September 15th 2007 - 18 weeks.
"Rory? Rory, can you get that?" Lorelai called from upstairs.
Rory glanced at the door and groaned. She had finally gotten comfortable on the couch, which was starting to become a rare occurrence for her.
"Come in!" she screamed from the couch.
The visitor knocked once again. Rory stood up, mumbling under her breath the whole way to the door.
She thrust open the door, instantly surprised. Logan stood on her porch, looking more handsome than ever. His rust color v-neck highlighted his many hours at the gym, clinging ever so slightly to his chest. Rory spent more time than she liked to admit, thinking about his chiseled chest. "L. . . L. . .Logan?"
He smiled at her. "Hey Ace"
She looked down at her donut pajama pants and slightly too small Chilton t-shirt, suddenly feeling very self conscious. She was hyper aware of the small sliver of rounded belly that was poking out the bottom of her t-shirt. She tugged at the bottom of her shirt, but it was no use. "What brings you to Stars Hollow?"
"You of course." he replied, grinning.
She blushed. One small smirk from him, and she felt herself slipping.
"I wanted to see if you wanted to get something to eat? I found a new place in Hartford that doesn't serve beef of any kind."
She laughed. "Thanks for going through all the trouble, but the baby actually loves beef now. I've eaten nothing but burgers for the last two days."
He shook his head in disbelief. "But just the other week. . . "
She shrugged. "Pregnancy is wild."
"Well, we could always go to Max Burger, you always loved their double when we were in school."
Rory hesitated, although her mouth watered at the thought of a Max Burger double. "I'm not really dressed to go out anywhere. . ."
"Go get ready, I can wait. Take as long as you need."
"I don't know. . . I just got a new copy of Hemingway. . ."
"Since when can a Gilmore not be lured by the promise of food?"
Rory blushed, suddenly embarrassed. "Nothing fits me anymore."
Logan smirked. "You need maternity clothes."
"I know, I know. My mom's been trying to take me for weeks. It's just a big step."
A hearty chuckle escaped Logan's throat. "Bigger than having a baby?"
Rory's brow furrowed. "You know what I mean."
"Tell you what. Go up stairs and shrug on anything, I don't care. You can wear your bathrobe if you want! We can go get Max Burger and then I'll take you shopping."
"You don't have to buy me clothes."
"Nonsense! My baby is the reason you can't fit anything."
She bit her lip indecisively. "Old Navy did have some linen pants that looked comfy."
…
"That baby is definitely a Gilmore through and through! I've seen you put away some serious food in the past but that. . . "
Rory laughed. "That was amazing. The best burger I've had in my life." she gestured to the dark stain down the front of her t-shirt. "I mean I'm wearing half of it, you know it was good!"
"Here we are!" Logan said, stopping at a large building with tall glass doors and marble pillars. "Olive's; Maternity and postpartum boutique." was etched into the glass in a sleek font. "This is the place Honor recommended I take you."
A very pregnant woman wearing an expensive looking outfit exited, a man quickly following behind her, his arms full of boxes and bags. They approached a town car, and a driver opened the door for the woman. Rory hesitated. "I. . . I don't know Logan. It looks . . . expensive."
Logan walked over to the door. "C'mon Ace, you're carrying my child. The least I can do is buy you a few clothes."
Rory bit her lip. "No, we could just go to the Hartford Mall. . ."
The doorman opened the door for Logan. Logan playfully peered inside. "Wait! What do I see in there? Is that linen pants?"
Rory laughed. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to look."
…
"Logan Hunzberger as I live and breathe!" a sickening sweet voice called out.
Logan grimaced at Rory, but forced a smile on his face as he turned around. "Minnie Vanderbilt?! I thought that might be you!" He hugged her softly, A streak of jealousy rippling through Rory.
Minnie giggled, flipping her long wavy golden locks over her shoulder. She turned to a woman behind her. "Where are my manners! Logan, You remember my mother."
"Your mother?! I thought that was your older sister!" Logan exclaimed very exaggeratedly.
The older woman blushed, giggling incesively .Rory smiled, glad that she wasn't the only one to quickly fall under his spell.
hugged Logan, blushing again as his arms wrapped around her. "Oh Logan you always were such a charmer!"
As they pulled apart, Rory caught her eye.
