It won't be like this for long: Chapter 25
Chapter 25
As the week progressed, Rory seemed to be getting better. She was still tired, but the throwing up had stopped. That is until Saturday morning. Rory and Mia planned to meet with Lane to go over the upcoming festival. Because this is going to be the first festival since Taylor died, Rory wanted it to go off without a hitch.
Logan left last night going to London. He will be working out of the London office for a week or so. He was going to cancel his trip, but Rory was feeling better. This was a trip that had to be made. He would rather get it over with than have it hanging over his head.
Rory and Mia were getting a late start. The twins decided to come with them at the last minute. When they pulled into Stars Hollow, Rory dropped the twins off at the diner. She then parked the car behind the Gazette office. This was close to the entrance to Lane's office.
When they entered the office, Steve was sitting at the desk. He was concentrating so that he did not hear them come in.
"Steve," Rory said. His head popped up. "Looks like you are busy," she told him. He stood up.
"Yes ma'am. We had a couple of last-minute booths sign up. They are from Woodbridge. I was just trying to get all the numbers inputted. Did Mom tell you I have decided on a major?" Steve asked.
"No, what did you decide?" Rory asked.
"I am going to get a degree in business management. Then I can take over the books for the Music store. Maybe you will let me manage the Dragonfly." He said. Rory smiled.
"We will see about that. Did Kwan decide yet?" Rory asked as she sat down in front of his desk.
"Well, he and Mom are in discussion. He wants to drop out of college and go to trade school. He wants to open a plumbing business. He has been helping Tom." Steve told them.
Rory was smiling. It is hard to believe that Steve and Kwan were old enough to be in college. What is scarier than that, Mia will have to be making those decisions soon.
"Is your mom around?" Rory asked. Before Steve could answer, Rory could hear her bouncing up the stairs.
"Rory," Lane said as she hit the top step. She hugged Rory and Mia. "I saw your car parked in the back. I was in the diner when you dropped the twins off." Lane told her, flopping down on the sofa against the wall.
"Sorry, we are late. I wasn't feeling well this morning." Rory told Lane. Mia looked at her mom. She didn't know she had been sick.
"No problem. If you were not feeling well, we could have rescheduled or we could have come to you." Lane told her. Steve nodded his head in agreement.
"Nah, that's okay, I am feeling better. Let's get started. We can get the business out of the way and gossip. I want to know what has been happening in the loony bin town." Rory said as she and Lane walked to Lane's office and shut the door.
Mia looked at Steve and Shrugged her shoulders. She sat down on the sofa that Lane had vacated, pulled her Kindle out of her pocket, and started to read.
Meanwhile, back at the diner, McKenzie was reading her Kindle, while Hayden was following Jess around. He was trying to get Jess to come to play basketball with him. Jess was trying to get him to help him wipe the tables down.
"If you don't leave me alone, I am going to send you to the Dragonfly. Michel is working. You can aggravate him." Jess told him as he threw a rag at him. "Now, wipe down the tables." Jess was laughing. He looked just like Logan. He had a sophisticated look about him. It was not something he tried. He was not something that he had been taught. It was just a part of him like it was a part of his dad.
It took Jess a while to drop his first impression of Logan. After Luke and Lorelai died, he saw a part of Logan that not too many people were aware of. He saw the love and worry he had for Rory. This caused Jess to step back and reassess his thoughts on Logan.
Jess was brought out of his own head when the bell rang over the door. He looked up and Jonny Forrester was coming in the door. He had a basketball in his hand. As soon as the door shut the ball bounced to the floor and back to Jonny.
"What have I told you about bouncing that ball in this diner?" Jess asked. Jonny froze. He looked at Jess.
"Where's Hanna? She was here this morning." Jonny said. Jess smiled. Yes, Hanna watched the diner after the breakfast rush so Jess could write. He knew Hanna let the kids play in the diner when he was not there. It was okay with him, but he didn't want the kids to know. This way they thought they were getting away with something.
"She's at home. What do you need with my wife?" Jess asked. He had to uphold the gruff exterior that Luke had always had.
"I….I…..never mind," He said, turning to walk back out the door.
"Hey," Hayden said. "Where are you going? I was looking for someone to play hoops with. Wanna play?" He asked. Jonny nodded his head.
"I'm Jonny," Jonny said.
I'm Hayden, Show me where the courts are." Hayden said as he followed Jonny to the town square.
Jess watched from the window. He looked back at Mak sitting at a table by the window.
"You didn't want to go play ball with them?" Jess asked. She looked up at him, shaking her head no.
About 2 hours later, Lane and Rory entered the diner. They were in need of coffee. They left Steve and Mia working on stuffing envelopes for the festival. They took a seat at a table in the back so that they could watch who came in the door. Kirk and Lulu were sitting at the counter.
"Hey, ladies, How are you doing today?" Jess said as he put two mugs down in front of Rory and Lane, then poured them coffee. "Can I get you anything else today?" Jess asked.
"No, Well yes, It seems I have lost a child. Would you know where he is.? Rory asked. She had seen Mak when she walked in, but Hayden was nowhere to be found.
"He and the youngest Forster boy are playing basketball on the square," Jess said motioning toward the group of boys that had gathered
"I see," Rory said. "Where's your lovely wife?" she asked as she took a sip of coffee.
"She's at home. She helped with the morning rush, stayed while I wrote for a while, then left to go home." Jess answered. Rory smiled.
They had not been in there long when Hayden came in the door with his nose bleeding. He was holding his jacket up to his nose to keep it from bleeding all over him.
Rory jumped up, but Jess beat her to him. He removed the jacket and replaced it with a clean rag from the counter. They got him seated. Lane grabbed a towel and filled it with ice. Rory was trying to ask him if he was alright. He kept telling her he was fine. It was just a bloody nose.
"Come on, let me get you to the hospital," Rory said. "Mak, come one, let's go," Rory said to McKenzie.
"Woah, Hold on," Jess said. "Let me look at it." He pulled the rag away from his nose. It had stopped bleeding. "Hayden, hold your head straight," Jess said, holding the bloody rag under his nose in case it started bleeding again.
"Rory, I can get my oooober ready for you to take him to the hospital," Kirk said. McKenzie had stood up at this time.
"I'm not riding in anything Kirk is driving," McKenzie said. This hurt Kirk's feelings and he ran out of the diner.
"Hanna is on her way," Lane said. "I called her to come look at him before going to the hospital." Lane was used to little boys' busted noses and black eyes. Her boys had been rough growing up.
Hanna entered the diner and went straight to Hayden. She was examining his face and nose. All the while Jonny was standing by the door. He was scared he was going to get in trouble. He is the one that came down on Hayden and elbowed him in the nose. It was an accident.
Lane noticed him standing away from everyone. He had blood on his shirt. Lane walked over to him.
"Are you okay?" She asked. "Is that your blood or his?" She asked. He pointed to Hayden.
"I..I..I'm sorry. It was an accident." He told Lane. She smiled at him.
"I'm sure it was. He's not mad at you. Let's call your mom so we can explain the blood all over you. Okay?" Lane asked. He nodded.
Dean answered the phone. Lane told him what happened and that Jonny was okay, she just wanted him to know where all the blood came from. Dean told her he would be right over.
It was determined that Hayden would live. He didn't need to go to the hospital, but Hanna suggested he get a check-up with his pediatrician. Dean came to put up Jonhy, who insisted on apologizing a hundred times.