Sammy & Ilna - We're having an addition to our family and I'm so happy to be doing this with two of the best friends anyone could ask for. Love you both.
REALMcRollers - it's getting close to baby time, we're enjoying hearing the guesses on what name Steve & Cath have chosen! Thanks for coming along on this wonderful journey with them - and us.
New readers - there are quite a few new readers lately and we want to extend a very warm welcome and Nonna hugs to all. We are so grateful for the wonderful feedback and emails. We love hearing from our readers! We promise we love & respect REAL Steve & Catherine as much as you do and they will ALWAYS be SAFE with us.
Stuck
Arriving home after a quick stop at Jirou's and not seeing Cammie at the door, Steve dropped his keys on the table and called out, "Cath? You down here?"
When a second call of her name got a response of, "Steve? Come upstairs!" he took the steps three at a time, "Catherine?!" preceding him up the stairs, until he was stopping short for a second at their bedroom threshold.
His gut relaxed at the sound of his wife's laughter followed by her, "I'm fine!" as he entered the bathroom to see her seated in the soaking tub, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.
"What the … are you okay?" He was next to her in a heartbeat, placing his palm against her cheek. When he saw she was truly all right, he relaxed into a smile.
"I'm totally fine." She waved a hand. "I …" Another fit of giggles had her shaking her head, trying to compose herself. "I was soaking and I … reached for the rim … and ..." More laughter had Steve grinning. "Between the water sloshing and my belly, I didn't have the momentum to get up the first time. Cammie was looking at me like, 'What's so funny, and can I help?' and I just," she gestured to her tummy, "I started laughing and couldn't stop."
He leaned down and kissed her lightly. "So, Lieutenant Rollins, USNR, what you're saying is you're stuck?" A smirk played across his lips. "In our bathtub?"
"I'm saying, smartass, that my center of gravity changed again. I gained a pound and a half this week." She laughed again and splashed at him, leaving a slosh of water across the front of his T-shirt and cargoes."If I wasn't taking up 90 percent of the room in this tub …"
Steve cut her off with another quick kiss. "I believe I get to say it this time. My wife is adorable." He pulled out his phone and aimed it at her.
"Steve McGarrett, don't you dare." She tried, but couldn't keep a straight face long enough to look menacing.
"Duck down, Lieutenant, because this one's for Niblet's baby book. I'm calling it, 'How I got my mommy, the obstacle course champion of the US Naval Academy, stuck in the bathtub.' "
His grin was ear to ear and she couldn't resist his expression. Catherine ducked down enough to hide her nakedness and placed both hands on the rim of the tub. When Steve clicked the shutter, she stuck out her tongue before laughing once again.
"Now …" She made a grabby gesture at him. "Help me out, Commander, before I get pruney."
"Can't have that," he said as he glanced at the dog, who was watching them curiously. "Can we, Cammie?"
Cammie gave a soft "woof." Catherine's laughter had put her at ease, but she was still sticking close since her favorite female person's scent had changed all those months ago. Even if it wasn't in concrete, people-terms, she knew a human 'litter' was on the way, so she was even more diligent in keeping Catherine safe.
"Speaking of Cammie, next time she needs a bath, it's all you, because I'm clearly not as dexterous as I thought," she said as she stood while holding his offered hands.
"Aye, aye, ma'am." He steadied her out of the tub and placed quick kiss on her lips before reaching for a bath towel which he held as she walked into his embrace just as Cammie alerted.
The doorbell rang seconds later.
"That's Mom."
The joy in her voice was tangible and Steve smiled at how her eyes lit.
"She texted that Dad was taking Smokey for another 'get acquainted' walk around the condo complex before running to PetCo while Grandma took a nap, and she asked if I was up for a visit. Like I'd ever not be." She shook her head.
His eyes scanned her head to foot. "You good, there, Rollins?" A crooked grin accompanied the statement and elicited a nod in return.
"Good to go." She smiled up at him as the dog made a beeline for the front door. Catherine patted her tummy. "She's got my center of gravity skewed, but I have a bead on it. Thanks for the water extraction, Commander." She squeezed his fingers. "Can you go let Mom in?"
Minutes later her mother entered the bedroom with Cammie at her heels. "Hi, sweetheart. Little trouble in the tub?" Elizabeth asked with a smile as she crossed to where Catherine was slipping on flip flops.
"Little bit, yeah." She grinned. "It struck me funny and then I was laughing so hard I couldn't pull myself up." She moved to wrap her mother in a tight hug, backing up and shifting to the side when her belly got in the way. Both women chuckled and Elizabeth placed a hand on her daughter's tummy.
"Hi, Niblet," she whispered, "How's my girl?"
"Ohhh." Catherine let out a sigh as her eyes shown. "You sounded like …"
"Grandma." Elizabeth beamed, realizing she'd used her mother's oft-repeated phrase.
"Well, you are one, now." Catherine couldn't suppress a smile.
