"You know, this whole thing reminds me of Max. It just didn't feel right," Lorelai said, handing her daughter a cup of coffee.
"I just hope it won't damage Leah in the long run," Rory said.
"That is why you need to do what you can to stay friends with him, Leah won't benefit from seeing two people fighting even if they aren't living together," she explained.
"I might have to sell the house soon, just the upkeep alone, I can't afford it," Rory explained.
"One step at the time, honey, if that is the case we'll talk to Emily together, but I think she will understand. But I think first you need to figure out where you are going to move, and now with the child you have a lot of stuff to factor in - proximity to Finn and his parents, us, you will need your support system not to mention the nearest playground and school district. And you probably shouldn't go buying anything before you know where you'll be next fall," Lorelai said, trying to calm her.
"Have you spoken to Logan yet? Lorelai asked after a few minutes.
"He witnessed it, so he knows, I'll talk to him soon, but I think you agree that jumping into something at the deep end so quickly after this mess, before the things with Leah are settled, is not a smart move," Rory explained. "At least he appeared to grasp that forcing me to make decisions within minutes is not the way to go," she added, still angry at the way Finn had handled things.
"Well from what you told me, if he has waited for this long, I don't see why he wouldn't wait a little longer," Lorelai added.
Rory understood that Finn had had a right to demand answers, but frankly she had never had a fight with him like this one. It had shown another side of him to her and it had surprised her. She hoped from the bottom of her heart that he'd not fight her for Leah, realizing that this worry about Leah's well being combined with the gratefulness she felt about just being able to be around her was no longer just a feeling of obligation, it was the beginnings of love.
Rory was just about to turn on the engine of her car as her phone beeped.
"You okay?" the text from Logan asked.
"Been better," she typed, after a few seconds.
"Anything I can do?" he asked.
"You are already doing it," she replied. All she needed from him at this point was his support, and he knew it too.
Time flew. A month later Rory was at her living room watching Leah while she was trying to make her some food at the same time - not an easy task these days. "What have you got there, Leah," Rory asked as she noticed her daughter trying to grab something from under the side table. Leah was becoming too mobile and too upright for her playpen, and keeping her there safely was almost impossible for longer than 5 minutes. This meant the entire house was her playground now. She saw Leah holding her engagement ring.
"This is not a toy, Leah, please give to to me," she said a little sharply, rushing to her, feeling frustrated with Finn, who'd obviously tossed or dropped it after she'd returned it to him. As she took the ring from Lea's hands, Leah's mouth curved downwards, almost like a warning signal that tears and a loud scream would follow.
"Now, there Leah, we'll go find you something even better, how's that?" she offered, lifting her to her hip and moving towards the kitchen hoping the screaming could still be delayed. The kitchen cupboards always held something she'd love to get her hands on.
"Maybe this? Or This?" Rory offered her a sieve and a silicone spatula. Leah grabbed the yellow spatula with both her arms, almost falling out of her lap. She was getting big, and heavy, Rory reminded herself. Soon she'd be walking, she thought fearfully. She was still waiting to hear back about her applications, postponing her decision on a place to live. She really didn't want to start baby proofing the Hartford house more than she had to, while the place was on sale. She'd listed the place with Emily's blessing a couple of weeks ago and while there were a few potential buyers, so far there was no offer. The realtor had thought the unfinished feel of the house was to blame. And she was probably right - the place was stuck in two different eras, one youthful and light, the other more antique and dignified, whoever looked at the place would love one and most likely dislike the other.
She placed Leah in her high chair, hoping it'd suffice the few minutes there were left before food was ready. Looking at the ring, placed on the kitchen counter, she was reminded by the painfulness of the moment she'd removed it from her finger. Communication with Finn had been limited ever since that day, he'd only stopped by briefly to pick his stuff or Leah up for his weekends while Rory had her during the week. They'd kept the schedule flexible most of the time, not objecting if the other had somewhere else to be. But that was pretty much all they ever talked about. And she knew there was still anger in the air.
The next moment her phone rang. Unknown number.
