"Don't worry Lorelai, we'll take care of this."
"Dad, I don't want his money." Lorelai protested.
"It's not just about his money. Chris has to pay for what he's done in more than one way."
"Can't we just let this go and leave him alone?"
"I don't understand you Lorelai. He's done all these things to you, to Rory, and you still do not want to punish him." Richard picked up the phone.
"Who are you calling?" Lorelai asked.
"Garth Sampson." Richard replied.
"Who is Garth Sampson?" Lorelai asked skeptically.
"One of the finest lawyers in Connecticut. He'll know exactly what to do."
Lorelai sighed, she knew she had to take care of this situation, yet somehow she still felt something for Chris. It may have been pity, it may have been sorrow, whatever it was, it was keeping her from stepping up to bat. Suddenly Rory came bursting into Richard's study.
"Mommy! Mommy!"
Lorelai quickly turned around to face her very excited daughter.
"Grandma is going to throw me a birthday party!" Rory exclaimed with a huge smile.
Lorelai's face stiffened. "Where's Grandma, sweetie?" Lorelai asked.
"In there." Rory pointed towards the sitting room.
Lorelai left the study and b-lined for her mother.
"You're not throwing her a birthday party."
"I beg your pardon?" Emily asked.
"What do you think you're doing Mom?"
"Lorelai, she's my granddaughter, and it's her birthday, hence a birthday party."
"No." Lorelia snapped. "You're not having a party."
"Why not?" Emily shot back.
"Because, I know you Mom. You'll make it into the biggest bash of the year. You'll invite hundreds of people with their fancy clothes, and their crisp 100 dollar bills. You'll act as if you couldn't be happier with how things are going and that everything has just fallen so nicely into place."
"And tell me Lorelai, what is so wrong with that?" Emily asked.
"It's not the truth and you know it. We're not all okay. Rory and I are in a mess right now. Feelings are be tossed around everywhere. She doesn't need to be around all kinds of people who she's never met, or met anyone like."
"You don't want her to be exposed to our lives, do you?"
Lorelai paused, impressed that her mother caught on so quickly without playing games. "No." she finally replied.
"Fine. But you'll have to tell her the party is off." Emily turned and walked away. Lorelai stood still for a moment trying to decide if their argument was over.
Lorelai walked back into Richard's study where Richard was ending the phone call to Sampson. She looked around but saw no Rory. She walked down the hall looking for her daughter, when she heard a small sniffle from the hall closet. Lorelai opened the door to reveal a crying Rory.
Lorelai bent on her knees to come face to face with Rory.
"Rory, sweetie, why are you crying in the closet?" Lorelai asked.
Rory covered her face with her arms, avoiding eye contact with her mother.
"Rory, tell Mommy what's wrong?" Lorelai pleaded sympathetically.
"I wanted a party." Rory sniffled quietly.
"Oh, god." Lorelai put her hand on her forehead. "You heard Grandma and I talking."
Rory shook her head yes.
Lorelai pulled Rory out of the closet and held her in her arms. "Are you sure you want the party? It's going to be very formal and very classy." Lorelai began "There won't be any clowns, or balloons, or candy."
"I'm sure." Rory replied.
"Okay, then."
"Lorelai?" Richard called. "There you are. I just finished speaking with Sampson." Richard looked at Rory then back to Lorelai "I'll need to speak to you alone." Richard said formally.
Lorelai rose from her knees and straightened her clothes. "Rory, go tell Grandma that the party is on. Okay?"
Rory knew that her mother and grandfather were going to discuss her father, but even so, Rory had no desire to hear what they had to say.
"Okay." Rory replied as she leaned in and gave her mother a hug around the waist then scampered off to find her grandmother.
"What's going on Dad?" Lorelai asked concerned.
"Sampson did a background check on Chris while I was on the phone with him. It's quite unimaginable the history he has."
"History? What history?" Lorelai asked confused.
Richard sighed, "I'm not too sure how to tell you this, but Chris has had multiple charges filed against him. He's even had to appear in court twice."
Lorelai's mouth dropped. "What? How, I've never heard anything about this."
"Apparently he's hid it very well from you." Richard concluded.
"What kind of charges?" Lorelia asked unwillingly.
Richard did not respond.
"Dad, what kind of charges?"
"Sexual Harassment." Richard spoke looking down at the floor as he did so.
Lorelai joined him in looking down. Both stood still neither saying anything. Finally, Lorelai let out a whimper and few tears ran down her face.
Richard eased over to comfort her. But continued on with what needed to be said "It's why he hasn't been able to keep a job. He's been fired several times for sexually harassing female co-workers."
"I should have known." Lorelai whispered.
"I asked Sampson if it was possible to press charges against Chris for what he has done to you and Rory considering so much time has passed since it happened, but what he told me changes all my future plans for our case." Richard paused for a moment. "Chris..." Richard paused a second time.
"What?" Lorelai asked frantically, fearing something was horribly wrong.
Richard cleared his throat. "Chris died from alcohol poisoning yesterday morning."