The next morning I woke up to soft kisses on the side of my face. Mmm…

"Morning, Ace."

"Hi…" I sat up groggily, coming to realize that Logan was already dressed. "Where are you going?"

He grimaced, "I have to get back to the city."

I pouted, "No, come back to bed."

"I wish I could…" He leaned in to kiss me one more time, "but I have a conference call at ten that I need to be in the office for."

"Pleeease?" I reached for his arm as he walked by the bed, getting a rush of butterflies as I noticed the ring on my finger. I caught his wrist just in time.

"Ace…" He sat back on the edge of the bed. "You are not making this easy on me."

Inspiration struck at just the right moment, "Isn't that what wives do?"

He raised his eyebrows in amusement, "Wives, huh?"

"Well, it was your idea… If you changed your mind…"

"Oh no, Ace. Don't think you can get me to back out." He leaned in for another kiss, "You said yes. You're stuck with me, now."

"Stuck with you, huh?"

He nodded, leaning his forehead against mine, "And as much as I would love to cater to my future wife's demands…" Future wife. Crazy. "...I really can't miss this meeting."

I relented, amazed by how causally the former commitment-phobe was now throwing around terms like 'future wife', "Fine…"

I threw the covers off of my legs as Logan walked out of the bedroom. The early morning light caught the facets of the engagement ring in just the right light to give me a little flutter of butterflies in my stomach. This is real.

Logan was sitting on the couch, putting on his shoes when I joined him in the living room. "When are you planning on coming back to the city?"

Back to the city? I let out a long sigh, "I don't know…" It's not like I have a job to get back to… I thought for a moment about what, if anything I did need to do today. Ugh. "Today, I guess. I have to go shopping."

"Shopping?" Mom's voice rang as she descended the stairs, preceded by Landon and Paul Anka in a flurry of clumsiness. Of course she perked up when she heard the word shopping, like a dog hearing treat.

Logan on the other hand did not miss the not-so-subtle disdain in my voice, "For tomorrow?"

I nodded. It's not that I dislike shopping, moreso that I just wasn't really looking forward to the event in general.

"Oh…" Mom caught on and chose not to get involved, instead ushering Landon into the kitchen for breakfast.

"It's not going to be that bad, Ace… I know it's my parents thing, but..."

I didn't hear the rest of whatever he said. In that moment I was consumed by an impending sense of doom. Logan could read it on my face.

"What's wrong?"

"Do they know?"

"Does who know?" How could he not know what I'm talking about?

"Your parents. Do your parents know that you were proposing last night?"

"Ace…" Shit. This was not going to go over well.

"Logan."

"I'll tell them." Well that's noncommittal. He read my mind, "Today; I will tell them today."

I sank down onto the ottoman. I can only imagine how that conversation will go. Shira will be beside herself.

"Hey…" Logan scooted forward on the couch, so we were sitting knee to knee, and took my hands in his. "I told you last night. It's not about them, or work, or anything else… Just you and me."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "I guess I'll have to tell the grandparents sooner rather than later, too."

Logan nodded slowly in agreement, "That would probably be for the best."

I smiled, imagining for a moment the look on Emily Gilmore's face if I were to show up tomorrow evening wearing an engagement ring with no announcement. Bad idea.

"Okay... " Logan leaned in and kissed me before standing up, "Now I really need to run."

I followed him out the front door and down the steps. His car was parked in the driveway; he opened the driver's door and tossed his jacket onto the passenger seat.

"See you tonight, then?" I nodded and he gently gave me one more kiss, "I love you."

"I love you too."

With that he got into his car and backed out of the driveway. I watched him turn on the street and his car disappear. That is the man I'm going to marry.

I pulled my head out of the clouds… who even is this person that has possessed me? And I headed back inside.

Mom and Landon were sitting at the table when I came back into the kitchen, following the map on the back of the Lucky Charms box. I poured myself a cup of coffee and joined them.

"Logan headed back?"

"Yea… he has a job to get back to."

