"Hello?" Rory answered her cell phone, walking away from Paris in the Franklin office.
"Rory, hi! Listen, I just got the call and..." Rory heard a mechanical beeping through the line. "Hold on a sec," her caller requested. "I'll call him back," she yelled to someone. "OK, I'm back. Sorry, where was I?"
"Who is this?" Rory finally managed to get in.
"Maureen Rollins—Sherry's friend," the caller said as though it were obvious—because who wouldn't remember a friend of the fiancée to the father she almost never saw.
"Oh yes…uh, right…Maureen. I...I'm sorry, I—" Rory stuttered.
"Don't worry about it. Listen, I know the invitation said we were all gathering at the C-section next week but Sherry just went into labor," she informed Rory as though she were rescheduling a business meeting and not the birth of her sister.
"What?!" Rory asked, flabbergasted.
"She screwed up, she's in labor and she wanted me to call the girls and beg them to get down to the hospital ASAP."
"Oh," Rory replied, at a loss for other words.
"It's a big screw up."
"I…I guess."
"Could you come?"
"Well…"
"You're a child, right?"
"What?"
"School?
"Huh?"
"School—you have school?" Maureen asked again impatiently.
"Yes, I…I have school."
"Is there anyway you could—reschedule school…just for today? She completely screwed up but she's still our Sherry."
"Well, I'm actually done with school now, I could grab a train and—"
"That would be the best, the absolute best," Maureen cut her off. "You're a great kid. She's at Boston Memorial. I will meet you there." There was another beep on the line. "Listen, I have Graydon Carter on the other line."
"Who?"
"Graydon Carter. I have to go."
"OK, bye," Rory said meekly, hanging up her cell phone. She stood there for a moment, trying to register the conversation she'd just had. Sherry was in labor. Crap! Sherry was in labor. She had to get to Boston, she was about to have a sister.
"Hey Ace! Ready to go?" Logan asked as Rory came walking out of Chilton and through the parking lot where he had been waiting for her.
She ignored him and kept walking out towards the street, looking left and right. Crap! Which bus took her to the train station?
"Ace, wait." He called again, running after her.
"What? Oh, Logan, I didn't see you," she said distractedly.
"I think I'm insulted," he chuckled. "My car's back this way," he continued, reaching an arm out to guide Rory back to his Porsche.
"No, Logan. I can't go to The Pub with you guys today. I have to find a train or a bus or something," she told him impatiently.
"A train? Ace, what are you talking about?"
"Boston—I have to get to Boston."
"What? Ace, you're not making any sense. What's in Boston?"
"My sister."
"You have sister?" How the hell did he not know she had a sister? A sister who was, apparently, in Boston.
She turned to look at him like he was crazy. "Not yet."
"OK, now you're confusing me."
"I just…I have to get to Boston Memorial Hospital…"
Logan had no clue what was going on but he sure as hell wasn't going to let her get on a bus or a train to Boston by herself, especially not in the state she was in. Someone was in the hospital? It could be serious. She shouldn't be alone. "Come on," he put his hand to her back and started leading her back towards the car. He opened the door for her and she got in wordlessly.
Logan walked around and got into the driver's seat. "Now, you want to tell me again why we're going to Boston?"
"What?" she asked, snapping out of her daze. "Logan, no. Just drop me off at the train station. I'll be fine."
"Ace, you're not getting on a train by yourself; you're a mess."
"Logan, you are not driving me all the way to Boston," she insisted. That was way too much to ask of him; it was almost a two hour drive, especially at this time of day.
"Well you're in my car, all buckled up, nice and cozy, and I'm pulling out of the parking lot as we speak, headed for Boston—so unless you have plans to jump out of a moving vehicle today, looks like I am driving you to Boston."
"Logan…" she tried to protest yet again.
"Don't argue with me."
She sighed. "Fine," she relented. She knew arguing with him was futile.
"So, now that that's settled, let's try this again. Why are we going to Boston? Someone's in the hospital?" he asked soothingly. He hoped everything was alright—the hospital was rarely a good destination.
"Sherry."
"And Sherry's your…sister?"
"Uh uh." She shook her head. "Dad's fiancée."
He nearly swerved off the road. Her father? After Jess's little comment at the carnival he had looked into it some more but he had still been unable to find out her Dad's identity. He didn't know why he was so interested, maybe it was his own crappy relationship with his father, or maybe it was just sheer curiosity, or maybe he was just interested in her life…you know, because she was his friend. Whatever the reason, he had wanted to find out who he was and what relationship he had with Rory—and now, after all the unanswered questions Logan had about him, they were on their way to see the birth of his second daughter. Or at least that's what he was gathering from the information Rory was providing.
