Rory pecked Logan's number into her phone, the digits forever emblazoned in her brain. Her nervous hands pushed the call button, only to be greeted by the operator's monotone voice saying that the number she had dialed had been disconnected. She carefully typed out the number once again, and once again she received the recorded operator. A wave of nausea swept over here, only this time it wasn't the baby. Logan had changed his number. He really did want nothing to do with her. At one point, not too long ago, she thought she would spend the rest of her life with him. Now, he had completely erased her from his. This certainly complicated things. She sighed and trudged over to the small hotel desk, where she had tossed her work bag last night. She pulled out her small laptop, and opened her email. She found an old email from Honor, happy that it had survived her Huntzberger purge when she and Logan had broken up back in May. She started a new email, but her brain was struggling to form a coherent sentence. How exactly do you tell your ex-boyfriend's sister that you need his new number so that you can tell him that you're pregnant with his baby because he changed his number when you turned down his proposal? If only Microsoft had a template for that letter! She snapped the computer shut and sighed. The small double hotel room felt claustrophobic, the colonial cornflower blue walls closing in the longer she stayed there. She needed space. She needed home. She glanced at the clock. It was nearly seven p.m. The press tour was in D.C.. for the week, and she had the next two days off. It was a good bit away, but she realized there was no place she would rather be than home. She picked up her phone and dialed Lorelai's number. "Mom? I want to come home."
. . .
Stars Hollow was like that old, warm, knit sweater your Nana made you years ago. It's old and threadbare, practically falling apart but there was just something comforting about being in it. No matter how long she was gone, or where Rory went, Stars Hollow would always be home. It was early morning when they got back to Stars Hollow, the sun starting to peak over the clouds, Golden rays of sunlight streaking across the almost-empty streets. Lorelai parked the jeep next to Luke's.
"MOM" Rory groaned as she rubbed her bleary eyes. "Can't you just take me home first?"
Lorelai grimaced. "I need Coffee. Like a whole pot. Maybe two. I've driven all night, surviving on just one cup of that basic gas station coffee. I NEED Luke's coffee."
Rory looked around. Luke's wasn't even opened yet. No one but Luke would be inside, preparing for the morning rush. Rory sighed. "I guess I could go for a cup too."
Lorelai laughed. "You really think Luke's going to let you drink coffee? He started hiding the Poptarts and Red Vines when he heard you were coming home."
Rory collapsed dramatically into the dashboard. "He's going to make me eat kale and stuff isn't he?!"
Lorelai laughed. "I hope little Ivy likes salmon and kale!'
Rory whipped her head up, shooting Lorelai a perplexed look. "Ivy?"
Lorelai opened her door. "IV like the roman numerals for 4.." She pointed to Rory's belly. "She's going to be Lorelai the 4th."
"Who said I'm naming my baby Lorelai? Besides, You don't know it's a girl. I think it's a boy."
"Oh do you now?" Lorelai said as she pecked on the door of Luke's.
Rory shrugged. "Call it mother's intuition?"
"Mother's intuition?! Wow, so exciting!" Lorelai teased.
Luke opened the door, "RORY! Hey! Come in! Here, have a seat!"
Rory sat down at the chair Luke pulled out for her. "Thanks Luke."
"Rory, you look great!" Luke exclaimed awkwardly.
Lorelai sank down in the chair across from Rory. "She looks like regular old Rory you weirdo."
. "I just mean she looks great. . . for someone. . . in her condition."
"Her condition? She's pregnant Luke, not a leper. Were you expecting her to show up barefoot in a mumu, toting around a jar full of pickles and an ice cream tub? She's only a few weeks pregnant."
Rory looked up, suddenly intrigued. "Pickles and ice cream.. . . hmmmm"
Lorelai shook her head. "No Rory. don't you remember when we tried that while we were watching Where the Heart is?"
Luke's face downturned in disgust. "I'm going to regret asking this, but you tried pickles and ice cream?"
Lorelai grinned. "I mean, we couldn't not try pickles and ice cream!"
Luke scowled. "To think I enjoy kissing you."
Lorelai blew him a playful kiss.
He turned his attention back to Rory. "Rory, can I get you something? Tea, water, some orange juice maybe? Orange juice is full of calcium which is good for the baby."
"Just a coffee please."
Luke nodded. "One cup of decaf coming right up."
"Decaf?!" Rory exclaimed. "I might as well drink a cup of mud!"
"You can't have caffeine when you're pregnant!"
Rory turned to Lorelai, gesturing to Luke frantically.
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Luke, she can have one eight ounce mug a day. I googled it. Besides, I drank coffee all through my pregnancy and she turned out just fine."
Luke walked to the counter. "Completely addicted to caffeine just like you. . ." He went into the back and brought out a measuring cup. "Fine. Eight ounces. That's it." He measured out exactly eight ounces and poured it into Rory's mug.
Rory brought it to her mouth to take a sip when Lorelai stopped her. "Wait, you better savor it. The coffee police over there is serious."
Rory laughed. She lifted the mug once again, and inhaled deeply. As soon as the robust, slightly caramelized aroma hit her nostrils her stomach rolled, the color draining from her face. She clamped a hand over her mouth and made a mad dash for the bathroom, sloshing her cup of coffee down the front of her in the process.
