Sammy and Ilna - thank you for making everything 'more'. More fun, more exciting, more REAL. And the plethora of birthday emails!
Love you both.
REAL McRollers and Readers thanks for all the birthday wishes! Much appreciated!
All Except One
Steve shifted Angie in his arms and kissed her cheek. "That's a Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal. It's the highest marksmanship award in the Navy ... and this one is called the Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal, with a gold award star."
"Ahhh ba eee," Angie pointed and looked between the display and her daddy's face.
"Exactly. Your mommy's very brave. And brilliant." He tapped the baby's nose, eliciting a laugh. "And beautiful, just like you."
"Ba ba ba!" She tapped the plexiglass and Steve pointed to another commendation.
"Okay, you wanna know about that one? That's a bronze star. Mommy got it for saving two people during an artillery barrage." He closed his eyes briefly at the thought of Catherine under fire. "After she dragged a civilian to safety she went back to get a wounded ensign out of a burning jeep." Steve placed his forehead against his daughter's and she stilled for a few seconds before saying "eeeeeee" softly.
"Grandma and Grandpa had that shadow box made for her when she reserved her commission because they're very proud of your mommy, just like we are."
As he tugged Angie's US NAVY SEALs - The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday T-shirt down from where it had ridden up out of her tiny khaki leggings, his eyes fell on the medal whose flip side held the simple inscription For Military Merit. Looking at the relief profile of George Washington in a continental army uniform, he told her, "and you can be anything you want but who knows, maybe you'll have a box of medals someday. Just like your Mommy."
"And Daddy."
Angie turned at the sound of the familiar voice. She'd reached towards her mommy as soon as Catherine entered the den after a post-swim with Cammie shower. Steve passed her their daughter and leaned down to kiss her as she said, "Like Daddy said, we'll be proud of you no matter what you choose to do. And if what you chose was to serve, we'd be honored to watch as you earn every single medal we did, baby girl." Her tone softened as she pointed at the display of medals and commendations. "All except one." Her gaze met Steve's. "Right?"
He placed an arm around his wife's shoulder and pulled her close. Embracing them both, he said, "definitely right."
The seriousness of the moment was broken when Angie patted both hands against her mother's chest and giggled, "ohhh eeee!" at something that amused only her. Catherine lifted her above her head to elicit more laughter then snuggled her close, peppering her face with kisses to keep her chuckling. Her success at doing so made both parents smile broadly.
"So … medal and insignia recognition class, Commander?
"The shadow box got her attention. She asked about it." He shrugged with a smile.
"She did, huh? Is that right, baby girl? You asked about Mommy's service?"
"Absolutely. Now she knows that in addition to being the best chief of staff in the world and an outstanding member of the task force, her mommy's also a decorated naval officer."
"Thank you." Her brows rose. "And really? She knows all that?
"Of course. She's very astute." he grinned.
"Should we skip Pre-K and apply for the Academy?"
"Works for me as long as the regs allow us to go with her. At least til she's eating solid food."
The smile he gave her was one that made her want to kiss him senseless, and she leaned in for an 'I'm holding our daughter now, but just wait til later' version of just such a kiss.
When they separated, his eyes were amused and hungry at once and he ran a hand down her side to the curve of her waist.
"Babbababababahhhhh!" Angie interjected and shoved her fingers into her mouth.
"Are you ready for lunch?" Steve laughed lightly. "I think our lesson's over and I think someone's getting hungry." He pointed as Catherine extracted her necklace from Angie's other hand before she could put that in her mouth. "How about we take a walk to Bakery & Table?" He suggested a cafe that was a ten minute walk from the house.
"Perfect, I'm starving, too." She bounced the baby who chortled, causing both parents to grin. "Let me grab the diaper bag and change my shoes." She passed Angie to him. "Oh, I think I want the Chicken Flatbread with a side of rice," she said over her shoulder as she moved to grab her and Angie's things.
Steve met her at the door with Angie happily in her stroller munching on some Puffs to hold her over. "Ready? Cammie's got fresh water and a new deer antler," he said and nodded towards the dog who'd settled for a apres-swim nap on her bolster bed.
"We won't be long, pretty girl," Catherine went to kiss her before the trio stepped outside and began the short walk to the cafe for lunch.
Later that afternoon, Steve returned from walking Cammie to find Catherine on the sofa with Angie in her lap. Several photos were on the side table as she held one for the baby to see.
"And this is after a mission in Uzbekistan. Your daddy met me and we had a wonderful two week leave in Ankara, that's in Turkey." She kissed the baby's head. "He got a Silver Star for that mission."
Steve joined them and Angie flapped her hands, clapping them against her legs. "Ah ah ah."
"That's right. A Silver Star. Because Daddy's very, very brave." Her eyes caught his even as she spoke to the baby. "That's another medal you might earn if you decide to serve, because you're our brave girl, aren't you? But remember, you can do anything you want, okay?"
"Continuing the lesson?" He asked, his gaze on the scattered photos containing images of himself in various places and duty stations, both alone and with Catherine.
"Just making sure she knows her daddy's the bravest man I know." She smiled up at him and when the baby mirrored her expression, Steve's heart swelled at how much they looked alike in that moment. "And has quite a few medals of his own."
"I spent a lot of time in-country," he shrugged and addressed Angie, who had once again grabbed Catherine's necklace and was holding it in one tiny fist. "And let me tell you, dropping with bad intel isn't pretty. Your mommy prevented me and my team, and a lot of other people from doing that more times than I can count." He reached for a particular photo and held it up. "That's Landstuhl. I don't remember this being taken."
"Freddy sent me that. I wanted proof you were in one piece until I was able to get there." Her eyes were soft. "I printed it and carried it til I arrived. "
Touched, he raised a hand to her cheek. "It was just a concussion," he reflected on his team's firefight with members of a terrorist cell posing as Afghani locals. "I got off pretty easy."
"Thank God." She shook her head a bit to dislodge the memory and leaned over Angie to kiss him. "You scared the hell out of me that time. The communication said 'head wound' so when I could finally get through to somebody I asked Freddy for a picture because it was gonna take me two days to get to you." She turned to Angie who'd grown sleepy and was snuggling against her chest. "That resulted in Daddy being awarded that one medal we never want you to earn," she whispered as she kissed her.
Steve's eyes left his wife's and landed on his daughter. "Exactly," he said with feeling. He thought of Catherine's medal and his own, with one and three respective oak leaf clusters.
She remembered the times she'd been terrified at a burst or communication informing her Steve had been injured as she looked at Angie dozing in her arms. For the hundredth time since her daughter's birth, Catherine understood her parents' perspective a tiny bit better than before.
Running a gentle finger over the baby's smooth cheek she whispered, "That's because Mommy and Daddy want to keep you safe forever. So, please, baby girl, no Purple Hearts for you."
#End thanks for reading.
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