Back to the Basics
Chapter 7
She yawned for what seemed like the millionth time that morning. Over the past few days there hadn't been enough time for Rory to get much sleep and arrange everything for the funeral. There just weren't enough hours in the day. For the last eight hours she had been on the phone to friends and family of the Rothschild's. Needless to say the conversations were less than cheery. She had kept the calls short and to the point. "Hello, this is Rory Gilmore. I am calling on behalf of the Winston Rothschild. Mr/Mrs Someone, I regret to inform you of the passing of Peyton Rothschild. The services will be held…" Her once sympathetic voice had turn monotonous and robotic by the second hour of phone calls. She had spent hours writing and researching an eloquent obituary for the deceased which had been sent out to every major newspaper in Australia and America.
On top of all the work Rory had completed she was beyond worried about Finn. The once vibrant and energetic Aussie was now in an almost comatose state. He was but a shell of himself. He rarely ate, spoke or moved.
Her To-Do list was still crammed with tasks that need to be completed. The first task was to hire a few servants to clean the mansion. She had seen rooms in the house that had thick layers of dust accumulated. Mr Rothschild had apparently let go of all the maids a long time ago.
She had to call the caterers back with a confirmation of the menu and the approximated number of people who were to attend the funeral. She had to make an appointment with them to come to the house and decide where they will set up.
Her wardrobe wasn't appropriate for the occasion so she needed to get a black dress. When she had left her dorm a few days previous she hadn't thought much to her packing. She had just thrown a few things into a bag before she hobbled out of the door as quickly as her crutches allowed her.
The minister that was to do the ceremony had left a message the night before with questions about the service that she needed to clear up with him before the funeral.
She was also arranging the guests' lodgings at close by hotels. The list just never seemed to end.
Rory sighed tiredly and reached for the telephone.
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A shrill ringing in her ear woke Rory. She roughly patted the surface around her head searching for the damned noise. When her hand kept colliding with hard wood, Rory lifted her head.
"Ow," she mumbled rubbing her stiff neck. A piece of paper had somehow attacked itself to her forehead; she swatted it off. She located the ringing object; her cell phone. "Hello?"
She frowned as she looked around the room she was in. She was still sitting at Winston's oversized desk in his office.
"Rory, it's Colin!" a voice yelled in her ear over music that was in the background.
Rory held the phone a little away from her ear as she countered, "where are you?"
"New York. I was wondering if you wanted to join us," Colin said.
"Us?"
"Logan and I," Colin explained.
"Wait a second. You two are out partying? What about Finn?"
Colin laughed he was obviously a little inebriated. "It's Spring Break, Ror!"
"But," Rory prodded, "what about Finn?"
"What about Finn?" he asked. "You're not still worried are you? Look Rory, Finn probably just skived off school and started the break early. That's all. Don't worry about it."
"What are you talking about Colin?" Rory asked confused. "Finn's in Australia."
"See. Exactly, he started early."
"No. No, he didn't," Rory, said. "I thought he would have told you. I mean you guys tell each other everything. I don't believe this. I shouldn't have assumed. Oh no."
"Rory," Colin said slowly, "what are you talking about?"
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His hair was still dripping wet from the shower he had just taken as he sat dressed in his dishevelled clothes on his bed. He had no desire to get dressed in the immaculate clothes Rory had laid out for him. He wanted to crawl back into bed.
As it was the morning of the funeral Finn was able to hear the rustle of activity on the main floor of the mansion. Maids were running around making last minute clean ups and the caterers were setting up tables and working in the kitchen.
"Finn," Rory said walking into the room, wearing a quarter sleeve black dress that stopped at her knees, displaying a smooth pale leg and a cast encased leg, "why aren't you dressed yet?"
He shrugged.
She threw him a sympathetic look as she sat down next to him. "Finn I know his is going to be hard but I'm going to be right there with you. You're not alone Finn."
He looked up at her, his green eyes shining with child-like innocence, "promise?"
She nodded. "Come on," she said holding out her hand. "Let's get you ready."
She handed him a black suit with a black shirt to go underneath. When he was fully dressed Rory surveyed him with a confused expression. He raised an eyebrow at her.
"Something's missing," she told him.
He watched her as her intense blue yes travelled up and down his body. It made him slightly uncomfortable. He was sure a reddish tint had graced his facial features. It was sad to think but he couldn't remember the last time someone had looked at him like Rory was at that moment.
She smiled. "Wait here, I know what's missing."
Rory disappeared from the room for a few minutes returning with a small bottle of nail polish. He almost smiled as she started to apply to the black colour to his nails.
"There," she said giving him a small smile, "Now you look like the Finn I know and love."
He was sure the slight red tint had turned more noticeable.
"It's time to go now, Finn."
And just like that he paled again.
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A/N: Okay, not much happened in this chapter but surprisingly I actually really like this chapter...wierd. It seems though that my readers seem to enjoy the chapters I don't like. I don't get it. Anyway, next chapter will be the funeral. Such a happy story isn't it?
Review.