"A very happy one." Elizabeth kissed her cheek, then held her at arm's' length. "You know, in spite of the tub incident," she grinned, "you're still very nimble on your feet." She linked arms with her daughter as they moved to head downstairs. "More than I was at this stage."
"Really?"
"Absolutely. You're an outstanding athlete, sweetheart, and it shows. You're also carrying a little smaller than I did." She grinned. "Let's go downstairs, I brought a few pictures."
Sitting on the deck, sipping lemonade, Catherine passed a photo to Steve. "There I am, on the way."
In the photo, a pregnant Elizabeth Rollins smiled broadly into the lens from an outside table at a waterfront restaurant. Her dark hair was a few inches past her shoulders and she wore a sleeveless green top. She looked very, very happy.
Steve shook his head. "You really look like Catherine in that one." He smiled at his mother-in-law.
Both women said, "thank you," simultaneously and shared a grin before Elizabeth continued. "I was very pregnant. In July. In Florida." She chuckled. "Did I mention it was July?"
"Mayport, right?" Steve referred to Naval Air Station Mayport in Duval County, Florida.
"Exactly. We were so happy Joseph would be stateside for Catherine's birth, I would have been okay with being stationed on the surface of the sun, but it was so humid I think I drank a gallon of water a day. I used to take cool baths every night before bed."
"Awww." Catherine crinkled her nose in sympathy. "Sorry."
"Very well worth it." Elizabeth chuckled. "To have your father there to see you make your entrance into the world."
"At least I didn't get you stuck in the bathtub." She smiled.
"True … but I did have a similar incident."
Catherine tilted her head, waiting for her mom to continue.
"I'd sat in a bean bag chair. I have no idea what on earth was thinking." She laughed. "Anyway, Joseph had gone to walk the dog and when he returned I was on my back like a turtle. I couldn't get up."
"Really?" Her eyes widened at the mental image.
Elizabeth raised a hand. "Absolutely. I was moving side to side on that ridiculous chair and getting nowhere. So I guess you could say you did get me stuck." She grinned. "You were born a few days later." She looked at Steve. "Ask Joseph when you see him later. He was quite concerned, and just like Catherine, the ridiculousness struck me and I couldn't stop laughing." She patted her daughter's hand. "Now, are you ready to look at some baby swimsuits? I stopped at this adorable stand when I was picking up some produce at the farmers market this morning." She reached for the rather large canvas bag she'd brought along. "Since she can wear them year 'round here I picked up a few different sizes …"
"That's a big bag for baby bathing suits …" Steve smirked knowingly.
Elizabeth waved her hand. "Because there are a few other things …"
Steve and Catherine shared a knowing smile as her mother pulled the first item out and held it up. A tiny swimsuit with a watermelon theme and matching hat.
Steve stifled a grin and stood as Catherine rolled her eyes. "Told her about the watermelon, huh?"
"Actually, I told Joseph." He bent to kiss her, then placed a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder, which she patted. "I'm gonna get going so I can help him move the rest of that furniture around. I'll definitely ask about the beanbag incident. I'll be back in a few hours." He pointed at his wife. "Meanwhile, stay out of the tub, Lieutenant."
Catherine smirked. "Watch your toes while moving furniture, Commander."
He dropped his head and huffed a laugh. "Touche."
After revealing no less than six tiny swimsuits with matching sunhats, Elizabeth pulled out a few additional photos.
"I had these printed when I was making copies of ones to frame for the condo, so they're for you." She placed the first in Catherine's hand.
"Oh, Mom, is that …" She angled the image for a better look. "That is an Academy logo on that onsie."
"It most definitely is. Your father ordered that pretty much the day we found out I was pregnant."
"Stacking the deck, huh?"
"Women had only been allowed into the Academy for two years when I had you. So the first thing he said when we put that onesie on was, 'perfect time to enter the world, sweetheart, you're gonna graduate with high honors.' Then he looked at me and said, 'Nothing wrong with a dad encouraging his daughter to be a ground breaker, right?' "
Catherine gave her mother a beaming smile at the unwavering confidence both parents had always provided, even from the moment she was born. "Awww, that's so Dad. I've never seen this picture, where were we there?"
The photo featured a tiny Catherine, already sporting shiny, dark hair and alert brown eyes, being held to face the camera by Joseph. His expression could only be described as euphorically happy and very proud. He had Elizabeth wrapped in a one-armed embrace and her hand that wasn't around her husband's waist was holding their baby's tiny fist to the side so the design on the onesie wasn't obscured.
"We were at the O-Club. Your father was so excited to show you to everyone he practically floated to work. Introduced every person we encountered to our beautiful, brilliant daughter, Catherine." Elizabeth flipped the photo and pointed. "Labor Day 9/4/78. You're exactly two weeks old. And so, in keeping with family tradition … he special ordered this back in November."
She pulled a final item from the bag. A tiny onesie that said US Naval Academy on one side and My mommy and daddy are Academy grads on the other.
Catherine took the onesie and smiled with shining eyes. Rubbing her tummy she said, "Hear that, Niblet? Grandpa's encouraging you already."
# End. Thanks for reading.
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