Notes: Thank you, readers, for the incredible support – I continue to be amazed and grateful. Hope you enjoy this one!
And thanks to Sammy and Mari for the encouragement, the input, and the laughs. One month and counting, ladies!
This is for all the "Aunties" out there :-)
Curfew (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
Catherine was still at her desk finishing paperwork when she heard running footsteps. Thinking only Danny was left in the office, she looked up in confusion. She smiled broadly as Grace flung open her office door.
"Auntie Cath!" Grace exclaimed, running around the desk to hug her.
"Hey, Grace!" Catherine returned the hug enthusiastically. "I didn't know you were coming by today." She glanced over at the door as Danny entered.
"Mom just dropped me off," Grace explained.
"Last minute thing," Danny said. "Hey, do you and Steve want two tickets to the film festival tonight?"
"Ooh, that sounds nice, but Steve's out with friends tonight."
"Oh right, a couple of his SEAL buddies are in town. I forgot about that."
"Yeah, so he'll be out late, but thanks for the offer."
Danny sighed. "Well, maybe I could see if Amber knows anyone who wants them."
Catherine gave him a questioning look, and he continued, motioning as he spoke. "She and I were supposed to go tonight, but with Grace coming early . . ."
Grace looked up at him and said, "Danno, you and Amber should go."
"Monkey, that would mean you'd be all alone and besides," he ruffled her hair, "I want to spend time with you."
"We have all weekend to spend together. And you shouldn't have to miss your date just because of me." She turned to Catherine. "Auntie Cath, tell Danno I'm old enough to stay home by myself."
"Oh, no," Catherine protested, wincing. "That is between you and your dad. Sorry, sweetie, I am not getting in the middle of that."
Grace sighed dejectedly.
Catherine smiled at her expression. "But . . . I may have a solution to the current problem." She glanced between the two. "What if I come over and Grace and I will hang out tonight?"
"Really?" Grace asked, her face brightening.
"Sure. It'll be fun."
"Oh, Catherine, you don't have to do that," Danny protested.
"I know I don't have to, I want to. I think I'm well overdue for a Grace Williams special manicure," she said, winking at Grace who beamed in response.
Danny bit his lip, clearly wavering. "Are you sure, Cath?"
"Of course I'm sure. Are you kidding? I could either go home to an empty house or spend the evening with the coolest girl I know. No contest."
Grace turned to face her father, clasping her hands in front of her and pleading, "Please, Danno?"
Catherine imitated her pose and echoed, "Please, Danno?"
He laughed. "Well, how am I supposed to say 'no' to that?"
"You're not," Catherine said. She waved a hand toward the door. "Go. I'm about done here. I'll take Grace home."
Grace turned to her, eyes wide. "In the Corvette?"
"Of course in the Corvette!"
"Yes!" Grace cheered, pumping both fists.
Danny laughed again. "Well, clearly I'm no longer needed here. Monkey," he said, hugging her. "Have fun, be good. In bed by ten. Catherine, thank you. I should be back by midnight."
"That's fine. Enjoy yourself." She turned to Grace. "Now, I'm thinking we swing by the store and get brownie mix and ice cream to make . . ."
"Sundaes!"
"Exactly!" Catherine agreed as the two high-fived.
Danny chuckled as he was forgotten in the midst of an animated girls' night planning spree.
After dinner at Kamekona's and a quick stop at the grocery store, Catherine and Grace arrived at the Williams' house. Grace ran to drop her bags in her bedroom before joining Catherine in the kitchen.
"Okay, how about we get these brownies going?" Catherine suggested. "I'm stuffed now, but I think by the time they're done baking I'll be ready for a sundae."
"Me, too."
"Then we are going to need . . . a big bowl, a spoon, and . . ." she glanced at the back of the box, "a measuring cup."
"And a pan," Grace added.
"Right. But you know what we need first?"
"What?"
"Music. Can't bake without music."
"I'll get my iPod!" Grace said, racing out of the kitchen without waiting for a response.
Catherine chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm and moved to pre-heat the oven.
Grace returned with her iPod and a portable speaker, setting them up on the counter.
"And what will we be listening to?" Catherine inquired.
Grace just grinned, pressing play.
It might seem crazy what I'm about to say . . .
Catherine nodded her approval and said, "Well, I'm certainly 'Happy.' And I'll be even happier once we get these brownies baking." She raised her eyebrows. "You get the bowl, I'll get the egg."
A few minutes later, the brownie pan was in the oven and the timer set. Catherine leaned on the island and swiped a finger along the inside of the mixing bowl. She licked the batter off her finger and smiled as Grace did the same.
"Well, we've got about forty minutes until the brownies are ready." She wiggled her fingers. "What do you think? Time for manicures?"
