a/n: i still own nothing! I really should work on that! This chapter gives us a little bit more insight into Rory while they were apart. Read and Review!
Chapter 20:
Rory had been surprised when she woke up and Logan was gone, but if she thought hard enough she could remember him telling her that he was going to work, thankfully, she was still able to work from home, and even more thankfully, Olivia had taken care of Ava that particular morning, so she had peacefully slept until almost 9am.
Rory was relieved that Logan had found the letter she had written him so soon after their breakup, she had tucked it away in an envelope and intended to send it when she wrote it, but then she had to question what good would come of it, so it went in the box.
The years they had been apart had been hard on Rory, for many reasons, including her best friend dying, and taking a child in, but other things had gone wrong. Truthfully she couldn't believe now that she had ever said no to him, and she couldn't even imagine spending a moment of her life with anyone else. Rory had wanted to move on, and moving on with Alex had seemed like a good idea at the time, but anyone could see that they weren't right for each other. She hated equating her life to Katy Perry lyrics, but the song Not Like the Movies was playing in her head, the good thing was however, that Logan was exactly like she had dreamed her life would be.
"Rory will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" Alex was on bended knee in a restaurant full of people.
How could two of the men in her life have ever possibly thought this would be a good idea? More importantly, Rory could forgive Logan, he had never been told a story about what happened to the last boyfriend who had proposed to Rory in public and how he had been received.
"Alex..." Rory began as she saw the entire restaurant staring at them.
"Just say yes" Alex prodded her, the ring was pretty, it was big and probably met every quality that was required by the 4 c's or whatever prerequisites that made a diamond perfect.
"I..." Rory was looking around for any support in that restaurant and she saw none, "Yes!"
"Oh thank god" Alex kissed her passionately as he put the ring on her finger.
"This is..." Rory looked at the ring, it was too big, it could easily twirl around her ring finger. She hated that she had said yes, she hated that she would probably tell him in a week that the answer was no, because she didn't love him as much as she should. What other choice did she have? She had already broken one man's heart, and she didn't want to do it again - but really? Who proposed in front of a restaurant full of strangers (or a graduation party full of social climbers)?
Rory shook the memory from her mind as she got out of bed and walked to the kitchen to make herself a much needed cup of coffee. In the days that followed her 'engagement' she had never even told her mother, the only person she had told was Paris, and well, Honor Huntzberger.
She hadn't exactly planned to tell Honor, but they ran into each other at Saks Fifth Ave, and Rory didn't have a choice when she pointedly asked about the ring on her finger.
"Do you still love my brother?" Honor asked her simply.
"I'll always love Logan, but he doesn't want to talk to me" Rory sighed as she adjusted the pile of jeans that were weighing on her forearm.
"Logan is stubborn, and you didn't hear this from me, but he loves you. He will always love you Rory Gilmore, and truthfully, I think you're what is best for him" Honor told her truthfully.
Rory laughed, ignoring the comment about Logan, "How have you been?"
"I've been good, I have a son" Honor smiled, pulling out her Blackberry to show Rory the pictures, "I never thought I'd be this person who just whips out photos of their kid to everyone they see but he really is so adorable"
"I'm sure" Rory laughed as she waited for Honor to pull up the picture, "My friend Paris is the same way with her daughter, Ava"
"Here" Honor showed her the screen where a little boy of about 2 was standing with his arms crossed, you could certainly see the Huntzberger in him, the blonde hair and brown eyes, he looked a lot like Logan.
"He is beautiful" Rory smiled, "What is his name?"
"Logan Jonathan Huntzberger Andrews" Honor smiled, "He loves his Uncle"
"I'm sure Logan loves him. How did Mitchum take the snub?" Rory asked, knowing the answer.
"Didn't think of it as a snub" Honor shrugged, "He's waiting for the true Huntzberger heir to be his namesake. So, hate to call your bluff, but what is with the ring?"
"Oh...I" Rory began, and for some reason she felt like she could tell Honor the truth, "My boyfriend, Alex, he asked me when we were at dinner, and I couldn't think of a nice way to tell him no, so I said yes"
"But you're going to say no, aren't you?" Honor smiled at her, feeling a small amount of pity for Rory, despite the fact that on the outside she had everything.
"Yes" Rory nodded, "I don't love him, not the way I should if I am going to marry someone"
"Not the way you loved Logan" Honor corrected her.
"I guess" Rory nodded, "What would you do?"
"I wouldn't marry someone I didn't love the way they deserved" Honor explained, "And I mean, really, what is with men, and rooms full of people? But I have to go Rory, and don't worry, I won't tell anyone"
"Thanks Honor, it was good seeing you"
Rory didn't have any pride in what she had done, she had known it was wrong, and she had known that Alex didn't deserve to be hurt the way she had hurt him, but at the same time, she was sick of people assuming she was ready for these steps without so much as ever mentioning to her.
