Mari & Ilna: What can I say? I'm enjoying this adventure every bit as much as I was on day one. Maybe more.

REAL Worlders-thanks for all the enthusiastic support. You guys are the best!

Always Room for More (1/1)

Steve and Catherine smiled as Angie responded to the knocking on the front door by knocking back from the inside and calling, "Who id it?"

She stepped to the side impatiently as Steve opened the door and her eyes lit up at the sight of one of her favorite people. "Dannnnnnnno."

"Angiiiiiiiiiie," Danny replied in the split second before the excited toddler jumped into his arms.

"They do that every time," Grace chuckled to the girl standing beside her, a pretty brunette half a head taller than Grace with an athletic build and a warm smile.

"You must be Kendra," Catherine smiled warmly and extended her hand as Danny and Angie moved into the living room allowing the rest of the guests to enter the house.

"I am. It's really nice to meet you." Kendra returned Catherine's smile in kind. "Grace has told me so much about you." She took a step to the side and indicated the couple standing behind her. "These are my parents. Zach and Willie Blackstone."

"My full name is Wilhelmina, after my grandmother, but no one calls me that," the woman explained. "I'm just Willie."

"Well it's wonderful to meet you all," Catherine said sincerely. "This is my husband Steve, our son DJ, and our daughter Angie who you may have noticed earlier," Catherine chuckled. "Please come in."

"You have a beautiful home," Willie said as she looked around.

"Kendra and her family live in a log house," Grace bubbled. "Isn't that awesome? It's so pretty. Wait until you see pictures. And they get even more snow than New Jersey."

DJ's eyes went wide. "Realllly?"

Zach knelt in front of DJ. "A couple of times a year we get so much snow it would be over your head."

DJ's hands flew to his mouth. "Wow!"

"Honestly, when we stepped off the plane on our first visit it felt like we were stepping into a whole different world," Zach said as he stood. "We left three feet of snow on the ground and stepped off the plane in 80-degree sunshine."

"Dad loves the snow," Kendra chimed in. "Every year he builds us a fort big enough to stand up in."

"That sounds awesome," DJ said excitedly. "A giant snow fort."

"It sure does," Steve agreed.

"Angie see 'now fort?" she asked.

"Maybe someday," Steve answered.

"If you ever get to Montana you've got a place to stay at the ranch," Zach offered. "And if you come during the winter there's lots of fun things to do in the snow. And a big fort is definitely on the list."

"They've got all kinds of animals," Grace said. "Kendra even has her own horse named Chester."

"My sister promised to look after him until I get home on break," Kendra said.

Steve and Catherine led the happily chattering group through the house.

"Wow!" Kendra's jaw dropped as she stepped onto the deck. "This is beautiful." She took a few steps forward. "The ocean is right there."

Cammie, who had been waiting with as much patience as she could muster in her casa, came out to investigate the newcomers.

"This must be Cammie we've been hearing so much about," Willie smiled as she held out her hand for the curious dog to sniff.

"It is indeed," Steve said proudly. "The smartest dog on Oahu."

Grace clapped. "Danno owes me a dollar. I bet him you'd say that."

"The two of you probably worked it out ahead of time," Danny grumbled good naturedly.

"Can we go down and see the ocean close up?" Kendra asked hopefully.

Grace nodded. "Sure. Let's go."

"Angie go wif." The toddler squirmed for Danno to put her down.

"What do you say, Angie?" Catherine prodded.

"Peeeease!" Angie replied.

"Of course you can come." Grace smiled. "What about you, DJ?"

"Can I?" he asked eagerly.

Catherine nodded and the group headed off across the deck with the ever-vigilant Cammie in tow.

"Please have a seat," Catherine said. "There are drinks in the coolers, and I made a few light appetizers to hold us over until dinner. I'll grab them from the kitchen."

"Can I help?" Willie offered.

"Sure." Catherine led the way back into the kitchen and began taking platters out of the refrigerator. "The fruit kabobs are Grace's favorite."

