Mari & Ilna—I can't believe we are coming up on our one year anniversary. It really is true what they say. Time flies when you're having fun. Because every minute of this adventure has been more fun than I can put into words. I can hardly wait for the anniversary marathon and beyond.
Sandy—it's such a joy to have someone to share the laughs and the tears with. Thankfully on balance there have been waaaay more of the former than the latter. But having someone there to share both is a true gift.
REAL Worlders—I am running out of superlatives for how AMAZING you guys are. We LOVE hearing your comments and ideas. Thanks for joining us on this ride. Your support and enthusiasm makes it exponentially more enjoyable.
Finishing Touches (1/1)
McGarrett/Rollins Residence
Saturday 7:45 A.M.
"Good morning," Grace said cheerfully as Steve answered the front door.
"Morning, Gracie," he smiled as the exuberant young girl stepped into the house and hugged him tightly while juggling her backpack and a large bag from Ben Franklin Crafts.
"Where's Auntie Catherine?" Grace asked as she looked past Steve into the empty living room.
"Monkey is on a mission," Danny explained as he stepped into the house and closed the front door behind him. "Apparently she and Catherine have cooked up some sort of surprise. Rachel took her to the store last night to get all the supplies they need since I'm not allowed to know anything about what's going on."
"Because you can't keep a secret and you'll tell Uncle Steve and ruin the surprise." Grace grinned at her father.
"You're keeping a secret from me, Gracie?" Steve asked with mock astonishment. "I thought we didn't keep secrets from each other."
"It's not a secret." Grace bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet. "It's a surprise. There's a difference."
If you say so." Steve chuckled but had to respect her logic. "Auntie Catherine is in the kitchen."
As Grace took off to find her favorite aunt Steve looked at his partner, who shrugged his shoulders non-committally. "I have no idea what's going on. All I know is she was up extra early this morning double checking to make sure she had everything and she practically dragged me out of the house. She couldn't wait to get here."
"I wonder what they're up to," Steve mused.
"I have no idea but we'll probably find out soon enough." Danny smiled as he and Steve headed towards the kitchen. He knew how much Grace loved being involved in plans with her favorite aunt and uncle, how grown up it made her feel, and he loved that they both went out of their way to include her whenever possible.
As they entered the kitchen Grace quickly stuffed an item she had been showing Catherine back into her bag which she then hid behind her back. Catherine dropped her arm across Grace's shoulders and leaned in to whisper something in her niece's ear. Grace nodded eagerly and headed towards the deck.
"What are you two up to?" Steve asked warily.
"You'll see." Catherine waggled her eyebrows.
"Something smells terrific in here," Danny interjected in an attempt to change the subject and divert Steve's attention so he didn't spoil whatever surprise the girls were planning.
"Doesn't it?" Catherine agreed. "Esther is making coffeecake for breakfast."
"What a great idea, Esther," Danny smiled sincerely. "Thanks. Grace rushed me out of the house this morning and I didn't get a chance to eat anything."
"I'm glad you're hungry. This should be ready soon," Esther bubbled. "And it's my pleasure. I love to bake."
"Don't be surprised if the shrimp king is offering desserts soon," Steve mumbled so only his partner could hear.
Danny smirked at the thought.
"I already put some paper cups and cream and sugar on the table out back." Catherine pointed to several carafes sitting on the kitchen counter beside a stack of paper dessert plates and plastic silverware. "Why don't you guys take the coffee out to the deck and Esther and I will be out in a few minutes with the coffeecake."
"Sounds good," Steve replied a little too eagerly as he picked up the coffee.
"And don't try to make Grace tell you about the surprise," Catherine warned.
"Man, does she know you or what?" Danny chuckled as he picked up the paper plates and followed Steve out the back door.
Chin's cousins, Loe and Kei, arrived bright and early, as promised, and got to work immediately on the three large built-in benches that would provide ample seating for get-togethers on the new deck. Once the framework was in place Chin, Steve and Grover helped them cover the front and sides in tung and groove Koa wood that would complement the deck floor perfectly, then installed hinged seats that would allow for extra storage for outdoor items.
As each bench was completed Kono used a power sander to smooth off any rough edges before Leilani and Esther applied a clear coat of polyurethane to protect the wood from weather.
At the same time Danny, Samantha, Carrie and John were laying landscape fabric approximately three feet wide all the way around the perimeter of the deck in preparation for a decorative gravel border that would not only look good but would also help keep grass and weeds from growing up through the edges of the deck.
Catherine was busy attempting to create the perfect pattern for the new stepping stones she had chosen to make the path to the chairs she and Steve had talked about previously, while Grace moved from person to person quietly enlisting their help to complete Uncle Steve's surprise.
"And what exactly is it you're doing again?" Steve asked as he looked at Kamekona, sitting in the shade, beer in hand, with Cammie at his feet.
"Every job needs a supervisor," Kamekona responded as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Steve laughed and shook his head then made his way to the woodpile to grab another armload of tung and groove. Before returning to work on the benches he made a quick stop to see if Catherine had settled on a pattern.
