Mari & Ilna-Under the circumstances, best wishes hardly seem enough. Thanks are in order. Thank you for your companionship, for your stamina, your horse sense, and a hundred and one laughs. I also enjoyed looking at your shining hair and your shining face.
Sandy- Forget it! I'm stayin' right where I am. It's gonna take you and the police department and the fire department and the National Guard to get me outta here!
REAL Worlders-I was gonna get you a tie clip or some shaving lotion, but I didn't know what you'd like.
Today's ANs brought to you by Norma Rae
Let's Do This (1/1)
"Chas, thanks for agreeing to have lunch with me. I hope I didn't keep you waiting," Catherine said warmly as she approached a window table at Hatsuhana restaurant after making her way through the bustling throng of lunch patrons quickly filling the restaurant.
"Not at all," he smiled as he stood and pulled out her chair. "I just got here a few minutes ago myself."
Catherine was no sooner seated than a smiling waiter in a well pressed black and white uniform approached with a pitcher of ice water.
"Can I bring you a beverage while you're deciding on lunch?" he asked as he filled her glass.
"Just iced tea, please," she smiled.
Chas perused his menu. "I've never eaten here before. What's good?"
"Everything," Catherine grinned. She and Steve loved the food and stopped occasionally for dinner on nights when they worked late or when neither felt like cooking. "But the sushi especially."
"Sushi it is then," Chas said decisively.
Seconds later the waiter returned with Catherine's iced tea and seeing both menus closed asked, "Are you ready to order?"
"I think we are." Catherine looked at Chas who nodded in the affirmative. "I'll have the Tokujo sushi," she said as she passed the young man her menu.
"I'll have the same," Chas nodded, handing over his as well.
As the waiter made his was across the crowded dining room towards the kitchen Catherine turned to her lunch companion. "So … you probably think it's strange … me calling and asking you to have lunch with me out of the blue."
"I assume this is about Lea offering you the chief-of-staff position," Chas smiled knowingly.
Catherine's face registered surprise. "She told you?"
"No, she didn't say a word." Chas unbuttoned his suit jacket and smoothed his tie. "But with Lisa heading to DC and the fact that Lea has been raving about you since the first day you worked together on the human trafficking case … well let's just say it didn't take a rocket scientist to connect the dots."
"It's certainly an enticing offer," Catherine said honestly. "But I guess I don't need to tell you that."
Chas nodded. "When Governor Denning offered me the position I managed to hold it together until I made it to the parking lot at which point I let out a celebratory scream that nearly scared the woman in the next car to death."
Catherine chuckled.
"But that was a different situation," he continued. "I'd been dreaming of working in politics since college. I get the impression that's not the case with you."
"Definitely not," Catherine said. "Quite honestly until Lea made the offer the thought had never crossed my mind. I did major in Political Science at the Academy, and I loved it, but I always pictured myself using my degree in a more macro way like I did when I worked in intelligence. The idea of this kind of work … it's all new to me."
Chas leaned forward and placed his forearms on the table. "What are your concerns?"
"Am I that transparent?" Catherine grimaced.
He waved her off. "Not at all. But you wouldn't be human if you didn't have questions. And frankly the fact that you asked me here to lunch to discuss them convinces me Lea is making exactly the right choice."
She sipped her iced tea. "Why's that?"
"It shows me you're willing to admit there are things you don't know. And that the best way to remedy that is to ask questions of someone who might." He loosened his tie slightly. "That's not exactly common in politics. Heaven forbid some people let anyone believe they don't have all the answers. The voters might view that as a sign of weakness."
Catherine shook her head. "That seems like a counterproductive attitude."
"Welcome to politics," Chas grinned. "It's why assembling a good team is so important. You have to deal with a lot of people in this job, elected state officials, their staff members, department bureaucrats, the feds, and you'll be amazed how many of those people can't get out of their own way when it comes to getting things done."
"Sounds vaguely familiar," Catherine sighed.
Through her time in the Navy, and even at Five-0, she had sadly become well versed in how easily a person could get tangled in red tape.
"Thing is," Chas became more animated as he spoke, "you can't control any of them. All you can do is make sure your own staff doesn't get caught up in their mess. Surround yourself with good people and it can make a lot of the frustration go away. One of the things I'm proudest of from my term as chief of staff is that the governor's office ran smoothly. We completed projects. We met deadlines. Any hold ups in the legislative process weren't because we dropped the ball on our end."