Grace's eyes brightened. "Definitely."
Catherine straightened and rubbed her hands together. "Okay." She pointed with both hands. "You go get set up in the living room. I'm going to wash these dishes real quick."
"Okay," Grace happily agreed, leaving the kitchen with a skip in her step.
Catherine put the spoon and measuring cup inside the mixing bowl, bringing them all to the sink together. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and set the bowl in the sink. Pulling out her phone, she looked at the screen and smiled when she saw Steve's face. Accepting the call, she said, "Hey."
"Hey," he replied. "I got a text earlier from Danny that you're 'awesome.' Not that I don't agree completely, but what specifically did you do this time that was so awesome?"
"Oh, Rachel dropped Grace off early and Danny was supposed to go out with Amber tonight. Grace didn't want him to miss his date, so I offered to hang out with her," she explained.
"Oh. Nice. Are you at our place?"
"No, we're at Danny's. Just put some brownies in the oven and now Grace is in her room getting her nail polish supplies ready for some home manicures."
"Danny was right. You are awesome. That was really great of you to do, Cath."
She waved off the compliment. "I'm having a blast. What about you?"
"Yeah, it's been good talking to the guys. Catching up, you know."
Catherine smiled, knowing he wouldn't say much else over the phone but she could tell he was genuinely enjoying himself. "Good, I'm glad."
"Looks like the next round is up. I'll see you later, okay?"
"Yup."
"Hug Gracie for me."
She smiled. "Will do. Have a Longboard for me."
"Roger that," he said with a chuckle.
Ending the call, she slipped her phone back into her pocket and turned to wash the dishes so that she could join Grace in the living room.
Nails freshly painted, Catherine and Grace relaxed on the sofa, each with a sundae bowl in hand.
Catherine swallowed a spoonful and said, "Mmm, nothing quite like a warm brownie with ice cream, huh?"
Grace nodded, her mouth too full to talk.
"Ooh, but I think you might need a little more whipped cream," Catherine said with a serious expression on her face as she picked up the can of Reddi-wip.
Grace giggled, looking at her bowl. "Where?" she asked in disbelief, turning the bowl to show that nearly every inch of brownie and ice cream was already covered in whipped cream.
Catherine leaned toward Grace's bowl with the can. "Right . . . about . . . there!" She suddenly changed direction and squirted a dollop on the girl's nose.
Grace squealed and jumped back, managing to keep hold of her bowl. "Auntie Cath!"
Catherine laughed and gave an unapologetic shrug. "Sorry, it had to be done."
Grace wiped her nose with her hand and licked the whipped cream off. She shook her finger at Catherine.
"I'll get you back."
"I bet you will."
"When you least expect it," she added, trying for a threatening look but failing completely as she couldn't stop giggling.
Catherine joined in her mirth. "Now you sound like your Uncle Steve."
Grace straightened, beaming with pride as she ate another spoonful of her sundae.
As the end credits scrolled up the screen, Grace looked at Catherine next to her on the couch.
"What movie was Danno going to see tonight?"
"You know, I don't know. He didn't say. But I'm sure he's having a good time."
Grace nodded.
Catherine turned to face her fully and said, "Grace, I have to tell you, I think it was very sweet that you wanted your dad to be able to keep his date with Amber. Very mature of you."
Grace smiled at the compliment before growing more serious. "He's been happy, I think. Don't you?"
"Yeah, I do," Catherine answered honestly. "But you know when he's happiest, right?"
"When I'm here?"
"You got it." The two shared a smile and then Catherine sighed. "Well, as much as I hate to be the responsible grown-up, I do recall your dad saying you should be in bed by ten." She glanced at her watch, wincing. "We went a little over that with the movie." She smiled conspiratorially. "But I won't tell if you won't."
"Deal," Grace agreed, standing. She hugged Catherine. "Thanks for coming over, Auntie Cath. I had so much fun."
"Mm, anytime, sweetie." She pulled back, smiling at Grace. "You know I love hanging out with you. I had just as much as fun. Honestly. There is no one I'd rather have girl time with than you."
Grace's smile stretched a mile.
"Night, Auntie Cath," she said.
"Good night, Grace," Catherine returned, smiling softly as she watched her disappear down the hall.
An hour later, Catherine looked over from the couch at the sound of a key turning in the lock. She was surprised to see Steve, not Danny, open the door.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" she asked with a smile.
"Heard this was the place to be tonight," he replied with a shrug, locking the door behind him. "Did I miss the manicures?"
"By about three hours."
"That's a shame." He came around the far side of the couch and sat beside her. "Let's see these nails," he said, reaching for one of her hands and holding it up for a better look. "Wow. Okay, I know I'm not an expert, but aren't they supposed to match?"
