Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.
Family Life Continues On, Chapter 1
December 2023
It's been a busy year. Grace graduated in August and is working for Finn while pursuing her MBA. The boys are in the 5th grade. Jack's ADHD medicine was tweaked after the first couple of weeks of school and he's doing well. He continues to swim or run with Steve several days a week, sometimes in the morning and other times when Steve and Danny get home from the office. Jesse is doing well at school and is very happy with his life.
Ed and Clara are quite settled in next door. Ed loves his consulting job, and both are very happy to be living so close to their family. With the extra money coming in, he was able to fly Paula and Jackie and their families over for the Thanksgiving weekend. The girls were finally coming around to their parents' relocation. Between the extra rooms at both homes, the families were able to stay with either Ed and Clara or Steve and Danny's home.
By the end of the visit, it was apparent that Ed and Clara were thriving in their new environment. Jackie and Paula talked together their last night on the island.
"Paula, I have to say that I wouldn't want to live so close to Mom and Dad but it seems to work for Danny and Steve."
"You're right. They're all so happy together. Steve and Danny love being so close to Mom and Dad. And the men still act like they're on their honeymoon. They have been married almost twelve years. I don't know how they do it."
"I don't know either. Our nephews are so cute and polite too. Jack is almost a clone of Steve, but I can see some of Danny in him. Jesse watches the others and is very protective of them. Steve loves Danny even when Danny is nagging at him. He even sets Danny off on purpose. I don't get it, but I do understand why Mom and Dad like living here. It's only November and we already have six inches of snow on the ground back home. I don't want to go back to that."
"We didn't treat Mom and Dad very fairly either. It was very nice of them to send us tickets to visit. I don't know about you but I intend to apologize in the morning. I owe it to them and to Steve and Danny too."
"Me too. I miss having Mom and Dad back in Jersey but they both look so happy and so healthy too. I think Mom has lost more weight and Dad has dropped almost twenty pounds. Their new home is gorgeous. I'd love to have their bathroom and their kitchen."
"It's going to be tough flying home tomorrow. I read the forecast for Jersey. We're getting more snow. I hope that our flight isn't delayed or cancelled."
As it turned out, a blizzard hit the east coast including New Jersey while the girls were asleep. Although they could make it to LAX, the connecting flight to Newark was cancelled and another flight wasn't available for another three days. Fortunately Finn had a corporate jet that was headed to New York City and he offered the Williams family the open seats on the plane. It was a perfect ending to a very nice holiday weekend.
Christmas was a still a big event at the McGarrett-Williams compound. As Steve envisioned, the Christmas decorations spanned both properties. There were multi-colored LED lights in the front yards while white fairy lights adorned the backyards. This year there was an additional noteworthy event scheduled. On December 21st, Cliff and Lori were getting married down by the beach to the spot where Steve and Danny exchanged their vows.
Although Lori had resisted Cliff's advances initially, it was difficult when Cliff was so sweet with Mike and with her. Lori didn't realize how entrenched he had become in their lives until he had to go on an extended trip back to the mainland. All of a sudden there was a huge whole in their routine. Although Cliff called and texted frequently it wasn't nearly enough. Cliff often took Mike out fishing with Ed or swimming at his house so Lori could have a little free time. Cliff considered a day running errands with Lori and Mike a good day. He gave her feet a wonderful massage after a long day chasing suspects. He even picked Mike up at school a couple of days a week to give Ed and Clara a break. Mike had his own hard hat so that he could accompany Cliff to the job site although Cliff only took him to the sites where mostly finish work was in progress.
When Cliff proposed just before Thanksgiving, Lori was a little surprised but ready with her answer. She loved Cliff, and Cliff loved her and Mike. Both agreed that they wanted a short engagement. When the venues they toured were booked until January, Clara and Ed offered their beach for the ceremony. Although Cliff had beachfront property, the back yards of the McGarrett-Williams compound had special memories. For Lori, there was the civil ceremony for Steve and Danny several years ago. Lori had carried a torch for Steve back then, but there was no denying the devotion between the pair. She hoped her marriage was as happy as the one she witnessed that night.
It was also there that Cliff became a member of their extended ohana. He was there for the luau to celebrate Jesse's adoption. Cliff was instrumental in bringing Ed and Clara to the island, and he spent many hours working on the Williams home before they moved in. It was also there that Cliff first met Lori.
When Steve and Danny heard that there was going to be a wedding next door, they offered their yard so that the reception would have plenty of space. Predictably Steve became super-hyper in the days leading up to the wedding. Danny didn't know whether to shoot him or banish him to the back yard. To make it worse, Steve stepped into a hole while chasing a suspect the day before the wedding. He was diagnosed with a serious ankle sprain and now he was wearing a boot to stabilize his ankle. It would be weeks before he could run although he was still able to swim.
Steve slept in on Saturday because his ankle hurt the night before and he refused to take painkillers. Danny finally brought his cooling machine out to keep Steve's ankle iced down. It was a lifesaver when Danny was recuperating from knee replacement surgery and it allowed Steve to be comfortable enough to finally get some sleep.
The boys were up and fed by the time that Steve woke up. Danny sent them next door for a while so he could give Steve a little extra attention. A quick call to his dad ensured that the kids wouldn't be back until after lunch.
Steve woke to the aroma of coffee. Danny took the cuff off Steve's ankle and gave it a gentle massage. Steve was trying to decide what to do first: have a sip of coffee or hit the head. His need to relieve himself won out.
"Danny, can you help me to the bathroom? I really need to go and I know that my ankle is going to hurt like a bitch when I stand up."
