It won't be like this for long: Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Monday morning is Monday morning. It is no different than any other Monday. Rory is up and in the shower by the time Logan comes back from his run. Logan stops by Mia's room to make sure she is up. He then joins Rory in the shower if she is still there. When Rory is out of the shower, she goes to make sure the twins are up. The five of them met for breakfast in the kitchen.

Logan and Rory enjoyed having Claira and Benjamin run the house in Great Neck so they employed another couple just like them, Thomas and Olivia. The couple is in their fifties. They have one child that lives in New York and one Granddaughter the same age as the twins. Logan and Rory build a small 2 bedroom cottage on the far end of the property. This is where they lived.

After breakfast, Logan is leaving for work, while Rory is adding to her to-do list. After the twins were born, Rory started a book. She kept it from Logan for a while. When he found out, he found her an agent. Rory has 4 Gilmore Girls books under her wing, she is working on number 5 for the Gilmore Girls series. She also is the author of many children's books. Those books feature Charlie the Chipmunk and all his woodland creators.

"Any chance for lunch today?" Logan asked Rory. She looked up at him, she thought he had already gone for the day. Then she looked back down at her to-do list.

"I think I can find the time. I have a meeting with my agent Whitney, at 11:00, come to your office after?" she asked. He nodded and kissed her on the lips.

Mia came down the stairs with her backpack draped over her arm. She had on her school uniform. And was yelling over her shoulder.

"I'm leaving in 5 minutes, with or without you." She shouted. She stopped when she came face to face with her parents. "If I'm late, I have to go to the office." She told them.

"How many times have you been late?" Logan asked.

"Not too many," she said, not looking at him.

"How many is not too many and why are you late? Ace, have you got anything saying the twins have been late for school?" Logan asked. Rory shook her head.

"No, that means you are going somewhere besides class after you drop them off," Logan told her, holding her stare. Mia mumbled something Logan could not understand as the twins came barreling down the stairs.

"Ready, I got shotgun," Yelled Hayden as he slammed the door on the way out. You could hear Hayden and McKenzie fussing at each other, even with the door closed. Mia started toward the door.

"Mia, Come straight home after school," Rory told her. Mia stopped, turned around to argue with the mom, but caught her dad's eyes first.

"Yes ma'am. I'll bring the brats with me." She said, "I love you," She yelled as the door slammed.

Rory and Logan looked at each other and burst out laughing. They were not so old that they didn't remember the things you have to do. Rory didn't know anything about having to drop off younger siblings, but she could imagine. All Logan had to go off of is Honor dropping him off. He made a note to call her today. She if she could give him some insight into Mia being an older sister.

Rory walked Logan out to the car, gave him a kiss and his tumbler of coffee. When she returned to the house she refilled her coffee cup before heading to the home office.

Rory had been working for a while when she heard the doorbell. She got up to answer it, but Olivia beat her to it.

"Jess, what brings you to this part of town?" Rory asked. He smiled at her while he handed his coat to Olivia.

"Just stopped by to check in," Jess said as Rory led him to the family room. "Can we talk in your office? Logan isn't home is he?" Jess asked.

"Sure, this way. Olivia, could you get Jess a cup of coffee and a muffin, if my rug rats didn't eat them all." Rory said with a smile. They entered the room and Rory sat down in one of the club chairs in front of her desk. "What can I do for you? Jess"? When Rory sold her part of the diner to Jess, she sold it for a dollar. She didn't need the money. She was so distorted. She remembers signing the papers Logan gave her to sign. She remembers telling Logan she didn't want any money and him telling her they had to at least collect a dollar.

She could tell he was nervous. What could be the problem? Did he need to borrow money? Logan had offered to help with the publishing of his second book, maybe he needed help with a book.

"I really don't know what to do. You know I don't like to ask for help. I will go out of my way and do without to keep from asking for help, but….." Jess hesitated. Rory looked at him.

"Jess, talk to me. You are scaring me. What can I do to help you?" Rory asked. She was worried now. Is Jess ill? Did he need help with the medical expenses?

"It's April," Jess said and sighed heavily. Rory looked at him.

"What is wrong with April?" Rory asked. April is her step-sister. They had been close when Luke and Lorelai passed away, but since, they haven't talked as much. April didn't come home for Christmas this year.

