It's time! Welcome, everyone to Part one of the 2023 REAL World Thanksgiving Marathon

We are very, very thankful for you all! Hugs to our readers who have become our friends.

Sammy and Ilna - I am thankful every single day of my life that the faits through us together and we became family. Love you guys.

C10

Angie's excitement bubbled over as she hopped on the sofa to peer out the window for what was probably the twentieth time. Turning when Steve came into the room after running Cammie she said, "Daddy, when are Aunt Mary, Uncle Aaron, Joanie, and Aunt Deb getting here?"

He grinned at her and glanced at his watch. "They landed half an hour ago, baby girl. They'll be here before you know it."

Catherine and DJ came inside from where they were setting up for dinner on the deck. "Everything looks so good, Daddy. Dinner's gonna be awesome."

Angie hopped off the sofa. "We're going to play a game after dinner and have story time with Aunt Deb, right, Mommy? I can't wait to show Joanie my new goat book!" Her enthusiasm was infectious.

Catherine laughed and ruffled her curls. "Absolutely. DJ, are you ready to team up with Uncle Aaron for Battleship?"

DJ grinned. "I'm ready. I've been practicing. I think we can beat Joan and Aunt Mary."

Suddenly, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway drew everyone's attention.

"They're here!" Angie squealed, bolting for the door with Cammie at her heels.

The car doors opened, and Mary and Aaron stepped out, followed by Joan and Aunt Deb.

Steve opened the door to greet them, wrapping Mary in a warm hug.

"Hey, Mare, ready to lose at Battleship?" He teased.

"I missed you, too, big brother," Mary replied, a smile lighting up her face. "And bring it."

Angie and DJ ran to hug Joan, who squealed and held them close.

"We're gonna have so much fun," Joan said, her blond ponytail bouncing as she hopped in place.

"Aunt Deb, it's so good to see you," Catherine said, embracing her.

"You, too, sweetheart You look positively beautiful, as always," Deb said with a twinkle in her eye.

Catherine kissed her cheek. "You're always good for my ego and you look amazing," she said sincerely, linking their arms after hugging the rest of the family. "You must all be hungry. Why don't we get everyone settled and we can have some dinner after you freshen up?"

As the others entered the living room, Aaron and Steve grabbed the bags from the rental and returned in quick order. "So, what's first on the agenda after dinner?" Aaron asked, his eyes crinkling with a smile.

"Battleship!" Angie said, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "We have two games so you and DJ against Aunt Mary and Joanie and me and Aunt Deb against Mommy."

"You're gonna beat us all, even playing solo, aren't you?" Mary grinned at Catherine. "Then you'll beat my brother in the playoff and I want a front seat for that."

"Hey, hey, I'm right here," Steve teased.

Mary shrugged with a smile. "You're kind of hard to miss. And I stand by my prediction."

"We'll see…" Steve replied as the kids beamed at the banter

"Why does Steve get to go directly to the playoff?" Aaron asked.

"Because he won the game of Monopoly we played over skype," Joan reminded her father. "I have to use the bathroom, then I want to meet Luna!"

"I'll show you the new blanket on the blow up bed after you meet Luna," Angie said as the kids dashed for the stairs, "It's an Ariel one!"

"And they're off," Mary said, grinning at Steve. "You realize a few more pets and you and Catherine are outnumbered."

He held up both hands as Deb chuckled. "We're done. Cammie and the cats are it."

"Don't forget Felix," Mary chuckled.

"And Felix, who thankfully doesn't live here. But we are definitely at capacity."

Catherine laughed and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "We've got this."

"How'd that work for you with the cats?" Her sister in law laughed out loud.

"About the same as "'We don't need a dog', worked for you," Steve retorted with a grin before turning to Aaron. "Is Peanut with Alyssa and Paul?"

Aaron nodded. "Avery's over the moon to help watch her and the dogs love playing together. Joan is a little worried about being away from her, though. The first thing she did when we landed was ask to FaceTime with Peanut."

"I'm sure this first separation is tough, but Peanut is in good hands."

Simultaneous calls of, "Mommy!" and "Mama!" came from the upstairs landing.

"We're being paged," Mary said as she and Catherine headed for the stairs. "Coming, ladies!"

As they reached the top, Steve, Aaron and Deb exchanged smiles. Joan's voice carried down as they moved back towards DJ's room. "Luna's so beautiful, and she likes me. I petted her and she purred. Can you take my picture with her and Cammie and Pumpkin, please? We have to text it to Peanut!"

Not long after, everyone sat around the deck table as Steve and DJ placed platters of burgers and hotdogs down and Angie and Joan passed out drinks and salad with Catherine.

"So, Joan, tell us about your latest adventure," Catherine said, smiling at her niece.

"Daddy and me went to the Daddy Daughter princess lunch at my school!" Joan exclaimed, her eyes shining.

"That sounds amazing, sweetie. I bet it was wonderful," Catheirne said, reaching out to run a hand over her niece's hair.

"It was the best," Joan replied, beaming.

Angie leaned over, her eyes sparkling. "Can we go to a princess lunch, Daddy?"

Steve chuckled. "We'll see if we can find one, baby girl."

"I bet your mommy can use her amazing skills to locate one," Aunt Deb suggested.

"That sounds like a plan. We'll make it happen," Catherine said, her gaze meeting Steve's. She knew Aulani definitely had princess meals.

"Yay!" Angie gushed, turning her attention back to her beloved cousin. "Tell me everything, what princesses did you see…"

As the evening wore on, the adults cleared the table and sat around the living room, having another cup of coffee after the kids had been tucked into bed.

"I absolutely remember being nervous as hell on my first visit here when Steve tried to teach me how to surf," Aaron said, his laughter filling the room.

"I'm still convinced you were a natural," Steve retorted.

"I wiped out within seconds, but thanks," Aaron said with a grin.

Aunt Deb chuckled. "I wish I could have seen that."

Suddenly, Steve's phone disrupted the relaxed atmosphere and his expression grew serious as he answered the call. "What's the situation, Chin? Where? I'll call Danny and be there in fifteen," he said before hanging up.

"You caught a case," Catherine said.

"A robbery with shots fired downtown. I've gotta go." Steve stood and with a quick kiss for Catherine and a reassuring smile to the others, ran upstairs for his badge and weapon, peeked in on the kids for a last good night and hurried out the door.

As the truck disappeared down the road, all three children appeared at the foot of the staircase.

"Daddy will catch the bad guys," Angie told Joan, "And he'll be very very careful."

The adults exchanged glances, knowing the absolute conviction the six year old had in her daddy's abilities to right whatever was wrong on the island.

"Come on, you guys," Catherine told them as she stood. "Let's get back upstairs. How about another story from Aunt Deb?" She looked at the older woman with a smile.

"I was hoping to read three and everyone dozed off earlier, so now I can add one more," Deb said cheerily. "Let's go, munchkins."

Hours passed, and the children were fast asleep before the sound of Steve's truck pulling into the driveway broke the quiet night. All eyes turned to the door as he opened it and stepped inside.

"We wrapped. Everyone's safe," he told the family as he bent to peck Catherine's lips.

Aunt Deb stood to hug him. "Thank goodness you and the team are okay."

"I'm good and I'm starving." He wrapped an arm around Deb as headed for the kitchen. "Who's up for a snack?"

# TBC Tuesday in Part two of the Thanksgiving Marathon