Rory and Logan hadn't been able to get a commercial flight to Nantucket on the 25th, hence settling for a drive to Hyannis the next morning. Sitting in the car for hours made Rory's legs crampy, so they'd stopped for a brief walk and lunch in Providence before catching the ferry to Nantucket. While they drove they'd kept the discussions light, trying to rate the worst Christmas songs as the radios seemed to blast nothing but. However, under the surface they were both still angry at at Mitchum. He was trying to break their newly formed bubble by making them tear up the little roots they'd grown in the past months. When silence carried in between, they both would slip into thought about the decisions they needed to make sooner or later. By the time they got on the M/V Eagle, parked their car and stepped out, Rory had had it. She wasn't willing to let Shira and Mitchum grinch their Christmas. Rory opened the trunk in search of something.
"What are you looking for?" Logan asked curiously.
"The damn pocket-watch," she said furiously. Last night they'd forgotten their gifts from the Huntzbergers in their car, feeling too frivolous to bother after their momentary spontaneity.
"What for?" he asked, as Rory continued to ransack the numerous tote bags.
"Don't tell me how much it is worth but I really feel like throwing it in the ocean," she muttered, finally encountering the blue velvet box it had come with.
Logan knew better than to argue with her. A few minutes later she was on the outer deck, Logan right after her. Luckily with the ghastly wind and 25 degree temperature, there was hardly anybody there and without further thinking the engraved silver watch plugged into the waves.
"I guess it's safe to say we won't be going accepting their dinner invitations for a while," Logan replied with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood.
Hours later they stepped out of their car in front of the Sandcastle. It had snowed a little, but mostly the ground was bare, wind blowing around the tiny graupels of snow. Emily hadn't gone too overboard with the decorations this year, just lighting up one of the spruces with some string lights in front of the weathered shingle house, yet the light in the window oozed hygge.
"Rory, Logan, welcome," Emily greeted, opening the door for them. "They're here!" she called out a moment later.
"Hey!" Lorelai called from the living room, pausing the movie she had been watching with Luke.
"I hope the ferry ride wasn't too wavy," Emily commented.
"It was fine," Rory replied, holding Logan's hand in assurance, after they'd hung up their coats.
"How did last night go?" Lorelai asked, stepping into the hallway, checking whether Rory was doing okay.
"We survived," Rory said plainly.
"Well you're certainly older now, more confident," Emily added, knowing they'd been visiting Logan's parents for dinner.
"We actually had a bit of news to share with them, and now with you," Rory explained.
"Well, what is it?" she asked expectantly.
"I'm pregnant," she said, stroking her bump through her fairly slim fitting long sleeve knit dress, Logan's arm placed around her waist.
"I knew it. Ever since you two got together the first time I always imagined you two to make beautiful babies," Emily exclaimed. "I'm happy for you. A baby is a real blessing," she sighed, giving both of them a polite hug.
"Thanks grandma," Rory replied.
"Oh my god, now I get it! Lorelai, you knew didn't you?! How did it go yesterday, how did Shira take it? Tell me everything," Emily insisted, leading the couple into the living room couch.
"Well, they know, but it doesn't quite mean they've accepted it," Logan said. "My sister is very supportive, though," he added.
"I always liked your sister," Emily commented.
"Did Mitchum disown you yet, or are you still waiting for the axe to fall," Lorelai asked out front.
"Rather the latter," Logan commented.
"I just want to forget about it, can we talk about something else," Rory asked.
"Sure! Did you find out the gender of the baby yet?" Lorelai inquired, not having spoken to Rory in a few days.
"Unfortunately no, hopefully we'll know in the next scan," Rory replied.
"How are you feeling, Rory?" Emily asked.
"Pretty good actually. There are some food aversions and cravings but I pretty much skipped morning sickness it seems," Rory explained.
"She's been super lucky," Lorelai commented.
"I hope today's dinner menu will be to your liking," Emily said.
