Disclaimer: We don't own Gilmore Girls.
As Rory and Logan walked away, Chris spotted Emily and Richard coming towards him, wearing matching expressions of disapproval.
"Christopher," Emily began as they came to a stop, and with the use of his full name, Chris knew whatever was coming would not be good. "I think you should leave. Rory is clearly upset by what you did tonight, and I can't say I blame her," she finished. Chris opened his mouth to protest but was quelled by a look from Richard.
"I agree with Emily. This evening is for Rory and Logan, not a chance for her to build a relationship with her estranged grandparents."
"You're going to kick me out of my daughter's engagement party?" Chris asked in disbelief. The Gilmores nodded.
"After the dramatics of the last few days, Rory deserves to have tonight salvaged. I would suggest, if you want to receive a wedding invitation, you refrain from any further attempts for your parents to build a connection with her. Rory is a young woman, and it isn't your choice to decide who is and isn't going to be in her life. It's hers," Emily said.
Knowing he wouldn't win this argument, Chris accepted defeat and headed towards the door. As he took his leave, he saw Rory being embraced by Luke, and felt the familiar jealousy take hold in his gut.
After they'd walked away from her father, Logan and Rory had talked to Luke, who hugged them both and congratulated them once again but he needed to get back to Stars Hollow to prep the diner for the morning rush. After Rory promised to come visit before they moved, Luke left and she and Logan joined their group of friends, which now included the newly arrived Juliet, Rosemary, and Steph.
"I'm so sorry we're late, Rory, Logan. The traffic was horrific because of an accident on the freeway," Juliet said as she sipped her sparkling water. She was the designated driver that evening.
"Hopefully no one was hurt too badly. I'm happy you guys got here safely," Rory said, with Logan nodding beside her.
"Yes, there's been quite enough drama for one evening," Logan said as Rory leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Uh oh, what happened? Did your mom cause trouble again?" Steph asked. Rory shrugged.
"Not publicly this time. My paternal grandparents gatecrashed because my dad told them about tonight and they decided to "come along,"" Rory said before telling them what had occurred between her and the Haydens and Lorelai's cornering of Rory afterwards.
"Your family is . . . something else," Rosemary said disbelievingly.
"Yeah, well, what's a party without some drama?" Rory tried to joke before turning to Logan. "Maybe we should elope," she said half-heartedly. Logan raised his eyebrows as did their friends.
"We'll talk about that later," he said. Rory nodded and Logan turned to his friends. "Gentlemen, shall we step outside for a few minutes?" he suggested.
"Excellent idea. A breath of fresh air would be good for us all. Ladies, if you'll excuse us," Colin said. Logan kissed Rory's cheek before releasing her.
"I'll be back in a bit," he said. He'd wanted to make sure Rory was all right before going to get some much-needed air himself. Rory grinned at him.
"Go, I'm in good company here," she said with a wink. Logan smiled back at her before nodding at the girls and walking away, the other men trailing after him. Honor looked at her future sister-in-law in concern.
"Rory, I'm not asking this to be rude, but have you eaten anything this evening?" she asked. Rory shook her head.
"No, I was busy talking to the guests because everyone wanted to know about Logan's proposal and the wedding," she answered truthfully.
"Well, let's go get some food then, we can't have the lady of honour fainting when there's still a party happening," said Lane. The group of women made their way towards the food table. After selecting a variety for their plates, they resorted to standing while they ate. Emily came over to them as Juliet was making suggestions on where they could go for Rory's bachelorette party.
"Hey, Rory, maybe we can ask your grandma for ideas. Mrs. Gilmore, where did you go for your hen party?" Juliet asked. Emily laughed.
"Oh, good heavens, Juliet, that was such a long time ago. My girlfriends and I went to the Hamptons for the weekend, one of the bridesmaids' families had just renovated their country house, and we spent our time shopping and lounging around the pool," Emily paused, a mischievous glint coming into her eyes. "After a few too many martinis, we went for a moonlight skinny-dip in the ocean," she whispered conspirationally. The girls burst out laughing, Rory laughing the hardest. Never had she imagined her grandmother doing such a thing.
"Grandma! I can't believe you did that," Rory said as soon as she could speak. Emily smiled at her.
