Thank you again to everyone that has read this story, reviewed, followed or favorited it. I am hoping to update more often.
/
Catherine woke the next morning, she quickly realized that she was alone and she had slept later then she planned. She wondered if Steve went for a morning swim until she heard Sawyer's voice come through the baby monitor.
"This is Ms. Molly, she is one of my favorite dolls."
"Oh yeah, who are your other favorites?" Steve asked.
Catherine smiled listening to him talk to their daughter.
"Well my favorite is my seal but he stays in my bed, most of the time."
"Why in your bed?"
"He keeps all the bad dreams away, Papaw says he goes on missions every night, like you and mommy, to keep them away. So, he is tired during the day."
Catherine laughed at Sawyers response, she could hear Steve laugh too.
"This is my other favorite doll."
"What's her name?"
"Ms. Kitty and she loves to have tea parties."
"Well then I guess its good thing we are having a tea party."
Catherine climbed out of the bed, looking to see it was 7:30 as she grabbed her phone. She moved quietly out of the room to Sawyer's door.
"Daddy, you have to wear this."
"Okay."
Catherine looked in the room to see Steve with a pink boa around his neck and Sawyer with a purple boa they were sitting in the little chairs for her table. Gracie was right the dress up and tea sets were perfect. Since, she had not been spotted yet Catherine started to take pictures, before she decided to video some of what she was seeing.
"Do you like sugar in your tea?"
"I love sugar in my tea."
"Me too." Sawyer giggling as she dropped fake sugar in the cup.
She pretended to pour tea in both cups, before sitting back down at the little table.
"Now daddy when you drink you have to hold your pinkie like this." As she showed him to point is pinkie up.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am sure. You have to do it."
"Okay, Okay." Before they pretended to drink.
Catherine couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of her, she didn't realize her parents had joined her in the hall.
"Mommy!" Sawyer jumped up as soon as she spotted Catherine.
Steve turned slowly before seeing the three adults staring at him.
"Daddy is having a tea party with me."
"I see that. I think pink is daddy's color."
"Me too."
Steve stood up, talking off the boa as he walked towards the door. He was slightly embarrassed.
"Don't worry son. Wait until you called into a meeting and after sitting there for an hour you realize your finger nails are painted red." James told him as he stared down at Catherine.
"It's a sign of a good father and man." Tricia told him.
"Absolutely." Catherine as she stood up.
"Thank you but peanut red is not my color." Steve told Sawyer.
"Can we finish our tea?"
"Absolutely."
Catherine couldn't help but smile, she wished everyone could see this side of Steve.
"Papaw do you want tea?"
"I would love some tea."
"Yeah! Mommy, Mamaw do you?"
"I would love tea but I need to get ready for everyone coming over." Catherine told her.
"Why don't I help your mommy and you can have extra special tea with your daddy and papaw?"
"Okay."
Steve gave Catherine a quick kiss before she headed towards their bedroom.
"Mom, I'll meet you down stairs."
"Okay. You three have fun."
Steve, James, and Sawyer went into Sawyer's room. Catherine couldn't help the smile on her face. Catherine remembered the extra special tea parties she had with her dad, as soon as she was dressed she went downstairs meeting Tricia in the kitchen. Catherine went to the cabinet pulling out a box.
"You still keep them in the house?" Tricia asked with a smile on her face.
"Yes, for extra special occasions." She replied with a smile.
She pulled out three macadamia nut cookies, she grabbed a plate and quickly opened the cookies and putting them on the plate.
"I'll be right back."
Tricia nodded, knowing exactly where her daughter was heading.
/
Catherine could hear the group talking as she made her way to Sawyer's room. She smiled at the group, when she came to the doorway.
"I hate to interrupt but you need cookies to have an extra special tea party." She told the group.
"We get cookies?" Sawyer asked.
"Yes, you do but these are extra special cookies."
"Why?"
"Because no matter where you or daddy and I are in the world, we can always have these types of cookies. When you eat one, you will know that we are thinking of you and we will know that you are thinking of us." Catherine told her, in the same words her father told her many years ago.
James and Steve both smiled, knowing how much it meant to Catherine.
"I like that."
"So did I when Papaw told me the same thing." As she looked over at James.
She handed Sawyer the plate and watched her carefully carry the plate to the table.
