Tea Parties in Boston

61 - The Sweetest Request

Chapter 61

"Hello! Hello!" Emily said cheerily as she opened the door wide for them, being past having to let Berta do everything for her in this household. It was something like a symbiosis by now. The woman helping Emily with cooking and cleaning, whilst no-longer wearing a maid's uniform, Emily providing her a place for her final posting before her retirement, hosting gladly also her family and making sure she had everything she needed. It was like having a lady-in-waiting, except the two didn't really go into talking about the deeper things, having a similar temperament in that sense, requiring little energy from each-other to be around. At least by now they were able to communicate, even if it partially still consisted of sign language and Google translate.

The party of three was met with an aromatic scent of oranges and cinnamon, as if someone had just been mulling wine. A very authentic, rustic scent compared to what had been considered proper back in Hartford.

"Hey, grandma!" Rory said, hugging her grandma in greeting.

"Emily, hello," Logan exhaled with a nod, a little expectantly. He wasn't quite sure what kind of reception he would get - polite certainly but what he was met with was perhaps a little more buoyant than he'd dared to hope, Emily hugging him as well even if a little more briefly than Rory.

Emily also seemed to be studying him - his appearance, presence - as if looking at a world wonder of some sort. Logan hoped not shaving his stubble that he wore on most just slightly trimmed, hadn't been a mistake.

Logan had expected a fairly similar sight and experience than he had the last time he'd visited the Gilmore mansion in Hartford - god, that was ages ago, the thought making him feel old - despite Rory having told him that things were a lot different with Emily Gilmore these days. More carpe diem but at the same time humble, less controlled and a lot more genuine, but what he saw was all that and then some - he'd never thought he'd see Emily Gilmore in leggings, a long cozy cardigan handing down from her shoulders, wearing Moroccoan slippers, either.

"It's good to see you, Logan. It's been too long," Emily replied affectionately.

"Likewise, Emily," Logan said smilingly.

As he stepped forward from the foyer Logan saw a crowd of at least six - pre-teen kids and adults fussing around extending a very large dinner table that stretched from the living room all the way into the kitchen it seemed and setting it up. They were speaking some Ibero-Romance language which Logan couldn't quite place, but smiling, some even waving back, many of them gave the arriving party a friendly smile. The people obviously felt comfortable in that place, but kept their distance just the same.

And the way Rory went to greet each and every one of them made it clear to Logan as well how they might be having some extra company tonight.

"It's wonderful to see you all," Emily beamed. "And there's my favorite person in the whole world!" she exclaimed with her hands held wide, waiting for Em to pull her brand new carry-on suitcase, insisting to do it on her own, up the front steps.

"Hi, grandma," Em replied a lot more humbly.

It was good seeing Emily Gilmore look this happy, her eyes twinkling and her smile wide.

"How was your trip?" Emily inquired from the girl, lowering herself to her level.

"Logan says he loves mommy. Mommy cried and she said she loves us both. But she said it was happy tears - so it's alright," Em replied candidly, catching Rory and Logan off guard. Rory felt like sinking into the ground right thre.

The moment had no doubt left an unmistakable mark on the girl, and her parents hadn't exactly had a time to go into the lengthy explanation on what this meant. But at the very least now they knew a talk on that subject was definitely due.