Mari-HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PARTNER! Hope it's a great one start to finish. Thanks for your love and friendship and for starting us all out on this awesome ride.
Ilna—you're amazing. No other way to describe you. Thanks so much for the idea of a cupcake fueled get together.
REAL Worlders—you guys are the best. You'll see more reactions to the gender reveal in later stories.
Spontaneous Outbursts (1/1)
"Kaitlin, these cupcakes are absolutely amazing," Chin said as he studied the array of sweet treats sitting on the kitchen island at Steve and Catherine's house. "I've never seen anything like them."
Kaitlin twisted her hands together as her face turned a soft shade of pink. "Thanks."
She'd gotten used to receiving attention for her baked goods but it still made her heart do a little dance of excitement every time.
"Look at this, Kono." Chin waved over his cousin who had just entered the kitchen from the living room. "Each cupcake has the picture of a successful woman on it."
Kono dropped her arm around Kaitlin's shoulder and together they studied the small laminated photos tucked into the icing of each sweet treat. "That's awesome. Sally Ride. Sandra Day O'Connor. Amelia Earhart."
The icing on the cupcakes was in beautiful shades of bright yellow and soft green, eschewing the more standard pink or blue.
"That's Julia Child." Kaitlin pointed to a cupcake in the middle that featured the prolific chef and writer. "She's one of my favorites. She helped pioneer the idea of cooking on television. Without her we might not have Cupcake Wars.""
Jenna beamed as she watched her little girl confidently describe why she made the choices she did for this project.
"All of these women are good role models even though they're all very different," Kaitlin explained. "They show that Niblet can be anything she wants to be."
"Serena Williams. Jackie Joyner Kersee. Excellent choices," Kono said, clearly impressed with the thought the youngest Allen daughter had put in.
"Who's that?" Chin asked, pointing to a picture of an older woman in a naval uniform.
"That's Grace Murray Hopper," Kaitlin replied. "She was a Rear Admiral in the Navy and one of the first ever computer programmers."
"Awesome." Chin's eyes swept over the rest of the pictures. "Definitely cupcake worthy."
"This is Isabella Aiona Abbott." Kaitlin pointed to a cupcake in the front row. "She was the first native Hawaiian woman to earn a PhD."
Kono squeezed Kaitlin's shoulder. "These are almost too pretty … and too interesting ... to eat."
"Kaitlin came up with the idea all on her own," Jenna said proudly.
"Mom helped me print the pictures then took them to work and laminated them for me. That way Aunt Catherine can save them if she wants too."
Chin smiled. "I'm sure she'll want to."
Suddenly the sliding door opened and the sound of laughter filled the kitchen.
"Oh good, you're here." Catherine addressed Chin and Kono as she entered the kitchen from the deck. "Aren't those cupcakes the best thing you've ever seen?"
"They are," the cousins agreed in unison.
"We're leaving them in here so they don't melt in the sun before we're ready to eat them." Catherine opened the refrigerator and pulled out a pitcher of lemonade. "Carrie's getting ready to tell a story about the time Steve accidentally locked himself in a supply shed and ended up trying to dig himself out."
"Well I definitely don't want to miss that" Chin chuckled as he took the pitcher from her hands. "Let's get this barbecue started."
"I was so happy I did a dance!" Jacob hopped down off the bench he'd been sitting on to demonstrate his reaction when he learned Niblet was a girl. "Like this."
What followed was a mix of full body dancing, ninja kicks, jumps, and karate chops that delighted everyone in attendance including Steve and Catherine, Carrie and John, Chin, Kono, Danny, Grace and the rest of the Allen family.
As he moved he sang a tune of his own composition. "It's a girl, it's a girrrl, Niblet is a gi-i-irl."
He finished to raucous applause and took a deep bow before grabbing a brownie off the table and returning to his seat.
"That's pretty much exactly what it looked like," Catherine chuckled at the memory of the previous weekend when she and Steve stopped by the Allen house to share the good news.
"When she gets a little bit older I can teach Niblet to dance," Jacob offered eagerly.
"I can't wait to see that," Danny grinned.
"Also, to talk like a minion," Jacob added.
"I hope she likes to fish." Dylan's expression was serious as he raised his arms and cast an imaginary line towards the water. "That's something I can help her learn."
"Teaching her to fish would be great but there are lots of other things you can help her learn too," Steve said genuinely.
Dylan's looked skeptical. "You really think so?"
"Absolutely," Chin nodded in agreement.
Catherine watched as Dylan's back straightened and his smile widened.
"For one, when she's old enough you can help me teach her to set up a campsite," Steve said. "You're really good at that."
Grace chortled. "I see lots more camping trips in your future, Danno."
"Can't wait," he grumbled.
"And who knows," Chin added, "Niblet might like circuitry and working on motors like you."