"When the three of you are done, Steve will you make sure Sawyer is dressed?"
"Absolutely." He replied with a smile.
/
An hour later.
Catherine and Tricia had everything set up and ready for the group to show up. Steve had managed to Sawyer dressed, after she went to find out what color bathing suit Catherine was wearing, Steve and James laughed when she came running back in the room. They were coming down the stairs, when the doorbell rang, Steve and Sawyer went to the door opening it to Kono and Adam.
"Good morning. Come in." Steve told them.
"Good morning." Both Kono and Adam replied.
Steve went to shut the door.
"I would leave it open, I am pretty sure Danny and Chin were behind us." Adam told them.
"Thanks. Sawyer this is Adam." As Steve picked her up.
"It's very nice to meet you, Sawyer."
"It's nice to meet you too." She replied with a huge smile.
Catherine and Tricia came in the living room as Danny, Gabby, Charlie, Gracie, Chin, and Leilani came in the house.
"Adam, this is James and Tricia Rollins." Kono told him.
"Everything is set up outside." Catherine told the group.
Everyone made their way outside, carrying the food they had brought. Kono and Adam brought Hawaiian Salad, Danny and Gabby bought Malasada and juice, Chin and Leilani brought eggs and different kinds of meats.
"We have a great spread here." James told the group.
"Yes, we do and Kamekona is bringing lunch." Steve told him.
"Sounds like everything is planned." Tricia replied.
"We wanted to make sure you and dad could relax and enjoy the day before you have to leave."
Everyone sat down to enjoy breakfast, Catherine made sure Sawyer had everything she needed and was sitting with Gracie and Charlie before joining the adults.
/
A little while later.
Catherine smiled as she watched the group, everyone was doing their own thing, but she stopped to watch her dad and Steve. She could tell they were talking while they were watching Sawyer run in and out of the waves breaking the shore. She looked over at her mom, who was talking to Gabby and Danny while they were watching Charlie, she could tell that her mom was telling them stories by the way Danny was laughing. Catherine wished she could freeze time, so that her parents could stay for a couple more days.
/
Steve and Admiral Rollins laughed at Sawyer as she tried jumping over the waves.
"Catherine seems more relaxed today."
"We discussed some things last night, she is wanting to stay home with Sawyer."
"You don't like the idea?"
"I told you once that I would do my best to give Cath everything she wanted and I meant every word of it."
"Steve, you have always made her happy."
"I am not sure about that, but I also don't want her to feel like she is losing herself or that I expected her to stay at home."
"Catherine knows what she wants and I can you that it's her family. She wants to bond with Sawyer just like you do."
"But, it's different for her."
"Tricia told me once that the bond between a father and daughter was important because a father showed her how she should be treated by a man, but the bond between a mother and daughter is important because her mother shows her how to be strong women."
"Sawyer couldn't have better role models in Cath and Tricia."
"And in you. You will never think anyone is good enough for her, I don't know father who does but I can tell you when she finds a man who treats her the way you treat Catherine, you will know that she is going to be okay. We both know I wasn't your biggest fan at first, not because you were a bad person but because I knew that my little girl was in love with you. As I watched you, I knew that you were in love with her but most important you respected her and treated her as an equal that meant everything to me."
"I am completely in love with her, the only person I love as much as Cath is Sawyer."
"I understand that completely."
"Do you really think Cath will be happy staying at home?"
"I think she will at least for a while, the only advice I can you give you is to support her decision."
"Always." Steve replied looking out at his daughter.
"Something else going on son?"
"I am glad you know how much I love Catherine."
James stayed quiet waiting for Steve to finish.
"Things have been crazy around here for a couple of years but Cath has always kept me grounded, she is the reason I knew no matter what happened I had a home and a family to come back too. You know my history, I didn't really know what it meant to be a real man, a true man until Catherine then Sawyer. You and Tricia raised an incredible women and have done more for us then I could imagine was possible. I want to ask you for your blessing."
"You are planning to propose?"
"Yes, I am not sure when. I want it to perfect for Catherine."
"You could ask her today and it would be perfect for her. You have my blessing."
"Thank you."
Steve had a huge smile on his face, he knew James was right he could ask her today and Catherine would be happy with all their family and friends around.
/
Please tell me what you think. There will be one more chapter with Catherine's parents.
