Gilmore Girls: Wish Upon a Snow

Chapter 21

The driver closed the door behind Rory as she slid into the backseat. She could feel her heart beating in her ears. She was not sure why she felt so uneasy. Sighing, she leaned back into the seat and gazed out of the window. Raindrops streaked the windows like tears.

Rory couldn't help but wonder what she would have done if that had been the Odette. Her panic and ensuing stomachache had to mean something. It had to be guilt. Everyone had told her that what she was doing was wrong. Their words had to be bubbling around inside of her somewhere. If she did not feel bad deep down or else why had she reacted the way she did? If she truly felt no remorse over the arrangement she should have been cool and collected.

Rory exhaled unsteadily, wiping sweat from the back of her neck. She pressed her forehead to the cool of the window, closing her eyes. The driver jerked through the London streets and Rory tried to lose herself in remembering the directions. A right, a left, a right...

"We are here, Miss," the driver said.
Rory took a deep breath and exited the car.
The restaurant door was nondescript, and Rory braced herself before entering. She wondered if Logan was trying to hide her in this intimate little restaurant off the beaten path.

The hostess showed her to her seat. Logan was waiting and beamed as she walked up. He stood up quickly to kiss her on the cheek.
After they both settled in, Logan looked at her for a few moments without speaking.
His voice was full of quiet urgency when he finally spoke.
"What's on your mind, Ace? I'm worried about you."
Rory felt tears rush to her eyes, ready to spill. She had known Logan for so long. Their relationship had spanned past a decade at this point, and Rory felt a resolution developing within her to tell him the truth.
"Logan? May I ask you something?" Rory began, picking at the napkin on her lap.
"Always, anything," Logan said, folding his hands on the table and watching her intently. He had an uncanny ability to make Rory feel like she was the only person to have ever spoken. He always gave her his full attention.
Rory took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant," she said quickly, wincing. She watched his face.
Logan betrayed no hint of emotion one way or the other. "But the truth is, after our morning in New Hampshire...I was more upset than I probably looked. I went home to Stars Hollow and hooked up with Jess. I definitely wasn't planning on it, it just happened." Logan's face was still composed. Rory looked around and wondered briefly if he had paid the waitress off so they could talk before the meal. Logan watched her scan the restaurant and glanced towards the hostess. She said something to a server who came over with waters and a bread basket. She walked away without saying anything. Logan cleared his throat and focused on Rory again. "Sorry," he explained, "I figured you might be thirsty."
Logan was so kind and such a gentleman that Rory could feel her nerve slipping away. She wrung her hands in her lap.
"Go on," Logan said.
"Okay, so I slept with Jess. The truth is that I am not sure if the baby is yours or his. It really could be either one. Trust me, I feel disgusting. I told Jess that it was his and didn't even mention you, I don't even know why I did that. I just ran into him on the street and hadn't even been planning on telling him but then I saw him... I don't know," Rory took a grateful sip of water.
Logan took a deep breath. "Is the baby healthy?" He asked.
Rory looked at him and felt her heart melt a little. "Yeah, I had my first ultrasound a few days ago and the baby is doing great," she said.
"Well, that's what I like to hear. Any child of mine is going to have to be able to jump off of buildings with umbrellas, so they better be," he smiled warmly. He reached across the table with his hand and Rory removed hers from her lap to grasp it. They sat quietly for a moment before Logan spoke again.
"Rory?" He asked.
Rory's eyes met his.
"I love you," he finished, squeezing her hand and opening up his menu, "Let's get you those fish and chips."