Dylan's eyebrows knit together. "Do girls like stuff like that?"
Kaitlin huffed loudly. "Girls like all different kinds of things. Just like the women on the cupcakes. Did you know the inventor of the automatic windshield wipers was woman named Charlotte Bridgwood?"
"I didn't know that." Dylan took a few seconds to consider the idea. "I think that's cool."
"And did you know Charlotte's daughter, Mary Lawrence, invented the precursors of the modern turn signals and brake lights?"
Kaitlin clapped excitedly. "I did."
"Look at your sisters." Jenna smiled softly at her middle son. "They like very different kinds of things."
Dylan shrugged. "They're not real girls though. I mean … I know they are but … they're my sisters. That's different."
Everyone chuckled as Kaitlin and Casey rolled their eyes.
"I'll need you to help me teach her about the wonder of ketchupy eggs." Catherine rubbed her tummy and smiled. "She might not like them now but we can change that later."
"I can definitely help with that too." Dylan nodded definitively, happy and confident he would have a place in the new baby's life.
"I'll pay you $5 not to," Danny offered, reaching for his wallet.
"No way." Dylan beamed at his Aunt Catherine. "Ketchupy eggs are the best."
"I can help her learn to bake, if she likes that, or help her learn to do art and make bracelets," Kaitlin proposed.
"That sounds fantastic," Catherine smiled. "I'm sure she'll enjoy that."
Jacob looked at his sister. "You're really good at art and cupcakes. But you're smart at homework too."
"Thanks, Jacob," she beamed.
Cody smiled at the interaction between his two youngest siblings.
"I was thinking," Casey chimed in, "I know you both like to run so if you were planning on getting one of those running strollers maybe I could take Niblet running sometimes when you guys are busy or just want to take a nap or something."
"That'd be great." Catherine replied. "Maybe you can go shopping me with someday soon to help pick one out"
"I'd like that." Casey beamed. "And … you know … if she ever needs a track coach … "
Steve smiled. "We'll know exactly who to call."
"I'm a pretty good babysitter if you ever need one," Cody offered. "I worked out all the kinks on these four."
Danny snorted. "I know how that goes."
"You're gonna have college to worry about in the fall," Catherine responded. "Plus, we're hoping you'll stay on a few hours a week at the governor's office. You won't want to spend your free time babysitting."
"I'll always have time for you guys. And Niblet. Whenever you need me," Cody said earnestly. "All you have to do is ask."
Steve swallowed around the lump in his throat. "Thanks."
"Hey, if you count Cammie you're gonna be outnumbered by feminine energy three to one." Jenna smiled at Steve. "Are you ready for that?"
"I can't wait," he grinned.
"Our house is balanced," Dylan said. "Three boys and three girls. We can't get a dog until someone moves out."
"That excuse has worked for me for years," Jenna whispered to Carrie.
Dylan turned to Steve. "You need to get more boys in your house. I can come over whenever you need me as long as I don't have school."
Steve bark laughed. "It's a deal."
"Ouch," Carrie hissed as she took a drink of John's punch.
"Are you ok?" Jenna asked anxiously as Catherine, Steve and John all laughed.
"I'm fine," Carrie said once the pain subsided a bit. "I just forgot there was pineapple juice in the punch."
"And why can't you have any pineapple juice today?" John asked as he slid the glass out of her reach. "Tell Jenna so she stops feeling sorry for you being as you brought it on yourself. Again."
"Must we do this every year?" Carrie asked with mock annoyance.
John smirked. "Apparently we must."
Steve chuckled as he dropped his arm across his wife's shoulders. "Why mess with tradition?"
"Valentine's Day wouldn't be the same without it," Catherine agreed as she leaned into his side.
Carrie let out a deep sigh. "Every year since we met John gets me five pounds of cinnamon red hots for Valentine's Day because they're my favorite candy."
"Five pounds of candy which would last a normal person all month," John pointed out. "But not my Carrie."
"Normal is boring." Carrie reached for her bottle of water.
"And one thing you have never been is boring." Steve raised a beer bottle to her.
"You got that right," she snorted. "Anyway, I love red hots so much I can't help myself. I eat them until the inside of my mouth is so sore I can barely stand it."
Kono winced. "That pineapple juice must have really stung."
"You should have seen her the first year it happened." Catherine laughed at the memory. "She brushed her teeth and without thinking put Listerine in her mouth to gargle. I thought I was gonna have to peel her off the ceiling of the bathroom."
"It's her own fault," John said with a mock glare.
"And we'll do it all again next year." Carrie's eyes danced with mirth.
John leaned over and kissed her on the cheek with a broad smile. "Yes, we will."
"It's ok," Jacob said as he eyed the plate of brownies trying to decide if his mother would allow him one more. "Sometimes I eat until my stomach hurts. Like at Uncle Steve and Aunt Catherine's wedding. It was worth it though because those cookies were good."
