It won't be like this for long: Chapter 19
Chapter 19
When the gate opened for them to enter the yard, Rory noticed that Mia's car was missing. She hoped that Mia parked it in the garage. When Logan opened the garage to pull the car in, Rory just sighed. Mia's car was not in the garage. Rory decided to not say anything until they were in the house. Maybe she called Logan and he told her it was okay to leave the house.
The twins both scampered upstairs. Logan went to the drink cart to fix himself a drink.
"What time did you say we had to be at Mitchum's," Rory asked. "Honor and Josh going to be there?" She asked him as he poured himself a drink. He didn't answer her. He was lost in thought.
"Logan," Rory said again. Still no response. She walked over to him. Before she could touch him, he turned to look at her.
"Do you know where Mia is?" He asked. Rory shook her head.
"No, I was hoping she called you," Rory told him. He drank the last of his scotch and poured another glass. "Logan, sweetheart, let's give her a chance to explain. Maybe Mitchum called her and wanted her to come early." Rory said.
"And her cell phone just stopped working?" Logan said. Rory just shook her head. This is not going to be good.
"Come with me upstairs. Take a long hot shower. I will call her to see where she is." Rory told Logan. He drained his scotch glass and followed her upstairs.
He went on to their bedroom while she stopped off in MaKenzie's room. She stood in the door and watched as she lay across the bed reading. She may look like Logan, but she acts like Rory.
"Mak," Rory said. That got her attention. "We are going to eat with Pops tonight. We will leave in about 45 minutes." Mak nodded her head. "Your dad told him you had not been feeling good and I saw that you had mash potatoes at Luke's. He said he would fix something that would be easy on your stomach… Did you talk with Mia today?" Rory asked. Mia picked up her book and sat up on the bed.
"This morning," Mak said. Rory waited for her to tell her something else, but she didn't.
"Did she tell you she was going to meet Ryan somewhere or maybe Cathy or Katherine?" Rory asked. Mia just shook her head. "Okay, get ready to go," Rory told her as she left the room.
She ran into Hayden as he was leaving his room. He almost knocked her down.
"Whoa Momma, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." Hayden said.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" She asked.
"To find a snack," He told her that was the most obvious thing.
"We are leaving to go to Pops in about 45 minutes, so just get yourself an apple." She told him. He nodded and headed down the stairs. She followed.
"Hayden?" He turned around to look at her. "Did Mia say anything to you about going somewhere today?" Hayden looked at his mother. He could answer the question and be truthful because Mia did not tell him anything. Or he could risk getting in trouble for eavesdropping on Mia talking on the phone.
"Hayden, are you going to answer me?" Rory asked. Before Hayden could say anything, Logan came down the stairs.
"Hayden, I am not going to ask you to answer your mother. I am telling you now. Answer her." Logan said. "I am tired of the kids running this house. Ace, we are adults. I know that we give them a lot of freedom, but Mia is ruining this for Mak and Hayden."
Hayden stepped down a step, hoping his dad would go into a rant and forget he hadn't answered the question.
"Hayden, I am not senile yet. Do you know where Mia is?" Logan asked again.
"Yes." He said. Logan and Rory stood there waiting for him to continue. "Oh, you want me to tell you?" He asked with a small chuckle. The look that Logan gave him answered his questions.
"I heard her on the phone. She said she was going to the mall to meet her friends." Hayden said. Before they could say anything else, they heard her car pull up out front. Hayden took this time to decide to go back upstairs. He could eat later. He wanted to get Kenzie so they could hear what was being said to Mia.
Rory grabbed Logan's arm and turned him around to face her.
"Babe, count to 10 or better yet, go to the office. I will bring her in there and we can talk with her." Rory said.
"Talk, yeah, that is what I'm going to do. I should go get my belt." He said. He then took a deep breath and let it out. "Okay, I will be waiting in the office. Don't take too long."
Logan went to the office, while Rory went to the front door. When Mia opened the door, Rory was standing there. Mia jumped.
"Momma, you scared me," Mia said.
