CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

RORY

The big wedding was set for one week from tomorrow. Grandma was still calling me five times a day but I really didn't care anymore. I had already married him. I was writing my articles from home now. The doorbell rand, I walked passed the undecorated nursery, I made a note to finish decorating it before the baby was born. I opened the door to Mitchum standing there. I couldn't even imagine what he wanted.

"Hello Rory." I stood there, confused. "Can I come in?"

"Uh, sure." I moved aside to let him in. "Logan isn't here." I told him. It was the first thing I could think of.

"I know he's not Rory, I came to talk to you." He was making me nervous.

"About what?"

"I wanted to congratulate you and Logan and say that I hope you prepared for what happens next." He was talking about the baby. My feet ached, I sat down.

"I have experience raising a kid before Mitchum." He knew that.

"That's not what I meant." I swallowed hard. What did he mean then?

"Come again?" I tried to get him to clarify it for me.

"On eloping with my son." My heart jumped. He knew.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"It's what I do for a living Rory, I am the news." Of course. Out of everyone who was loyal to him. I should have figured as much. Someone saw us and told. "No one but me and my source knows. I paid him off."

"What would you do that?" I asked skeptically.

"Because when Shira finally found out you were pregnant, I still hear about it." All the pieces were coming together.

"You knew." I said aloud, more to myself than to Mitchum.

"Of course I did. I knew from the start."

"You never said anything."

"I knew why you didn't tell us, but I do want to ask a favor." What could he want from me?

"Ok." I told him.

"Tell your Grandparents and Shira, they will be less mad if they don't just find out." He said and had a point. "Even if they will still make you have the big ceremony."

"I'll talk to Logan about it tonight."

"Thank you." He looked at my hand, seeing my wedding ring.

"That was my Mother's, you know."

"It was?" Logan never told me about it, just that it fit me.

"When she died, she gave it to Logan and told him to give it to the woman he loved." He told me the story and I smiled. "And that's how I know he's right about you." He started to walk towards the door, leaving. "Shira and I are going to dinner tomorrow, per Emily's request."

"I'll see you then." I told him.

"I'll act surprised." He said before letting himself out. I picked up the phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Hello?" Logan answered

"He knows."

MITCHUM

We were waiting for the kids to get here. I just saw Rory yesterday and she was getting bigger by the day, so that was accountable for the 15 minutes they were late already. We all sat and sipped our drinks in silence. Only I knew in 30 minutes time, the whole room would be yelling. The doorbell rang; Emily got up to answer it. She returned a minute later with three more people and sat

down.

"Where is your Mother again?" Emily asked Rory. I had wondered about Lorelai's absence.

"She had to work late."

"So we are all waiting in suspense Rory. You said over the phone you had something to tell us, what is it?" Emily asked Rory. She was about as cool and subtle as the sun.

"Well Grandma, it's kind of big." She has that right. I contemplated bringing ear plugs. I saw Shire's eyes were staring at Rory's ring. I knew she suspected something, she just didn't know it yet.

"Well..." Rory stuttered, nervous. Her hands were shaking, I felt sorry for her, and this was no easy task. Logan took her hand in support.

"We got married." Logan spit out, the elder's jaws dropped. I did my best to act surprised.

"What?" Emily was the first to speak after a moment.

"We eloped." Rory admitted.

"When?" Emily was very monosyllabic today.

"Last week." I counted down. 3, 2, 1.

"How could you do something like this Rory? We have been planning for two months!" Emily finally exploded.

"We can still have the big wedding Grandma." Shira should chime in any second now.

"What a waste! This is so irresponsible of you Logan. I can't believe you would do this to us!" Bingo. My wife nudged me, looking for me to say something.

"It was very wrong of you to do that Logan. A lot of planning went into yours and Rory's wedding."

"We did this for us; we wanted a small wedding to begin with."

"You did that for you? You sound like rebelling teenagers." Emily added. "You were trying to keep me out of your wedding, right? Didn't want your overbearing Grandma there?" Guilt trips works wonders in the high society world.

"That's not it at all Grandma. I want you there, that's why we are still having the wedding next week." Emily looked beyond mad, she looked hurt in all reality; which surprised me, I guess I underestimated how she would feel. "I'm sorry Grandma; I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's too late for that Rory."

"I don't know what you guys were thinking." Shira added. The look on Emily's face, crushed. I would never forget that face.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm not feeling well and am going to bed." Emily got up and walked away. We waited half an hour for her to come back but she never did.

LOGAN

Rory went straight to our room when we got home. I put Cameron to sleep and went into the room. She was lying on the bed. I knew she was crying. I sat on the bed and held her, she started to sob.

"What did I do? I hurt her so bad Logan." She cried into my shoulder.

"Sssh Ace, she'll get over it."

"I'm a horrible person."

"No you're not. No one thinks that." I tried to comfort her. I couldn't stand seeing her this upset; I hated to see her cry. It broke my heart into a million pieces and I rather feel her pain 10 times over than for her to shed one tear.

"It will be ok Rory." I held her until she finally fell asleep.