When Logan comes out of the house by way of the garage, he is greeted with the sight of Lorelai still sitting in her four-door Jeep, talking animatedly to what looks like herself. Upon seeing Logan, she gives him a little wave and points him toward the back hatch.
Logan rounds the SUV and pulls open the back door, then lifting the glass window hatch.
"Good grief. This thing is huge."
"That's what she said!", Lorelai interjects, overtalking whomever she was speaking with over her car's Bluetooth.
Logan laughs, thinking about how everyday conversations almost always take a turn towards the dirty. If Rory were down here, surely the bit would continue. As it were, all he can do is shake his head and attempt to get enough grip on the box to begin pulling it out.
"Lorelai, are you even listening to me?", an accented French voice bellows through the speakers.
"Yes, Michel, I am listening to you and once and for all, we will not charge a fee for canceling due to the snow! I don't care who was booked to come in. Sasha Fierce or no, Sasha Fierce. We just won't ever do it!"
"But it very well could have been the Queen Bee! I always miss out on all the cause celebrite. We finally get some A-listers and this storm comes to steal my thunder."
Logan speaks up before they can start up again. "Lorelai, I could really use a helping hand. I believe this is a two person job." He winces at his choice to words, as they can be taken as "dirty", but luckily Lorelai just cracks a smile, then wraps up Michel's previous tirade quickly.
"Michel, I'll be there to check in tonight, we can go over the guest bookings for the next few days then. Right now, I have to go.", she presses the button to end the call, before he can protest further.
Lorelai hopped out of the car and came around to the back. "You know, we had a bit of help getting this thing into the car... I guess I didn't consider what it would take to unload it. When I saw it in the store, I knew it was the perfect gift for my little Eli. It's a Mercedes SUV, two-seater, he can even drive his sister around in it when she is old enough to play! And it's tradition! I must buy a car on Black Friday! It's totally becoming my thing."
"Can you grab that side?", Logan broke in, having already managed to slide the box out enough to hang off the edge. They both pulled the rest of it out, and shuffled together into the garage to store it until Christmas. "I'm sure he's going to love it. He loves anything from his Glammy.", Logan added with a chuckle.
"He does, doesn't he?", Lorelai beamed. "I just love spending time with him, I never realized how great it is to be a grandparent. You get all the love and cuddles, then give them back to the parents for bedtime routines and potty training."
"Ugh, potty training is brutal... Plus, I'm pretty sure I didn't have him 'go' before his nap. He may wake up with an accident, he's only just learned to stay dry during the day."
"Aww, he's taking a nap? I was hoping to see him for a little bit before I head to Stars Hollow. Maybe I'll just sneak up and have a peek at him?"
"Be my guest. Rory's upstairs changing but he should be up soon to anyway. He's been down for over an hour."
When Logan returned to the kitchen after getting everything situated outside, he began to pull out a few containers of their leftover Thanksgiving dinner yesterday.
It was the first family Thanksgiving that they hosted in their recently renovated home, and everything had been perfect. He and Rory had practiced making a few of the traditional side dishes beforehand to make sure all the food was up to par for a seasoned consumer of holiday feasts such as Lorelai. Luke and YouTube tutorial recipes were at the ready should they run into an unexpected snafu. Luckily, every dish turned out as expected and even earned raves from the most discerning of critics: their son.
Next year, they hoped to make it bigger and better, with Chris, Lana and Georgia - who insisted that she be called by her given name instead of,Gigi, now that she was a teenager- in attendance. They couldn't make it this year since committing themselves to visit Francine at her house in the Bahamas, this week instead.
Hopefully, Emily would be able to make next year's trek into Hartford also, with the weather forecast cooperating fully, unlike this Thanksgiving. As it was, a quickly forming Nor'easter kept her on Nantucket Island, for fear of getting stuck in the incoming weather.
Finally, they hoped to one day recreate the Friends-giving they attended last year, at a large chalet on the slopes, that they had all Air BnB'd, before everyone's daily responsibilities called them back to work.
Rory and Logan really had a ton of fun, there with their friends. They invited her friends and his friends, mutual friends together, both old and new and really had a raucous time. As raucous as, fiscally-responsible thirty-somethings get, anyway. Sans baby, they really cut loose. Lorelai and Luke readily volunteered to keep Eli, plus April was scheduled to visit and had been begging for some "baby-time", her graduate studies on the West Coast making it harder to witness her nephew grow up.