Trying to sound nonchalant, he asked, "So your Dad's about to become a dad again?"
"Yep."
"So you're gonna be a big sister?"
"That is how it generally works."
"Are you excited?"
A smile slowly formed on her face. "Yeah, I think I am."
"So, you think you'll see your new sister a lot?"
"Huh?"
"Well, I'm guessing they live in Boston, and I don't think you've ever mentioned your Dad before so I'm guessing you don't see much of him," he gently pried.
Logan watched out of the corner of his eye and saw that Rory's smile faded and her brow furrowed. She bit down on her lip and shook her head. "Dad's not around much. He kind of just flits in and out of our lives. I mean, he was only 16 when I was born and he didn't handle it as well as Mom. I know he loves me, but that responsible Dad thing never really caught on. He wants to do it right this time, it's just…"
Logan turned his head just briefly to look at her before bringing his eyes back to the road in front of them.
"…Just that you wish he'd do it right with you?"
"I know; it's silly. I'm 18; I'm all grown up and I did it without him, I don't need him but, it'd still be nice, ya know?"
"Yeah," he nodded his head. He did know. His Dad wasn't around much either. Sure, he wasn't the typical definition of an absentee father but Logan still knew what it was like to wish his Dad were there; to wonder why he couldn't be bothered to spend Christmas with them or wish that he would show up to his little league game, just once. He didn't need his father's love and approval but that didn't stop him from wanting it.
"And for this brief moment in time, last spring," Rory continued, "I actually thought it was going to happen. Mom and Dad were getting back together—that is until Sherry called and told him she was pregnant."
"And he went back to her?"
"Well he missed it all with me and he didn't want to miss it again. Can you blame him?"
Logan gave her a brief, pointed glare. If he wasn't mistaken he detected a hint of bitterness…and from what he was hearing, it was completely justifiable. "You feel like he chose the new baby over you."
"What?"
"Rory, he's your father; you have every right to wish he'd act like it. It's completely understandable if you're a little jealous that your sister is going to get the father you never had."
"No, Logan, it's not like that. Well maybe I am a little upset that he chose them over us, but I definitely don't blame Gigi. It's not her fault. It's not her fault she exists. I know what it's like to have people blame you for things just because you were born. She didn't take Dad away from me and she has every right to a good father. He should be there for her; it's right," she insisted adamantly. She never once thought of being jealous or resentful of Gigi. She would never blame her for any of this—Sherry, yes; her Dad, definitely, but Gigi was just an innocent bystander.
I know what it's like to have people blame you for things just because you were born. What did she mean by that? There were people who resented her existence? Her? He knew she hadn't been wanted initially, who would want a 16 year old to get pregnant? But she wasn't to blame for any of that. And she had a great relationship with her Mom; she was Richard and Emily's pride and joy and it sounded like her Dad loved her, even if he had never been able to be the father she needed. "What are you talking about; who blames you?"
"Nothing, forget about it." She shook her head.
"Rory," he said, taking his right hand off the wheel and placing it on her knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You can talk to me. You know that, right?"
She worried her lip thoughtfully and shook her head. She could trust him, she wasn't sure why, but she felt like she could talk to him. "It's just…I met my Straub and Francine for the first and only time when I was 16."
Straub and Francine? As in Hayden? As in State Supreme Court Justice Straub Hayden? What did they have to do with anything?
"Well, at least that I can remember; I think they saw me a few times when I was a baby. I didn't even know what to call them. Did I call them Straub and Francine? Mr. and Mrs. Hayden? Grandma and Grandpa?
What?! "The Hayden's are you grandparents?" He couldn't help himself from asking.
"Yeah," she replied as though it was common knowledge and she probably thought it was. How could no one in Hartford society have known that her father was Christopher Hayden? And then there was the fact that Straub had been appointed to the Connecticut State Supreme Court just over a year ago; one would think something like an illegitimate granddaughter would have come out, especially if Christopher openly acknowledged his daughter. Logan knew that Christopher was not on good terms with his parents and if his relationship with Rory was as sporadic as it seemed, he supposed it was possible, but only if Straub had gone out of his way to cover it up. The Haydens were good friends with his parents and he had met them a few times; he had thought that they were respectable people but if this was true…He didn't understand, sure the circumstances around Rory's birth weren't ideal but she had turned into everything a grandparent could be proud of; how could they dismiss her so easily?
"OK, so what happened?" he asked, trying to keep his cool.
