The Scarecrow

Chapter 24

Over the last couple of weeks, Rory busied herself with articles for the Courant.  There wasn't much, but it helped keep her mind off the fact she still hadn't heard back from her editor.  She'd also started putting together the baby's nursery.  At first, she'd tried to rearrange things by herself, but the dresser and changing table proved to be a challenge in her current state.

"Love, you've moved everything around three times and it's ended up right back where we started," Finn said.  He was being a good sport in assisting her, but his patience with her indecisiveness was starting to wear thin.  He kept it inside, but he wanted to be done moving furniture.

"I know.  I just keep thinking something else would work better, but I get it there, and it's not right," Rory replied, sounding slightly exasperated with her own uncertainty.

"There's still plenty of time before this beautiful baby girl arrives," he said putting his hand over the baby.  He felt her kicking his hand as if responding to his voice and touch.

"Whoa!  Did you feel that?" he asked.

"Of course I did!  She doesn't respond to me like that, so she must like you," Rory replied. 

"So, let's leave the nursery alone for now," he recommended.

"I'm just getting a little restless about getting the notes back from my editor," she confessed.

"Still no word?"

"No, and it's been over three weeks.  Although, Cate, my editor, said it might be closer to a month before I hear anything."

"Then you've still got time before you need to worry," Finn replied reassuringly.

"But the suspense is killing me!"

"Let's take your mind off this," he suggested with a wink and smile.  Finn pulled her close and began kissing her.  He moved down the side of her neck.

"Nice try," she said, playfully pushing him away.  "That's not gonna work this time."

"Can't blame a man for trying," he replied laughing.

"Think I'll check my email one more time before I turn off my computer for the night."

"Ok, I'm going to grab a drink.  Can I get you anything?" Finn said.

"No, I'll be out in a few minutes."

Finn went to the kitchen and poured himself a scotch.  He kept a bottle at her house since he'd been spending so much time there.  He sat on the couch and began flipping through the channels, hoping he'd find something funny and distracting for Rory.  He realized she'd been gone over ten minutes.  He went to check on her in the study.  From the look on her face, she'd received some bad news.

"Is everything ok, Love?"

"No, it's not.  Cate ripped my book to shreds," she said quietly.  The tears welled up in her eyes.  She tried to hold them back. 

"I'm sure it's not that bad," he said trying to comfort her.  She cringed away from his touch and pushed his arm away.  Tears began streaming down her cheeks.  Finn stood there, completely helpless, and watched her cry.  He wanted to be her source of comfort but she wanted nothing to do with him. 

"She said it read like a first draft, and she was highly disappointed after all of the praise my sample had received."

Finn didn't know what to say.  He knew Rory had put a lot of work into this book and to have someone say that was disheartening.  He could understand why Rory was so upset, but he didn't know why she wouldn't let him comfort her.  Isn't a boyfriend supposed to be there for his girlfriend? He thought.  He didn't have any real prior experience to compare, however, this felt very wrong.  It was as if there was something more to this that he was unaware of.