Sighing at the memory Rory took a long sip of the coffee she had made before venturing up to her office where she would have the pleasure of reading through the various publications which Mitchum had sent her in order to 'catch her up' in how Huntzberger was working these days.
"Alex" Rory sighed as she looked up at him from the manuscript she was reading for work.
"What's up babe?" Alex asked her, "Do you want some wine"
"No" Rory shook her head.
"You aren't wearing your ring?" Alex looked at her with concern, "Have you had it resized?"
"No" Rory put the manuscript down and looked up at him, "I need to talk to you"
"Rory I told you, we don't need to have a big wedding" Alex smiled, "Whatever you want babe"
"I don't want to marry you" Rory blurted it out, she hadn't meant to say it like that but it had just come out faster than she had ever expected.
"What?" Alex was stunned, he had done everything right, he had gotten her the perfect ring, he had made a grand romantic gesture.
"I want to want to marry you, Alex" Rory sighed, "But I just...I haven't even told my mom. You proposed, and I haven't told anyone. Doesn't that seem wrong to you?"
"So tell your mom?" Alex suggested, clearly missing the most important part of what she was saying.
"Alex, I don't want to tell my mom...we can't keep doing this"
"Rory you just need to try, this could be right. You need to want it" Alex shouted at her, unsure of what to do with his anger.
"Alex!" Rory screamed at him, "Don't you want the woman you're marrying to want to marry you!? Christ! If you want second best! Fine!"
He had walked out after that conversation, and after a short phone call about a week later, they had ended things for good, until they had met up at the party in New York.
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"Mommy?" Ava called as she pushed the front door of the house open and looked around, "Mommy?"
"Hi hon" Rory smiled as she walked downstairs, "How was school?"
"Boring" Ava scrunched her nose, "Do I get to see Grandma and Grandpa today?"
"You do" Rory smiled, "And they have a big surprise for you, and then, next week you are missing school and we are going to New York City, just like Uncle Finn promised"
"Really?" Ava grinned as she dropped her backpack at the front door, knowing full well that in a matter of seconds Rory would tell her to put it in the closet where it belonged.
"Ava, you know your bag does not belong there"
"Fine" Ava sighed as she picked it up, "Am I having a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's?"
"Yes, so you need to go pick out your favourite jammies and some clothes for tomorrow"
"Alright" Ava smiled as she ran up the stairs.
Moments like this were the best for Rory, she just felt at ease, like for a moment she knew exactly what to do, and how to do it.
"You have 20 minutes until Grandma is here"
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"I feel like we are back at Yale" Logan glanced up at the massive front doors of the Gilmore house.
"I feel like I'm 16" Chris sighed as he and Lorelai stood behind Logan and Rory. "And about to tell my parents, and my girlfriends parents that I knocked her up"
"No one is admitting to being pregnant here tonight, right?" Lorelai looked at her husband and then at her daughter, "Because then it really is like dejavu, and Emily probably couldn't handle another child out of wedlock"
"No mom, no one is pregnant. What about you, Dad?" Rory looked back at her father as they still had not rung the doorbell.
"We just need to do it" Logan reached for the bell and pushed it.
"No!" Lorelai sighed as she resigned herself to dinner with her parents.
"We're here for Richard and Emily" Chris smiled as the new maid opened the door, "We're the family"
"Oh, please, come in" the maid stepped out of the way to allow them into the home, "May I take your coats? And your coffee, miss?"
"I'm keeping the coffee, take the coat" Lorelai shimmied out of her jacket while trying not to spill coffee all over herself. "Are you new? When did you start? You don't quite have the crows feet that dealing with my mother bestows upon women. You must be new"
"Lor" Chris warned as he heard a door opening.
"I thought I heard something" Richard emerged from his study, "Hello everyone"
"Hi Grandpa" Rory smiled and hugged him, inhaling the familiar scent of his aftershave.
"How are you doing, you look beautiful" Richard smiled as he nodded to the other guests.
"Thank you, I'm good, we're all good. Grandpa, you remember Logan" Rory smiled awkwardly.
"Of course" Richard smiled as he shook Logan's hand, "I played golf with your father last week. How are you Logan?"
"I'm excellent Sir, thank you for having me tonight" Logan nodded, suddenly returning to all of the formalities he had become accustom to when he was first dating Rory.
"Let's go get drinks shall we?" Lorelai began walking towards the living room, "Where is mom?"
"I'm here, sorry, the cook screwed up the roast again. I swear I do not know what I pay these people for? I mean how difficult is it to cook a bloody roast?" Emily rolled her eyes as she joined them in the living room, "What can I get everyone to drink?"
"I'll have a scotch" Chris smiled at Emily.
"Me as well, please" Logan smiled as he sat down, "I was just saying to Mr Gilmore, thank you for having me"
"Oh Logan don't be silly, it's Richard and Emily, you know that. We just hope you stick around this time" Emily laughed as she poured the men their drinks.
