Chapter Ten
Later that same day, Rory found herself wandering the streets of Stars Hollow. She kept glancing around, hoping against hope that she was just going to catch a glimpse of Logan somewhere. She knew it was futile, she didn't even know where he was staying. Not in Stars Hollow, I bet, she thought despairingly. Making her way over to Luke's, she caught sight of her reflection in the window of the book store.
Look at the state of me. She hadn't showered today; her hair was scraped back into a scruffy ponytail and she wasn't wearing a scrap of makeup. Glancing down, she realised her clothes also added to the distinctly run-down air that surrounded her. I need to sort myself out. Like, right now. Decision made, Rory bypassed Luke's and headed straight for home.
"Mom?" she called as she walked through the door.
"Upstairs!"
Rory took the stairs two at a time. Bursting through Lorelai's bedroom door, she pointed a finger accusingly at her mother. "How could you let me get into this state?"
"Erm, well, I didn't let you exactly…"
"No, not the pregnant state, mom! This state! Look at me! I'm a mess. And you let me be a mess! Why didn't you say anything?"
"Oh, hon, you were wallowing. I let you wallow. Have you heard from Logan?"
Rory deflated. "No. I called him, left a voicemail, made a fool of myself, the usual."
"Ah, it's the Gilmore way. Can't you break into his place and steal his phone so he never hears it?"
"I don't even know what continent he is on right now."
Lorelai crossed the room and hugged Rory tightly. "Ok. Enough of this. Go, shower. Do something with that hair. Then it's take-out and movie time, just like we used to. What do you want to watch?"
"Something funny."
"Ok, kid. Get yourself sorted. I'll do everything else."
"Thanks, mom."
Just over an hour later, Rory had just finished drying her hair. She winked at her reflection, feeling much more like herself. Deciding that it was too early for pyjamas, she dug out her favourite jeans and pulled on a soft blue jumper. The sudden chime of the doorbell made her jump.
"Mom, foods here!" Rory called loudly. The bell rang again, the delivery guy was clearly impatient. Rory went to get the door herself, surprised to see a guy holding a vase of flowers instead of a pizza.
"Delivery for a Lorelai Gilmore?" The delivery guy shoved the vase at Rory as he spoke, before practically running away from her doorstep. Rory shrugged at the odd behaviour, then remembered Kirk used to be the flower guy, and was probably responsible for training the replacement. Laughing to herself at the thought of a new Kirk in town, Rory turned back into the house holding the flowers out.
"Mom, you got flowers!"
Lorelai strutted into the room. "I got flowers? Oooh who from?"
"The card just says 'Always' so I'm guessing Luke?"
Lorelai pulled the card from Rory. "Nope, not Luke. He isn't that romantic! Are you sure they are for me?"
"The guy said Lorelai Gilmore. That's you."
"And you!"
"Oh, so it is. Why would you give us both the same name? It's too confusing in the event of obscure flower deliveries!"
"Hmm. What are these purple things? I've never seen them before."
Rory pulled out her phone and started tapping. "They're called Dame's Rocket, apparently."
"Huh. So anyway, I have food, and I have films. Which one first?" Lorelai held up two films for Rory to pick.
"Mom! I said funny! What's funny about Titanic?"
"You jump, I jump, Jack? That's funny."
Rory was startled by hearing the exact phrase she had once said to Logan. "What?"
"The line from the movie. We can watch it and mock everything. Make it funny. The way we used to."
Looking doubtful, Rory nodded. She settled onto the sofa with her mother with the feeling that she was missing something, but she just couldn't put her finger on what.