Mari & Ilna-If I had a penny for everything I love about you, I would have many pennies.
Sandy- I don't care if she is a pie genius. I wouldn't trade places with her.
REAL Worlders-I hope someday somebody wants to hold you for 20 minutes straight and that's all they do. They don't pull away. They don't look at your face. They don't try to kiss you. All they do is wrap you up in their arms and hold on tight, without an ounce of selfishness to it.
Today's ANs brought to you by Waitress
Finding Out (1/1)
McGarrett Rollins Home
Friday 7:00 A.M.
"Sooooooo," Steve said as he leaned against the bathroom door frame, clad only in his boxers, and watched Catherine towel dry after her shower.
She caught his eye in the mirror and smiled. "What?"
"Today's the first day with no … you know …" he grinned.
She turned to face him, her eyes twinkling. "No birth control pills?"
She'd taken the last pill from her current pack the previous morning, as instructed by her doctor, and had been surprised at the rush of emotion she felt when she threw it away, knowing she wouldn't be starting a new pack in the morning.
"Exactly." He waggled his eyebrows. "From now on every time we make love might be the time we create a new life."
She couldn't help but smile at his boyish enthusiasm.
"You know it won't happen right away, right? I mean … we've talked about that."
Steve nodded and took a few steps into the room until he was standing directly in front of her. "I know. We just have to relax and let nature take its course."
"That's what the doctor said," she confirmed.
"But he also said it wouldn't hurt to up our frequency."
Catherine snorted. "That's because he assumed we were only having sex a couple of times a week."
He tugged at the edge of the towel she had just finished wrapping around herself causing it to fall to the ground and puddle at her feet and his voice grew gravelly. "Doctors should never assume."
Her hands snaked seductively up his chest and linked behind his neck. "Actually what he said was that if nature doesn't take its course in three months or so we may need to up our frequency."
"I don't believe in leaving things for the last minute." He dipped his head and began kissing along her jawline.
She ran her bare foot up the back of his calf in a way she knew made her husband crazy and purred, "It's one of the many things I love about you."
With a wolfish smile and absolutely no warning Steve lifted her up and sat her on the counter. "Let's give nature a good headstart."
As her legs wrapped willingly around him there was just one thought in her head.
'It's a really good thing we didn't get vessel sinks.'
Kamekona's
Noon
"Ok what the hell is going on with you and Catherine?" Danny asked as he and Steve took seats at a picnic table in front of Kamekona's shrimp truck where they'd stopped to grab lunch on the way back from interviewing a suspect.
"What are you talking about?" Steve scoffed but Danny noticed his partner's eyes were suddenly focused on the fish wrap in front of him.
"Well, let's see," Danny said as he opened his bottle water of water and took a swig. "First thing is … I offered to get Catherine coffee this morning and she said … just half a cup, please."
Steve remained focused on his lunch. "So? She had an extra cup at home this morning."
"Really?" Danny asked skeptically. "She told me she rushed out of the house because she was afraid of being late."
"She was running late because of the extra coffee," Steve said as looked over Danny's shoulder at the shrimp truck.
He cringed inwardly.
That explanation sounded ridiculous even to him.
Danny took a bite of his garlic shrimp. "Try again."
Steve finally looked directly at Danny and tried for a convincing smirk. "Do you really want to know why we were running late this morning Danny?"
Danny's gaze locked on Steve. "AHA! Now you're intentionally trying to misdirect me with TMI."
Steve tried to look incredulous. "What?"
"You are!" Danny accused. "You would never offer up details of your sex life with Catherine out of the blue. You love and respect her too much for that. You're covering something up. What is it?"
Steve cleared his throat in an effort to stall for time. He was trying to decide what to do. He and Catherine hadn't specifically discussed whether or not they were going to tell people.
Danny watched patiently as a myriad of emotions passed across his best friend's face. Doubt and uncertainty for sure but also an undeniable amount of excitement and hope.
In a flash he knew exactly what was happening.
He felt a jolt run up his spine.
"Oh my gawd … I can't believe this … the two of you … this is fantastic!" he said excitedly.
Steve tried to hold back a grin. "What?"
"You're gonna have a baby!"
"Shhhhh," Steve said. "Lower your voice. I think there are a few people on the other side of the island who didn't hear you."
"I'm right though, aren't I?" Danny slapped his hands on the table excitedly.
"We've decided to try," Steve responded, unable to keep a bright smile off his face.
"That's … oh my gawd … congratulations. This is amazing."
Danny's genuine happiness was written all over his face.
"Thanks," Steve nodded.
"I knew I liked the idea of the two of you having kids someday, but I never knew how much I wanted it to happen until right this minute."
"Thanks, Danny. We don't want everyone to know, at least not until there's something to tell, so if you could kind of keep it under your hat."
"You got it. I'm very good at keeping secrets."
Steve looked at his partner dubiously.
"What? I am!" Danny said defensively.
"Catherine doesn't want people staring at her every month trying to figure out if something is happening. If she's a little bloated one day she doesn't want people to start thinking she's pregnant."
Danny chuckled. "A little bloated?"
"Yeah … you know … that time of the month and … ummmm … Catherine calls it water retention." Steve was clearly uncomfortable with the subject matter.
"You sounded really girly right there," Danny pointed out.
"Shut up." Steve tossed a napkin at his best friend. "Honestly though I'm glad you know. The idea of being a dad is … big … and it'll be good to have someone with experience to talk to about … you know … things."
"Anytime. Day or night. Just call. I only ask one thing in return."
"What's that?" Steve asked.
"Make sure I'm there when you tell Grace."
Steve grinned broadly. "Deal. You bring the earplugs."
