Despite Rory's body feeling physically exhausted after being in the water, the euphoria from what she'd felt for Leigh had left her energized. The day had been a strange one, to say the least, and she really only wanted to unwind to Logan, knowing Celeste had an early morning.
Everyone else in the chief's house was already asleep, and Rory simply pulled on her puffer coat and took her phone outside, taking a seat on the edge of the deck. It was chilly, but at the same time refreshing. Stars Hollow was actually quiet and dark enough to see some stars at night - something that never happened in the City. It reminded her of how she used to sit out on her mother's porch when she was younger with her mom - often involving trying to smell the snow this time of year. But it wasn't that time yet.
She dialled Logan.
"Everything okay, Ace?" Logan asked, picking up quickly, recognizing her ringtone, Rory sensing some panic in his voice.
"Hi, yes, sorry - I did it again, didn't I?" she replied, realizing Logan must've already been asleep. He used to impulse call him all the time back in the day, and he'd never once shown his reluctance to answer, even when things had been complicated.
"Yeah," Logan exhaled and yawned as he relaxed, having for a second thought she was calling about something serious, the smugness on his face now being audible. There was really only one person he liked being woken by and without a doubt that person was Rory. "But I'm well rested compared to you so you have my permission to wake me any time you want," Logan chuckled.
"Still, I can't believe I am still so self-centered," Rory scolded herself, feeling genuinely ashamed. He had an early morning wake-up no-doubt.
"You're impulsive, there's a difference," Logan replied with a chuckle.
"Not one of my best qualities," she admitted, stroking her forehead.
"So, how was your day?" Logan sat up in bed and asked, his voice sounding a little hoarse, knowing this probably was going to be a lengthy call. He was up now, after all.
"It started out a little boring, but then you'll never guess who called…," she began and continued to tell Logan about Emily's visit.
"Oh, wow," Logan exclaimed after about ten minutes, "for a moment there I would've thought I'd need to start getting myself a body guard," he chuckled. He didn't appreciate Emily Gilmore thinking the worst of him, but he could hardly blame her - he hadn't exactly had exemplary behavior until a few years ago and Mitchum's legacy surely hadn't helped. But it did make him want to prove himself to Emily, he just wasn't sure how.
"So you really had no idea about the gossip?" Rory asked.
"I really don't follow the Mirror," he shrugged. He wasn't even sure he'd ever held a copy of it, let alone opened their website. He'd stopped caring a long time about what the yellow media said about him personally. But he also knew that there was no point in overreacting about things like this - on occasion publicity, if played right, could be good for them too.
"So how is Bobby?" she asked, accepting his answer, clearly sensing his nonchalant attitude towards the topic. They hadn't spoken for a few days, just the two of them, usually doing a video call with Finny and the babies briefly each day, but during those times it was mostly about Finny explaining in his toddler-tongue what he was up to, clearly missing his dad.
"She's okay. Exhausted and not taking her inability to put in what she is used to into her work too well," Logan replied. "But I got her input and I have no intention of excluding her from the work once she's back in the game," he explained. However, despite knowing how hard it had been for Rory to set her career aside, he still saw this from the viewpoint of a man - and was perhaps underestimating the failure Bobby must've been feeling. After all she'd once assured to Logan herself that she didn't plan on having kids. Life had just had different plans.
"Yeah, it must be tough," Rory sympathized.
"But finding her a replacement probably won't be very easy though. It seems there is some strange dynamic going on at the office - it's a little difficult to know whom to trust, frankly," Logan added, wanting to share that with someone. While there were a lot of people whom he had worked with for years, he just got a feeling during the past few days that some people were after Bobby's job, others again choosing to take the other route of bashing the former. The only person he trusted at this point was in fact the outside consultant, who had his father's stamp of approval. It wasn't an easy place to be, which also meant whatever decisions he made right now - he had to double check everything. He was swamped to put it mildly.
"Well I hope you do," Rory sighed. She knew that the longer that took, the longer he was going to be away, and that was very far from the ideal situation. For a split second she wondered whether she'd have to move to London with the kids. She didn't want to do it, but if it came down to being away from him for extended periods of time, she was actually willing to do it. I would've been a crazy transition, missing her friends, likely having to find a new nanny, house, move everything - not a prospect she looked forward to.
"I miss you," he said, after the silence lingered for a moment. He still recalled their sexting sessions from the time they'd done long distance like this, but unsure how she was doing, whether she was tired or emotional - which wasn't so easy to tell over the phone - he didn't want to make himself another thing on her plate that she needed to do. He wanted her to want to do it. They were always so much better in speaking in person than like this.
