The Forgotten Gilmore

Chapter Fifty Four: Echoes of Grief

A week had passed since Isabella's death, and Alessia had barely moved from her bed. The first few days had been unbearable, a heavy blanket of grief smothering her every thought. Riley had been by her side through it all, never leaving, even when she had nothing to say. Slowly, though, the sharpness of the pain dulled, and the constant ache in her chest became more manageable. The tears still came, but less often now, and she found herself breathing a little easier with each passing day.

She stared at the ceiling of her dorm, the dim light casting soft shadows across the room. Her body was still heavy with exhaustion, but she felt... functional again. She had started going to class, even though the effort to focus seemed monumental. Riley had coaxed her into small walks around campus, and she'd managed to eat full meals, though she barely tasted them.

The phone in the living room rang, breaking the silence. Alessia didn't move at first, unsure if she could handle a conversation. But it kept ringing. Reluctantly, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and padded into the common area, grabbing the receiver off the hook.

"Hello?" Her voice was hoarse, as if she hadn't used it in days.

"Alessia?" It was Logan's voice, his tone softer than she was used to. "It's Logan."

Alessia closed her eyes, her grip tightening on the phone. "Hi."

"I, uh... I heard about your loss. I'm so sorry. I didn't want to bother you, but I just wanted to let you know I'm here if you need anything."

For a moment, Alessia didn't know what to say. The usual snarky comebacks or sarcastic remarks she shared with Logan felt so far away, unreachable. "Thanks," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

There was a pause on the other end, like he was searching for the right words. "I can't imagine what you're going through, but I thought... I don't know, maybe you'd want to talk about something else for a while. Distract yourself."

Alessia found herself nodding, even though he couldn't see her. "Yeah... maybe. It's been... hard."

Logan didn't push her to elaborate, and she was grateful. Instead, he shifted the conversation. "You wouldn't believe how much Finn's been whining about you," Logan said. "He's been ranting non-stop, saying something about how it's tragic you're not around to mock his wardrobe choices."

Alessia managed a small smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Finn just misses having someone to tell him his scarf choices are ridiculous."

"Well, you do have a talent for that," Logan teased. "But seriously... you okay? I mean, I know it's been rough."

She sighed, leaning back in her chair. "It's... getting better. Slowly."

Logan hesitated on the other end of the line, as if he wasn't sure what to say next. "I can't imagine what you're going through, but if you ever need to talk... about anything, you know you can call me, right?"

Alessia nodded, though he couldn't see her. "Thanks, Logan. I appreciate it."

There was a moment of silence between them, not awkward, just heavy with everything left unsaid. Logan finally spoke, his tone softer. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I'll try," Alessia whispered.

"Good. Finn would probably die of heartbreak if you didn't," Logan added lightly, earning a brief, genuine laugh from her.

"Talk later?" she asked, her voice tentative.

"Yeah, whenever," Logan replied, his voice reassuring. "I'm here."

Alessia stared at the phone for a moment, then quietly said, "Bye, Logan."

"Bye, Harvard."

She hung up, the silence of the room settling in once again.