Five-0 Headquarters
Noon
Catherine took a seat at her desk and after no more than a few seconds hesitation pulled out her phone and dialed. She and Steve had decided they weren't going to let everyone in on the fact they were trying to have a baby, at least not right away. But in her heart she knew there was one call that couldn't wait.
In New York Elizabeth's phone buzzed with an incoming call and she glanced at the screen to see Catherine's name. "Hi, honey. Is everything ok?"
"Everything's fine," Catherine assured her mother quickly.
"I always worry when the phone rings during the hours while I know you're at work."
"I'm sorry," Catherine grimaced slightly. "I just have to talk to you about something that can't wait. Well, maybe it could wait," she admitted with a small chuckle, "but I didn't want to."
"Are you sure everything is ok?"
"Everything is fine. I promise. I just wanted to say … I mean I want to tell you … "
Catherine stopped and attempted to gather her thoughts.
Now that the moment was actually here she wasn't quite sure exactly how to tell her mother.
After a few seconds she decided the direct approach was, as usual, the best approach.
The words fell out in a rush. "Steve and I have decided we're ready to have a baby. So we're officially trying."
Catherine heard a small gasp and had to strain to hear her mother's voice which dropped to barely more than a whisper.
"Ooooooh Catherine."
"We talked it out. We feel really good about the decision. We're ready."
"Knowing the two of you it would never cross my mind you'd go into this any other way."
Catherine heard her mother's voice quiver. "Are you crying, Mom?"
"Maybe a little. But I'm entitled when I hear news like this."
"I guess you are," she agreed with a smile.
"I'm so happy for the two of you, sweetie."
"We're not going to tell many people until we know something for sure but there was no question I'd tell you."
"I appreciate that."
"I know I'm ready but still … I'm gonna need a lot of advice," Catherine admitted.
"I'm here for you, honey. You know that."
Catherine's eyes filled with tears. "I do."
"I'm so happy for you and Steve. I know the two of you could have lived a happy and fulfilling life without children. But still … there's something so incredible, so intense, about the love between a parent and a child. It touches your soul in ways nothing else ever could. I'm glad you've chosen this path so you'll get to experience that."
Catherine's voice cracked with emotion. "Thanks, Mom. If we can be half the parents you and Dad were I'll be happy."
"You were a pleasure to parent from day one and being your mom is the best thing I ever did."
"Someone is gonna walk by my office and see me crying and think something's wrong," Catherine chuckled.
"Then let me lighten the mood and tell you I'm happy for your dad and me too. We've gotten our first taste of the grandparent thing with Joanie and it is more fun than we ever dreamed."
"She really loves the two of you."
"And we love her back. Because grandparenting is like parenting but with none of the stress or anxiety."
Catherine chuckled and Elizabeth continued.
"No matter how good a parent you are you worry. It's in the job description. You worry about if you're doing things right, saying the right things, teaching them everything they need to know, setting a good example."
There was nothing but love and sincerity in Catherine's tone.
"You and Dad always did that. For me from the day I was born and for Steve since the day he met you."
"It was our pleasure and one of the great joys of our lives. But now … grandchildren are a whole different thing. We get all the sticky hands and wet kisses and baby giggles and we get to give unconditional love and … spoiler alert … literally … spoil them rotten."
"It sounds like you've put some thought into this."
"You have no idea. But there's one other person I'm happy for too. Maybe happier than any of the rest of us."
"Really? Who?"
"The child who will get to be raised by you and Steve. To grow up surrounded by so much love, not only the love you'll feel for him or her but the love you feel for each other. And for the family and friends you surround yourselves with. You're two amazing people and your child will be incredibly lucky."
"Well," Catherine sniffled, "he or she will have the best grandparents in the world too."
"Thank you. I think I can speak for your dad as well when I say we intend to raise grandparenting to an art form."
"I look forward to it," Catherine smiled.
"And one other thing, I might finally be able to convince your dad we need a condo in Hawaii."
McGarrett Rollins Home
7:00 P.M.
Catherine looked up with a smile as Steve entered the kitchen. She'd arrived home about an hour earlier and after a quick run with Cammie set about preparing dinner. "How'd the interview go?"
Steve leaned in and kissed her on the lips. "Pretty good. I think we got a couple good leads. We'll split them up and chase them down tomorrow."
"Sounds good," she smiled. "Hey, did you happen to tell Danny we decided to try and have a baby?"
"I did," he admitted sheepishly. "Well, technically he guessed but I confirmed it. Is that ok?"
"It's fine," she smiled. "It also explains the text I got from him."
"Should I ask?" he winced.
Catherine grabbed her phone, opened the message, and held it up for Steve to read.
"Mum's the word. Your secret is safe with me."
He laughed. "To say he's happy would be an understatement."
Catherine chuckled. "Probably not as happy as my mom. I called her and told her. I couldn't not tell her."
"Of course not." Steve leaned against the island. "So she's excited?"
"Over the moon. I told her we'd skype this weekend so she could tell you herself."
"I can't wait," he smiled. "And you know … I was wondering … what do you think about maybe flying to LA next weekend and telling Mary?"
The fact that Steve's relationship with his sister had grown and deepened to the point that she was one of the first people he wanted to share good news with warmed Catherine's heart.
"I think that's a great idea," she beamed.
"Really? Because I was thinking on my way home … this is the kind of news you tell family, right? I mean … share the excitement? And I'd just really like it if we could tell her in person."
Catherine wrapped her arms around him. "I love the idea. I honestly do."
"What's for dinner?" Steve murmured against her hair.
"I made Nonna's antipasto."
"So it's in the fridge?" he asked hopefully.
She pulled back and looked at him with a smile. "Yeah, why?"
"I don't know," he grinned mischievously as he pressed against her, "I'm feeling like giving nature another jumpstart."
THE END
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