"Rory Gilmore speaking," she answered a little cautiously, keeping an eye on Leah who was playing with her spatula.
"This is professor Bleaking's assistant, from the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication at NYC," a woman's voice spoke.
"Hi, I'm so glad to hear from you," she replied, getting her hopes up a little.
"I am calling to set up an appointment to discuss your application," the woman said.
Five minutes later, after Leah was munching away on finger food, she took a deep breath. What she had hoped could be happening for real. She stared at her phone thinking. She needed a plan.
"I have a meeting in NYU on the 22nd, can you take her or should I check with Lorelai or Zoe?" she texted Finn.
"I am at work until 6, I think my mom's out of town that day," he replied quickly.
She knew it may well have been true, but she couldn't shake that feeling that perhaps he was on occasion making things more difficult for her on purpose just to spite her. She recalled that Lauren had Wednesdays planned with another family.
"Mom?" Rory called, adding hastily, "What do you have planned for the 22nd?"
"We have a wedding at the Inn, what do you need?"
"To look after Leah," she said briefly, "I'll try some other people…," she added.
"I can maybe have her in the morning, if you can't find anybody, but I'd have to change some things around," Lorelai added.
"Okay, that might work, but I don't want to make you do that, unless I can help it. I'll ask around," she added. Her meeting was at 10.30 AM, but she wouldn't make it back in such a short time.
Her mind quickly went through Lane and Paris, even Eleanor, all of whom she knew would be working on a regular workday. Besides she doubted Eleanor would be too eager to help her after what happened.
For a split second she thought she could bring her along, but taking a toddler along to a fellowship meeting clearly wasn't her brightest idea. She took another deep breath. She knew it was a long shot, but she called.
"Hey Ace!" he answered.
"Logan, hi," she said.
"Good to hear from you," he added. They'd texted a few times a week since it happened keeping this light and casual but other than that they hadn't spoken.
"I have a gigantic favor to ask you," Rory said.
"Ask away, I am feeling pretty generous today," he replied laughingly.
"I have a meeting next Wednesday morning, 10.30 at NYU," she said.
"That's great, Ace," he replied.
"But I don't have anybody to babysit Leah. It probably won't be more than 45 minutes," she said. "You're my last hope before I call them back and reschedule. Is there any way...?" she began.
"Well I don't know a lot about toddlers, but I am sure I can manage for 45 minutes," he said.
"Would you really? You don't have to be at work…?" she asked, feeling guilty for asking him to rescue her yet again.
"Rory, have you forgotten what my last name is and where I work?" Logan added smugly.
Rory stared anxiously at the dial of the elevator taking her and her almost 1-year old up to his apartment. Logan stood waiting, as the elevator doors opened.
"Leah, look, do you remember Logan? You've met him before," Rory spoke, holding her breath hoping she wouldn't completely hate the idea of spending some time with him. If she cried, she wasn't sure she'd be able to leave.
"Hi Leah, Ace," Logan greeted, pulling a pink elephant stuffed toy out from behind his back. Leah reached out, wanting to grab it and landed in Logan's hands.
"Logan," Rory looked at him sideways, for attempting to bribe her daughter, "that's a good trick, thank you," she added, with gratitude.
"I think we're going to have a great time, Leah, what do you think?" Logan said.
"I'll only be 45 minutes, an hour tops if the traffic is bad, if there is anything, she cries or something, just call Lorelai, video chat, that should soothe her for a bit. And there are crackers in the bag, some smoothies, diapers, change of clothes," she explained hastily.
"Rory, just go already, before she notices you're gone," he instructed, Leah was already giggling away at her toy.
She kissed her on the cheek for goodbye, and almost instinctively kissed Logan quickly on the lips, "Thank you, I owe you," she added. That little kiss had come so naturally, and neither of them had expected it.
"Good luck, Ace," he called.
Rory stepped in the elevator, waved her hand and pushed the elevator button, feeling a little worried, yet at the same time content that she was with him. She could hear him speak as the doors closed "Let's go have a look, I think we have some more toys around here somewhere," Logan said, carrying Leah towards the living room.