"Well, I was young, in love, and feeling a little reckless that weekend. You wouldn't think that looking at me now, but I've never regretted it," Emily said as she studied her granddaughter. Rory looked a good deal calmer than half an hour ago, though Emily suspected that was because of the group of women around her. She was glad that Rory and Logan had such good friends. "Have any of you seen Richard? I can't find him anywhere," Emily said.
"Maybe he's in his study? You know Grandpa, sometimes he needs to step out of the party atmosphere to regroup. I'm sure he'll be back out here soon," Rory said. Emily nodded; her granddaughter was right.
Meanwhile, Logan and the other men were smoking cigars outside.
"Rory seems okay now," Doyle noted, glancing towards the house. Through the glass, he could see that Emily had joined Rory and her friends and they all appeared to be laughing at something the Gilmore matriarch had said. Logan and the other men followed his gaze.
"Yeah, she does. This is not how I imagined our engagement party going," Logan sighed. The men around him looked at him sympathetically. "After the graduation fallout with Lorelai and everything that followed, I just wanted tonight to be perfect for her."
"And for you too. Logan, this party is for you and Rory," Finn said seriously. His companions nodded.
"Logan, I know you're blaming yourself, but you couldn't have known Rory's dad was going to do that," said Josh before looking over at Zach. "Hey, Zach? Has he done anything like that before?" Zach shook his head as he exhaled.
"Not that I know of. The first time I ever saw the guy was when I married Lane, but I didn't talk to him," Zach hesitated, unsure if he should say more. Before he could decide, however, a new voice spoke up.
"Having an impromptu bachelor party, are we?" Logan and his friends jumped at the sound before turning to face Richard Gilmore. Belatedly, they all realized they were still holding their cigars and tried to hide them. Richard chuckled and stepped closer.
"You think I wasn't a 20-something lad once? Pass one of those over!" he exclaimed as he joined them. A stunned Finn, who had procured the cigars for the evening, handed one to him. Richard accepted a lighter from Colin and lit it.
"Mr. Gilmore, I'm shocked!" Logan said as he finally regained his voice.
"Call me Richard, son, we're family now. And as for this," he gestured with the cigar, "Well, it's been an eventful evening and I need something to take the edge off. Just don't tell Emily," he said with a wink.
"We wouldn't dream of it, sir," Colin said, looking slightly dazed. They stood in silence for a few moments before Logan spoke again.
"Richard, what's the secret to having a marriage like yours?" he asked. Richard raised his eyebrows as he exhaled a stream of smoke. The young men around him waited, they were curious too. Marrying for love, in this world of privilege most of them had been born and raised in, was rare. Most of the marriages they knew of took place for business purposes to ensure a higher place in society and an increase in connections.
"Well, open communication and honesty, for starters. Those are a good bedrock for any relationship, and treating your partner as an equal. You all saw the Haydens this evening, yes?" It was a rhetorical question, but they all nodded. "Straub Hayden has never treated Francine as his equal. Part of it is generational, but the other part is who he is as a person. Emily and I, our marriage is as strong as it is because we went through a lot to get here. Yes, we separated for a time, but separating permanently was unthinkable. Especially after I had ended my engagement with another woman so I could be with Emily," Richard finished.
There was a collective intake of breath from the young men. Logan's eyes widened as he remembered something.
"The night we got engaged, Rory told me Emily had said we reminded her of the two of you," he said. Richard nodded.
"She was correct, there isn't much Emily is wrong about. Like the two of you, we faced opposition in our relationship, but if you remember our talk from a few days ago, Logan, it isn't you on one side of the problem and Rory on the other side, it's the two of you against it. That outlook, and the love you share, can have a profound impact on your marriage and determine its direction."
At one time, Colin, Finn, Robert and Logan would have been running for the hills at the slightest mention of marriage, but as Logan looked around at his friends, coworkers and acquaintances, he saw they were listening intently to Richard's words too.
"What do you do if the spark begins to fade?" Zach asked.
"You find ways to reignite it. It doesn't have to be anything big, in fact, it's the little things that mean the most. Like bringing your wife flowers for no reason, or bringing home her favourite foods when you know she's had a bad day, or writing her love letters."
