Chapter 7: Rory Finally Tells Logan

Rory sat at her desk in her office at the Stars Hollow Gazette. She was looking over some applications for a few writing jobs she had posted. She also had a few applications for the layout jobs. She needed to set up some interviews for these positions as well as talk to some teens about taking on delivering the newspaper so she and Lorelai wouldn't have to do it. There was no way she was going to be running all over town delivering papers again. As she was reading through the applications and making notes on who she was going to call in for interviews, she could not seem to stop her mind from wandering. The pro and con list she started with her mom last night sat on her desk and it was distracting her to no end. She knew that she was not going to be able to concentrate on her work until she made a decision about Logan. Should she go to London and tell him about the baby? Or, should she tell him on the phone? There was also the chance that she may be able to talk him into coming to Stars Hollow. But, she felt guilty about luring him here and then dropping the hammer about the baby. She just wished she knew what his reaction was going to be. Their relationship never had a true ending. Rory left London because Odette moved into Logan's flat. She and Logan had a minor argument on the phone and she told him that she felt they had no true relationship. But deep down, really deep down, she knew the real reason they had to break up. She refused to be the "other woman" she did not want to live that life. She wanted to share all of Logan's life, or none if it, there was no in between.

After making a few phone calls and setting up some appointments for interviews, Rory looked at the clock. She could tell it was lunch time without looking, but she wanted to make sure. She told Esther and Charlie she was going to Luke's Diner to meet her mom for lunch. She would be gone about an hour and she asked them to make sure they took any messages that may come in while she was gone. That included notes from anyone who already worked for the paper. She needed to get a handle on what their work schedules were like. That reminded her she needed to schedule a staff meeting so she could meet everyone. She quickly jotted a reminder on a sticky note and stuck it to the screen of her laptop. She grabbed her purse and the journal with her lists. As she usually did out of politeness, she asked both Esther and Charlie if they wanted her to bring anything back for them even though she already knew the answer before she asked. Of course, they declined like they always do. Rory walked out of the Gazette office and headed down the street toward Luke's.

As Rory opened the door to the diner, the little bell on top jingled causing Luke to look up from what he was doing at the counter. He smiled as he said hello to her and told her Lorelai had not arrived yet. Rory glanced around the diner and noticed the lunch rush was in full swing. She was starving and all the tables were full. She asked Luke which table was most likely to open up first so she could go stand near it and grab it as soon as it became available. Typically, he did not like customers loitering near tables because he thought it made the people using the table uncomfortable. But, when he looked at Rory and noticed she was nibbling on some saltine crackers, he figured she was probably hungrier than usual, so he just pointed his chin toward the table in the far-right corner. Rory slowly worked her way over near the table and leaned on the wall while waiting for it to open up. Just as Lorelai walked in, the people using the table got up to go pay their check. Rory sat down before Luke or anyone else had an opportunity to clear and clean the table. She looked at the leftovers on the plates and her mouth started watering. Boy, she was hungry! She should not have skipped her mid-morning snack. She was eating for two after all. Lorelai made a detour past the counter to kiss her husband before joining Rory at the table. By then, Lane had come over to clear away the dishes and wipe the table. She was joking with Rory that she was worried she might scarf down the leftovers due to the way she was eying the food. Since Luke knew what the two were going to order, he yelled back to Caesar in the kitchen to make 2 burgers as he grabbed the coffee pot and headed over to the table to fill up their mugs. Rory had already pulled out her journal and was looking over the lists she made trying to decide if there was anything else she needed to add.

Lorelai asked, "Have you made a decision yet about how you are going to tell Logan?" She glanced at the list in Rory's journal and noticed that it hadn't changed since they made it last night.

Rory began, "For starters, I don't have the money to fly to London. So, I think that idea is off the table. I realized today there is an option I did not consider previously."

Lorelai looked puzzled as she told Rory to continue.

Rory explained, "I can ask Logan to come to me. I don't think this is news that should be broken over the phone. It just doesn't seem right. Besides, I need to be in the same room with him so I can see his reaction. I can't do that on the phone. He can sound happy, but his face will tell me everything I need to know about how he truly feels."

Lorelai agreed with Rory, "You're right. There is no way to hide your initial reaction when given news of this caliber. His face will tell you everything. But, how will you get him to come here?"

