Rory was driving out from Boston where she'd had a late lunch with her dad at the Saltie Girl. It had been good to catch up with her dad - he'd even inquired carefully how her therapy was going, which she was in a way grateful for. This was something he knew and Lorelai didn't. Somehow the parent-code had stopped once she graduated, her relationship with her dad, while a little awkward, becoming self-standing. The therapy was helping - she'd identified a fear of abandonment, resulting also in a fear of commitment. Putting an actual diagnosis, actual words to it instead of just a bundle of feelings had made a world of difference. She still didn't always know how to correct her own thinking, but understanding it was a start.
Rory had already been on the phone with Paris for ten minutes, having exchanged their Christmas greetings and Paris had just been telling her about some new developments with Doyle, needing to vent.
"I'm sure it's just a mid-life crisis, give him some time," Rory tried to calm her.
"He's getting married!" Paris huffed.
"Well what can I say…," Rory sighed. "Do you have a good custody lawyer lined up? A friend of mine could help if you need one?" she replied thinking of Colin.
"I've got one lined up already if it comes to it," she replied.
"I'm sure things will be fine, you're a great mom," Rory added.
"Enough about me. Where are you? I can hear you driving," Paris inquired.
"I was just in Boston to meet my dad, and now…," she began ending with a sigh. "I'm going to the Vinyard and then later to grandma's," Rory explained a little hesitantly.
"You mean…" she wanted to confirm, taking from the silence that she didn't really need to. Paris knew the cliffnotes - Logan and Rory were speaking again, and the marriage was in fact just the dynastic plan.
"Honor and her family and Logan and Odette are there. I wanted to meet her," she said.
"And to spend time with Logan," Paris finished her thought for her. While the outspoken goal was in fact talking to Odette, everyone involved understood that this was their first real face-to-face meeting since having revealed how they really felt about each other. It was like there were pins and needles all around the two, such expectations and hopes, at the same time realizing they weren't quite free to be how they wanted to be.
Rory didn't answer. She didn't need to.
"So she is really okay with this?" Paris jumped ahead a few steps, making a couple of logical assumptions.
"I want to talk to her, but as far as I've been informed, yes," she replied.
"I think you're about to have the strangest Christmas ever," Paris stated plainly.
"I'm pretty sure you're right, Paris," Rory commented, trying to desparately see the situation as amusing.
"I hope you can get across, there was a pretty bad wind warning for Cape Cod if I remember hearing correctly," Paris added.
"God, I hope so," she noted, beginning to worry a little.
"Yeah. But seriously Rory, be careful there, you've been through a lot already, I'd prefer if I didn't need to come pick up the pieces all the way out there, you know how I am with boats," she added.
As Rory got to the harbour she realized the storm was affecting the ferries, delaying their departures. As she finally got on the ferry at 7.30 PM, the wavy ride from Woods Hole felt a lot longer than it actually was. She sat at one of the windows, staring out into the darkness. Perhaps the reason she felt in a sort of haze, was that she was already quite tired from the day - it was cold and windy, and she could clearly sense how tired and tense her entire body was from the drive. Yet she couldn't quite close her eyes to rest either, being too anxious to see him and of what was to come.
She disembarked, pulling along her small hard-case suitcase, walking along the dock towards the parking lot. It wasn't long until she could see Logan standing next to a dark grey Land Rover from afar. Rory attempted to make a beeline towards him, stumbling into some other passengers on her way, who attempted to change directions in the middle of the road. She tried to control her pace, walk along with the rest of the passengers despite desperately wanting to run instead of walking. His eyes spoke volumes, and his feet already began to walk towards her, yet they both knew that in this moment their greeting could be no more than a friendly hug. They was almost at hand's reach when someone stepped between them, not noticing she was there.
"Logan! Good to see you," a dark haired tall man greeted him. Rory came to a halt, unsure what to do. She didn't want to draw attention to herself, or he'd have to introduce her to him, so instead she moved past Logan to the back of his car as if they didn't know each other.
"Larry!" Logan replied, following it up with a friendly handshake. "Ready for the holidays?" he asked casually, wanting to remain gathered.
The two exchanged a few more pleasantries and holiday greetings before parting, leaving Rory waiting.
"I'm sorry, Ace," he finally joined her, opening the trunk and lifting her suitcase in. He still wanted to hug her, but in a way the unexpected run-in had broken the built up tension into something less admirable. He really didn't know what else to say.
They both sat into the car in silence, and Logan pulled out of the parking lot. They'd been here several times before together, though a long time ago. This was why Rory was surprised when Logan didn't take the usual route, glancing at him questioningly. Logan pulled aside at a deserted beach parking lot, turning the engine off and got out, stepping out to the blasting winds, he couldn't wait any longer. It was as if they were having an entire conversation without speaking, Rory following his lead. Within seconds his hands were wrapped around her, squeezing out all the air from between them. Her nostrils filled with his unmistakable scent, almost painfully familiar, while her face burrowed into his neck, the gusts of wind almost shaking them at their spot.
"Hey," he said, having to speak loudly over the wind and the raging ocean waves, stroking the side of her face with the back of his fingers, Rory still wrapped close.
"Hey," she replied, stretching out her neck to kiss him. His lips were hot and dry, almost feverish, against hers. It was a sweet and gentle kiss, their tongues barely meeting. They stayed close for a few more minutes before the haze scattered.
"We'd better go, you must be starving. I saved you some dinner," he said, opening the car door for her.
