Finding Rory

Chapter 36: Confiding in Friends

Rory was outside with the puppies when Steph pulled up on Wednesday morning. They'd made plans to catch up. Steph was anxious to see the pool house and meet Romeo and Juliet, and Rory really felt like she needed to get an outside perspective on some things. Aside from Paris, Steph was the closest girlfriend that Rory had now, and she definitely didn't want to go to Paris for this conversation.

"Oh my gosh, they're adorable! You and Tristan make beautiful babies," Steph teased as she walked toward Rory and the puppies.

Rory laughed and rolled her eyes at Steph.

"Tris and I didn't make these babies," Rory chuckled.

"Does that mean you made other babies?"

"Steph! Don't even joke about that - there will be no baby-making anytime soon," Rory admonished.

Steph held her hands up in surrender.

"Alright, I get it. I was just teasing," Steph said.

"Why don't we go inside so you can see the pool house, and then we can come back out and relax out here? It's a beautiful day."

"Perfect. Let's go, Reporter Girl."

Steph and Rory walked into the house, the puppies hot on their heels.

"Whoa, this place is beautiful. Have you already redecorated? It looks very you," Steph observed.

"No, my grandparents decorated it for me while I was living here in college, and then they kept it like this after I moved out. I've always loved it - it's just so soft and feminine and bright. It makes me happy," Rory replied.

"I could definitely live here. Living with Colin, I don't get to decorate to make me happy; it has to suit both of us. I wish I could have this girly of a room!"

Rory walked into the kitchen and got two glasses out of the cabinet and filled them with lemonade.

"Yeah, but it's worth it, right? I know I love it when Tris stays with me, or when I stay with him. It's nice to have someone around who you care about," Rory said quietly as they walked back out to the garden. They each sat down in a lounge chair and continued their conversation.

"It is worth it, at least most of the time. Colin and I have been together a long time, so it's easy and it's comfortable for the most part, but...it's silly, really. I just wonder sometimes if we'll ever have more. We've been dating since right after college, and we've lived together for a few years now," Steph said quietly.

"And you want to get married?" Rory asked.

"I really do, but I don't know if that will ever happen. He's so jaded about marriage because of his dad and the never-ending line of stepmoms - I just don't know that he'll ever be willing to make that commitment. That leaves me having to decide whether it's more important to get married or have him in my life."

"Wow, that's..." Rory trailed off, unable to find the word she was looking for.

"Exactly," Stephanie agreed. "Any brilliant advice?"

Rory took a deep breath and thought for a minute.

"Well, I'm not exactly the posterchild for healthy, committed relationships, but I can tell you as someone who's been in a relationship that was destroyed over lack of communication about the future that you need to talk to him about it. Don't make assumptions or issue ultimatums, and don't just say whatever comes to mind. In my mind, when I was with Logan in college, having him in my life was more important than marriage. Obviously, we weren't on the same page there," Rory answered quietly.