"A man after my own heart," Carrie smiled as she held up her hand for a high five.
"Luckily, we found out Niblet is going to be a girl before you got your candy this year," Steve teased. "I wouldn't have wanted a sore mouth to interfere with you squealing so loud when we showed you the sonogram that every dog in the neighborhood started barking."
"Nothing would have stopped that," Carrie grinned unrepentantly.
Catherine smiled at the familiar, comfortable rhythm of friendship between her best friend and the man she loved that had only deepened over time.
"I'm glad Carrie and Grace didn't find out at the same time," Danny heaved a mock sigh of relief. "I'm not sure our eardrums could have survived it."
"Did you scream loud, Grace?" Kaitlin giggled.
"I think so though I'm not completely sure," Grace replied. "I was so happy everything is kind of a blur."
"Do you want me to show you what it was like?" Danny asked as he got to his feet.
"Yes!" Jacob, Kaitlin and Dylan said in excited unison.
"Ok it went like this. John and Carrie were here when we arrived and had already heard the news. Grace was standing about here," he positioned himself in the middle of the deck, "when Steve and Catherine showed her the sonogram. At first she couldn't tell what she was looking at … "
"Those things aren't exactly easy to figure out." Grace defended her initial confusion.
"Especially not this early," Catherine said supportively.
"So anyway," Danny plowed forward, "They told her it was a girl and …" He shrieked loudly then began to dart around the deck hugging Catherine first, then Steve, then Carrie, then John, then Cammie then back to Catherine. He flailed his arms excitedly and mimed tears falling down his face.
Grace rolled her eyes and gave Danny her patented 'sometimes my father is ridiculous' look. "It wasn't that bad."
"It really wasn't," Steve agreed.
Danny placed his hands on his hips and looked directly at Steve. "Where was I wrong?"
"Well, for one thing," Steve replied, "Grace sounded like an excited teenager and you sound more like someone being chased by killer bees."
Danny waved him off with a smile and returned to his seat.
"Though I did see a bunch of fish pop their heads up to see what all the fuss was about when Grace's celebration was around the ten-minute mark," Steve chuckled.
"I hate to sound like McGarrett," Carrie shook her head and grinned, "but I can almost picture Niblet kicking butt and taking names in the Annapolis Class of 2039."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Steve snorted.
"Definitely not." Grace's eyes gleamed mischievously. She knew how to get her father and uncle back for their teasing. "There are lots of exciting things that will happen before that. First day of school, first date, first kiss, first boy/girl party, first boyfriend … "
"Did your father put you up to that?" Steve asked.
Danny shook his head. "No, but seeing the pained expression on your face I wish I had," he snorted.
Catherine rubbed Steve's arm soothingly and he smiled before turning back to Danny.
"I'm not sure what you're laughing about. You're a lot closer to those things than I am."
Steve stopped for a second as the thought of Grace getting her driver's license and going on a date washed over him and his pained expression returned.
He shared a mildly panicked look with Danny.
"That one kinda backfired on you guys," Catherine said sympathetically.
"So pretty much everyone knows now?" Carried asked as they relaxed over dessert.
"Everyone except Mary, Aaron, Joan and Aunt Deb. And we're telling them tonight. In fact," she checked her watch, "They should be calling any minute."
"How do they not know yet?" John asked.
"It's kind of a funny story," Catherine smiled.
Friday night
February 10th
McGarrett Rollins Home
Steve and Catherine sat next to each other on the couch, matching grins firmly in place, as the skype call with Mary connected. They couldn't wait to show her the sonogram picture and share the news they'd learned earlier in the day.
The second Mary and Aaron's face swam into view Catherine and Steve knew something unexpected was going on. The air around them crackled with energy that could be felt an ocean away. They both looked close to ready to burst.
"Hi, Unca Steve! Hi, Ann Caf!" Joanie said from her perch on Aaron's lap.
Catherine wiggled her fingers in greeting. "Hi, sweetie."
"Hi, Joanie," Steve smiled.
"Before I say anything else Aunt Deb wanted me to be sure to tell you hello," Mary said. "She wanted to wait up but she's been going to bed early as per doctor's orders."
"How's she feeling?" Steve asked. "She said she was good when I talked to her yesterday."
"She's doing really good," Mary confirmed. "Dr. Hunnicutt is thrilled with her recovery so far."
"That's great to hear," Catherine replied. "Make sure to send her our love."
"I will," Mary promised. "And now … you'll never guess what happened," she blurted out breathlessly, unable to contain her excitement for a second longer.
"What?" Steve and Catherine asked in unison.
They were both calm since it was clear from Mary's demeanor that whatever she had to say was good news.
The excited bride-to-be raised her arms in triumph. "We found the perfect spot for the wedding."