"Unless it's miso, anything scotch infused or contains horseradish I'm good to go," she replied.
"I think we're good then. Now I'll just have to ask Berta to go get some non-alcoholic egg-nog from the store," Emily added.
"That's alright, but if you have some apple juice, that'd be lovely," Rory explained.
"Oh, alright then, I think we do," Emily replied.
"How about I give you a tour of the house and show you your room before dinner." Emily offered a few minutes later.
They walked through the house, stopping at the view of the ocean through the dimming veranda just as the sun was beginning to set. Despite the cold December afternoon outside, the place felt light and airy, made warm and cosy by the low key Christmas decor and warm fuzzy blankets just begging to be snuggled into with a good book.
"Lovely view, Emily," Logan commented.
"I love it, that bench over there overlooks the entire beach," she pointed outside,"it's my favourite place when it's not too cold," she added.
"I have to say grandma, the place really suits you," Rory commented.
"And this is your room," she gestured towards a guest room opening up to the veranda. "I have plenty of space here, so you can consider it your room permanently," she said. "The adjacent room is the study, but I think we might be able to turn it into a nursery when you come visit me in the summer. I don't need it all the time," she suggested.
"Thank you, grandma," Rory said.
"I'll let the two of you get settled," Emily added, leaving the two alone.
Berta had already brought their luggage, and after a long trip Rory really only felt like putting her legs up. She positioned herself onto the bed, closing her eyes momentarily.
By the time Logan returned from taking a shower, she'd dozed off. Logan pulled a blanket over her gently, trying not to wake her. He dressed and headed back into the living room.
"Rory needed a nap," he said.
Lorelai was nestled up on the couch, holding a bowl of popcorn, watching the reruns of Scrubs.
"Pregnancy can do that. It can be exhausting," she commented.
"I don't want her to over do it," Logan added.
"So how did it really go last night?" Lorelai asked.
Logan sighed.
"That bad?" she noted.
"Well it's all very civil on the surface, but my dad is still messing with her, well, our heads," he explained. "He wants me back at the HPG soon, which could mean that we might have some decisions to make soon," he added.
"You mean like moving to London?" Lorelai asked worriedly.
"That's an option. But believe me, I thought I had more time than this - I am sort of liking the low-key version of what I used to do. Then again the job is only temporary, and now I have a family to support," he explained.
"And I am guessing just doing your own thing really isn't what Mitchum has in mind," Lorelai said.
"That's one way of putting it. He is powerful, if he really wanted to his opinion can do a lot of harm," Logan noted.
"Just know that if it comes down to it, our family is willing to help in whatever way we can. The Haydens too," she said.
"Thank you, it's good to know," Logan sighed.
"That was a lovely dinner," Lorelai said to Emily and Berta who was just clearing the table.
"Listen, Rory, I actually wanted to tell you something," Emily began. "When Richard passed, he wasn't quite finished with the final version of his will, but he left me instructions. This means that I am about to begin making arrangements so that you can have the inheritage he wanted you to have," Emily added.
"Grandma, I don't know what to say," Rory replied, feeling a lump form in her throat.
"I was thinking that perhaps I could arrange it so that I'll set up a trust fund for the baby and I will write over the Hartford house to your name. You can sell it if you want or you can live in it, up to you," she offered.
"It's a good plan, it saves a ton of money on taxes," Logan commented.
"Are you sure, it was your house for so long?" Rory sighed, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.
"I am fine where I am, it's too big for just me. It just doesn't feel the same anymore," she replied.
"Ace, don't cry," Logan tried to sooth her.
"It's just hormones," she replied, standing and heading over to her grandmother to give her a hug. Emily was slightly startled at that burst of emotion, but moved.
"I don't want you to ever think your grandfather didn't think of your future, he just ran out of time," Emily added softly, Rory still holding on to her.
"I miss him," she sighed.
"I do too," Emily said.
AN: bit of a pacing chapter here in between. I have no idea how the tax system works in the US, but I thought that'd be something Logan would know to comment on.