"Wow, you're asking for help! That must be a first."
"I'm sorry Danny. I know that I've been out of control. I'm setting a terrible example for Jack and probably Jesse."
"Let's get you up. What's going on with you babe? I know Christmas is a bad time for you but your behavior is beyond the normal holiday thing."
Steve considered Danny's question as he relieved himself. When Steve was back in the bedroom sipping coffee, he tried to answer Danny's question.
"I don't know Danny. I've been careful with my diet. I tried to work in an extra workout when I could. Believe it or not, I think it's the wedding."
Danny sat next to Steve and palmed his face. He tried to imagine why Cliff and Lori's wedding would have such an unsettling effect on his husband.
"Okay, I give. Why is the wedding such a problem for you?"
"Well, they're having the ceremony in the same spot where we had both of our ceremonies. It's almost Christmas. I remember how it was for us that year. We had been partners for over a year and I was sure that you and Rachel were getting back together. Then I was arrested and the team was disbanded. Then in a matter of days, you and Chin cleared me. You were still so angry at losing Rachel again."
"I remember those days well. I think what made me so angry was finding out that the baby wasn't mine. I knew that the baby would keep Rachel with Stan. By the time that Grace and Rachel came back, I was ready to let go. Then you snuck right in. You weren't even on my radar."
"Well you were on mine. You snuck in too. It wasn't until I almost lost you to sarin that I realized that I loved you. I couldn't believe it when you agreed to move in. I was so happy. We still owe Grace big time for getting you in our bed. We went through so much that fall. I was deployed and then betrayed in North Korea. You agreed to marry me or at least what passed for marriage back then. I remember how that was such a perfect time. Your family was here and Mary was here. I remember holding your hand when we said our vows. I remember the sound of the surf and the bang of the fireworks. Now we have another wedding coming up and it brings it all back to me."
Danny could only smile at Steve's words. He knew that Steve was a softie when it came to the Grace and the boys but it still surprised him to see Steve so sentimental. He gently rubbed Steve's back.
"It was a really great time, wasn't it? I remember waking up on New Year's Day. I remember that I felt like such a loser the year before and I felt like I had won the lottery. I had the hottest man on the island in bed in what had become our home. I had Grace more than half of the time and I no longer had to watch every penny to provide for her. I had a partner who shared the responsibility of raising Grace and who loved her as much as I do. And I had mind-blowing sex mostly every day."
"Speaking of sex, you asked what you could do to help. I think a little therapeutic sex might help. I don't hear the patter of little feet. Are the boys with Mom and Dad?"
"Good guess. So this is like the blow job you gave me when I came home after surgery. You need the endorphins?"
"Well as much as I enjoy your blow jobs, I had something more in mind. You can be on top."
Danny laughed at the hopeful look on Steve's face. Steve could be such a guy sometimes. He was always ready for sex and gave as good as he got.
"How can I refuse such a romantic offer? I would ask if you're up for it but I can see that you are." Danny stood and quickly shed his clothes before pulling off Steve's boxer briefs. He slid his hands back up Steve's legs, ignoring the part of Steve begging for attention.
"Danny, please don't tease me this morning. I remember that first night that we slept together. I was spooned in front of you. I need to feel your body on mine. I remember the first time you were in me. I need that now. I need you close so I can't tell where I end and where you begin."
Steve was pulling Danny on top of him. His hands were everywhere. He needed it hard and fast but Danny wanted something else. He soothed Steve with kisses and words.
"Slow down babe. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. The boys are next door and the team is officially standing down for the weekend. We've got time. Remember our wedding night? Kono snuck in and spread rose petals on the bed."
"I remember picking rose petals out of places where there shouldn't be rose petals. It was really special that night. Even though we had made love before, it was different after we stood in front of our family and friends and pledged our love."
"That's how I want to make love now. It was slow and so sweet. Can you do that for me babe?"
Danny could feel the tension easing out of Steve's body. Steve's hands were less frantic as they moved over Danny's body. Danny continued to talk to Steve, murmuring words of love and encouragement.
When Danny reached for the lube in the nightstand, both were more than ready to join. Danny slowly slipped into Steve and paused to make sure that Steve was comfortable. Then he slowly drove in and out of Steve. Soon he became more frantic and both men found relief together.
It was a very mellow Steve who went next door to retrieve his sons. His ankle was still sore but Danny coerced him into taking half of a painkiller after eating a late breakfast. Cliff's wedding planner was busy supervising the workers in the back yards so all the men had to do was show up at the proper time. Lori was dressing at the Williams' home at Clara's insistence. She was Lori's matron of honor and Ed and Mike would escort the bride down the aisle. Finn was the best man, and little Fiona was the flower girl. The twins, Eamon and Quinn, were too young to be ring bearers. Kono and Finn had their hands full with those two. They were little hellions and Finn couldn't have been more proud. They were the spitting image of their father.
The wedding went off without a hitch. The bride was radiant and the groom was also beaming. Both said their vows without any hesitation. Steve was able to dance a slow dance with Danny before his ankle started to throb. It was a beautiful night, and the count to Christmas was down to four days.
December 21st is my anniversary with my husband Steve. This year is our 40th anniversary. I wanted Cliff and Lori to have a special day. I have also added the recipe for the chocolate pudding/pie to my profile. I had to pick through Mom's recipe box to find it. I used a frozen pie shell to make the pie and found the crust had gotten soggy. Dad used to eat the pudding over warm biscuits so I might try that. The flavor was as good as I remembered and my family requested that I make it again soon. Hope you enjoy the recipe and the latest addition to the Family Life series.