Still, having a low key dinner here yesterday evening, was something that he will never forget. It was the very essence of family, something that his heart had wanted for longer than he cared to admit.
After the candlelit dinner, replete with the Gilmore family set of fine china place settings, which Emily had set aside for Rory, the supposed former Gilmore girls settled down to have a movie night. Luke made his goodbyes, glad he had driven separately. The ladies had planned to make this an overnight thing, to get up "early-ish" to shop the next day.
Lorelai announced that she came prepared for movie night with three absolute classics, sure to get them in the shopping mindset. She produced a usb stick, from seemingly out of nowhere and practically bounded over to the tv set up in the hearth room.
"Mom, you sure are eager. What movies did you bring?", asked Rory.
"Mannequin, Making Mr. Right and the "coup de grâce" Can't Buy Me Love. Rest In Peace Amanda Peterson.", she said and actually gave a short bow with praying hands to punctuate the end of her sentence. When she lifted her head, she had the glint of mischief in her eyes.
"I get it, Mom, all movies with malls or where department store scenes feature. But you know I hate Mannequin. That movie freaks me out.", Rory responded to her mother's antics. "I mean, mannequin figures come to life, can you think of anything creepier?", she added with a shudder.
"Logan, did you know Rory was afraid of mannequins?", Lorelai said, turning toward me. "She hated going into department stores as a child, up until she was about 10. Was terrified that they would start moving and come down off their platforms, to terrorize us."
"Of course, it didn't help that you loved this movie and watched it at least once a month, my trauma repeating."
"Hello – Andrew McCarthy. And a bed of fur to wake up in. Gotta tell Luke about that one...", she added wistfully, as if making a mental note.
"Ugh, gross Mom."
"I'm gonna take the little one up for his bath", Logan inserted into the conversation, that clearly could have kept going. He picked up Eli, who was in his toy area off to the side of the family room and started moving towards the stairs. He stopped to give Rory a brief but promising kiss on the lips, Eli reaching for his mom to give her a hug also, before continuing upstairs.
He heard Lorelai imitate a playful choking sound at their display of affection, as he walked away, the ladies dissolving into a teasing banter once again.
Bath time was uneventful but fun, as Eli loved taking a bath and rarely protested. Logan was glad he was able to do slip into caregiver mode. Although he spent most mornings with Eli while Rory went to class, he rarely made it back home in time for his nightly bath. After brushing teeth and getting into their pajamas, -Paw Patrol for Eli, gray tee and loose cotton bottoms for Logan- they decided to rejoin the party downstairs, with mommy and "gammy", which is what it sounded like for Eli to try to say "Glammy", not quite able to pronounce the blend properly yet.
Upon returning to the family area, with a comfy, deep U shaped sectional, facing the entertainment center set-up and large flat screen, Eli went right over and snuggled up with Lorelai on one end of the couch. Rory was actually scrolling through her phone, doing her best to avoid the movie currently playing on the screen.
"You really hate this movie that much, to be breaking a Gilmore movie night rule."
"I tried to tell her Logan. She just won't listen."
"I'm here now, sweetie. Nothing to be afraid of. I'll shield you from the scary parts...", Logan adds with a slight laugh. He settles down next to Rory on her side, and she immediately drapes herself over him. She still has on her cozy cable knit sweater and leggings with sweater socks and looks absolutely adorable to him.
"You two keep ganging up on me if you want. This movie is still strange. Only good part is Hollywood and his pink Cadillac – and of course the Golden Girl herself, Estelle Getty."
"What about James Spader? That guy plays the foil to perfection, everytime! How could discount his comedic performance?", Lorelai feigns indignance.
"Yeah, yeah, I guess."
We quiet down and finish the movie, after which I can see both of their points. I look over and see Eli is knocked out, curled up next to his grandmother. Rory, herself has been asleep for at least the last 30 minutes, by my estimation, her breathing becoming heavy and evening out sometime ago.
Lorelai has the remote and rolls right into the next movie, I offer to take Eli upstairs and put him to bed. Rory stirs when I get up, and is excited to see the next movie has started.
The nap, which is sleep that she needs more of now that she is with child, seems to revive her and by the time I make it to the landing with Eli, they are both extolling the virtues of John Malvovich and reminiscing about Frusen Glädjé.