Catherine smiled and said, "Grace couldn't decide which color looked best on me, so I told her to use 'em all," she explained. "Luckily I also have ten toes." She straightened her legs and wiggled her toes to show off the rainbow of nail polish.
Steve chuckled. "Quite the statement, there."
"Yes, we have uh . . ." she pointed at her toes, naming each color, "Meet Me at Sunset, Sittin' Pretty, Foot Loose, Berry Naughty –"
"Enough, enough," he said, kissing her through her laughter. He pulled back and looked at her. "Okay, seriously, though, those weren't really the color names, were they? You're just messing with me."
"Oh no, see for yourself." She reached over and grabbed a bottle from the end table, handing it to him.
"Knockout Pout?" he read. He gave her a dubious look. "That has nothing to do with the color pink."
"Sure it does. Pout. You know, with your lips."
He made an annoyed face at her explanation.
"Yeah, like that," she said, pointing at his lips and smirking.
He gave her a mock glare and grabbed her hand, pulling it to the side and kissing her again.
Leaning back, he asked, "Someone actually gets paid to come up with those names?"
"Mmhm. Many someones."
"Unbelievable," he muttered.
He moved toward her lips again but stopped, glancing over his shoulder toward the hallway. Chuckling, he shook his head.
"What?" she asked.
He turned back to her. "You know, I kind of feel like a teenager, sneaking over to see you while you're babysitting after the kid's asleep."
She laughed lightly. "Don't think it quite fits the babysitter rendezvous fantasy if you have a key to the house."
"Was I supposed to climb in the window or something?"
"I think that's how it's supposed to go." She smirked at him." What? You never snuck over while Jenny Feldman was babysitting?" she teased.
"Why? You jealous?" he returned, shifting her to lean back against the arm of the couch and kissing her.
"Got this part of the fantasy right anyway," she murmured against his lips. She reached up to place her hands on either side of his neck, enjoying the leisurely kiss. With Grace asleep down the hall she knew he wouldn't go much further, and neither would she, but she certainly wasn't about to say no to a low-key make-out session.
Catherine and Steve were dozing on the couch, the television at low volume. Steve had his legs stretched out on the ottoman and Catherine was curled into his side, her legs tucked under her. Both stirred awake when the door opened, though neither moved when they recognized the man who entered.
"Little past curfew, aren't you, Danno?" Steve asked, rolling his head lazily along the back of the couch to look at his partner.
"Don't you 'Danno' me. What were you two doing on my couch while my eleven-year-old daughter sleeps in the next room?"
Catherine chuckled and straightened from her position against Steve's shoulder, stretching as he feigned outrage at the question.
"I am offended you think we would–"
"You know what?" Danny said, waving a hand. "Don't even finish that sentence. This is like some bad teen cliché. At least tell me you didn't sneak in through the window. God knows what the neighbors would think."
Catherine and Steve exchanged an amused look.
"Didn't you say there were brownies somewhere?" Steve asked her.
"In the kitchen," she replied.
Steve stood and walked around the couch, disappearing in search of dessert.
"You know, Danny," Catherine began, looking at him. "You're gonna have to start thinking about when Grace will be allowed to stay home alone." She continued quickly when he looked about to interrupt. "I mean, maybe not this year, but her birthday is around the corner and she's going to be a teenager before you know it."
Danny sighed, plopping down on the couch beside her. "Oh, you had to use the 't' word?"
She shook her head with an affectionate smile at his reaction. "Buck up, Danny, it's coming."
He groaned and rubbed his face with both hands.
"But until then," Catherine continued. "I'm more than happy to hang out with her whenever. We had a great time. You've got a very fun daughter there," she added genuinely.
"Which she definitely doesn't get from you," Steve said as he re-entered the room, a half-eaten brownie in hand.
Danny turned to face him. "What?! What are you talking about? I'm fun. I'm very fun."
"You wouldn't know fun if it bit you on the–"
"Oh, not this argument again," Catherine interrupted wearily, getting up from the couch. "Come on, Steve, I'm tired. Let's go home."
He grunted his agreement around a mouthful of brownie and moved to open the front door.
Danny stood and hugged Catherine briefly. "Thanks again, Cath. I really appreciate you watching Grace."
"It was my pleasure. Really." She joined Steve by the door where he slipped an arm around her shoulder.
Danny followed and said, "Even if you did let the Neanderthal into the house to fulfill some babysitter/boyfriend fantasy."
"I have a key," Steve protested.
Catherine looked back at Danny and shrugged innocently. "And just think, pretty soon it'll be Grace doing the babysitting."
Both men froze at the thought.
Steve's arm fell from her shoulder and Catherine smirked at the similarly distressed looks on both their faces. She walked out the door humming the chorus of "Happy," having triumphantly gotten the last word.
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