 4th of July barbecue, now this?"

"I had to make cupcakes," she said matter-of-factly. "It's your birthday."

Steve smiled, clasping his partner's shoulder. "Yeah, Danno, it's your birthday."

Danny put an arm around Kaitlyn, tucking her to his side and smiling down at her. "Thank you," he said genuinely. He looked up at the rest of the family and Jadon. "Thank you all for coming." He grinned. "Now let's get these delicious cupcakes over to the table. I might even have one now."

Jacob gaped. "Before dinner?"

Danny held out on arm, keeping the other around Kaitlyn as he led the way to the food. "Hey, it's my birthday."

Later, Danny and Gabby stood talking with Leilani and Catherine.

"We've been able to establish communication with almost all of the women's families which has made a world of difference," Catherine was telling them. "They're still anxious to get home, of course, but talking with their families has helped ease their minds that that's going to happen soon."

"That's great news," Leilani said. "I'm sure their families are just as anxious to have them home."

Gabby nodded, and Catherine looked at her. "What about you?" she asked. "I hear work has been pretty busy for you, too."

"It has," Gabby agreed. "A lot of travel, but I've been able to acquire a few very special pieces."

"All without losing your passport even once," Catherine said with a teasing look at Danny.

"One time," he complained. "You know, your husband's sense of humor is rubbing off on you …"

She laughed. "I've been teasing you long before Steve and I got married, Danny."

He grinned. "That's true."

Jadon approached the group. "Hey, D-Dawg," he began.

"All Day J," Danny enthused. "What's the good word?"

The teen quirked an eyebrow in confusion, and Danny sighed.

"What's up?" he amended.

Jadon relaxed in understanding and nodded. "Got somethin' for you."

Danny turned to give him his undivided attention, and they stepped a little way from the group.

"Code Man said you didn't want presents, but I took my little brothers to the library yesterday for this program. The librarian let me make one, too." He took a pinback button out of his pocket and handed it to Danny who flipped it over to look at the stylized lettering that spelled out D-Dawg.

Danny looked up at him in surprise. "You did this?"

"Yeah."

"This is … you've got some hidden talents, Jadon."

The teen shrugged off the compliment. "Ah, just somethin' I mess around with sometimes."

"You do more than mess around. This is impressive." He attached the button to his shirt, causing Jadon to smile proudly. "I'd like to see more sometime …" He nudged him playfully. "As long as it's not on the side of a bus stop or something."

Jadon grinned. "Right."

"Hey, Uncle Danny," Kaitlyn said, running over to him. "We brought candles for your cupcakes!"

"Did you?"

"Yeah, do you want to come and count them?"

Danny smiled. "You know what Nonna says on every birthday?"

Kaitlyn's eyes widened at the mention of Nonna. "What?"

"She says 'Count your candles, count your years, count your blessings.' " He smiled at her curious look. "It means you should take time to be grateful for all the good things in your life."

"Ohh," Kaitlyn said.

"Like, 'Every day's a gift,' " Jadon put in. "That's what my mama says."

Danny smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Yeah. It's hard to remember sometimes, when things aren't so good. But on my birthday, at least, I try to remember that." He nodded toward the food table. "So let's go count some candles."

After arranging a few candles in one of the cupcakes, Danny dutifully stood by as the group sang 'Happy Birthday' before blowing them out. While everyone else enjoyed the delicious dessert, he found himself off the the side, surveying the gathering.

Steve stepped up beside him, but didn't speak.

"You know," Danny said finally, "this is the seventh birthday I've spent on this island." He shook his head with a trace of amazement.

"Yeah," Steve said, nodding slowly. He looked at his partner. "You ready to call it home?"

"Jersey will always be home, you know that. But …" His voice faded as he looked at his family gathered around, eyes lingering on Gabby and Grace laughing together as they pointed to the chocolate frosting smudges on each other's faces. "You can have more than one home, right?"

Steve smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Absolutely, Danno."

Hope you enjoyed!

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