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Chapter 10
Wednesday and Thursday were much of the same. Rory went to meet and greets and wrote her articles while Finn stayed in the room doing his work. They spent the evenings together talking about the wedding and everything else that they could think of. They were enjoying the simple times just being together. They went to the mall on Thursday night and found a beautiful necklace for Lane. Rory was also able to find some new sandals and shorts. Finn promised her he would find her some cute tops this weekend.
Emily called on Wednesday and Thursday again trying to help with the event. She was getting more and more upset and more pushy that her offers of help were being rejected. On Friday Finn and Rory both packed up and Finn was going back to New York City while Rory traveled with the core to Pennsylvania. She would be in Pennsylvania for 2 nights and Finn was going to meet her on Monday night in West Virginia. The wedding was coming soon and sooner. Rory was on to Pennsylvania then West Virginia then home to New York.
Before Rory left for the bus Emily called again this time with Richard on the phone. Finn rolled his eyes and put his phone on speaker so Rory could hear too. They had decided that if Emily continued to harass Finn that it might be best for them not to come.
Emily: Good morning Finn. Richard is also on the phone with us. Again I would like to offer my help with this event you are throwing. I know you need my help.
Finn : Good morning. As I have explained to you Emily and now will do the same for you Richard as well Emily's help is not needed or wanted and if she persists to try to bully me into getting her way I think it might be best for you both to not attend.
Richard: I understand what you are saying and we want to be included. Bullying that seems rather harsh?
Finn: Richard, do you realize that this is the 6th phone call I have received from Emily in the last two weeks and the third day in a row she has called me. The first time she called me she told me that the invitation that she received was not in good taste and she demanded more information. When I refused to give her more information she became pushier and pushier. She has continued to call me to offer to help me throw this event. I do not want or need her help. This is bordering on harassment so yes I think it's bullying. I have thrown many events before and I do not want or need Emily's help but somehow Emily can not seem to understand that I wouldn't need her help. No one else that was invited to this event has called me more than to rsvp that they will be attending. I feel that Emily is beyond being pushy and rude at this point.
Richard was shocked as he did not know the extent to which Emily had been harassing Finn. Richard: Finn please accept my apology for any hurt or trouble Emily may have caused you. I feel incredibly embarrassed as I did not know how many times Emily has contacted you or how pushy she was being. I promise that this will be the last phone call that you will be receiving from Emily and if it isn't I ask that you please call me directly. Again I apologize for her actions. I am looking forward to meeting you and this secret event.
With that they both hung up the phone.
After Richard hung up with Finn he asked: Emily why are you doing what you are doing? Why do you feel the need to harass Finn. I was embarrassed to hear from Finn that you called him 6 times in two weeks trying to get your way. You lied to me and told me you had only spoken to him once before. Why? Do you not realize that we could be uninvited by your actions? The invitation that we received only had a date and the time the driver would be there to pick us up and what clothing to wear nothing more. We know nothing more about the event except that only a select number of people were invited. I feel honored that we made the cut. I just don't understand what you were thinking?
Emily: But I know if I keep calling him he will let me help. I throw such beautiful affairs and I know he needs my help. Finn couldn't possibly make sure the event is done in my taste. What kind of a name is Finn anyway?
Richard: If I find out that you called Finn again and harassed him and I do believe he is correct and it is harassment I will make sure that you regret what you have done. If Finn needed or wanted your help he would have accepted it the first time you offered. He does not need or want anything from you but to show up. Maybe that's the problem. Whatever this event is that we were invited to it is not your event to plan. It is not going to be done in your taste. It is possible that Finn and whoever else has helped him plan this event do not like your taste. And who cares what his name is. He seemed like a lovely gentleman on the phone just now.
Emily: But everyone likes my affairs. I have impeccable taste.
Richard: Emily, you are to leave Finn alone. You are not to call him, write him or do anything that may be construed by him as harassment. Finn has gone to great lengths to make sure that this event is secretive and exactly what he wants. I for one think that the invitation we received was interesting and am honored to be one of the few that were asked to attend. The invitation we received from him was exactly what he wanted. It might not be your taste but frankly I don't care. You lead me to believe you hadn't been calling him to harass him. You embarrassed me on the phone with him. Now we know nothing about the man I just spoke to on the phone besides that his name is Finn and he has an accent and he seemed rather polite considering you won't leave him alone. We have no idea anything about him or what he has planned. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but not everyone likes your taste. Not everyone thinks you throw beautiful affairs. Leave this man alone and just be grateful we were invited. If I find out that you have called him again or gotten in contact with him in any way I will be moving out. I will no longer be able to live with you if you prevented me from being a part of this secret event. I have a feeling that this event will be one to remember and a once in a lifetime affair.
Emily: But, but, but. This gentleman needs my help.
Richard: No he doesn't. Stop embarrassing yourself and me. The event is in one week's time. Leave him alone. If he needed or wanted your help he would have accepted it the first time you offered. He has just told us he doesn't want or need your help and if you keep calling he will uninvite us. I wouldn't even be surprised if he didn't file a restraining order against you. And he has every right to do just that. I have never seen you like this with any other party we have been invited to. Why are you being like this? Do you realize that most probably everything has been planned and set in stone already. The event is one week.
Emily: I am being like this because we know who has thrown every other party we have been to. We know that it is done in the best taste possible. We know nothing about this man or this party. I can not stay on the sidelines and watch this event go up in flames.
Richard: You My dear are crazy. You will leave him alone. You know nothing about this man or his family or what has been planned. You will stop embarrassing me and you too. So what if it isn't the event you were envisioning. What if it's just a nice evening out. I have been to many of your affairs that I don't think have been in great taste. Frankly if I never see a salmon puff again it will be too soon.
