Mari & Ilna—you guys are the awesomest awesome that ever awesomed. I am so incredibly grateful for your love and support every day. You have made every minute of this journey a pleasure and I am sooooo excited about what's coming up.

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Part of the Plan (1/1)

Sidestreet

Friday 6:30 P.M.

"So you decided to go with a new deck as your next remodeling project?" Chin asked Steve and Catherine as a pretty young waitress made her way towards them. She placed a double order of chicken wings in the center of the table which already held multiple half-eaten appetizer platters.

"Can I get you anything else," she asked with a smile.

"One more round of drinks would be great, thanks," Chin replied in kind.

The team had spent the previous three days pursuing a dangerous multiple murderer all over the island. The hours had been insanely long and the capture had been treacherous but with the man now safely in custody they decided to stop at Sidestreet to unwind a little before heading home.

"We did," Catherine smiled brightly. "We spend so much time outside it seemed to make the most sense." She snagged a stuffed mushroom cap off Steve's plate and popped it in her mouth.

"Plus," Danny added, "since you guys host most of the barbecues and team get-togethers it'll be something we all … but especially me … can get a lot of use out of."

"Well, of course, whether or not you'd get any use out of it played a major role in our decision," Steve said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.

"Crack wise all you want, Steven, but if that was actually true," Danny leaned forward and stabbed a chicken wing with his fork, "you would have gone with the media room. But I'm a patient man. That can be next."

"Don't hold your breath," Catherine said. "I think the bathroom is gonna be next. We just need to make sure all the logistics are right. Because you know those stone walls and vessel sinks … "

"Enough." Danny held up his hands in front of him. "We don't need the details of why certain bathroom fixtures won't work for the two of you."

Steve smirked.

"Well you kinda asked for it," Kono pointed out as she surveyed the plates in the center of the table before choosing a bacon-wrapped scallop.

"You know your dad talked about maybe building a deck on the beach house," Chin said as he settled back in his chair and took a long swallow of his beer.

"Really?" Steve leaned forward, his interest piqued. "I never knew that."

"He helped the neighbor a few doors down from you build one." Chin struggled to remember the details. "The guy had just moved in and he had small kids and the deck that was on the house wasn't safe. So your dad helped him tear it off and build a new one. I think his name was Frank something."

"Frank Kayama?" Steve asked.

"That's it," Chin nodded definitively.

"He lives five houses down the beach," Steve shook his head. "I see that deck every day when I go for a run. I never knew my dad helped build it. That's … pretty cool."

"That's very cool," Catherine smiled as she reached over and squeezed his knee.

"I remember John was really impressed with how it turned out." Chin's face softened at the memory. "He said he thought he'd like one of his own. As I recall Frank offered to return the favor and help him if he ever decided to build one."

"Maybe we can stop in and talk to him this weekend," Steve suggested as he covered Catherine's hand with his own. "See if he remembers any specific plans Dad might have had in mind."

"I think that sounds great," Catherine nodded. "That way we can incorporate your dad's ideas into our design."

"That would be amazing," Steve smiled broadly at the thought. It never crossed his mind that his father may have been planning on making any changes to the beach house before his death. Now that he knew he hoped there was some way they could include John's ideas, even in a small way, in their own plans.

Kayama Residence

Saturday 11:45 A.M.

"Are you sure I can't get you a little something to eat," Kathy Kayama offered as Steve and Catherine sat on the back deck reminiscing with her and her husband Frank about the weeks John McGarrett spent helping build it not long after they moved in.

"No, thank you, we're fine," Steve and Catherine said in unison.

"My wife likes to feed anyone who sits still for more than few minutes," Frank laughed. "It's her Italian heritage. If my mother-in-law was here we'd be on the third course by now."

"We understand completely," Catherine assured him with a chuckle.

"I wish I could tell you more about what John had planned for the deck at your place but I just don't think he ever got too far into the actual design," Frank said apologetically. "He just said he wanted one and I was going to help him build it, heck I owed him that much after all the work he did here, but … well … we never got around to it." He shook his head sadly.

"It's okay," Steve said quietly. "We just … figured we'd ask. We're getting ready to build and we thought if there was something specific he had in mind we could incorporate it."

"Well, one thing I can tell you for sure," Kathy gave her husband a knowing look. "He would want you to make sure the spindles on the railings are spaced close together."

Frank laughed and nodded. "That he would."

"Am I missing something," Steve asked. "It sounds like there's a story there."

"After a few weeks of spending every spare minute we had working on the deck we were finally almost done. All that was left was installing the railings. So your dad and I decided we could build them ourselves," Frank chuckled. "No pre-fab job for us. By the time we reached that stage of the project we fancied ourselves real carpenters."

"Oh they were full of themselves for sure," Kathy chimed in.

The Kayama's obvious joy at the memory was infectious and Steve and Catherine couldn't help but smile.

"We spent two long days measuring every single spindle, making sure they were all exactly even," Frank continued the story. "It was late Sunday by the time we were done but we couldn't wait for Kathy and the kids to come out and see the finished product."

"The kids were ready for bed but I brought them out in their pajamas," Kathy said. "And Frank Jr. promptly walked across the deck, leaned out to look through the railing and got his head stuck between the spindles."

"Oh no," Steve and Catherine laughed. "Was he ok?"

"He was fine," Frank said. "But we had to take the railing apart to get him out. Needless to say we spent the next weekend moving all the spindles closer together."

Steve looked at the finished product and smiled. "Well, it looks great."

"It really does," Kathy agreed. "They did a wonderful job. They made a few bad cuts and had to keep going back for more wood but in the end it was all worth it."

