AN: Huge thanks to all who reviewed or PM-d! It's great to feel your support.
Some answers to things you've asked:
- Not all storylines will be fully "resolved" as things just take time - relationships run their course. I am picking the same universe up some years later and addressing some of these subjects again from another angle.
- Luke and Lorelai already adopted Leo.
"So how are you enjoying New York so far?" Rory asked Charlie, who was now sitting in her parlor and to whom she was just now making a gin and tonic. It hadn't really needed a formal invite to know that Rory and Logan were excited to see both Finn and Charlie and Finn also to show off his girlfriend. It had added even more curiosity to the meeting that Rory and Logan actually knew her sister Olivia from Yale - small world.
They were doing a modest dinner party - Logan was cooking according to his secret pot roast recipe and the smells coming from the half-floor where the dining room and kitchen were, were already mouthwatering.
"It's an adjustment - back in the learner's position, I guess," Charlie replied smilingly, and accepted her drink from Rory who'd also gone with a gin and tonic herself. Charlie hadn't really been sure how formal this dinner was, having googled all sorts of things about the Huntzberger's by now, having a little too much time on her hands, hence she'd worn burgundy long-sleeved dress with laser cut hem and sleeves. It was casual, but the tone and the pattern left a nice formal look.
"So what is it that you're doing exactly?" Logan asked, nursing a scotch just like Finn was. They guys were both in their chinos and dress-shirts, enjoying being around people that didn't really need to be impressed. But it was like they were both so used to these things being formal that taking it even a step more casual felt unnatural, unless Rory insisted on a movie night or something whitch came with a stricks jeans and sweats dress code.
"I'm doing this rotational internship at the moment, it's just part time but I guess as long as I'm searching for what to actually do with myself - it's nice and flexible," Charlie explained. She hated admitting she didn't have a job, but when she could she was making sure to not indulge too much on Finn's money unless they did it together to feel a little better about it. She was grateful to have at least some spending money from renting out her apartment in Montreal.
"Well - if hotels and conferences start to look bleak, let me know - I'm sure we have some possibilities at the HPG - even if it's just the same type of rotational internship," Logan suggested.
"Thanks, that'd be great. I'm going to apply to NYU, but I just need to pick a major," she explained, having already planned on going class hopping one of these days during their open house.
"Let me know if I can help - I graduated last spring," Rory suggested, helpfully. Rory had gone with a simple knotted-sleeve tunic dress, which she sometimes wore at home, which showed off her long legs - definitely a sight that Logan was appreciating.
"I will, thanks," Charlie replied.
"Hey, Finn, I meant to ask you something," Logan began suddenly recalling something. "Harrison is still working with landscape architecture, right?" Logan asked about his sister's partner in Australia.
"Yeah," Finn replied, and took a sip of his scotch.
"I think I remember him mentioning something about some friend of his who did regenerative agriculture or something…," Logan began, having let his hobby take over a large chunk of his mind. He'd already had inspectors go and check the place over, having estimates made for the repairs needed and while the paperwork was still in progress, he was already putting up ads locally but also looking for people willing to move because he wanted most of them to be permanently based there.
"Yeah, I know him too - Norman Atherton. What, you've taken a sudden interest in farming now?" Finn asked with curiosity.
"Oh, you have no idea," Rory commented.
"I'm trying to set up this self-sufficient property up in New Hartford - fields, animals, solar and wind power - let's call it a midlife crisis," Logan replied, being able to laugh at his own expense. He didn't like calling it a farm much, it was supposed to be about more than that.
"Sounds fascinating and so un-Huntzberger," Finn commented, shaking his head in disbelief. But whatever made his friend happy - at the very least it was material to tease him about something for a change.
"We'll just have to see what you'll do once the midlife crisis hits you, man," Logan replied, teasingly. "Or maybe this is it?" he chuckled. "No offence - Charlie!" he added, hoping he hadn't gone a bit too far with his jokes. He was at his happiest that Rory had seen Logan in a while, having already had a few drinks and let loose amongst friends.