"Grandma" Rory began to protest.
"I'm just kidding Rory" Emily laughed, "Do you two ladies want a martini? I'm not a mind reader"
"Yes please, Mom" Lorelai couldn't help but smile. It seemed as though everything was finally as it should be, they were all with the people they needed to be with.
"So how are you kids doing?" Richard smiled as Logan put his arm around Rory's shoulder.
"Great, thank you" Rory smiled as she took the drink from Emily, "Ava is with Paris' parents tonight, I think they said that Doyle's parents were coming for dinner, so that is really nice for them"
"It is so important that Ava know how many people love her" Emily agreed, "It is just so awful what happened to Paris and Doyle"
"I know" Rory sighed, "I just can't believe they are missing all of these things in her life, you know?"
"They aren't by choice" Lorelai took a sip of her drink, "But hey, Ava lucked out"
"I guess" Rory shrugged, "She really loves Finn, he's taking her to the zoo on Tuesday"
"She isn't in school?" Emily looked appalled.
"Well, Frank and Linda want to take her to Europe for 3 weeks, leaving next week, and Finn promised her a trip to the zoo, so we are postponing her birthday party, she will go to New York for the week with Colin, Finn, Logan and I, and then she heads to Europe, and after two weeks in Europe, Logan and I are going to fly to meet them in Paris and hang out for a week or so" Rory explained, "I just think that if theres an age where missing school is ok, this is it"
"I suppose" Emily nodded, "But her schooling is very important Rory, how else will she end up at an Ivy league? Paris would want that"
"I know Grandma" Rory was getting frustrated, she hated being told how to parent, everyone knew she did the best she could.
"So Logan, where are you working these days, son?" Richard diverted the attention.
"For my father, at Huntzberger" Logan explained, "I've been there for a few years now, I am acting VP of marketing and distribution"
"That sounds fancy" Lorelai grinned as she took another long sip of her martini, "I am going to help myself to another"
"Well of course it sounds fancy Lorelai" Emily rolled her eyes, "It is a very important job, your father says you are doing quite well"
"How was your day at work?" Chris asked Logan, trying to keep the two elder Gilmore Girls from bickering all night.
"It was pretty lazy actually" Logan laughed, "My sister came into town, so we did some shopping. I'm hoping if its alright with Rory we can have dinner with her and her husband and my nephew tomorrow"
"Honor is in town?" Rory smiled, "Of course we should do dinner"
"You know what" Lorelai suggested, "You said that Ava is with Frank and Linda all weekend?"
"Yes" Rory nodded.
"Why don't you guys all come to the Dragon Fly? Sookie can make an amazing meal, free nights stay" Lorelai suggested, "It would be fun"
"Lorelai these kids have better things to do than hang out at your inn" Emily rolled her eyes, "I'm sure you've already made some amazing reservations"
"No actually, I think that would be great Lorelai" Logan smiled, "Honor and Josh are always hoping to get away, and if I remember correctly they are having dinner with my parents tonight, so Sookie's cooking might be just what she needs"
"You remember Sookie's cooking?" Lorelai couldn't help but smile.
"It's particularly hard to forget Sookie's cooking" Logan laughed.
"Well boys, dinner will be ready soon, why don't we go out for a cigar?" Chris suggested and stood up, "Richard are they still in the study?"
"Why I think that is a wonderful idea" Richard stood up, "I'll go get them, you go get your coats"
"Love you" Logan whispered into Rory's ear as he kissed her cheek.
All she could do was smile at the moment of affection they shared together while she watched the men in her life walk out towards the poolhouse.
"Well it certainly is cool out here" Richard rubbed his hands together as the boys all took their cigars.
"Agreed" Logan nodded as he lit the cigar and handed the lighter to Chris.
"So" Chris smiled, "Who ever thought this is how it would end up?"
"Well I certainly have hoped" Richard smiled, "This is how it should be"
"I've missed you, both of you, well, all of you. You know the one thing you don't count on when you break up with someone is the fact that you lose their family as well. I've missed that" Logan told them truthfully, "You two were very supportive of me"
"Well you are a brilliant young man" Richard nodded, "We are glad to have you back"
"Thank you" Logan smiled, "I uh...I have something to ask you Chris, well, you as well Richard"
"I figured as much" Chris smiled.
"I would like to marry Rory. I don't know when I'll ask, and I have every intention of speaking to Lorelai about it as well, but I would like to have your blessing" Logan looked at Christopher and then turned to Richard, "You as well, sir. You both mean so much to Rory"
"Of course you have our blessing" Chris smiled, "I would love to have you be a part of the family"
"I feel the same, Logan" Richard nodded, slapping him on the back, "But we should probably get in for dinner before we freeze to death out here. If we're dead, you'll never get to ask her again"