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“I know you like to interrupt me Steven, but I want to say this, and I want to say it all at once, so if it’s ok with you, just hear me out, ok?” Danny asked.
Silence indicated to Danny it was ok to proceed.
“I know you’ve never been big on anniversaries and things like that, you know, but I just wanted to point out the fact that today, we have been married for fifty years. Five decades. Five-0.”
Danny fingered the two plumeria lei around his neck absentmindedly as he went on.
“And I want you to know, Commander, that you have made my life. Mahalo. It’s that simple. You and I have raised eight beautiful children, who have in turn given us more than twenty grandchildren—clearly their Hawaiian nights are as warm as all the ones we’ve shared in those fifty years. Mahalo. You took me, when I thought my life was set before me— work, raise Grace, work—and showed me that it could be fuller, and more vibrant, and filled with more Aloha than I ever could have imagined. Mahalo nui loa.” Danny smiled broadly.
“I still remember how you looked the day I married you. You all handsome in white, and you couldn’t stop smiling at me. You smiled at me like I was the only person in the whole world, even though most of O’ahu was there watching. And when you smiled, I knew nothing really bad could ever happen to me, because even though I’ve been shot at more times than I can count, and I’ve actually been shot three separate times, attacked with biohazards, acid, killer bees, and at least one poisonous blow-dart, your smile always shone through, and I knew I was going to live to see fifty years of marriage with you when you smiled. I love your smile, and I love you, Steven J. McGarrett. Hau’oli La Ho’omana’o.” He almost whispered the last words as he felt a strong hand creep around his shoulder and hold him close.
He looked up and saw Steve smiling at him for the briefest moment. “Oh, Kevin, you startled me. You look so much like your Daddy.” Danny said. “I was just saying Happy Anniversary. I’m done now. Help your old Pop up, will you?”
Kevin helped him up, making sure his hand was steady on his cane before letting him put all his weight on it.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Danny said. He took off one of the plumeria lei and placed it onto the bright green grass below, just in front of the white lime headstone.
“I’ll be along soon, babe.”