She Ain't My Blood, But She's My Girl

Chapter VII

Tuesday morning went by faster than Rory wanted. She was in meetings all morning. Her lunch meeting with Nancy had caused Rory to have to reschedule her afternoon meeting. Logan took Mia to school after dropping Rory off at the Times. Rory looked at her watch, She needed to hurry back to her office. Chris would be here any minute. He is joining her and Nancy for lunch. Rory was sure Nancy would show up with Jaylan. She just wanted to be prepared. As she was finishing up her email, her assistant Harper knocked on her door frame. "Rory, your Dad is in the lobby." She told him. "I'm on my way," Rory said as she stood up and grabbed her bag. "Harper, I'm not sure I will be back today. I will let you know when I am finished with my lunch meeting." Rory told her.

When Rory got to the lobby, Chris was waiting. "Hi," She said as she hugged her dad. "Hey, Kiddo," Chris said. "I called to change the reservation number. I know you made reservations for four. I called to change it to five. It had already been changed to five." Chirs said. "Why five?" Rory asked. "Logan is meeting us there," Chris said. "Doesn't surprise me," Rory said as they left the building. Chris' town car and driver were waiting out front. As Rory is getting into the town car, it hits her. "Wait. You said you called to change the reservation to five to include Logan, but it was already changed. Did Logan change it?" Rory asked. "He could have," Christ said. Rory was seated next to Chris. "You don't think he called to change the reservation do you?" Rory asked. Chris shook his head. "No, Tristian is in Belgium. I saw him with my own eyes. I talked to him." Rory said. "It could be their lawyer," Chris said. "Has Jaylan retired?' Rory asked. "I think he is semi-retired," Chris said.

They had arrived at their destination. Chris helps Rory out of the car. "The reservation is under Huntzburger," Rory told Chris. "I'm just going to step into the lady's room." Chris nodded. The hostess informed Chris that some of his party was already seated. As he followed her to the table in the back, he told her to keep an eye for his daughter to seat her. Before Chris got to the table he could see Logan. "Hi, Chris," Logan said, standing up to shake his hand. "Rory stopped at the lady's room, she won't be long. I need to warn you about something before the other guests arrive." Chirs said. Logan raised an eyebrow. "I called to change the reservation from 4 to 5 and it had already been changed. Did you change it?" Chris asked. Logan shook his head, then his eyes got wide. "Do you think Tristain is in town?" Logan asked. "Not sure what to think. Jaylan is semi-retired, so it could be their lawyer, but I have a feeling it's not." "You are correct," Rory said as she was seated at the table. "I saw Tristan helping his mother out of a limo on the way back from the bathroom."

Logan was sitting so that he could see the door. "They just walked in. Are you going to be okay, Ace?" "I am fine. I just don't want my baby to have to be shuffled from one place to another. She does not know these people." Rory said. Logan could tell she was getting frustrated. He put his hand on her leg to calm her down. When they got closer, Logan noticed another female with them. It was Anita Fallon. This is the girl that Shira tried so hard to set him up with. This is going to be a disaster. Logan and Chris stood up when they approached the table. Both have had enough etiquette classes. Logan whispers in Rory's ear on the way up. Anita Fallon is with them." He said. Rory didn't understand him to start with. His hot breath on her ear stalled her mind for a minute. When it registered, she jerked her head toward them.

Logan and Chris greeted Nancy and Anita in society fashion. Rory nodded at them. When everyone was seated, Rory smiled at Tristan, "Just saw you in Belgium, are you following us?" she said with a smile, that Tristan and Logan knew did not meet her eyes. Tristan chuckled, "No, sorry to say, but if I knew about my transfer at the time, I could have caught a ride on Air Huntz." He said. Logan smiled."When did you find out about your transfer? I thought you were in Japan, yet I talked to you in Belgium." Logan asked. "I am really sorry to say, but all that is classified." The waitress took their drink order. When Logan ordered a scotch, Rory told her she will have the same and a glass of water. Logan smiled at her. She didn't plan to go back to work today.

