Logan returned from the gym, having attempted the entire time not to dwell over what Rory and Odette were speaking about. These were literally the women who held the quality of his life in their hands. And he felt like he had no control over any of it. In the process of failing miserably at that task of trying to not wonder how the anticipated conversation was progressing, he'd overextended himself on the treadmill, hurting his left thigh, leaving him limping just a little. The physical therapist at the site, the benefit of country club gyms, had cleared him to go home and advised that rest and ice would likely suffice. After closing the front door behind him, he left his gym bag in the hallway and limped following the familiar voices towards the kitchen to see what the situation was.
"...and then he asked my mother to write me a letter," Rory said laughingly, holding up a cup of coffee, not quite finishing the story she had been telling, once she noticed Logan.
"Am I ever going to find out what the said letter said?" he inquired, leaning against the doorway.
"Got to keep some mystery alive, Logan," Rory smirked.
"I assume your talk went well?" he asked, feeling relieved at the lack of tension in the room.
"Well I think we have most things covered though I think the timeline is something we still need to discuss, but we figured it'd be a little weird to do that without the groom present," Odette noted. The discussion had taken a casual tone, as if discussing the next holiday destination.
"Alright, we can do that, but first, I need to get some ice," he added, as he continued to hobble towards the freezer.
The two were up on their feet, trying to assist, in seconds. "What happened?" Rory asked in a worried tone.
"Just a slight strain, it should be alright if I just give it some rest," he replied.
"You just go sit, I'll get it," Odette offered.
"I always knew exercising was pure evil," Rory mumbled, while she pulled another chair near so Logan could elevate his leg.
"Now I could get used to this treatment," Logan chuckled before Odette threw a cold gel pack at him. Rory gave him a playfully scolding look for that comment.
"Thanks," he replied. "So, timeline," he began, as if stepping into problem solving mode.
Rory and Odette looked at each other and then to Logan. It was Odette who spoke first.
"I haven't told you this Logan, but I actually want to come live in the US, I know waiting for actual citizenship is a longer process, I don't aim to drag it that long. But I can imagine hiding for a while behind your name or getting divorced quietly would probably help if I wanted to disappear," Odette said.
"What am I missing here?" he inquired, not quite understanding why she'd want to leave everything behind. Sure, he knew she wanted to escape her parent's control, but that didn't quite seem it.
"I want to have a baby, Logan," Odette said, correcting as she identified Logan's sceptical frown. "No, not with you obviously," she said, adding, "but I don't want to raise him or her anywhere near them." Her conversation with Rory had already led them to the topic of possible assistance Paris could offer her.
"Not what I expected to hear, I have to say, but I guess - good for you," he noted with a shrug. "So you'll want to take my name for now?" Logan inquired.
Odette nodded.
"Alright, I am pretty sure that's what the families are expecting anyways," he added.
"How long would we have to stay in London for? I can assume you'd prefer to be on this side of the Atlantic as well," Odette continued, thinking of Rory.
"I was planning on moving the headquarters back to New York, but that won't happen very quickly. I might be stuck in London for a few months, minimum. It all depends how quickly Mitchum will get things sorted," he added practically. He had Mitchum's paperwork already in motion, but knowing him there was always a chance that he could, upon a good enough reason, delay it. That was one of the weak links in the chain he needed to prepare himself for. Legally he'd done everything right, Colin had taken care of everything, double checked everything - inheritage documents, the agreement with Mitchum and even the utterly formal prenup with Odette leaving them each with their original assets after the divorce.
"Rory?" Odette asked, feeling like her voice was missing in this conversation.
Rory looked a little hesitant, shrugging slightly. "I don't like the hiding, but I don't really have any specific timeframe to demand here. It depends on when you guys get your things sorted. I'd prefer if I'd get to see you during that time though," she added her humble request. Somehow in the midst of all of their big important life changes, their struggles, her's seemed minute, almost insignificant.