"We were all at Grandma and Grandpas for dinner—me, Mom, Dad and Straub and Francine. Things started to get heated and then Mom told me to leave. I went into the other room but I could still hear them fighting. I think Straub's exact words were 'she had that baby and ended his future.'"
Logan took a couple of deep breaths to try and keep from exploding with anger. How could someone say something like that about a baby—about their own grandchild? Even his own father had never been so cruel; he'd often told Logan what a disappointment he was, how he wasn't living up to his potential, that he was a screw up but he had never insinuated that he wished he'd never been born.
Once Logan had composed himself he gave Rory's knee another gentle squeeze. "You know it's not true, right? Your father made his own choices in life; you're not responsible for his mistakes."
"Yeah, I know." She nodded her head.
Logan wasn't convinced. "Rory—"
"I know, Logan, really. It's just…it doesn't really stop it from hurting," she admitted.
"I get that," he said, flashing her a reassuring smile.
The car went silent for a few minutes. Logan concentrated on the road in front of him and Rory rested her head against the seat, her eyes closed in thought.
"Thanks for doing this for me, Logan," she said after a while.
"Hey, no problem. Any excuse to spend more time with my favorite Gilmore."
"It's just so far out of your way and it's a Friday, you probably have much better things to be doing."
"I'm good just where I am," he insisted.
"So, no dates?" she asked. She wasn't jealous—just curious, she told herself.
"I'm already with the best girl in all of Connecticut."
She laughed. "You know, it's not necessary to suck up to people who are already your friends—especially when you're in the process of doing them an enormous favor."
"What can I say? Smooth talking just comes naturally to a Huntzberger."
"You keep telling yourself that," she replied, patting him placatingly on the shoulder.
"I sense that that statement was lacking in sincerity."
"What can I say?" she shrugged. "Sarcasm just comes naturally to a Gilmore."
"So I see…So, speaking of dates—how are things with you and Jess?" Oh yeah, that was a smooth transition.
She turned her head against the head rest and looked at him. "Things are good."
"You're sure? Because if he's not treating you right I can…"
Rory cut him off. "Logan," she said sternly. "Things are good. I know he didn't make the best impression on you guys at the Carnival but he's not a bad guy." The truth was, she had given him the silent treatment for a couple of days after the Carnival but he had apologized and explained that he had just been thrown by the appearance of Dean as well as Logan and the others. He wasn't happy that she and Dean had decided to be friends and he still insisted that Logan was interested in her in a more than platonic way; but she had promised him that he had nothing to worry about and he agreed to try and accept these people as a part of her life.
"Well if that's true, then I'm glad," he said, trying to muster up as much sincerity as he could. He wasn't glad; no matter what she said, he knew Jess wasn't good enough for her. He didn't want to have to follow through with the threat he'd made that night but he had a strong suspicion that if Rory didn't come to her senses soon, she was going to wind up hurt and Logan wouldn't hesitate to put the guy who hurt her in his place. He had no tolerance for people hurting those whom he cared about.
"It is."
"Well good."
Awkward silence filled the car and followed them to Boston.
Rory spotted the slightly familiar face of Maureen—she had met her only once, at Sherry's baby shower—and approached her. "Maureen?"
"Yes?" the woman responded, turning around to face her.
"I'm Rory," she reintroduced herself. Maureen looked at her, trying to figure out who this 'Rory' was. "I'm Christopher's daughter. You called me to come down."
"Rory, yes!" she responded enthusiastically. "Sweetie, thank God you're here. Sherry's going to be so happy to see you; she's a basket case. Well who wouldn't be, right?"
"Where's everyone else?" Rory asked, not noticing any other faces that had been at the baby shower.
"Oh they're working," Maureen said, matter-of-factly.
"What?!" Rory asked, in a panic. She didn't want to be there alone; she hated hospitals, and ever since watching The Miracle of Birth in junior high, the whole thought of someone being in labor freaked her out.
"Well we had all planned on next week, but Sherry screwed up so what can you do? Thank god you're here, she'll be thrilled. She's feeling a little abandoned. Now, she's right in there. Do not mention how fat she is; for some reason she's extremely sensitive about that today. OK kiss." Maureen leaned in a few inches from Rory's face and gave her a mock kiss on the cheek. "I'll call you later to see how every thing's going." She started gathering up her coat and bag.
"Wait, where are you going?" Rory's panic was growing. Now she was really going to be alone with Sherry.
"I've got to get back to work, I'm swamped today."
"You're leaving me here alone?"
"Believe me, I would love to stay, hun. Impossible! What can I say? Sherry screwed up. Anyhow, you'll be fine. If you need anything call."