"He usually makes at least one trip a month to the states, if not two. Some months he comes three times. I will email him and ask if we can have lunch or dinner. We never did clear the air with regard to our relationship. I just left London and that was it. I'm not sure he even knows we really are broken up," Rory explained to her mother.

Lorelai asked, "So when you say meet him here, you mean, here in Stars Hollow? Or, do you mean, here in Connecticut?"

Rory responded to her mother hesitantly, "It could mean here, Connecticut, or possibly New York. I won't know until he responds to my email."

Lorelai gasped, "Did you already send him the email?"

"No, not yet. But I am planning on sending it by the end of the day. That way he will get it first thing in the morning London time." Rory replied.

Lorelai questioned Rory carefully, "You're sure this is how you want to do this? I know you have thought long and hard about this. I just want you to know that I am here for you. Whatever it is that you need. Please remember that Rory."

Rory smiled at her mom as tears began to fill her bright blue eyes. "Thanks mom, I know that I can always count on you and Luke to help me with the hard times."

After lunch with her mom, Rory headed back to the Gazette office. She needed to crunch some numbers before she began the interview process so she had an idea of what she was able to pay the new hires she was going to interview. She thought briefly about her conversation with her mom at lunch. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders now that she figured out how she was going to tell Logan about the baby. The next hurdle was getting him to the US. After that, she had to conquer telling him and dealing with his reaction. She put those thoughts aside for now. No sense in worrying about them at this point as there was nothing she could control about any of it. She needed to focus on her job at the Gazette. She was hoping that with help, she might be able to make the Gazette more successful.

After working for several hours on the budget, arranging interviews, and organizing some files, Rory came to a point where she could take a short break. She logged into her personal email account and decided to email Logan. She wanted to get the ball rolling on this. She was tired of waiting to tell him, and she needed to know where he stood with regard to the baby. She decided that her email should be light and casual.

To: Logan Huntzburger

From: Rory Gilmore

Subject: Your next trip to the states

Hi Logan,

I know it has been a while since we've been in touch. I was hoping we could meet the next time you are in the states. We need to figure out where we stand. We didn't ever end things, but we're certainly not together either. Are we? Please let me know when you will be in the states so we can meet for lunch, or dinner."

Rory

She wanted to close the email with love Rory, but she didn't want to send him the wrong message. So, she closed it with just her name.

Sending the email felt good. It was a step in the right direction to help her figure out where her life was going. She expected Logan to respond either tomorrow or maybe the day after. So, she was surprised when an email message from Logan showed up in her inbox only about five minutes after she sent it.

Leave it to Logan to be conducting work business at 9:00 at night. His email was just as short and to the point as Rory's.

To: Rory Gilmore

From: Logan Huntzburger

Subject: Trip to the states

Hey Ace,

Meeting for lunch or dinner would be good. We need to catch up. I'll be in Hartford next week. I arrive on Sunday night. I'll call you on Monday morning.

Logan

Suddenly, Rory was very nervous. She could no longer delay letting Logan know about the baby. She has less than a week to decide how she was going to tell him. At least she wouldn't have to travel to New York. She could meet him in Hartford or he could come to Stars Hollow. She was leaning toward asking him to come to her. She felt more comfortable in her own surroundings. But, that would depend on what Logan's schedule was going to be like while he was in the states. If he has a lot of meetings, she may need to meet him in Hartford. Luckily, her schedule was pretty flexible and getting away from the paper would be easy if need be.

Rory felt a wave of nausea coming on so she nibbled on some crackers and washed them down with some ginger ale. She had put in a long day at the paper and made lots of progress on the budget, setting up interviews, and arranging for the next delivery day. She decided she was going to go home and soak in a hot bath. Well, a mostly hot bath. The doctor told her that taking a bath was okay, but to make sure the water wasn't too hot. She couldn't wait to get home, take a bath, and cuddle up in her pajamas with a good book. As she prepared to leave the office, she looked around for Esther and Charlie. She didn't see them, so she assumed they must have gone home. It was strange that they never told her when they were coming or leaving. That was something she needed to speak to them about. She didn't want to accidentally lock them in the office one night by leaving while they were somewhere in the office out of her sightline. Just for good measure, she looked around the office and called their names. There was no response. She waited about 10 minutes and then decided to lock up and go home. The tub, her pajamas, and her book were calling to her and she couldn't wait to get to them.