I tuck in our son, then go to check my emails and the weather forecast again, in my home office, make sure there are no fires I may have to put out. Unfortunately, both fronts hold not-so-good news.
Rory finds me still in here hours later, the movies done and Lorelai gone to bed in the guest quarters.
"Uh oh, You've got that problem-solving look on your face. What's going on?", asks Rory.
"I may have to get in front of a situation at work, back in the city. I was actually hoping you and Eli would come back with me instead of staying here to ride out the storm."
"Sure, no problem. I've got some reading to do for finals and I think I left an errant sheet of notes back in the apartment anyway."
"I know this is a change of plans, we were trying to get away and transition back here after the first of the year so Eli can start school."
"It's just a few days, Logan, no big deal. I can study there just as well, maybe even meet up with my study group instead of texting. That's our home too, we'll be just as comfortable there as here."
"Thanks babe. I was really starting to get worked up with worry about it. I have a feeling I'm going to need you to come home to this week. Everyone's IQ at work has seemed to drop 10 points overnight."
"Its okay. Lets go shower and get ready for bed. Then you can show me how much You really appreciate me..."
As Logan came out of his musings on the intimate happenings, in their shower and then in their bed to follow, (Can't Buy Me Love makes me frisky, Rory informed him cheekily, when he found her already wanting as he touched her while they washed each other) Lorelai returned to the kitchen just then, holding a grinning toddler in her arms.
"I peeked in on him for a few minutes and, lo and behold, his little head pops up"
"There's my little guy!", Logan addresses the boy in his Glammy's arms. "Was he dry?"
"He was, but we've already stopped by the bathroom on our way down here. He went, no problems."
"Awesome! Give Dad a high five", as he held up his hand and Eli returned the gesture enthusiastically.
"I'll just put him in his highchair and ….", Lorelai imitates walking out with her fingers so only Logan can see. He understands her words unspoken, knowing from experience if Eli sees her leave, he is likely to freak out.
"He doesn't do that for anyone else, not even us. You're his favorite", Logan says with a smile.
"I know, and he's my favorite too", she says securing the tray in place, after strapping him in. "And when your sister comes, she'll be my favorite too", giving him a little touch on the nose with her finger, causing him to giggle.
Logan already had his plate and tiny fork ready for him, sitting on the island along with his sippy cup. Lorelai reached over and got them, placing them on Eli's tray, so he could begin eating dinner. This should provide the distraction she needed in order to tip toe out.
"Tell Rory, I'll call her tomorrow", she whispers to Logan, headed out the door to the garage.
"Will do."
A few moments later, he hears Rory pad down the stairs and come toward the kitchen.
Even fresh out of the shower, with a messy top knot and cotton loungewear, she still takes his breath away. Years later and she still does it for him, with just one look.
"Was that Mom leaving?"
"Yes, she told me to tell you she'd call you tomorrow."
"Ok, are you ready to eat? I'm absolutely famished after all that shopping."
"Did you get anything for me?"
"Maybe," she says drawing out the word and evading his grasp as he comes for her. She goes to the island, where a plate is already waiting for her. She pulls back a little section of her top, showing him a thin strap leading to a racerback behind her and a triangle of lace in the front, knowing that he still watching her.
He comes closer to her, and she returns her top to its rightful place but then lifts a little of the hem of her shirt while pulling down the top of her pant over her hip, exposing a lace-bordered bikini bottom.
"You're teasing me. Are those Aerie? You know I love you in Aerie", he says as he finally manages to get a hold of her.
"You'd think I had on La Perla or something, the way you carry on", Rory says, as they hug right there by the kitchen counter.
"I like these cotton panties. I've always liked that you prefer them over the fancy ones for everyday wear, you know that."
"A refreshing change, from back in the day huh? I wasn't tripping all over myself trying to impress you like all those other girls."
"Chill out", he says in a joking manner, feeling sheepish even about things that happened so long ago, back in college. "I still got you though."
"Yeah, I guess you did. And I got you too. Win-win, I suppose."
"Abso-freaking-lutely", he censors himself, since Eli is in the room, still happily eating and gives her a kiss. "Now, lets eat. So you can put your feet up and rest from your day. I'm eager to get a clearer picture of what you purchased later, you're going to need your strength..."