"I'm a big believer in working as a team," Catherine assured him. "I consider myself a fast learner but I've never held a position anything like this before so if I decide to take the job I'm gonna need as many people as possible around me with experience in government work."
"The right team can make all the difference not only in helping you do your job more effectively but in helping move the agenda forward," Chas nodded. "Before I came to work for the governor I was deputy chief of staff for State Senator Ikauwa. My boss, the chief of staff, was so paranoid I was after his job he had me doing nothing but filing and running errands for months. First year in office the senator proposed no new legislation and, to be honest, didn't distinguish himself in any way. If the staff had been working together we could have taken him a lot farther. Instead he was voted out after one term."
Catherine shook her head ruefully. "I hate to hear things like that. Because the sad fact is that it's his constituents, the people he was supposed to be working for, who suffered. Think of all his missed opportunities to improve their lives."
"Exactly," Chas nodded. "It's a shame."
"That's not the way I do things," Catherine explained. "I always try to surround myself with smart people who have a clear vision of the goal, then I delegate responsibility and let them do their jobs. It's the best way to get things done in my opinion."
The waiter approached and delivered their sushi. After ascertaining neither wanted more to drink he told them to signal if they needed him and moved on to a new table that had just been seated.
"I can tell you really believe that. Which makes me even more sure you're the right person for the job." He popped a bite of sushi in his mouth. "Oh man, you were right. This is delicious."
"Some of the best on the island," Catherine grinned.
They spent a few minutes enjoying their food in silence then Chas wiped his mouth with his napkin. "I feel like there's still something you're unsure of in terms of the job."
Catherine nodded. He was a very perceptive man. "I love the idea of being able to have a positive effect on the lives of the people of Hawaii, and the chance to make real substantive change for people who are struggling and just need a hand up, but to be honest I'm also a newlywed and this is the first time during the course of our relationship Steve and I have been together full-time and Five-0 isn't exactly a nine to five gig but I … well … I like what we're building here, family and friends, and I have no intention of taking on a job that will pull me away from all that."
Chas's face held a look of understanding. "First off let me say that the office of the Governor of Hawaii is a busy place, doing important work, but it's not the White House. All the around the clock craziness you see in movies and on tv isn't what goes on here."
Catherine cocked her head. "Really?"
"Absolutely. I'm not saying it's a strict 9 to 5 but this notion that you have to sacrifice every other part of your life to serve the state is nonsense," he scoffed.
Catherine's face brightened. The time commitment was one of her biggest concerns about taking the job. "I'm very happy to hear you say that."
"It's been my experience there are two kinds of people working in government-at least here in Hawaii." Chas explained. "The first kind are people who live happy, well-adjusted lives with families and friends and interests outside of the latest budget numbers and vote counts who work hard at their jobs but also carve out ample time for themselves as well as their family and friends. The second kind are the people who are looking for a place to hide from … who knows what: bad relationships, empty apartments, the realization that they've sacrificed every shred of a social life in pursuit of career advancement …"
He speared another piece of sushi with his fork then continued.
"It's a stressful job. No question. And there are times when one crisis or another demands longer hours. But this idea that being chief of staff to the governor means 16 hour work days is a myth. Build a good team and share the load. Hire a staff you can trust then let them do their jobs. Where there's a will there's a way as long as you're not the kind of person who wants all the credit for herself."
"That's not me at all," she replied. "As I said I'm all about teamwork. I have no problem spreading the credit around to everyone who deserves it. I dealt with some people early on in my naval career who liked to talk about how useless all the sailors in their command were. I guess they felt like it made them look better that they could rise above the incompetence they were surrounded by. But all it ever really did was create morale problems and an atmosphere where there was very little desire to work hard. I always promised myself when I had a chance to be in a leadership role I'd do exactly the opposite. And to this point I'm proud to say I think I've done that."
"That's good to know," Chas smiled. "That kind of atmosphere will make it a lot easier to deal with the obstructionists who make it their mission to stall every initiative you come up with. Not to mention the critics who always think they could do your job better than you."
"Is there a lot of that?"
