Chapter 22 The Phone Call
November 4, 2011
Lorelai and Luke were sitting in the driveway at her parents' home; it was Friday night, and Emily and Richard were hosting the mandatory Friday night dinner again. Taking a deep breath, Lorelai took Luke's hand in hers, and they slowly walked up to the door. Luke pressed the doorbell. The maid answered the door and took their coat. Lorelai and Luke were the first to arrive. She looked around for her mother and noticed that the table had place settings for eight people. She turned and raised her eyebrows at Luke. He shrugged his shoulders, never surprised after all these years with Emily's behavior or motives. He placed his hand in the small of Lorelai's back, and they walked into the lounge. They take a seat on the couch and Lorelai' notices that The New York Post is sitting on the coffee table.
"Hello, Lorelai and Luke so glad you could make it. What would you like to drink?" Emily asked.
"A beer is fine, Emily. Thank you," Luke said looking at her.
Richard came in a few steps behind Emily carrying some beers. Luke stood up and shook his father in laws hand as Richard's handed him a beer. Then Richard turned to his daughter and asked, "And for you Lorelai?"
"The usual Dad. Mom, are you expecting company tonight?" Lorelai asked as she looked directly into the dining room. The table had eight chairs around it instead of the usual four, and the good china was on the table.
"No, why do you say that Lorelai?" Emily responded.
Lorelai was ready to speak when they were interrupted by the doorbell.
Lorelai heard voices that sounded strangely Australian. She looked at her mother and raised an eyebrow.
Emily got up and approached Liam and Amanda. "Amanda, Liam so nice of you to join us for dinner tonight," she said.
"Have you met my daughter and her husband, Luke?" Emily said graciously
Richard handed Lorelai her drink and joined his wife's side. Luke and Lorelai stood up from their seats, and Liam immediately walked over to Luke and shook hands and then hugged and kissed Lorelai on the cheek. Amanda hugged them both and kissed them both on the cheeks.
"Yes, mom, of course we know Amanda and Liam," Lorelai says as she patted the seat beside her on the couch. Amanda walks over and sits down beside her.
"What can I get you to drink?" Richard asked.
"Do you have a red Zinfandel? If not a red wine will be fine."
"I believe I do, I will have to go and check the wine cellar, and for you Liam?"
"Oh, just a scotch, Mate." Richard poured Liam his scotch and left to go to the wine cellar to retrieve the Red Zinfandel that he had. Emily didn't like red wine, so he kept them in the basement and only pulled them out for guests.
Rory and Finn arrived at the Gilmore's for Friday night dinner five minutes after his parents. They got out of the car, but Rory held Finn back. She was standing at the door with Finn acting nervous.
"What's wrong love? Why don't you want to go in?"
"Finn it's my grandmother. The last time I was here, she tried to hook me up with Logan. Who knows what she will do this time?"
"Kitten, both our parents are here; she can't do anything. My parents won't let her, and neither will I. "
She looked up at him and raised her eyebrow.
"Do you love me?" he asked giving her a half smile. She looked up into his blue-gray eyes, Finn was the type of man who was all about love, family and protection. He would do anything for his friends and his family, and that was why she loved him so much.
"Yes you know I do," she responded giving him a tender kiss on the lips. He pushed the bell. He wrapped his arms around her and continued kissing her when the door opened.
"Oh, umm, you are?" the embarrassed maid asked at the door.
They stepped apart, and Rory started to giggle.
"Oh, Hi I am Rory, and this is my boyfriend Finn, we are here for dinner," she said blushing.
"Oh, umm, yes come in.."
"Esmeralda who is at the door?" Emily said and began walking to the front foyer. Emily notices her granddaughter and Finn standing at the doorway.
"Rory and Finn what are you both doing standing out in the cold. Esmeralda take their coats and let them inside"
"Yes Madam," Esmeralda said embarrassed.
The two of them walked in and gave their coats to the maid. They walked into the parlor and Rory immediately walked over and gave the Morgan's a hug and a kiss as well as her grandfather, her mom, and Luke. She stiffly hugged her grandmother. Her grandmother glared at her.
Richard asked. "Finn, Rory would you like a drink? What can I get for you?"
Rory saw the red wine out and said, "Oh grandpa, a glass of the red wine would be fine for me."
