Restless Days and Restless Nights
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Ch. 8
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Photographs and Memories Pt 7
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Thomas frowned, trying to think how to gather his friends and Higgins and Dr. Cunha together for the confrontation. No, he didn't want to think of it that way. How about a celebration?

Yeah, that he could work with. Invite his friends, because they really were all his friends to a party. So he would have to start by asking Higgins for permission to have a little party. He knew Rick and TC would be up for it...his buds were always up for getting together with him. He'd never invited Dr. Cunha to such a gathering before, but first time for everything, right? Who else...it would look suspicious if he... Oh, of course, Detective Katsumoto had to be invited. Hmmm. Kumu, Higgins, Father Murphy. He could ask Kamekona to cater to the gathering. He had to get a job to come up with the money for this, but Higgins would not be happy with him if he took a PI gig before the situation with his shoulder was resolved. Oh, crap, he'd dig into his foundation money. That would work. Once they understood his shoulder was okay, he'd get a PI gig to pay it back to the fund. Okay...time to take this to Higgins and see if it would float or if he would have to talk Rick into renting out the King K club to him one Sunday evening. Time to get to it.

Magnum wandered outside and saw Higgy heading over to her yoga spot with her yoga mat. He called out. "Hey, Higgy, wait up." The blonde paused in her walking and waited for him to catch up. "I have a request, Higgins." He began more formally. He'd never asked for anything like this before. It felt, awkward. "I'd like to have a little gathering."

"A gathering?"

"You know, like a party...out here on the lawn."

Higgins frowned, "How many people in this 'gathering'?"

Thinking a moment, he said, "I don't know...10 to 12 people maybe."

"Oh, good heavens, Magnum. You don't have to ask for permission for a gathering of a few friends - you live here. I thought you were asking about a much larger group than that. "

Thomas frowned. "I don't really know that many people, Higgins."

"Just let me know when...it's fine."

"I'd like you and Kumu to come as well. I was thinking of having Kamekona bring his shrimp for food and we'll have beer and wine coolers and lemonade and iced tea to drink. That sound okay?"

Higgins smiled at him. "It sounds rather pleasant. As I said, just let me know when."

"Okay, thanks for being so nice about it."

Juliet looked at him tolerantly. "Thomas, it is not like you've asked for much since you have lived here. It is your home. So long as you let me know ahead of time a gathering like this is hardly going to break the estate. Let me know what you'll need set up."

Magnum frowned and shook his head negatively. "No...no...me and the guys will take care of that."

"Oh, like hell you will with that shoulder." The majordomo snapped. "I'll let the gents help me, but not you...you can 'sidewalk superintend'!"

Magnum rolled his eyes. "Yes, ma'am."

"Now, off...or I'll never get my yoga done!"

"Thanks again, Higgy."

She waved him off.

So things were a go!

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Magnum went into the guest house to call Rick and TC and see when would be good for them. He thought maybe this Sunday afternoon/evening might work, but he'd check with the guys first and go from there. Knowing TC had a tour this morning, he called Rick first.

"King Kamehameha Club, Rick speaking."

Magnum grinned. "Hey, Rikki."

"Tomas...how's your shoulder?"

"Colourful." He replied, honestly.

"Sorry I didn't make it by yesterday...we had a lady come in wanting to talk about having a bachelorette party here in about three weeks, so I had to meet with her."

"Oh, no problem, brother. You know I understand work comes first. You guys have real jobs. Higgy still won't let me work."

"Thomas, with as much trouble as you can get into on your cases, you know she's right. Your shoulder is already bunged up, you don't need anything else to get hurt."

"Yeah, but I had to pass up on a simple job setting up security monitors for a warehouse. It was for good money, too...and could have led to more gigs like it." Magnum frowned, thinking his remarks sounded too much like whining.

