Notes: Thanks to Mari and Sammy for your encouragement and support, always. And, as pretty much always, thanks to SuperSammy for the title :-)
Readers and REAL McRollers - Thank you for your support!
*Michael first appeared in the story Better Late Than Never.
Hope you enjoy!
That Same Smile (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
Steve answered the knock at the door with Angie balanced in one arm and smiled broadly in greeting at the man on the other side.
"Michael, welcome," he said, offering his hand.
"Thanks, Steve," Michael Young replied as the two men shook hands warmly. "And this, of course, is Angie."
"It is," Steve said with a smile at his daughter who held his t-shirt in a firm grip. "This is the guy I was telling you about, Angie, remember? Michael, my old friend from when we were kids. He's on the island for a conference and he's gonna have dinner with us tonight."
"Ahh ya!" Angie said, bouncing in Steve's arms.
"Hello to you, too," Michael said, smiling. "And Cammie I remember." He bent to greet the dog who had approached to sniff at his pants.
"Catherine'll be home in a little bit," Steve said as he closed the door. "The governor has a town hall meeting tomorrow so they're still prepping for that. Plus she figured you and I could catch up."
"Hardworking and thoughtful, your wife."
"Yes, she is."
"Still trying to figure out what she sees in you," Michael teased.
Steve grinned. "You'll have to ask her." He nodded to the kitchen. "Do you want a beer?"
"That sounds great."
"Make yourself comfortable," Steve said as he headed into the kitchen. When he returned a moment later with two bottles, Michael had taken a seat in the armchair and was rubbing Cammie's head. "Here you go."
"Thanks," Michael said, accepting the bottle.
Steve set his own on the coffee table and turned to put Angie down on her playmat before taking his own seat on the floor. He shifted a few of her toys closer, leaving them just out of reach to encourage her to figure out a way to get them.
"Is she crawling yet?" Michael asked. He held his bottle out. "Cheers."
"Cheers," Steve returned, clinking bottlenecks in a quick toast before taking a drink. "She's not crawling yet, but she finds ways to move. Sometimes unintentionally."
As if to demonstrate, Angie reached for her favorite set of plastic keys and lost her balance, toppling onto her side. Unfazed, she rolled to her tummy and picked up the keyring, now in reach, and banged it on the mat with a triumphant smile.
"Won't be long," Steve said confidently.
Michael looked around. "Got any baby proofing plans in the works?"
"We did quite a bit when my niece was a toddler." He nodded at the stairs. "The railings on the stairs and the second floor landing were the big things."
"Oh yeah," Michael said. "You know, I was so focused on the deck and the kitchen remodel the last time I was here, I didn't even notice." He chuckled. "So I guess that means you did a good job."
"Thanks."
"Did you think at the time that you weren't just baby proofing for your niece, but for your own eventual family?"
Steve smiled slowly, looking at Angie who had rolled onto her back and was kicking happily as she chewed on her keys. "Yeah," he said quietly. "The thought definitely crossed my mind."
The two continued to catch up on what they'd been doing since they last saw each other at Steve and Catherine's wedding.
"Hey, how's Cody doing?" Michael asked after he'd told Steve about his parents' recent cruise trip.
Steve smiled. "He's doing really well. He's in the middle of his second semester in college."
"That's great. Has he decided on a major?" He put his empty beer bottle on the coffee table next to Steve's.
"Political science."
"Nice."
"Yeah, he's been interning in the governor's office for almost two years."
"Two years?" Michael repeated, impressed. "Wow."
"He's actually been there longer than Catherine. Started before Governor Denning resigned and they asked him to stay on."
"That's really great. Not that I had any doubt. I could tell he was special when I met him three years ago."
Steve nodded. Beside him, Angie was kicking her legs and swinging her arms arrhythmically, entertaining herself, when she suddenly let go of her keyring and it flew several feet from her. She looked around in confusion and Steve reached for the keys and gave them back to her.
"There you go, Angie," he said.
Her brow smoothed immediately and she smiled, going right back to her little game.
"He was kind of shy then," Michael went on, smiling at the interaction, "but I was a stranger so that made sense. He was definitely more outgoing at the wedding."
"He's always been pretty mature," Steve said. "He's had to be. But he's gotten a lot more confident the last few years."
"No surprise there, hanging out with you so much."
Steve just smiled in response.
"Hey, you'll like this," Michael said, reaching into his back pocket for his phone. He unlocked it and scrolled to find a particularly picture. "Here. Remember I told you I signed up for Big Brothers Big Sisters after we reconnected and got matched up with a kid?" He held the phone out so Steve could see the two faces in the selfie. "That's my Little Brother Evan. We went to an Arizona League game last summer."
Steve smiled. "Looks like you had a good time."
"Yeah, admission is free but he'd never been before. The kid loves baseball. We play catch a lot."
"How old is he now?"
"Just turned thirteen. He's been dealt a tough hand, but he's a good kid."
"I'm glad you decided to be a mentor, that's really great."
"All thanks to you and Cody. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I don't know if I would have ever considered it if I hadn't seen the two of you together. And you were totally right, it's amazing how it goes both ways."
"It does," Steve agreed. "I know I'm different because I met Cody. I'm better because of him."
"I hope one day Evan and I are as close as you guys. We talk a little, but mostly we just hang out and play games."
"Stick with it," Steve said. "That's the most important thing. It'll take time to earn his trust. And he's still young."
Michael nodded. "I know. The time we spend together is important, no matter what we do."
"That's right."
"Ah bah yah," Angie said, joining the conversation. She'd rolled back to her tummy and smiled up at them.
"You think so, too, huh?" Steve said, smiling back at her. He lifted her up and held her in front of him so her legs were stretched out and her feet touched the floor.
She giggled, one hand going to her mouth, and pushed against the floor with one foot then the other.
"Who's my big girl?"
"Ah ah!" she cried, arms flapping happily.
"Mommy's gonna be home soon and then we'll eat."
"Ee ah!"
"Can you say Mama? Come on, Angie," he encouraged. "Ma ma."
"Ah ah ah," she imitated.
"Ma ma ma."
Michael smiled, watching them. "Figured you'd want her to say Dada first."
Steve glanced at him then focused back on Angie, smiling softly. "Yeah, well … our secret. Right, Angie?"
She reached for him and he brought her closer, settling her against his chest. He smiled when she snuggled against him.
Michael paused, taking in the scene, then said, "You know, when I was here three years ago, I noticed how relaxed you were. How you were just so … happy with your life. I think it stood out to me because I wasn't totally happy with my own life at the time." He pushed on, not wanting to dwell on the low point in his life after his divorce. "But I was glad you were. After everything, you deserved that." He smiled. "And now after these big changes: getting married and having a baby … you're relaxed and happy in a different way." He laughed lightly, shaking his head at himself. "That sounds corny, but it's true."
"That is corny," Steve agreed, smiling wryly. His expression softened. "And it's true." He smiled down at Angie. "I'm happier than I've ever been. I don't know about … deserving anything, but … I am grateful. Because this life is more than I ever thought I'd have."
Angie grasped the collar of his shirt, giving it a little tug. "Uh bah."
Steve smiled and kissed her head, then looked at his childhood friend steadily. "I hope you get to this point, too, Michael. Not necessarily married with a kid, unless that's what you want, but … really happy with your life."
"Thanks, Steve," Michael said sincerely. "I'm still figuring it out, but I do like my life right now. As for whatever comes next …" He nodded to Steve, smiling at his friend's contented expression. "I can only hope it puts that same smile on my face."
Hope you enjoyed!
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