Leaps and landings

56

"How is Nantucket this time of year, I've never been?" April inquired as they were digging into cranberry pear pie after dinner.

"Windy but I like that there aren't too many people around like in the summer," Luke replied, pouring Lorelai a cup of coffee.

"The Vineyard still gets pretty crowded," Celeste added, speaking from experience, forgetting for a moment that perhaps that addition needed an explanation as most of the people at that table didn't know she'd spent at least two Christmases there with Logan and Honor's family.

"Yeah, it's quieter, unless we're at the Sandcastle of course and behind every corner there is my mother. She's been looking forward to our visit so she has dozens of Friday night dinners worth of opinions and appropriate discussion topics just waiting...," Lorelai complained laughingly. Emily was a lot more relaxed these days, but it was clear she missed some of that day to day socializing, especially in the winter, which was poured out on anybody who was visiting.

"Yeah, but this time you can just play the 'baby is sleeping' card," Celeste noted, recalling that the dynamic between Lorelai and her mother wasn't exactly stellar either as she'd heard.

"We can hope," Lorelai added, bitterly, as the guys and April scattered to the living room, Lorelai having promised Luke the first choice in movies. Celeste helped herself to some tea, Lorelai remaining at the dinner table with her coffee.

"I saw your gala pictures," Lorelai said, "you guys looked great. Never thought I'd see Jess in a tail coat but... never say never...," she chuckled. Rory had looked wonderful too, and she couldn't deny it, Logan and Rory made an adorable couple. Rory didn't look out of place, even if she might have felt it.

"Yeah, that took some convincing," Celeste replied smilingly.

"You've been good to him, I have to say," Lorelai added.

"I've pushed him and he's been brave, but he was good on his own before I came along and I have no words to emphasize how good he's been to me," Celeste said humbly. "But I appreciate you saying that," she said, seeing that in a way this was Lorelai's way to admitting that she wasn't the person she'd expected her to be.

"I wonder how Shira is behaving herself tonight... She hasn't seen Finny once until now, you know. Sure she's been in London, but it's her grandson...," Lorelai grumbled, feeling like Shira really didn't deserve the luxury she was given.

"Well I think she's just been in hiding herself, Mitchum leaving her must've been quite a blow," Celeste sympathized. She didn't like her either, but she was Logan's mother and with both Logan and Mitchum having said serveral strong words to her in spring, her pride must've been hurting and she could understand that too.

"I guess," Lorelai noted, not really wanting to discuss the woman any further. She continued to eat her second piece of pie.

"You know...," Celeste hesitated, wondering whether it was her place to suggest this, but she decided it was her chance to help both Lorelai and Rory. "When you go to Nantucket tomorrow, you could suggest that you take care of Finny some nights. Rory really could use the uninterrupted sleep. I'm not sure she'd be willing to ask herself, she doesn't like to keep him far from her, but you could try...," she suggested, thinking back to what she'd talked with Rory about.

"And give up my good night's sleep?" Lorelai chuckled playfully, not really meaning it like that. Lorelai was absolutely willing to consider it - she wanted to show Rory she meant well and she wanted to spend time with Finny. But she was scared that Rory might turn down her offer and she was scared that if she did turn her offer down despite actually needing the help, it would hurt her even more.