Finding Rory

Chapter 34: Peaceful, Easy Feeling

Rory was rushing around the pool house trying to straighten up a bit before her mom's arrival on Tuesday morning, but she kept getting distracted by the two adorable puppies who were following her every move. She finally gave up and took them out to the yard to play; that was far more fun than cleaning anyway. At Tristan's encouragement, Rory had invited Lorelai to come have lunch with her and then join her on the trip to Yale to sign her contract and decorate her office. Rory was hoping for a peaceful, fun day with her mom. Hopefully that wasn't asking too much.

Rory smiled to her mom and picked up the puppies as she saw Lorelai parking her car. She walked over to greet her mom with the two energetic little bundles of fur in her arms.

"Hey, Mom! I'm glad you could get away to spend the day with me," Rory said as Lorelai opened her car door.

"Hey, sweets. Who are these little angels?" Lorelai asked as she reached out and took one of the puppies.

"This is Romeo, and you're holding Juliet. Tristan thought I might like a puppy to keep me company when I'm alone at the pool house, but I fell in love with both of them when we saw them last night so we ended up adopting them both," Rory replied as she rubbed Romeo's head.

"Aw, they're just so cute! I can see why you'd fall in love instantly," replied Lorelai.

"Well, lunch won't take me long to finish. You want to head inside?"

"Sure, sounds great. Oh yeah - just a second. I almost forgot to give you these," Lorelai said as she took a vase of flowers out of the front seat and handed them to Rory.

"Oh wow, thank you!" Rory replied as she took the flowers from her mom and smelled them. "They're beautiful."

"They're not from me, Sweets; they were delivered to the house yesterday and I thought I'd bring them to you," Lorelai replied as they walked into the pool house.

Rory set the flowers down on the kitchen island and plucked the card out of the arrangement. She read it quickly and wrinkled up her nose.

"These are going in the trash," she said firmly. She picked the flowers, card and arrangement up and dumped them unceremoniously in the trash.

"Care to share what those flowers did to you?" Lorelai questioned.

Rory shrugged her shoulders.

"They're in cahoots with Logan, apparently. He sent them to me, and he poured his heart out on the card, asking me to take him back. Apparently he's still willing to let me be the other woman," Rory spat, even the thought of continuing that arrangement making her furious.

"Wow. I have to say, I'm proud of you, Kiddo. You really are finished with him, aren't you?" Lorelai asked.

Rory nodded her head. "I really am, Mom. I would be finished with Logan even if Tristan wasn't in my life, but Tristan has definitely showed me what a healthy relationship should look like.

Lorelai nodded awkwardly and then changed the subject.

"So...I'm starving; what's for lunch?" Lorelai asked.

"We're having a strawberry chicken salad," Rory answered, and she laughed as she saw the face her mom was making. "Don't wrinkle your nose up at me - it's good. Just give it a try, I think you'll really like it."

"Please tell me there will be coffee?" Lorelai asked.

"There will be coffee," Rory chuckled. "I'm not completely crazy; I know better than to try to have a meal with Lorelai Victoria Gilmore without coffee."

"You were always smart," Lorelai quipped as they walked into the house.

Rory set Romeo down and walked to the kitchen to wash her hands. She'd already prepped the salad greens and chopped the mandarins, strawberries and pecans. All she needed to do now was cook the chicken and then toss the completed salad with the poppy seed dressing. She started the coffee maker with a fresh pot for Lorelai and then got out a bottle of water for herself.