Finding Rory

Chapter 48: Monthly Celebration?

"Hey, what are you girls doing?" Sookie asked as she walked out of the kitchen. She'd spent all day preparing baskets for tomorrow's bid-a-basket. She had the idea to make extra baskets that people could buy if they weren't a successful bidder. They were donating the money made from the extra baskets to the fund to renovate the bridge.

"Oh, we just finished editing some more of my book. You want to join us?" Rory asked as she closed her laptop and cleared the table off.

"Yes! Let me just grab some coffee and snacks from the kitchen for us. Do you want to see if your mom wants to join us?" Sookie asked.

"Sure, I'll go find her," Rory said as she stood up and stretched. Hey body was stiff from sitting for so long.

"I should probably check with Liz, too. I don't want her to get her feelings hurt if we leave her out" Rebecca said. She pulled out her phone and sent Liz a quick text asking if she wanted to come join the group. She had a good relationship with her future mother-in-law, despite Liz's quirky personality.

Lorelai and Rory sat down at the table a few minutes later, and soon Sookie joined them with a pot of coffee, coffee mugs and a tray that was overflowing with a variety of baked goodies. Rory poured them all cup of coffee and then picked up a chocolate muffin and sighed happily as she bit into it.

"Oh my god, this is so good! I needed chocolate today, so thank you, Sookie," Rory said gratefully.

"Everything okay? I seem to remember you needing chocolate when things weren't going so well when you were younger," Sookie asked in concern.

"Hmm? No, everything's fine. It's just that time - cramps and all. Chocolate is life," Rory admitted with a laugh.

"Well, at least we know you're not pregnant," Lorelai grumbled under her breath.

Rory's eyes shot up and she looked at her mom. "I'm sorry. Do you have this kind of celebration every twenty-eight days on my behalf?" she asked testily.

"No, just making an observation," Lorelai said dismissively.

"I've successfully used birth control for over a decade, Mom," Rory groaned.

"And Mommy is very happy about that," Lorelai admitted with a small smile.

"Anyway, enough about me and my empty womb. How's the wedding planning going, Rebecca?" Rory asked as Liz walked in and joined them at the table.

Rebecca hugged Liz and then sat back down. "It's going pretty well. We have our venue and date, which you already knew, and our wedding party. I found a dress that I love and bought it, so that's really exciting. We're still trying to decide on wedding colors and some other details," Rebecca shared with the group.

"Ooh, you should totally go with a blush pink and silver. It would be so elegant!" Sookie swooned.

"Or maybe a deep blue? It looks good on anyone," Lorelai added in.

Rebecca wrinkled up her nose and sent Rory a pleading look.

"Maybe red?" Rory asked. "You're getting married at love park in September. Red roses would look gorgeous with the green grass and blue sky in the background, and red roses mean love," Rory offered.

"Yes, that's perfect!" Rebecca exclaimed. "Thank you so much!"

"No problem," Rory said with a smile as she leaned back in her chair and continued listening to the conversation going on around her.

"You know, I could draw up some wedding cake ideas, or I could even bake some for you to try," Sookie said excitedly.

"Oh, that's so nice, but really, we wouldn't want to put you out," Rebecca said in hopes of ending the conversation. She and Jess wanted a small, fun, intimate wedding. They weren't into a big fuss or having a formal affair.

Rory listened quietly as they continued discussions or food, wedding songs, bands, wedding favors and seating charts. She was suddenly pulled from her thoughts by her mom.

"Hey, you okay there, Sweets?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking."

"What about?" prodded Lorelai. Neither of them noticed that the entire table was listening to them now.

"It's just...do you ever think about Luke, Mom? Is he your great love, or is he your right love?"

Lorelai sat back and thought for a minute. "What made you think of that, Kiddo? The bracelet?"

"Yeah. Logan was intense and all-consuming, and he left his mark, but it wasn't right. Tristan, though - he's right. It's raw and it's real. He pushes me to achieve my goals and supports me. He doesn't try to push me into becoming what he wants - he's just happy to be next to me as I figure out what I want in life. He doesn't love me for what I can do or be for him; he just loves me because I'm me," Rory finished softly.

Lorelai looked up at her daughter, sometimes wise beyond her years, and her expression softened. "I guess...I guess I never really thought about it that way. Your dad was my great love, just like you described Logan. But as you know well from our failed marriage, it was never right. And Max was never really right either. I was never really willing to trust him and let him in."

"What about Luke?" Sookie asked.

"What about him?" Lorelai answered evasively. "You know, I really need the recipe for these cookies."

*                    *                    *

Tristan walked into their room at the inn that night and found Rory curled up in bed watching Food Network. It had become her new obsession since she started learning how to cook.

"Hey, Mare. How was your night?" he asked as he stripped down to his boxers and climbed in bed next to her. He got situated against the headboard and Rory climbed in between his legs and laid back against him.

"It was good. Rebecca and I finished editing all of the new chapters and then we had a little girl talk. How was your night with the guys?" she asked as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the nape of her neck.

"It was good. We had a few beers and then went back to the apartment above the diner and caught the end of the ballgame," replied Tristan. He hesitated for a minute and then continued his train of thought. "Can I ask you about the charm bracelet now?" he asked softly.

Rory turned to face him and sighed. "What do you want to know?"

"I guess I'm just curious - I'd like to understand your relationship with Logan better. I wanted to know about the charms that he chose."

"Okay," Rory agreed as she reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the box.