Wherever You're Going

Chapter 7 - Going Forward

Logan reluctantly stepped back and led Rory over to a sofa.  He sat down and she sat with her legs crossing over his lap and covered them with a blanket.  He put his hand in her hair and began to twirl it around.

"So, Ace, tell me--how are you?"

She played with the buttons on his shirt and tried to look anywhere but at his mouth.  "I'm good, Logan.  I've been at The New Yorker for five years as a staff writer."

"Yes, I know," Logan said.

"You do?," Rory looked at him surprised.

"Yes, Ace, I've made it a point."

"Why didn't you ever call?," Rory asked softly with her head down.

Logan took her chin and lifted it up, "Would you have taken my call, Ace?," he asked with a skeptical face.

"Hmm, I don't know.  I may have.  I thought you hated me."

"That's a really strong word, Rory.  I was really angry with you for a long, long time.  It felt like you didn't love me like I loved you."

"Oh, Logan, no.  I loved you so much and I was so stunned when you wanted it to be all or nothing."

Looking into her beautiful blue eyes he said, "Rory, I have to say that I nearly lost myself because of the pain I felt when you turned down my marriage proposal.  I drank and drank for months.  Without the help of my closest friends in there, I don't know if I would have come back from that deep, dark place.  Quite, frankly, they think I'm pretty crazy for inviting you here.  When I saw you last night in the bar, I almost couldn't breathe for a minute.  But seeing you again, Ace, has helped me realize that I want you back in my life.  I have to ask before this goes any further, if you have any doubts whatsoever about going forward with me, I want you to get up and leave here right now.

Rory thought for a minute absorbing all that Logan had said.  She felt something was changed in the Logan sitting in front of her tonight and the college boy she fell in love with.  Logan was more guarded than he used to be and she could tell he was being extremely serious about what he was saying to her.  She reached her hand up and placed it on Logan's cheek.

"Logan, I can guarantee you that I definitely want to go forward with you.  You're not the only one who got lost after I turned down your proposal.  I was so hurt when you didn't fight for me.  I wanted you to fight for me and when you didn't, I got lost for a long time.  My time on the campaign trail was not what I exactly expected.  Getting through that and finally getting my head on straight helped me get a decent job at The New Yorker.  I've come to realize that I didn't have to choose between you and a job to be fulfilled.  But, of course, when it finally dawned on me, too much time had passed.  You forever changed me, Logan, that day you took my hand and asked me to jump with you.  So, no, I don't have any doubts."

Logan reached to pull me close, kissing me lightly on the lips he said, "stay with me tonight, Ace."