"I kind of like this," she said pensively as she surveyed the round cement stepping stones, inlaid with a brightly-colored stained glass mosaic, placed in a gently curving line towards the beach.
"It looks great," Steve agreed before leaning over to steal a kiss, then dipping his head in for another.
"Alright, enough of that," Danny called playfully. "There's work to do here." He turned to Carrie and John and teased, "Do you see what I put up with?"
"Oh please," Carrie scoffed. "We've had a front row seat to these two and their moon-y eyes for a lot longer than you."
"I never had moon-y eyes," Steve protested with a half-smile as he stood beside Catherine.
Carrie shook her head skeptically. "If you say so."
"Now, to be fair Car, I think I have to agree with Steve on this one," John said thoughtfully as he pretended to ponder the idea.
"Thank you," Steve smirked. "I appreciate the support."
"Catherine most definitely had moon-y eyes," John continued. "As I recall though Steve was a toe scuffer. I always knew when Catherine was around because he looked down trying to hide a big smile and started toeing the ground. He spent more time polishing his shoes than any other midshipman I ever knew."
"So much for support," Danny snorted.
"You know what we should have done?" Carrie said good-naturedly. "We should have compiled a list of all the excuses each one of them gave for why they couldn't be fixed up with anyone else."
"Right," John replied with a laugh. "Even though they were just 'friends'." He used air quotes to emphasize the word friends.
Grace listened to Carrie and John with a delighted smile. "Did you know really Uncle Steve and Auntie Catherine were in love even back then," she asked dreamily. Grace was at an age where she loved nothing more than a good love story.
Carrie grinned at Catherine and Steve over Grace's head. "I sure did. I had no idea where they'd be or exactly what they'd be doing ... " she eyed them pointedly, "but I always knew they'd end up together."
Grace beamed.
She loved hearing stories about how Steve and Catherine fell in love.
"Although," Carrie smiled conspiratorially at Grace, "I think I should get some credit for the path their love story took."
"Why," Grace asked, hanging on Carrie's every word.
"Because there was a time quite a few years back when your Uncle Steve lost his mind and broke up with Auntie Catherine."
Grace turned and looked at Steve then back at Carrie. "He said it was the biggest mistake he ever made," she explained seriously. "Danno said he's right."
"Oh, it most definitely was," Carrie agreed. "So your Auntie Cath and I both got leave at the same time and we were going to meet up in Germany and drown her broken heart in … " Carrie took note of Grace's rapt attention and altered her story slightly, "... lots of rich German food and good chocolate. But at the last minute my leave got canceled and your Auntie Catherine decided to go to Bangkok instead. She ran into your Uncle Steve there and the rest is history."
"It's like it was meant to be," Grace sighed happily.
"That's because it was," Steve winked at Grace before kissing Catherine again. "It definitely was."
"Lunch is here," Catherine called as she returned from a run to pick up pizza and more beer. "And look who I found on the front porch."
"Hi," Gabby laughed and waved at everyone. "Looks like my timing is perfect. Just in time to eat."
"Oh don't worry," Danny smiled as he kissed her before relieving Catherine of the pizza boxes. "There's still plenty of work to do."
"I'm ready," she said as playfully cracked her knuckles. "But first I need to see Grace. She texted me about …" the panicked look on Grace's face made everyone smile. She was determined not to spoil Steve's surprise. " … a special project." Gabby smiled. "And I don't want to miss out on the fun."
A smiling Grace pulled Gabby into the kitchen while Catherine grabbed plates and napkins and put the newly acquired beer on ice. Within minutes everyone was settled on the deck enjoying lunch and each other's company.
Just as they were cleaning up from lunch, Kamekona's friend Kekipi pulled into the driveway in a large, white delivery van.
"Your beautiful custom made table has arrived," Kamekona announced with a flourish.
With everyone's help they quickly got the three main table sections, each approximately four feet square and still covered in protective blankets, moved up onto the deck along with an assortment of table leaves and extra hardware.
Once everything was in place Kekipi unveiled his creations one at a time.
Each table, on its own, was gorgeous. Handmade of native pheasant wood and inlaid with unique hand-carved corner medallions, each one different, and a hole in the center to allow for a shade umbrella. They were the perfect size for Steve and Catherine to enjoy a private meal on the deck or even for smaller, more intimate gatherings of just a few friends.
But when placed together to make one large banquet table they became a true work of art. The designs blended flawlessly. Hand forged wrought iron braces fitted to both the underside and edges of the table to secure the sections in place.
"I wanted to do something a little special for you," Kekipi said proudly, picking up several unusual triangle-shaped table leaves. "If you use the regular extenders you can make the table as long as you want, up to sixteen feet, and keep it a rectangle. But if you use these pieces you can make the table zig-zag instead of square."
Steve and Catherine, along with their guests, watched in amazement as Loe and Kei helped Kekipi quickly convert the table into a one-of-a-kind zig-zag formation.
"That is amazing." Steve voice was full of awe.
"And absolutely gorgeous," Catherine replied as everyone nodded in agreement. "I've never seen anything like it."
