Rory sat at the table in the busy restaurant, fidgeting with the napkin in her lap. Logan smirked and reached over to take her hand. He then leaned in close to Rory.
"This will be fine. Emily isn't going to make a scene, she will be told and then we can get back to the final details for Friday." Logan reassured her.
"I hope so! I'm so nervous. I can't believe that we have to have this conversation. I feel like that time I was 16 and she got mad at me for staying out late." Rory blurted
"You? Stay out late? Tell me more about your misspent youth." Logan joked.
"You laugh, but it was not a good day!" Rory teased. "Oh! There she is."
Logan looked over and watched as the hostess lead Emily to the table. He saw the exact second she saw him, and noticed that she didn't react at all. She broke into a small smile and continued towards them unfazed.
Logan stood as she approached and moved to draw back her chair.
"Rory!" Emily exclaimed and moved to give her granddaughter a quick kiss on the cheek before she turning towards Logan. "And Logan, look at you. You've grown more handsome, if that's possible." And moved to give him a squeeze on the arm before sitting down.
Rory sat stunned. She was amazed by her grandmother's reaction- or rather lack of reaction. "Grandma? You don't seem to be surprised to see Logan."
"Well, dear," Emily began. "It was always just a matter of time, wasn't it?" She turned to the hostess and ordered a glass of rosé. As the hostess left the table she turned back to the young couple across from her and smiled.
"Wow. Um. Ok. I guess you knew something that we didn't!" Rory laughed.
"Oh, honey - what I know and you don't would stun a team of oxen." Emily stated matter of fairly. "There are no secrets in Hartford. Or at least, very few can be kept for long. The grape vine is very much alive and well."
Logan struggled to keep a straight face. Emily continued.
"Well, when Logan turned up for Richard's funeral, I knew you were still in touch." A moment of grief flashed across Emily's face.
Logan tucked his head down for a second and glanced over at Rory. He could see her pain at the mention of Richard. "Richard was always a very good man, of course I wanted to pay my respects. I'm so sorry for your loss, Emily."
"Thank you, Logan. He would be so happy to know that you two are back together. He always thought that you two met just a bit too young." Emily smiled.
"I'm so happy that you are taking this so well, grandma. Surprised, but so happy." Rory relaxed. "We have some news for you."
"I thought this was the news?" Emily tilted her head and scanned them both quickly. "Oh. Well." Emily looked down for a moment and then looked back at Logan. "So the French heiress ... ?"
"Odette and I are still friends, that's all it ever was." Logan explained. "We were helping each other out with the family expectations."
Emily nodded and turned to Rory. "And you're sure?"
"Sure about Logan, yes. Absolutely." Rory insisted. "It was always him."
Emily waved her hand "No, Rory. Not about Logan - I can see how you feel about him. About what being with him means for you. You are your mother's daughter. This life, it's very constraining. I enjoyed it, for the most part, but you? Can you handle being brought back into the expectations?"
"Um. Grandma?" Rory puzzled. "It is what it is. Logan and I want to be together, so this is part of it. Actually, we are very serious about this. But we will be peripheral, if that makes sense. We will have certain obligations, obviously, but we plan to lead our lives to please ourselves."
Emily started to speak but was interrupted by the arrival of her wine and a waiter who wanted to go through the specials. Emily quickly chose the picatta from the regular menu and then turned to see if Logan and Rory wanted to hear. They both ordered and the waiter left the table.
"Well, I may have inadvertently made this more difficult for you two." Emily winced.
"Emily? What did ..." Logan asked.
"I may have said some things when I resigned from the DAR that are still being spoken about. I'm sure your sister will have heard?"
"Honour did mention something, but from what I heard, your comments were completely true." Logan relaxed.
Rory watched them confused. "What did you say? How do you know about this?"
"She called out the DAR. Particularly the admissions committee. Told them they were snide and well..." Logan giggled. "To be honest, Honour and her friends thought it was great!"
Rory looked at her grandmother with shock "You said that?"
"I may have. I really don't remember, but yes. They are snide. And good god, that girl! The third wife of a dedicated serial monogamist without the monogamy." Emily admitted. "Are they even still together?"
"No idea" Logan offered.
"Grandma!" Rory chided.
"If I had known, I ... I probably would have still said it." Emily shrugged elegantly.
Rory tried to bottle up the laughter inside but couldn't. "Oh my!" She dissolved into giggles.
"Well. I have to be honest - this is a huge relief. We thought that you would be ... less enthusiastic." Logan admitted.
"A couple of years ago, yes, I probably would have been. But this past few years has really brought it home to me that life is simply too short." Emily mused. "You need to live your life to the fullest, grab all the joy you can. I have changed a lot since losing Richard."
"Speaking of grabbing joy - we have more news." Rory began.
"I noted the ring, Rory - beautiful choice, Logan." Emily smiled.
"Thank you Emily. But we wanted to know if you have plans on Friday evening?" Logan asked.
"Nothing that couldn't be rearranged - are you planning an engagement party?" Emily gushed. "That would be wonderful! I can help with arrangements - I have a wonderful caterer that I just found a few months ago - non traditional but very elegant and delicious."
Rory drew a deep breath. "We are getting married on Friday. At Honour's house, in the backyard. It will be a very small event. Just the family and some close friends - Lane and Paris, Finn Colin and Robert."
Emily sat back in shock. She stared at Rory for a moment, then Logan. She watched as Logan's eyes tracked Rory and waited for her response. She noticed his attention to her and Rory's trembling lips. Rory took another steadying breath as she waited for her grandmother's response. Emily examined Rory's face closely, her body language and noticed her hand hovering over her stomach.
"Oh. Oh! Rory. You're..." Emily gestured to her abdomen.
Rory nodded with tears in her eyes. "Yes, grandma. Logan and I are having a baby."