"Hey, hey, hey, you just got engaged, no pity parties here, missy…" I did appreciate her trying to keep me from falling back into my funk. "So, how does it feel?"

"How does what feel?"

"Being engaged… betrothed… soon to be bound in holy matrimony…"

I rolled my eyes. "Feels like my mother is being dramatic."

"Come on, give me something here. Now that you've slept on it, does it still feel right?"

I didn't even have to think about it, "Yes."

Mom wore a very satisfied smile, "Good."

"Yea, now we just have to get his family on board."

Her eyes got wide, "Yea, not jealous of that conversation."

"Me neither. Logan said he would handle that one today. I get to handle telling your parents."

She made a face that was somewhere between absolute dread, and morbid excitement, "Can I please be there? Please, please, please?"

"Can we leave the childish begging to the actual toddlers in the room?" Landon was contentedly munching on his cereal and chasing the last few marshmallows around the bowl with his spoon.

"Fine… I've got to get going anyhow, and you…" She was referring to Landon now, "need to get to daycare."

"Daycare!" He let his spoon clatter in his bowl as he jumped down from the chair. Two days a week, Landon went to daycare while Mom and Luke worked, and apparently he loved it.

"Lord knows how I ended up with two children who love going to school, but I'll take it." She followed Landon back up the steps to get him ready to go.

I got myself dressed, brushed my teeth, and was about to go pack up my things when they came back downstairs.

"Heading out?"

I nodded, "In a few… I've got to find a dress. And maybe stop in Hartford on the way back."

"Telling them in person? Bold move, my friend."

"Yea, well, I'm going to see them tomorrow night anyway, might as well…"

"Well, good luck, Hun." She wrapped me in another tight hug, "I really am happy for you."

"I know. Thank you…" We stood in our sappy embrace for a moment, before Landon's protestations to get to daycare tore us apart.

"You know, she was my mother first…" He had no idea what I was talking about, but continued to yank on Mom's hand, pulling her toward the door.

We said some rushed goodbyes before I headed back to my room. Just as I was zipping up my bag I heard my phone buzzing on the dresser. Assuming it was Mom or Logan, I answered without looking, "Hello?"

"Hey, Kiddo!"

"Dad! Hi!" My mind reeled for a moment as I wrapped my mind around the conversation we were about to have. Well, better late than never…

"So what's up, how've you been? I'm sorry it took me a few days to get back to you. Work has been insane, here. But, you said you need to talk…"

"Yea, actually…" This is going to be a lot to handle. Maybe start with the time sensitive stuff first. "Before I get into everything, are you free tomorrow night?"

"Ah…" His enthusiasm faded significantly, "I wish I was Ror, I would love to see you, but Gigi has her dance recital tomorrow and I promised Sherry I'd send her videos." Ah yes, Sherry got her ballerina after all. Just as well, no sense in throwing Dad into that lion's den. At least the grandparents knew what they were walking into. "What did you have in mind?"

"Oh, it's not a big deal, just a…" I better start from the beginning or he's going to be totally lost. "Well, actually I've got a lot to fill you in on…"

About an hour, and several stunned pauses later, Dad had the gist of all the changes in my life over the last couple of months… all except that most recent one. He had just digested the fact that I was fired from my job, so I was trying to let him catch his breath before I dropped that last bombshell on him.

"So anyway, tomorrow night is this Benefit thing that Logan's mom is putting on, but it's not a big deal…"

"Well, I do wish I could be there. I guess we need to get together, all of us if this thing with you and Logan is as serious as it sounds…"

Tell him. "Well, yea, it is serious…"

He didn't respond right away, I think he had a pretty good idea of what was coming.

"He actually… we…"

"Please don't tell me you went and got married."

"No! No, but… he did propose last night." I refrained from bringing up the fact that running off and getting married was exactly what he and Mom had done.

"And?"

"And… I said yes. We're engaged." I tempered my excitement, still unsure of how he was going to handle this. I mean, last time we had a real conversation, Logan wasn't even back in my life yet, and now we're getting married.