"Hey, that reminds me," Frank slapped his hand on his knee, "We got all the decking material over at Oleani's Lumber. Your dad spent quite a bit of time over there talking to the owner, Oke. Maybe he mentioned something to him about plans for his own deck."

"It certainly can't hurt to take a trip over and ask," Steve said.

Kathy looked at her watch. "It's almost noon," she said. "Now you have to let me fix you a little lunch. I insist."

"Never argue with an Italian woman intent on feeding you," Frank said. "Stay for lunch. We can talk more about your dad."

Steve glanced at Catherine who smiled and nodded then he turned back to Kathy and Frank. "Thanks, that'd be great."

Oleani's Lumber Yard

Honolulu

Saturday 4:00 P.M.

Steve and Catherine made their way across the lumber yard towards a man who had been pointed out to them as the owner, Oke Oleani. He was inspecting a load of boards that had just been delivered and Steve extended his hand as he approached.

"Mr. Oleani? I'm Steve McGarrett," he said as Oke reached out to shake his hand. "This is Catherine Rollins."

"Pleasure to meet you," Oke smiled as he shook Catherine's hand. "Steve McGarrett? Are you John McGarrett's boy? I heard you were back on the island."

"Yes," Steve smiled. "Frank Kayama told us you knew my dad."

"I did indeed," Oke smiled. "He was a good man. Helped me out a couple of times with some vandals here at the lumber yard. I was very sorry to hear about what happened to him. Men like your father are one in a million."

"Thanks," Steve nodded, momentarily choked up. He knew what a good man his father was but it always touched him to hear others talk about John McGarrett in such glowing terms.

"Frank told us John might have talked to you about his plans to put a deck on his house," Catherine said, giving Steve a minute to compose himself.

He squeezed her hand gratefully.

"I know it was a few years back but if you could remember anything we'd be grateful. We're getting ready to add a deck and we thought maybe we could incorporate his vision into our plans."

Oke stopped suddenly and his eyes got unexpectedly damp. "Well I'll be damned," he said as he cleared his throat. "I'll be damned."

"What is it?" Catherine asked. "Are you ok?"

Oke nodded, barely able to find his voice. "I'm fine … just … follow me, please," he said as he headed towards the nearest building. They entered through a loading dock door, made their way past piles of boards waiting to be milled and finally found themselves in a cluttered space that served as his office.

"I never really understood … " he started then trailed off. He rubbed his hand over his face and tried again. "I mean … I don't know even what made me keep it. I just … couldn't throw it away. Something wouldn't let me throw it away."

"Throw what away," Steve asked as he shared a puzzled look with Catherine.

Oke crossed to the corner of the office. He pushed aside a pile boxes and a large piece of wood with several different stain colors being sampled on it and finally he found what he was looking for. He extracted a single railing spindle then turned and held it out to Steve and Catherine.

"What's this," Steve asked as he took the perfectly milled piece of wood.

"I suppose Frank told you about the issue they had with his railing spindles," Oke smiled.

"He did," Catherine replied.

"I saw John a few weeks later and he told me he spent so much time working with those darn spindles and it finally dawned on him how they were pretty much the most important part of the whole deck. He said he had an idea of what he wanted the spindles on his deck to look like. He sketched it on a piece of paper and left it with me. I promised to mill it out and have a sample for him to look at next time he came in but … well he never got a chance."

"Are you saying this is his design," Steve ran his finger reverently along the spindle as Catherine fought valiantly to hold back tears.

"It is indeed," Oke said. "Drawn with his own hand. I milled one and it was here in my office waiting for his approval. After he died I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it but I never offered the design to anyone either. It just didn't feel right."

Steve took a minute to compose himself then turned to Catherine. He knew immediately by look on her face she was thinking the exact same thing he was. Still he had to ask. "What do you think? Are these ok with you?"

"They are absolutely perfect," she said in a wobbly voice.

"I think your dad is the one who wouldn't let me get rid of it," Oke said. "He's up there somewhere smiling down. He knew this moment would come and he wanted me to be ready. It's like it was part of his plan."

"I like to think you're right," Steve said around the lump in his throat. "Mr. Oleani … "

"Please call me Oke."

"Would you be willing to make us a batch of these spindles? I'm not sure how many yet. We haven't even figured out what size deck we want. But once we do …"

"It would be my honor," Oke said. "I'll make every one with my own hands."

"Thank you," Steve said sincerely.

"We really appreciate it," Catherine said as she wiped the dampness from her cheeks.

"Can I take this one with me?" Steve asked hopefully.

"Of course you can," Oke smiled. "It's been sitting her all these years waiting for you. Just let me know when you're ready to order."

"We will," Steve assured him. "It'll be soon."

They thanked Oke again and said their goodbyes then made their way out of the building and walked silently across the parking lot, each lost in their own thoughts. As they reached the truck Steve stopped. "It's kind of crazy. First Chin remembered that my dad wanted to build a deck, then the Kayama's had that great story about Frank Jr. getting his head stuck, and Frank thought to send us to see Oke and now …" Steve looked at the spindle in hands with awe. "My dad designed this. I mean … I can hardly wrap my mind around it."

Catherine placed her hands on the sides of his face and looked into his eyes. "Oke was right, Steve. This was absolutely meant to be. It's amazing that we'll be able to have your dad be a real part of our deck design. It feels right. No more than that. It feels … perfect."

"You are amazing," Steve said as he leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips. "I love you."

"I love you," she replied softly.

Steve opened the passenger's side door and waited for Catherine to get into the truck then closed it. As he made his way around the front of the truck to the driver's side he looked at the spindle in his hands then cast a quick glance skyward. "Thanks, Dad," he said softly. "I'll make sure I space them right."

THE END

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