–WFI–Chapter 4 July the 4th

Rory again was up early, but this morning she had Logan and Cynthia up also. They were putting baked beans in the oven, making slaw and potato salad. Logan went to fill the two large ice chests with ice to set the containers of food in. They already had the cooler full of drinks on ice. Before Logan left, he put four big watermelons in the pool to chili. Lane and her family beat him back to the house. Steve and Kwan helped him unload the ice chests and set them on the deck.

Rory and Cynthia had fruit and pastries set out on the deck as well as coffee, juice, tea, and water. The colas were in another ice chest for later. Everyone was busy moving tables, setting out food, decorating. Around 10:00 everyone was in their swimsuits. Gigi and Beverly came over ready to swim. Gigi helped Beverly put on her puddle jumpers before getting in the pool. "Hey, Gigi, Dad, and Leslie coming over soon?" Rory asked. Gigi handed Beverly off to Karson who was standing on the steps of the pool and walked over to Rory pulling her away from the group. "

"Daddy has gone to take Gloria to the airport. She is going back home." Gigi said. Rory looked at her.

"What happened? I can tell by the look on your face something happened," Rory said.

"Well, All I know is what I overheard," Gigi said.

"I'm waiting," Rory told her.

"Well, Greg had been drinking when Leslie got home with him. Gloria had already put Beverly to bed. I heard them come in. I have only met him a couple of times, but when I heard him and Leslie come in, I went downstairs. Well, Gloria and I came down the stairs together. She must not have known he was coming, because before I could say anything, she started talking Italian. I took French in high school, so I did not have a clue as to what she was saying but I know she was angry. Daddy came out of the office in the middle of her rant. She reminded me of you. I thought I was going to have to remind her to breathe.

Rory was smiling at this. "Leslie was on the phone standing in the living room, while Greg was in the kitchen drinking a beer. Daddy took the beer from Greg and poured it down the sink, telling him that he had had enough. Gloria is still yelling, but now she is also crying. Daddy saw me and told me to go to my room. So I went upstairs and sat on the top step out of Daddy's site and listened. Couldn't hear as good. But I could hear Leslie yelling and crying, Gloria yelling and crying, Greg yelling. And Daddy yelled. I just knew Beverly was going to wake up. Then everyone got quiet. I heard Daddy tell Gloria that he would take her to the airport in the morning. Daddy started back up the stairs and saw me and pointed to my room. Daddy woke me up this morning and told me that he was taking Gloria to the airport and asked if I would get Beverley up and dressed to bring over here." Gigi finished. Rory nodded her head.

While everyone was playing, talking, having a good time, Rory pulled Logan off to the side. She told him what Gigi said. "What do you think is going on?" Logan asked.

"I don't know, but I'm going to ask Dad if Gigi needs to stay over here with us," Rory said.

"That sounds like a good idea. Maybe Gloria and Greg had a relationship and they broke up and Gloria didn't want to be in the same house as him" Logan said.

"Maybe," Rory said, but she had a feeling it was something else.

Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Christopher came over just before lunch. Rory was busy so she didn't get to ask him what was going on. Leslie and Greg came over after Christopher. Leslie helped with getting the food out and fixing plates for the kids. Greg sat down at one of the tables, drinking a beer, and watched everyone swimming.

Logan had been helping Em and Beverly. He was teaching them how to float. When the food was ready, everyone got out of the pool, came in from the beach, and got ready to eat.

Logan handed off Em and Beverly to Gigi and Karson. He pulled Rory back into the house. "Have you talked to Christopher yet?" he asked.

"No, I haven't had a chance." She told him

"Well, Greg is watching Gigi and Karson. I am going to talk with Christopher. I need to know if Greg is dangerous because if Ricky catches him looking at Karson the way I saw him looking at her, I'm afraid we will have a problem. I know that your dad doesn't want him looking at Gigi that way." Logan said.

Rory and Logan went looking for Christopher. He was talking with Matthew, Chris, and Will. "Hey Dad, can we talk with you?" Rory asked. Christopher nodded and followed Rory and Logan to the office.

"I know. You want to know about Greg?" Christopher said.

Logan nodded. "Christopher, I don't want to pry into your business, but I also don't want any problems. I need to know if I need to be on the lookout for any problems. Can you tell us why Gloria left in such a hurry?" Logan asked.

Christopher took a deep breath. "I told you last night about the problems John and Leslie are having with him. To start with Leslie wanted to blame it on Linda and Jim's death. Greg and Linda were close, but the more I see and the more I hear, Greg was rebellious before Linda died." Christopher paused.

"Gloria and Greg dated. That is how Gloria got the job as Beverly's nanny. Greg introduced her to Leslie. When Leslie moved to Hartford, Gloria came with her. Greg and Gloria had been broken up for a while when they moved to Hartford. It seems like Greg may have forced himself on Gloria after she and Leslie moved to Hartford." Christopher paused again.

"You mean he raped her?" Logan asked, standing up.

"No, she said he tried to kiss her and when she refused he got mad. It seems he told John some things about Gloria, that made him question her. According to Leslie, John believed Greg, not Gloria, which upset Gloria. Leslie talked with John, he agreed to increase her pay and promised that she would be warned before Greg's visits, giving her enough time to be gone. In return, she agreed not to file charges." When Christopher finished, he just hung his head.

"So, why is he here now?" Rory asked

"John was not aware Gloria would be with us. Gloria does not have to worry about him while in Hartford, because he refuses to come to my house." Christopher said.

"So, when is he leaving?" Logan asked.

"I'm not sure," Christopher said.

Logan stood back up. "I'm going back out there. Christopher, I am going to need him to leave. I don't know that I will be able to stop Ricky if he sees the way Greg is looking at Karson, and I am not comfortable with the way he is looking at Gigi." Logan said and left the room.

Rory looked at her dad. "I'm sorry," she said.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Logan is just protecting his family." Christopher said.

"You didn't let me finish. I'm sorry you are having such a hard time finding a way to keep love." She said, "I am in no way apologizing for Logan or his actions."

"Thanks, kiddo. I love you." He told her.

"Me too," Rory said.

When Rory and Christopher returned to the deck, Greg was not there. She later found out he left to go back to the Hayden house for a nap.

They started a tradition before Em was born. On the 4th of July, after all the fireworks, everyone would sit around the pool or in the pool on floats and watch a shark movie on the big blow-up screen hanging from the 2nd-floor balcony.

Christopher, Leslie, and Beverly left after the fireworks, they did not stay for the movie, calming Beverly needed to get to bed.