Eight years later, not only is Kala 16, but Steve and I had a baby girl, Danielle Lani McGarrett, who's now six. I woke up the morning of Kala's Sweet Sixteen and Steve was gone. "Steve?" I asked. I grabbed my phone and called him. "Pick up, babe."
"Hey, baby," Steve picked up. "I'm at a meeting that Danny and I got called to. I'll be back home as soon as I can."
"Okay," I sighed. "Just next time, wake me up, please." He hung up. "Yeah." I walked downstairs and Kala had Danielle at the table eating a bowl of cereal. "I'm glad somebody was able to get up and around this morning."
"Well, you and Steve get up every morning to make us breakfast and pack our lunch before we gotta be at school," Kala stated. "Someone has to return the favor."
"Why does Kala call Daddy Steve?" Danielle asked.
"Because Kala doesn't have the same Daddy," I replied. "Are you going to be able to take your sister with you to your appointments, Kala?"
"Yeah, I'm sure Dad won't mind," Kala nodded. "Either he takes us both or he can forget even coming to the party tonight."
"Okay, well, Mom's gotta go to work," I sighed as I stood Danielle up in the chair. "Be good for your sister, okay?"
"Yes, Mommy," Danielle nodded. She gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Have a good day at work."
"I will try," I replied. "And I will make it to your party tonight."
"Please," Kala stated.
"Even if I have to leave Steve on a case, I will," I stated. "I'm not missing my first daughter's biggest party. You guys have fun." I grabbed my keys and drove the black Subaru BRZ to the Palace. I walked in and Steve was cuddling a cat in his office. I walked into his office and looked at him. "Uhm, what is that?"
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"A cat," Danny pointed.
"Yeah, I see that," I replied.
"You know, there are cats that survived falls of over thirty stories onto concrete," Jerry stated.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Steve asked. "Don't do that. Don't give him ideas, okay?"
"I would not throw the cat out the window," Danny stated. "Besides, this window does not open."
"Well, Mr. Pickles here needs a new home, so who wants him?" Steve asked.
"No, sorry. Me and Eddie are in a monogamous relationship, so...it's not gonna work," Junior stated.
"You don't even have Eddie," I pointed. "But that cat is not staying at our house."
"Yeah, don't get me wrong. I mean, uh, I like cats -- it's just, if it wasn't for the risk of cat scratch fever and the whole toxoplasma gondii thing..." Jerry trailed off. We looked at him. "It's a fatal brain, parasite, contracted from cat poop."