"I should make her come to you, but I just can't. If we hadn't just spent a fortune on renovating the Crap Shack, by the way, you have got to come to see the theater room. Lorelai would be proud. Anyway, She needs money. I don't have the kind of money she needs." Jess felt sick to his stomach, having to ask Rory for money.

"Jess, money is not a problem. Tell me how much?" Rory was standing up now to sit behind her desk. She needed computer access.

"Don't you want to know why she needs the money?" Jess asked. "Don't you need to talk to your husband first? We are talking about a lot of money." Jess asked. Rory shook her head.

"I will tell Logan about it of course, but this is my money. Logan and I have money together. We also have separate money. That would not matter, if April needs the money, Logan would be more than happy to help her." Rory said.

Rory smiled. "No, She is my step-sister, you are here asking for money to help her. You would not be here asking if it was not something important…." Rory opened her computer and clicked on the tab for her banking information. "How much?" Rory was staring at him.

"Rory, I want to help April. She is all I have left of Luke….The only way I can help her is to ask you. I will not take the money or let her take the money till she explains what is going on." Jess said.

Rory sat back in her office chair and just looked at Jess. Now she was curious. Jess sat back in his chair and began to tell Rory what was going on with April.

It seems that April also sold her part of Luke's. Rory was aware of this, she just didn't know how much. Jess told Rory that he bought April's part for over what it was worth. She didn't want anything to do with the diner. After the funeral and the reading of the Wil, April went back to work. She was working at the CDC in Atlanta. Anna had moved to Atlanta and was staying with April. When April got the money from the diner and what was left of Luke's life insurance, April had a nice little nest egg. Jess even joked that she had enough money put up to take a year off and travel. Jess told Rory that right after the funeral that he called April a couple of times a month, just to check in. The same way he did Rory. After a while, she stopped answering every call. When he did talk to her, she didn't have time to talk for very long.

Rory was listening to Jess, She was trying to anticipate what it is that he needs. It was almost time to meet with Whitney. She hoped she didn't have to tell him she had to go.

Jess went on to explain: April called him last month and told him that Anna was diagnosed with stage 4 Ovarian Cancer. It was not caught in time and they were not giving Anna much time. He told her that she called back last night and said that Anna passed away.

Rory was shocked. "Oh, My, is April okay, what can I do for her, tell me?" This upset Rory.

"April co-signed for Anna to open a store in a small town outside of Atlanta. Anna's credit was in the dumps, from the other stores she ran into the ground. I'm sorry, I don't want to speak ill of the dead." Jess said, rolling his eyes. "April has a good life in Atlanta. She loves her job and she makes good money, but the money left from the diner and Luke's insurance is gone. Anna spent it on stock for the store." Jess stood up. Rory could tell he was mad.

"Jess, have a seat. That is April's mom. Sometimes we agree to things just because we love them." She was smiling. It was a sad smile. She was thinking of some of the crazy things she did for Lorelai. She wishes she could do them for her again.

"Well, She needs money to pay off the creditors. She has the shop up for sale. She even has someone interested in buying it, but she can't sell it until the stock is paid for." Jess sat back down.

"Okay, How much?" Rory asked again. "Do you want me to transfer it to you and you to her or not? The better way, for audit purposes, is for her to email me the account number to transfer the money?" Rory was opening up more tabs on the computer. "I will email her now, she can send me the numbers," Rory told him.

"Wait, don't email her yet. Rory, you, April, Myself, we were all brought up the same way, basically without money. I want to help April, but I want her to ask you herself. I didn't tell her that I was going to ask you. I told her that I would call her back. I want her to come to Stars Hollow this weekend. I want her to ask you herself. I want her to understand so that this does not happen again." Rory nodded.

"Set it up. Let me know. I will have you, Hanna and April can come to dinner. Afterward, she and I can slip away to the office and talk business. Go ahead and tell her that you told me that she wanted to talk and I suggested after dinner we could go to the office. I am writing it down for Saturday night. 7? You will let me know if this will not work?" Jess nodded.

"Thanks, Rory," Jess said and gave her a hug. Rory walked Jess to the door.

"Hey, you never told me how much?" Rory said.

"$250,000," Jess said.