Rory hung up the phone with disbelief. She couldn't believe Logan actually agreed to meet her in Stars Hollow. She was hoping things would work out that way, but she did not plan on it. Typically, when Logan was stateside, he was extremely busy with meetings and paperwork, but this time was different. He wasn't in town on business. He was here for a family celebration. His sister Honor just had her first baby. It was a little girl and Logan was asked to be the Godfather. They agreed to meet at Luke's on Tuesday for lunch. Rory tried to talk him into meeting at the Dragonfly or Weston's, but Logan loved Luke's burgers and could not be persuaded otherwise. Rory would have to make sure she talked to Luke about keeping his cool while Logan was at the diner. She wanted things to go as smoothly as possible and having Luke hanging around may make things difficult. At least she knew they could go up to the office-apartment if they needed to get away from Luke or the crowded diner.

When Rory arrived home from the paper on Monday night her mom was sitting on the couch reading a book and Luke was in the kitchen cooking dinner. Whatever it was smelled delicious and didn't make her stomach want to revolt. Either she was getting past the morning sickness phase, or the nausea was at a lull. Whatever the reason she didn't care because, as she smelled the aroma, she realized she was starving. She wanted to eat before her stomach decided food was the enemy again. Rory walked over to the couch to kiss her mom hello and then wandered into the kitchen to find out what Luke was making for dinner. He was standing at the stove stirring some sort of sauce in a pot while cooking meat in a pan.

"Hey Luke, whatcha cookin'?" Rory asked as she walked over and pecked a hello kiss on his cheek.

Luke smiled at the sweet kiss Rory left on his cheek. He would never get tired of her sweet affectionate temperament. He looked at her curiously, worried about whether the smell of the food was bothering her or not.

"Uh, is the smell of the food bothering you?" Luke asked with concern.

"No, just the opposite. I'm starving and I want to steal it off the stove and devour it right now before my stomach decides otherwise." Rory explained.

Luke continued, "Well, I decided to make an Asian inspired dish. It's called Chicken in Garlic Sauce. The garlic is good for digestion and it also helps the immune system. Although it does have some vegetables in it, I figured the garlic would hide the taste of the veggies and you and your mom would be able to eat them without realizing that you were, well, eating vegetables."

"Luke, you are so thoughtful! But, I don't care what is in the dish, just give it to me now! Is it ready? I'm so hungry I could eat the food and the pot you are cooking it in. Please tell me I can eat it now?" Rory begged.

"Hold on a minute, the rice is almost done cooking. Once it is, I can make a plate for you. Be patient," Luke pleaded.

After dinner, the Gilmore-Danes family sat in the family room together reading and watching TV. Rory decided it was a good time to let them know she was meeting with Logan tomorrow and set some guidelines for Luke.

Rory began, "Hey mom, Luke. May I discuss something important with you?"

Both Luke and Lorelai looked at Rory and responded in unison. "Of course, Rory. What's on your mind?"

Rory began to explain she got in touch with Logan and they were meeting at the diner tomorrow for lunch. Although they already knew, she explained the purpose of the meeting was to let Logan know about the baby. It was then that Rory looked at Luke with concern.

"Luke." Rory said calmly. "I need you to do your best to stay calm and let me talk to Logan without you blowing up and scaring him. Do you think you can do that? I tried to get him to meet at the Dragonfly or Weston's, but he really loves your burgers, so I agreed to meet him at the diner."

Luke responded to Rory's request after thinking about it carefully. "I promise to do my best at holding my tongue, temper, and anything else that may embarrass you. If I find I am having difficulty dealing with the situation, I will ask you and Logan to head upstairs so you can talk privately. How does that sound?"

"Thanks Luke, it really means a lot to me that you would do that. My plan was to eat first and just engage in small talk. I really don't want to discuss the baby in front of the lunch rush. So maybe what I will plan to do is eat and then ask Logan to go upstairs with me so we can talk. It won't seem strange to him because he already knows I want to discuss the status of our relationship."

Lorelai chimed in, "That sounds like an excellent plan. Do you want me to plan to have lunch around the same time so I can be there for moral support, or do you think you have everything under control?"

