Force Major

3

Chapter 3

"So, there I was, in the middle of the street, freezing my ass off, 30 minutes into my beauty sleep, scared out of my mind my second night in Brisbane. And this one here was going around managing the whole thing, talking to the firefighters, building managers and tenants like he owned the place. Well, as it turned out - he did. He made sure I was warm, which wasn't all that special, as he was doing the same to the Wilsons," Gigi shared, finally having gotten around to telling her family about how she'd met Finn. "But I guess we caught each other's eye and then sometime later we ran into each other in the elevator and got to talking...," she added, taking a sip of wine as everyone sat at the dinner table.

By the evening the storm had passed, leaving everything smelling wonderfully fresh. The birds sang around them, giving them the perfect evening for dining amid tropical lushness the gardener had created around the house.

"So, you were living in the same building?" Rory reflected.

"Not just," Finn chuckled.

"He was on the top floor just above me. So, when I did my yoga or listened to my music, he would hear everything," Gigi pitched in.

"So, you went to bang on her door to tell her to keep it down, I assume?" Rory teased Finn.

"Nah, though that would've been a good excuse, come to think of it," Finn replied.

"Oh, Finn - have you lost your game?" Rory teased.

"So, how did the two of you know each other exactly?" Christopher asked the dreaded question.

"We knew each other through a mutual friend. Maybe you remember, Logan?" Rory explained to her father, trying to keep the connection a lot less critical than it was.

Finn certainly took note of that and didn't elaborate.

"Of course! Logan...," Christopher reflected, knowing how that was no ordinary connection. "But I've got to ask," he began on a more urgent matter as connection to Logan rather put Finn's exact age into perspective for him. "Doesn't the age difference bother you? I mean Gigi's just a...," he said, being cut short.

"Dad, don't," Rory said, cautioning her father.

"Fine, but you've got to see how she's my little girl. And after what six months in this country, she's announcing to me she's going to marry you, someone who's that much older than her. You can't blame me for worrying about her," Christopher exclaimed.

"I'm not that little, Dad," Gigi complained, not appreciating his protectiveness.

"If this was Rory, I wouldn't worry. Or you were Rory's age. I just don't understand where the rush! I mean we've all been in love before, I've almost married in my early years too. But that doesn't mean that it would've been a good idea. I just don't understand - why now!?" Christopher explained.

"If this was Rory," Gigi replied, mockingly, and rolled her eyes, taking offense. "You always think better of her than me. Why is my judgment any worse just because I'm younger? I can't seem to remember any major bad calls in my life, have I?" Gigi debated.

"Gigi, he didn't mean it like that," Rory tried to calm her sister.

"You're young, you're still figuring things out," Christopher replied.

"Excuse me, but I don't think you know your daughter very well if it's her judgement your questioning," Finn suddenly announced, causing the hairs on Chirstopher's neck to stand up. It wasn't often someone dared to speak to him that way, but it certainly made him see Finn as a lot more equal, seeing him stand up for his daughter like this.