"I do too," she replied. She in a way wanted to tell him about the advancement she'd felt that day with Leigh, but she was still hesitant - what if it had been just temporary. And it seemed intimate - something just between her and Leigh - and she almost wanted to let that relationship become more solid before she started announcing it to the world, even Logan.
The two listened to each other breathe.
"Well alright then," Logan sighed, unsure what else to say. He sensed there was more, but he had no means to pull it out of her.
"I guess I'll call you tomorrow," Rory sighed. She wanted something, but she couldn't quite pinpoint it. She wanted that closeness to him. But she felt rigid, rusty and not particularly sexy. It was more about that mental connection anyways than just the physical. But she just wasn't sure if bringing it up would change anything.
"Good night," he said reluctantly.
"Bye," she added. She felt disappointed in herself. It had only been a week and a half since he'd been away now, and while they spoke on daily basis, most often something along the lines Finny's expanding vocabulary and the small advances the babies were making - who could raise her chest off the ground a quarter of an inch more, grasp a new toy or ate another 10 ml. But all she really wanted was to feel him, even if it was just for comfort.
Celeste had been going over the list Jess had sent over concerning the store opening, despite the lateness of the hour, and sending out inquiries: the cleaners - at least in part, signage, ads for a couple local papers and websites, insurance. The couple of waiters to serve the appetizers and wine she knew she could borrow from the Inn that night. Doula was willing to help stack the rest of the books with her. And as for the actual cooking part she had already bookmarked a number of appetizer recepies she could make ahead the day before - she at least needed to try - besides, their food needed to be good, not restaurant level good - they weren't opening a dining establishment after all. But then there was the band. In theory she knew she could just fall back on a DJ or Lane - but she wanted that to be their statement piece showing off their versatility and tie together the topics of their first art show, photos of the road at night by a young Brooklyn photographer, and the books. Without looking further she started her inquiries with Finn, knowing she would've been stupid to make direct inquiries and wasting valuable time only to find out she couldn't afford anyone.
"Hey! Sorry for the time, I wasn't sure if you were in Australia yet," Celeste texted, pondering whether the 1 AM timeslot was utterly perfect for catching him Down Under or he'd simply be asleep - which too was a little unlikely knowing him.
Finn didn't reply right away, and Celeste already began to think that he just must've been asleep or maybe even on the plane. All the information she had from Rory was through Logan saying he was leaving sometime this week. She hoped to catch him before he switched to holiday mode, and inquire whether he could help her out with getting a band for the opening.
"I'll call you in 10," Finn texted back an automated reply he'd sent from his smart watch.
Finn had been in Brisbane, staying in his sister's poolhouse, for two days. Technically sleeping the jetlag off the first day though. Today, the second day he'd hit the Woorim beach as soon as he could, because what he'd missed the most were the waves. It really wasn't the high season for surfing, far from it - but having missed it was much as he had, the was just trying to make the best of it. That and his mother's home made braised lamb shanks that he had been promised later that evening were the two main things at this point that were keeping him focused on the here and now.
He emerged to the beach some minutes later, his surfboard under his arm, having spent nearly two hours in the water. His legs and arms felt noodled, and that was exactly what he wanted to be feeling. Pure physical exhaustion, hunger and his brain numbed by the sound of the waves.
It was hot and he was pretty sure he'd sunburnt his shoulders a little by having not applied enough sunscreen - god, he felt pale compared to the locals. He used to be a local, now in a way he felt like a deserter, an expat. But it was home and damn it felt good to be home.
He showered, letting the salt wash off him.
He opened his car, a decade old but in near new shape Jeep Wrangler, with a surf key, and he thirstily gulped down a bottle of water which was warmer than he would've liked, having not bothered with the cooler that day.
Finn dug out his phone and dried off his hair with the towel in his other hand. He place the towel onto his shoulder - he knew better than get badly sunburnt out of carelessness - and walked towards a white bench across the street that was under a free, deciding to let his trunks to dry off a little.
He was frankly a little curious to what Celeste was wanting to talk to him about. Coming home had been such a right change for him - it was so easy to forget that parallel world, but he wasn't a jerk. Celeste was his friend too, despite his reluctance to think about that world, it wasn't enough to ignore her.
He called her on Facetime.
"So you are back home," Celeste answered, seeing the beachy background in bright and sunny daylight, and Finn's un-wintery dress code.
"Two days now," he replied plainly.
"I hope I didn't pull you away from your fun," she apologized, knowing Finn was an avid surfer.
"It's fine, I'll have plenty of chances to return," Finn replied. "What's up?" he asked, feeling his stomach grumble already from hunger.