"That's because it's one of a kind," Kamekona reiterated. "And if you recall, Big Kahuna, I'm the one who hooked you up with Kekipi. No need to thank me though. We'll just say you owe me one."
"No problem," Steve laughed, not taking his eyes off the table. "I'll just subtract one from the list of favors you owe me."
"I think your scorekeeping is faulty," Kamekona scowled.
"Remember that next time you need your pilot's license recertified," Steve volleyed back.
"Ok that's enough." Catherine knew if she didn't step in they'd go on indefinitely. "The tables are absolutely gorgeous. That's all that matters." She turned to Kekipi. "We'll treasure these forever."
Kekipi blushed. "Thank you. I also have those other pieces we talked about."
"Great, maybe we can take them inside and look at them." Catherine nodded towards the house then turned to Grace and winked, indicating this would be a good time for her to pull the surprise together.
"Sounds good." Kekipi headed towards the driveway. "Can you give me a hand, Commander?"
They each grabbed a table from the back of the van and carried it into the living room. Once again Kekipi removed the protective coverings to reveal absolutely stunning hand-made pieces. This time bedside tables, the legs of which were made of the spindles John McGarrett designed.
"They are absolutely perfect," Catherine beamed as she squeezed Steve's hand.
"They really are," he agreed, running his hand across the smooth table tops. "I can't wait for Mary to see them. She and Joanie are gonna love them."
"We can take them to the UPS store first thing Monday and get them packed and shipped," Catherine offered. "That way they'll have them by mid-week."
"Sounds good." Steve nodded. His eyes were drawn back to the tables which he admired for a long minute before looking back at Kamekona's friend. "Thanks so much for doing this. Catherine was right. These are perfect."
"My pleasure," Kekipi smiled. "Now I hate to drop off and run but I promised my wife a date night and I don't want to be late."
"No problem," Steve smiled. "I'll walk you out."
"Um … not yet," Catherine said as she glanced at her phone. "I'm waiting for Grace to text me and tell me she's ready for us out back," she admitted sheepishly.
"The surprise?" Steve asked and Catherine nodded her head in the affirmative.
"Would it be really rude if we asked you to show yourself out," she grimaced slightly.
"Not at all," Kekipi smiled. 'I'll just check on my way back to the truck and make sure everything is on ok with … you know."
"Wait." Steve was incredulous. "He knows what the surprise is?"
Catherine laughed. "Patience Commander. You'll know too, very soon."
Twenty minutes later Grace finally texted Catherine to say the surprise was ready. As she and Steve stepped out onto the deck hand-in-hand the first thing they noticed was that the three table sections now sat perfectly spaced on the deck. The traditional thatched shade umbrellas Catherine had purchased were securely in place, as were the cushions for the bench seating.
The deck looked spectacular.
As he struggled to take everything in Steve's gaze landed on a beaming Gracie, standing nervously by the path Catherine had created earlier.
A path that was now lined with solar-powered, lantern-style LED lights.
As he looked closer Steve realized that each light was mounted on a smaller version of John's spindles.
His breath caught.
He wrapped his arm around Catherine and kissed her on the temple murmuring "You are amazing," softly in her ear.
She smiled as they made their way towards Grace.
"We did it, Grace," she said, giving Steve a few seconds to collect his emotions. "We surprised Uncle Steve."
"Again," Grace clapped happily.
"Again," Steve said around the lump in his throat. "These are beautiful, Gracie."
"The lights are only part of the surprise," Grace replied, practically bursting with excitement. "You have to look a little closer to see the rest."
Steve stepped closer and knelt down to examine the first light. When he did he saw writing on the spindle. "To many happy days with friends and family. Love Chin and Leilani," he read aloud.
"I had everybody make one for you and then I decorated them with things to remind you of that person. Like for Uncle Chin and Leilani I used a surfboard and starfish. Because I know Leilani loves starfish and Uncle Chin likes to surf."
Steve nodded, unable to speak.
"Each one is different. And I left a few blank so you can add people later like Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Joseph and Grandma Ang and Nonna." Grace was suddenly nervous. "Do you like it?"
"I absolutely love it," Steve said as he regained his composure then stood and wrapped Grace in a tight hug. "I can't even … it's so … you are absolutely the best."
"Auntie Catherine and I came up with the idea together," Grace said, not wanting to take all the credit.
"Actually I just had the idea for the pathway lights," Catherine smiled. "The rest was all Grace."
"Because saying things is nice but when you put them in writing it makes them more real, don't you think?" Grace looked at Steve.
"I absolutely do," Steve nodded as he looked into the faces of his assembled friends, people who were like family to him and Catherine, and saw nothing but affection and friendship looking back. And to have their heartfelt messages written on the spindles his father had designed all those years earlier made them even more special. "Thanks everyone."
"Our pleasure," Danny said as everyone nodded in agreement. He knew Steve wasn't completely comfortable showing too much emotion in front of large groups so he moved to lighten the mood. "Now, when is the first barbecue?"
Steve looked at Catherine and after a few seconds of non-verbal communication she smiled and he turned back and addressed the group. "I think next Saturday sounds perfect."
THE END
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