"Love letters?" Doyle questioned skeptically. Richard nodded.
"If you think about the wars, past and present, soldiers exchange letters with their families and sweethearts while they're overseas. Not just to keep the connection but also, in the event of something happening, to ensure their loved ones have mementos of them. Every time I went out of town, I wrote a love letter to Emily, so when she felt lonely, I made sure she knew I loved her and was thinking of her. It got to the point that when I left, I would find a letter from Emily tucked inside my briefcase," he said. The younger men were all moved by Richard's story.
"That – that makes sense," Robert said slowly. The other men nodded thoughtfully; this was turning out to be quite the engagement party. They finished their cigars in silence and headed back inside to the party.
Mitchum, Shira, and Elias Huntzberger stood in the foyer of the Gilmore home. Rory had not been lying at all. Everything she had said at their house was true. What should they do? Did they accept Rory and Logan's engagement?
"You have to admit, this changes things. Rory is a pure blue blood after all," Elias said in a low voice.
"That doesn't change the fact she wasn't raised in society! She still has no idea what it takes to be in this family!" Shira exclaimed, also keeping her voice low.
"She seems to fit in well enough to me," said Mitchum. He'd been watching Rory and Logan since they'd arrived, and he had to admit there was a certain grace and dignity in the way Rory carried herself. He saw her interactions with the other guests, how she maintained eye contact and gave her full attention to anyone speaking to her.
While the confrontation between her and the Haydens hadn't taken place at the right time, there was nothing derogatory or offensive in the way Rory had addressed them. She stood her ground and delivered the cold, hard truth without being disrespectful. Was this really the same girl who had interned at his Stamford newspaper only two years ago? Mitchum could barely believe it. Though after her phone call to him when Logan had been in the hospital, maybe he shouldn't be surprised. As he tried to sort out what to do, he noticed Honor and Josh approaching them.
"Are you going to hide out here for the whole evening, or are you going to talk to your son and future daughter-in-law?" Honor asked. Shira gave a tinkling laugh.
"Oh, we were just discussing the events from earlier. Have you noticed that the Haydens and Rory's parents left? They must be embarrassed after her little display," she said.
"From where I stood, her "little display" was quite deserved and it sounds like it was a long time coming," Josh said. Honor nodded in agreement.
"As for Rory's parents, they were asked to leave by the future bride and the hosts. So, unless you three want to be asked to leave as well, I suggest you think very carefully before you approach the couple being honoured tonight. Josh, let's go get a drink," Honor said before they walked away, leaving her parents and grandfather staring after her in astonishment.
Logan took a sip of water as he listened to the banter between Rory and their friends. After the men had come back inside, they'd joined the group of women, fitting seamlessly into their conversation. Emily was laughing at something Richard had said when suddenly she stopped.
"Wait a moment, why do I smell cigars? Richard, were you smoking?!" she exclaimed. There was a collective murmur of "uh oh" from the men. Finn, knowing someone had to say something, jumped in.
"Uh, Mrs. Gilmore? If you want to blame anyone, blame me. I bought a pack of cigars for tonight, and Mr. Gilmore came outside and found us," he said in a rush. Emily leveled him with a look before her eyes snapped to her husband. Richard, knowing he was caught, spoke.
"Emily, it was one cigar. I seldom do it and tonight is a celebration," he said. Emily looked at him steadily for a moment. Then she turned to face Finn.
"Do you still have the cigars?" she asked. Finn gulped nervously; he now saw where Rory's tough side came from.
"Uh, yes, ma'am. I can get rid of them," he said. Emily rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"Oh, for heaven's sake, don't be ridiculous! Be a dear and hand me one, won't you?" she said, making the group's mouths drop open.
"Grandma!" Rory gasped as a stunned Finn handed a cigar and lighter to Emily. Emily turned to her granddaughter.
"Rory, my dear, there's something else I didn't tell you about my bachelorette party," she said. Rory looked at her bemusedly. "The reason we went skinny dipping in the moonlight was because one of my girlfriends had packed a bag of marijuana. Richard, would you care to join me outside?" Emily asked. Her husband nodded and the two of them began to walk away. At the last moment, Emily turned back to the crowd of astounded young people.