"I'll have a scotch if it isn't a bother," Finn said politely.
Finn walked over and stood beside his father, Luke, and Richard while the woman sat on the couch and chairs. Trying to start a conversation, Lorelai noticed that the newspaper on the table. She was curious why this was left out, so she remarked, "Mother, your maid must be slipping. She left the paper on the table."
"Oh no, I asked her to put it there?"
"Oh, what for?" Lorelai asked as she picked it up and began to look through it. Her mother must have a reason for leaving it out. She definitely had something up her sleeve. Lorelai was glancing through the paper when she started laughing. In the paper was a picture of Rory dressed as Holly Golightly and Finn dressed as Paul from the movie Moon River. There were two more pictures of them with Cat Woman and Batman and also Steph and Colin dressed as the two characters in the Great Gatsby. She scanned the article and looked at the other pictures. She notices that there is a p of a photograph of a young woman being escorted out of the Gallery. The article headlines read, Logan Huntzberger, heir to HPG, Fiancée Sloane Wainwright was escorted out of NY Gallery opening of photographer Robert Holmes' premier exhibit Love. The article continues how she was making a scene over the photographs. They show pictures of a group talking; she notices Robert and a pretty brunette that she thinks she recognizes. She also sees the actor Lucas Till standing next to an attractive brunette.
"Why did you put this on your table? I am sure Rory and Finn have seen this. They stood and had their pictures taken." Finn walked over when he overheard Lorelai's remark about the newspaper on the table.
"Yes, Emily we did. It was the opening of our good friends, Robert Holmes and Olivia Marchant, Art show at Robert's Gallery," Finn said.
"Rory, that is an attractive picture of you, but who is that beautiful young woman that the handsome actor Lucas Till is standing beside? I have seen her before." Lorelai asked.
"Mom, I am sure you remember her, that is Lucy Baldwin she is a friend from Yale. She is an actress and dated Marty when we were in college."
"Oh yes, Naked Guy," Lorelai said with a smirk, "Mom, Dad you remember Naked Guy, Rory's friend."
"Oh Yes, isn't that the young man we met at the Harvard, Yale game? I liked him. , You found him one morning naked in front of your door at Yale, and you gave him your robe," Richard said.
Finn looked over at Rory with a puzzled expression. Liam chuckled and said to Luke, "I bet there is a story behind this." Luke hid his smile behind his beer bottle and nodded saying, "Oh yeah and he will always be remembered in this family as the Naked Guy." Luke, Liam, and Richard all began to laugh.
With a smile on her face she said, "Finn you remember Marty, he was my friend that I was with when Colin bumped into him at the coffee cart."
"Oh yes, the bartender. Best Bartender we ever hired. Wait, Naked Guy? Kitten you will have to tell me that story later." He then leaned over and whispered, "I thought I was your only naked guy." He then kissed her on the cheek making her blush more.
Emily felt she needed to continue explaining about the reason for her leaving out the paper. "Well, the article says that Rory was a model for some of the photographs. Rory when did you start modeling? Do you need more money? Richard, give Rory some money. I don't want my granddaughter to model for a photographer without wearing any clothes." Emily looked over at her husband who didn't say anything.
"It also said that Logan's fiancée had to be removed from the gallery after making a scene. Why would she do this? It doesn't sound like this is a good match for Logan. Poor Logan, you know Rory his mother and sister have told me that he hasn't been well since the two of you broke up," Emily responded
Rory gave her grandmother a dirty look and said, "I don't need any money grandmother. If you must know Finn and I both sat for Robert and had our photographs taken."
"Well, they showed some of his photos in the paper and Rory aren't they …."
"Beautiful." Amanda finished Emily's sentence. " Finn has shown us the ones that Robert took of the two of them. They were so stunning that we went to his studio on Monday ourselves to see them. Lorelai you will have to go with me this week to see them. My favorite is the Kiss. Finn, didn't you tell me that you are purchasing that portrait for your bedroom?"
Finn looked at Rory and smiled, "We have chosen two for the bedrooms. But yes that one will be placed in a collage of images of us that we are having made."
