The Legend - A Gilmore Girls Fan Fiction

Chapter 13

       

I was sitting down at my desk at work, planning out ideas for Emma's birthday party, rather than concentrating on my job.  Michael had been at it again with me, and since she was about to be five and her party needed to be extra special, it was a welcomed distraction.  Five is a milestone, after all.  I decided to make the theme about her favorite storybook characters since she was becoming a book nerd just like her mother, and getting quite her own collection. 

My phone alerted me that I had a text message, and I looked down to see a message from Finn, and I smiled involuntarily.

"Hey Love, it's WAY too beautiful of a day out today to spend it stuck here inside my office, so I was thinking you and I could maybe go pick up Little Love early from preschool today, and head over to the park or to the zoo?  And then out for some ice cream later on?  Unless, of course, you're getting tired of the hottest Aussie you know?" he said.

I laughed.  "You're the ONLY Aussie I know, Finn" I pointed out.

"All the more reason for it to still be true, then.  What do you say?  Can you get out of work?" he texted back.

I laughed.  "Actually, the zoo sounds really nice.  It's been raining so much lately – it'll do her some good to get to go out and get some fresh air.  I can get out of here at noon" I said, looking at my clock that read 11:15.

"Great!  So then should I be to your house around 1230 then, Love?" he asked.

"It's a date!" I typed in, but then I deleted the word date and put the word 'plan' instead.  'Phew!  That was close!' I thought to myself.

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There was a black town car in front of my building waiting for us, and I watched Finn get out of the car.  He was dressed casual, which was strange to see.  A lightweight, long-sleeved navy blue sweater, with the sleeves pushed up past his elbows and a pair of jeans.

"Well, well, don't you look sexy as hell coming straight from the office.  You sort of remind me of a naughty school teacher" he teased with a wink, eyeing my pencil skirt, V-neck blouse, hair up in a bun and glasses (because I was running late, and wasn't able to put my contacts in).

I laughed and led him inside.  "I've just got to change, and then I can pack us a lunch if you'd like?" I said.

"Nah, I'm taking my girls to lunch, we can eat at the zoo.  Just take your time and get yourself ready, and we'll go grab Little Love" he said.

"Your girls?" I asked with an eyebrow raised.

He smiled, almost shyly, and looked away.  "Yeah, well, you know what I mean" he said with a laugh.

"Emma really missed you yesterday, you know.  Whenever she woke up and realized you'd left, she was really bummed out" I called over my shoulder as I walked to my room to change clothes.

"Aww, you should've called me, Love.  I could've come back over to see her" he said, walking down the hall to talk to me with ease, but staying on the proper side of the closed bedroom door.

"So what, you're at her beck and call now?" I asked with a laugh.

"Something like that, I guess.  I enjoy spending time with her, she's an amazing girl.  She's so much like her mother" he said.

I opened the door and was startled that he was right on the other side.  "Oh!  Hi!" I said with a laugh.

"Are you ready to go, Love?" he asked.  I was dressed in capris, a camisole, and a cardigan over it.  I traded my bun for a playful ponytail, and traded my glasses for my contacts.

"Yeah, I've just got to get my shoes on, and then I'll be ready to go" I said, sitting down to pull on my nicest pair of tennis shoes.

I stood up, and Finn took my hand, and spun me around.  I laughed.  "What?" I asked him.

"Nothing, just enjoying your company" he admitted, leading me out the door.

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We picked Emma up from school, and she was beyond excited.  "Uncle Finn!" she cried, rushing into his arms when she saw him. 

"I guess I'm just chopped liver" I teased.

"I love it when you're here with us, Uncle Finn!  It's always so much fun!" she exclaimed.

"I love being with you, too, Little Love.  Mummy and I have a surprise for you, are you ready to go?" he asked.

"A surprise!?  Does that mean you're going to be my stepdad!?" she asked hopefully.

"Woah, that escalated quickly" he said with a laugh.

I groaned and rolled my eyes.  "Emma, we've been through this, I'm not looking for a stepdad for you, okay?  I know you think you need one, but what we need more than anything is each other" I promised her.

She looked down sadly.  "I just really love Uncle Finn" she whispered.

He knelt down beside her and tilted her face up with a bent pointer finger.  "Emma, you and your mum are special, and you need to find the perfect person to be your stepdad.  It won't happen overnight, and I PROMISE you, whoever that person is will love you as if you were their own, because your mum wouldn't have it any other way.  She's good at taking care of you, so just be patient, and trust that she'll know when the timing will be right, okay, Little Love?" he asked softly.

She nodded and hugged him.  "Okay, Uncle Finn" she whispered.

He stood up and gave me a curious look.  "I have no idea why she's asking that all of a sudden.  It started yesterday morning" I said with a shrug.

"Well then, are you ladies ready to go to our surprise?" he asked.

Emma and I both said we were, and he led us into the car.  "I want Uncle Finn to buckle me in my car seat, Mommy" she insisted, and I just laughed as Finn climbed over and got her secure.

"So where are we going?" she asked, but they wanted it to be a surprise.