"Ladies, when you're on the bachelorette weekend, do leave some space open for spontaneity. It will make it a weekend none of you will forget. Same goes for you boys," Emily said with a wink as she and Richard continued outside. Rory stared after them before turning back to her friends.
"I didn't imagine that, did I? I feel like my head got used in a game of a whack-a-mole," she asked with a shellshocked look on her face. They all shook their heads.
"Nope, you didn't," Lane said. Paris peered at Rory.
"You okay, there, Gilmore? You look like you're going to pass out," she said. Rory let out a small giggle and nodded.
"I'm good, I'm just processing," she said.
"Okay, well, in that case, who needs a drink?" Rosemary suggested.
"Definitely a drink," Colin said. The group nodded and dispersed, leaving Rory and Logan alone.
"I guess we should mingle a bit more, people are going to start leaving soon. Have you talked to your parents or grandfather at all?" Rory asked. Logan shook his head.
"No, I don't know if they're still here," he said.
"Oh, they are. We just left them in the foyer," Honor said as she and Josh joined the other couple.
"Oh. Well, we should go talk to them Logan," Rory suggested. Logan sighed and nodded, knowing his fiancée was right. He hadn't spoken to his parents or grandfather since their brief meeting a few nights ago, but he couldn't not speak to them. And it would look strange if he and Rory didn't interact with the other members of his family. He took a deep breath and offered his arm. Rory slipped hers through his and laced their fingers together.
"We'll see you guys in a bit," Rory said to Honor and Josh, who nodded.
"Good luck," Honor said as her younger brother and his future wife walked away. Once they were out of earshot, she turned to her husband. "I really hope they can keep a civil tongue in their heads," she said. Josh took his wife's arm and led her to the bar.
"Logan and Rory can handle themselves, Hon," he said. Honor nodded and accepted the glass of champagne he handed her and drained it in one go.
Rory and Logan entered the foyer and looked around.
"I don't see them anywhere," Logan said. Rory squeezed his hand.
"Maybe they went outside, let's go look," she said. They walked towards the door and Rory opened it. They hadn't even made it halfway through the doorway when Logan spotted his parents' car leaving. His jaw tightened as he watched them drive away. He hadn't expected anything less, but he thought by their attendance tonight, they would have at least been open to the possibility of accepting his engagement and impending marriage to Rory. Rory watched him, her heart breaking even as it filled with anger. All their talk about her not having good breeding, and her future-in-laws didn't even have the decency to say goodbye, much less speak to their son all evening. Before she could say anything, Logan spoke.
"Well, that answers that. Come on, Ace. Let's go back in," he said. Rory nodded and held Logan's arm tighter as they walked back into the house.
Half an hour later, the party guests began to take their leave. Rory, Logan, Richard, and Emily were busy seeing them off. As they said goodbye to their friends and thanked them for coming, there were promises of get-togethers when they came home and plans made to visit the couple in Palo Alto. Incensed by the elder Huntzbergers' actions, Honor and Josh assured Logan and the Gilmores they would be on hand to help with wedding planning when Rory and Logan returned in a few months.
Rory exchanged numbers with Bobbi and they made plans to have lunch the next day. With a hug for both Rory and Logan, Bobbi, Philip, Nick and Hugo took their leave. Paris and Doyle were the last ones to depart, Lane and Zach had left earlier as they had to get home to the twins.
"It was a wonderful party, Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore, thank you for having us," Doyle said.
"It was a pleasure to have you both, Doyle. You and Paris are welcome anytime, we'll expect to see you at the end of the summer," Emily said. Paris and Doyle both nodded.
"We'll be here, Mrs. Gilmore," Paris said.
"Wonderful, you can assist with the wedding planning! Richard, I think its time you and I retire, and leave the young people to say good night. Rory, Logan, we'll see you in the morning," Emily said.
"Of course, Grandma. Thank you both for tonight, it was lovely," Rory said. She'd decided she wasn't going to focus on the interaction with the Haydens or the resulting conversations with her parents, those paled in comparison to the overall positive evening.
"Yes, thank you, Richard, Emily. Tonight meant a lot to us," Logan said.