Rory pondered what her mom said. Did she want her there as back up moral support? Or, would having her there make things more complicated? She couldn't decide what to do. In the end, she decided her mom being there could only help if things got emotionally charged or out of control. Lorelai was a pro at handling difficult situations. Rory decided she did want her mom in the diner but not eating lunch with her and Logan.

"Okay, here is the plan." Rory said with conviction. "Luke, you go about business normally. If things start to go south then mom, you chime in and suggest that we head upstairs to talk in private. Thanks for having my back and being there for me. I don't think I could pull this off without support from you both."

It seemed to Rory that Tuesday morning was endless. She had several interviews with prospective writers and layout specialists, most of them looked promising. She confirmed with the teens she hired to deliver the paper the day it is published. She spoke with Sean on the phone to clarify some budget numbers. She wrote four short stories for the next few issues. She was pretty much done with all she wanted to accomplish for the day and it was only 11:30 in the morning. She was meeting Logan at the diner at 1:00. What was she going to do for the next one and a half hours? At noon she couldn't stand being in the office any longer. She explained to Esther and Charlie she was taking the rest of the day off and one of them would need to lock up the office when they left for the day. She left the Gazette and headed over to see if Lane was home. She figured she would hang out with her friend until it was time to go over to the diner and meet Logan. Luckily, her friend was home. Lane explained that her shift at the diner started at one. Rory told her it was perfect timing as that was when she was meeting Logan.

Shortly before 1:00 Rory and Lane for the diner. She wanted to get settled at a table before Logan arrived. She walked through the door and Luke acknowledged her presence. He nodded his head toward an empty table in the far corner of the diner. It was the one table not surrounded by tables on all sides. Rory smiled as she took ownership and thanked Luke with a smile and a wave in his direction. Not long after Rory sat down Lorelai arrived. She waved and smiled at Rory, took a seat on the last available stool at the counter, kissed her husband hello, and ordered her food.

Rory waited for Logan to arrive. At about one fifteen the little bell above the door jingled for what seemed like the hundredth time and Rory looked up to see Logan. They locked eyes and he smiled. Man, she was still so in love with him. Her breathing suddenly quickened and her heart started thumping in her chest. He still looked as handsome as ever. She consciously willed her breathing and heart to slow down. As he headed toward the table, he stopped briefly to say hello to both Luke and Lorelai. Finally, he arrived at the table and gave Rory a hug and kiss hello. They sat down and got ready to order. Rory didn't need to look at the menu but decided to pretend so she had something to look at other than Logan. Luke knew what her order was, it never changed, and she mentioned that Logan wanted a burger too so he had Caesar begin prepping 2 burgers. Luke walked over to their table to take their order and pour coffee for Rory. They both ordered fries and Logan ordered a soda instead of having coffee.

"Ace, life in Stars Hollow seems to be agreeing with you. Is it me or are you glowing with beauty?" Logan whispered to Rory.

Rory blushed at the compliment. If he only knew the true reason for the glow.

"It's good to see you too Logan." Rory responded.

Rory continued, "Thanks for agreeing to come here for lunch. I know you want to get back to your family celebration. Please give Honor my congrats on the new baby girl. I'm surprised that she and Josh don't have a house full of kids by now."

"They would, but apparently they've been dealing with fertility issues. Honor didn't go into detail about things, but this little girl is their last shot miracle baby. They most likely will not have any more kids, so she is pretty special to all of us." Logan informed Rory.

Rory thought of the child she carried, one she didn't intend to conceive and said a silent thanks that she would not have to go through agonizing fertility procedures to get pregnant. Apparently, she could get pregnant without even trying.

"I'm sure she is going to have her Uncle Logan wrapped around her little finger. What's her name?" Rory asked.

Logan smiled as he responded, "She already does, she's amazing! Her name is Lyla, she is beautiful, and I'm not just saying that because I'm her uncle and her Godfather."

Their food arrived and the conversation between them flowed easily as they ate lunch. Logan explained to Rory he had no plans for the rest of the day. He didn't want to rush their lunch because it had been so long since they saw each other. They talked about what life was like over the past few months both purposefully avoiding any mention of Odette and the wedding knowing, at some point, it would have to be addressed if they were going to discuss the current status of their relationship. All the while, in the back of her mind, Rory was thinking about the baby.