"While we are waiting for our drinks, Let's talk about Mia," Chris said. "I want to keep this informal. I don't want this to become one of my cases." Chris said and looked at Rory. "Nancy at my wedding you asked if you could spend time with Mia. I told you, and I will repeat it in front of Tristan, I have never stopped you, Jaylan, or Tristan from seeing her. But I am going, to be honest with you. You have not made an effort to see her. She is 5 years old now. She doesn't know you. Tristan, I don't know how long you will be in the states, but we can make arrangements for you to spend time with her. And Nancy, when she gets to know you and Jaylan, I don't have a problem with you spending time with her alone," Rory stopped to take a breath and Tristian started to speak. Rory held her hand up. "Let me finish, please. Until she is familiar with any of you, I am asking nicely that Mom, my grandparents, my stepdad, my real dad." she put her hand on Chris's shoulder. "Myself, Logan, or even my sister Gigi be there." Logan took her hand and kissed it. He wanted to make sure she remembered he was here.

Rory was waiting for someone to say something. She looked at Nancy, then Tristian. But neither spoke. After a few seconds of silence, the waitress brought the drink order and took the lunch order. When she walked away, Anita spoke up. "She is Tristain,'s daughter. You can not dictate when he sees her or who he sees her with." Tristan put his hand on her arm to stop her. She looked at him. "You nor Nancy were saying anything. Tristan, she is your daughter. "Anita, I am aware that she is my daughter," Tristan said. "Anita, Do you have any children?" Rory asked. Anita smiled at Tristan and put her hand on her stomach. "Just found out last week."

"Rory, I understand that she doesn't know me, But I want to get to know her, as her dad," Tristan said. Rory looked at him like he had two heads. "How else would she know you?" Rory asked. Tristan shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. I don't know if she calls Logan dad." Logan looked at Rory and she nodded. "When we got back from our honeymoon and Mia got settled in her new room, she told me that I was her daddy. I told her that I was her step daddy and that she had a daddy, but he lives far away. She shook her head. You married my Mommy, so you are my daddy. She has been calling me that ever since." Logan said. "Tristain, She is 5 years old. All her friends have mommys and daddys that live together or that they see every other weekend, or at least are at their house. She just wants to be like everyone else." Rory said. "Maybe when she gets to know you, she can call you dad too," Nancy said. "Tristain, how long will you be here, in the states? Just through Christmas?" Rory asked. "The reason I am asking, and dad please don't take any offense, we have worked through our problems. I don't want her to go through what I did. I don't want her to get to know you and then one day you are gone and she doesn't know why. I don't want her to think it is her fault, or to sit at home waiting for you to show up, only to be disappointed. I know with your job, you don't know when or where you will be going. You will not even be able to tell her where you are going."

"I have been offered a job in Washington, DC. That is why I am in the states now. They want me to take a job at the pentagon." He said. "A desk job, Tristan you will go crazy sitting at a desk," Rory said. "No, he will be fine, you don't know him anymore," Anita said. "You are right, I don't." Chris said, "before our food gets here, tell me what you have in mind." Nancy looked at Tristain. "They will be staying with us in the pool house until after the first of the year. Tristan will be gone some of that time, but maybe we could meet up this weekend?" Nancy asked. "What did you have in mind?" Logan asked. "Maybe she can come over, I mean all of you can come over for supper Saturday," Nancy said.

Logan stood up, "If you could excuse us for just a minute. I want to run something by my wife before I make a proposal." He helped Rory up. "She makes the decisions, not you Huntz," Anita said. "I am aware," Logan said. They stepped away from the table, Logan said. "We can invite them to our house. That way she will be in a familiar place. We will invite a few people so it won't be weird." Rory agreed.

They returned to the table and explained everything to the group. Logan suggested Wednesday night calling her. Maybe Thursday and Friday facetime her. "In the meantime, we will explain to her what is going on," Rory said.

When the food came they ate and talked. Rory told them stuff about Mia. Chris told about the broken arm. Everyone seemed to be getting along. How long will that last?