"I don't know if Rory has told you but Jess and I are opening this noir bookstore in Stars Hollow on the 6th," she began to explain. "And I am looking for some performers - a band or a singer or something…, that has this eerie, nostalgic or slightly melancholic sound to it. Think Twin Peaks or the Fortitude soundtrack, pop-rock but the dark kind. I have a bunch of artists that I like and would be perfect. But I thought maybe you could advise me how to go about this - so I wouldn't end up bankrupt afterwards," Celeste explained, trying to make it sound light, despite being dead serious.
"Well the more local the artists are, the cheaper usually - you wouldn't have to pay for travel costs. And preferably check for bands that don't need instruments necessarily or not many at least, it'll be cheaper if you book the sound system," Finn lectured.
"Right," Celeste replied, noting down that she needed to find someone who knew something about sound, having nearly forgotten it. Weddings at the Inn were easy - everything was there and she was just essentially orchestrating at the day that these things took place.
"But you can just send me the list, I'll look it through and ask around," Finn replied, feeling actually a little challenged with this particular request. It was a little different from what he did on a day to day basis, but he knew the right people. He really could probably help. He wasn't sure it'd be a bargain, but he could try. This type of thing reminded him of his Life and Death Brigade days frank, where entertainment organizing was often down to him.
"Thanks," she replied.
"Well alright then," he began, already beginning to say his goodbyes.
"Finn? There's something else…," Celeste began, unable to hold it in.
"Yeah?" Finn responded.
"I talked to G," she said simply.
Finn took a deep breath, the motion quite clearly visible to Celeste.
"She needed someone to talk to and I budded my nose in, I guess. But for what it's worth - I think you did the right thing - whatever that was on your side," Celeste said.
She waited for him to say something, but there was just silence, Finn looking away to his side for a moment.
"I'm not telling anyone, don't worry. I just wanted to let you know that if you need to talk about it, I'm here," she offered. In a way she was feeling like she was a good listener, but she wasn't truly sure if people needed her offering her ear to them. She wanted to be a good person, but she wasn't sure if that was pushy of her. Somehow listening to others' issues was easier for her than thinking only about her own dilemmas, maybe even a good distraction. Keeping the mind busy wasn't not dealing, she was dealing plenty, but it felt lighter - feeling like she could offer an outsider's perspective perhaps.
As he finally looked into the camera again, Celeste could see the man was broken, and had been fighting his tears.
"I'll be okay, I think," he exhaled, not sounding very convincing. He simply wasn't sure if he could talk about it. "Can you just check in on her - she's so lonely. I don't think Rory realizes that," he asked instead, the guilt of leaving her alone like that hurting perhaps the most. He was more worried about G than himself. He wasn't exactly sure how he was going to be okay - but at least he was far enough to make a fair attempt at it. It still stung, that 'what if things were different' question hammering his brain.
Celeste could tell that essentially the man had just taken himself out of the picture, to another continent, not wanting to cross any boundaries. But it was plain obvious he felt something for G - Finn really was an old softie inside, despite more often than not simply appearing like he could just switch over from one woman to another in an instant. It was just that he didn't let women in easily. But clearly, once he did... he really did. Whatever it was - it was painful to watch.
"I'm sorry. And I will check on her, don't worry," Celeste replied. She really did relate to G in a number of ways. While she'd spent her teen years living under her parent's roof, they hadn't been around much either and she knew very well what loneliness felt like.
"Thanks," he replied. "I'll get back to you on the bands," he added, feeling he didn't want to be lingering on these thoughts any longer. He'd wallowed, gotten drunk and wallowed some more, feeling the immense guilt, sorrow and grief. She had been important to him too - more than any 16 year old should've been. But it was time he tried to move on.
"Thank you, Finn. Hang in there!" Celeste added supportively.
"Bye," he said just before hanging up, and took another deep breath. He was in fact glad someone else knew, and didn't seem to be judging him because of it, only confirming that what he'd done had been the right thing to do. And he was glad she could check in on her - diminishing a fraction of that guilt for having been one of the few people G really talked to. Maybe Celeste could replace that at least in part. Better her than him, right?
He got his wallet from the car and walked over to the seafood bar to grab Goldband Snapper and chips instead of heading back to his sister's right away, his mind already thinking ahead to everything he wanted to do while home. There were old friends to see, family, all the food and beaches he'd missed. And those prospects looked awfully good to him right now. He knew that there were likely going to be questions from his sister and parents why he was back early, which he wasn't too eager to answer, but still - being home felt good. He'd needed it.