"I don't have your number," Rory whimpered as she watched Maureen run off down the hall.
"Sherry's got it," Maureen called back, not even pausing as she raced out of the hospital.
Rory just stood there, jaw hanging open. "Breathe," she heard a voice command her from behind.
Rory turned around to face Logan. "Logan? What are you still doing here? I thought you left?"
"Left? And went where?" he asked, smiling at her. She was cute when she was freaking out. Not cute in a sexy way…purely platonically cute.
"Umm, back to school?"
"And just desert you in Boston? I don't think so, Ace."
"But you can't stay here. This could take all night, maybe longer."
"I've got nowhere to be. Besides, if I leave, who will be here to get you the paper bag when you start hyperventilating?" he chuckled.
"Logan, you really don't have to do this."
"Just go in and see Sherry. I'm going to go get you some coffee."
Rory sighed. "Have I told you 'thank you' recently?"
"I think you may have mentioned it."
"Well I'm going to mention it again—thank you. I don't know what I'd do if I were alone right now."
"Not that it matters, because you're not alone, but even if you were—you'd be fine. A little freaked out, but fine. Now I think someone in that room over there is also freaking out right about now," he nodded his head towards Sherry's room. "Why don't you go check on her and see how that little sister of yours in coming along."
"Thank you."
"It's getting old, Gilmore. Now go." She smiled at him, took a deep breath and entered Sherry's room.
"OK, so how are we doing?" the nurse asked as she entered the room. Rory looked up from the cell phone in her hands; she had been making some business calls for Sherry who apparently couldn't stop working for even the most extreme of circumstances.
Sherry sighed and shook her head. "I'm not sure."
"Well don't be nervous, everything's going to be just fine. I just wanted to check on you and to see who's going to be with you in the delivery room while it's happening."
"Oh, well my fiancé's on his way—he's on his way, right?" Sherry asked, turning to Rory in a panic.
"Yes, he's on his way," Rory confirmed.
This seemed to appease Sherry momentarily. "OK, so when he gets here he'll come in with me."
"And if he doesn't get here on time?"
"Well then we'll just have to wait," she said matter-of-factly.
"I'm afraid that's going to be a little tough to arrange. Once it starts, that's it."
Sherry's eyes went wide again. "OK," she said hesitantly. "Well then, I guess it's Rory…right?"
Rory's head shot up. Her? In the delivery room? Umm…no! "Oh…absolutely."
"OK, well then I'm going to get you a gown and some gloves so you'll be all set in case you have to go in," the nurse replied.
"That sounds great," she replied mechanically.
"I'll be right back," the nurse left the room.
"OK, where were we?" Sherry asked, referring to the business calls they had been making.
"Umm, listen, Sherry," Rory said, standing up. "I really need a cup of coffee. Would you mind if I ran out really quick?"
"Oh, no. Go ahead; I'll make the next few calls myself."
"OK." Rory hastily made her way out of the room and bumped right into Logan.
"Hey, Ace. How's it going in there?"
"She wants me to go in the delivery room with her," Rory yelped.
"What?"
"If Dad doesn't get here in time. She told the nurse I was going to go in with her. I don't want to see that! I can barely watch ER with out getting sick to my stomach," she ranted.
"OK, calm down," he said, grabbing her hands which were gesticulating wildly.
"Calm down? Logan did you not just hear what I said? She wants me to go in the delivery room with her."
"We'll figure this out, Ace," he assured her. "Hmm…well I'd offer to go in for you but I don't think Sherry would be too comfortable with that, seeing as she's never met me."
Rory looked up at him. "I don't think Dad would be a fan either."
"Right," he nodded his head. "Where is your Dad right now?"
"I don't know."
"Well do you know how long before he gets here?"
"I don't know."
"Well how far along is she? It could still be a while, right?"
"I don't know. I don't know, I don't know, I don't know," she whimpered, burying her face in his chest. He rubbed soothing circles on her back. "I need my mommy," she mumbled into him. She took a deep breath and pulled out of his grasp, reaching for her cell phone.
"Hello?" Rory heard her mother's voice on the other end of the line.
"Mom, they're giving me gloves," she whined.
"What are you talking about?"
"I don't want gloves, I don't want a gown, I don't want to be in there."
"In where?"
"In the delivery room with Sherry," she clarified.
"What?"
"Dad's not here yet and she's freaking out and she told the nurse I'm going in."
"Where are her other friends," Lorelai asked incredulously.