There was still no response from his end of the line. "Dad?"

He seemed to snap back to attention, "Yea?"

"You okay?"

"Yea, yea, I mean…" He exhaled audibly, "Wow… my daughter is engaged. I…"

I couldn't quite pinpoint the emotion in his voice. How can I help him process this? "It… It's right this time. We're good. I'm happy…"

"I'm glad, Ror, I am. It's just… It's fast."

"I know, but not really…" I flashed back to when I made Logan agree to date. Who was I kidding?

"I guess you're right… And you're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." It was right then that I recognized how he was feeling. There was a pang of disappointment in his voice. Not because I'm engaged, I don't think, but because he missed it. He hasn't been a part of the new us. "We haven't planned anything or set a date yet… I don't even know if it will be anytime soon. We've hardly talked about it, even…" Hopefully that will be some consolation for him. "I promise, you'll know when we do."

He accepted my promise and gave more heartfelt congratulations before we segued into getting updates on Gigi, his work, and the woman he's been dating for the last couple of weeks. He asked about Mom, and Grandma and Grandpa. My phone buzzed up against my ear as he sent me some recent pictures of Gigi. As the conversation came to a close I wanted to make sure he knew I wasn't holding anything against him. I know he feels guilty for the state of our relationship, but at this point, it's no more his fault than it is mine.

"Hey Dad…"

"Yea, Ror?"

"I'm sorry it took me so long to fill you in on things…"

Another pause, but an appreciative one I think, "I know, Kid. We'll do better."

A promise we've made many times over. The good news was that we could always pick up here we left off, even when it had been a while.

I was finally on the road by ten, but had one stop to make before heading back into the city. I turned off the freeway in Hartford and drove the familiar route to my grandparents house. I got out and rang the bell, crossing my fingers that one of them would answer the door, rather than having to explain my dropping in to a maid.

I quickly thought better of having the ring already on and slid it into my purse, just as a slight woman in a grey uniform opened the door. Great. "Hi, I'm… My name is Rory, I'm Richard and Emily's granddaughter…" She stared at me blankly. "They aren't expecting me, but…"

Just then, Grandma came into the foyer, apparently checking on yet another maid she was displeased with. "Elva, who is at the… Rory!"

"Hi, Grandma."

She snapped at the poor maid, "Well for heaven's sake, are you going to let her in?"

Elva stepped back from the doorway and held the door open wider. I gave her a nod as I entered, knowing full well I would probably never see her again after today.

"What brings you here today? I wasn't expecting to see you until tomorrow…"

"Well... " I realized I would have to tell them about work too if I was going to explain being at their house in the middle of a Thursday morning. "I have some news…"

"News?" The surprise in her voice was evident, but I can never quite tell what she's thinking. "Well, lucky for you, your grandfather is on a call in his study right now, not at the office, so if you can wait a few moments, you can have both our attention."

I nodded. I've got all the time in the world. "Good, I'll go let him know we have a visitor…" She turned to the empty doorway and shouted, "Elva!" the poor maid timidly appeared from the living room. "Please get my granddaughter a cup of coffee while she waits."

I followed Elva into the dining room and took my usual seat at the table. I traced the lace pattern with my finger until she returned with a tray holding a carafe of hot coffee and three cups and saucers. She poured one for me, and by the time Grandma joined us, there was a cup at her place as well. "He's almost finished…" She took a sip of her coffee, unfazed by the maid nervously maneuvering to pour the last cup of coffee for Grandpa before putting the carafe back on the tray and retreating to the kitchen. "So… how've you been? How are things?"

"Things are… actually that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"What's wrong?" She immediately switched from snooping to full concern.

Grandpa strode into the dining room from his study, "Well, Rory, this is a lovely surprise. And even better on a day that I'm working from home…" He looked up and saw his wife's face, immediately echoing her concerned look. "What's the matter?"

"Um, well… nothing really?"

