Chapter 32
Rory had skillfully avoided speaking to her mother for the last 36+ hours, having spent almost the entire Sunday in bed with Logan, surviving on take-away food and coffee, hardly setting a foot outside. She hadn't bothered to get out of his place for more than a change of clothes before Logan's Sunday evening plans - poker night with the guys - had intruded on their bedroom activities. Paris really did have their suite to herself most of the time these days.
She had been surprisingly content just hanging out - listening to music, drinking a little and talking to some of the other girls at the party. Most of all she'd enjoyed the looks Logan had thrown him and the way he'd called her his lucky charm. It was amazing how with Logan around she was just able to let loose - forget about her homework for the day and just relax. Instead of beating herself up for having things to do or not doing more, she actually was beginning to believe that she too deserved time to relax and have fun.
Rory had fallen asleep in Logan's bed late last night, still partially dressed in last night's clothing, having dozed off wondering when he'd be back to bed. After realizing she was still in bed alone, she got up and pulled on her skirt, making her more or less presentable. But to her surprise, she walked out of the bedroom yawningly, still finding the game ongoing.
"Come on, come on," Rory heard Robert comment.
"I've made my decision," another voice noted. "I'm in, 350," Colin said, Rory now being actually able to put voice to name.
"Call," Robert replied.
"I'm gonna raise," Logan said, strangely enough not looking tired at all. How was that possible?
"Ass!" Colin hissed at Logan.
There were several other people asleep, scattered around the room - on the couch and armchair.
"Our gentleman's courtesies still prevail, Rob," Colin said.
"Fine, Mr. Ass, Ass Esquire," Robert replied, gallantly, causing all three of them to burst into laughter.
"He's cracked!" Colin said. "We've cracked Robert," he teased, drunkenly.
"Morning there, Ace. How did you sleep?" Logan asked, seeing Rory emerge from his bedroom.
"Alone," Rory grumbled, dissapointedly, not yet quite aware of her filter, causing Colin and Robert to let out a "Wooo," sound, directed at the two of them.
Logan's smirk was definitely appreciative of her comment.
Suddenly Rory's phone rang, and it too her a moment to realize that her purse was on the couch.
"Mom?" Rory picked up, drowsily.
"It's me, Rory. It's Sookie," Sookie said.
"Sookie? You're at the house?" Rory reflected, not quite following why she was the one calling her from the house.
Less than a minute later Rory knew that no matter what had happened on Saturday… she needed to get to Stars Hollow ASAP. Naturally she was worried about her mother, but deep down she was also worried that maybe what she'd done had somehow caused all of this because she did remember what a huge fight Luke and her dad had had behind that door. God, she hoped she wouldn't have to face any of them either.
"I'm coming," Rory said, and began to gather up her things.
"I'm out," Logan said, tossing his cards to the center of the table. "You okay?" Logan asked with concern, stepping up to her.
"I have to go," Rory said, her voice sounding a little shaky.
"What happened?" Logan asked, urgently.
"I just have to go…," Rory repeated, unable to get the whole story out because she didn't yet grasp it herself. "I have to get home," she added.
"To Stars Hollow?" Logan said, by now knowing well what Rory meant by 'home'.
"Oh, no," Rory suddenly exclaimed. "I don't have my car," she gasped.
"Oh, right…," Logan said, realizing himself that in that moment that her car was at the repair shop - Logan's personal shop he'd convinced Rory to take her car in for its service instead of the dealer's last week.
"Which means that I have to take a bus, or a train, or something…," Rory fretted.
"That'll take hours," Logan said matter of factly.
"I know… I have to go," Rory mumbled, not thinking too clearly right then.
"Take my car," Logan insisted.
"Um, I don't wanna drive your car," Rory said, shaking her head. She was terrified of the sports car in question. It was too edgy for her.
"No, I mean Frank. I'd drive you myself but..," Logan confessed, and Rory could indeed smell scotch on his breath. "Do you need me to come with you?" Logan said then, catching Rory a little surprise.
"Um.. no… it's fine… you… sleep," Rory suggested, knowing this was probably a situation where her mother didn't want any outsiders around.
"But please take Frank, I don't want you taking some sketchy bus," Logan assured. "I'll give him a call, tell him to meet you out front. He'll take good care of you. It's a done deal," Logan said, not even waiting for her answer, seeing himself how upset she was.
"Okay, thanks," Rory replied, and gave Logan a hasty kiss goodbye.
"Go!" he urged and picked up the phone to make the call.
Rory made it to Stars Hollow in record time - the roads in that direction being almost traffic free.
"Where is she?" Rory called out as soon as she flew through her house's doors, seeing Sookie on the couch.
"Upstairs," Sookie said.
"Okay, I've got it from here, Sookie. I love you," Rory said, hastily rushed upstairs.
"Mom? What happened?" Rory asked, climbing into her mother's bed.
Lorelai told her the headlines - how Luke was gone and hated her, how that whole drama with Christopher had been blown out or proportion and that had pushed Luke over the edge. Rory did what she could, saying supportive words to her mother that this wasn't the end, but frankly, she'd never seen her mother this broken. She had no idea if this was the end or not.
Feeling a little tired herself, Rory stayed with her mother until she fell asleep, not even bothering to take off her coat, worry about her mother's wellbeing having taken over everything else she'd been feeling.
"Feeling better?" Rory asked as her mother woke several hours later. She herself hadn't slept much, sort of dozed briefly at the most, but mostly her mind just drifted to Logan and to the fact how lucky she felt. Fancy limos with drivers waiting on standby wasn't the detail that made her love Logan, but the fact how he was in crisis situation - willing to help however he could - that was. It was least one part of all the things she loved about him.
