Chapter Six

"What time is it?"

Rory looked at the clock on the wall behind Taylor.

"It's about eleven forty-five. Just a few more minutes and we'll get another ten minute break. Why? Are you getting tired?"

"No, not tired, just bored. Nothing's happened since that woman you said was the town mechanic . . . . "

"Gypsy."

"Yeah, Gypsy, and that guy you said owned the book store . . . ."

"Andrew."

"Since Gypsy and Andrew started throwing coffee at each other. What was that about?"

"Nothing really. They're always at each other about one thing or another. You'd think they were married or something."

"How about you? Tired?"

"Some, but not too much."

Just then Logan's cell phone rang.

"What are you doing with that? I thought you left it in the car."

"I thought I did too. It's just a page . . . ."

Logan looked at the screen.

". . . from my father."

"What's it say?"

"I have to go."

"What? Why?"

"Because if I don't, he'll come looking for me. And I don't want him to cause a scene here like he did when you and your mom and Luke were at the Vineyard."

"Do you really think he'll find you HERE?"

"You don't know my father like I do. And Iknw he will. He wants me to fly to Paris with him. And he wants to leave in two hours. I'm sorry, Rory, but I really have go."

"Well, okay, if you really have to."

"I really do. If you want to get our coats I'll go get the car."

"I think I'm going to stay here, you know, to support Mom and her vendetta against Kirk."

"You're sure? I hate to strand you here with no way back to Yale."

"Logan, I live here. I'm not stranded."

"Oh, yeah, of course. I guess I'm more tired than I thought."

Rory walked Logan outside, kissed him goodbye though the car window, then watched as he drove off. As she turned to go back inside, she bumped into Dean.

"Oh, hey, I didn't see you there."

"That's okay. I was hoping we might get a chance to talk."

"I see that you and Lindsey are back together."

"Yeah, we are. We – missed each other, and we started talking, then we made up and I moved back in."

"Good. I'm glad you guys worked things out. So, where is she?"

"She's waiting in the car. She's not feeling too good."

"She's not sick is she?"

"Well, kind of. She's been throwing up, and sometimes gets nauseous."

"Has she seen a doctor? It sounds serious."

"Yeah she has."

"So what's the matter with her?"

"Her doctor said it's – uh … well, its morning sickness."

"Morning sickness? Then that means she's . . . ."

"Yeah."

"Then that means you're going to be . . . ."

"Yeah it does. I'm going to be a dad."

"That's . . . great."

Rory was having trouble getting the words out.

"That's really great. I'm . . . I'm happy for you, for both of you."

"Thanks. It's -- I don't know, scary, you know? Me! A dad!"

"Yeah, I can see how it would be. But you'll be a good dad. I always thought that."

Suddenly she hugged him, an awkward feeling hug, which he returned, feeling just as awkward.

"Well, I guess I better go, Lindsey's waiting."

"Yeah, sure."

"She's kind of difficult sometimes, you know, what with those pregnant hormones, and the throwing up, and everything."

"Right. You shouldn't keep her waiting."

After a few seconds and an odd smile, Dean walked around Rory and headed towards the car.

When he was half way to it, she yelled out to him, "I'll have to get you guys a gift, for your baby."

"Okay, thanks. Thanks a lot. I'll see you around."

As she watched the car disappear, Rory found it impossible to swallow with the enormous lump in her throat, and she realized she was tasting her own tears.

She slowly turned to go back inside, back to the gymnasium. But first she detoured to the girls' bathroom to cry a little more, and then to wash her face. She couldn't let anyone see, or even suspect, that her heart was breaking in two because Dean, HER Dean, was having a baby . . . with someone else!

TBC