Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 2 - Last Day in Hartford
Convincing herself that going to boarding school was the right thing to do was easy. Convincing her parents to actually let her go wasn't so easy. When she first brought up the idea, Lorelai tried to take her temperature insisting a fever was making her daughter delusional. Christopher was even less receptive. Sending his baby girl to a school on the other side of the Atlantic was not in the least bit appealing to him. However, Rory presented her arguments, stood her ground, and with the help of her great-grandmother, not to mention her Bambi eyes, was able to eventually get her parents' permission.
"I still can't believe she talked us into this," said a drowsy Christopher as he poured coffee for his wife. "Boarding school in London. How did she ever get us to agree to that, Lor?" Lorelai was still currently in her robe and slippers and although she was sitting at the breakfast table, her eyes were closed.
"No talking. Too early. Pour coffee," she mumbled. Eyes still shut, Lorelai extended her right arm, coffee mug in hand and waited as Christopher filled it with her precious coffee. "Aaahhh," she sighed after taking a long sip. It was only then that her she opened her eyes. "That's good. I knew I married you for a reason," she said smiling playfully at her husband.
Christopher laughed and said, "And here I thought it was because I'm so good in bed."
"Well that too," she replied in a seductive voice.
"Gross you guys. First born within earshot so please stop," said Kevin as he, Logan, Colin and Finn entered the kitchen for breakfast.
"Speak for yourself, mate. I for one love hearing Lorelai's phone-sex-operator voice," said a surprisingly awake and alert Finn. "Please continue, Lorelai. Just pretend we're not here. Or better yet, pretend you and I are the only ones here." He took the seat next to Lorelai and winked at her.
"For the love of God, Finn, stop hitting on my mother!"
"Sorry, mate. Can't help myself. Your mom's hot," he said while giving Lorelai a thorough once over.
"Finn, please refrain from checking out my wife in my presence," said Christopher.
"And in mine," added Kevin.
Lorelai couldn't help but laugh at the situation, yet she thought it best to change the subject. "Is your sister awake?"
Kevin took a sip of coffee and replied, "Has been for hours. Going over her lists for the umpteenth time."
"Ah, that's our Rory," said Colin joining the conversation. "Why are you letting her do this again?" he asked addressing Christopher.
"Believe me, Colin, I've been asking myself that question for weeks. I still have no idea why she's so determined to go, but you know Rory. When she gets something in her head, there's no talking her out of it."
"You could've said no," added Logan as he helped himself to the stack of pancakes the maid placed on the table.
"Easier said than done. If that list of pros she came up with wasn't bad enough, she went and got my grandmother involved. Tricky little thing. I've taught her too well," said Lorelai. "Plus you guys know what a sucker Chris is when it comes to Rory. Oh pancakes! Please pass the syrup, Logan."
"Hey, you're one to talk, Lor. You gave in before I did."
"Maybe, but I put up more of a fight, Chris. I had her on the run at least for a little while. All she had to do was bat her eyelashes and you caved."
"Not my fault. You know I'm a sucker for anyone with those eyes," said Christopher directing a smile at his wife.
"And honestly who can blame you?" said Lorelai with a flutter of her eyelashes.
"Who indeed?" agreed Finn with a lascivious grin as he inched his chair closer to Lorelai.
"Finn!" warned Christopher and Kevin simultaneously.
"Speaking of Rory," said Colin trying to draw Christopher and Kevin's attention away from Finn, "where is our girl? It's not like her to miss breakfast or any meal for that matter."
"I'll go up and get her," volunteered Logan. "I left something upstairs anyway." He got up and climbed the stairs, stopping to pick-up a package he left in Kevin's room, before making his way to the part of the house that contained Rory's room. He entered calmly without hesitation and without knocking knowing it would annoy her. Sure enough it did.
"How many times have I told you to knock before entering my room?" she asked with a scowl on her face and fire in her eyes. Logan had made a habit of entering her bedroom without the courtesy of first announcing his presence. He knew it made her mad. And she knew he did it just to make her mad.
"Let's see, Ace. I believe you make that request two or three times a week. Now I've been coming to your house for the past 15 years, but you weren't around yet for that first year so we'll subtract that. We should probably subtract years two and three as well, because if memory serves me right, you weren't talking yet. Now years four through six were our golden years. Such good friends we were, Ace. I don't believe you insisted I start knocking until year seven. So that's nine years, times 52 weeks a year, times two or three requests a week, factor in holidays, family vacations, and the week I had my tonsils out….let's see carry the 3…. " Logan went on, doing his best to appear to actually be doing the math in his head.
Rory rolled her eyes and suppressed a smile. He was annoying, no question about that, but he was pretty adorable when he was annoying her, not that she'd ever admit it. "However many times, Logan, are you ever going to actually knock?"
