Chapter 4: And then I saw Her Face
"Where is she, guys?" Logan asked his friends as they sat on a bench on the outskirts of the park, long overcoats protecting them from the Boston air.
"She'll be here, mate. Just wait," Finn said.
"You do know she's going to cut off our balls for this, don't you?" Colin whispered to Finn.
"That I do know, dense as I may be, but she'll thank us later. At least we didn't say anything we didn't have the right to tell him," Finn whispered back.
The 3 men sat silently for the next quarter of an hour. Finn was just dozing off when he felt Logan tense beside him.
"Logan, what's wrong ,mate?" Finn asked.
Logan couldn't speak. A petite, slender young woman was walking towards them, 2 little girls attached to her delicate hands. One was about 6 or7, he recognized her as Rory's little sister. The other toddled along, barely 2 or 3 years old with white blonde hair and pale golden skin. Logan's hear skipped a beat. 2 or 3 years old? Logan thought, Is that Rory's little girl? Did I mean so little to her? Did she move on to someone else so soon after me and get pregnant? Is she married? He looked at her left hand. No ring. Who is that little girl? Why does she look so familiar?
"You guys wait here, I'm going to go talk to her," Logan murmured.
"Are you sure you want to do that, mate? Maybe you should let us go warn her before you just reappear into her life after messing it up so royally the last time you saw her," Finn suggested. Logan gave him a look that clearly said Get real or go to hell.
"I am going to at least go talk to her. If you see one of us start yelling, you can swoop in and be her knights-in-shining-armor. I have to do this though," he said, getting up off the bench. He slowly ambled over to the bench where Rory sat reading a well-worn book and drinking a cup of coffee. Logan paused and took a deep breath. This is the woman of your dreams, there is no need to be nervous. Tell her what really happened. Beg for forgiveness. Get her back. His mind was whirling. Stealing himself, he walked up and paused beside her and a little behind. God, she is still gorgeous. Her hair still looks as silky as ever. I bet her eyes are still the same beautiful baby blue color. Her skin still looks as pure as her spirit. Stop it, Huntzberger. Talk to the woman already. He blocked out the swirling thoughts.
"Some things never change, do they Ace?" he drawled softly.
Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god Rory thought, tensing at the sound of the once familiar and dear voice. What is he doing here? Tweetle Dee and Tweetle Dumb are dead.
"Logan?" she breathed incredulously, not daring to look up at him, not wanting to be lost in his dark chocolate eyes; eyes so intense and mesmerizing and enchanting and teasing and infuriating and loving that she knew she couldn't ever refuse him. He sat down beside her on the cold bench.
"How are you, Rory?"
"What are you doing here, Logan? Why did your stooges tell you where I was?" Rory asked softly, anger laced in her sweet voice.
"Because I need to talk to you, Ace. I need you to know what really happened."
"What's there to know? I walk in and you're snuggled up under the covers with a blonde bimbo in your arms."
"That wasn't me! That was my brother! I know that sounds like some lame attempt for an excuse, but it's the truth. My younger brother staid the night at our place and brought a guest."
"I wish I could believe me," she said, still looking at her lap.
"Look at me, Ace. Look me in the eyes," Logan urged gently. When she didn't respond, he put a finger under her adorable chin and lifted it up so she had to look at him. " I would never ever hurt you. If you want I'll bring my brother over and have him tell you. Will you give me another chance? At least to be your friend?"
Before she could respond, the little girls he had seen with her earlier scampered over. The younger one climbed confidently onto Rory's lap. She looked up at Logan with Rory's eyes and a smile he couldn't quite place, that was very familiar.
"I recognize Miss Gigi although she's gotten huge since I last saw her, but who's this?" Logan asked.
"This is Lorelai Elizabeth Gilmore. Ella-baby, this is Logan."
"Hewwo," the cherub murmured.
"Is she yours?" Logan asked quietly.
"Yes," Rory replied.
"How old are you, Ella?"
"Twoooo," she replied happily, holding up the corresponding number of chubby fingers.
Logan quickly glanced up at Rory.
"Who's the lucky daddy?"
"G, can you take Ella over to the slide for a minute?" Rory asked her sister. The girl nodded and took her niece to the slides.
"Who's her father, Ace?" Logan asked. When she didn't respond, he asked a third time. "Did you get over me so fast?" he asked bitterly.
"You are, Logan. You are Ella's father. It happened Spring Break. I found out 3 months later I was pregnant. By then I had shut you out of my life. She was born December 27, 2007. As much as I didn't want you to know, it won't change the fact that Ella is our daughter, not just mine."