"Some," he replied honestly. "This is politics after all and there are some people as concerned with making sure the folks on the other side of the aisle don't get any credit as they are with making sure they get it all. But I wouldn't worry too much about that. Lea is a lot like Governor Denning. She's really good at bringing people together, regardless of party, and getting them moving towards a common goal. From what I know of you, you seem like the same kind of person."
"Thanks," Catherine smiled.
"And as far as the critics who have no real ideas of their own but like to sit back and lob rocks and claim they could do the job better than you, I'm thinking maybe all those years in the Navy gave you a thick enough skin to deal with them."
Catherine chuckled. "I'm always open to constructive criticism but I learned a long time ago that some people pick just to pick. Those people I ignore."
"The political world needs more people like you," Chas chuckled. "Before I forget … going back to surrounding yourself with good people to help distribute the load, if you'd indulge me for a minute I'd like to put in a word for Marliyah Jackson. She's great at her job, she's smart, she's politically savvy, she knows the day to day stuff plus understands all the dynamics between the lawmakers. I think she'd be a real asset."
"I … I mean obviously having not decided to take the job yet I hadn't started to think about staffing," Catherine stammered. "But Lea already has a deputy chief of staff. I assumed she'd take the position. She's been with Lea for years and she does a great job."
"Of course she does," Chas replied quickly. "I didn't mean hire Marliyah instead of Tara. I meant keep them both. They each have their own skill set and bring a lot to the table. I think they'd both be tremendous assets."
Catherine's eyebrows knit together. "Two deputies? Is that even possible?"
"It is if you want it to be," Chas nodded. "Every administration creates their own structure. You just have to make it work within the operating budget. My guess is it'd be more than worth making a few cuts elsewhere."
"Do you think she'd be interested in staying on?" Catherine asked hopefully.
"I think she would be," Chas nodded. "You'd have to talk to her of course but I think so. She loves the job and I know she gets along well with Lea."
"Having someone like her around, who knows exactly how things work, would certainly make the transition a little smoother. And Cody Allen always tells me how great she is to work for and how she inspires everyone to do their best." Catherine couldn't hide the excitement in her voice. "Lea has already told me she wants to hit the ground running. I'm sure she doesn't want to practically live at the office the first few weeks getting organized."
"Marliyah can definitely help with that," Chas replied confidently. "Take it from me, Governor Denning was home for dinner with his family at least four or five nights a week. Because he made it a priority. And if I'm gonna be honest a lot of the late nights I spent in my office were because I really didn't have anything to go home for."
"I'm sorry," Catherine said sincerely.
"Don't be," he smiled. "It was my own choice. I'm a workaholic. It's just who I am. But you don't need to be. Find a way that works for you then stick to it. I'm sure you'll have Lea's complete backing. I assume she's gonna run when the next election comes around, and one of her biggest selling points is gonna be that she's an involved mom and a loving wife. Someone who understands the issues real people face because she's one of them. Not an automaton that spends 16 hours a day at work. I think she'll do everything she can to create a work environment that reflects that."
"I believe that too," Catherine smiled.
"And trust me," Chas grinned, "You'll have no trouble finding a few workaholics like me more than happy to put in long hours if necessary as a way to pad their resumes."
"Speaking of resumes," Catherine pushed her plate away and took a sip of iced tea, "what's next for you?"
"Thanks for asking. I'm actually opening my own political consulting firm," he said proudly. "I've discovered over the last few years that the nitty gritty of the election process and the way voters absorb policy information is where my real interest lies."
"Sounds fascinating. So you'll be staying on the island?"
He nodded. "That's the plan. Hopefully I'll be able to parlay some of my contacts into business for the coming election cycle."
"Maybe the new governor could be one of your first clients," Catherine suggested.
"Is that an offer from her chief of staff?" Chas teased.
Catherine's eyes sparkled. "Not yet but … stay tuned."
Chas wiped his mouth and dropped his napkin on his plate. "Seriously, if you take the job, and for the record I hope you do, I'll be available as a sounding board should you ever need one."
"I'll keep that in mind … if I take the job that is," she grinned.
By the time Catherine returned from lunch Steve and Danny were out chasing down leads on their latest case and when they finally made it back to the office Catherine and Kono were at HPD showing photo lineups to a dozen potential witnesses.