"Wedding!" Joan raised her arms in an imitation of her mother.
"YAY!" Aaron added as he stood Joanie up on his thighs and held onto her as she began to dance excitedly.
"That's wonderful," Catherine bubbled, momentarily forgetting her own news as she got caught up in Mary and Aaron's excitement.
"It sure is," Steve agreed with a wide smile. "Where is it?"
As Mary described the details of the perfect park setting with lush greenery and beautiful gazebo Catherine squeezed Steve's hand.
They remembered their own exhilaration at finding the perfect venue.
There was no way they were going to steal Mary's thunder on such a big day.
As always, they were both on the same page without saying a word.
"I was thinking," Mary said, her eyes wet with emotion, "Now that we know where the wedding is going to be I can pick out the right dress and we can decide on bridesmaids' dresses."
"I flowew giwl!" Joan said happily as she turned and flopped back down in Aaron's lap with a thud.
"She thinks that's her role at every wedding." Aaron laughed.
"The earliest dates the venue has available are fall so we figured that'll work well because Niblet will be able to fly by then."
"Sounds perfect," Catherine smiled. "I'm so happy for you both."
"We figured we'd just tell her after the weekend," Steve explained but she called back on Sunday and said Aaron's company needed him to cover a conference in Napa because a colleague had come down with the flu."
Catherine picked up the story. "When he told them he wasn't sure about leaving Mary with both Joan and Deb to look after the company offered to foot the bill so the whole family could go along. Dr. Hunnicutt gave her okay and Mary ended up with two hours to get them all ready for a five-day getaway."
"Poor thing," Jenna sighed sympathetically.
"They were getting back into town earlier today and they promised they'd call before Joanie went to bed.
As if on cue Catherine's tablet pinged with an incoming call.
"Hi," Catherine and Steve smiled in unison as Catherine positioned the tablet so everyone was in the picture.
"Hi, Unca Steve! Hi, Ann Caf!" Joan waved as she held up her feet to show off her footie pajamas. "Kids!" She squealed excitedly and jumped down to approach the screen.
"Yes, the kids are here," Catherine chuckled. "We're having a barbecue."
"I come?" Joan asked hopefully.
Mary lifted her excited daughter back into her lap. "Maybe next time, peanut."
Joan frowned disappointedly.
"How was Napa?" Steve asked.
"Great," Mary replied. "Very relaxing. We all had a great time."
Aaron nodded in agreement.
"So," Steve looked at Catherine with anticipation and when she nodded her turned back to the screen. "We have some big news."
"What is it?" Mary asked eagerly.
Steve held up the picture he'd been carrying in his pocket all week. "We had a sonogram."
"And!?" Mary leaned closer to the screen to take in every detail of the grainy photo.
"It's a girl!" Steve and Catherine shouted
Mary squealed and threw her arms around Aaron. "It's a girl! Niblet is a girl! I'm gonna be the aunt of a little girl!"
"A giwl? Like me?" Joanie clapped as she picked up on her mother's excitement.
"Yes! A girl like you." Mary tickled Joan's belly then hugged Aaron again.
"Baby come now?" Joan asked.
Catherine grinned. "Not quite yet, sweetie."
"But soon," Steve added.
It was all Mary could do to keep from jumping out of her chair. "I'm so happy for both of you."
"Congratulations," Aaron smiled. "This is exciting."
"EEEEEEEEEEE A girl!" Mary squealed again and this time Carrie and Grace couldn't help joining in.
"Oh no, here we go." Danny stuck his fingers in his ears and Steve laughed.
"I'm not sure either one of you guys have a leg to stand on when it comes to squealing considering how Kono and I found out." Chin regarded his male colleagues with a raised eyebrow.
"Do tell," John said interestedly.
"We were coming back from a working lunch at the PA's office and the second we stepped off the elevator we could hear Steve and Danny squealing that Catherine was having a girl."
"We weren't squealing," Steve scoffed.
"We were talking in our normal tones of voice," Danny insisted.
"You keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better," Kono chuckled.
"Well if there was ever a squeal worthy piece of news this is it," Mary replied happily.
"We need to have a group skype very soon," Grace said. "We have a baby shower to plan."
Danny looked at Steve. "Remind me to buy earplugs."
THE END
If you are not on the REALMcRoll email list and would like to be, drop us an email at realmcroll at yahoo dot com with "Add me, please!" in the subject line. You'll get updates, contests, and fun McRoller games.
Looking for links to all the REAL World McRoll stories in one place? Check out our Tumblr page
mcrollintherealworld dot tumblr dot com.
In addition, one of our AWESOME REAL Worlders, katydid13, has created a community on here on fanfiction dot net that brings all of the REAL World stories, and all of Mari, Sammy & Ilna's pre-universe stories in one place. You can find it at
community/McRoll-in-the-Real-World