"They had to work. I'm here all by myself. Well, I mean Logan's here but while his presence is highly appreciated, he's not much of a help in this particular situation and I'm trying very hard to be calm but I'm feeling nauseous and the hospital has a smell and there are noises and those gowns do not stay closed and I've seen a lot of butts today and…" Rory's rant was cut off by Lorelai.
"Ok sweetie, calm down."
"I need you."
"Rory—"
"I need you, I need you here, I need you now. I cannot do this. I need my Mommy and damn it, I don't care who knows it."
"What hospital is it?" Lorelai asked, without another word.
"Boston Memorial"
"I'll be right there."
"I really, really like you."
"Tell Sherry to keep her legs crossed until I get there."
"Does that work?" Rory asked incredulously.
"No," Lorelai admitted. "Bye."
Rory closed her phone and breathed a sigh of relief.
"She's on her way," she told Logan.
"You'll be fine," he promised her, pulling her in for another hug. "Everything's going to be fine."
Lorelai sat in the waiting room of Boston Memorial Hospital. She had gotten there from Hartford in record time, much to Rory's relief. Logan had been a huge help in keeping her from having a nervous breakdown in the mean time but she had still been extremely reassured by her mother's presence—and the knowledge that she wouldn't have to go into the delivery room.
Lorelai hated that it had been Logan who was there for Rory, although she was grateful her daughter had somebody and she had to admit, Logan had been a big help. To tell the truth, she was surprised that Logan had gone to so much effort to be there for Rory and the thought helped ease her reservations she had of him and his friends a bit, though she was still uncomfortable with the fact that her daughter seemed to be growing so close to them. Honestly, Lorelai wasn't sure what she felt anymore.
"Lor…" she heard a whisper and turned to see Christopher leaning on the couch by her side. He had made it just in time to go into the delivery room with Sherry.
Lorelai put her magazine aside. "Are you a daddy?" she asked him.
He nodded his head enthusiastically. "Come on, come look, we'll wake Rory later." He turned to his sleeping daughter and for the first time noticed the boy whose lap her head was on. He was sleeping too, his head lulled to one side and his hand resting on her waist. "Should I be worried about that?" he asked Lorelai, gesturing to the slumbering pair.
Lorelai turned to Rory and Logan and let out a sigh. "I don't know; I'm still trying to figure it out myself."
"Is he her…boyfriend?" he asked cautiously.
Lorelai pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Not yet."
"Huh?" he asked, not quite sure what she meant.
"They're just friends right now. She's with someone else—Jess," she admitted.
"Jess?" That name sounded familiar to him…and then he placed it. "The guy from the car accident?" he asked, referring to the incident about a year earlier when Jess had taken her to get ice cream and gotten them into an accident. Rory had broken her arm and Jess had disappeared. It had not gone over well with Chris or Lorelai, or Jess's uncle, Luke, for that matter. As soon as Jess had made it back to Luke's, Luke had sent him packing. Eventually Jess returned to Stars Hollow and Luke agreed to take him in again, all seemed forgotten—but Christopher hadn't forgotten; he still hated that kid.
"That would be the one," Lorelai confirmed.
"You're letting her date him?" Chris asked incredulously.
"I'm not letting her anything. She's a big girl and she can make her own decisions, whether I agree with them or not. Believe me, it sucks, but it's what happens when they grow up. You'll see."
Christopher sighed, "I don't like this."
"Me either. But if it makes you feel any better, I don't think it's going to last much longer. She's got it bad for that one," Lorelai nodded her head towards Logan. "She just hasn't figured it out yet."
"So how do we feel about that one?" Chris asked, referring to the blond boy with his daughter.
"Logan? Well…I want to hate him," Lorelai admitted.
"Why?"
She looked at Logan, then back at Chris. "Well…he's you."
"He's me?"
Lorelai nodded her head.
"Does that mean you hate me?"
"No," she replied. "It means I want to hate you."
"But you don't?" he asked cautiously.
"No."
"And you don't hate this Logan guy either?"
Lorelai glanced at Logan again. "No, I guess I don't."
"Why?"
"Why don't I hate him?" she asked for clarification.
"Yeah, why don't you hate him?"
Lorelai sighed. "He's…you."
Christopher nodded in understanding. "Come on," he said. "Let's go see Gigi."
Lorelai stole one more glimpse at her own daughter before following after Christopher. She really hoped he'd get it right the second time around.
Look at that, a nice long chapter. I know you guys are anxious to get to the Jess/Rory break up and I SWEAR it's coming soon. Just a couple more chapters unless the next chapter turns out real long and I wind up breaking it into 2. ANd just think that's positively short compared to the 24 chapters it took in Skip a Beat.
Please reveiw. Pretty please with a cherry on top.