Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls is the creation of Amy Sherman-Palladino.
Written in the Stars: Chapter 10
"Grandma?"
Rory stood at the entrance of the enclosed porch that served as her grandmother's reading room. She had stood watching Emily for a few seconds before calling out to her. Emily was sitting on the sofa, her feet elevated on the matching ottoman, a book on the history of Nantucket in her hand.
"Rory! Did you have a nice walk on the beach?" Emily sat up, bringing her feet to the floor, and lowering her book face down onto the ottoman.
"Yes. Very nice. I understand why you love it here so much."
Rory walked into the room.
"Sit down. Sit down." Emily patted the sofa next to her. Rory sat. "And how was breakfast? Berta might be able to come up with some less bland dishes that you can tolerate. The woman is a miracle worker in the kitchen you know."
"I know," nodded Rory. "Maybe tomorrow. Breakfast was fine. I'm okay with bland in the morning these days. It's like 'Good Morning America.' As long as I get what I need and it doesn't make me sick, I'm good."
"Good. I remember having morning sickness something terrible when I was pregnant with your mother."
"That right?"
"Yes. Lorelai's been giving me heartburn since she was in utero." Emily shook her head. "I wouldn't be surprised if one day scientists discover babies do it on purpose. Anyway, so where's Logan?"
"I had Berta show him to a guest room. He really has been up since yesterday morning London time. We're going out later so he needs to rest."
Emily's face took on a quizzical look. "Where are you going?"
"Oh, just to dinner. We have a lot to talk about. Thought it might be good to go out somewhere. Just the two of us. Do you have any suggestions?"
"You should go to Fifty-Six Union. Or The Sea Grille. Both have appetizers that are to die for. And they're both open year-round. Would you believe a lot of the restaurants are only open during the tourist season? That's certainly not something the real estate agent bothered to mention when she was showing me around. Thank God for Berta otherwise I'd starve," continued Emily with a roll of her eyes.
"Okay. Sea Grille and Fifty Six Union. Got it. Thank you."
With that, it sounded like Rory was going to take her leave of her grandmother. Emily started to reposition herself on the sofa and reclaim her book when she realized her granddaughter hadn't made a motion to leave.
"Rory? Was there something else?"
Since handing custody of Logan over to Berta Rory's brain had been going a mile a minute. She toyed with the idea of calling Lorelai but knowing how her mother felt about Logan -had always felt about Logan - she quickly nixed the idea. Besides, she realized her grandmother was really the one she needed to talk to. Emily was the one person - the one Gilmore girl - who would understand both sides of the coin. Lorelai only had patience for her side.
"Yeah, Grandma." Rory's eyes fastened on her grandmother's. "I was wondering if we could talk a bit? I just - I'm running through a lot of things in my head and I could use a fresh perspective?" She smiled. "You know someone to bounce ideas off of?"
Emily's face revealed her surprise. "You're coming to me for advice?"
"Yeah," Rory nodded. "Guess that's what it boils down to."
"You know I spoke to your mother this morning, Rory. I filled her in on what was going on. I'm sure if you wanted to talk to her, she'd drop everything for you."
"Yeah, Grandma. I got a few messages from her this morning. I'll call her eventually. But right now it's you I want to talk to."
"Oh." Surprised and pleased, Emily cursed the watery build-up in her eyes. When had she become so sentimental? "Of course." Emily replaced her book to the ottoman and her feet to the floor. She discretely swiped her eyes with a tissue. "Allergies. So what do you want to talk about?"
"You seem really good these days. Happy."
"Me? You want to talk about me?"
"Uh. Yes. And me. My point is since you left Hartford and quit the DAR and moved out here and started working at the museum, you just seem happy. Maybe content is a better word? Like you're doing exactly what you want to be doing and you're doing it for no other reason then it's what you want to do."
"Yes," Emily nodded. "It does feel good to do what I want. Buying this place. Having Berta and her family around. I'll wear those Blackstones down eventually and then I'll have the place next door. I'm doing research for the museum to change up some of the narratives. We're also talking about making more age specific tours and tying history more to the present by working with the high school. And -" Emily stopped, staring at her granddaughter who suddenly had tears cascading down her cheeks. "Rory! Whatever is the matter?"
"I'm just happy for you, Grandma." Rory smiled through her tears.
Leaning over Emily wrapped her arms around her granddaughter. She grabbed another tissue from the box on the side table and handed it to Rory.
"You know pregnancy hormones tend to make women more emotional."
"I know," Rory sniffled. "But I'm still happy for you."
