Notes: Mari and Sammy - Thank you for being your always awesome selves!
Readers and REAL McRollers - Thank you for your amazing support! It is always appreciated.
Hope you enjoy!
Heart-Shaped Memories (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
"Hello, how's everyone doing tonight?" a young woman with a bright smile and a nametag that read "Jackie" asked the table of four.
"We're very very good," Angie told her as DJ nodded his enthusiastic agreement and their parents smiled in fond amusement.
"I think it's so cute you're out celebrating Valentine's Day as a family," Jackie continued. "Mostly we see couples tonight." She smiled at the kids. "Did you give your parents Valentine's cards?"
"We made them," Angie said proudly.
DJ nodded. "We used poster board and folded it in half so they were really big valentines."
Steve and Catherine shared a smile. The cards were almost as tall as Angie and were currently standing on the dining room hutch.
"That's awesome!" Jackie said. "You know, we do have heart-shaped pizza especially for Valentine's Day tonight."
Angie and DJ's eyes widened excitedly at the idea.
Catherine smiled. "Do you want to share what we're really celebrating tonight?"
Angie beamed and looked at DJ to make the announcement. "It's Official Day," he said with a happy smile. "Three years ago we officially became a family when I was adopted."
"Happy Official Day!" Angie said, unable to contain her bright smile.
"Oh wow!" Jackie said. "Now that's really awesome. In that case, you should definitely get the heart-shaped pizza."
"Because we love our family," Angie said.
DJ nodded. "It's Official Day, but we renamed it McGarrett Rollins Family and Friends Day to celebrate our whole big family. We're having a party this weekend!"
"Very cool!"
"Who renamed it, sweet boy?" Catherine asked with a knowing smile.
"I did," he admitted with a sheepish shrug.
"And I think the heart-shaped pizza is a great idea," Steve said.
"Yay!" Angie cheered.
"Half pepperoni and half mushroom and onion?" he asked, looking around the table and receiving three nods in reply.
"Sounds good," Jackie said. "One Official Day heart-shaped pizza coming right up."
When the pizza arrived, piping hot and definitely heart-shaped, Jackie offered to take a quick picture of the family with it. As the helpful server was handing Catherine back her phone, Angie said, "Daddy, when you and Mommy have your valentine dinner you should get this pizza again!"
"I think it's probably a one night only thing, baby girl," Steve said.
"Maybe you could have heart-shaped pancakes instead," DJ suggested. He looked at Jackie. "They love making pancakes."
"With chocolate sauce!" Angie added, as Steve and Catherine tried to keep straight faces.
"But only when me and Angie are at Grandma and Grandpa's," DJ continued, and the server's eyes widened slightly as she understood what the kids didn't.
"We like pancakes, too," Angie said. "With sprinkles! Do you have sprinkles?"
"Sprinkles for your pizza?" Jackie asked.
Angie shrugged. "Or just to eat."
"We don't need any sprinkles," Catherine intervened. She smiled at the server. "Thank you, this looks great."
"Enjoy your pizza. I'll be back to check on you in a bit."
"Thanks," Steve said as she moved away to look in at another table.
Catherine and Steve started to cut and pass out slices as Catherine said, "How about we go around and share our memories of Official Day three years ago?"
"Yes!" Angie immediately agreed. "You can go first, DJ!"
"Maybe I'll go last," he countered, smiling a little shyly.
"Okay, honey," Catherine said. "Angie, what do you remember? You told Uncle Danno this morning you remember DJ's red tie, and shaking the judge's hand."
Angie nodded. "And all the flags." She looked over at her brother and smiled. "And I remember being happy. Very very happy."
Catherine leaned over to run a hand over her hair. "That is perfect, baby girl. I think we all agree with that feeling."
"What do you remember, Mommy?" DJ asked.
"I remember feeling a little nervous, because I wanted everything to go perfectly. I remember feeling relieved that the day had finally arrived." She smiled softly. "But mostly I remember feeling complete. Just … over and above everything else, I felt that our family was complete."
Steve smiled, reaching for her hand and lacing their fingers together. "I felt that, too. I remember feeling so proud of you for wanting to add Rollins as your middle name," he said to DJ. "I remember feeling very honored to have your trust and love, just like I feel honored to have the trust and love of your mommy and your sister," he continued, smiling at Catherine and Angie. "And I remember feeling so lucky and so grateful that so many of our family members and friends could be there to support us and celebrate with us."
Catherine squeezed his hand as DJ and Angie smiled at his words.
"Are you ready, honey?" she asked DJ after a moment. When he nodded, she smiled and asked, "What do you remember?"
"Everything," he said. "I remember everything. I remember being so excited I almost couldn't fall asleep. Like on Christmas Eve. I remember having special pancakes for breakfast and being nervous but excited, too, and feeling better when you and Daddy said you were a little nervous, too. And I remember how … when we were in the courtroom, every time I looked around there were more people there. And I knew … I'd never be alone again."
He smiled softly around the table. Angie beamed happily at him while Catherine blinked back tears and Steve leaned over to squeeze his shoulder and kiss his head.
"Never again," Steve said, both a repetition and a vow. "None of us knows what the future holds," he continued, remembering his words from three years ago in the courtroom. "But that's one thing neither of you ever have to worry about. You'll never ever be alone."
He held out his hand to DJ who took it without hesitation. DJ held his other hand out to Angie who immediately took it and grabbed Catherine's hand so that the family was joined around the small square table.
"I like this," Catherine said, nodding to the four of them. "Spending a special dinner together and sharing memories of the day we officially became a family."
Angie nodded enthusiastically and DJ grinned. "Me, too," he said. "Can we do it every year?"
"You bet we can, buddy," Steve said, squeezing his hand. "You bet we can."
Hope you enjoyed! Join us Friday for the final part of the celebration!
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