Tea Parties in Boston

38 - The Catalyst

AN: I know I am due a few chapters on Cute Meet, but since I am busy with a lot of work this week and I usually need to rewatch a few episodes to get back into CM mode so I can't do that right now. I am able to write this somewhat on the go, thankfully.

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November 9th, 2022

"So...What did she say?" Giselle asked anxiously, seeing Rory return from her meeting with the chair of the English department.

Rory hadn't slept too well during the night and had been a nervous wreck this morning, but just as both Angie and Logan had assured - Logan in a text this morning wishing her luck, which had meant more to her than he probably realized - now she did feel relieved. Not just but still... but better than she had before.

"Huh...," Rory exhaled deeply and sank into her office chair.

"I don't see you beginning to pack up your boxes, so that must be a good thing, right?" Giselle inquired hopefully.

"Not directly, no," Rory replied, pushing herself more upright in her chair. She was pretty sure there were matters with the severance pay which was university policy that they weren't too eager to pay and a shortage of research assistants with one of them on maternity leave that were a couple of contributing reasons why her contract was still intact. She'd been cautioned to consider if her work really was her priority as she'd expecetd and been forced to listen to the cold hard facts about how several people might be out of their paycheck next fall semester since that grant didn't go through. It was a sucky situation, and she felt deeply guilty, knowing she'd need to look all of these people in the eye at their weekly staff meetings who knew it had been her mistake. It was more embarrassing than anything really.

"But why so sad then?" Giselle asked. "I know Josie and Carlos will be hard to deal with but, I mean.... There'll be other projects..," she added, referring to the two who were most disappointed in Rory right now with their livelihood at stake. Some people's paycheck came straight out of grants without university input.

"Well, I doubt I will be put in charge of any projects in a while... no more than formatting, reference lists and junior assistant tasks is my guess," Rory explained, having not been said that directly to, but she'd gotten a feeling. She felt small, humiliated, but in a way like she deserved it.

"Oh, that does suck," Giselle chimed naively, not really thinking too much further from her own desk. She was nice to work with, funny, but was never going to be bosom-buddies with Rory.

Giselle got back to work, leaving Rory alone with her thoughts. She'd gotten over her little break-down, for sure, and while the guilt and embarrassment would likely carry on for a while, it no longer seemed like the end of the world. The problem was, however, she was now feeling how she felt when she'd first started the job.

July 21st, 2018

A pleasant ocean breeze nearly blew Rory's wrap dress open, having no free hands to hold her hem with her one-year-old on her hip and the other hand holding onto her sun hat, as they made their way across the backyard of the Sandcastle towards the dinner table. She turned her back towards the wind, managing more or less gracefully.

God, this place was beautiful.

Em was dressed adorably in a mauve onesie Rory's grandmother had bought her, making her almost look like she'd walked off the screen of some old photograph. The baby girl was happy and adorable, cheeks slightly pinkish from the sun and wind - but not too much.

It had been a wonderful week and a half and that even with Lorelai and Luke staying across the street for the past few days and dining over at the Sandcastle on most evenings where the two were also staying. In this setting - things were cordial. It was like seeing relatives who lived far away, catching up but never really going too deep. And naturally, Rory had Em, who's cuteness and activities provided more than enough topics for discussion to hide behind if things got too personal.