"Well something is obviously the matter. You drop in, unannounced…"

"I'm sorry I didn't call…"

"You don't have to call, don't be silly, but…"

"Grandma…" That came out with a little more force than I intended, but I wanted to get her attention. It worked. I took a deep breath, "It has been an… eventful couple of days, and I was in the area, so I thought I would fill you in in person."

"Eventful how? And what were you doing in the area? It's the middle of the…"

"Emily, let her talk." Grandpa was very serious. I didn't intend for this to be such a dramatic conversation.

"Well, eventful in that there have been some highs and some lows. Yesterday started out on a real high… Another one of my articles was published in The Times." That cheered Grandpa's spirits considerably, for now. "But then I was fired from The Post."

"What?" His bellow practically rattled the windows, "What do you mean you were fired?"

"Well, that's kind of a long story…" Once again I gave the Reader's Digest version of my work saga, punctuated exactly as I should have anticipated by reactions for either end of the table. "... the good news is that it seems like Mitchum's lawyers think I have a case for wrongful termination…"

"Well, I should say so."

"Honestly, Rory, maybe you're better off not working for such an imbecile anyway…"

Bless my grandparents and their unwavering support. Let's just hope that extends to my next piece of news.

"Anyway, I ended up coming home to tell Mom about everything, and Logan knew I was kind of upset, so he met me in Stars Hollow."

Grandma was beaming, "Of course he did."

I nodded and braced myself for this bombshell, "And he asked me to marry him."

"What?"

I glanced at Grandpa who was sitting in stunned silence. Grandma on the other hand was well on her way to manic.

"He proposed? But you've only been… Well, I guess that doesn't really…"

"What did you say?" He'd finally broken his silence to rationally ascertain the rest of the information. Typical Grandpa.

I reached in my purse and put the ring on, "I said yes."

Grandma temporarily transformed into the wolf from those old Droopy Dog cartoons. She was practically salivating over the ring, "Oh, Rory…"

Ever the level-headed one, Grandpa looked me straight in the eye and asked, "And you're sure this is what you want?"

I nodded confidently. He and Grandma made eye contact with each other from across the table, before his solemn face gave way to a gentle smile, "Then, congratulations."

I breathed a sigh of relief. As they both got up to hug me.

"I knew after you two came to dinner that it was only a matter of time. I said it would happen, didn't I, Richard?"

"Yes, Emily, you did."

I sat rather uncomfortably as Grandma continued to gush about her prediction, and the ring, and how beautifully she had imagined our wedding would be…

Finally she paused long enough for me to begin what I thought would be my exit, "Well, like I said, it's been an eventful couple of days, and I wanted you to know before I saw you tomorrow night."

"Yes, tomorrow! Oh…" I watched Grandma realize the same thing I had realized earlier that morning, "Does Shira know?"

"Logan is supposed to tell them today."

She looked momentarily apprehensive, but pushed it aside in favor of her excitement, "Well, nevermind that… What are you wearing tomorrow?"

Crap. This is a pickle. If I were Mom I would lie and make something up, but… "I don't know yet."

"You don't know?" She was appalled.

"Well, I've been a little busy…"

"Hold on…" She abruptly stood from the table and disappeared through the doorway.

Grandpa and I sat for a moment, before he spoke, "Now, not that I'm not thrilled for you and Logan, but seeing as you're unemployed at the moment, I feel compelled to ask…"

"I'm fine, Grandpa…"

"You're sure? I know Logan is well off, but…"

"I'm sure. I'm still going to be working on my freelance writing… My editor has some high hopes for me, so I'm going to focus on that. Plus you've already set up my…"

"I know, I know. I just wanted to make sure."

Grandma came bustling back into the dining room as she finished up a phone call, "Yes, that will be fine. I'll check…" She put her hand over the speaker of the phone and looked at me, "Rory can you stick around for a little while longer?"

Stick around? What in the world is she up to? "Um… sure?"

She got an excited look on her face and went back to her conversation, "Yes, that's perfect… Wonderful… Yes, see you soon."