"You're quite welcome, son. Good night, all," Richard said as he and Emily headed up the stairs, leaving Rory, Logan, Doyle and Paris in the foyer. Paris turned to Rory and Logan.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now," she said. Rory stepped forward and embraced her friend.
"It won't be long and we'll see you guys again," she said. Paris grinned and squeezed her back as Logan and Doyle looked on.
"Well, see you later, Huntzberger," Doyle said, extending his hand. Logan shook his head.
"Come on, man, bring it in," he said. Doyle chuckled and returned Logan's embrace. They pounded each other on the back before letting go.
"You guys take care of yourselves, and be safe. You'll have to come visit us in Palo Alto," Logan said as Paris and Rory finally released each other.
"That would be great, Logan, we'd love to come see you," Paris said as Rory embraced Doyle. She paused, and then laid a hand on his arm. "I know I didn't like or trust you at the beginning, but you are exactly what Rory needs. You take care of my girl, okay?' she said. Logan swallowed hard, knowing this was Paris' way of giving him her approval.
"I will," he said solemnly. Paris nodded and hesitated briefly before wrapping her arms around Logan. He hugged her back as Rory and Doyle watched in amusement.
"Are we switching partners?" Rory asked, her blue eyes twinkling with mirth.
"Not a chance, Gilmore!" Paris said fondly as she released Logan.
"Ah, come on, Paris, you don't think we'd be good together?" Logan teased lightheartedly.
"Sorry Huntzberger, but you could never satisfy me the way Doyle does," Paris said as Rory rejoined her fiancé.
"Paris! TMI!" Rory exclaimed. Paris chuckled and linked hands with her boyfriend.
"Just telling the truth! Have a good summer, guys, we'll see you at the end of August!" Paris said.
"You bet! Be safe and have fun! Keep in touch while you're away!" Rory said. After promising to be in contact over the summer, Paris and Doyle left. As Rory closed and locked the door after them, she turned her head to look at Logan.
"What?" she asked. Logan shook his head.
"I still can't believe I get to marry you, spend my life with you," he said softly. Rory smiled and walked forward to wrap her arms around him, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.
"I love you, Logan Huntzberger. So much," she said. Logan touched his forehead to hers and rubbed his nose against hers.
"I love you, Rory. More than my own life," he said as he captured her lips with his. Rory kissed him back before he pulled away and lifted her into a bridal carry. Rory let out a soft laugh when he spun them around once and headed in the direction of the doors leading to the deck. As they walked away, Rory glanced over Logan's shoulder to see Emily and Richard on the landing in their bathrobes, watching with soft smiles at the love between the two young people. Rory smiled back and they nodded at her before walking back up the stairs.
Rory sighed happily as Logan took her shoes off. "As much as I love those shoes, I wish I could have switched to flats halfway through the party, my feet are killing me!" she said. Logan rubbed her feet gently and looked up at her.
"How about I run you a bath?" he offered.
"That sounds wonderful," she sighed appreciatively. Logan nodded and headed into the adjoining bathroom of Rory's bedroom. He removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves before plugging the tub and turning the water on. Rory leaned against the doorframe and watched as her fiancé loosened and removed his tie. Sensing her watching him, Logan turned.
"What's up Rory?" he asked.
"Just enjoying the view. Unzip me?" she asked. Logan nodded and she walked over, setting her nightgown on the edge of the bathtub and turned around. Logan carefully undid her dress and helped her slide out of it. As she stepped out of the dress, Rory leaned back against his chest, feeling his arms encircle her and shivering as his bare forearms pressed gently against her stomach. For a moment they stood there, taking comfort in the other's embrace. It was the first moment all evening they had been truly alone.
Logan pressed his lips to her ear and turned his head to the half-full bathtub. He released her and picked up a bottle of lavender scented bubble bath, pouring a capful into the warm water. He tested the temperature and shut the tap off.
"Are you joining me?" Rory asked. Logan nodded and began to unbutton his shirt while Rory removed her underwear. She then opened the shirt's last few buttons and unbuckled his belt. Once they were undressed, Logan helped Rory into the tub and climbed in behind her. Rory sighed in content as she leaned against him and laced their fingers together.