Since they were waiting for forensic results from the lab that weren't going to be available until morning Steve texted that he and Danny were calling it a day and he'd meet her at home. When she arrived he and Cammie were just entering the kitchen after a game of catch on the beach.
"Hey, how was your lunch?" he asked as he kissed her before opening the refrigerator and grabbing a bottle of cold water for himself and one to put in Cammie's bowl.
"Really good." Catherine leaned over and kissed Cammie on the head while scratching her behind the ears. "He talked up a lot of the good things about the job but he was also very honest about the not so good things."
Steve uncapped his water and leaned against the island beside her. "Not so good things?"
"No job is perfect," she shrugged.
"I guess that's true," Steve nodded. "Nothing you can't handle though."
"Is that a question," she smiled.
"Nope." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "It's a statement. I have no doubt you can handle anything the job throws at you."
"Thank you." She laid her hand on his forearm. "But you talk like I've already decided to take it."
"Haven't you?" he asked.
"I'm leaning that way," she admitted as she slid her arms around his waist. "But I want one more night to sleep on it just to be sure. So, Commander," she purred as she slipped her hands under the waistband of his shorts, "can you think of a way to help me relax and get my mind off the whole thing for a few hours?"
"I think I can help with that," he growled as he pulled her against him. "Maybe we should start with a naked Twister rematch."
"Catherine, come in," Lea said as she stood from her position behind her desk to greet the woman she hoped had come to accept her job offer.
Catherine stepped into the office and closed the door behind her. "I hope this isn't a bad time. I had a few free minutes and decided to take a chance you'd be available to talk. I don't want to interrupt anything."
"You're not," Lea smiled warmly and indicated the chair in front of her desk. "Have a seat. I'm not gonna lie … I'll be very disappointed if you're not here to tell me you intend to accept the job as my new chief of staff."
"Well it's never a good idea to disappoint your new boss right out of the gate," Catherine said excitedly.
"Yes!" Lea squealed and came around to hug Catherine. "I'm so happy. I can't even tell you."
"Well maybe don't get too happy yet. I need to ask you a big favor," Catherine said warily.
"Name it." Lea leaned against the front of the desk, her smile not fading a bit.
"I'd like it if we could avoid any kind of public announcement on this until I've had a chance to tell my family. They're coming to the island for Thanksgiving and I'd like to tell them in person if that's possible. And of course we need to tell the rest of the team."
"I can work with that," Lea agreed. "I'd like to get started on a few things as soon as possible but we can keep the circle of people who know what's going on relatively small."
Catherine exhaled with relief. "Steve and I talked this morning and I can finish up the case Five-0 is working on now then I can start spending some time here every day like I did when I was working on the human trafficking case."
"Sounds like a great plan," Lea said happily. "I'll get your security clearance started, I'm sure that'll fly right through, and then once the case you're working on is done we can sit down and map out an agenda for the next eleven weeks."
"Excellent," Catherine smiled broadly. "I'm eager to get started."
"Thanks for agreeing to get on this ride with me," Lea squeezed Catherine's shoulder. "I think we're gonna be able to help a lot of people."
"I think so too," Catherine said confidently. "But for right now I need to get back to work."
"I understand," Lea said as she moved back behind her desk. "If I need any information to get your security clearance going I'll let you know. While we're at it do you want me to clear Steve as well?"
Catherine looked confused. "Why Steve?"
"When I first got my clearance it was very frustrating for me that there were things I couldn't talk to Lance about because they were classified. He's my husband. He's my best friend. He's always been an invaluable sounding board for me. So after a few weeks I talked to Governor Denning and asked him if we could get Lance clearance and he was all for it. I can't tell you what a difference it makes being able to discuss things with the person closest to me."
Hearing those words Catherine's admiration for Lea grew even more.
"I hadn't even thought of that but … it would definitely be good to be able to talk to Steve about things."
"It doesn't diminish me as a woman in a position of power to admit I often feel the need to talk things out with my husband," Lea said matter of factly. "To be honest, I think it strengthens me."
Catherine smiled and nodded. "If I didn't know before I made the right decision that convinced me."
"We're gonna make positive changes for the people of Hawaii," Lea stated confidently.
Catherine smiled. "Let's do it."
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