Chapter 164
April 28th, 2022
For Rory the day followed a surprisingly similar path that her dream had - except of course for running into Jason in her mother's living room doing his walk of shame, and surprisingly she actually still had the bathing suit she'd worn when she'd been pregnant with Em somewhere in the bottom of her drawer hence avoiding any chance of exposing herself at the Inn's reception.
It was funny, how thinking back everything she'd dreamt of spoke about her insecurities. Her worry for her mom and Luke, her self-consciousness concerning her looks, her fears, and actually giving her a viewpoint she hadn't considered before. She understood now that Em could not only be jealous but she could in fact be worried about her mom's health. Em always worried. She picked up things an adult hardly realized she had been subjected to at all and while Rory hadn't had that kind of a serious talk with Em yet, not wanting to push her, she knew she might need to.
They'd just spent the morning swimming and hanging out by the pool at the Inn, just the two of them, while Lorelai finished up some tasks at the office - another alteration from her dream.
After they'd showered and gotten dressed again they made their way to the dining room, both Em and Rory already feeling starved, they finally met up with Lorelai.
"Are you wrinkled enough yet?" Lorelai asked, directing the question mostly to Em. She was wearing a sharp burgundy pencil dress with a keyhole neckline detail. It was amazing how she pulled pieces like that off being a lot more brave in her choices than Rory sometimes was.
"Just a little," Em replied.
"Why don't you go play in the playroom while we order you some food," Lorelai suggested, gesturing towards the small play area, which was invitingly full of legos.
"So - is your little Feris Bueler's Day off working for you? Are you feeling better?" Lorelai asked, caringly. It was insane how many de ja vu's Rory had already had that day, movie references included.
"I guess. I did need it… though I can't help to feel a little guilty now," Rory admitted. She had in her mind wondered who had substituted for her and what her students thought.
"Oh hush, none of that. You're too goody two shoes for your own good," Lorelai chimed, leading Rory to her favorite table in the place. It was a corner table with a welcoming light blue velvet couch.
"I had the strangest dream tonight…," Rory began, shaking her head, still not quite believing it.
"Stranger than that dirty dream I had about Batman and Robin?" Lorelai asked, having explained the dream to Rory in too vivid detail. Just like she'd once dreamt about Paula Anka's meeting, the name of her new dog was similarly infused into Lorelai's dreams.
"I dreamt that you got together with Jason," Rory described, speaking in a hushed tone as if scared someone might overhear her.
"Jason? What, like Jason Stiles?" Lorelai exclaimed, bursting into laughter. But the laughter seemed forced.
"Yup," Rory replied, seriously and nodded assuringly.
Lorelai continued to laugh, as if it was the funniest thing in the world - perhaps overdoing it a little.
"What?!" Rory asked. "You're not, are you?" she added.
"No, of course not," Lorelai replied. "But I did see him the other day," Lorelai confessed a second later. Even if a lot less these days, it sometimes felt like the two did share a connection, which used to express itself by the two of them finishing each-other's sentences. Perhaps now it was more subconscious than ever.
"You did? Where?" Rory asked, demanding some details. There was just something in her mother's eyes, some twinkle, that hadn't been there in months and it made her suspect something. The dream really hadn't helped, making her very suspicious.
"Just in Hartford, some random parking lot," Lorelai blabbered, going on about how she'd had some errands to run - getting her phone repaired, buying curtains, something about a new fruit vendor.
"Uh-uh," Rory replied, sceptically.
"It's nothing, I swear," Lorelai said. "Just weird that you were dreaming of him," she shot back at her.
"You're sure?" Rory asked, needing that additional confirmation she didn't need to worry about her mother too.
"I am sure. Sure it was good seeing him, it brough some memories back - he'd always so good with his words... So the thought may have crossed my mind for a second, but no.. no, no, NO!" Lorelai reassured, shaking her head.
Rory had figured something along those lines. And if anything, this just made her think about Luke. While she had seen Luke several times since January, they hadn't really talked either. Perhaps imagining the scenario of losing Lorelai was what he actually needed to be reminded of. Rory knew well how her mother got restless and how her mind wandered, and communication between Luke and Lorelai had never been top notch.
Then the waiter came to take their order, recommending the baked chicken parmesan with penne al a vodka with a garden salad and grilled salmon with apple cider glaze. They took one of each, and another pasta for Em, minus the vodka.
"So how's Logan doing?" Lorelai inquired, after the waiter had left and, shortly after, brought them some water to drink.
"He's good, I guess," Rory replied. "Busy," she added. She didn't really know the details, Logan not wanting to bore her. But Rory felt fairly serene and calm knowing Honor was there with him. But she didn't really know how they spent their time - realistically thinking they probably weren't together every minute of every day come to think of it.
"It just must feel really strange being back there like that," Lorelai noted, trying to put herself in Logan's shoes.
"Yeah, he said it did. But he's mostly been at work. It's not like he's going to drop by Odette's or their house or something and suddenly get a craving to stay there," Rory rationalized. This much she trusted him. And truthfully, she felt a lot better after Logan had told her that he wasn't really planning on re-aquainting any of those relationships besides the work-kind.