Emily: Richard. You can't be serious!
Richard: I am as serious as I have ever been. You will not ruin this event for me. You will leave this man alone. This is my final word on this. Find another event to try to take over. Go buy your dress for this event. Just stop!
Meanwhile back in New York State Finn took Rory's luggage and they started walking down to the bus.
Rory: I am sorry I can't believe my grandmother. I think now you know why I wanted the wedding I wanted. I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't pick a fight or anything else like that at the actual wedding. Thank you for taking care of everything. You are making sure that this is the wedding of my dreams.
Finn: Love you are the most important person in my life. I want to make sure that you are happy. It's my job to make sure this is the wedding of your dreams. Do you realize in 8 days time we will be getting married. Do you realize that you have 6 more days on the road. Savor these last 6 days. I plan on doing a little honeymoon shopping this weekend and writing my vows. The dvds are already in my office and the popcorn bucket baskets will be made this afternoon. Everything else is done. I wanted to suggest one other item for you to think about. What would you think about putting Broadway tickets into the baskets? We could pick a show that Lane, Zach, Robert, Colin, Stephanie, David and Lynn and us could all go to together and then dinner together.
Rory: Oh I love that idea. Could you try for Wicked or maybe even the Lion King. They would both go with our movie themed baskets. Since we couldn't find a more practical gift we liked this would be even better. Time with friends that are like family. I love this idea.
Finn gave her a searing passionate kiss and said goodbye and he would see her in 2 days time in West Virginia for an overnight. Rory got on the bus and was bittersweet about this being the last few days on the bus. She was happy she took the job. The people she had met and the places she had seen were amazing. She was equally as happy it was almost over. She knew she wouldn't have traded these past months for the world but she was tired of being on the road and being in a new place everyday.
Finn flew back to New York City and went straight to the Wicked box office. He bought 9 tickets front row center for Saturday April 2nd 2 pm matinee. He asked and received 9 playbills as well. He figured that by then Rory would be settled in her new job. He didn't want to pick during the holidays as he thought that might be too much for everyone and didn't want people traveling in bad weather of January or February. Happy with his purchase he went to his office. His secretary Barbara and him spent the next few hours making the baskets. They filled them with packages of microwave popcorn, the DVDs, the playbills and theater tickets, the receipt that a donation was made to the New York inner city schools soup kitchen and many different types of candy and junk food. He took pictures and sent them to Rory. Rory loved how the baskets came out. Both Finn and Barbara thought that they came out terrific. Barbara had no idea what the baskets were being used for but was happy that they came out so cute and that Finn was happy. Finn thanked her for all her help. The baskets came out even better than he imagined. Finn got a trolley and put all the baskets in his car before heading home for the night.
Once home Finn put all the baskets on the dining room table before sitting down and writing his vows. He had a feeling that they might take him a while and he was running out of time. He had so much he wanted to say.
Finn:Rory, my love you look breathtaking but then again I have seen you in sweatpants and a t-shirt and you looked beautiful then too. kitten do I know you? I used to ask you that all the time not because I didn't know who you were but because I was too shy to put myself and my heart out there. Rory from the first moment that I met you in front of the coffee cart at Yale, I was in love with you. Your smile could light up a room. You used to think I was the funny sometimes drunk Finn in college but in the beginning being tipsy was the only way I could get up the courage to talk to you. You were so out of my league. I honestly think you still are. You are so smart and determined and you wouldn't deal with my crap or my childish ways. You saw right through me. My money didn't matter to you and that made me love you even more. Because of you I was forced to grow up. I knew you were truly one of my best friends and weren't looking for something out of me. You made me a better person. We can talk about anything and everything. Some of my finest memories were debates and conversations with you. You made me want to go to class and study for my tests. Because of you and your studious ways I graduated at the top of my class because I knew you wouldn't accept any less from me than you accepted from yourself. Because of you I went back and got my masters last June. You made me want to be a better person. You pushed me to be a better person and for that I will always be grateful. Being your friend made me not want to drink and helped me get over my shyness around you. I still can't keep up with your coffee intake though. Over this past year I have thought about you constantly. I have read every article that you have ever written. Through them and through you I have thought about things and life differently. When I found out someone else was going to ask you to marry them I was crushed. I thought I had lost you forever. When you turned them down I vowed if I ever got the chance I was going to tell you exactly how I felt, shyness and nerves be damned. My mum told me the love of my life would find me when I least expected it. Mum oh how you were right. Little did I know that would be in a hotel in Chicago. Rory, you are the love of my life. You make me a better man. You make me a better person than I ever thought I could be. When we sat in Chicago at the chef's table I saw my shot and I took it. I asked you to be my girlfriend and gave you a pash. That pash or kiss made me realize that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. You are my soulmate. I pressed my luck and put my heart out there and asked you to be my wife. I never expected in a million years you would have said yes. I know this has been a world wind month but it has been perfect in so many ways. You make me laugh, you make me smile. Just being in the same room with you makes me happy. My mum and da brought me up to be loving, caring and kind and to take chances. Rory, I am so happy that you are willing to take a chance on me. They taught me love conquers all. I believe that. I know I can handle anything that life puts in our way including crazy grandmothers as long as you are by my side. I Love you. I am so in love with you. You have my heart and have had it for longer than I ever realized it. I am so glad that you picked the exotic one. I am so glad that you picked me. You are the love of my life.
Finn was happy with his first draft. He wasn't sure he should keep his line about Emily. He would have to think about that. He made a simple sandwich before turning into bed. Once in bed he called Rory and they spent a half hour talking about everything.