Rory placed her cell phone back on its charger and double checked to make sure that the ringer was in the on position.
She lay back in her bed, hoping for sleep she knew was not going to come easily. She heard noises coming from the kitchen and got up to investigate. She opened her door to see Luke sitting at the table with a cup of warm milk.
"Couldn't sleep?" She asked as she joined him at the table.
"April called. She can never get time zones right." Luke smiled. "She's thinking about taking a year off before completing her masters degree."
"Oh. Was she looking for advice?" Rory asked.
"Yeah. I'm not sure what I think." Luke admitted.
"So tell her that. Luke, I can't speak for April, but when I talk to you or Mom, I'm just as much looking for a sounding board as direction. April has to make her own decision, and I think both you and April know that. She's just reaching out to you because she trusts you. I don't think that she needs you to have a strong opinion." Rory shrugged.
"How about you? What are you doing up so late?" Luke asked.
"I told Logan about the baby today. He's having a hard time processing. I got a text from him." Rory shrugged.
Luke got up and started making warm milk for Rory. "How bad?"
"I'm not sure yet. He was pretty flummoxed when I told him. He pretty much just left. I told him to take whatever time he needs."
Luke nodded as he gave a mug of warm milk to Rory and sat back down. "I think that was a smart move. But, it's got to be tough waiting. How are you holding up?"
Rory toyed with her mug. "You know, I had this fantasy in my head. I'd tell him and he'd be immediately happy and we would reconcile and we could live happily ever after." She grimaced and shook her head. "I know that was not very realistic of me, but I couldn't help but hope..." she trailed off.
Luke reached out and took her hand. "Yeah, I had the same fantastic ideas when your mom and I were broken up. That she would come walking into the diner one day and tell me that it was all a misunderstanding and that she still loves me and we would be fine."
Rory snorted "Luke, that's basically what happened!"
"Yeah, not exactly, but close enough. That's what I meant. You may not be able to see it right now, or even any time soon. But sometimes life does go in your favor. Don't give up on your hopes." Luke smiled.
Rory gave him a tearful smile back. "I hope you're right. It's killing me, but I am trying to look at the situation from his perspective. He needs time to get his head around this. It's only fair. I had my time to come to grips with having this baby. I have to give him that same consideration. It's just hard."
"It is hard, but faith is." Lorelie said from the entrance way. She joined her husband and daughter at the table.
Rory laughed. "Faith, Mom?"
"Yeah, faith." Lorelie answered, emphatically.
"You're not exactly the religious type, or at least you weren't." Rory replied with a skeptical look on her face.
"Rory, faith isn't about a church or an organized religion. It's not about religion at all, in my opinion. It's about believing. " Lorelie continued. Luke had a look of agreement, but Rory didn't. Lorelie sighed and tried again. "I have always believed in true love. I believe that the best things happen during the first snowfall of the year. I believe in the restorative properties of coffee and a good wallow and a crappy movie watched with a good friend. I believe in holding on to memories, both good and bad, because that's who we are." Lorelie recited.
"And that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap?" Rory asked.
Luke snorted.
Lorelie turned to glare at him for a minute before turning back to Rory. "Look, this isn't the church of baseball. It's just... you have to believe in something. I don't care if it's the same things I believe, your faith is your own. But whether it's evolution or the number of stitches on a baseball or the magic of the first snowfall, you have to make a choice. To believe. The question you have to ask yourself is simple. Do you believe that you and Logan belong together? If you do, then make heaven and earth move until he knows it to be true too."
Rory shook her head. "Isn't that just optimism, tho? That's not faith."
"What's more optimistic than faith?" Lorelie countered.
Luke smiled. "I agree with your mom. She's nuts, but yeah, she's on to something here. I told you before, you need to decide to fight."
Rory threw up her hands exasperation. "Right. Fight for him. But I just blew up his entire life. And I think I need to give him time and space to figure it out. I appreciate that you both want to help but..."
Luke held up two hands in front of himself in defense "Whoa! We are just making suggestions and trying to help. These are your decisions, just think of us as ... I'm not sure what the word is. Catalyst is the closest I can think of. We are just putting ideas out there."
"Right. But this is intended to be helpful. Tell us how we can help" Lorelie asked.
Rory sighed and nodded. She understood why they were saying what they were, but she was tired and hormonal and the entire situation was draining on her. "I know you are trying to help. I'm just not sure how you can at this point. I'm giving him time. I guess that's what I need too." Rory admitted.
Luke sighed and sat back. "Not for nothing, kid, but I think you need to reassure him that it's him that you want."
"What!" Both Rory and Lorelie exclaimed in unison.
"Look. I'm just guessing. But if I'm Logan, I'm wondering if you would have ever called, if you hadn't found out you were pregnant." Luke shrugged as he got up, leaving the two women alone in the kitchen.
Rory looked at her mother in shock. "Oh my god!"
Lorelie was thinking rapidly. "Actually, child o mine, I think he's got a point."
