Gilmore Girls: More in the Life

Chapter 98

Natalie sat on the edge of the couch, her heart clearly breaking by the news Jess had just relayed. Wasn't this one of the things she had mentioned after meeting with Susan? Being called with a possible placement and spending the time and money to get things ready, only to have the child remain where he or she was? Jess didn't recall the exact answer he had given but he was sorry to admit he certainly knew what she was referring to now.

Before she could stop them, tears fell down Natalie's cheeks. "I don't understand how they could set up a placement only to not remove the child. How is that fair to us? Obviously something was going on in that home for a report to be made."

Jess took a seat beside his wife, placing his arm around her. "Yes and no. Some reports are made to spite someone. I've heard of a person calling in reports of abuse or neglect against another person because they're mad at something that happened. Reporting false claims to the Office of Children and Family Services should not be go-to move when you're hoping to cause problems. But unfortunately, it sometimes is. That's what Shelia told me. It sounds like this situation stemmed from just that. The mother's ex-boyfriend was upset that she had moved on with another man and called a report that the new boyfriend was molesting the little girl. Shelia said they found no evidence to support that whatsoever."

"I don't care how you spin it, Jess. They should have looked at the case and investigated before calling a foster home."

"Nat, you know that isn't how it works. They have to have a place lined up where the child will go before meeting with the caretakers. It isn't a perfect system. There are kinks and roadblocks that have to be worked around. Don't let this stop you from wanting to help. I bet we will get a child in our home. And soon."

What Jess wasn't telling Natalie was that, while Shelia did call to say that the little girl they had agreed to take in wouldn't be removed, she also asked if they'd be willing to take in a four year old girl who had a high probability of being placed outside the natural home. She said that she would fill both of them in once she got to their home with the child. The placement sounded more promising than the last but, even so, Jess was hesitant to tell Natalie in case something soured this possibility as well.

*****

"Logan? You still there, mate?" Finn asked.

Logan had fallen silent after hearing that his ex-fiancée had been observed with a baby. "Yeah, I'm still here. Just trying to process things. Is there any evidence that the baby is mine?"

"Well, the lad has blond hair but that doesn't necessarily point to you as the father since you aren't the only man in the world with blond hair."

Trying to piece together a timeline in his head, he figured that if he happened to be the father, the child would have to be nearing a year old. Would Odette really have carried his child and not told him? Something in that scenario didn't seem right.

"Logan, I just heard her refer to herself as 'Mama'."

"How old do you think the baby is?"

"Closing in on his first birthday, I'd say. Then again, I'm not exactly an expert on babies, chum." Finn paused before broaching a question. "What are you going to do?"

Logan exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "I don't know, man. I suppose I have a call to make."

"Do it now while I'm here to watch her."

Agreeing to that, Logan ended the call with Finn and tried to locate Odette's number. After he and Rory got back together and Odette had moved her belongings from the London apartment, Logan had erased her contact information from his phone. Quickly scrolling through his call log, he had to go back a ways before he found a number that he believed to be Odette's.

Another deep breath in. Another deep breath out.

"Hello?" A feminine voice filled the line.

"Odette?"

"Logan? Is that you?"

"Yeah it is."

"Wow. I never thought I'd hear anything from you again."

"And I never thought I'd call you again." When Logan heard how that sounded, he quickly added, "No offense."

Odette laughed. "None taken. So you must have a reason for calling. What's up?"

"I don't know how to ask this so I'm just going to be blunt. Do we have a child together?"

Logan could tell that his question shocked Odette by her sharp intake of breath. "What are you talking about?"

"Do we have a child together?" Logan repeated.

Odette laughed once more. "What in the world made you think that?"

Logan cleared his throat. "I happen to have a friend at the restaurant you're at. I was told you're there with a baby and that you've referred to yourself as 'Mama'."

"Yeah, I saw Finn seated several tables from me. Logan, if I had learned I was pregnant after we split up, I would have let you know. Yes, I am here with a baby but no, the baby isn't ours. I kept my friend's son for the day and we are meeting here for dinner. I asked him if he was happy to see his Mama again but I wasn't referring to myself. Finn is too drunk to really look at the context of a comment and must have gone right to panic mode at hearing me say 'Mama' while holding a baby."

Relief filled Logan. "I'm sorry. I just had to find out. Let's face it, you and I ended on cordial terms but given that Rory was pregnant, I really didn't know if you would have let me know that you were...if you were."

"I know why you thought what you did. And I'm not upset. Actually, I appreciate that you immediately called to check. It shows that you're a man, looking to take care of his responsibilities."

"Be sure to tell my father that if you ever see him again," Logan joked.

"Not to be nosy, but I'm guessing you're officially a father yourself now. How is it?"

Logan couldn't stop a smile from spreading across his face. "It's like nothing I could have imagined. The moment I saw the baby, I was completely in love. She is the most beautiful little girl I have ever laid eyes on. Other than her mother, of course."

"That's how it should be. I'm happy for you, Logan. You seem so much happier with Rory than you did with me. You should have that."

Wincing, Logan immediately realized he said those words to his ex-fiancée. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean for that to sound like it did."

Odette once again laughed. "No need to apologize. You and I weren't meant to be. I've accepted that. Don't try to shy away how special your relationship is with Rory. No matter what happened or didn't happen between us, I still want nothing but the best for you."

"And I for you." Logan looked up as Rory entered his office, holding their daughter. "Listen, Odette, Rory just came in so I'm going to let you go." They said their goodbyes, ending the call.

Rory's eyebrows perked up. "Odette?"

Logan quickly filled Rory in on what Finn told him. Much like his own reaction, relief filled Rory's face to learn that Finn had misinterpreted what he saw. "Odette is right; when Finn is drunk, you can't rely on anything he sees."

Laughing, Logan agreed. Above all, he was thankful that it turned out nothing was a threat to the wonderful life he was building with Rory.