"Sure," Lorelai replied, sounding not too convincing.
"No, you're not," Rory said, reading her better than that.
"You should get back to Yale," Lorelai suggested.
"Uh-uh," Rory refused, frowning a little.
"Rory, you can't just stay here," Lorelai argued.
"Sorry, I'm here for the duration," Rory quipped decisively.
"No, uh… I'm fine," Lorelai argued, stubborn as she was.
"You need supplies," Rory replied, frankly needing some nutrition herself. She'd had a morning without coffee and breakfast. She was actually a little hung over too, even if not horribly. "There's no sign that you've eaten or had anything to drink," Rory pointed out.
"Well, I'm not hungry or thirsty," Lorelai replied, sounding very-very off - almost like a cranky child.
"Well, if you're staying up here, you need supplies. Sustenance, entertainment," Rory said, decisively, knowing well what wallowing was suppose to look like by now.
"Nope," Lorelai said from the corner of her mouth.
"So, you're a little thirsty, aren't you?" Rory said, trying to sound at least a little preppy. They went on to a give-and-take type of discussion on what Lorelai had in the house, Rory being determined to go out and scavenge supplies for her mother, now really knowing what else to do for her here. She needed to keep busy.
As she reached the town square Rory was a little proud of her idea to incorporate Lane into her shopping tour, not wanting to get overly bombarded by questions at Doosey's. She'd missed Lane and frankly, she couldn't wait but to share her news and excitement on top of everything that was going on with Lorelai with her. It was not that easy being happy when her mother was feeling as horrible as she was.
"Did you get everything?" Rory asked Lane as she returned from the store.
"Everything on the list. Plus I threw in a few things of my own," Lane chimed and went on to explain how cookie dough was the ultimate comfort food and how Lorelai could probably use a new toothbrush.
Rory handed Frank a sandwich, telling him they could head back home and bit into her own. There was someone honking at the car, but Rory didn't bother reacting on it, Frank moving the veichle soon enough.
"So, Logan gave you this limo to use, didn't he?" Lane inquired, excitedly, half as much expecting the answer already. Being in a limo was definitely very special to Lane, Rory could tell.
"He might have," Rory confessed, blushing a little.
"It's so cool…," Lane commented. "You guys are really getting pretty serious, aren't you?" she added.
"What, you deduce this from the size of the limo or something?" Rory played difficult, laughingly.
"No, I can just see it in your face, and the way you blush," Lane teased, elbowing her playfully.
"Is it that obvious?" Rory laughed, and they continued to chat about her and Logan for the short duration of their ride back to the Gilmore household.
Rory had just finished up explaining to her mother the logic behind all the arrangements she'd made for her convenience around her room, and Lorelai was actually looking a little had Frank carry her mom's TV up to her room and she made sure her room was full of treats, snacks, beverages and several forms of entertainment.
"All done here," Frank declared.
"Excellent," Rory said, appreciatively.
"Anything else I can get for you?" Frank asked.
"I don't think so. Thanks, Frank," Rory replied.
"Yeah, thanks, Frank," Lorelai repeated. "Wait, who's Frank?" she asked.
"Oh, well, I had to get out here and my car is getting its six month service. So Logan had the car and the driver standing by so he let me borrow it and Frank, and…well, that explains Frank,," Rory explained, already sending the awkwardness kicking in at the mentioning of Logan around her mother, realizing it was probably giving her some pretty graphic flashbacks.
"Thank Logan for me," Lorelai replied.
"Hey, mom? Are we okay? I mean that wasn't exactly my proudest moment the other night," Rory asked.
"You're the daughter of a woman who has had no end of less-than-proud moments," Lorelai replied. "I might have never gotten caught with my pants down…," she added, suggestively, making Rory want to once again sink into the ground. "And while I might have overreacted with the yelling in that moment… Right now… I am just glad you have someone, I guess…," Lorelai explained, making it clear to Rory that her current state of hurt was definitely affecting her reaction to this.
"But I have to admit that my main concern is that what you did there...you did because it was something you were wholeheartedly in on. And that it wasn't just him showing up with a date, saying he was sorry, and then demanding you to drop your pants for him when he suddenly decided to be with you," Lorelai explained, not exactly painting the prettiest picture.
"It wasn't like that. It wasn't like that at all..," Rory defended the situation. Her mother's choice of words actually made her sound cheap. Was she?
"As long as you are sure," Lorelai replied with some reservation
"He told me he loved me that night…," Rory began.
"Oh, honey..," Lorelai exclaimed but her tone wasn't at all favorable. Rory was pretty sure her mother didn't believe Logan's words.
"And I was being ridiculous and jealous. And because I love him too… words just didn't seem enough," Rory explained, unsure if this was helping this or not.
"I really just hope you don't get hurt..," Lorelai replied.
"He's not out to hurt me…," Rory defended the two of them.
"But I know the type… I so know the type," Lorelai added knowingly.
"I know you're hurting and disappointed in men in general, but can you just let me be happy about this? This is good… even if we are still hiding it from his family," Rory explained, knowing that the whole arrangement wasn't perfect.
"Sure, enjoy it...," Lorelai said, and Rory could just finish that sentence with an unenthusiastic 'while you can' in her mind.
Rory was faced with the task now to somehow shake off her mother's negative impressions of her relationship with Logan as she headed back to Yale. Just because he was rich and she had never acted out her desires like this in the past, didn't mean he was just another rich guy and she another flaky girl who dropped everything, literally, when the guy honked.