Notes: I really can't thank SuperSammy enough for coming to my rescue in more ways than one during my little emergency earlier in the week. And a big thank you to Mari for being 100% willing to do the same. You are both the best of the best and show every day the true meaning of la famiglia.

Readers and REAL McRollers - Thank you for your amazing support as we approach our FOURTH anniversary in the REAL World! We're so glad you're on this ride with us!

Hope you enjoy!

Big Deals (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)

"We didn't have to come all the way out here," Cody said, pausing outside the door of the restaurant. "We could've just gone somewhere close to the house."

"But this is the place with your favorite burger, right?" Steve asked.

"Well, yeah, but …"

"Then this is where we're eating." He opened the door. "We're celebrating, remember?" He motioned Cody inside.

"It's really not that big a deal," Cody said even as he stepped inside of the busy restaurant.

Steve caught eyes with the host and held up two fingers to indicate the size of their party as they approached the station. "What do you mean it's not a big deal? It's a huge accomplishment."

"Right this way," the host said, and Cody and Steve paused their conversation to follow him to their table.

"Thank you," Steve said with a quick smile for the host as he seated them.

"Enjoy your meal."

After he'd left, Steve looked back at Cody and repeated his question. "What do you mean it's not a big deal?"

Cody shrugged. "It's not like a lot of people run for student government in the first place."

"Maybe not. But why do you think that is?"

"I don't know. They think it's a bunch of extra work or something …" His voice trailed off and he shrugged again.

"Or they're not civically-minded like you, or they don't have ideas for how to make the campus community better like you do." Steve kept his gaze on Cody, regarding him seriously. "And it is extra work. On top of a full load of classes, your internship and your job, everything you do at home … this is gonna mean extra work and you knew that, but you volunteered anyway because deep down you believe you can make a difference. You made that video introducing yourself and outlining some of your ideas, and the whole community college saw it and voted for you."

"Not everyone voted," Cody pointed out.

"But the ones who did voted for you, making you a student senator at Honolulu Community College. And that is a big deal, Cody. Don't doubt that."

A smile spread slowly across Cody's face. "It's still kind of a weird thought. I'm a student senator."

Steve grinned. "Yeah, you are."

"I mean, I've known for a while that I want to go into government and civil service, but I always planned to be behind the scenes, you know? Like how I am now at the governor's office. I like that. I like the work I do there." He shook his head. "I never thought I would be a candidate for anything."

Steve nodded, remaining quiet when he sensed Cody had more to say.

"But when I started thinking about student government, I realized I had to be the candidate, er, the student senator, in order to do that same kind of work at HCC. And that was kind of intimidating, but at the same time, I knew I had good ideas and if running for student senator was what it took to try and make them happen, then that's what I was going to do."

Steve smiled. "You know what? I think that makes it an even bigger accomplishment. Because it was something you weren't comfortable with but you did it anyway. You knew you could make a difference and even though running for student senator meant putting yourself out there in the spotlight where you didn't necessarily want to be, you did it. I think that's a major accomplishment."

Cody looked down a small smile on his face.

"And you know something else?" Steve continued. "It's okay to celebrate when you accomplish something. It's okay to let other people congratulate you."

Cody glanced up at him.

"Look, I get it," Steve said. "When I was your age, I didn't think about that. Other people wanting to celebrate something I'd done. It took a special cupcake from a place in Annapolis to realize there was somebody who might want to."

Cody looked up at him. "Catherine?"

"Catherine. She got it after I came first in the physical training tests. It felt good, realizing someone else was proud of what I'd done."

Cody paused for a moment. "I guess I'm lucky then, 'cause I've always had my mom and my brothers and sisters to do that." He smiled. "After I called her to tell her the news yesterday, Mom left work early so she could go to the store and get a cake decorated for me. She called Jess and they made sure everyone was home for dinner and they surprised me with it afterwards."

"Jacob kept the secret?" Steve asked wryly.

Cody chuckled. "Barely. I knew something was up because he kept looking toward the laundry room where they'd hidden it, but I never thought … I mean, I didn't think they were gonna do something special."

"Told you it was a big deal," Steve said, smirking.

Cody smiled, glancing down.

Steve continued to watch him knowingly. "Feels good, doesn't it? To have the people who care about you celebrate your accomplishments?"