This felt almost surreal to Logan. Rory was actually sounding like she was just allowing this to happen. She was willing to stand by and see him get married to another woman. She hadn't quite spelled it out for him, but it sure sounded like she was willing to wait for him. There was no ultimatum, no timeline that she proposed. Despite what she said, it still didn't feel quite right. It felt too easy, leaving him with a guilty gut feeling.
Logan and Rory spend the day on the couch in the living room, Rory reading out "The Year of Magical Thinking", both sitting legs stretched out on the couch, legs just barely touching, yet enjoying that kind of soothing almost innocent comfort with the fireplace flickering, creating an almost idyllic pre-Christmas feel. Rory had read the very book the last time she had been in that house, hence her accidentally stumbling upon it, had almost felt like a sign. And with the events of the past year, with both Richard and even Sam, in a way, passing, the story felt different. Odette listened too, having taken over the kitchen making a Tartiflette for lunch, a recipe one of her childhood maids had taught her. The cheesy goodness combined with it's warmth felt comforting, up until the kitchen was stormed by two hungry boys who's appetites were insatiable, wearing the reindeer antlers they'd made at the craft's corner.
"I see everyone is still alive, I guess that's a good sign," Honor commented in passing as she arrived, still in disbelief, receiving a casual shrug from Logan as a reply.
The evening passed watching movies along with playing Christmas movie bingo, a game Rory had learned from her mother a few years ago, Josh making an oven baked salmon along with roasted potatoes, and just casual discussions on their joint friends. The only tension that lingered was that Logan would've liked to be a little closer to Rory, in any form, touch her, be near her. And as he'd promised to Honor, to not confuse the kids, he held his distance, just to make sure he wouldn't slip. For this reason it wasn't too surprising to anyone when they scattered to their room, or rooms, as soon as the kids went to bed.
They were far from going to sleep, it wasn't even just about the sex. It was just about sensing each-other's presence, as they laid on the bed in each-others arms, fearfully watching time tick.
"Are you sure you are okay with this?" Logan asked after a long silence. It had felt too easy somehow. Rory was too understanding, too forgiving even.
"I'm not going to put you in that position, Logan," Rory replied, quietly.
"You mean like I put you?" he inquired, carefully, regretfully. He wondered whether she was still hurt by that.
"No, I didn't mean to put it like that," she corrected apologetically. She had hurt him too, it hadn't been just his fault. "But I do believe you have the right to be happy also individually. We all have our own set of goals in life, though mine might be a little fuzzy at the moment. But I don't think you should give them up just because it's not the traditional way to do this. Giving something so big up because of just me, that wouldn't be right either," Rory explained.
"Just you?" he laughed. "It's never 'just' you, you're the person I can get out of my mind, the last thing to think about before I fall asleep, even when you're far away, even when you weren't…," he added, not quite able to find the right word. Making any statements about who they were or weren't to each-other felt wrong somehow.
Rory didn't reply, just gently kissed him.
"Have you talked to Lorelai yet?" he asked. He knew she went to therapy and she'd even told her it was working. But Lorelai was still a big part of her life, and the past month's had been a deviation to say the least.
"Not really, just what I eat for breakfast, what I watch and whether coffee is good," she tried to joke. That was literally the depth of their conversations these days, just enough so she couldn't tell her she wasn't talking to her.
"Are you going to?" he asked, feeling a little worried for her. In a way he wanted her to talk, to share. The miscarriage still hurt him, it would've been utterly ridiculous to assume she was any less affected. But then again, he knew that would lead to a whole other line of questions that'd likely lead to him, and the present. And he sensed Lorelai's opinion would end up being significant.
"I'm not sure," Rory sighed. It felt like that would've just brought out a whole set of emotions that she necessarily didn't want to deal with around her family. Subconsiously there was also the worry, of what they'd think and say.
He could sense her worry, her lingering sadness, almost regretting having mentioned any of it. He kissed her temple in assurance, hugging her close. He just wanted to heal her, maker her hurt less.