"Nevermind him - those two can jerk each other around for hours - days," Rory explained, as the guys continued with their banter.
"So, Finn tells me you've got three kids?" Charlie asked, being polite.
"I do - they're upstairs playing with the nanny and my little sister, G, who's almost 17," Rory explained. They'd spent the day at the Children's Museum, hence Finny was pretty worn out already.
"Sounds like you have your hands full," Charlie replied humbly.
"So I heard Olivia has kids too?" Rory asked, not really knowing that kids were in any way sore subject, but Charlie didn't seem to mind, as long as no-one was asking about whether she wanted kids someday.
"Yeah, she's got two - Dawn is 18 months or so, and Dan is 9," Charlie explained. "And she said she was looking to catch up with you guys when she's coming to the City… she said February I think," Charlie said.
"Cool, I'd love that," Rory replied.
"I better go check on the roast," Logan noted, his watch making a short beep sound as his timer.
At the same moment the elevator doors opened and G stepped out, Finny talking in front of her.
"Hi, sorry, Finny is kind of sleepy, he wanted to come say good night," G explained, having not really wanted to come down stairs this evening with Finn and Charlie there, but Finny was not always the most patient child.
"Sure, love," Rory went to kneel in front of her son, once she set her glass down. "Sleep well, Finny," she said and gave the kid a kiss and a firm hug and whispered 'I love you' into his ear. Logan soon repeated that, but it was then Finny noticed Finn and made a run for him - hugging him as well, not even paying attention there was another person in the room.
Logan then headed upstairs to check on the food.
This whole time G kept her eyes on the kid, not daring to look Finn or Charlie in the eye. Neither did Finn, to be honest. He hated this awkwardness - and just glanced at her briefly, more than anything just feeling sad about the whole thing. But Charlie certainly did - looking at the girl, which she needed to keep reminding herself of, over like sizing up competition. G really was looking less and less like a girl and more and more like a woman, her brown hair definitely making her look older. Charlie was relieved to see G's awkwardness, hoping desperately that G could see now it was really over.
"Come on, let's go Finny," G said smilingly, putting on one of her most polite fake smiles, as she held out her hand to Finny, who complied beautifully, and let out a little yawn.
"Thanks, G," Rory replied, hoping she'd be alright.
The two took the elevator back upstairs.
"Finny has had a busy day," Rory commented, dissolving some of the awkwardness. Rory felt a little bad for not being able to invite G to have dinner, a real dinner, with the adults. In situations like this she wanted to make G feel the way she knew she wanted to feel - to be treated like another adult, but she knew better than to stir this situation.
"Alright - I know this is not a proper cordial announcement by a maid dressed in a short uniform with a frilly apron, Finn, but I hope it suffices that I tell you from here that dinner is served," Logan called out from the half floor, leaning over the bannister. Emily and Shira would not have been proud, but they were doing these things their own way.
"Now, you're going to make me look bad. Do I really need to bring up all the ways you nearly got kicked out of Yale?" Finn teased, not appreaciating all the dirk Logan had on him and seemed to be spilling in front of Charlie.
"Finn, you forget - you did most of those things with me. That's how you know about them," Logan chuckled, and headed back into the kitchen and returned with a large oval cast iron Le Creuset that held the pot roast. The table was already set, a bottle of Pinot Noir waiting on the table, and Rory popped into the kitchen to get the salad and some Ciabatta while the others already took their seats. It was looking like the beginning of a new tradition.
After G had helped put Finny to bed, seeing that Maya was already doing a pretty good job with the twins herself and didn't need her help, she headed upstairs. She was tired - but she liked it - caring for Rory's kids always did that by the end of the night. She knew she didn't have to but it was almost like a hobby for her, having not really found 'it' yet other than some reading, on occasion watching some movies and schoolwork. But then again this was what being a teenager was about - it was a challenging road to self-discovery.
Seeing Finn with Charlie hadn't been easy - awkwardness and feeling embarrassed of her text were the main emotions. Sure, there was jealousy too - of his company more than anything. But wanting to not spend the evening dwelling on it she decided to call Celeste, hoping she was up.
