Reflecting their own light: Rory and Logan

Chapter 7.5

Today started off like any other day.  I got up, showered, ate breakfast, and got ready for work.  As I passed by Rory, who was still sleeping, I noticed the book that occupied her nightstand.  I had bought What To Expect When You're Expecting earlier this week.  It was already well loved with bookmarks, flags, and I'm sure some highlighting since there was a highlighter and pencil nearby.  Old habits die hard, I thought and laughed.  This also reminded me that I was meeting her later for the first baby appointment.  I brush her hair to the side and kiss her on the forehead.  She adjusts herself and smiles.  I hope it was for me.

On my way to work, I double checked cars for Rory and myself.  I tried to time it to get us there at about the same time, provided traffic cooperated.  I also had a mountain of work I needed to get done.  It's no wonder my dad was never home.  Although,  I doubt he delegated much, and I'm finding I need to delegate a little more to maintain my sanity.  It was hard to relinquish control, but that's why we hire the best and the brightest.  I need each member of my team at HPG to pull their own weight, and not leave messes for others to clean up.  I don't want to be the same as my dad, or worse, Paris when she was the editor of the Yale Daily News.  Hotplate Harriet built a bunker in the newsroom and refused help from anyone else.

From the moment I stepped into my office, I was running a mile a minute: meetings for projects, conference calls from around the globe.  It's a good thing I had an alert set for fifteen minutes before I needed to leave, or I'd have been so caught up I would have lost track of time.  This was far too important to miss, and I was determined to be a better than my own father.  I could be on top of my game and still have time for my wife and family. 

I could tell by the way Rory avoided baby talk that she was definitely not comfortable with all of this, and I can't blame her.  It's a huge deal, and it's directly affecting her and her body.  I'd be scared if I had to go through a pregnancy, too!

Even in the car, my phone was buzzing with nearly constant alerts.  I was very distracted by everything at work, but I didn't want to let people down either.  It's a fine line to walk, and I'm still having trouble keeping my balance.  Message after message came, and I tried to get to them.  I walked into the building, spotted the elevator, and quickly caught it before it closed.  I slid into the elevator and saw Rory standing to the side.  She looked scared, like a child staying away from home for the first time.  Her expression changed when she saw me.  Now, she was more relaxed, smiling.

"Hey, Ace," I said, moving next to her and smiling.

"I'm so glad you made it, Logan," she said, smiling back.  "I'm a little nervous about all of this.  None of it seems real to me." 

I had suspected the nervousness, and it's only natural when venturing into the great unknown.  I was nervous as hell when I decided to become her boyfriend.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but we worked through it together.

"I'm here.  Don't worry, I'm nervous too!  I'd be lying if I said I haven't given this any thought!  We've got plenty of time to learn and get everything figured out," I replied.  It's just right now, I was completely preoccupied with work.

"I know...I know," she responded.

When we got to the fifth floor, she went to the desk to check in for her appointment.  She came back with a stack of paperwork to fill out.  While she's worked on that, I pulled my phone out of my pocket.  It's only been in my pocket for five minutes, and there's already twenty e-mails.  Half of them were conversations where I was copied.  I don't need to be included on everything.  It's just extraneous, and annoying.  Was Dad really that much of a micromanager?  Think I need to lay it out for people since I'm probably going to be in charge from here on out.  Let me know when you're done, or have a question.  I don't need the entire conversation, in fact, give me the results!  I'd let them know when I needed to be included.