"This is heaven," she said, laying her head against his shoulder. Logan grinned and dropped a kiss on her temple.
"The master bedroom has an ensuite with a walk-in shower and jacuzzi," he told her.
"Sounds perfect. I can't believe we'll be there in a few days," Rory said.
"Me either," Logan said quietly. Rory turned her head to look at him, and then changed her position so she was half facing him.
"Hey, talk to me. What's wrong?" she asked. Logan sighed and released one of her hands to caress her face.
"I just wanted tonight to be perfect, you know. I thought my parents and grandfather's attendance meant they had at least begun to acknowledge and accept us, but they never said a word," Logan said. It was clear the behaviour of his other family members had hurt him deeply. Rory looked at him sympathetically, but she couldn't think of anything to say. Logan sighed heavily and gathered her closer. Rory went willingly, holding the man she loved as close as possible, giving him the comfort she knew he needed. They stayed like that until the water turned cold, just holding each other.
Logan turned down the bedclothes and got in while he waited for Rory to finish her nighttime routine. She appeared a moment later, her hair loose, in a blue silk nightgown he'd given her for Christmas. Rory flipped off the bathroom light and came to the bed. As soon as she climbed in, she moved over until she was snuggled against Logan's side, who wrapped an arm around her while he pulled the covers over them both.
As they lay there in the dark, Logan spoke.
"Hey, Rory?"
"Mhm?"
"What you said earlier, about how maybe we should elope. . . did you mean that?" he asked. Rory sighed and leaned over him to turn on the bedside lamp before laying back on her side, resting a hand on his chest. Logan moved so that he was on his side as well, one arm over her hip while he covered the hand on his chest with his own.
"A part of me did. After the stress of the last few days, planning a wedding seems pretty daunting," she admitted. Logan nodded; he wasn't going to argue with that.
"But?" he said softly. Rory smiled and met his eyes, honesty written all over her face.
"But then I think about everyone who showed up for us tonight, and how much I want them there. And I think about Grandma and Grandpa. How hurt they would be if we did run away and get married. They didn't get to do any of this with my mom, Logan. Grandma didn't get to host an engagement party or help plan a wedding or go wedding dress shopping or anything like that. I don't want to be like my parents and leave a message on the answering machine saying we got married," Rory couldn't stop the tears that had begun to roll down her cheeks and Logan moved the hand resting on the small of her back to wipe them away. Rory let herself cry for a few moments before continuing. "When my mom got engaged to my English teacher, she didn't tell Grandma and Grandpa, they found out from Sookie. I don't want to do that with our wedding, Logan. I know my grandparents were hurt when my parents eloped in France, and so was I," she finished.
Logan nodded, he'd seen how upset Rory was when she came to his launch party, even though she'd tried to hide it.
"So, it's decided then. No elopement, we're saying "I do" in front of our friends and family," he said. Rory nodded. "Okay." Logan pressed his lips to her forehead and shut the light off before pulling Rory closer and snuggling her as they fell asleep.
Emily and Richard were sitting in the dining room when Rory and Logan walked into the house the next morning.
"Good morning you two, how was your sleep?" Emily asked as they sat down at the breakfast table.
"It was good, Emily, thank you. I hope you both had a good night's rest, that was quite the party last night," Logan said as the maids walked in with their breakfast.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Logan, it's the least we could do," Emily said. Richard nodded in agreement.
"Absolutely. We couldn't let the joining of our families go uncelebrated. Logan, Emily has informed me that you and I are not exempt from the wedding planning. Except for the dress shopping of course, we can't have the groom seeing the bride in her wedding dress before the big day," Richard said.
"I wouldn't expect anything less, sir. I don't think Rory would let me off the hook for that either, would you Ace?" Logan asked, looking affectionately at his fiancée. Rory shook her head and swallowed a bite of her croissant.
"Nope, I wouldn't," she said before turning her attention to her grandmother. "Grandma, didn't you tell me a story a few years ago where the wedding almost didn't happen because the groom wasn't going to help with the planning?"
"Yes, I did. The groom told the bride, Logan, that he didn't care what the colour scheme was or what kind of dishes they used for the dinner because he wasn't going to have anything to do with the planning or decorating," Emily explained.
