Chapter 24
October 16th, 2022, Boston, MA
Rory couldn't really help but smile at the ease of which the three of them, despite some initial hesitation, fit together. There was no shortage of things to talk, especially not when Em was steering the conversation. It was not like it was their first outing, there having been a couple by now. But still - for Rory the contrast of how strange this felt and how in some alternate universe it could've been something like this all along - just made her particularly conscious of this party of three. She found herself not just being present, but also slipping into the observer's position at times. It was great seeing Em and Logan interact - it was like they were always meant to be together, how the girl interacted with him with such ease - how she was drawn to him. Clearly having by now spent a bunch of time together, just the two of them, Logan and Em were quickly getting to know each-other better and better.
"What can I get you?" the guy behind the pop-corn counter asked her, jolting her out of her thoughts as she'd watched Em and Logan entertain themselves at a photo booth with a photo stand-in of another kid's movie.
"Two large popcorns with salt and butter, two waters and a pack of twizzlers," Rory listed their order after gathering herself.
After getting their order, she joined the two.
"You ready to go?" she asked, handing Logan some of the snacks because they barely fit into her hands.
"Yeah, why not," Logan replied and showed the way into the right theater.
They'd managed to get pretty good seats, but it looked like the theater was going to be pretty packed.
Em took a seat between the two, and they got comfortable, dividing up the food and drinks, and opening up the twizzler pack for easy access.
The movie was just about to begin, the lights already dimming when the seat in front of Em was taken by this really big guy who was not just tall but also rather wide.
"I can't see..," Em complained with good reason.
There was some elementary school aged kid sitting in front of Logan so without giving it a second thought he suggested, "Let's change seats," before Rory had a chance to react.
It wasn't planned, but it truly seemed like things were working in his favor that day.
Logan's cologne... or shampoo or perfume... she wasn't really sure which it was, the one she'd noticed also before, invaded her nostrils as a result of his move, for a moment causing her to stiffen. She wasn't supposed to react like that to the man she was supposed to just co-parent with.
His forearm, his sweater sleeves rolled up, radiated heat, even if they weren't directly touching and it definitely made her very aware of where her own hand rested. She hadn't felt this nervous around him in a while, making her recall the time he'd met up with him at Rich Man's Shoe at Yale when she'd helped him with the article. But instead of hopeful anticipation, this time she was feeling like even thinking about him in any capacity just felt like toying with fire.
Logan and Em chatted a little, keeping their voices down, during the movie, while Rory was quiet.
"You're awfully quiet," Logan noted in a whisper, leaning slightly towards Rory. Frankly, he'd never watched a movie with Rory being this quiet. Surely this was not one of the things she'd consciously changed about herself. He remembered genuine conversations with her on the topic - how live commentary was half the fun.
Rory cleared her voice, having not realized how awkward she was behaving. For a second there she just wished she could let loose, relax… just enjoy. Logan always seemed so together, so smooth, even now - it was like he just knew how to do this. He seemed to know how to be friends, but Rory wasn't sure if she did.
"Just had some stuff on my mind," Rory replied, honestly, keeping her voice down.
But one thing she'd nearly forgotten as well, was the ease with which Logan could calm her if need be.
"I didn't mean to drag you out here if you had other things going on...," Logan replied apologetically.
"It's not that…," Rory whispered.
"You ever found a crocodile in your bathtub?" Logan asked, teasingly, having just watched that scene where the mother had done just that.
Rory chuckled quietly, relaxing a little.
"Just a goldfish," Rory replied.
"She still has it?" Logan asked quietly, clearly not being as into the movie as Em was.
"Nah, you know how I am with pets…," Rory confessed, not exactly having a great track record just like her mother. It might have been no one's fault, but it didn't really matter.
"So no puppy for Christmas, got it," Logan replied, in a low chuckle.
"Shh… don't even say things like that," Ror scolded him playfully, but she could totally picture him being the kind to arrange elaborate surprises. Em was definitely better off with Logan in her life, even if technically she didn't lack any things or attention. But she knew well how Logan could add his own special something to all these otherwise ordinary things.
They continued to exchange a few casual lines about the movie, Logan once in a while talking also to Em, Rory allowing herself to relax a little. This wasn't so bad, was it?
And while their elbows had touched a little, the sensation not feeling like this big drama to her anymore, she had cautiously paid attention to what she was doing to avoid an awkward touching of the hands if they were to accidentally reach into the popcorn box simultaneously.
After the movie ended they made their exit and Rory accompanied Em to the bathroom, the large ladies room with a long line of people waiting looking a little daunting for Em to go on her own.
Logan stayed out in the hallway waiting, and as if on cue his phone rang.
