Saviour from the Past

Chapter 12

"Hey Ror, how's it going?" Chris asked as he opened the door to let her in. They were having supper at Francine's house in Hartford. It hadn't taken Rory long to realize that while Francine was very like Emily in mannerisms and expectations of people in high society, she was less pretentious about it. She had a cook/housekeeper combo but she only worked 3 days a week, there was no maid, expected to be at her beck and call.

"Hey Dad, you got here before me I see?" Rory asked, leaning in to greet him with a hug.

"Yes, I drove down after lunch, so that it was Gigi's nap time, instead of her having a catastrophic late nap if I had left to come at three or four. We would all regret that if it happened."

"Ah yes, I forgot you were at the tiny ruler's mercy." Rory said with a laugh, as her father rolled his eyes at her.

"Sissy!"

"Speak of the devil," Rory murmured to her father, as she turned to catch the little girl flinging herself into her arms. "GIGI!" Rory exclaimed.

"You took forever to get here," Gigi said solemnly. "I had to wait so long for you," she pouted.

"I apologize Miss Gigi, but I had school, I had to wait until it was finished before I could come to Grandma's. You were lucky, you got to come early. Did Miss Mavis give you any treats?" Rory asked, taking her sister's hand as she moved further into the house.

"She gave me a krispy!" Gigi attempted to whisper to her sister, as though it was a secret, but didn't quite manage to get the volume right.

"A rice krispy square?" Rory queried, looking down at her sister with a big smile, the preschoolers enthusiasm catching.

"Yep! And she said that there was chocolate cake for dessert!"

"Wow, I love chocolate cake. Do you like chocolate cake?" Rory asked.

"I love it!" Gigi replied emphatically, as they entered the main parlor where their grandmother was waiting on them.

"What does Miss Gigi love?" Francine asked with a smile, as she stood to greet Rory with a hug, their relationship had blossomed over the past year, and the two now spoke regularly, and willingly on Rory's end.

"Chocolate cake, Grandma! Do you like cake?" Gigi asked, waiting for her Grandmother's response with baited breath, having suddenly realized that she may not like it and that they would have to have something else.

"I love it," Francine fake whispered to Gigi, as though it was a secret. Gigi bounded off at that response to the table where she had set up some play doh earlier.

"Drink?" Chris asked Rory as she sat down.

"Yes please, can I just have a soda of some kind?" Rory asked, trying to think of what would be in Francine's fridge.

"Sure, sprite okay?" he asked, as he walked behind the bar where there was a hidden fridge, Francince kept a small selection of soda, mixers and even beer there, so that she was able to cater to everyone who visited.

"Perfect, thank you. So how have you been, Grandma?" Rory asked, now that she finally got a chance to speak normally.

"Good, it's been quieter than previous years, but I'm finding that I like that. No more dinner parties, that were really business meetings, held under the guise of socializing."

"So you're not lonely then?" Rory asked, sheepishly, worried that she was saying the wrong thing.

"No, not at all. Between you three, the DAR and what business I still have to conduct, I keep plenty busy." Francine said with a smile. "Now, what about you young lady? You don't have much longer until graduation, six weeks or so. Have you thought any more about what you want to do?"

"Kind of. As you know, I continued working part time with Mr Miller this year, it worked well. I fulfilled my need to constantly have access to a new book, and helped him by working through his slush pile. He has hinted that they would be willing to hire me as a junior copy editor, but he hasn't said anything formally."

"Is that something you want to do, Kiddo?" Chris asked, sitting down beside his mother now that he had ensured everyone had a drink.

"I think so, I still want to write in some capacity though, so that is what is holding me back, well that and the lack of a formal job offer," Rory said, rolling her eyes.

"Do you want to look into other publishing houses? Or did you want to stay in the area?" Francine asked, mentally compiling a list of contacts she might have that could be helpful.

"I'm not set on anything but I would like to stay roughly in the area. Somewhere between Boston or New York. I don't want to go to the west coast or anywhere. I probably should fix up my resume and start looking."

"Would you like some help, even just a list of places where the family have contacts that might help you have an in? Or did you want to do it entirely on your own merit?" Francine asked, trying to show that she honestly didn't mind which answer Rory gave her.

"I'm not sure." Rory replied honestly. "I think I'd like to try on my own merit, but then I wonder if I am cutting off my own nose to spite my face. It's not exactly nepotism to get some help from you with contacts as it isn't like you are forcing them to hire me, or that I'm walking into a family business as a department head."

"No it isn't" Francine stated. "But I do admire the fact that you have some reservations about the process. How about you look into it, and see what you can find for the next two to three weeks, and see what you can find out and if anyone is hiring. While I make a list of who all we know that is actually still involved in publishing. Would that help?"

"Yes, that would be awesome Grandma." Rory said, relaxing now that she realized she was being offered help, not being forced to do things the way that her grandmother would like, the way that Emily would make her.

"Now is it even worth me asking if there are any young men hanging around, influencing your future decisions?" Francine asked with a smirk, knowing the answer already.

"Grandma!" Rory exclaimed, while Chris laughed, glad it wasn't his lovelife being dissected for a change.