"This is. . . She's. . . This is Rory Gilmore." Logan stammered, unsure of what to introduce Rory as.
shook Rory's hand, judgingly giving her a once over, her eyes lingering a bit too long at Rory's stomach. "Eloise Vanderbilt, nice to meet you. Rory Gilmore? Gilmore as in Richard and Emily Gilmore?"
Rory nodded. "Yes, Richard and Emily are my grandparents. I'm Lorelai's daughter."
"Oh yes! I heard that you two were together! I thought you had broken up, but I must have misheard. You're such a lucky lady to have snagged our Loagie here!" She playfully tapped Logan's shoulder, the uncomfortableness clear on Logan's face. "Please do tell Shira that we are looking forward to the wedding.``
Rory's face burned bright red, wishing she could crawl into the rack behind her. She knew she shouldn't have just stuck to her guns and went to Old Navy. "oh we. . . no. . we're. . ."
"We're not together." Logan finished for her, causing a churning guilty feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Oh such a shame!" She said shooting her daughter a glance. The air was heavy, the only sound in the store was the clinking of mrs. Vanderbilt's bracelets and the occasional soft rustle of customers browsing clothing on the racks behind them. The woman's gaze darted to Rory's left hand and then back to her belly. "I see that congratulations are in order?"
Rory nodded, resting a hand on her stomach. "Coming this February."
She glanced at Logan. "The father must be so excited."
"I am." Logan beamed.
Both women's eyes widened, their mouths gaping open. Minnie gave Rory a once over once more. Rory brought a hand to her frizzy hair, suddenly self conscious.
Sensing Rory's uneasiness, Logan clapped his hands together. "Well ladies, it's been a pleasure, but I'm sure Rory here would like to finish shopping so she can sit down and put her feet up. Growing a human is hard work!"
nodded, "of course! Where are my manners! Please don't let us hold you up."
Logan hugged her once more. "It was nice seeing you, please tell Jonathan that we'll have to do a round of golf soon."
"Of course! Send Shira my love." The two women scampered off in a cloud of Chanel number 5.
Rory walked over to a rack, absentmindedly browsing through the clothes.
"Well that was awkward." Logan said, coming up beside her.
Rory glanced over at him. "No big deal."
"No big deal? I'm sure it rattled you a bit."
"I'm fine, really."
"If you're fine, why are you, Rory Gilmore, the girl who's owned the same very conservative swimsuit for years, browsing bikinis? In September no less."
Rory's nose wrinkled up. "Ok, maybe a little."
"Minnie and Eloise Vanderbilt are just high class society snobs. You have nothing to worry about."
Rory handed Logan a pale blue empire waist top. "I'm ready to go."
"You've barely looked."
"That top, along with the pants, and dress you have is already worth as much as a month's worth of tuition at Chilton, I'm sure. I don't want to spend all this money on maternity clothes. I can just go to Old Navy next week with my mom."
"We can go to Old Navy now, if that's what you want."
"I'm tired, I'm ready to go home."
Logan opened his wallet , carefully fishing out his Huntzberger Publishing American Express card. "Ok, we can go. Let me just pay for these."
Rory walked out of the store, waiting for him on the small strip of sidewalk outside.
"Huntzberger Publishing?" the cashier asked as she swiped the card. "Do you work for them?"
Logan cringed, glad that Rory was outside, out of ear shot. He still hadn't found a way to tell her that he had gone back to his father. He nodded, extending his hand. "Logan Huntzberger, Chief Operating Officer"
The cashier's demeanor instantly changed, the way people always did when they heard his last name, something that he absolutely loathed. She rambled on and on about his father, but Logan was too focused on Rory standing solemnly outside. Her big doe eyes peered out into the distance, her mind miles away from this place. What he wouldn't give to be able to read her mind! They had made progress, but For every one step forward, they took two steps back. He had to find a way to get through to her, but what?
…
Rory collapsed onto the couch as soon as they got home. She glanced at her phone absentmindedly.
Logan chose his words wisely, she had been silent the whole way home, and he didn't want to shut her out again. "Do you need anything? A glass of water? A pillow for your feet?"
"Why are you trying so hard to be with me?"
Logan's face downturned. "So no on the glass of water?"
Rory furrowed her brow. "I'm serious. Why do you want to be with me? You saw the way Minnie and Eloise Vanderbilt looked at me today. We don't fit together."
Logan rolled his eyes. "Is that what this is about?"
