She Ain't My Blood, But She's My Girl
Chapter 33
Collin called Logan at the HPG office one day in the middle of March. He informed Logan that he needed to meet with him and Rory. He explained that the papers have been filed. He told him that he pulled a few strings and the judge is willing to grant the 'termination of parental rights' and record the 'intent to adopt' documents on the same day. Collin wants to meet Logan and Rory a couple of days before they go before the judge. They set up a time and place.
Logan called Rory so she could mark it on her calendar. Logan called Tristan to let him know about the hearings. He was in Washington D.C. After Tristan found out about Jaylan and the embezzlement, he no longer pretends to resign his commission. His commanding officer did however allow him to remain in the States until his father's death. Jaylan was now in Hospice Care.
Tristan told Logan that if he needed to appear before the judge just to let him know. Jaylan and Nancy pitched a fit when Tristan confronted them. By this time Anita was long gone. She figured out that Tristan knew what was going on, so she left.
The rest of the day went by smoothly for Logan. Rory on the other hand was not having a great day. When she got to work this morning before she even entered her office, someone bumped into her and she spilled her coffee down the front of her blouse. When she got to her desk, Harper was nowhere to be found. She had to sit her bag on Harper's desk, find her keys to open her office door. This is something that Harper usually already has taken care of. She gathered her belongings and closed her door. She found a clean white blouse hanging in her credenza.
She had just pulled her blouse off when she heard a knock and then the door opened. Rory had her back to the door, she hoped it was Harper. She heard him mumbling and stuttering. It was not Harper. She didn't turn around. She just stood there. When it became clear that he was neither going to speak or leave, Rory took action. She reached for her clean blouse and put it on. She took her time buttoning up the front. She then turned around to see a senior reporter from the sports section standing at her door.
"Now that the peep show is over, What brings you down to our lowly floor?" She heard the gossip. She walked by the break room one too many times hearing them talk about being married to the boss has all kinds of privileges. Walter was just standing there. He still has not spoken. Rory stood there tapping her foot, waiting for him to speak.
Finally, she saw Harper sit down at her desk. It was about time, but she would deal with that later.
"Harper," She said loud enough to get her attention. "Walter here seems to have forgotten what he barged into my office for, could you kindly remove him from the door. Then I need to talk with you.
Rory turned around as Harper was talking with Walter. She heard Harper tell him that he would have to come back later at a more convenient time. While Harper escorted him out, Rory took a seat to try to gather her thoughts. She did not want this to ruin the rest of her day.
She heard Harper out at her desk. It wasn't long before she entered Rory's office with a fresh cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin.
"Heard you had an accident, spilled your coffee," Harper said with a smile as she placed the steaming hot coffee on her desk. She took a seat in the chair across from Rory's desk, took out her notepad, and waited.
"Harper, I know we are friendly. I even consider you one of my friends, but you are going to have to get to work on time. I know that you are rarely late, but you being late today, started a reaction that ended with Walter walking in on me changing my blouse." Rory said. She didn't want to come across as angry, because she wasn't, but she needed her to understand how important it is for her to be at her desk.
"Rory, I texted you this morning," Harper said, pulling her phone out of her pocket. She scrolled through her phone till she found the text. "Here, look," she said, handing Rory her phone.
To Rory-Hey, just got to office. Went to see Dean. locked office door back. Walter hanging around. Delivered 7:52 am.
Rory grabbed her purse to pull her phone out to see why she didn't receive the text, but couldn't find it. She emptied her purse out of the desk. No phone. She grabbed her computer bag, no phone. She looked everywhere. She picked up her office phone and called Logan's office.
"Logan, I can't find my phone. Will you look on your 360 app and see where I am?" Rory was in a panic. She was afraid her phone was lost. Logan was laughing.
"Hold on Ace," He said, pulling up the app on the phone. "Looks like you are upstairs in our bedroom." He said. He still had a giggle in his voice. "You okay there Ace? Do you want me to send someone to go get it?" He asked.
"No, that is ridiculous. I will survive without my phone for one day. Thanks, I love you." By this time Harper had left her office. She called her back in. "I'm so sorry. I am having a bad day, and I took it out on you. This is not acceptable. I promise I will make it up to you." Rory told her.
"It's no problem. Dean wanted to see me this morning. He has heard the rumors and the talk about you and Logan in the breakrooms. He wanted to see how you were holding up. He said who knows better what is going on in your life than your assistant?" Rory shook her head.
"I hear them too, I try not to let it bother me. I know I earned that assignment. I have proven myself long before I married Logan or before HPG took over the Times." Rory reached in her purse and pulled out one of her credit cards. "Here," she said, handing the card to her. "Take a long lunch. Go buy yourself a new outfit." Rory told her.
"Rory, that is not necessary." She said Rory, smiled at her, then started to work. Ignoring Harper trying to give the card back.
It was almost lunchtime when Rory's office phone rang. When she picked it up, it was Logan. Harper learned a long time ago to just put Logan through. He called to tell her about the appointment with Collin. She didn't have her phone, so she pulled up her calendar on the computer to write the appointment in. She declined lunch with Logan, she had too much to catch up on with the morning she had. After she hung up the phone, she started to close her calendar, when something caught her eye. It was a dot on the calendar. It was last week. She reached for her phone, she has an app that keeps up with her menstrual cycle. She left her phone at home.
She sat there for a few minutes, trying to recall her last period. It was Valentine's week. She remembered. She and Logan talked about going to the Vineyard for the weekend, but she was cramping pretty bad and didn't want to go. February is a short month, so she counted. Sure enough, the dot on the calendar is when she should start her period. That was a week and a half ago.
She called Harper. Harper had already left for lunch so she could go shopping. When Harper answers the phone, Rory asks her to pick up a couple of pregnancy tests.