Tea Parties in Boston

7 - The Dinner Guest

September 23rd, 2022, Boston

There hadn't been a good reason for a semi-formal Friday night dinner in months in this Beacon Hill townhouse, and tonight was certainly the most nerve wracking one Rory had experienced in years.

She'd tried to not make the evening seem like that special - but it undoubtedly showed to Christopher who'd been watching her go back and forth between the dining room and kitchen as if she'd cooked the food from scratch, making sure everything looked delicious and beautiful - the dark red and peach-colored dahlias, a couple of pink freesias and a few branches of snow berry decorated the clear glass vases at each end of the table, while six chairs were set across from each other behind the pink linen table place settings, along with a earth but minimalist Fable tableware.

Rory and Logan had after a lot of thought, having talked over messenger throughout the week, and decided to ease Em into the fact that he was her father, and first just share a meal, and then see how it went - either tell her together that same night or have Rory tell her it the following day privately. They honestly weren't sure, which was a better option, not wanting to spring it on her but then again not delay it by much either. What they had agreed on was that Em should be given the news in a safe and neutral environment - which no doubt was her home.

"Hey, it's going to be fine...," Christopher soothed Rory, seeing her looking a little overwhelmed, once the table was set, feeling like she still needed to do something.

The whole menu, the house nor the table setting wouldn't have been quite up for the Gilmore's or Hayden's standards but it was a big step up from eating tater tots off paper plates, meeting somewhere between the two worlds. This was the new normal.

"It is?" Rory said, unsure how true that was and let out an exhale.

"Yes!" Christopher encouraged her, subbing her shoulders supportively.

"Maybe I should've told her in advance...? What if she takes it bad and...?" Rory began to fret.

Thankfully she wasn't given much more time to wind herself up as it was then the doorbell rang.

She took a deep breath and muttered, "Here goes..."

When Rory had told Logan he was invited to dinner, she hadn't specified that it'd be more than just the three of them. But somehow seeing both Rory and Christopher at the door, Logan actually felt a little relieved. It almost felt like Rory's dad served as a buffer, as back up in case he ran out of things to stay, the whole situation being just too extraordinary for him to feel like he could guarantee a polite thread of smalltalk throughout the evening.

"Hey," Logan said, wearing a simple pair of dark jeans and a navy V-neck sweater underneath his coat.

"Hey," Rory replied, still a little in awe being not used to seeing him like this - up close. Five years and now twice in one week.

Rory looked vibrant in her black poppy-patterned mini shirt dress. Logan was beginning to grasp that one way or the other her outfits seemed to either reflect her mindset or the other way around - either way she looked good. Causing Logan to worry about her, as he had for years, a lot less, even if he didn't yet know everything about her.

"And welcome," Christopher added, gesturing him in.

"It's quite a place you've got here," Logan replied, unsure to whom to direct the comment to. He'd certainly been a little surprised to hear that he was coming to such a luxurious neighborhood but Christophers next comment explained a few things without him having to ask.

"Yeah, I got really lucky... what, eight years ago or something, when this place opened up. It's not easy to come across these," Christopher replied.

"I've... well we have been crashing here for a while now," Rory admitted as Logan took off his coat.