"I still can't believe the two of you will be together over there and I'll be stuck in New York!" Rosemary said, talking to Steph and Rory on Skype.
"You're hardly stuck in New York, you and Finn love it there," Rory responded, "Besides, you can visit. You're still coming here for Christmas, yes?"
"Well, yes. And 2 weeks after the babies are born,"
Exactly," said Steph, matter of factly. "Besides, I'll be in Manchester, it's 3 hours from Rory!"
"Still closer than me," Rosemary mumbled, "Just be prepared for me to visit a lot!"
"We wouldn't expect anything less!" Steph said with a smile. "Now, onto the purpose of this: Rory's baby shower! What are we doing?"
"Oh, no, girls it's fine! You're coming here for Christmas, I don't want to overtake the celebrations!"
Rory, we are throwing you a baby shower. You're not going to talk your way out of this. Besides, do you think the great Emily Gilmore will let you get away without one? We're all flying out on the 18th, and will have the shower on the 21st," Rosemary spoke quickly, a habit she had learned from Rory. "Do you have a guest list for me?"
"Can I get it to you next week?"
Of course, everything ok, babe?" Steph questioned, knowing her friend was usually beyond organised.
"Yeah, just want to check it with Logan," Rory smiled.
The girls chatted for a little while longer, Steph sending them links to the houses that she and Colin had been looking at, and Rosemary finally admitting that she had officially moved in with Finn.
"Ready, Ace?" Logan asked as he helped Rory put her feet up on the couch in the office.
"Ready as I'll ever be," she frowned, "Mum first, then grandma?"
"Yep, and I'll be right here," he said, pointing to his desk. "I won't say a word unless it gets out of hand. She won't even know I'm here," kissing her head gently he reached across to the computer to press the call button next to Lorelai's name, and then sat down on the edge of his desk, well out of view of the camera.
"Hey, kid," Lorelai answered happily, "How are you?"
"Good. Bored. How about you?"
"Busy, the inn is packed at the moment which is a bit strange, normally October is fairly quiet. Not complaining though, busy is great. But the dreaded bed rest, how is that going?"
"Oh, it's alright, catching up on movies and books,"
"Sounds great, babes. How's the nesting going?"
"Bed rest put a stop to it, but we have plans to get a wriggle on this week," Rory glanced up at Logan who nodded his head. "Logan and I were talking about Christmas earlier, do you think you and dad will make it over?"
"That's the plan, hun. Who else is coming?"
"Grandma and grandpa, Finn and Rosie, Colin and Steph, Honor and Josh, Paris and Doyle, and Mitchum and Shira."
"Oh…that's a lot of people, I thought it would just be us? Are you sure there's room for us? I mean we could always come in early December or late January?" Lorelai said very quickly.
"No, no, no, it's absolutely fine! You have to come, Rosemary and Steph are planning a baby shower."
"And my mother is going to be there? I think it's best that I come at a different time, kid."
"Mum, don't be ridiculous! I know you and dad have been having dinner with them each week," Rory stated in the calmest voice she could manage.
"Well, yes, but…" Lorelai began.
"No. No buts. I know this isn't about grandma. There's a big elephant in the conversation and you won't acknowledge it!"
"No elephants here,"
"Mum! I know that this is about Shira! When are you going to acknowledge it, let alone apologise for anything?"
"I'm not apologising for anything, Rory. I didn't do anything!"
"You have got to be kidding me!" Rory's eyes looked across to Logan; she wasn't sure where to begin with her mother.
"No, Rory. I've done nothing wrong. You're the one who changed the plans! I'm the one who deserves an apology here!"
"Seriously? You actually think that?"
"We had plans for your life! You were supposed to be focused on your career, be an international correspondent!"
"So the plan changed! I have a career, although I'm sure you know all about it since you are so friendly with Shira."
"Yeah, sure, that's such a career, Rory. You aren't even there half the time, you can't do that with a real job!"
"Enough," Logan said calmly, moving to sit next to Rory. He kissed the side of her head and she squeezed his hand; they both had had enough of this conversation.
"Oh, that's it, get Logan to jump to your defence!"
"No mum, that's not it at all. Logan is taking care of me because one of OUR daughters is trying her best to arrive early. I need to have minimal stress and you aren't helping."
"You wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for Logan!"
"I'm done," Rory whispered in Logan's ear.
Logan smiled at her before he responded to Lorelai. "Lorelai, we're done. Rory can't do this anymore, and I don't think she should have to. Have a good day." And with that, Logan ended the video call.
Rory was curled under a blanket on the couch, listening as Logan ordered Thai takeaway for their dinner. She was replaying the conversation with her mother over in her mind, and still couldn't make sense of it. She and Logan had discussed it at length for over an hour, and neither of them could understand Lorelai's logic.
"Ok, Ace, so they don't deliver on Tuesday nights, God knows why. I'm going to have to go pick it up. Will you be ok?"
"Of course, sweetie. It's only around the corner, you'll be back before I know it."
"I'm worried about you, babe. That conversation with your mum…"
"It's alright. I promise. I guess we just expected that she would have realised that we're happy and in a good place. But she hasn't. I'm alright, I promise." She stretched over to him and kissed him on his lips.
"Alright. But if you want to talk about it…"
"You're here, I know. Thank you for being so amazing."
Logan kissed her on the forehead, "Alright, I'll be 10 minutes, tops. Love you."
"I love you!" Rory called up the hallway.