"And miss out on your 'angry face'? Never," he said with a smirk. "Besides I figured you wouldn't be too mad this time considering I brought you a present." The package, which was hidden behind his back, was now in full view.
Rory was shocked. "You have a present? For me? Why?" she asked as she eyed the gift suspiciously.
"It's a birthday present."
"It's August. My birthday's in October, Logan."
"I know when your birthday is, Ace. I've been to every one of your birthday parties. I still have nightmares about that clown from your 8th birthday," he said with a shudder. "But I'm going to have to miss your 15th since you'll be in dreary old England, and I didn't want to miss seeing your face when you opened my present." He held the package out to her and said, "Now open it. I know you're dying to."
Rory took the gift and turned it over in her hands a few times before she slowly started to unwrap it. "It's not going to explode is it?"
"Would I do that?"
"Hello Christmas of '97."
He burst out laughing at that memory. She frowned and stopped opening the gift. "Sorry, Ace. I promise this is nothing like that. You'll like it, I swear. Please just open it."
Rory quickly undid the rest of the wrapping and gasped when she realized what Logan had just given her. It was a copy of her favorite book, Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice, but not just any copy, it was a first edition. Enclosed in a protective clear plastic casing, the book was leather bound and in excellent condition. Rory opened the casing and ran her fingers across the book's surface. She was completely mesmerized. She wondered about who its original owner was. Maybe it was owned by a girl like her. What was she like? Did she love to read? Was this her favorite book? Could she have known then that nearly 200 years later, people would still be reading about Miss Elizabeth Bennet and her Mr. Darcy? She could almost feel the book's history seeping in through her fingers. It was the nicest gift anyone had ever given her, and it was from Logan of all people. Rory was truly touched. Minutes passed and she just stood there staring at it, unable to believe that he was actually giving it to her.
Her silence was not the reaction Logan was expecting. "Now who's being rude, Ace? Most people say thank you when they're given a gift. What would Emily think?"
"Logan….it's amazing. But it's way too much. This must have been really expensive, I can't take this," she said trying to hand it back.
"What do mean you can't take it? Of course you can. I bought it for you. I happen to know this is your favorite book. It's the one you were reading at your grandparents' two years ago at Christmas when I found you hiding, remember?"
"Oh if only you knew how well I remember that day," Rory thought to herself.
Logan was surprised at how upset he became when she tried to give his gift back. Things between them had been a little strained since Kevin's birthday party last May. He honestly didn't mean to upset her as much as he obviously did. Logan knew Rory hated being the center of attention and he knew getting the crowd involved when she was working up the nerve to jump into the water was the worse thing he could do. But he couldn't help it. She made it so easy. Rory wouldn't even look at him for days and didn't speak to him for over a week. He knew he had embarrassed her, but worse was the fact that he did it on purpose. And more than that, he did it in front of a bunch of kids she was supposed to start school with in the fall. He knew Rory was already nervous about starting Chilton and having to make new friends. Why did he have to humiliate her like he did? Logan apologized and although she insisted she was over it, he didn't entirely believe her. He knew her too well.
Rory was more than Kevin's little sister. Logan's known Rory her entire life and he honestly cared about her. She was one of the few people in the world that treated him like Logan, not Logan Huntzberger. When Kevin told him Rory had convinced their parents to send her to boarding school instead of Chilton, Logan felt so guilty, he spent days trying to come up with a way to make it up to her. He didn't want her to leave Connecticut angry at him. The first edition of Pride and Prejudice was perfect. He had gone to a lot of trouble to get it for her. Not to mention the fact that it cost him a small fortune. Mitchum had actually called Logan into his office when the bill for his Black Card came. His father was furious until Logan explained it was a gift for Rory. Mitchum always had a soft spot for the young aspiring journalist with the big blue eyes. He was genuinely surprised and pleased at his son's generosity. Logan knew Rory would love the book and couldn't believe she was actually trying to give it back.
"Please take the book. I really want you to have it. Look I know things have been weird between us since Kevin's birthday and I'm really sorry about what I did."
"I'm not mad at…" she tried to interrupt, but her cut her off.
"Yes you are, Ace. I know you. I know what you look like when you're upset or annoyed. I know what you look like when you're trying to not look upset or annoyed. I'm not just Kevin's friend you know. I'm your friend too and I don't want you to hate me."
"You think I hate you?"
"Don't you?"
"No! Okay, I admit I was mad, but I'm not any more."
He looked intently at her face as if trying to read her mind, trying to decide if he believed her. It made Rory really uncomfortable. "Okay. Well if you're not mad any more please accept the gift. It's for your birthday, the first birthday I'm going to miss," he said with a pout. "I really want you to have this." He pressed his hands over hers sandwiching the book between their palms causing her stomach to flutter.
Rory looked down at their hands and then up to meet his eyes. She was shocked to see the sincerity in his eyes. "I….I…" She had lost all ability to form a coherent thought, he was standing way too close her.
