Achieving Goals-Chapter 32
Wednesday morning, Logan left Rory in the shower. She has an appointment with Mrs. Chadwick, the head event planner for HPG London. Rory was going to assist her in planning the HPG London Christmas Gala. Mrs. Chadwick is going to help Rory and Honor plan the Huntzburger Christmas at the Huntzburger Estate.
Rory was in the shower. She was standing, letting the water run over her body. She could feel the hot water relaxing her body. She has been stressed about going to the office. The last time she was in an HPG office was unforgettable.
Rory endured the talk for the rest of the week. The photo just fueled the fire. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. Wednesday, when she got to class, the professor had to remind everyone that yellow journalism will always be a part of journalism. Rory knew she was talking about her. Logan told her not to worry about it. It would blow over. Mitchum basically told her that when you are a high-profile person, especially a person coming from her family name, everyone expects her to screw up. All she did was prove them right.
Rory remembers Logan and Mitchum getting into a shouting match about it. But in the end, Mitchum was right. She had lived her life below the radar. She was a good girl. The one time she decided to let loose, it was caught on camera. Logan tried to tell her he would be glad to release some footage from his younger years.
Rory gets out of the shower. She is blow-drying her hair when she sees her phone flashing. She answers it.
"Honor… Yes, I am meeting with her today… Hold on, let me get my list….." Rory walks to the kitchen and grabs the list she and Logan were going over last night. "Okay, go ahead..." Rory listened, making notes of the suggestions Honor was giving her. When she ended the call, she went to get dressed and called the car service to pick her up in 30 minutes. She will need to hurry.
Rory's mind goes back to the day in New York. The day she is congratulated on her help with Mark's article. She was even allowed to write a small article about the Planning Commission and how they were appointed. She was surprised. Simon asked to write the article, but she never dreamed they would run it.
When she entered the building, she was told by Cathy, the receptionist, she was needed in the conference room. When she entered, she was surprised to see Mitchum sitting among her co-workers. After she and a few others that were just getting to the office were seated, Simon started the meeting. After a few housekeeping items, he introduced Mitchum.
Mitchum began by congratulating everyone. Sales for last quarter on the Observer were up. "UP is always good." He told them. He then wanted to congratulate Mark and Rory on the article on the paving project. He explained that good reporting stands out from all the yellow journalism. He told everyone, because of the great reporting and research, the planning commission was revamping the way jobs are bid out. Mitchum told them that is what great journalism is about. He again congratulated Mark and Rory, calling her Ms. Gilmore.
After the meeting was adjourned, Simon asked Mark and Rory to stay back. Mitchum wanted to talk with them. When Rory and Mark left the conference room, Mitchum and Simon moved their meeting to Simon's office. Mark was walking with Rory to her cubicle on his way to his office when they spotted the pictures. They were posted all over her cubicle. Rory froze. She wanted to run. Mark wasn't sure what to do, so he picked up the phone and called Simon.
Someone took photos outside the club. The photo of Rory being helped out of the limo in front of their building was posted, along with a photo of Rory being cuffed by the police. Of course, the photo of her being uncuffed was not up there. This was mortifying to Rory. What would her grandparents say?
By the time Simon and Mitchum got to her cubicle, Rory had left. She heard from Logan later that Mitchum pitched a fit and Amy had lost her internship. Rory never went back. Mark packed up her personal belongings and gave them to Simon.
After what happened at the Observer office, Rory met with her professor. She could finish this semester online. It made leaving for London easier.
When she arrived at HPG London, she was given a pass to the executive floor. She was meeting with Mrs. Chadwick in Logan's office. In the elevator, she was applying her lipstick. She was the only one in the elevator. It stopped on the 10th floor. A tall, well-dressed gentleman entered the elevator. He looked very distinguished. Rory smiled at him as he did her.
After a few minutes, he asked her what floor she was going to. Rory thought it was a stupid question. There were only two people in the elevator and the floor number pushed was the executive floor.
"I'm on my way to meet with Mrs. Chadwick," Rory told him. She smiled at him.
"You are going to the wrong floor. Mrs. Chadwick's office is on the 20th floor." He told her. She nodded and smiled.
"I am meeting her in Logan's office." She told him. He nodded his head.
"Oh, I see. You must be a friend of Logan's. He set you up with an interview. I heard Mrs. Chadwick hires seasonal personnel during the holidays." The gentleman told her. Rory just nodded her head. The elevator doors opened and Logan was waiting for her when she got off the elevator.
"Geoffrey," Logan said. "Getting off on the wrong floor again, I see." Geoffrey smiled and nodded his head.
"Didn't realize you were back, Logan," Geoffrey told him.
"Yes, I will be here until the first of the year," Logan told him. "Have you met my girlfriend? Rory, this is Geoffrey. Geoffrey, this is Lorelai Gilmore. Her friends call her Rory."
"Yes, as you can see, we rode the elevator up. Nice to meet you, Ms. Gilmore." Geoffrey told her. He then nodded his head and walked down the hall. He remembers seeing her last time Logan was in London. He hoped their stay would be a short one.
"So, that was Geoffrey?" Rory asked. Logan nods and laughs.
"Yes, that is Geoffrey." He told her.