–WFI–Chapter 19 Wednesday, August 11

Brenda had been in town since Friday. The only time they have seen her was the supper Friday night and the bachelor/bachelorette party Saturday. According to Karson, Ricky has spoken to her every day. She had been trying to get the final touches to a project she was working on. She is the leading architect. The deadline is Wednesday. After that, she will be available to help get everything together for the wedding.

Karson had been keeping Rory informed. The ladies have been working on getting all the wedding gifts to their new house and getting the housekeeping set up. Rory was thinking the fence Chris and Will wanted sounds good right about now.

Karson looked at her watch. "Hey guys, I'm going to get a shower. I have just enough time to get a shower, then head to the train station to pick up Katie." She said,

Rory looked at her watch. "We will finish up here or at least get as much done as we can. Are you taking them to the Morgan?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, I still don't know who is coming with her." She told her.

"That's okay, put them in the two-bedroom suite." Rory told her. "Oh, did I tell you, Finn has everything set up for the reception? I have a meeting with Catina. She is the event planner for the Morgan Hotel Chain. She is flying in tomorrow. He said she will not have a problem. She just needed me to email her the information. I still can't believe it, even after taking the $5000 deposit that they double book. I'm just glad Finn was able to get us the ballroom at the Morgan." Rory said. "And just FYI, the $5000 deposit was returned. It is now in the honeymoon account." Rory said with a smile.

Karson opened her mouth, but Cynthia said "Don't"

Honor reached up and put her hand over her mouth. "One day you will learn to smile and say Thank you." Honor said. "We all love you. This is what we do when we love someone and can afford to help."

"Thank you. Now I have got to go." Karson said as she ran upstairs.

After the renters moved out of the house, Honor, Cynthia, Leslie, Rory, and Karson went through the house. There were more renovations needed than originally planned. Because it needed so much work, Rory hired an architect and a construction crew to come in and completely redo most everything. They moved walls, put up walls, ripped up carpet, put down hardwood floors. They completed the basement. This was all done to Ricky and Karson's suggestions and approval. The kitchen and the master bedroom have been completed. The estimated completion date is the 1st of September. Ricky and Karson have been offered the HPG apartment, but they would rather stay in the pool house. Logan and Rory agreed. They also decided to put extra locks on the doors.

The ladies were at the house today, trying to set up the kitchen and bedroom. The bedroom furniture is expected this afternoon, the kitchen appliances arrived and were installed this morning. Cynthia and Honor are going to wait around for the furniture to be delivered so Rory can go home in case Katie wants to come to visit. Karson had already left, Rory was not too far behind.

When she arrived home, the boys were in the pool. Jessi and Gigi were laying out in the sun. She stepped on the patio. "Hey guys, Karson is on the way to go get her mom, Remember, do not say anything about the house," Rory said. She then went to get a shower.

Logan and Ricky were working. Today would be Ricky's last day until he got back from his honeymoon. He was working with John on an account. John is going to oversee the account with the help of Logan until Ricky returns.

John gets a call from Renea. "Hey, John, Tristian Dugray is here to see Logan."

"Hold on…..I don't see him on Logan's calendar. He should be out of his meeting in a few minutes. Just have him have a seat. I will let you know when/if Logan is available." John told Renea

"Thanks, John" She told him as she hung up the phone to tell Tristain to have a seat.

Logan and Mitchum came walking toward Logan's office. "Dad, you and Cynthia are coming to the house tonight aren't you?" Logan asked.

"I'm sure Cynthia has it on my schedule. I will see you tonight. Karson's mother is coming, right?" Mithcum asked.

"Yeah," Logan said. Mitchum turned to go to the elevators, then turned back. Logan was standing at John's desk getting his messages. John was telling him about Tristain downstairs. "Logan, can I talk with you for a few minutes in private?" Mitchum asked.

Logan nodded, then turned to John. "Call Renea, tell her to tell Tristian if he can come back about 3:30, I should have some time for him." John nodded.

Mitchum followed Logan into his office. He sat down after closing the door. Mitchum didn't even wait for Logan to sit down. "You are walking Karson down the aisle?" Mitchum asked. Logan nodded. "I have heard bits and pieces. You know me. I don't care. My understanding is that Karson does not know who her dad is. Is that correct?"

Logan nodded again. "That is what Rory told me. When Katie got pregnant, her parents shipped her off to stay with her aunt in Washington State. She and Karson stayed with her aunt. Katie met an older gentleman at the office where she worked as a secretary. They started dating, got married, and moved to the East Coast. I am not sure what he did for a living, I know that he is retired now. Katie works in an office building. She is like Renea, but for several doctors and dentists. Before Karson graduated and moved to Hartford, she had been to 7 different schools.

"They moved around a lot. Why do you ask.?" Logan said.

"I just don't want whoever her father is to see this wedding in the paper and think his cash cow just came in." He told Logan.

"Yeah, I am worried about that. It is bad enough with Katie being hot and cold. I will tell you something. I will do everything in my power to protect both of them. They are my family. I learned a long time ago that family doesn't always mean blood." Logan said. Mitchum nodded his head in agreement.

Karson was waiting at the bus station. She first saw Sharon, then her moma. She waited for them to get to her. She hugged her mom. "How was the trip?" she asked.

"Good," her mom said. She was glad to see her daughter.

"I wish we could have just driven," Sharon said. Karson could tell by the look on her face that she was not happy.

Katie looked at her then Karson and rolled her eyes. "What would we drive? Neither of us has a car. The one Henry drives to work would have cost us too much to drive." Katie said. "Besides, I am just glad that we were able to get here to see my baby get married," Katie said again, hugging Karson.

"Come on, let's get your luggage loaded up. You have a suite reserved at the Morgan. That is where the reception will be. Long story. Will tell you later." Karson said.