"I can't imagine that went over well," Logan noted.
"Oh, you're quite right it didn't. She threw a plate at him and he didn't duck in time, he received a broken nose for his trouble," Emily said, making Logan choke on his tea.
"Emily, don't scare the poor man! Are you all right son?" Richard asked. Logan nodded and pounded his chest to move the liquid around.
"I'm fine," he gasped.
"Don't worry honey, I won't throw a plate at you," Rory said with a twinkle in her eye. Logan, Emily and Richard chuckled.
"Good to know. Happy wife, happy life, right?" he said. Rory nodded, her stomach fluttering as she heard Logan call her his wife. She looked around at the people she loved and took a deep breath.
"Grandpa?"
"Yes, Rory?" Richard said as he cut his bacon.
"Will you walk me down the aisle?" she asked. Richard dropped his knife and stared at Rory as Emily gasped.
"What did you say?" he asked, baffled. Rory smiled at him.
"Will you give me away on our wedding day?" she said. "Logan and I were talking last night about how you and grandma never got to do any of this with mom, and I'm closer with you than with dad. You – you and grandma were the first people to show me a healthy, loving relationship. You're my pillars. Will you, Grandpa?" Richard looked at her before looking at Emily, who had tears in her eyes. He turned his attention back to Rory, who watched him with a mixture of apprehension and hope.
"I would be honoured, Rory," he said, his voice gruff with emotion. Rory's face relaxed into a smile as she got up and hurried over to her grandfather. Richard stood and caught her as Rory embraced him, her shoulders shaking as she cried happy tears. Emily and Logan watched the scene, unable to hold back their own tears.
"Did you know she was going to do that?" Emily asked Logan, who shook his head, though he wasn't at all surprised. He'd suspected there was something going through Rory's mind since their pillow talk last night, and he agreed wholeheartedly with Rory's asking Richard to walk her down the aisle.
Richard patted Rory on the back as she pulled away. "Sorry, I got mascara all over your shirt," she said. Richard shook his head.
"It will wash," he said, sitting back down. Rory sat down again and looked at her grandmother. She reached out a hand and put it over Emily's.
"Are you okay?" she asked. Emily nodded.
"I'm fine, sweetheart. I'm just very moved you and Logan want us to be part of this," she said. Rory squeezed her hand.
"Of course, we do! You've supported us from the beginning," Rory said. Logan nodded in agreement. Emily smiled at her granddaughter and future grandson-in-law as she wiped her eyes with a napkin and cleared her throat.
"Well, what a lovely start to the day! What do you two have planned?"
"I have a few things I need to get from Honor and Josh's place. Emily, Richard, would you mind if I stay here until we move?" Logan asked.
"Not at all, Logan! It would be good to spend more time with you both before you leave!" Richard exclaimed.
"Thank you, that will make it much easier," Logan said.
"Of course. Rory, what are you doing today?" Emily asked.
"I'm meeting Bobbi for lunch. I thought it would be good to get to know her more before the wedding. Speaking of, I could pick up some bridal magazines while I'm out," Rory suggested.
"That sounds like a fine idea. Now, your grandfather and I are going to be out most of the day, but we'll see you for dinner," Emily said as the maids cleared away the breakfast dishes. She glanced at her watch and then at her husband. "Are you ready, Richard?"
He nodded and placed his napkin on the table as he stood. "Yes, let's go. Rory, Logan, we'll see you this evening," he said.
"We'll see you then, enjoy your day," Rory said. She and Logan waved as her grandparents walked out of the room. A few moments later they heard the door open and close.
"I guess I better get going too," Logan said as he stood up. Rory pushed back her chair and came around the table.
"Well, say hi to Honor and Josh for me. Are you going to see anyone else today?" she asked. Logan shook his head, understanding her meaning.
"No. I'll see you later," he said. Rory nodded and the two of them shared a quick kiss before Logan left. Rory glanced at her watch; she had enough time to finish getting ready and relax for a bit before she left. As she headed out of the main house to do her makeup, Rory took some deep breaths, reminding herself of Logan's words about Bobbi wanting to be friends.