"They look delicious," Willie said. "The variety of fresh fruits here is really amazing."

"One of the best parts of island living," Catherine agreed.

Willie opened her mouth to speak then closed it again. Catherine waited a beat then asked,

"Is there something on your mind?"

"Not really. It's just …" Willie began to spoon the dipping sauces from their sealed containers into their serving bowls. "When Kendra first started talking to Grace after the roommate assignments came out and we found out Danny was a police officer we were thrilled. It's a hard thing sending your firstborn thousands of miles away and it made us feel better to know that Grace was a local, so she knew the area, and that her dad was in law enforcement."

"Danny is one of the best people I know," Catherine said sincerely. "He'll be there for both girls if they need anything at all. We all will."

Willie nodded gratefully. "We had a really nice dinner the night we arrived. We got to meet Gabby and they really put our minds at ease. We feel so much better knowing Kendra can go to them if she needs anything. Danny has been so kind about showing us the island and everywhere we go it seems like people know him."

Catherine smiled. "Everybody loves Danny."

"The thing is… teenage girls aren't always the most accurate conveyors of information," Willie chuckled. "We knew Grace's dad was a police officer. But until we had dinner with him, we didn't realize he was on the governor's task force. And we didn't realize 'Uncle Steve' was the head of the team or 'Auntie Catherine' was the governor's chief-of-staff. It was a lot to take in."

Catherine nodded. "I understand." She took a minute to gather her thoughts. "Danny, Steve and I, we all feel very strongly about giving back and serving the people on this island and across the state. We've all worked hard and are proud of our jobs. But when we're not at work Danny is just my kids' much-loved uncle and partner in mischief, and Steve and I are just Uncle Steve and Auntie Catherine. We are 100% approachable. Anything at all Kendra needs, or anything you or your husband need, please feel free to let us know."

Willie sighed with relief. "Thank you. That makes me feel so much better about getting back on that airplane home tomorrow."

"And of course, if she does start dating anyone, I'd be happy to reimburse you for the cost of the background check," Zach said.

"No need," Danny assured him. "We're happy to help."

"We just…" Steve glanced at the door to the house, "don't always tell that we're doing it because then we get scolded for being overprotective."

"I got it," Zach said. "Mum's the word."

The back door opened and Catherine and Willie appeared carrying platters of appetizers just as Kendra, Grace, DJ, and Angie returned from the beach.

"What were you talking about?" Willie asked her husband. "You have a guilty look on your face."

"Probably running background checks on any boys we might meet," Grace said to Kendra with an eyeroll.

"Not even close," Danny scoffed, trying, and failing, to look innocent.

Catherine arched an eyebrow at Steve who hesitated for a minute then said, "If they have nothing to hide, they shouldn't be afraid of a background check."

She shook her head and smiled indulgently.

"Cookies, Mommy?" Angie asked hopefully as she stood on her tiptoes to see what was on the platters.

"After dinner," Catherine promised. "Right now, how about some fruit kabobs."

Angie's eyes sparkled. "Choc-wut?"

"There's chocolate dipping sauce but you have to sit up at the table like a big girl if you want some," Catherine replied.

"I'll help Angie," DJ said as she scrambled into her seat and he took his place beside her.

"Good helping," Steve said and DJ beamed.

"If you ever miss having your sister and brothers around maybe you can offer to babysit DJ and Angie," Zach teased his daughter.

"Maybe I could," Kendra grinned. "And then instead of paying me I could barter for some time on this gorgeous beach."

"You're welcome anytime," Steve said. "With or without babysitting."

"If you ever need to get away, a quiet place to study, a home cooked meal, anything at all...feel free to stop by," Catherine added sincerely.

"Thanks," Kendra said, still a bit awestruck.

"Yes, thanks," Willie said as Zach nodded in agreement.

Catherine beamed. "Our pleasure. We love adding new people to the family."

THE END

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