"This means a lot to me. Please, Rory."
That did it. Rory could count on one hand the number of times in recent years that Logan actually called her Rory. She knew then how important this was to him. "Thank you, Logan," she said in voice barely above a whisper. "This is the best birthday present I've ever gotten. I really, really love it. Thank you." She smiled at him in a way that made her blue eyes sparkle.
Finally, Logan got the reaction he had been awaiting. A wave of relief went through him. "I knew you'd love it," he said with an air of smugness that he knew would bother her.
"How do you go from sweet to arrogant jerk so quickly?" she asked amusement evident in her voice.
"It truly is a gift," he remarked making her laugh. "Now, let's go down to breakfast. Franny made enough food to feed an army...or two Lorelais." At that comment, Rory couldn't help but laugh again.
When the two arrived at breakfast, they were surprised to see Mitchum at the table engaged in a conversation with Christopher.
"There you are," said Lorelai. "What on earth took so long?"
"Sorry, Lorelai. Ace need help closing one of her suitcases. It took forever," he lied. Logan wasn't sure why he lied, but for some reason, he wanted to keep what happened upstairs between him and Rory private.
"Oh okay. Speaking of suitcases, would you four mind bring Rory's stuff down from her room?" she asked. "The car will be here soon."
As the boys headed upstairs to get Rory's luggage, Franny was piling as much food as possible on Rory's plate. Unlike Emily, Lorelai was able to keep a maid for more than a week. In fact, Franny had been with them since before Rory was born. "Thank you, Franny. That's more than enough. It looks delicious."
"Anything for you, Miss Rory. We're going to miss you so much around here," said the kind woman with tears in her eyes.
"I'm gonna miss you too, Franny." Rory hugged her and watching the scene was enough to send Lorelai over the edge.
"My baby is leaving me!" cried Lorelai in an overly dramatic voice before flinging her arms around her daughter and maid who were still hugging.
This succeeded in interrupting the conversation between Christopher and Mitchum. The two men stared at the three females. "Oh boy I was afraid this would happen," said Christopher. "Lor, Franny, please let go of Rory. She has a guest," he said patting Mitchum on the back hoping to calm, or at least distract, the three.
Mitchum finished off his coffee before saying, "Well Rory, I stopped by to give you the number of our London bureau. I know you'll probably be very busy with school, but if you're interested, there may be an internship available."
"Really?" Rory couldn't believe it, a chance to work at an actual paper. She must have misheard Mitchum.
"Yes, really," confirmed an amused Mitchum. "Now it won't be anything glamorous, probably just a lot of running errands, maybe some research, but you'll get to see how a paper runs. Plus it will help you learn your way around London. We can work it around your schedule of course, so once you're settled in with your classes, call this number," he handed her a card, "and set up a meeting with Jacob. He's head of the office there and will be expecting your call." Mitchum could tell she was thrilled. The look in her eyes priceless, she looked like a kid being handed a key to a candy store.
"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed while jumping up to hug a surprised Mitchum. He was not very affectionate, even with his own children, but he was pleased with how happy she was and hugged her back. "This is so incredible. I can't believe it! Thank you, Mitchum. I really appreciate it and I won't let you down. I promise I'll work really hard."
"I know I won't be disappointed, but promise you won't overdo it. You are reasonably young after all," he chided, "and should have some fun. Get yourself assigned to the entertainment section as often as possible," he suggested.
"Thanks so much! See, Dad," she turned to Christopher, "London's working out well already and I'm not even there yet."
Christopher smiled, "Finish your breakfast, kid. It's gonna be a long day. You'll need the energy." Rory hugged Mitchum once more before returning to her pancakes. Christopher poured himself some coffee and refilled Mitchum's cup before saying, "I really appreciate this, Mitch. Knowing Rory, she would have buried herself in school work for the next four years. It will be good for her to have something else to occupy her time. Plus, she's always dreamed of working at a paper."
"Oh believe me it's my pleasure, Chris. It's nice to see a child with some ambition. You wouldn't be willing to trade would you?" he joked.
"Sorry, we're kind of attached to her. But don't be so quick to make a trade. You've got great kids."
"I know. But I wouldn't mind if they were more like Rory. Do you have any idea how many times the headmaster at Chilton has called me about one of my children, especially Logan?"
"I do actually. Need I remind you that I'm also Kevin's father," Christopher said.
Mitchum laughed at that. "Yes, excellent point. Well they are our sons aren't they," he said with what almost sounded like pride. Logan was a troublemaker at times, but Mitchum couldn't help but think how much Logan reminded him of himself at that age.
"Yes, they are our sons," agreed Christopher with the same hint of pride. "And look on the bright side."
"Which is?"
"Neither one of them is Finn."
"I'll drink to that." Both men raised their coffee cups and laughed.