"I scared you? You don't look scared." Rory told her. "Where have you been?" Rory asked as Mia put her keys in the dish by the door and moved toward the stairs.
"I went to the mall. I wasn't with Ryan, I was with Cathy. She and Cody had a fight. She was crying and needed a ride home. He left her at the mall" Mia said. Rory stepped back to the bowl on the foyer table and picked up her keys.
"Is your cell phone broken?" Rory asked. Mia turned around. Before she could say anything, Rory spoke up again. "Your dad is waiting on you in his office."
"Mom, you didn't say I had to stay here while you went to Stars Hollow." Mia was whining now. She knew if her dad was waiting on her she was in trouble.
"Mia, you know the rules. All you would have had to do was call one of us." Rory told her as she led her to Logan.
"I was trying to calm Cathy down. I was afraid to hang up the phone." Mia said as she walked into the office ahead of Rory. Logan was sitting at his desk. He has calmed down now. He decided he was not going to yell and scream like his father used to do. He was not going to threaten to take her credit card away or her car. He was just going to do it.
Mia sat down in the chair in front of Logan's desk. Rory walked around to where Logan was sitting and pulled up her chair. Logan handed her a piece of paper. She read it and nodded.
"I want to hear your explanation of why you left this house without calling your mom or me. Think long and hard. You are in trouble. You will not be able to talk your way out of it. Tell me the truth. If you lie, I will find out and the punishment will be harsher." Logan told her.
"You never told me…" Mia started but stopped. She looked at Logan and Rory.
"I'm sorry. I know I was not supposed to leave the house without telling you. But….".she then stopped again. "I'm not making an excuse, I am just going to tell you what happened…." Rory and Logan nodded.
"I was supposed to meet the gang at the mall after lunch. I was waiting until just about time for me to leave to call you. Before I could do that Cathy called. She and Cody got in a fight on the way to the mall. When they got there, she got out and he drove off. She called him but he would not answer the phone. She was stranded at the mall. She was crying. I knew I should have called you, but I didn't want to hang up with her. Again, I am sorry. I was not thinking." Mia said.
"Mia, you understand that it is our job as parents to know where you are at all times. There will come a time that you will be on your own and not have to answer to us. That day will come sooner than any of us wants. We love you. We want you to be safe. It has nothing to do with being in control." Logan told her. Mia nodded.
"I know dad," Mia said. Logan just looked at Mia. She looked so sad, but so was he.
"You are grounded for one week." Before he could continue Mia jumped up.
"But dad," Logan put his hand up to stop her from talking.
"Make that two weeks." He said. She sat back down. "Now, being grounded means…" Logan was interrupted again.
"I know what grounded means," Mia said.
"Well, I was going to tell you what grounded means. I was going to take your cell phone." Mia's mouth flew open.
"I suggest you keep it closed Mia and listen to your dad," Rory told her.
"As I said, I was just going to take your cell phone and iPad, but now I think I will take the keys to your car," Logan said. Mia jumped up but didn't say anything. Tears were streaming down her face. She took a deep breath. She was trying to control her tears.
"Is that it? Can I go to my room now?" She said barely above a whisper. Logan nodded. He was having trouble. He didn't want her to see the tears in his eyes. She turned to leave the room, but Rory stopped her.
"We are leaving to go to Pops in a few minutes. Go get cleaned up." Rory said. Mia nodded and started out the door. "Mia, phone and iPad. I know you have your phone on you. Turn it off and put it on your dad's desk, bring your iPad with you when you come back downstairs, and put it on his desk." Rory told her.
When she left the room, Logan just slumped over. Rory patted him on the back.
"I don't know what is worse. Spanking her when she was little or taking things away from her now. How is she going to get to school now? Logan asked.
"One of us will take them and pick them up this week," Rory told him. "We will figure it out." She got up. "Come on, let's go visit Mitchum," Rory said and Logan groaned.
"You think it is time to get the twin's cell phones?" Logan asked. Rory nodded. "Okay, I will look into that," Logan told her as they left the office.