While Steve and Catherine were having their drinks at the counter, Emilly, Joshua, Kim, John and Natalie were sitting at the table and Natalie's laugh was annoying Emilly.
"Why do you laugh like an evil witch?" Kim, in her childhood innocence, asked Natalie.
"What an annoying girl!" Natalie thought.
"Kim, you can't say that, it's not polite," Emilly said to her sister, although she wanted to laugh.
"But it's true, Emilly. She laughs like the wicked witch in the princess movie that Mom took me to see at the cinema.
"Kim! Enough!" John scolded the girl sharply.
"Don't talk to her like that, John. She's just a child!" Emilly said.
It's all right. Your little sister is adorable," Natalie told John, though that wasn't what she thought about Kim.
Joshua was not feeling well there. "Emilly, I think I better go."
"I agree," John replied.
"Do you agree with what, John?" Catherine asked when she returned.
"Joshua is wanting to leave, mom," Emilly told Catherine.
"Please stay, Joshua. Dinner will be served," Catherine asked with such delicacy that Joshua could not refuse her request.
"Okay, Mrs. McGarrett," Joshua replied.
"Mrs. McGarrett? Stop it, Joshua! I'm Catherine."
"Joshua, can you please accompany me?" Steve said.
Joshua couldn't imagine what Steve wanted to tell him, but he followed him to the restaurant bar.
"Joshua, I want to apologize to you for my son's bad behavior. I'll have a serious talk with him when I get home."
"It's okay, Mr. McGarrett," Joshua replied.
"No, it's not okay. John has no right to do what he did."
"I know I have nothing, but I really like Emilly, Mr. McGarrett," Joshua told Steve.
"Emilly is a great girl, Joshua. And she deserves to be happy. If you really like her, go ahead, tell her that. Just don't forget that you have to ask for my permission, she is like a daughter to me. Or rather, she's my daughter!"
"Okay. Thank you, Mr. McGarrett," Joshua replied.
"Now let's sit down and have dinner. Ignore John," Steve told Joshua. He felt sorry for the boy.
Steve and Joshua returned to the table and dinner had already been served.
Emilly felt Joshua sit in the chair next to her again. "I'm glad you came back, Joshua."
"Thank you, Emilly."
After everyone had finished dinner, Steve thought it best not to extend the family reunion any longer. "Can we go, Cath?"
"Yes, Steve," she replied.
Natalie talked to John all the time as if the rest of his family weren't there and it irritated Steve deeply.
"Dad, Natalie and I are going to stretch out our night," John told Steve.
Steve looked at John and said nothing.
"Bye, family, I loved meeting you," Natalie said and left with John.
"Witch!" Kim said when she saw Natalie leave.
"What is it, daughter?" Catherine asked.
"John had a fight with Kim over her," Emilly told Catherine.
"What?" Catherine asked.
"I'm losing my patience with John. He doesn't have the right to quarrel with my baby," Steve said and picked up Kim to put her in the car.
"Come on, Emilly!" Kim called her sister to sit beside her.
"I'll be right there, Kim," Emilly replied. She was going to say goodbye to Joshua, but Steve told him that he would take him home.
"There is no need, Mr. McGarrett."
"Get in the car, Joshua," Steve said.
Joshua got in the car and sat down next to Emilly.
"Cath, do you drive?" Steve asked.
"Yes, of course, but why?" she asked.
"It's nothing, I just don't want to drive," Steve replied.
Catherine was concerned. Steve always made a point of driving even other people's cars.
Catherine drove to Joshua's house and looked at Steve the whole way. "Is he feeling bad?" she thought.
"Bye, Kim," Joshua told the girl.
"Bye!" Kim told him and smiled.
"Thanks for inviting me to dinner, Emilly."
"Thank you for accepting my invitation, Joshua," she replied.
"Bye, Mr. and Mrs. McGarrett," Joshua said and got out of the car.
"Bye Joshua, and again I apologize," Steve said.
"It's all right, Mr. McGarrett."
"Bye, darling. See you on Monday," Catherine said to Joshua and drove off.
Catherine took her family to home, bathed Kim and put the girl to sleep.
Emilly also prepared to sleep and Catherine kissed her forehead. "Good night daughter."
"Good night mom."
"I know we have a few things to talk about, but can we leave it for tomorrow? I'm really tired," Catherine told Emilly.
"Sure, Mom. I'm fine, I promise I won't cry because of John."
"Great, daughter, he doesn't deserve even a tear from you," Catherine told Emilly.
Catherine went to her room and Steve was sitting on the bed. She climbed on the bed and massaged his shoulders.
"You are very tense, dear."
"Yes, I am. I'm really upset, Cath."
"Don't take problems with John too seriously. This isn't doing you any good," Catherine told him.
"I can't do it, Cath."
Steve lay in the bed with Catherine, but he was unable to sleep. After she fell asleep, he got up and went to the living room, sat down to watch TV and wait for John to get home. It was a long wait.