Lorelai glanced over at the couple and realized Rory looked happier than she had in the past few months. She enjoyed seeing joy on her daughter's face again but knew eventually it would end. Luke commented to her that things seemed to be going well and was dreading the time when they started to go south.

Rory was the one to finally approach the subject, it had to be done. She did it under the guise of giving up the table so Luke could let others sit down and order. It was the lunch rush and he had a line of people waiting to be seated.

Rory smiled at Logan as she suggested, "Logan, we should move our conversation elsewhere. Luke has people lined up at the door waiting for a table. I know he would let us sit her all afternoon if we wanted, but I feel bad hogging the table when we've finished eating. We can take a walk or go upstairs to the office area. Which do you prefer?"

Logan smiled as he realized their meeting was not going to end with lunch. He really wanted to continue chatting, mostly because he didn't want to leave Rory, ever.

"Well Ace, it's really cold outside and the wind is pretty unbearable. I vote for going upstairs or maybe back to your house?"

Logan gave Rory a look that implied that he wanted more than to just talk. Rory had an uncomfortable feeling in her gut. Having sex with Logan was one thing she was sure was not going to happen. Once they were alone, she had to make that immediately clear to him. If dropping the baby bomb was what it would take to get him off the subject, that's what she would do. It's not how she would want to reveal it, but it sure would get him to stop.

When Luke came over to see if they wanted to order anything else, Rory asked him if they could use the office upstairs. She explained they didn't want to stay at the table due to the line of customers waiting for a table. Luke told Rory not to worry, she could stay at the table as long as she wanted, but if she wanted to go upstairs, it was fine with him. Rory asked if the door was locked and Luke told her it was open. She looked at Logan and got up from the table to head upstairs. Logan quietly sighed and followed her. He realized that sex was off the table, at least while they were at the diner.

Lorelai and Luke watched as the couple went behind the curtain to go upstairs. They chatted about the meeting so far and agreed it seemed to be going well. They were both happy there was no scene in the diner. The easy part was over. Now, the worrying begins. It would be just a matter of time before they find out how Logan will react to Rory's news. Lorelai asked Luke if he wanted her to give up her stood as the lunch line continued to grow. He firmly disagreed with her as he explained that his wife would never have to give up a stool or table in his diner. Then he kissed her gently and continued serving his customers.

Once upstairs, Logan and Rory sat down on the couch in the office. They chatted briefly about how much it had changed from the apartment it once was to the office it should always have been. Rory explained sometime Jess or April would stay there when they came into town, so it would always be part apartment and part office. Rory could no longer delay the news she needed to share. She wanted to rip off the band aid and get on with her purpose for their meeting.

She began, "Logan, I have something important I need to share with you. It's big news but I need you to listen and not interrupt me until I'm finished speaking because I'll lose my train of thought and get flustered."

Logan looked concerned but agreed to remain silent until she finished.

Rory began, "I'm pregnant and the baby is definitely yours. I'm almost 12 weeks and beginning to show so I have to start telling people. I couldn't tell anyone except those closest to me until I let you know. So, now you know. I've decided against an abortion, adoption is not even a consideration, and I'm keeping the baby. I'm going to live here in Stars Hollow and raise the baby myself. I know you have family obligations that you need to keep, so I'm not expecting you to drop everything in your life to come live with me and raise the baby. I have plenty of support here so you don't need to worry about how I will manage. You can go about your life they way you planned and either pretend we no longer exist or you can be as involved in the baby's life as much as you want. The door is open for you to make whatever decision you want. I do not want to marry you, so don't even think about asking.

Logan sat there silently listening to Rory. His mind was racing. He knew she had big news, but this was not even close to what he thought she was going to share. He imagined it had something to do with a job in London, or just any job in general. He thought she might have decided to take him up on his offer of living in the London apartment so they could continue their relationship. He never in a million years would have guessed that she was pregnant, with his child. This was a major game changer! Amazingly, even with his head spinning and his thoughts racing, he was still able to comprehend everything Rory said to him. He realized she was no longer talking and silence filled the room. He looked at Rory. She was patiently waiting for him to respond to the news she shared.