Lorelai chased after her, making it just in time to catch her hair as she leaned into the toilet bowl.
After she was done retching into the toilet Rory lay back on the cool tile of the floor sighing loudly. "My baby hates coffee."
Lorelai wet a paper towel and laid it on Rory's head. "It'll get better. I could only eat saltines and flat ginger ale for the first 12 weeks with you."
Rory groaned. "How am I going to do this?"
"One day at a time." Lorelai replied as she stroked Rory's bangs back off her forehead.
They sat there quietly for a minute, not a sound between them.
"Logan changed his number." Rory whispered meekly.
Lorelai painted on a stoic exterior. "I thought he may have something to do with this spontaneous trip home."
"Mom,I can't tell him about the baby, if I can't get a hold of him."
"I'm sure your grandma could get a hold of him."
"Ugh, no. I can't face grandma and grandpa right now."
"They're going to find out sooner than later Rory."
"Logan should at least know first. Before he has to face the wrath of Emily."
"You have a point there. Why don't you write him a letter? You could send it to his company in California."
"A letter? Is this 1942?"
Lorelai playfully swatted Rory. "NO! But you are a professional writer after all."
"He'd just rip it up without even reading it. He changed his phone number. . . he wants nothing to do with me."
"What about the other 2 stooges?"
"Collin and Finn?"
"I'm sure they're still in contact with him."
"They probably want nothing to do with me either."
"You're overthinking it. You broke up with Logan, not them. I'm sure they can help you get a letter to him. I'm sure if you buy the tall one. . . Lenny? Squiggy?"
"Finn" Rory said softly.
Lorelai nodded. "Buy Finn a couple shots and he'd probably drive you directly to Logan."
There was a knock at the bathroom door. Luke poked his head in. "I uh. . . hate to break up this little bonding session but Babette and are most likely on their way in for their daily morning coffee and gossip. Unless you want to be the subject of that gossip I suggest you not be laying on the bathroom floor when they get here."
Lorelai helped Rory up off of the bathroom floor. "Do you want Luke to make you some toast?"
Rory shook her head. "I've got a letter to write."
…
The small cream colored envelope was practically burning in the pocket of Rory's sky blue cardigan. Waves of nausea had washed over here the entire ride to New Haven, more nerves than morning sickness. Now standing in the lobby of the restaurant Finn had agreed to meet her at, it was taking everything she had not to lose the three saltines she had choked down before crawling out of bed.
"Rory! Darling!" She heard the familiar voice call, her heart jumping into her throat at the familiarity of it all.
Finn stood up from the small white clothed table and motioned her his way. The hostess quickly escorted her over.
"You haven't aged a bit," Finn said, smiling at her.
Rory laughed. "It's been three months Finn."
"I hope you don't mind, I ordered you a macchiato with a double shot, that was your favorite wasn't it?" Finn replied as the waitress placed a porcelain mug in front of Rory, brimming with her once favorite drink.
Rory forced a smile onto her face, trying her hardest to breath through her mouth. "Yes, Thank you Finn. "
Finn pulled out a small flask, splashing a little brown liquid into his coffee. He offered Rory the flask, but she shook her head. "So what have you been up to Finn?"
He took a sip of his coffee. "Perhaps you've heard of my latest endeavor. . . youtube."
"Youtube? The website?"
"Yes darling exactly. I have a channel. I document my travels around the world. I just got back from the Forest of Knives in Madagascar."
"That's exciting! You'll have to send me your channel name so I can check it out."
"Absolutely. How is life treating you?"
"I actually got a reporting job. I'm following Barack Obama on the campaign trail."
"And yet you took time out of your busy schedule to come catch up with me. Robert and Colin will be so jealous."
Rory fidgeted nervously. "About that. . . I have a letter for Logan."
His cheerful demeanor quickly changed. "Rory."
"Finn, I know I hurt him, but this is important."
"Hurt him? Rory, you almost killed the poor man."
She rolled her eyes. "You've always had a flair for the dramatic."
"I honestly mean this. He was in a terrible place. He wouldn't leave his couch. I'm pretty sure he lived off doritos and booze for the first month after you left. He almost lost the job in California. Honor practically had to scrape him off the sofa and carry him out there herself."
Rory could feel the tears nipping at her eyelashes, threatening to fall at any moment. "I hurt him that bad?"
Finn leaned in close, a seriousness on his face that Rory had never seen before. "Don't come back into his life unless you're going to stay in his life."
A tear broke loose, sliding silently down Rory's cheek. "I'm pregnant." She whispered quietly.
Finn's eyes widened, his mouth hung open. "With a baby?. . . you mean Logan's going to . . . ."
She nodded, tears silently streaming down her face now. "He's going to be a father."
A smile spread across his face. "I'm going to be an uncle."
She pulled the letter from her pocket and slid it across the table to Finn. "I wrote it all to him in this letter, but Finn, I need you to make sure that he reads all of it, and doesn't rip it up, or throw it away or anything. It's too important that he reads it. . . important for the both of us."
He took the envelope from her, cradling it like precious cargo. "Of course."
