She Ain't My Blood, But She's My Girl

Chapter 49

5 Years Later

Today, October 4, 2024, is Friday. Rory is sitting in bed, writing in her journal while listening to her husband sing off-key in the shower. She can hear someone moving around outside her door. It is probably one of the twins going to Mia's room.

The twins will be 5 years old next month. They started daycare 3 days a week at the beginning of the school year. Mia, 11, started 6-grade at the Preparatory Academy of Great Neck.

Tuesday is her 40th birthday. Everyone keeps telling her, 40 is the new 30. Yeah, she didn't feel like 30. This had been a rough year. Rory learned when she was in therapy after Mia was born that writing in a journal was a way of letting your emotions out while keeping control. She started a journal that year. She had kept one ever since. Most of her writings in her journal are about the wonderful things that happen in her life.

With the exception of the year 2024. Yes, 2024 was not a good year. In the future, if someone finds her writing interesting, reading her journal about the year 2024 would not be a favorable read.

Her Grandpa. Richard Gilmore passed away at age 84 in April. This was devastating. This alone would have been enough to make 2024 a skip year in her journal, but that was just the beginning. Logan had been in London most of the first part of the year. The HPG office in London had some problems after the CEO, Bobbi, went on maternity leave. She and her husband had their first baby. When it came time to return to work. Bobbi couldn't do it. Hins Logan being in London. Thank the good Lord above Logan was on this side of the pond when her grandpa died.

Things were just getting back to normal after her Grandpa died, although Rory had decided that normal was just a relative state of mind when Mitchum called a family meeting, minus the kids in May. That is when they found out Shira was diagnosed with breast cancer. She passed away in August 2024.

Before anyone could wrap their head around Shira's death, Francine Hayden passed away in her sleep in September 2024.

Let's give a great big shout-out to the year 2024.

She needed to get up. They were leaving after school for a weekend in the Hamptons to celebrate her turning 40. All of Logan and Rory's friends will be there as well as the family. What is left of them. Rory knew this was not good for her. She could feel herself digging deeper and deeper in a hole.

Logan exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his lower body, his hair still wet from the shower, water drops falling down his chest. Now, that could cause her mood to brighten. Her husband Logan Elias Huntzbuger turned 43 in April. He is a very fit 43. He runs almost every day. Yes, she was lucky. Her husband was a thing of beauty.

"Ace," Logan said when he caught her staring at him. Him calling her Ace. That would never get old. She still goes weak in the knees when she hears him call her Ace. "Ace, where are you? I see you sitting on the bed, writing in your journal, but I can see by your eyes, you are a million miles away." She looked back at him with a smile.

"I'm right here. I was just thinking how lucky I am. Even with 2024 being a shitty year, I am still one of the luckiest girls in the world. I have 3 bright, rambunctious, and beautiful children, A husband that still knocks my socks off with his smile. A beautiful house that is full of love. A family that loves me. I am lucky."

"Well, since you are such a lucky girl. Are you going to stay in bed all day or do you plan to get up? Staying in bed is okay with me. I am just going into the office till noon. I will be back and ready to go as soon as the kids get out of school."

"I think it would be best for me to get up and help get the kids dressed for school. Then I might go back to bed. It is my birthday weekend.

40 years old. Lorelai Leigh Gilmore Hayden Huntzburger is 40 years old Tuesday.

Stay tuned. I have already started on the sequel. Look for It Won't Always Be Like This. Taking from the song by the same name by Dairus Rucker.

As always, Thank you for reading. Thank you for reviewing. Somedays I am sure where my story is going, then I read a review and it clicks. So, THANK YOU.