TWENTY TWO - 2/2

Arancino di Mare - Marriott
2552 Kalakaua Avenue

Danny, Gabby, Angie, DJ and Nonna were already seated at a table on the restaurant's terrace when Steve, Catherine, and Grace arrived.

"There's my girl. How was it?" Danny asked, standing to hug her. "I see Uncle Steve is here so you didn't have to feed him to a shark to save yourself."

Grace laughed and shook her head as she returned the hug and greeted everyone at the table. "It was amazing. You should've seen the sharks up close. They were so graceful."

Gabby leaned towards Catherine, her curiosity piqued. "Were they really that close?"

Catherine nodded. "They were. She did great, of course."

Danny pointed his daughter towards the empty chair at the head of the table. As she settled into her seat, Nonna reached out to squeeze her hand. "Mio bambina. Your adventure sounds wonderful."

"It really was." Grace's eyes lit, and she launched into a detailed retelling of the dive, describing the sharks and the other marine life they encountered. Everyone listened intently, none more than Angie, who was bouncing with excitement. "Daddy, I want to dive with sharks when I'm ten!"

Danny smirked at his best friend before saying, "Of course you do," to his goddaughter. "We already ordered appetizers for the table," he told Steve, Catherine and Grace. "Fried calamari, clams in white wine garlic broth, the antipasto sampler because it's mine and DJ's favorite, and vegetables with garlic & olive oil dip."

"Sounds great,' Steve said, "I'm starving."

"Because dodging man-eating creatures builds an appetite?" His partner busted.

"Because swimming for hours expends a lot of energy… which you'd know first hand if you'd come on a dive."

"You know what?" Danny waved a hand. "I expend enough energy when you put me in …" he glanced at the kids… "crazy situations, so I am good on that, thank you."

"Boys, boys," Nonna said with a smile. "No debates at the table, let's decide on entrees. I'm going to try the tagliatelle pomodoro e crema con gamberetti," she said, closing her menu.

"What's that, Nonna? Angie asked.

"It's tagliatelle, which is flat macaroni like fettuccine, with shrimp and tomato cream sauce. The sauce is like my pasta vodka sauce, bambina."

"I love shrimp, and your vodka sauce, and fettuccine!" she said with a smile. "I want what Nonna's getting, please." She turned to Catherine with a little head tilt. "Can I get the tag… taga…"

"Tagliatelle," Nonna supplied with a soft smile.

"Tagliatelle," Angie repeated.

"Of course. If you don't finish, we'll take the rest home." Catherine leaned over to kiss her head. "What are you thinking, DJ?"

"The spaghetti carbonara," he told his mother with a decisive little nod. That was one of his favorites. "Grace, what about you?"

"I'm getting the branzino, it's great here."

Just then their server approached and Grace grinned. "I think we're ready," she said.

The server, whose name tag read Vinny, smiled and began to take their orders. "I understand it's a special occasion, happy birthday."

"Thanks so much," Grace grinned at Danny, knowing he'd likely told the hostess and server and anyone at nearby tables it was her birthday dinner. "I'll have the branzino…"


By the time the appetizers arrived, the conversation shifted to different topics. DJ animatedly told Nonna about a funny incident that happened on the last day of school, causing the great grandma to burst into laughter.

Steve, with a look of unabashed pride, raised his glass. "To the birthday girl. We love you, Gracie."

Danny raised his own glass. "I don't know how my monkey will be twenty two next week, but I hope it's your best year yet."

Grace beamed, feeling the love from everyone at the table. "Thank you. And thanks for another incredible adventure and dinner," she told Steve and Catherine. "And of course a sleepover with two of my favorite people." She winked at DJ and Angie.

Danny cleared his throat dramatically. "Now, before we dive into this feast, I need to remind everyone about safety rules at the table. No food fights, and absolutely no attempting to steal my dessert."

Angie tilted her head, not quite getting the food fight joke, but knowing he was teasing, she said, "You're silly, everyone gets their own dessert, Uncle Danno.

DJ laughed, saying, "Don't worry, Uncle Danny. I'll help make sure your dessert is safe."

While Nonna smiled at Catherine, silently saying how happy she was at the eleven year old's confidence to easily tease his uncle, Grace laughed, basking in the familiar banter of her family. She felt a surge of gratitude for their traditions, old and new.


As the night progressed, DJ presented Grace with a handmade card. "Happy birthday, Grace. We have a present for you at home, but Angie really wanted to bring the card to the restaurant."

Touched by the gesture, Grace stood to hug him and then Angie. "Thank you, guys. This is a great card."

"DJ drew you and Mommy and Daddy diving with the sharks and I colored it. Do you like it?"

"I love it! You're both great artists. I'm going to frame it." Grace reached for her purse and tucked the card safely inside. "Looks like the entrees are up," she used catering lingo, which Danny grinned at and gave his grandmother a nod.


As the night drew to a close, their server brought out a birthday cake, adorned with 23 candles that flickered in the dim light. The table erupted into Happy Birthday as Grace made a wish and blew them out.

Steve, with a proud smile on his face, clapped his hands. "Happy birthday, Gracie. Here's to another year of adventures and happiness."

Danny, his eyes shining with unshed tears, added, "I hope you have never ending health and happiness," before he turned to Nonna, who said, "Conta le tue candele, conta i tuoi anni, conta le tue benedizioni."

Grace, her eyes teary as well, looked around at her family, and settled on her great grandma. "Count your candles, count your years, count your blessings. I will, Nonna, always." She leaned over to kiss her cheek. "I'm so happy you're staying for a few extra weeks so you're here for my birthday."

"I wouldn't miss it, mio bambia. I love you."

"Love you." She looked around the table and included everyone. "All of you."


As they made their way out to the parking lot after dinner, Grace, walking hand in hand with Angie, said, "Another perfect adventure and dinner, thank you," to Steve and Catherine.

They smiled at her, then at each other when Angie added, "Are you excited to sleep over after your birthday dinner?"

Grace bent to lift her cousin into a hug, saying, "Very, very excited and pretty soon you'll be tall enough to carry me," before kissing her cheek and setting her down.

"I'm almost seven," she confirmed, in case anyone wasn't sure and Grace giggled.

"That's how old I was when I met your mommy and daddy," she told the little girl who was the perfect combination of both. "That was the start of us being family, even though you and your brother weren't born yet."

"That's super awesome, because families are the best."

Glancing at Steve and Catherine, Grace smiled and nodded. "They definitely are."

# End thanks for reading


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