REAL McRollers and Readers, please indulge me a personal note as I'm a 'sharer'.
My goal during my 96 year old mom's 12 years with dementia has been to move her (and dad) in and keep her here, all the time knowing due to dementia's unpredictability, that may not necessarily be possible.
Thankfully, as her time on earth draws to a close, she was able to begin hospice care two weeks ago right here in her own bedroom.
As the experience of being alone with a parent on hospice is compounded ten-thousand-fold by the social isolation due to the pandemic, I need to thank Sammy and Ilna for being not only the best friends anyone could ever ask for, but for being the sisters this only child never had. They've been here for me every step of the way; as has my best friend of 45 years, Kelly, I love you now and forever.
2.0 (Two Point Zero)
"This is the biggest food store ever, Angie," DJ explained as their parents grabbed two oversized carts and entered COSTCO.
While DJ had accompanied Steve and Catherine for a few items on occasion, this was their first time for a full shopping trip with both kids in tow. Trips to FoodLand were commonplace, but a trip to the big-box store for a month's worth of items wasn't something they'd decided to attempt with Angie along until they were confident she was mature enough to cooperate.
Steve crouched to his son's eye level. "Mommy and I are going to split the shopping list like we do at Mr. Jirou's, then we'll meet up for lunch when we're done. Do you want to come with me or stay with her and Angie?" he asked.
"Ohh, we're eating here? Can we?" The seven year old loved the foot long hotdog he'd gotten on their last trip.
"Absolutely," Catherine said. "I'm looking forward to a hotdog."
DJ was all smiles. "I'll help Daddy, and Angie, can you help Mommy shop?"
"I hewp Mommy!" Angie agreed, nodding while looking around from her perch in the cart. The huge warehouse-like setting with it's oversized packages of everything had her wide-eyed with her usual curiosity for new experiences.
"Sounds like a plan." Steve nodded and when DJ reached up to place his hands on the cart handle, he stood behind their little boy and did the same. "See you soon."
"Bye!" Angie waved, then immediately pointed to a display of colorful pool toys. "Ohhhh p'itty Mommy. I haf?"
"And we're off," Catherine said with a laugh as she plucked a yellow and green ball from the basket and handed it to her daughter. "We need a new one for the beach, anyway."
As they made their way around the store, Angie asked to walk, so soon she was 'helping' place items into the cart - including a giant package of macaroni and cheese, "sooo many 'nannas" and a tub of peanut butter her mommy had to help her carry.
They'd just added eight pounds of frozen mixed berries for smoothies, which Angie identified as "Boobewwy, st'awbewwy an' waz-bewwy - dey nummmmmy" from the images on the bag, when they happened upon a vendor offering taste tests for a mix to make one of her favorite things.
Unable to resist the absolute joy on her little girl's face when she spotted the huge photo of her beloved treats on the banner proclaiming Best Cookie Mix Ever they got in line behind a woman about Catherine's age with a little boy in a Cars t-shirt.
Angie smiled toothily and waved. "Hi! Li'nen M' Keen!" She pointed to one of her brother's favorite characters.
The little boy's mom smiled and said, "Hi cutie, this is Brody, what's your name?"
"Angie Ma-Garred!" she said and began toddler-speak conversation with Brody, whose mom told Catherine he was three and a half.
When they reached the "cookie lady" and she handed a large sugar cookie to the little boy with blue eyes and sandy hair, he broke it, turned and passed half to Angie before taking a bite.
Catherine knelt next to the kids. "Awww thank you, Brody. You're sharing your cookie like a little gentleman. Say thank you, Angie."
"Tank you." She grinned around the bite of cookie already in her mouth.
"Here you go." The cookie demonstrator handed both moms a few bagged cookies and a sample packet of coupons and Zooples Cookie Mix that touted, All Natural Flavors at their best, that's why Zooples Beats the Rest! "Those two are adorable. Remember our cookie mix has all natural ingredients - all sourced locally."