A half an hour later, I finally found out what she was up to. Grandpa had retreated back to his study, while Grandma and I sat in the living room. I had been fielding a barrage of wedding questions, none of which I had answers to, when the doorbell rang.

We heard Elva open the door, and only a moment later a vaguely familiar voice echoed across the living room, "Sabrina!"

It was Miss Celine. True to form she came parading into the room, arms outstretched. She greeted Grandma with a dramatic kiss on both cheeks and then turned to me. "Let me look at you… Oh, just divine, simply divine."

Two well dressed gentlemen had followed Miss Celine into the house and were standing in the doorway, "Alright, boys, bring them in."

They disappeared for a moment, only to reappear wheeling in garment racks laden with swathes of taffeta, lace, and sequins. One more trip brought in boxes upon boxes of shoes. I was frozen in my spot. Why did I open my big mouth? In the back of my mind I heard my mother mocking me for thinking I could casually mention not having something already picked to wear.

Miss Celine busied herself arranging things on racks as Grandma explained, "Now I wasn't sure on your exact sizing, so we'll have to see how things fit and do the best we can…"

There were a remarkable number of options here for having less than an hours notice. I can only imagine the pull that Miss Celine has with department stores and designers after all her decades in the industry.

The next two hours were a whirlwind of trying on, turning around, and being poked and prodded with pins and measuring tape. It was exhausting, and nothing had been quite right.

Finally, Celine pulled out a dress that I actually wanted to try on. It was much more understated than most of the others, but it was beautiful; navy blue silk, finely pleated with a seamed waist. There was a thin keyhole opening in the high halter neckline with a hidden zipper up the back. It was beautifully made, and the skit in the skirt with my exposed shoulders gave it just the right amount of youth.

As Ms. Celine zipped me into it, I knew this was the one. I walked downstairs to show Grandma and her response sealed the deal. She clasped her hands over her mouth, "Oh, Rory…"

All parties agreed that we had found the dress, but the shoes were another story. Another hour passed before I finally had a full outfit for the Benefit and Miss Celine's boys were packing up the rejects.

She was getting ready to leave when I realized that I had no idea how this worked. I was about to ask how I should pay for the dress when Grandma beat me to it, "Put it on my tab, Celine."

"With pleasure, Emily. Oh, and Sabrina…"

"Yes, Miss Celine?"

"If Greta Garbo had listened to me, she would have been married half a dozen times instead of living alone all those years. Best wishes on your engagement, Dear."

"Um.. Thank you." Such a strange woman.

Grandma saw Miss Celine to the door, and then came back into the living room, "Well, that went very well. You look wonderful in that dress."

"Thanks, Grandma, but you did not have to buy the dress. Let me…"

She waved her hand, "Nonsense, I'm happy to. Besides, you can call it part of your engagement gift."

I shook my head, knowing full well that Miss Manners would dictate that she purchase us a proper engagement gift, but there was little use fighting her on the subject.

"Oh goodness, look at the time." All of a sudden Grandma was up and energized all over again. "I've got to get ready, we're supposed to have dinner with the Walker's tonight. I'm sorry to rush you out, Rory, but…"

I had expected to drop in and fill them in on vital information before tomorrow night, and ended up spending most of the day there… On the bright side, I had something to wear now.

"Thank you for staying today… wasn't that fun?"

I don't know if fun is exactly the word I would use to describe it, but I was certainly glad to be part of the reason Grandma was so happy right now. I nodded in agreement.

"Well, we'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow…"

We said goodbye, and I stopped by the study to wave to Grandpa who was on the phone again, before I was finally back on the road, heading home.

**I do not own any characters or content related to Gilmore Girls or any other entities mentioned.**

A/N- Just a little more fluff before we get to the Benefit, I promise. Thank you all so much for your support and excitement about getting back into this story. It's good to be back!

Also, Happy (early) Mother's Day to all you mamas out there! You are all strong, brave, and wonderful.

Follow, favorite and keep the comments coming… Stay well xoxo