"I know I look rough, but they looked at me like I was some kind of leper! They were trying to figure out what on earth you could see in someone like me!"
"Someone like you? Rory, they wish they could be you!"
Rory, locked eyes with Logan for the first time throughout the whole exchange. "Yes, Minnie Vanderbilt with her perfect hair, and perfect face, and perfect unstained clothes wants to be THIS." she motioned to her body.
Logan sat down on the couch next to her. "I'm serious! If Eloise Vanderbilt had her way, That ring I gave to you would have gone to Minnie, and she would be the one carrying my baby right now."
"Maybe you should have gave her the ring." Rory said solemnly, raising her chin up to face him squarely.
"I don't want her! I want you!" Logan hissed, wanting desperately to grab her chin and guide her lips to his and communicate what his words could not.
Tears formed in Rory's eyes. "Logan I. . ."
Logan met her gaze, perfectly aware of her eyes flickering between his eyes, to his lips, and then back up again. He leaned in, her lips meeting hers with unexpected urgency. He pulled her in, wanting their bodies as close as possible. They both knew what they were doing would only cause more trouble in the long run, their internal monologues screaming from the rooftops, but their bodies had wanted this since that fateful graduation day. Logan knew he'd regret the fallout of this kiss, but he couldn't be bothered with the future as he clung to Rory.
"Rory!" a shrill voice called out breaking the moment between them, the magic quickly fizzling out.
"PARIS?" Logan and Rory exclaimed in unison, jumping apart.
Paris stomped into the living room, Doyle a few steps behind her. She glanced over at Logan in disgust. "Huntzberger? What are you doing here? Came back to water the seed that you planted?"
Rory crinkled her nose at Paris' crude comment. "Oh Paris, gross. We were just talking."
"Talking like the night four months ago when he talked you right out of those panties and created the crotch fruit that you're currently carrying?"
Rory stood up, facing Paris. "How did you even get in?"
"I used the key under the turtle." She replied matter of factly.
"We've got to find a better spot." Rory mumbled under her breath.
"Anyways," Paris continued, "we came by to discuss our wedding with you."
Logan's eyes grew wide. Paris was getting married?!
"I know you were worried about me being pregnant, but I told you, I will be bright and early."
"You're having a wedding?" Logan choked out. He turned to Rory. "you're a bridesmaid?"
"A witness. Paris and Doyle are going to the justice of the peace in Nov. . . "
"Actually Gilmore, that's what we came to talk to you about."
"You're not getting married?" Rory asked, suddenly concerned.
Paris crossed her arms defensively. "Why does everyone automatically assume that?!"
"Well. .." Logan began, but Rory shot him a dirty look.
"We're having a wedding." Doyle piped up, saving Logan. "A real, actual wedding."
A small smile spread across Logan's face, but he bit his tongue.
Rory turned to Paris. "What's going on? What changed? At the beginning you didn't even want to go to the justice of the peace."
"It's all because his stupid mother." Paris angrily barked out. "Apparently he cares what his parents think."
Doyle glanced nervously at Paris. "My mom would like us to have an actual wedding. My sister Simone eloped and my sister Hannah says she's never getting married. I'm her last hope. It's really nothing big, just a few family members, a small cake. . ."
"Oh Please! I was waiting for the Pope to pop up out of a pew when she was showing us pictures of the church! It's massive!"
"You heard how happy she was when we agreed!"
"I couldn't hear anything over her JUDGMENT!"
"She wasn't judging!"
"And you two can finally stop living in sin" Paris said in a high pitched voice. "SOUNDS LIKE JUDGMENT TO ME! I WANTED TO TAKE HER SILLY LITTLE CHEESE TRAY AND SHOVE IT UP HER. . ."
"PARIS!" Rory yelled.
Paris whipped her head around. "Geeze Gilmore I'm right here!"
Rory rolled her eyes. "So you're having a wedding?"
Paris nodded. "November 10th. Finals will be done by then, and I'll have seven weeks off before the start of the next quarter."
"You're going to have a wedding. . . an actual wedding."
"And I want you to be my bridesmaid. Doyle's sisters hate me, I need at least one person in the wedding party that is on my side. Please Rory? Please!"
Rory sighed. She nodded, reluctantly agreeing. "Ok. But good luck trying to find a dress to fit this!" She rubbed her protruding belly softly.
Paris smiled. "Are you sure there's only one in there?"