Connections and Reconnections

December 9, 2016

Philadelphia, PA

It was a clear and chilly December evening. The Christmas lights reflecting on the fresh blanket of snow gave the streets of Rittenhouse Square a warm and festive glow. Rory and Jess were walking briskly past the shops and restaurant, through the bustle of holiday revelers, on their way to a reception at Stotesbury Mansion. Rory's invitation to this event came courtesy of her good friend from Yale, Olivia Marquont. The reception was celebrating the publication of the book, Public Art of Philadelphia: A Retrospective. Olivia not only was one of the featured artists in the book, but she also wrote the forward.

Rory received the hand addressed invite a month ago. Attached to the invite was a post-it that read:

Scuttlebutt says that you are back in the States for an extended period of time,

therefore there is NO EXCUSE for your absence! Looking forward to seeing you!

Love -O

With all that had been happening in her life the past couple of months, the invitation was a welcome site. How nice it is, Rory thought during their brief walk, to be able to focus on something else for just one evening.

With the event being held in Philadelphia, Rory called Jess to invite him to be her plus one and, much to her surprise, he accepted. "This is a good chance for you to network, plus I can give you the scoop on all the local literary bigwigs." According to Jess, this was a "good" event; small enough not to attract the superstar riff-raft, yet significant enough that respected people would attend.

"Rooooory!" Olivia excitedly exclaimed as they entered the room. "It's been forever!" Rory hugged Olivia and then introduced her to Jess, who hit it off immediately. Together Jess and Olivia gave Rory a detailed briefing of the night's key players; who had a book deal in the works, whose work was being considered the next hot thing, who was discovered passed out drunk in the bargain section of the local used bookstore. Hor d'oeuvres and champagne are being passed and there was an open bar. It was indeed the festive evening that Rory needed.

"Please eat, drink, and be merry" insisted Olivia, "I was on my way to the bar when you came in. Can I get you something?"

"Oh, maybe a cranberry and club soda?" requested Rory.

"Keeping your wits about you tonight?" Jess inquired.

"Gotta stay sharp to keep up with the Literati." She replied, looking the other way.

"So Rory," Olivia asked when she returned with the drinks, "what are you up to these days? Any exciting assignments in the works?"

"Well as a matter a fact yes, I am writing a book."

"Shut- up!"

"Yes, it's a memoir of sorts about my mother and me. Jess is helping me with the getting it ready to shop around."

Raising her martini in tribute to them, "Impressive...so this is taking up a lot of your time or are pretty much done with the bulk of the writing?"

"It is occupying a lot of mental space, but I am still working. I am editing our local paper, working on some freelance articles, and am looking to pitch some ideas for other work."

"...so long story short you have nothing too pressing on your professional calendar?"

"No," Rory says feeling a bit embarrassed, "nothing too pressing."

"Ok! Hold on." Rory and Jess were taken aback as Olivia hurriedly whipped out her phone to send a text. Thirty seconds later she grabbed Rory's hand asking, "May I please speak with you in private? Do you mind Jess?"

"Not at all." A curious Jess replied.

Olivia took Rory and headed towards the back corner of the room where waiting for them was Olivia's husband, Moses Nguyen. The last time she, Olivia, and Moses were able to spend any significant time together was during their friend Lucy's wedding weekend five years ago. Moses was a noted designer and founder of MN Designs a very influential New York-based design firm where Olivia also served as a creative consultant.

After making their greetings, Olivia and Moses got down to business. Moses began the conversation, "We were commissioned to do a project that is due to launch in September of next year." Moses explained, "It is a multimedia study on the intersection of politics and popular culture. We started this project a year and a half ago and, as you can imagine it has taken many twists and turns from our original ideas. It has been a very...interesting project."

"Unfortunately," Olivia continued, " two days ago we suffered a major setback. A key member of our Content team had to go on leave because of some serious medical issues. It has put us in a bind because we have deadlines that are coming up and we need to fill the open position with someone who can just jump in and get in the mix right away...you know...someone who has journalistic and editing experience...someone who is familiar with the inner working of American political culture...someone who is not ashamed to say that they have missed appointments and family gatherings because she was binging episodes of Buffy..."

"Wait!" exclaimed Rory, "are you offering me a job?"

"Well, you would have to meet with the team to see if it's a good fit but if it worked out then yes, we would love for you to join us. If we went through traditional channels it would take us weeks, even months to find someone. It's time we don't have. We know your work, we know you. Please consider it?"

"Yes, of course!"

"We are convening a team meeting this coming Wednesday in New York. Can you make it then?"

"I will make the time."

"Great! I'll text you the details." Olivia excitedly hugged Rory, who then left to tell Jess.

"That's awesome!" Jess said when told the news,

"Well, I don't want to get my hopes up too high" Rory interjected, "I might not fit the bill."

"Oh, you'll fit," Jess replied proudly, "they would be lucky to have you. We must celebrate!"

Jess left Rory to get drinks so they could make a celebratory toast. In the meantime, Rory meandered her way to the nearest open table. Rory was so happy she bordered on giddy. Her first real professional connection in since the Naomi Shropshire fiasco; she felt good about this, really good as if she were meant to be at this exact place at this exact moment. "Kismet," she thought.