"Yeah, a simple job climbing up and down ladders, and crawling all over the place to determine the best angles for the cameras...doesn't sound safe right now. You damn near ripped your shoulder worse getting that balloon down just the other day, Tommy." Rick snapped. "You know, you have a gig like that, TC and I would help you...you wouldn't have to miss out on the gig. Why didn't you call us?"

"No, Rick, you have real jobs. I'm not going to put my actual work on you. That wouldn't be right."

"I call BS, Thomas. I'm offering and I know damn well TC would back my play. I could take a few hours off with no problem, damn it."

"Rick..." Thomas tried to cut off the tirade.

"Damn it, Tommy, let us help."

"Okay - how about this Sunday? Want to help me put on a little soiree? I was going to ask you guys to help me set up tables and stuff, but I got overruled by Higgins. She'll only let me 'sidewalk superintend', not actually set up."

"And rightfully so, TM. Sure...are we invited?" Magnum could hear the chuckle in his voice.

"Of course. I thought maybe TC could bring the Karaoke machine and we could have some fun."

"Sounds good. What time?"

"Well, I'll get back to you on that - when would be good for you?"

"Anytime, Sunday, T."

"I got roped into singing at Chapel at Pearl this weekend." Suddenly Magnum groaned. "Oh, God, you don't think Captain Greene will be there, do you?"

"I don't think the good Father would have asked you if he expected Buck there, Thomas. He knows about how well you get along!"

"True that. I mean, I'd behave, but I am not sure we can say the same for Greene."

"That's for sure." Rick snorted. "I think I'll come if you are playing and singing."

"That would be nice, Rick. Did you know Father Mike is putting in his retirement papers soon?"

"No, really? That's too bad."

"Ah, he says it's time. He's been in 30, you know. And his knees are really fucked up from the jumps he used to make into the Kops at times."

"Oh, I remember that one time when he hurt the one knee in the Stan...that was messed up, but he still stood on it doing service for us."

"Yeah, Mike's a tough old bird. He was great over there, wasn't he?"

"Even TC enjoyed him in spite of him usually being more Baptist in outlook."

"Well, Mike kept it pretty neutral theologically at the front, Rikki."

"Oh, I know...though I admit I liked the feel of the more liturgical Evening and Morning Prayers he'd do with us, remember? You still doing those?"

"Every day I can, Rick. I enjoy those and they keep me level, you know. No substitute for a good paddle, though."

"I'm glad you are behaving on that, Thomas...just a week or two."

"We'll see when Higgy will let me have access to the surf ski again. That woman can be bossy. It's like having a mini-blonde drill sergeant on my case all the time."

Rick laughed at the image that raised in his mind. "Drill sergeant? Higgins?"

"Dude, she hasn't barked at you as much as she has at me. Yeah, drill sergeant!"

"But she's okay with the soiree?"

"Yeah, she was actually really cool about that. She said...and I quote, "Oh, good heavens, Magnum. You don't have to ask for permission for a gathering of a few friends - you live here. I thought you were asking about a much larger group than that.' "

"Wow, that's really nice of her."

"I invited her and Kumu too."

"Well, yeah, they are part of the family now."

"That's true."

"Well, let me know when you firm up the time after talking to TC and we'll go from there, okay?"

"Sounds like a plan, Rick. Thanks."

"Hey, I'm always up for fun times with Magnum and TC, buddy."

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Well, that made a good start, Magnum thought. One down!
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A/N: Just going for full disclosure here. Mike Murphy is based on a real former military chaplain (He was Air Force, not Navy) and he was my former pastor when I was attending a nearby Lutheran church. I've left that church now, though I adore Pastor Mike. I was studying to become a Lutheran, but when I read some of the works of Martin Luther...I couldn't go through with it. I consider myself a Celtic-Messianic Christian (that is Celtic in origins and Messianic because I have frequently attended Messianic Jewish shul and I had had no idea how anti-Semitic Luther was until recently. That's a no go for me. I have considered myself part Jewish for years and I can't handle anti-Semitism...so that was that. Now I go to an Anglican church, so I chose to make Mike in my story an Anglo-Catholic like me!