Finn had convinced Rory to have Robert make a large picture of the two of them kissing for her bedroom at her townhouse, and the other was her walking out in her bodysuit and you see his facial features with a smirk on his face. He loved the sassiness she displayed in that image, His other favorite photograph that Robert didn't put up for display in the show, was when she wore nothing but the stockings, her thong, and her white sweater. Robert had her slowly raise the white sweater up like she was taking it off; you could see her lace thong, her navel and the tops of her stockings. She had her arms crossed over her as she was lifting the sweater up, and her hair was hanging loosely cascading down on her shoulders. Her head was back, and she was laughing at something Robert had told her. He loved that photo so much that he asked Robert to print a smaller version of that image so that he could keep it in a frame on his desk.
Emily looked at them surprised.
"Grandma, actually the photographs that Robert has taken are more flattering than the painting you have of me hanging in Grandpa's office," Rory told her.
Finn started laughing, and soon Lorelai and Luke were nodding and laughing too, Whenever Finn thinks of that portrait he remembers that night of the Yale sausage party that Emily held for Rory. He thinks about the subparty the second time he met her and how he begged her to pick him because he was exotic.
Emily sat there fuming but tried her best to keep her composure, Her daughter and granddaughter watched Emily. Lorelai tilted her head just a little bit and narrowed her eyes with a small pouting smile on her lips, then winked at her daughter. Finn noticed it, and quickly Finn changed the subject. They started talking about random items, and soon the maid came and announced dinner.
Tonight Emily chose to have Roast Beef Tenderloin with Cognac butter, carrots mashed with Crème Fraiche and Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Slow-Fried Shallots. The meal was delicious, but Finn noticed that both Lorelai and Rory played with their vegetables and spread them across their plate.
"What's the matter Luv, aren't you feeling well?" he whispered to her.
"No, I'm fine."
"Then why aren't you eating the brussels sprouts?"
"Oh is that what they are? It's green.. I don't eat green food."
He looked at her with a smirk on his face and whispered, "I've seen you eat grapes and they were green."
Emily looked at Rory and raised her eyebrow at her. "Is there something wrong with your meal Rory?" she asked her.
"Oh no, it's delicious grandma. I never had brussels sprouts before. I was asking Finn what they were. Grandma, did you know that both Amanda and Finn's sister are gourmet chefs and his sister is attending the Culinary school right now?" Rory said quickly changing the subject.
"No I didn't," and Emily turned to Amanda talking to her about food. The maid came to clear the table and Rory was relieved when she took the food away. She took a big sip of her water to help wash down the flavor of the one brussels sprouts she had in her mouth. Lorelai began to giggle at her daughter.
Emily than rose from her chair and suggested that they all go into the living room to have their dessert, coffee, tea, and brandy. Her guest followed her into the living room with the woman sitting on the couch and chairs, and the men standing over by the fireplace sipping brandy and talking. Rory kept on looking over at Finn who was enjoying his conversation with Luke. She wanted to leave and get away from her grandmother. She was still angry at her for giving out her personal information. Rory heard her cell phone ring. She had slipped it into her dress pocket before dinner, so she pulled it out and looked at it. It was a call from Logan. She hadn't heard from him since last weekend at the gallery. She excused herself and went into her grandfather's office.
"Hello?" she said tentatively.
"Ace…, ace," he whispered her nickname.
"Logan, what's the matter?"
"I miss you, Ace. Why are you with Finn? You know he doesn't love you the way I love you. I need you. You need to be with me"
"Logan, have you been drinking?"
"No, maybe a little but Ror listen to me. Finn, he has a problem. He has a dark side. He is going to hurt you."
"What are you talking about Logan?"
Finn noticed that Rory had left the room and quietly went looking for her. He heard voices in her grandfather's office, so he quietly walked in, whispering he asked, "Is everything alright?"
Rory looked at him and shook her head and whispered. "No it's not." Finn walked closer to her and she put the phone on speaker, so he could hear the conversation.
"Who are you talking to, is that Finn? "Logan anxiously asked her.
"Let me talk to him."
Rory walked over and stood closer to Finn and handed him her phone.
"Finn it's Logan. He wants to talk to you and he sounds drunk."
Taking her phone he begins to talk to Logan.
"Logan, what's up Mate?"
"Finn you bastard, you took my girl. You don't deserve her, and I know about your dark side. Does she know what you are like? I've been with you and I swear if you hurt or ruin her, I promise I…."
