A Different Life

One

One week before graduation.

Rory was about to push the door open to their apartment when she heard Logan's voice. She stopped to listen to see who he was talking to, he had seemed out of sorts recently but had denied anything was wrong when she asked and she was too busy with finals to really get into it so she had let the subject lie. 

Logan- “I'm going to do it at the grad party guys.”

“Do what?” I think that's Colin’s voice, Rory thought, although i was sure he was in New York this week.

“Propose!”

“What?! Why?!”

“Bloody hell!” - Oh good Finns here too, I’ve missed him while hes been in Australia for work.

“Why not? We've been together almost 2 years its time”

( Just when Rory was starting to back up, feeling bad for intruding not wanting to ruin any potential surprise, she hears it?)

“But what about what happened in Vegas?” asked Finn.

“What about it? She'll never know just like she never found out about Bobbi and she even met her.”

“Don't you feel bad, remorse guilt anything?” said Colin

“I do and I've been acting weird, I figure propose and then say I've been nervous building up to the proposal and that will stop any questions”

“But Logan-” Both guys tried to interject.

“Then once we are married and I'm traveling while she is working it will be easy to have a mistress or two.”

“Logan! Rory isn't a trophy wife, she's better than that. Why would you do that? I thought you loved her?” Finn was practically shouting now.

“I do! What difference does that make to me having a mistress or 5?”

“Are you serious?-”

Rory backed away at this point, silent tears falling, trying to stifle a sob. She needed to get out of here but where to go? She thought: mom will say I told you so, Paris was an unknown quantity and Lane had the babies so she couldn’t burden her. 

Two hours later and Rory found herself pulling into the driveway of her dad's Boston house. She wasn’t sure what made her come here, it wasn’t as if they had the best relationship growing up although it had been improving especially as her graduation day grew closer. She hoped he might have some insight or even an idea of what to do, seeing as he and Logan had bonded over their similar antics and upbringings. 

“Dad! Are you here?” she shouted as she unlocked the front door.

“Kitchen!” Chris shouted back.

Rory walked through the house to the kitchen feeling vaguely optimistic about the conversation to come. She opened the door to the kitchen and was shocked to find her Grandmother there with her father. 

“Grandma, I didn't think you would be here, I thought you were in Hartford this week?”

“Well Lorelai dear, my son and I were just going through and finalising paperwork for next week after your graduation. All these years of secrets and protection are about to come to an end and we want to be ready for it.”

“Yes Rory, mom just wanted to go over some numbers again for the hundredth time.” Chris said while playfully rolling his eyes at his mother and daughter. 

“Enough about me being here unexpectedly, why are you here? I thought you were busy with your remaining finals for the next few days?” Grandma Francine wanted to know. 

“Eh, just something I wanted to get dad's opinion on.” Rory stuttered out hoping her face wouldn’t give anything away. 

“Well in that case I’ll leave you to it, it must be important if you came here during finals, even in High School you wouldn't leave your books for more than twenty minutes. Chris, I will see you tomorrow.” With a quick kiss on everyone's cheek the powerhouse of Francine Hayden left the building. 

“Well kiddo,” said Chris patting a stool at the kitchen island, “ what can I help you with?”

Rory took a deep breath and tried to prepare herself for the envitable storm to come. "Well dad, I came home from the library early today, Logans been acting strange so I figured he maybe felt a little neglected with finals, so I thought some quality time would help but-" At this point Rory had to stop and sniff to stop the preamble of tears.

"But what Rory? What happened to bring you all the way down here when you will be here next week for meetings with the firm?"

"Dad I overheard Logan talking to Colin and Finn, he was telling them that he is planning to propose at graduation"

"Propose? Like marriage? Your so young!"

"It gets better, the reason why he wants to propose? He cheated on me, and he thinks I'm suspicious so he thinks if he proposes he can say he was acting odd to throw me off and because he was nervous!"

"What the hell Rory, no sorry, hang on give me a second-" Chris took a deep breath before continuing "Do you know if it was just the once? Are you planning to forgive him?"

"Thank you"

"Thank me? For what?"

"That response is exactly the reason I came here instead of anywhere else. Mom hates Logan she would be glad to see him gone and Paris isn't his biggest fan so neither would really give me a neutral sounding board"

"Believe me, I'm not exactly loving on him myself right now but this is about where you stand not me. So forgiveness on or off the table?"
"

i'm thinking off, in the few minutes i overheard the boys mentioned multiple instances and he said he would take a mistress or 5 once he is married"

"or 5! what the hell?! what did tweddle-dee and tweedle-dum have to say to his plan? i'm sure they expressed an opinion or did you not hear it?"

"they were pretty horrified, they told him i wasn't just a trophy wife and deserved better, then i left i didn't think i would be able to stay hidden if i was there any longer"

"so what do you want from me rory? i can do angry, supportive, make him disappear, which way do you want me to play this?"

rory sighed, suddenly the adrenaline high she had been on since leaving new haven was wearing off. "i wanted to know what to do daddy, how could he do this to me?" she began to sob.

chris wrapped his arms around rory. "come on kiddo, you are sleeping here tonight. do you have a final tomorrow?"

"no i have another 2 days for the next one."

"lets get willy wonka and some ice-cream going. i will try to wallow with you tonight, then we will sleep and make a plan in the morning."