"Where is Ricky?" Sharon asked.

"He is working. This is his last day until we get back from the honeymoon. He is trying to get everything turned over to John so he can oversee his accounts." Karson told her.

"I thought he worked for Logan," Sharon asked.

"He does. He is a junior account executive. He has his own accounts he is in charge of." Karson explains.

They get to The Morgan Hotel. Karson goes to the desk to get them checked in. She shows them to the room and waits with them for the bellhop to bring their luggage and tipped him.

"Just ask them at the front desk to get you a cab. I left the address on the desk. Supper will be ready at 6:30, drinks are at 6:00. I really hate to run off, but I have to stop by the flower shop. There was a mix-up on the rose petals." Karson said.

When she got to the door, she turned and said. "Tonight's dress is dinner social. A nice pair of slacks and blouse or dress. Did you bring some appropriate clothes?" Karson asked. She was trying to ask this question without sounding like a snob.

"Do you think we do not know how to dress?" Sharon asked.

"No, I just wanted to make sure you were aware, I didn't want you to show up and be embarrassed," Karson said.

"More like you didn't want us to embarrass you." Sharon said. Karson just turned around and left. She couldn't win for losing.

Back in Logan's office. John called to let him know that Tristian Dugray was on his way up. Logan got up to meet him at the door. "Hey, man," Logan said shaking his hand. "What brings to brings you to see me? Thought you were living the like of luxury." Logan said.

"Yeah, I talked with Ryan, I'm thinking about joining your security team," Tristan said.

"Okay, what can I help you with? Do you need me to put in a good word for you?" Logan asked.

"No, I'm fine. I want to talk to you a minute about Karson Nichols." Logan sat up in his chair. His defense is now up. For a moment, he thought about calling his dad to come to this meeting.

"What about her? You know she is getting married this weekend?" Logan asked.

Tristan nodded. "Who is her mother?" Tristan asked.

Logan got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Why do you want to know Tristan?"

Tristan swallowed. "I think I know who her father is."

Rory was in the kitchen with Evelyn and Cynthia, They were making the sides for the supper tonight. Evelyn made spaghetti and meatballs. Rory and Cynthia were making garlic bread and a salad. Rory heard Ricky and Karson coming in the sliding door for the pool house. Cynthia told her to go ahead. She would finish up. When Rory got to the living room, she interrupted Ricky and Karson. She had to clear her throat. That embarrassed both of them "Sorry"

"Did you get your mom settled? Who did she bring with her?" Rory asked.

"Sharon and they should be here any minute. I tried to gently tell them that they should dress neatly. Sharon called me a snob." Karson told her then turned her nose up. This got a laugh out of Rory and Ricky.

"Mom will be here soon. Maybe we should have had them ride together." Ricky said. Then they all laughed at the thought.

"Ricky, you and Logan didn't ride home together?" Rory asked.

"No, He told me to take his tesla, that he would call Frank. I left about an hour ago." Ricky said. Then turned to Karson, "Need to go in for an hour or so tomorrow. I promise I will be back by noon. I want to be on the conference call with John."

Karson nodded and kissed him. "Not a problem." Rory heard the front door open. He went to see who was at the door. Logan was following Katie and Sharon in the door. She could see another rideshare pulling up. "Hey, glad to have you in our home," Rory said to Katie and Sharon. She then kissed Logan as Ricky was going to the door to greet his mom.

"Ricky said you sent him home early. You have a bad day?" Rory asked.

Logan smiled at her. "I'm fine, I am going to change, I'll be right back. Ladies when Ricky gets back in, let him fix you a drink." He kissed Rory again and headed up the stairs.

Rory looked around, Karson and Ricky were getting the drinks. "Karson, I will be back in a few minutes. Everyone else should be arriving soon, take over being hostess for a few minutes please."

When she got upstairs, she sat on the bed. "Spill." She said as Logan came out of the closet.

"You know me so well. I don't want to spoil tonight, but I have to talk with someone. I don't want to keep anything from you. Tristan came to see me today. He wanted to discuss Karson." Logan told her.

"What did he want to know about Karson?" She asked. Now Rory was worried. She wants this wedding to go off without a problem.

"He wanted to know what her mother's name is. What was her maiden name?" Logan said.

"Oh, no, please don't tell me that Tristian is Karson's father," Rory said with her head in her hands.

"No, it's not Tristian, but he knows who it is," Logan said as he buttoned his shirt.

"Well don't keep me in suspense," Rory said.

"Do you remember a friend of Tristan's named Austin?" Rory nodded. "Didn't he die in Afghanistan?" Logan nodded.

When Logan and Rory got downstairs, everyone was there and Karson and Ricky were being great hosts. Everyone had a drink. Christopher and Mitchum were talking about the price of a barrel of oil. Ricky and Luke were discussing April and Jamie being pregnant.

The ladies were just talking. Karson, Gigi, and Jessi were looking at the latest fashion. They were discussing what would be trending in high school and what would be different than what will be trending in college. Brenda and Katie were talking. Will and Chris were on the patio with Sam and Joshua. Em was talking with Sharon, better described as Em talking to Sharon. Didn't look like Sharon was paying attention.

Dinner was served. Everything went smoothly after Ricky put Sharon in her place. She was complaining about the food. Who serves spaghetti and meatballs when white is the color of the season. No one acknowledged that she even said anything. Katie looked at Rory and looked embarrassed. Then she told Em to shh when Em was trying to tell Ricky about the kid at the playground who put sand in her hair. Ricky politely told her. "I am listening to my sister right now and when I finish I will answer your questions. Right now this is more important." This ticked her off. She didn't say much the rest of the night. Brenda also looked shocked. Then she looked sad. She realized that Ricky was a part of this family, not just an obligation.