Victoria Hayden Gilmore

Chapter Three

Chapter 3 Flashback/Prologue

November 5, 2016 London England

Logan is standing at the front of the church, nervously waiting for Odette to walk down the aisle. He almost called Rory last night, but he talked himself out of it. He convinced himself it was for the best.

Thanksgiving, 2016 Hartford Ct.

Rory was expected at the DragonFly at 4:00 for Thanksgiving Meal. She wasn't feeling good. All she wanted to do was stay in bed. Emily was staying with Rory. They are meeting with a contractor Sunday morning. It is time for her to establish a life in one place. Her agent, one that Jess introduced her to, arranged a meeting with Peaches and Cream publishing out of Atlanta the first of the month. She signed a contract for a series of fictional books, reflecting her life as a socialite straddling two worlds.

Her mother was not happy with her because she did not want her life put on display. Jess was mad with her because he wanted her to do an autobiography. After talking with her agent and editor at PaC Publishing, it was decided that she would produce 5 books over the next 6 years.

Emily was sitting at the dining room table, drinking coffee and eating danish. Rory had Sooki make up a couple of breakfast platters for the next few days that her grandmother would be visiting. Rory was not much for cooking. She did enough to get by.

Rory sat down next to Emily after getting herself a bottle of water. "Rory, are you feeling okay?" Emily asked. She looked pale.

"Yes, Grandma, I just ate something that didn't agree with me. I will be fine soon. I know you are not used to people at your dining room table in the robe."

Emily injected it before Rory could finish. "Nonsense. This is your table and if you want to eat with your robe on, then I think it's perfectly acceptable. Rory smiles as she takes a sip of water.

"What time do you plan on leaving for the DragonFly?" Emily inquired.

"I promised Mom I would help with the decorations, so probably around noon. I thought I could have lunch with Lane at Luke before going to the DragonFly." Rory told her.

"Okay," Emily said. "I am going to visit a few friends who are having open houses this morning. Then I am meeting Constance at the Club. You know she just lost her husband around Easter. I thought maybe I could give her some wisdom on how to make it through the night without her husband." Rory nodded.

"Okay," Rory said. "I will see you at the DragonFly. I think I am going to lie down for a while before I start my day."

Black Friday, 2016 Hartford Ct.

"Mom, I have told you, we are visiting friends today. Odette will not be going with you to the club. She and I have some friends we are meeting for lunch. Drop the guilt trip" Logan told Shira.

"Well Logan, it is not often you and your wife are on this side of the ocean. You can not blame me for wanting to show off my daughter-in-law, especially since you will not be back for Christmas." Shira said.

Odette rolled her eyes as she entered the room. She could hear them arguing all the way down the hall. "Shira, I promise, Next time we will plan to go to the club." She told her.

"That will be Easter." Shira said and turned on her heels and left the room. You could hear her shoes clinking on the marble floor. Logan and Odette were laughing.

At the Gilmore Manor

Rory was still not feeling good, but 14 year old Gigi was on her way over. Gigi, Chris and Jennifer, Chris' wife, moved into Francine and Strobe's house after Francine passed. Rory enjoyed her dad and sister being close. Gigi was going to Chilton.

She wanted Rory to go with her to look for their father a Christmas gift. Emily had already left to visit, when Rory heard the doorbell ring. She was just finishing emptying her stomach. She was afraid this was not something she ate. Last night she did some calculations after she got home, she was sure she was pregnant.

She met Gigi at the door with a smile. "You ready?" Gigi asked, bouncing up and down. She was excited to spend time with her sister.

"Yes," Rory told her as she locked up the house. "What did you have in mind for dad?"

The girls chatted about this and that as they rode in the back of Gigi's town car to the mall. Rory thought it would be better to go to specialty shops, not the mall, but Gigi insisted.

Rory was trying to figure out how she could buy a pregnancy test without Gigi and the whole world knowing.

Gigi ran into some friends while they were shopping, giving Rory time to go to the drug store for a pregnancy test.

Emily was home when Rory returned from shopping with Gigi. She couldn't take the test now. She was not sure how she would react. She wanted to be in the house alone when she took it.

It was Sunday night before Rory was alone. Lorelia visited some Saturday, then Chris and Jennifer stopped by Sunday. Emily had left for Nantuckett Sunday morning after the meeting with the contractor. Subconsciously she thought Logan and Odette would be back in London by then.

She took the test. It was positive. She took 5 more. All positive. She was panicking. What was she going to do? Logan was married. Oh what a mess she had gotten herself into. This was not good. Okay, Calm down. Rory told herself. She sat on the bed, breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

She sat on her bed with her phone in her hand. Her first instinct was to call Logan, but she couldn't do that. Not yet. So she called Paris. It went to Vm. She wanted to call Lorelia, but knew this would not be a good idea. Lane, she would call Lane.

"Lane," Rory said when her oldest friend answered the phone. "Can you come over? It is important."

"Yes, Is something wrong? Do you want me to bring Lorelai?" Lane asked.

"No, Just you." She told her.

"Be there in driving time." Lane told her. She was worried about her friend. "Zach, going to Rory's. Don't let them stay up too long. School starts back Tuesday."

"No Problem babe." Zach told her.

Rory's phone rang in her hand. She was still sitting on the bed. "Hello?" she said.

"Rory, you called?" Paris said.

Rory laughed, it was kind of a hysterical laugh. "Yeah, Paris, can you come over?" she asked.

"Sure, What's wrong?" Paris asked. Rory just continued to laugh. "Okay, I am on call tonight so the nanny is with the kids."

Rory had made it down to the first floor by the time Lane and Paris got there.