Searching for my Identity

Chapter 27 The Feelings of a Mother

I'm sorry I didn't post the chapter until now. It took a little longer than expected ;-) I would like to thank all of you again for your kind words, comments and the confidence you give me to continue writing. Thanks to my beta reader @amys99999 and  to@Elianne105 of course too 

"Rory? Ace, are you still there?" Logan asked in a trembling voice.

"Yes...I...I god I don't know what to say now. Are you sure it's her? It all sounds so unreal..." Rory managed to say.

Then in a more urgent tone, she said, "Do you have a photo? Not that I don't believe you, but I need proof.

Proof that it is really Norah..." Rory tried to explain while trying not to break down into tears. She was very thankful she was alone in her office, but she probably wouldn't have noticed anyone at the moment anyway.

"Wait a moment I'll send a WhatsApp message to Finn," Logan said sounding distant, and a few seconds later he was back on the phone.

"I just forwarded what Finn sent me. I still can't believe it that Norah had grown up here in Vienna, Europe. So far away from us..." Logan whispered and took a deep breath.

The whole situation was surreal. Neither Logan or Rory ever expected to meet their missing daughter in Vienna by pure coincidence after nearly fourteen years.

The whole situation seemed more like something they would watch in a movie than something that would actually happen to them.

"Ok, I'll take a look at the picture now. I love you and take care of you. I will call you back asap," Rory said with her voice threatening to break.

"Ok Ace, I love you too. Bye..." Logan ended the call and took a moment before he went back into the restaurant to face Norah again. He silently prayed he could keep it together.

After hanging up, Rory tried to comprehend the conversation. Still, she couldn't believe what Logan had just told her. With trembling fingers, she opened Logan's message. She closed her eyes as the image downloaded.

She felt herself eager to open her eyes, yet terrified at the same time. After all these years, would she feel a connection with her daughter through a photo? Would she know instantly as Logan had?

Hesitantly, she opened her eyes. Instantly tears started to spill over when she saw the picture. The girl was identical to Nat, except her red hair. The young girl seemed so happy in this picture, so alive. 
A giggle escaped Rory in her shocked state when she saw Liam also in the photo. Who could have known that Liam would have fallen for one of her daughters?

"Oh my God..Norah..." she whispered in a low, desperate voice as the picture began to blur in front of her eyes.

"Hey, Rory? How about...what happened?" she suddenly heard the voice of her father-in-law, Mitchum, as he entered her office.

"Mitchum...I don't know what to do..." she sobbed and Mitchum wondered what had happened. He could only hope that Logan hadn't messed up again.

"What happened? I'm sure a strong coffee and a good lunch will help. Come on, let's go..." Mitchum attempted to find something to make her feel better.

"I hardly think that a strong coffee and lunch would help now Mitchum," Rory said in a shrill voice. "Here..." she explained to him sobbing and held the smartphone towards him.

"Does Nath...no that can't be true. Is that Norah?" he guessed, became pale and shook his head while he was observing the picture on Rory's iPhone.
Rory simply nodded. Mitchum, still holding the phone, slumped in a chair as he stared at the photo.

Never in her life would Rory have dared to dream that they would find Norah again. The last fourteen years had been a roller coaster of feelings, grief, and recriminations.

Especially the first five months were very stressful and painful for Rory and Logan. Neither of them could and wanted to admit that Norah would never come back to them.
They were heartbroken Logan had just buried himself in work while she was at home with their remaining child trying to cope with the whole situation. Rory and Logan closed themselves off to not only their emotions but each other...

However when Rory looked at the photo of their missing daughter the dam of emotions she had been suppressing all these years burst free. All of her feelings of fear, loss and overwhelming joy, spread through her body.

Just the thought that Logan was so close to Norah and couldn't grab her and hold her or run away with her almost made Rory lose her mind. 
All she wanted at that moment was to know her daughter was safe in her arms. Something she had not let herself want in a long time.

"Where did Logan find her?" Mitchum asked, as he grabbed her hand and gently pressed it to no avail.

He couldn't blame her for being lost in her thoughts when even he could hardly believe that his granddaughter was found. "Rory?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. What did you say? I..I'm just... I don't know, shocked; for lack of a better word."

Sighing Mitchum said, " That's understandable, this is quite the news. How did Logan find her? I didn't even know he was still looking."

Staring pensively in the distance trying to contain the tears Rory simply responded with, "We weren't. He found her in Vienna, she's Liam's girlfriend."

"Well, what are your next steps? Did you already call your mom? I'm sure she will be just as overwhelmed as you or I, but I know she will want to know. I do think the best option is to fly to Vienna so we can see for ourselves that it's really Norah.

Of course, your mother will want to come with us and is more than welcome. I'm sure Shira won't mind and will be thrilled to take care of the kids for a few days so we can go hopefully get our girl after all this time.

" No, I haven't called my mom. I had just found out and received the picture moments before you found me. I will definitely do call her now though, and Mitchum?" she shook her head and looked at him with teary eyes.

"Yeah, Rory?"

"Thank you. I'm really glad that you showed up in my office," she said and called her mother. Mitchum had a little smile on his lips for the first time in a long time his daughter-in-law had a sparkle in her eyes and that made him even more happy than he was already feeling. 

He pulled out his phone and called Shira and informed her of the news they just received and promised to send her the picture before ending the call to make flight plans.

"Mom? I hope I didn't interrupt you at work but I need you to go home and pack. You are flying with me and Mitchum to Vienna. Logan, found her!" Rory said excitedly then a heartbroken sob escaped from her mouth as all of her emotions were bubbling out finally.

"Logan found her, who her?", Lorelai said jokingly not understanding at first what her daughter was saying. "Mom, Logan found Norah!" Rory quickly retorted.. At first it was dead silence and then the sound of Lorelai crying and in shock she nearly dropped her smartphone on the floor. "Are you positive?"

"I feel it, I've always felt it, but I just stopped hoping. Then Logan sent me a picture and mom, it's her."

"OMG, OMG, YES!! I'm going to pack right now I will be there in thirty minutes. It's time to go find our baby girl!" Lorelai screamed excitedly and then quickly said "I know I'm coming with you to Vienna but if you haven't told Nat please consider to taking her with us. She has a right to know the whole truth, although it won't be easy for her, but this does concern her, Norah is her twin after all and she is so broken thinking you all kept the death of her sister a secret."

"I know Mom. I know...", she responded truly understanding how right her mom was and just hoped that she would have enough strength to get through the next few hours without losing her mind by becoming insanely worried she might lose Norah again when she is so close.