Emily ran an appraising eye over her granddaughter.
"But this isn't just about me. You're afraid, aren't you? That if you marry Logan you won't get to do what you want to do?"
Rory nodded silently.
"Did you discuss this with Logan?"
Rory shook her head. "Not yet. Later. Tonight's conversation."
"You know, Rory. I talked with Logan this morning."
"You did? What about?"
"I don't know if I'm spoiling surprises but he's got his mind set on you two marrying."
"Yeah, I know."
"He also said -while he can't just pick up and leave London - he is thinking how to shift work so he could live here part of the year."
"He said that?"
"Yes. And I mentioned your writing. He said he'd support your writing, that he'd support you in whatever you wanted to do."
Without a word, Rory looked at Emily.
"Do you not believe him?"
"I don't know. I guess I'm worried that he's saying things now -not that he's lying but that he's being naive or overly optimistic. Then it won't hit me until twenty years have passed and I'll be wondering what the hell happened." Rory reached over to the tissue box, grabbed a new one, and blew her nose. "Now there's the baby too. Logan went back to HPG and is okay with his 'preordained life' now but he didn't want it when he was younger. That's why he went to California. He and Mitchum fought bitterly over it at the time."
"Logan decided to leave and then he decided to come back?"
"Yeah."
"So it was his choice both times?"
"Yes, but Mitchum's so manipulative. You know how he is. Makes it seem like there's a choice when really there isn't."
"Yes, I understand. But Rory, Logan is nothing like Mitchum. Mitchum is like Elias. Both a couple of miserable control freaks devoid of any humor. I say that as someone who has -or had in the case of Elias - known each of them for decades." Emily shrugged. "Say what you will about Shira -Lord knows I do - her tart gene manifested itself positively in her children. I haven't seen her in several years but I've always found Honor to be vivacious and lovely. Much like Logan."
Surprised, Rory let out a snort of laughter.
"I can't believe you just said something positive about Shira Huntzberger!" Rory laughed.
"Yes, well, the move to Nantucket did mellow me a bit." Emily lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Don't tell anyone."
The two women sat in silence for a moment.
"Grandma?"
"Yes, Rory?"
"One last question?"
"Of course."
Rory had debated whether or not to ask her grandmother this question. Then, once she'd decided she had to, she still had trouble zeroing in on the right words.
"Do you think you would've discovered how much you enjoy doing just what you want to do -like the museum -if Grandpa were still alive?"
It was Emily's turn to fall silent. She studied her granddaughter's lovely face as she considered her response.
"No, I don't think I would've discovered the museum if your grandfather were still alive. Just because your grandfather and I had a long-established rhythm to our life together. Looking out for him -monitoring his diet, his health -had become an important vocation of mine. I suppose there didn't seem to be time or a need to seek out new things." Emily's gaze turned away and Rory knew she was thinking of Richard. Bringing her eyes back to Rory, she continued. "However, I do know that if I had discovered how much I enjoyed being a docent your grandfather would've supported me one hundred percent. He may not have understood but he would've let me do what I wanted to do. Because he always wanted me to be happy."
Rory looked at her grandmother and noticed the tears that had started to stream down the older woman's face.
"Oh, Grandma! I'm sorry! I've upset you."
"Nonsense." Emily leaned over to grab a clean tissue. "Talking about your grandfather doesn't upset me. Quite the contrary. It makes me very happy. "
Rory leaned into Emily and wrapped her grandmother in a solid embrace.
"I don't know, Grandma. We're running the risk of staining your white cushions with all this happiness."
"Don't be silly. And don't be silly about Logan either. That boy adores you. He's dumped that French heiress. He obviously didn't care a whit about the woman. I wouldn't be surprised to find out he's been carrying a torch and pining for you all this time."
Rory smiled. "Maybe."
"There's that smile I love. You should be happy. We all should be! Besides one thing you should remember: If he's used to Mitchum telling him what to do, as his wife, you could easily slip into that role. What if you didn't worry about him letting you have your career or letting your children choose their own careers? What if, instead, you just told him how it was going to be? It's very forward, but you are of the younger generation. You know your mother would have no qualms whatsoever laying down the law. Just pretend you're Lorelai for a few minutes. Get him to agree to everything. Oh, I know. Maybe you can put it in the prenup? I've seen all kinds of things in prenups. As long as it has to do with money it can be included. It couldn't hurt to consult a lawyer. Mark Greenberg -he lives on the other side of the Blackstones -is an attorney. Would you like to take a walk and talk to him?"
AN: Thank you for reading.