"Honor!" Logan greeted his sister jollily, having very little reason to feel down. He was almost beginning to think that this morning's chilly swim was what had started everything rolling the right way for him, if he were to believe in such things as good luck rituals.
"Hey, you sound chipper," Honor commented.
"Suppose I am. Just been having a good day, " Logan shared.
"Well, I'm glad. I just had a small nervous breakdown trying to make Linus to switch off his reading light. I swear that kid is the death of me…," Honor complained.
"Hah..," Logan reacted, really not knowing that side of parenthood too well just yet. "So, how are things?" he asked and the two went on to talk a few minutes about business.
"And so we saw the Phantom and honestly this version was a lot better than what we saw a couple of years ago," Honor said, after they'd finished talking about business and switched over to casual catching up.
"Hm-hm," Logan commented.
"So where are you anyways?" Honor inquired, hearing someone emerge from another theater hall that was playing a thriller's scream scene.
"I'm at the movies with Em and Rory," he replied.
"You are?!" Honor exclaimed, her tone being very much suggestive of something more.
"Hey, don't even imply anything…," Logan scolded his sister.
"Hey, I am allowed to have my own hopes for you. I just want you happy, you know that right. And you two…," Honor began to say but Logan cut her off.
"We were complicated. Please don't make this into something idyllic before we just allow things to settle," Logan said. "I'm just incredibly lucky to be on friendly terms with her..," Logan added, just as Rory and Em emerged through the bathroom door, catching his last sentence.
Rory didn't know he was talking about her, but she somehow guessed.
"Listen, I got to go, I'll talk to you soon," Logan began to say his goodbyes.
"Oh, wait. Can I talk to Rory for a sec, I don't have her number and I just want to say 'hi' - I'll be good I promise," Honor pleaded.
"Alright, fine," Logan said, and handed his phone over to Rory. "It's Honor, she wants to talk," he added.
Rory was a little taken aback, having not expected it. But she had always liked Honor, so she was not too avoidant of the conversation.
"That's my sister," Logan explained to Em.
"Hey, Honor. It's been a long time," Rory said.
"Rory! It's so good to hear your voice," Honor exclaimed.
"Yeah, it has," Rory replied, almost fearing Honor would say something that would make her all emotional.
"Well… I didn't want to spoil your fun day," Honor replied, just borderline emphasizing that they must've been having fun together, the three of them. "I just wanted to say 'hi' and ask if you had plans for Thanksgiving. I'll be State-side. Maybe you and your daughter could join us at Martha's for Thanksgiving. She could meet her cousins and I'd love to see both of you. I won't be home before Christmas after that," Honor explained.
"We'll be in Nantucket. So I am not sure we could swing the whole weekend, but maybe we could drop by for a day or something," Rory suggested.
"That's all I ask," Honor replied gratefully.
They said their goodbyes, and Rory handed the phone back to Logan.
"She invited us to the Vineyard for Thanksgiving," Rory explained.
"Where's that?" Em inquired, as they moved towards the exit to get their coats.
"That's close to Nantucket," Rory replied.
"That'd be nice…," Logan suggested, having heard her words earlier about perhaps being able to swing a day or so. It was more than he'd dared to hope for or ask for. But if you don't want to, that's fine…. You know how she can be a little overbearing sometimes," Logan said apologetically.
"No, it's fine… it's just. Is your dad going to be there?" Rory asked keeping her voice down so Em wouldn't overhear. That was definitely one interaction she wasn't looking forward to.
"No, he's not really the family holiday kind of guy," Logan replied.
"Okay, good," Rory exhaled.
"You really don't have to worry about him, you know..," Logan added.
"You really think he's going to like this news?" Rory asked with concern.
"He probably won't love it.. But then again he's an old guy. I think he'll mostly just yell at me for stepping out of the company the way I did," Logan explained, handing Em her coat.
"You're stepping out?" Rory asked, suddenly realizing how much this move was actually costing him. It was his life's work, half-a-life's work at least considering his age, and she knew for a time there he had loved it. He had truly been good at it too.
"I'll still be on the advisory board, I'll still be a shareholder. But I won't be holding on to any executive seats, yeah," Logan replied., having made the decision last week.
"That's pretty big..," Rory reflected.
"It is. But there's nowhere else I'd rather be," Logan assured as if it was the easiest decision he ever made.
Him saying that, despite having assumed something along those lines already, just made everything so much more real. She just wasn't used to Logan choosing something other than himself...his life. But she also realized her assumptions for the basis of his former decisions had not actually been quite as accurate as she'd believed at the time. Now he really was choosing Boston. He was choosing his daughter… Rory not quite yet daring to think that he might also be choosing her.