"Hey, everything okay?" Celeste picked up, having not spoken one on one with G in a while.
"Yeah, I guess - I kind of wanted to just … I don't know… talk… hear how you've been doing," G asked. She knew about Celeste's mother's passing but she'd also heard from Rory that she was mostly worried about her lab results.
"Yeah, of course," Celeste replied. "We were just celebrating a little - Jess' book is done," she added. Of course celebrating in their case only really meant some non-alcoholic cider and snacks at this point. Jess had returned from New York that day, having submitted the final version and signed his contract. There was going to be some book touring, but much less than with the last one, having decided to try podcasts this time. Rory was his editor on this and sure Lauren was offended but she'd just have to live with that because this book was special.
"Oh, I don't want to bother you," G apologized, feeling without a place while everyone else had lives.
"No, I mean it - it's fine," Celeste said, excusing herself to their study to talk privately with her. She knew better than to just insist calling her back tomorrow - for all she knew this could be a cry for help.
"I was hoping you'd come to my birthday next Friday," G said, realizing she hadn't actually invited her yet.
"We can come to the dinner part of it, I hope that's okay. I sort of got us some concert tickets for later that day," Celeste explained. It was really nice that she'd asked, but she was pretty sure G really mostly wanted to have fun with her friends.
"Sure, that's fine. I was just hoping to see you," G replied, and continued to ask a little about how she was doing.
"Everything okay over there?" Celeste asked, being a little concerned.
"I just saw Finn and Charlie together, and I sort of texted him the other night. I know - I shouldn't have, even if it was nothing…," G admitted, speaking as if scolding herself. This was something she couldn't quite admit to Rory, not wanting her to limit the time she spent with Finn and Charlie - she knew Rory deserved to have friends too.
"What did you text him about?" Celeste asked.
"Oh just… thanked him for getting me the party venue. Rory didn't tell me it was him, but I just knew," she explained.
"Right," Celeste exhaled. "That really shouldn't be a big deal, right?" she added.
"I guess," G replied, not caring to admit the time of day she'd sent it through the emotions going through her head at that point.
"How are things with your friends, school?" Celeste asked.
They talked for a good twenty minutes on what had been going on in school and how her friend Philipa had a boyfriend these days. But they also talked a little about books and Celeste promised to send her some more reading. G really did appreciate everything Celeste did for her, it made her feel a lot less alone if there were suggestions popping into her inbox or sometimes even being delivered straight to her out of the blue - like someone was thinking about her when they weren't actually in contact. Most of those books were fiction, but there was a bunch of feminist literature as well. And while she agreed with most of what she read, she didn't quite feel as empowered as she hoped. She had opened up more in therapy, deciding that if she was really giving it a try, she shouldn't hold anything in. And she was glad she had - as her therapist had in no way been judgemental of it, which she'd secretly feared. It did make her feel a little lighter.
"Have you been in contact with your mom at all?" Celeste asked after a while.
"No," G admitted.
"She moved out, you know… she's staying at my apartment. She might go to my place in Nice soon, she has the option," Celeste said.
"She did?" G asked, not quite believing it.
"She did.. She did it for you, and of course for herself but I think it's the thought of you is what really made her do it. She said she'd call you, but I think she's scared, she's adjusting. It's not easy for her," Celeste explained.
"Oh..," G exhaled, not really knowing what to say.
"So just.. So you know…," Celeste said. She didn't want to suggest anything to her on what she should do with that information, that had to be up to her. But at least she wanted her to know the background story in case Sherry did call and she was hesitating whether to pick up. It may have been too late for her and her mother, but she liked to believe it wasn't the same for G and Sherry.
As they ended the call, G stared at her phone for a long time. She didn't feel ready to really call her mother. But deciding she needed to do something, at least let her know that she wasn't mad at her.
"I'm proud of you. Love, G," she texted Sherry. They'd talk when they were both ready, but it was a vital first step, making Sherry on the other end cry tears of happiness over those tiny words.