"But being married for four-five years to someone… It's a lot. It was what his life revolved around. Memories popping up everywhere he goes. I'd just check-in more if I were you," Lorelai added.
This really wasn't what Rory had needed to hear, once again her mother making her doubt herself. She trusted Logan, but why did her mother's opinion always rank so high in her brain?
It was then Em joined them at the table, already feeling thirsty and hungry. Apparently there was a 'too hungry to play' kind of hunger in a preschooler. So she nibbled on some bread until the food got there, likely spoiling at least a part of her appetite. The discussion topics trailed to other things - talk about others in Stars Hollow or the Inn, mostly.
It was as the meal draw to a close when Lorelai got called to reception to take a call, and Em scattered off to play again.
The timing was kind of perfect to make that call. She wouldn't be calling Logan in the middle of the night if she called now. So she dialed.
"Hey, Ace? What's up?" Logan picked up, cheerily. He was just leaving work, just having stepped out of the elevator to head out. The benefits of being freelancer in this meant he didn't need to stick around 10 PM, but was out of the office by 7, knowing he'd have plenty of time to go somewhere decent for dinner, and perhaps a walk along his favourite trails, or maybe if the weather got bad just work out at the hotel gym for a bit. Work and life balance had never felt easier to achieve.
"I'm playing hooky, we're at the Inn," Rory shared, still a little ashamed. She kept glancing around, making sure she didn't see anyone from Hartford that she knew in relation to Chilton.
"Finally," he exhaled, stepping into the street noise, approvingly. Rory could hear him smile through his words.
"Don't gloat," Rory scolded him playfully.
"Hey, I'm just happy you're resting," Logan added.
"So, how was work?" Rory asked, but heard Logan say, most likely talking to his driver, "I'm going to walk today, thanks," casually.
"Work was fine, not the same… Honor has turned a lot of things around. I'm pretty proud of her actually. She comes off doubtful or insecure to me sometimes, but honestly - I'm not sure I could've done things any better than she has already. She's something else..," he praised.
"She is pretty incredible," Rory reflected.
"And yeah, once I fought off all the questions about whether I was back for good… I could just focus on what I was there to do. And I am happy to be able to help. I don't want to make a habit of this, but every now and again - why not, right?" he said, sounding energized.
"You sound good," Rory commented, feeling relieved.
"Yeah, I guess I am, though I have to say…," he began. "Saturday can't come fast enough," he added, missing her dreadfully. They'd done the distance thing so many times and one did get used to it, but they'd both gotten very used to being close just the same. It was not something one wanted to get used to.
"Agreed," Rory said.
"Listen, I had some spare time last night. And I know I said I wanted to plan our honeymoon as a surprise, but I am beginning to reconsider. I mean - yes, I'll still plan it. But since I don't know what it's like to be 6-months pregnant in anywhere warm or on flight for more than 10 hours, I might just as well make sure you'd be comfortable with what I book," Logan said.
"Aw… I was almost looking forward to being whisked away by you," Rory complained. "But seriously - thank you," she added.
"So crossing the ocean is probably too long, right?" Logan asked.
"It might be. There may always be the chance they won't let me fly at all though, though last time I probably could've, not that I did. Not beyond Nantucket," Rory replied.
"Right, so I'll make a back up plan, don't worry," Logan said, continuing to walk and came to a half at a street crossing, a big double decker blocking his path due to the evening traffic jam.
"But somewhere with a pool might be nice. When you feel like a whale, water is pretty much the only place to be," Rory chuckled.
"There'll be a pool, what do you think, that I was born yesterday?" he teased, knowing he was better to aim for a private pool.
"And not too hot," Rory pointed out.
"Alaska then, okay - can do," Logan teased, becoming a little annoyed as he stood there waiting. He noticed some people already going around the bus, but he really wasn't in this kind of hurry.
"And no mosquitoes," Rory requested.
"Well, there's always Nantucket," Logan continued to joke.
"Oh come on," Rory laughed.
"Don't worry, I have a few plans up my sleeve," Logan replied, not aiming to tell her everything. But he was generally thinking of some fancy resort on the East Coast - or Bermuda, feeling a little down that his plans for Madeira, Canarias, Azores or Cape Verde were looking more unlikely.
"I'm sure you do," Rory assured.
It was then Logan decided to follow a lot of the other pedestrians and walk around the bus, feeling like an idiot for having stood waiting for this long. But on his defence he had been distracted. There must've been some accident up the road, as the traffic hadn't been this bad from what he remembered.
"Oh and your suit arrived," Rory said, speaking of Logan's wedding tux. Well, it wasn't really even a tux, just a suit, both of them having decided that they didn't want this ceremony to feel very uptight. It was summer, it was taking place outside - so Logan would be spared of a tie just as Rory wasn't going to wear heels.
"Great," Logan replied cheerily, but suddenly his tone fell at the sight in front of him. "Listen, I gotta go. I'll call you later, okay?" he added, not really hearing what she said in response.
