Sammy and Ilna, I pray and hope for you what I do for myself; health for us and our loved ones near and far. Please know you are keeping me grounded and giving me a treasured sense of normalcy.

REAL McRollers and Readers, Thank you all, always. We wish you safety and health. We are honored that so many have reached out to tell us we provide a few moments of joy in these days fraught with uncertainty. Please keep your communications coming, we love you guys.

Happy birthday to Quinn, a Canadian cutie who is greatly loved by Jennifer, from us, our pets and the pets of the REAL World. Cammie kisses!

Conversations with Grace: I Always Will

While the rest of the family remained on the deck enjoying the breezy warmth of the late afternoon, Steve and Grace had set off across the beach where the soon to be college freshman and her brimming with pride uncle had spent countless hours since she and Danny had become the only family besides Catherine he'd known since being torn from his own.

The tide was low, and a pair of sea birds skimmed the ocean, then landed to investigate the hollows two sets of footprints created in the sand.

"Is everything okay, sweetheart?" Steve asked as she walked beside him at the water's edge.

She turned to look up at him, pushing stray hair that'd slipped from her braid away from her eyes as she did. "Everything's great. I just wanted to talk to you."

Steve stopped when she did and sat on the sand, gesturing for Grace to sit as well. "What's on your mind? Whatever you need, anything, I've got you, Gracie."

She nodded and smiled. "I do know. I always have. I just wanted to ask you ..."

Steve regarded the seventeen year old he'd loved like his own for more than half her life and simply repeated, "Anything."

"I know you always have my back, you and Auntie Cath both, and I can tell you're both really happy for me." Grace regarded him until he grinned at her next words. "I can read you pretty good, too."

"We are happy. Happy and proud." Even as he spoke Steve wondered what was on her mind.

"But I needed to ask… because I want to be sure …" The brown eyes regarded him thoughtfully. "You're not disappointed I didn't choose the academy are you? That I want to stay here and become an event planner?"

"Gracie…" Steve began, but before he could form words around the lump in his throat, she continued.

"You're like my second dad, Uncle Steve. Your opinion..." she worried her lip, "and approval, they mean a lot. I know you support me all the way in everything I do, but I just hope I didn't disappoint you."

Steve held out his arms and his niece hugged him. With a kiss to her temple, he released her.

"Gracie," he began again. "I … first of all you could never disappoint me. You're the kindest, most generous person, and you always do what's right. You always have, even as a little girl. For other people and yourself. And second, the academy was my choice, and it was your Auntie Cath's dream but that doesn't mean I ever, for a second, expect it to be yours."

He took her hand in both of his and marveled for a second on how the tiny hand he used to hold was its current adult size. He shook his head slightly.

When did that happen? Wasn't she just eight years old last week?

"I'd talk about the academy because I know you're brilliant and resilient enough to get in and excel." His lip twitched into a smile. "And to bust your father. But seriously, Gracie, it wasn't because I thought it was your path, sweetheart. If you chose it, great, or if you chose Montclair State in New Jersey, great, but I could see from your face when you told us about UH that you found your path." He smiled. "I maybe knew that already from the incredible surprise party you threw for me all those years ago."

Grace beamed. "I love you. Thank you." She knelt up and wrapped him in another hug. "You're the best."

"Actually, sweetheart, you are." He took a heartbeat to put into words what he wanted to voice. "My approval being that important to you, Gracie, means a lot to me." He ran a hand through his hair and looked out over the water. "You know now I wasn't the happiest guy when I met you, honey. My dad... Freddie…and Catherine was at sea most of the time." His eyes were clear when they met his niece's. "And then Danno brought you around and you were a force of nature. A few days later you came to the door when he picked me up for work. We were going to drop you at school on the way." His mind's eye saw the pigtailed little girl in her uniform. "Do you remember that day?"

Grace nodded. She'd spent the weekend with Danno and had hopped out of the car at the beach house to ring the bell. "Yeah, you were surprised it was me at the door and Danno waiting in the car." She grinned at the memory.

"You called me Uncle Steve that day." He returned the smile with a broad one of his own. "You grabbed my hand and said, 'Hurry, Uncle Steve, we don't wanna be late. And just like that …"

"We were family," she finished with full eyes and a dazzling smile. "And I had a favorite uncle. And next thing I knew, the best aunt and now I have Angie and DJ. And Cammie, too."

He held her gaze. "I'm gonna tell you something I've told your dad since before Angie was born," Steve said with a chin tilt towards the house where his children were. "If Angie and DJ grow up to be like you - with your kindness, bravery, and … ability to love everyone you meet, I'd be the happiest guy in the world."

The brown eyes regarded him thoughtfully. "Wow. I don't…" Grace took a shaky breath. "I don't know what to say except…" She stood and offered a hand he didn't need, but took in his.

This time when they hugged, Steve thought how she was only two inches shy of Catherine's height.

Her voice brought him back as she leaned up to kiss his cheek before she fell into step beside him for the walk back towards the beach house where the family waited.

"Thank you, Uncle Steve." Grace placed a hand on his arm and squeezed it gently. "For always being there and having my back."

Wrapping her in a one armed hug as they walked, he smiled as he said, "Thank you, sweetheart, for understanding I always will."

# End. Thanks for reading!

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