Gloria looked at him. "I want them to accept me. To love me. To know I'm not here for the money, but because I love your father. Because he makes me happy. Because with him, I finally have a family."
"Then go downstairs," Phil said. "Go down and tell them that. And if they don't listen, we'll make them jump in the pool until they understand."
Gloria smiled. It was a small smile, but genuine.
"Okay," she said. "I'll go down. But you two..." She pointed at our clothes, covered in lingerie. "You're going to have to fix yourselves first. I don't want my family thinking I have weird things in my room."
Phil and I looked at each other. And then, without a word, we began untangling the panties from our heads.
When we went downstairs, the family was gathered in the yard, faces long, the atmosphere tense. Claire stood at one end of the pool, arms crossed, with an expression mixing guilt with hope. Jay stood beside her, a hand on her shoulder, a gesture of support he hadn't shown all afternoon.
Gloria walked toward them with firm steps. Phil and I hung back, our clothes still slightly disheveled, trying to look innocent.
"Claire," Gloria said, stopping in front of her. "I want you to know something. I'm not with Jay for his money. I never was. I'm with him because I love him. Because he makes me laugh. Because he makes me feel like I'm enough."
Claire opened her mouth, but Gloria didn't let her speak.
"And I know I'm not the daughter you expected. I know I'm younger, louder, more... Colombian. But I'm your family. And I want you to accept me. Not because you like me, but because I'm part of this. Of us."
Claire looked at her for a second. Her eyes filled with tears.
"I accept you," she said, her voice breaking. "I accepted you from the first day. I just didn't know how to say it. I was afraid. Afraid of my father getting hurt again. Afraid you wouldn't be enough for him. Afraid that..." She paused. "Afraid that you might be right. That he deserved someone better."
Jay put his arm around her. "No one is better than you, daughter. No one."
Gloria nodded. "Then we're okay."
"We're okay," Claire repeated.
"Then jump in the pool," Gloria said with a smile that was pure mischief. "With your clothes on, in front of everyone. Then I'll know you're really sorry."
Claire looked at her. She looked at her for a long time. And then, without a word, she jumped.
The water received her with a splash that soaked everyone nearby. Claire surfaced, sputtering and coughing, hair plastered to her face, with an expression of pure contained fury.
"Are you happy?" she asked, her voice broken.
"Yes! I forgive you!" Gloria shouted, laughing.
"Then give me your hand."
"That's the oldest trick in the book," Jay said, stepping back.
But Claire didn't want to pull her in. She wanted to take her hand. She wanted to feel that her sister—her new sister—was there.
Gloria understood. She extended her hand, and when their fingers met, Jay pushed them both in.
"That's my job!" he shouted as he fell into the water with a splash that shook the pool.
And then everything was laughter. Phil jumped in after them. Luke, and Manny, and Mitchell, and Cam with Lily in his arms. The pool became a whirlwind of soaked bodies, muffled screams, laughter that wouldn't stop.
From the pool's edge, Alex watched it all, arms crossed, a crooked smile on her lips.
"Aren't you going in?" I asked.
"I'm fine here," she said.
"Sure?"
"Sure."
And then, Luke shot out of the water like a projectile, grabbed her feet, and the two of them fell into the water with a splash that soaked me from head to toe.
Alex surfaced, coughing, hair plastered to her face, with an expression of pure fury. But when she saw Luke swimming to the other side of the pool, laughing like a madman, her fury turned to laughter.
"I'm going to kill you!" she shouted, and launched herself after him.
I stayed at the edge, feet dangling, watching as Alex caught Luke and dunked him under the water with a cry of victory.
And then her eyes met mine.
"Aren't you going in?" she asked, water dripping from her chin.
"I'm fine here," I replied.
"No, you're not."
And with a quick movement, she grabbed my arm and dragged me into the water.
Night, on the Porch
The family had dispersed. Phil and Jay were in the living room watching the last minutes of the game, beers in hand. Claire and Gloria were in the kitchen, laughing about something I couldn't hear. Mitchell and Cam had left, Lily asleep between them. Luke and Manny were in the yard playing with water guns, conflicts forgotten.
Alex and I were on the porch, like so many other nights. Our clothes were still damp, and the night air wrapped around us with a cold that didn't bother us.
"Gloria said she likes you," Alex said quietly.
"Really?"
"She said anyone willing to end up under a lingerie drying rack to help reunite a family is a good person."
"That was an accident."
"I know. But she still likes you."
I smiled. "And you? What do you think?"
"I think you're an idiot," she said, but she was smiling. "An idiot who crawls under drying racks to help people. That's... acceptable."
"Only acceptable?"
"For now," she said, and her fingers brushed mine in the darkness. "Maybe tomorrow it'll be more."
And in the quiet of the night, with the streetlights glowing in the distance, I knew I didn't need anything more. I didn't need answers or definitions. I only needed to be there, beside her, being her friend.
And maybe someday, something more.
But for now, that was enough. More than enough.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you enjoyed it, leave a Review and Power Stones.
✅ Early access to 22 new chapters
Join LEGEN - DARY Level on Patreon
👉 https://[email protected]/cw/Day_bluefic
@=a
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Claire jumped into the pool with all her clothes on. Gloria forgave her.
Jay pushed them both in. Phil followed. Luke, Manny, Mitchell, and Cam with Lily in his arms too.
Alex stayed dry for exactly three seconds before Luke grabbed her feet.
Who had the best pool entry? Claire's apology dive or Jay's double push? 🏊♀️💦🏆
Thanks to everyone who reads, supports with power stones, and follows this story. You're awesome! 💎✨
Comment, follow, and support with power stones. 🌅📖💫