They got in the car and Logan drove back the route they'd driven, turning off at the right intersection, soon reaching the familiar driveway. The house was decorated in light up wreaths, the surrounding trees and porch ledges wrapped in red and white string lights.
"Are you sure they're okay with me dropping in like this?" she asked hesitantly. She still felt like a bit of an intruder.
"I'm sure," Logan replied smilingly, opening the door.
He helped her hang up her coat, noting how well the dark navy knee-length sweater dress hung around her body, leaving the suitcase in the hallway for now. It was just a few seconds before Honor, dressed in a long caramel wrap cardigan, came rushing towards her, hugging her in greeting.
"Rory, how we've missed you," Honor exclaimed.
"Wow, what a greeting! I missed you too," Rory replied with a giggle, still somewhat shocked by the show of emotion. She'd almost forgotten what Honor was like to be around.
Honor led Rory into the den, beginning to introduce everybody. "You remember Josh, I believe, and there are Conrad and Linus," she referred to the two boys sitting in front of the TV playing Angry Birds.
"Hey, Rory!" Josh greeted. "Guys, what do you say?" he added to the boys completely ignoring the adults.
"Hi" the two greeted in chorus, still not even glancing at the visitor.
"I swear…," Honor huffed, thinking which threat to make, "if you two don't start using your manners over the next couple of days I'll have to put a time limit on your Playstation," she added a little hesitantly, the Playstation being their nanny for the length of the holidays, having given the actual nanny a chance to visit her family.
But the threat got their reaction nevertheless, and after pausing their game, they raised up from the pillows on the floor and, standing next to each other, greeted Rory again.
"Very nice to meet you, Conrad and Linus," Rory responded. The boys looked a lot like Josh, with Honor's blond hair.
"And this is Odette," Logan said, the name automatically drawing Rory's attention. "Odette, this is Rory," he added gesturing between the two of them. The two women glanced at each other, quietly, before Odette finally mastered a "Hi".
Rory simply nodded with a slight hand wave in return, unable to quite get the words out. It took her a few moments to register that unlike in the dozens of red carpet photos she'd regretfully browsed over the past year, Odette looked much less intimidating now, dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a simple black turtleneck sweater.
"How about we get you something to eat," Logan suggested, realizing her dinner was likely long overdue, leading Rory to the kitchen. Odette looked at Logan questioningly, getting a friendly nod in return, as if allowing her to join them.
Logan pulled out the oven tray with leftover chicken and broccoli with pasta and parmesan, plating a generous serving for Rory. Rory's stomach growled at the promise of food already.
"You want something to drink? We have this great Pinot Grigio," Odette suggested, holding out the half-empty bottle, trying to break the awkwardness.
"Sure, thank you," Rory replied, smiling weakly, biting into her food. Awkward was an understatement, and for the moment Rory was glad to be eating, giving her an excuse not to say much. She really didn't feel like diving in the deep end with her just now. She was too tired and hungry for that.
"How was lunch with your dad?" Logan asked thoughtfully, while Odette handed Rory a glass of wine, and returned to pour one for herself as well.
"Pretty good," Rory replied briefly, after swallowing a biteful of pasta, and took a sip of wine. The cool wine tingled on her tongue, sliding down her throat and allowing the warmth to return to her cheeks. "He seemed genuinely interested. Talked about his work a bit, about GiGi, that's my younger half-sister, she's just starting high school," she explained to Odette.
"That's good," Logan noted taking a seat opposite her.
"Good wine," she commented. "How was your trip?" Rory asked, glancing at the two of them. It felt strange asking them questions like that, expecting them to reply as a couple. Which in a sense they were, and weren't, simultaneously.
"Long," Logan sighed with a smirk. They didn't spend every holiday in the Vineyard, but this year, with Honor deciding to stay in the States and Mitchum and Shira off to some castle in Scotland visiting friends, the choice had been an easy one, even without knowing the benefits of this location for factoring Rory in.
"Even the first class was crowded, but it's nice and calm here at least," Odette added, sipping her wine.
"So you're not spending Christmas with your family, Odette?" Rory inquired politely, genuinely curious about the person she really was. Without knowing much factual about her, her imagination had gotten the better of her, having filled her brain with just impressions and assumptions. It had been almost easy to picture her as an arrogant, mean and snappy society wife, but here she stood, anything but.
"I told them I hadn't really spent much time with Honor and her family and this was a good way to do that. They were not happy, but under the circumstances they relented," she explained. "We'll just have to pay them a visit in January in exchange," Odette added.
To Logan the thought of visiting Odette's parents had grown less and less appealing, the unwillingness showing in his face as he'd let down his guard. There he'd be outright lying and pretending, likely having to share a room with her. But it was the price of Odette helping him.
Rory continued to eat her food, bite after bite, feeling the awkward silence rise again.
"Do you mind if we talk more tomorrow, Odette?" Rory asked with yawn, having just swallowed the last sip of wine. "I'm pretty beat," she added.
"That's fine, Rory," she smiled, turning to leave the kitchen, adding a "good night".
"Come one, let's get you settled," Logan suggested.
Rory headed for the hallway, and rolled her suitcase towards the row of guest rooms, where Logan waited for her.
"This one is yours," Logan said as he yanked the door slightly.
"Still warped, I see," Rory noted, recalling this about the house from her previous visits.
"I wasn't sure if you wanted your own room or not," he added carefully as they stepped in," so I took the liberty of getting us the two adjoining rooms," he smirked. "It was the one rule that Honor had, that whatever we do... or don't, we shouldn't confuse the kids," Logan added, closing the door behind them.