"Yeah."

Steve nodded firmly, motioning to the menu with a grin. "So let's order up the best burgers on the island and celebrate already."

Cody grinned back. "Sounds good to me."

After they finished their meal, Steve noticed a server deliver a dessert of chocolate cake and ice cream to an older couple a few tables away.

"Speaking of celebrating …" he said.

Cody followed his eyeline and looked back at him. "You think they're celebrating their anniversary or something?"

"That'd be my guess."

Cody glanced once more at the couple. "That looks good. I'll have to remember that for me and Jess' anniversary this summer."

Steve smiled. "I'm glad things are still good between you two. I know it hasn't always been easy this year having different class and work schedules."

"Yeah, it was hard sometimes, but we made it work." He paused, looking at Steve for a moment. "You know what I figured?"

"What's that?"

"That if you and Catherine could stay together all those years when you weren't even in the same time zone most of the time, then we could handle being at different schools and not seeing each other all the time."

Steve nodded, smiling softly. "You make the most of the time you have together. Connect in different ways when you can."

"Yeah. I know it could have been worse. I mean, Jess' sister's at school on the mainland and there was always a chance Jess would've gone somewhere farther away. And if that's what she wanted, I would've understood and supported her, you know? But I'm glad she decided on UH so we're both on the island." He smiled. "It'll be nice when the semester's done in a couple weeks and we can actually see each other more. Not have to cut the night short because one of us has a paper or has to work or whatever."

"I know the feeling," Steve said. "Everything changed when Catherine moved to the island." He smiled. "Changed for the better."

Cody's smile widened. "And speaking of anniversaries …"

Steve chuckled, nodding as he sat back in his chair. "Yeah, two years on Monday."

"You got something planned?"

"We're going to this bed and breakfast we like. We've stayed there a few times the last couple years. Actually, Carrie and John gave us the room as a gift. Angie's staying with Elizabeth and Joseph and Grandma Ang." He shrugged. "Then we'll probably come home and have a low key dinner or something."

Cody grew thoughtful.

"What?" Steve asked, noting his expression.

Recalling himself, Cody shook his head. "Nothing. That sounds nice, I just …"

"What?" Steve asked again.

Cody paused, debating whether to continue. Finally he said, "Don't people sometimes have parties for their anniversary?"

Steve regarded him curiously. "I … guess. But Catherine and I aren't really the type."

"Well, not a party exactly but … a low key dinner," he said, using Steve's phrase, "just … with everybody else there, too." Before Steve could respond, he went on, "I mean, you did say it's okay to have the people who care about celebrate your accomplishments."

Steve chuckled at having his own words so quickly used on him. "I did."

"And being married for two years is an accomplishment."

"It is."

"So …?" Cody said leadingly.

Steve laughed. "This from the guy who didn't want to come to his favorite burger place to celebrate being elected student senator."

"It's not that I didn't want to come, I just–"

"Now you're planning anniversary parties?" Steve teased. "Should I warn Gracie you're honing in on her territory?"

Now it was Cody's turn to laugh. "Not a party, just dinner." He grew more serious. " 'Cause you guys have been married for two years and you've been together for a lot longer and that's … that's a big deal."

Steve nodded, his own expression softer. "It is." He gave Cody a sincere smile. "And I appreciate the thought. So I'll run it by Catherine but I'm sure she'll be on board."

"Okay. I'll call Elizabeth and Grace and Carrie 'cause I might have had the idea, but they'd probably be better on the details."

Steve laughed, taking a drink from his water glass. "Probably." When Cody went to pick up his own glass, he said, "Hey. Thanks."

"Thank you for dinner," Cody said. "And for … making it a big deal. The student senator thing."

Steve held up his glass in a quick toast. "To big deals."

Cody grinned, doing the same. "To big deals."

Before taking a drink, Steve smirked, adding, "And don't be surprised if you get your own 'not a party' to celebrate your big deal, all right?"

Cody laughed. "All right. I can handle that." He grinned. "After all, it seems only fair."

….

Hope you enjoyed!

Stay tuned for a mini-marathon to celebrate Steve and Catherine's second wedding anniversary next week! We'll post a story on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to commemorate the big day!

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