Rory Gilmore had finally settled on the couch for a rare evening of relaxation and reading with her boyfriend, Logan.
"You sure you don't want me to make some popcorn for us, Ace?" he queried, settling his laptop in his lap.
"Logan, honestly, we just finished dinner not 30 minutes ago. You know what a light eater I am." She shot him a sly look from across her book in time to catch him snort at her.
"Right," he replied, setting his laptop on the table once more, "I'll break out the air popper. Be right back."
The harsh sound of the phone's bells made Rory jump with surprise.
"I got it Logan!" she called. "You just keep working on that popcorn, mister!"
A hint of laughter still lingered in her voice as she answered the phone.
"Um, hey Rory. It's Luke."
His voice sounded uncharacteristically docile and bleak. Clearly this man had been suffering for the past few weeks. She felt the defiance rising up within her and instantaneously harden her heart against him. She hadn't heard from her mother since the night they fought, which meant that she still did not want to be found. If Lorelai had not yet forgiven him, neither should she.
"Luke, if my mother hasn't forgiven you in all these weeks, you must have done something pretty bad. I'm not helping you find her. She'll be found when she wants to be found."
Rory's words were an icy blast across his chest. He drew in a shaky breath, silently cursing fate that he had to deliver this horrible news.
"That's just it, Rory." he whispered. "She didn't want to be found… at least not until it was too late. Rory?" he beseeched her for the patience and understanding that these next words would require, "I think your mom has tried to commit suicide." The excruciating pain seared across his chest at these words. "I'm driving behind the ambulance as we speak. They're taking her to New Miliford Hospital. I'm afraid I don't know if she'll live.
"No, you've got it wrong!"she replied with turbulent anguish in he voice, "My mother doesn't fall apart over a guy. She broke up with you before; she was okay! Oh no. No, not mom. She's okay!" She collapsed in a heap on the floor, hand over her mouth as tears dripped from her eyes.
"Rory!" Logan cried as he ran to her, "Rory what's wrong?" He wrapped his arms around in in an effort to pick her up off of the floor, but she had grown hysterical.
With quivering lips, she let loose a cry of lament and misery. "This is your fault, Luke! This is all your fault! You're the one who turned my mother into the kind of girl who waits around keeping her opinions to herself. You're the one that makes her drink and make a fool of herself in front of the whole town. That's not her!" She quieted a little before asking, "How did she try to…you know?"
His voice was weighted with remorse as he simply answered, "Starvation and dehydration."
Her cold and delicate tone made him shiver as she said, "I'm coming right over. I'll keep my cell phone on me at all times. I don't care what the cost is or how much it interferes with the plane's instruments. You call me the very second you hear something more."
"Rory, I'm…"
"I know, Luke. Do me a favor and call everyone? Oh, but don't call my grandparents. They're somewhere in Europe right now, and it's best not to give them news until we have news to give them."
After Luke hung up the phone with Rory, he mentally made a list of who he had left to call. He had already called Lane at the diner to retrieve Rory's phone number from the desk upstairs. He hadn't told her much, just that Lorelai was hurt and to either take care of Paul Anka herself or to send him to Babbette's house. He was unsure of how to handle the situation with the town. Should he tell Miss Patty and let her handle the spreading of the news? No. That was entirely too tactless. Sookie was Lorelai's best friend and business partner. If anyone knew how to handle the spreading of this news with gentility and respect, it would be her.
"Sookie," he said after she had answered the phone, "It's Luke."
After giving her the news and calming her hysterics, she had promised that she would handle any issues with the town. After thanking her and hanging up, he tightened his grip on the steering wheel and focused on the back of the ambulance. His thoughts and soul raced to the stretcher in the back, with the feeble shadow of a woman that lay upon it, along with all of his hopes and dreams for the future.