It was at the exact moment that she saw him. Standing a few feet away engaged in a conversation with an older man in a suit, was Logan Huntzberger.


Logan opened his eyes, letting out a relaxed deep breath as his plane safely landed at JFK airport. After five years he was finally back in The States, back home, and more importantly, back near Rory. Upon his arrival in New York, Logan began planning his reunion with Rory in earnest. He wanted to see her as soon as he landed, however that desire was quickly dashed by his work obligations. Huntzberger Media had recently invested in a small yet important publishing company in Philadelphia and their Board of Directors were not only meeting the next day, but they were also sponsoring a launch reception for their publication on public art that same evening. As the assuming Managing Director of the North America Division, he was obliged to attend. The frustrated Logan relented; he would see Rory soon enough. The next day Logan attended his meetings. He did his best stay focused on the task at hand, shaking hands, participating in strategic discussions, putting on his serious face. However, in reality, all he could think about was seeing Rory and what he would say to her when they met. By the time the book reception started that evening, he had grown a weary and a bit frustrated, deciding that he would give himself an hour, feign jet-lag, and make a quick getaway. He was saying goodbye to one of the members of the board when to his great surprise, he saw Rory standing at a table a mere ten feet away.

At first, he thought he was mistaken. Why would Rory be here of all places? Logan quickly erased that question from his mind. It didn't matter why she was here, it just mattered that she was here.


Rory was in a state of shock. She had not seen Logan since they said goodbye in mid-October. Thanks to the gossip at floating around at her grandmother's house, Rory learned that Logan and Odette ended their engagement. Reasons as to why are still unclear ("Of course, the boy is not the settling down type", "I heard that she was really in love with her tennis instructor and ran off with her") all she knew is that now he was single.

Rory was about to turn and walk away when Logan spotted her, "Rory!" he called.

"Uh...hi" she greeted him uneasily when he arrived next to her. Logan gave her a polite but awkward kiss on the cheek.

"What are you doing here?" She nervously asked.

"Huntzberger Media is a minority partner in the company that published this book. Since I am now Managing Director of the North American Division, I needed to be here."

"So...you're back and living here?"

"Well, not here specifically; New York actually. I arrived yesterday."

"Oh..." Rory said with forced enthusiasm, "...welcome back!"

"So, I guess you heard about Odette and me?" he continued.

"Yes. I was at my grandmother's a few weeks ago and some of her friends were there. It was the talk of the gathering. I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out. "

"Yea. Well, it wasn't right, it just wasn't right."

Rory caught Logan's gaze. He gave her a hopeful smile, which made her lose her footing. He caught her as she almost stumbled.

"Are you ok?"

"Wow, it just suddenly got really hot in here. Did they turn off the A/C?

Looking at her quizzically, Logan replied, "It's December..." He continued, " Look, I've been wanting to call you, but I needed to settle things with Odette first. Can we talk please?"

"Well, I can't right now."

"O-kay then later? Tomorrow? You name the time and place I'll be there. Come on Ace... please?"

"Umm, yea. You know what, I'll call you. I have to go."

Rory left quickly, meeting Jess who was on the way to the table. "Can we go now?" she pleaded.

"What wrong?" Jess worriedly asked.

"I just have to get out of here." Rory took off towards the coat check. Jess quickly put down the drinks and as he turned to follow her, spotted the crestfallen Logan watching Rory as she made her exit.

Jess found Rory down the street sitting on a bench visibly shaken. "What's going on?" The now very worried Jess implored.

"Nothing...everything. Oh God, seeing him was the last thing I needed."

"That's that Logan guy, right? The guy you were seeing in at Yale?"

Rory nodded her head.

"What did he say to you? Was he harassing you?"

"No, no, he wasn't. We were talking and he brought some things up."

"What did he say that upset you so much?"

"It's a bit complicated."

"How so?"

After a silent moment, "Jeeesss?" Rory asked cautiously.

"Rooory?" Jess replied, mimicking her tone.

"I'm about 10 weeks pregnant."

"What?!"

She turns and looked at him.

"I'm about 10! week! Pregnant!"

"Wow, that's...great? Congratulations?" Jess said, trying unsuccessfully to contain his shock

"Yes, it is, and thank you." She said disarmingly, "...Logan..."

"Is the father? I figured as much." He interrupted, "How long were you together?"

"About a little over a year. We ended it in October. He doesn't know yet."

Jess sat down next to Rory, dumbfounded, "Wow..."

"Well, this wasn't exactly planned and it's been such a shock and I was seeing someone else, and he was engaged..."

"Wait he was engaged?!"

"They broke up..."...Rory said dismissively, "The last few weeks has been so crazy...My mom and I went through this thing when I told her...", with every word Rory became more panicked, "...we're ok now, then I had to deal with my grandma, and then I had to decide what to do, then I had to find a doctor..."

"Rory!" Jess implored as he put his hand on her shoulders and turned her towards him, " Breath."

Rory took a series of slow deep breath and calmed down.

"So?" asked Jess.

"So?" Rory replied.

"You're going to be a mom. That's incredible!"

"I'm going to be a mom." She tearfully responded.

Jess smiled at her, gave her a kiss on the forehead, and put his arm around her. She laid her head on his shoulder. As the snow began to fall, they sat in silence.