Life and Death

By blackbirdfree


Chapter Ten

Rory's week went by quickly. Rory didn't see Logan at their usual lunch table the entire week. She heard the Mitchum Huntzberger was facing complications due to his illness. Madeline explained that this was the reason why Logan wasn't at school. Rory hoped that Logan and his father were okay.

Rory spent most of the week sitting with Jess at lunch by themselves. Jess was a smart guy. He always had a smart-aleck remark to say, or an obscure reference to make. Rory found herself liking the guy more than she expected she would.

It was finally Friday. That evening she would be attending Paris Geller's birthday party which was a birthday party that she attended every year. The one up-side to this was that she would not be forced to attend Friday Night Dinner at her grandparents' place with Lorelai and Christopher.

Weeks ago Emily planned for all of them to attend Friday Night Dinner together every week. Today was going to be one of those days. Last week the mandatory Friday Night Dinner didn't happen because it was planned for Rory to stay at Stars Hollow for the weekend.

Still, it was a toss-up in Rory's mind: was it better to attend Paris' annual birthday party or have Friday Night dinner with her parents? She still wasn't certain.

Rory took care to make sure she looked nice that evening despite those feelings. She wore a silver dress with sequence. She carefully curled her hair and put it up in a silver barrette.

Her make-up was a little more done-up than usual. She put on a smoky dark eye-shadow on her eyelids. She decided on a coral blush and a matching coral lipstick. Her last act was to put on a pair of black stockings. She just felt more right when she went to formal events with stockings on.

It didn't take much longer for Rory to finish getting dressed once that was done. She put a pair of strappy black heels on. Then, she reached for a small black purse. She placed a few things in it like the lipstick tube that she used on her lips when she was getting ready. After a few more minutes she left he room to head downstairs.

Rory walked down to the foyer. Her grandmother and her grandfather were there waiting for her.

"I'm ready to go," said Rory.

"Good. We are as well," said Richard. "By the way… you look very nice tonight, Rory."

Rory smiled. "Thanks, Grandpa."

The three walked out into the dark of the night.


The car ride to Paris' home only took twenty-five minutes. It was not the first time Rory had visited Paris' home. Her home was big and beautiful. Her home looked like a page out of a Pottery Barn catalogue. It was filled with dark mahogany furniture. The couches were dark green, plush, and soft.

Rory rang the door-bell to enter Paris' home. A maid name Lulu answered the door. Rory was familiar with her. Paris' mom didn't switch-out maids like women switched-out lipstick colors for the day like her grandma typically did with Gilmore-house maids.

"Hello, Rory. Hello Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore."

"Hello," said Rory in a polite way. Emily and Richard walked inside and didn't answer.

"The guests are already in the sitting room," said the maid. She didn't seem to mind her grandparents' rude and callous attitudes.

"Thank you," said Rory.

"Let's go, Rory," said Emily as she walked forward.

Rory followed them.

The party was dull like those things usually were. The parents congregated together in the dining room while the younger people spoke together in the sitting room. Rory spent her time chatting with Francie, Madeline, and Louise. Paris was in the girls' group, too; however, she left once-in-a-while to speak to her guests.

"Damn. I have to say 'hi' to someone else's parents again," she said suddenly.

Rory followed Paris' line-of-sight. "Who do you have to say 'hi' to now?"

"Damien Richards' parents. Damien and his brother, Smith, are here, too. I better go."

Rory watched as Paris left to speak to Thomas Richards and Ellen Richards, Damien Richards' and Smith Richards' parents.

Damien was one of Rory's closest friends. In a few minutes, he separated from his brother and his parents and came by to speak to Rory and the other girls.

"Hi, Rory," said Damien.

"Hi," answered Rory. She leaned over to give Damien a hug.

"You look nice tonight," complimented Damien.

Rory smiled. "Thank you. You look good, too."

"I'll always take a compliment from a pretty lady."

Rory laughed. Then, Francie, Madeline, and Louise walked over to say 'hello.'

"Rory," said Louise. "We're going out to the pool house to start the real party. You ready?"

Rory smirked. "I've been ready all night."


Rory laughed and took another shot of tequila. Smoke filled the space. People danced in the middle of the room to loud music that Rory could barely decipher over the din.

"Rory, you should slow down," said Damien.

Rory grinned. "Yeah, you're probably right." She turned to her friend.

"So how are you? I haven't had a chance to talk to you all night. And we haven't talked much at school since we don't have any classes together."

Damien shrugged. "I'm okay," he said. "I've mostly been on hospital-watch after school. It's been a pretty intense beginning of the year."

Rory frowned. "What's wrong? Is someone in your family sick? Your mom, dad, and your brother seemed okay when I saw them earlier."

Rory glanced at Damien's brother, Smith. He was dancing with someone in the middle of the room.

"No, no one in my family's sick. It's my friend, Logan. His father is in the hospital. There were complication because of his pneumonia. His lungs are weak. It doesn't look good."

Rory bit her lip. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "I know Logan. It didn't sound like his father was that bad off when I heard that Mitchum was sick from Madeline."

"It kind of happened out of no where," said someone else. It was Smith Richards. Smith was Damien's younger brother. He had left the dance floor and had approached Rory and Damien. "No one was expecting it."

"How's Logan doing?" she questioned.

"You can ask him yourself," said Damien. He nodded toward the entrance of the pool house.

There was Logan himself with a girl on his arm.