Notes: Huge thank you to Mari for switching days with me this week. Those of you who know how long the wildcard game went on Tuesday (not to mention the outcome) can guess why.

Miss you, SuperSammy!

Readers and REAL McRollers – Thank you for your awesome support! It is always appreciated.

Hope you enjoy!

The Most Precious Gift (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)

"There's the birthday girl," Catherine said as Elizabeth, Joseph, and Grandma Ang were led to the restaurant table where she, Steve, and Angie were already seated. Catherine leaned down by Angie in her high chair and pointed. "Say 'Happy Birthday' to Grandma, Angie."

"Ama!" Angie squealed excitedly, holding both hands out to her.

Elizabeth beamed. "Hi, sweetheart. Look at you all dressed up." She grinned at Angie's outfit: a blue and white striped sleeveless tank with a white bow on the front attached to a pleated white skirt. "Now that dress looks familiar …"

"It should," Catherine said wryly as she stood to kiss her mother's cheek. "You bought it."

Elizabeth cocked her head curiously. "Wasn't there a matching headband with that one?"

"Oh, that didn't make it out of the house," Steve said, standing. "Here, Elizabeth, why don't you sit over here?" He offered her his spot beside Angie's high chair.

"You don't have to do that, Steve," she began, but he waved off her protestations.

"Consider it a birthday present since you insisted you didn't want anything," he said.

She smiled gratefully, happy for the chance to sit beside her granddaughter. After walking around the table she kissed his cheek in thanks and then sat in the proffered chair.

"Hi, Gram," Catherine said, helping Joseph get Ang comfortably settled into the seat next to her own. She winced in sympathy. "Have you recovered from Tuesday?"

"Those bums," was all Ang would say on the subject.

"She said on the way over we're here to celebrate not commiserate," Joseph said.

Ang nodded. "Exactly. We've done plenty of the latter over the last couple days."

"You're not kidding," Elizabeth added, sighing.

"Hey, Dad," Catherine said, leaning over for a quick kiss.

"Hi, sweetheart."

Catherine retook her seat and Joseph walked over to the spot next to Elizabeth while Steve settled between Joseph and Ang.

"Well, how has your day been?" Catherine asked her mother with a bright smile.

"It's been a very nice birthday," Elizabeth said, taking the red crayon that Angie held out to her. "I got an adorable video of Joan singing 'Happy Birthday' first thing this morning, and a little add-on message from Mary and Aaron. Did you know they're taking a little family vacation to Disneyland this weekend to celebrate their first anniversary?"

Catherine grinned. "Yeah, Joan is over-the-moon excited."

"She was wearing her Elsa gloves in the 'Happy Birthday' video," Joseph said with a chuckle.

"That's our Joanie," Steve said.

"Noni!" Angie cried at the name, raising both arms in the air in her excitement.

"That's right," Elizabeth said with a broad smile. "Your cousin is very excited to see Elsa and Mickey Mouse and all her favorite characters."

Angie blinked up at her, then was distracted by her sippy cup on the table. "Wee ah mo," she said, pointing at it.

"Are you thirsty?" Elizabeth asked. She handed Angie the cup. "Here you go, honey." She looked around the table again once Angie was happily drinking her water. "Let's see, what else … Grace sent me a very sweet text message before she went to school. Lots of hearts and other emojis," she added with a grin. "Joseph and I had a hike with our group this morning. They surprised me with some birthday-themed trail mix."

"Oh nice," Catherine said.

"What made it birthday-themed?" Steve asked.

"Sprinkles mixed in," Elizabeth said. "Unusual, maybe, but it wasn't half bad." She glanced at Joseph who shrugged, giving a little nod of agreement. "Then Mom and I had lunch with some ladies from the complex," she continued.

"We did have to remind Sharon that since it was Elizabeth's birthday, she got to pick the restaurant," Ang said.

"She did like it, though," Elizabeth said.

"Where'd you end up?" Catherine asked.

"Orchids," Elizabeth said, referring to one of the restaurants at the Halekulani.

"Nice," Steve said. He nodded to Catherine. "We ate there the morning after the wedding."

Elizabeth looked at Ang. "I told you."

Ang flapped a hand at her. "All right, all right, you have the better memory."

Joseph chuckled at their exchange, sharing a smile with Catherine and Steve.

"And the Allens came by after school so we had a little dessert before dinner today, courtesy of Kaitlyn, of course," Elizabeth continued.

"What did she make?" Catherine asked.

"Lemon angel food cupcakes," Elizabeth said with a dreamy smile. "They're delicious. We saved a few for after dinner if you want to come by the condo."

"For Kaitlyn cupcakes? Absolutely," Catherine said. She glanced at Steve who nodded his concurrence.

"Sounds great," he said.

Elizabeth smiled. "Wonderful!" She picked up her menu. "But for now I think we better actually decide on dinner, wouldn't you say?"

"Whatever the birthday girl wants," Catherine said with a smile.

After their meal, they sat around the table enjoying their drinks, Angie now in Elizabeth's lap. She'd managed to stay in her high chair while she was eating, but once she was done had loudly demanded out and tried to accomplish that on her own. Joseph and Steve, both quick eaters, had taken turns with her over by the large windows that overlooked the ocean, talking to her and pointing out things to see. Once the others had finished, Steve brought her over to Elizabeth and she happily snuggled against her grandmother.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Angie, rocking a little back and forth. "Now this is what I call a great birthday."

"Hold that thought," Steve said after he and Catherine exchanged a look. He reached under the table for a small gift bag.

"We know you said no presents," Catherine began.

"But we figured Angie was exempt from that directive," Steve finished, handing Elizabeth the bag.

Elizabeth smiled, setting it on the table in front of her. "I can't argue with that logic."

Angie leaned forward, reaching for the tissue paper coming out of the top of the bag. Elizabeth held the bag steady as she pulled the paper out.

"Ah ee!" Angie said, shaking it happily. "Ama!"

"Is that fun?" Elizabeth said, smiling at her. "I think there's something inside, too." She reached into the bag and pulled out a shallow clay bowl. It was heart-shaped, and pressed into each half of the heart was a gold footprint. "Oh! Are these …?" She looked at Catherine who nodded, smiling at her. "These are your footprints, Angie," Elizabeth said, holding the bowl carefully as Angie reached for it.

"Oooh," Angie said as she touched the smooth gold paint.

"Let me see," Ang said, craning her neck for a better look.

Elizabeth turned the bowl so her mother could see it.

"Oh, that is darling," Ang said with a smile. "Look at those little feet!"

"Your little feet!" Elizabeth said to Angie, giving her cheek a little nuzzle.

Angie squealed happily and then grabbed her own sandal-clad foot, pulling it up in the air as if to show it off.

"That's the one," Elizabeth said, grinning at her. She set the bowl down carefully on the table and looked at Catherine and Steve. "Thank you. It's wonderful."

"Happy birthday, Mom," Catherine said, smiling softly.

"Happy birthday," Steve echoed sincerely.

"And you," Elizabeth said, reaching for Angie's feet and giving them a playful little shake. "Thank you for having the cutest little feet in the world."

Angie giggled, clapping happily. "Ama ah!"

Elizabeth beamed, cuddling her close. She looked around the table and smiled. "I'm very fortunate in my life that I don't need anything I don't already have, but I am definitely looking forward to many more homemade gifts like this that I can treasure." She gazed down at Angie who smiled up at her, reaching to touch her cheek. Elizabeth took her small hand, holding it gently. "But whether it's my birthday or any other day, I already have the most precious gift of all." She pressed a kiss to Angie's hand and then her head. "And that's this little angel right here."

Hope you enjoyed!

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