Finn could not believe that Logan would bring up the mistakes of last year. He began to get angry.
"You will do what, Logan!" Finn began to raise his voice,
"I will tell her everything. You don't deserve her. She is mine and she will always be mine."
"Rory and I have no secrets, unlike you Logan, who always had secrets and treated her disrespectfully. Leave Rory alone. I love her, and she loves me, and we are together now. Logan go back to England to your business and live the life you and your family has chosen for you."
"No Finn, not unless I get Rory back."
"Logan, you are engaged and getting married."
"Yes but I don't love her. My father wants me to marry Sloane. He thinks she will be the perfect CEO's wife, a great party planner, her family has the right connections, and she photographs well. She and my mother have become good friends. She will be my wife in name only. If Rory was still in my life I could go ahead with this marriage."
Rory looked at Finn horrified. She shivered, and Finn gently pulled her into his side.
"Tell me Mate, how does Rory fit into this picture of your marriage? Are you planning on having a marriage like your fathers? Filled with mistresses?"
Rory stood there listening to the whole conversation, the call was on speaker and she could hear what he was saying along with anyone else who happen to be walking down the hall. When Finn took the phone from her he hit the record button knowing that Logan was drunk and wouldn't remember this conversation tomorrow.
Rory feeling hurt and angry spoke up.
"Logan, I want you to listen to me. I once loved you, but you walked away from me on my graduation day. You never reached out to me, you never let me explain why I said no. When I was on the campaign trail, we stopped in California, so I took a day and I went to your apartment in Palo Alto. I was hoping to surprise you and tell you that I was wrong. Instead you surprised me, you were standing outside of your apartment with someone else kissing her. It didn't take you long to move on, in fact it never took you long to find another person to share your bed.
I have spent the last four years trying to move on from you. I dated many people and when I was no longer looking, I found a man who is in love with me and his family loves me too. I am in love with Finn, Logan."
There was silence on the other end of the phone. Logan didn't say anything for a few moments, "Ace… I was wrong for letting you go. Give me another chance."
"Logan, there are no more chances. Finn and you have been friends for years. When you can accept that Finn and I are together we can be friends again, but right now Logan I am not sure."
"Ace…" he cried.
"Goodbye Logan."
Rory press the end button and looked up at Finn. She never would have had the strength to do that if Finn was not there with her.
Finn takes a step closer to her and with his steel blue eyes he looks into hers. Rory, who had been holding her breath after the phone call, slowly released it. She could feel that her breath was becoming softer, the anxious feelings she had after talking to Logan begin to fade away. Her body squirms just a little as she feels her muscles relax. There is something about the way that Finn is looking at her that she knows that this man is her soulmate. Rory realizes that she will never find another man like Finn. She hopes that she has not ruined the friendship that Finn and Logan have had for many years. Rory reaches up and puts her arms around his neck and lifts her lips to his. He slowly leans his head down towards her and they tenderly kiss each other.
Lorelai had gone looking for them. She stopped at the door that Finn left open and heard the whole conversation. She hadn't meant to eaves drop but she also couldn't stop herself when she heard Logan's voice. Lorelai didn't want to interfere, so she stood there quietly and listened. When the call ended she turned around and took a few steps back into the powder room that was near the study. She came out making a lot of noise purposely calling for them.
"Hey, you two lovebirds, are you ready for dessert? We have triple chocolate cheesecake."
She pushed open her father's office door. Finn and Rory were standing there in an embrace not saying anything.
"Hey, are you both ok?" Lorelai asked concerned. Finn and Rory took a step apart and looked at her.
"Yes, we just had a phone call from Logan. He's not taking the news of our relationship very well," Finn explained trying to downplay what she overheard.
"Hey, it will be ok. Ror, Logan has hurt you in the past, but I've never seen you as happy as you are now with Finn. Logan will come around."
Rory looked at her mother and said, "Yeah, I know. It's just.."
Finn kissed her and said, "No worries, we can get through this and I am not going anywhere. Remember you have my heart."
He gently traced his fingers across her necklace and back up to her cheek.
Lorelai cleared her throat and smiled at the two of them.
She walked over to them and hugged them both. "Come on, a wise woman once said, Let's eat cake!"
Rory and Finn began to laugh and the three of them left the room with their arms linked together.