As both women thanked her, and moved to the side of the line, Steve and DJ rounded the corner with a teeming cart.
Seeing her father and brother, Angie squealed, "Daddy, DJ look, cookie!"
"That's a huge cookie, baby girl." He kissed her head. "Who's your friend?" Steve smiled as his daughter broke her cookie to give a piece to her brother, saying, "Ead cookie, DJ, id nummy. Dis Bo-dee."
"Oh, look at that, more good sharing," Brody's mom, who'd introduced herself as Jade, said. "She's adorable and so polite."
While Steve unwittingly puffed up with love and pride, Jade added, "My Brody seems to be smitten."
"She takes after her mother…" Steve began with a glance at his wife, proud smile growing as he thought how beautiful Catherine looked even while food shopping in a purple tank and cut off jean shorts - until the split second it took for the word smitten to sink in.
"Smitt…". His widened eyes found Catherine's, which were dancing with amusement. As usual, she read his thoughts almost as they formed in his head.
"You're a very sweet boy, Brody," she offered, causing him to smile a tiny grin even as he took a huge bite of his own cookie, until his mother's gentle shoulder squeeze and whisper, "What do we say, Bro?" elicited a wider, sprinkle laden smile and a quiet, "Thank you,"
His mom was nodding brightly as she ran a hand over her little boy's head. "Your daughter cut right through our current s-h-y phase. That's pretty impressive."
Just then two additional children rounded the corner. A boy about Jacob's age announced, "Mom, Mom, they got mozzarella sticks to try!" while a girl of nine gushed, "There's ice cream samples, Mommy, can we get one?"
"After lunch. Let's get something to eat now." Jade pointed towards the cafe area where they sold hot dogs, puka dogs and pizza amongst other items.
"Ho' dog!" Angie said with a little hop. "Le's go!" She grabbed DJ's hand in one of hers while offering her new friend her other hand.
"Sorry, is it okay?" Jade asked even as Catherine nodded.
"Sure, we're about ready to eat, right, DJ?" she asked her son, who still had one hand in Angie's even as he grabbed the side of the oversized cart to "help" Steve push it. Looking up at his father, he asked, "Can I try a puka dog like you got at Kamekona's?"
"Absolutely." Steve ruffled his hair. "You're gonna love it. And if you don't, I'll eat it and you can get a regular hot dog, deal?" He held up a fist which his son readily bumped. "I think maybe we'll even get the family size fries to share."
"Deal, Daddy!" DJ exuded his usual excitement at trying something to emulate his father as both families turned their carts towards the food court area while Angie chanted, "Fwies, fwies eat da fwies."
Brody's sister, being a sister, noticed her brother was holding the toddler's hand.
Unable to resist, she chanted, "Brody's got a little girrrrrlllll friend," as Catherine pressed her lips together and squeezed her husband's bicep as his brow furrowed, then relaxed at a thought only she was quick enough to read.
Seconds later, Angie dropped both boys' hands to make a grab for a 100 count box of linzer tarts that was roughly the size of her head. Curls bouncing as she looked at her mother with unabashed glee, she announced, "Cookies, Mommy. ALLLLL da cookies!" before stretching to get them into Catherine's cart.
"At least her heart still lies with cookies, hmmm?" Catherine whispered before pecking Steve's cheek. "But it looks like it's begun."
"What? No, nothing's begun. No." Steve caught his wife's eyes and saw her smile turn mischievous.
Her grin morphed into a giggle as she once again fell just a little more in love with him as he made that faaaaace. "I'm busting you, Commander, but you're about to start seeing something I've been watching for 22 years from a whole new angle."
"Catherine…" he began.
"Steve… you clearly passed it on." She ran a hand over Angie's hair and chuckled even as her husband groaned. "Welcome to McGarrettitis 2.0."
#End. Thanks for reading!
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