Back to the Basics

Chapter 6

His entire body, mind and soul were numb. Finn had literally felt his life being ripped from him. He felt cold and had no energy to move. He lay there on his bed staring at ceiling for how long he didn't know; five minutes, two hours, an eternity. The ceiling above him had long ago turned into a blurr a mixture of staring too long and the tears that kept threatening to flow from his green eyes; her eyes.

"Finn?" a female voice called quietly from the doorway.

He didn't answer.

"Finn?" she said more urgently this time. "Finn talk to me."

He didn't even move. He heard her move into the room towards his bed where he lay. The bed caved in a little from her weight as she sat beside him. He wanted to turn his back on her. He wanted to yell and scream. He just wanted to be alone but he couldn't mustre enough energy to even move his mouth.

"You've been hiding for hours, Hun," Rory said. He felt her small hand place itself on his cheek. She sighed. "Come downstairs and have some food. You need to eat."

He hesitated a moment before ever so slightly shaking his head then he went back to his frozen state.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me," she said softly. She kissed his cheek and left the room as quietly as she had come.

His eyes flickered to the door she had just exited suddenly wishing she was sitting next to him again. The spot her hand had occupied on his cheek was rapidly turning cold again.

-

Rory sighed when she left Finn's room. She couldn't stop worrying about him. He hadn't said a word since they had received the news earlier that day. They, Rory and Finn, had just been about to sit down to lunch before going to the hospital when Mr Rothschild had entered the room, his eyes were bloodshot. Instantly Rory knew something was off. Finn apparently knew this as well as he went stock still at the sight of his poor disheveled father.

"Son," Mr Rothschild had begun.

Finn stood up Shaking his head frantically. His eyes were wide and hands were clenched into fists.

"I'm so sorry," his father's voice trembled with emotion.

Finn didn't stop shaking his head as he walked stifly from the room.

That was when Rory understood. Peyton had died. Finn had lost his mother.

Rory had went to check on Finn every so often throughout the day since they had heard. He always lookde the same. Lying uncomfortably straight and staring at the ceiling as though it held all the answers. She wondered vaguely if he did get any.

She walked down the stairs to check on the other Rothschild male, who seemed to have holed himself up in his office.

She knocked softly on the door before she walked in.

"Mr Rothschild?" she said uncertainly.

A sniffle caught her attention. Winston was sitting at his desk, his clothes were in disarray. In his hand was a picture frame. Rory was't able to see what the frame held but she was sure it was of his late wife.

She hobbled awkwardly into the office and cleared her throat.

"Oh, Miss Gilmore, Rory, I didn't see you there," Winston said sounded quite startled as he looked up at her.

"I appologise, sir," Rory said. She hesitated. "Are you alright? Well Of course you're not, what a stupid question. I'm sorry that was so unthoughtful of me."

He cleared his throat and set the frame on his desk. "I have a lot of things to do, Rory. I need to - to contact the funeral parlour for her - her," he choked back a sob, "body. I need to call the family, the caterers."

He started to ruffle through the papers on his desk until he found a large black adress book. He flipped it open and reached for the phone. He fumbled with it as he attempted to punch in a number.

"Mr Rothchild, sir, let me."

Winston looked up.

"Sir, you have enough to get on with. Let me take care of this," she said sympathetically. "I'll contact everyone and have everything arranged. Why don't you go take a shower and a nap. I'll send some dinner up for you later."

He nodded. "Thank you."

He gave her hand a squeeze as he was leaving.

"How is...?"

Rory shrugged. "He won't talk. I'm getting really worried."

"I'll check in on him."

It was Rory's turn to thank him.

Turning to the desk Rory found contact information for the funeral parlour. She sighed before she started to dial the number.

-

Still lying in his missionary position Finn heard his door open he kept his eyes fixed upwards figuring the visitor was Rory. His face contorted into frown when he realised the footsteps were much too heavy to belong to Rory. He turned his head slightly to see his father standing just inside the room.

"Go away," Finn mumbled before turning back to looking at the ceiling.

"No."

Finn cracked a small smile. "Did she send you?"

"She's worried about you," Winston answered. "I'm worried about you."

Anger flared in Finn. He was standing and glaring at his father in no time flat. "You're worried about me? Don't make me laugh, Daddy Dearest. You don't care; not about me or about mom!"

"Of course I care, Finn, you are my son!" came Winston's retort.

"What about you're wife," Finn shot back. "Was she not important enough to you?"

There was a flash of anger in Winston's eyes but when he spoke he spoke calmly. "You're mother meant the world to me, Finn, you know that. Don't ever try to make it seem that I didn't care. I have always cared, son."

Tears leaked from Finn's eyes, "then why didn't you ever visit her in the hospital?"

"I was there today. I know that doesn't make up for all the times I was absent but I went there today with hopes to make it right. I was too late, I know that. I only had a few moments with her this morning before, well, before she passed," Winston revealed to his son. When Finn didn't say anything Winston continued, "Peyton, your mother, she was always the strong one as I'm sure you know. She was the backbone of this family."

Finn nodded and climbed back into bed. This time though, he curled up like a cat. He looked like a young boy. "Okay," he said.

"Okay," Winston Rothschild echoed.

Finn heard him walking to the door. "Dad," he called. He heard him stop walking. "What made you go there today?"

Winston was silent for a moment no doubt formulating his answer. "That Rory Gilmore is an extraordinary woman."

"Yes," Finn said quietly, "she is."