Sammy & Ilna - love you both to the moon and back. Thank you for being you.
REALMcRollers and Readers - Much, much appreciation and hugs.
Especially Us
Grace popped a french fry in her mouth and chuckled when Angie did the same.
"Dese fries is yummy."
"They are super yummy, but eat some of your burger, too, please." She tapped her cousin's plate before taking a bite of her own.
"We gots lots of pickles," the three year old announced to everyone picnicking nearby, eliciting smiles from many of the other people who were eating at the park, including a set of siblings in their tweens who were sitting with two friends.
"My sister likes pickles, too, so I give her mine," the boy said before looking at Grace with a curious expression. "Wait, I know you, you're Detective Williams' kid, right?"
A smile crossed her face. "Yeah, that's me. Hi, I'm Grace."
"The task force guy is your dad?" another boy asked.
"That's right, and Commander McGarrett is …"
"My Daddy!" Angie finished for her before eating another fry.
"Cool," the first boy said as he motioned between himself and his sister. "I'm Aiden and my sister's Emma. Our dad's a cop, too. Sergeant Nokamu. I saw you at HPD with your dad."
"I'm Angie Lizabef McGarrett an' Grace is my cousin."
Emma giggled. "You're soooo cute, Angie Elizabeth McGarrett. And I love your boots."
"Tank you." Angie held up a foot. "Dey like Daddy's."
"Well they're super awesome."
The kids chatted for a bit longer before they finished up and began gathering their garbage to recycle. Just as Emma stopped to say goodbye, an HPD cruiser went past the park on a routine patrol.
By reflex, Grace, Angie and the Nokamus waved, all smiling when the officers waved back.
"You do it, too, huh?" One of the boys with the tweens noticed. "These guys wave at all the cops, they got us doing it now."
Grace nodded and handed Angie a napkin. "Can you wipe your own mouth like a big girl?" She looked at the others. "Cops' kids, it's just a thing we do. You guys have a fun day," she said as they turned to leave and Angie parrotted, "Have a fun day!"
When the group had moved on, Grace pulled out a bag containing her cousin's favorite treat and Angie's eyes lit. "Grace, you got cookies! Tank you!" She climbed from her position at Grace's side onto her lap for a hug and took an Oreo out to munch. As she did, a young officer on foot patrol came down the path of the picnic area and greeted them.
"Hi Officer Kelly! You want a cookie?" the little girl offered and Grace said, "Good sharing," before addressing the cop who she recognized from HPD that wasn't much older than herself. "Please, take a few, we have a ton."
"I'm on duty, but Angie is so cute, I can't say no to an Oreo." She helped herself and took a bite. "Mmm thank you. You know, Angie, my daddy's a policeman, too," Kelly Tan said with a smile. "I've seen her with the Commander at HQ," she explained. "My dad's out of Kaneohe. I saw her waving at the other unis earlier, I used to do that."
Grace offered a fist to bump. "Cop kids in the house as my New Jersey family would say."
"Absolutely. Did you start carrying pepper spray or something in middle school?"
Grace laughed. "Busted. Were all your babysitters cops?"
"Gotta say yeah," Kelly agreed with a chuckle. "I have to go back to work, thanks for the cookie, Angie," she said with a smile.
"You we'come," was the quick response. "You gotta get da bad guys now?"
"I have to keep an eye out for them. Bye, sweetie."
"Be safe," Grace said by way of farewell and Kelly Tan nodded her thanks.
Gathering their things, Grace let Angie help her pack the totebag and they started for home, hand in hand.
"You know, cops kids have a lot of other stuff in common," she said conversationally and booped the little nose when Angie looked at her with rapt attention. "When you tell people you're a cop's kid, they assume you're either a goody two shoes or crazy rebellious instead of just normal like most of us."
"Like us," Angie echoed.
"That's right," Grace laughed at her listening like she understood every word. "And you've already spent more time at HQ than most people spend in a police station in their life."
"I see Daddy, an' Uncle Danno an' Uncle Chin an' Auntie Kono at HQ. Is fun."
As they entered the Williams' house a few minutes later, Danny lifted his goddaughter above his head making her giggle. "Did you ladies have fun?"
Her head bobbed in an enthusiastic nod, "We eat hamburgers wif pickles an' fries and cookies and we seed da police and I shared."
At her dad's look, Grace grinned and hugged him. "We saw an HPD patrol and ran into Kelly Tan. Her dad's out of Kaneohe."
"Johnny Tan, yeah," Danny placed Angie down and she ran into the kitchen calling, "Aunt Gabby, I had all da pickles!"
"We had a cops' kid discussion," Grace said as she slung an arm around her father. "We didn't get to the part where every time you make a new friend, your father needs the full name and date of birth of everyone living in the house before you visit," she teased.
"Nothing wrong with that," Steve's voice preceded him into the foyer. "Hey Gracie, did you have fun?"
"Daddy!" Angie tore into the room with Gabby following and flung herself at her father.
"We had some ideas for DJ's party, right, Angie?"
"Shhhh is surprise, Daddy," the little girl said gleefully from his arms. "We gonna haf surprise fun tings at DJ birfday party!"
"Your niece was also telling her more about what to expect as a cops' kid," Danny pointed between the girls as Gabby greeted Steve with a hug.
Grace laughed. "You know what Angie already knows? How brave our daddies are because they go to work every day to keep everyone safe." She kissed both her father and Uncle Steve on the cheek in turn. "Especially us. Right, Angie?"
Angie smiled a smile that was one hundred percent Catherine's and hugged Steve with both arms. With no way of guessing exactly how much she understood, Grace decided it didn't matter one bit, because the expression on her cousin's little face was full of love and pride when she said, "Right, Grace!"
# End. Thanks for reading!
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