Tea Parties in Boston

64 - The Key To Her

"She's down," Rory said, still speaking in half-whisper out of instinct as she snuck back downstairs and joined Logan in the sunroom.

The room, surrounded by windows from three sides and the vast darkness outside, was a lot colder than the rest of the house. It really was no wonder with the rustling waves and the oceanic winds. During the time Logan had waited, Em having requested storytime with just her mom this evening, he'd lit lanterns around the room that had just been waiting there, and they were adding not only a welcoming glow but also some hint of warmth.

Logan had by now adjusted to Em sometimes wanting to hang out with just her mom, knowing that each request like that wasn't about brushing him off. But it did make sense for Em to be closer with Rory - she'd been her for all her life while he was just a newcomer even if genetically his just as much as hers. He had his own moments with Em, and he hoped in the future he would have more. No matter what anyone else thought.

With those thoughts he'd waited, settled into a large cozy couch, shamelessly tucked comfortably under a fuzzy wool comforter, barely having read two paragraphs from the book he had in his hands - Silvia Moreno-Garcia's 'The Daughter of Doctor Moreau'.

"This looks nice," Rory commented at the romantic space around them. "Is the book any good?" Rory asked, climbing under the blanket to join him. She continued to pour herself a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, seeing Logan had already half a glass on the side table, as she settled into his side, with her legs pulled up.

"I'd much rather be reading something else...," Logan let the words spill over his lips, realizing only as he'd said it that what had been on his mind for the entire evening - beyond Lorelai - had just come out more bluntly than he'd intended, the wine in his system having surely influenced that a little.

"What?" Rory asked.

"Well - you for starters," Logan teased, kissing her temple, trying to ease the awkwardness, considering that maybe it'd be better to leave this conversation for another day.

But Rory's look wasn't buying that.

"Logan," she chimed all-knowingly, but lightly, unsuspectingly.

"I just noticed Emily has a certain book in her library," Logan said hesitantly. "And I'm not demanding to read it, I'm not even requesting it... just that I noticed it and I won't deny that I am curious," he added, wanting to nip her reaction in the bud.

"Oh..," Rory sighed, feeling embarrassed.

"Like I said... just an observation," Logan held up his palms.

"She insisted on keeping hers," Rory said.

Anyone in their sane mind would have too - Logan thought, feeling like he could say that even without reading it.

"That sounds like Emily alright," Logan commented instead.

Rory knew it wasn't bad as such, it was just something that had triggered this whole thing with her mom to grow so much worse than it had been just with hiding her child's paternity. She'd liked the book even. But it did hold some things about the men in her life, even if not saying correct names. Some of those things were a little hurtful maybe, even if mostly to carry a general message of girl power.

But after hearing that Logan had confronted her mother - she was feeling more and more like someone was in her corner and she didn't need to try to act according to her mother's whims, she already didn't but that feeling had still lingered. Now she just felt like she was done - wanting Logan to be there to protect her from damaging words, even if that sounded like damsel-in-distress syndrome, but maybe it wasn't so horrible to be in that role every now and again? Maybe being strong and entirely independent, as much as would apply in her case, wasn't really all that it was made out to be?