Chapter 62: The Debate Always Comes After Dinner

This dinner left Martin with mixed emotions. 

Not because the Colombian blood sausage tasted bad, nor because he felt awkward after not seeing the family for so long. 

The main issue was the indescribable tension at the table. 

Uncle Jay kept questioning whether blood sausage was edible, Gloria accused him of disrespecting her homeland, Claire endlessly complained about her eldest daughter Hailey's obsession with hanging out with her boyfriend, and Phil kept sneaking glances at his young mother-in-law's plunging neckline. 

As for Mitchell and Cameron? They spent the entire meal arguing over their daughter Lily's surname. 

Martin, cradling Lily while savoring the slightly gamey Colombian blood sausage, watched their chaotic family dynamics and sighed inwardly: *What a loving family!* 

After dinner, while others cleaned up or tended to the kids, Martin followed Jay to the living room with Lily. Phil tried to join to curry favor with his father-in-law, but Jay coldly asked him to take Lily elsewhere. Watching Phil's dejected back, Martin remarked, "Phil's a good husband and father." 

"I'm not denying that," Jay said, pouring two glasses of whiskey and sliding one to Martin. "He's just… overly eager. I'm not used to it." 

Martin shrugged. 

"So, how've you been?" Jay asked. "Claire said you joined Pearson Hardman? That's one of the top firms in the country." 

Martin repeated the story he'd told Claire the night before, including details about the mutual aid society. By the end, Jay laughed slightly snd spoke: "I knew it! I always knew you'd become someone extraordinary!" 

Martin smiled. "You taught me after all, how could I disappoint?" 

—————————— 

Suddenly, Gloria and Claire erupted into a shouting match in the kitchen. Jay rushed to mediate, while Martin lingered in the doorway, whiskey in hand. 

The trigger? Claire's youngest son Luke accidentally revealed that his mom once called Gloria a "coal diger"—a mispronunciation of "gold digger." In other words, Claire had implied Gloria married Jay for his money. 

And why wouldn't she? Jay Pritchett *was* wealthy. A self-made man, he'd turned a small furniture workshop into a leading cabinet company with annual sales in the hundreds of millions. Though Martin's friends boasted higher valuations, Jay's decades of tangible assets dwarfed their paper wealth. 

Of course, a wealthy older man marrying a young, fiery Colombian woman invited skepticism. Gloria, furious at the insult, clashed fiercely with Claire. 

"I admit I thought that *when you first married Dad*," Claire argued, "but I don't now! And let's be honest—*everyone* thought it back then!" 

Gloria, embodying Colombian passion, snapped: "Because I'm young and hot? Or because I'm from 'evil' Colombia?" 

Jay and Phil tried to calm them, to no avail. The gay couple, Cameron and Mitchell, froze in place, overwhelmed. 

Leaning against the doorframe, Martin smirked at Hailey, who'd just hung up her phone. "Boyfriend? Or a new fling?" 

Hailey glared. "Uncle Martin! Mom and Grandma are fighting, and you're joking about *this*?" 

"Who should I side with? Your mom? Or my aunt?" Martin chuckled. "They're adults—they'll handle it. But *you*, got caught sneaking around last night? I'm obliged to keep an eye on you." 

"We agreed not to mention that!" Hailey hissed, glancing nervously at the kitchen. 

"We agreed not to tell your parents. Never said *we* couldn't discuss it." Martin nodded toward the chaos. "Lucky for you, you hit on *me* last night. What if it'd been a serial killer?" 

Hailey rolled her anime-sized eyes. "You watch too much *CSI*?" 

"I'm a lawyer. I've seen worse than TV." 

—————————— 

Gloria suddenly slammed a plate and stormed upstairs. Claire crossed her arms. "Am I wrong? A year ago, when she married Dad, who *didn't* think she was a gold digger?" 

The room fell silent—a tacit admission. 

Claire spotted Martin and brightened. "Martin! You just met Gloria today. Be honest: what do you think?" 

Caught off guard, Martin hesitated under the family's collective gaze. 

"Claire… my take might not help you," he warned. 

"How?" 

"Because Gloria and I are the same." 

Confusion rippled through the room. 

Martin sighed. "Since college, I've had seven chances to live off someone else's wealth. Take the Duke of Westminster's youngest daughter, for instance." 

(The Duke's family owns half of London, including Buckingham Palace. Martin didn't even know if the duke *had* a daughter—but shock value came first.) 

The family gasped. 

"You guys still don't get it?" Martin pressed. "A woman like Gloria? With her looks, she could have any rich 20-something throwing millions at her. Yet she chose Jay—30 years older. Why? She *loves* him. Why else marry him, cook for him or endure this drama?" 

Step two: overwhelm them with logic. 

Step three: absolve their guilt. 

"Claire, I understand you all doubted her because you love Jay and don't want him to get hurt. But Outsiders? They're just jealous that jay has a perfect wife. Gloria's brave, imagine the kind of pressure she faces as a Latina in a judged marriage. We're family. We should trust each other, right?" 

Pause for effect. 

"So, Claire… go talk to her. Tell her you love her." 

Martin almost added a finger-snap and a smug *"Mic drop!"* 

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**(End of Chapter)**