The Legend - A Gilmore Girls Fan Fiction

Chapter 83

Charlie and I were having lunch after a follow-up appointment with Debbie Carter about the book proposal.

"She loved your work, and sounded very excited about having you on board with the project!" I gushed happily.

"I don't want to get my hopes up, but this would be so much better than selling phones!  I always wanted a job where I could draw all day, but I just never really thought it would be possible – I was in no position to become a starving artist" he said.

"Yeah, I can totally relate to that.  I was trying so hard to get back to work to take care of Emma and I, even before Finn and I broke up...  I just – I don't like relying on someone to take care of us.  But I just had absolutely no luck finding anything, and this book deal sort of fell into my lap, and well, here we are!  It sounds like it might actually be exactly what we're both looking for, though!  Flexible hours for Emma and Poppy, and doing what we love!" I said.

"I'll drink to that!" he said, raising his glass for a toast.

"Rory?  Hi!  Such a small world to see you outside of the academy!  This – well – this isn't Finn, my my!  Where are my manners!?  I'm Karen, the head of the PTO committee for Emma's school, and you are?"

"I'm Charlie, pleased to meet you, Karen" he said, shaking her hand.

"Oh wow, handsome and a beautiful accent!  Good work, Ms. Gilmore!  Well, I've got to run!  I've got to run a quick errand before picking little Isabella up from school.  Let's catch up later, Rory!" she said, waving goodbye to Charlie and then heading out.

I rolled my eyes and groaned.  "Good God that woman annoys the hell out of me" I said.

Charlie laughed.  "I don't know, she seemed rather nice" he said.

"Yeah, only after you opened your mouth and the accent had her in a puddle on the floor.  I swear, if you were single, you'd have your pick of the litter" I said laughing.

"Maybe so, but Poppy's the only one for me.  It's rather pathetic, really, how much I love her.  I don't know what I'm going to do if –"

"I'm stopping you right there.  Don't even finish that sentence.  Poppy's going to be just fine, and you'll be an old married couple sipping sweet tea on your front porch in matching rocking chairs and pullover sweaters.  Don't think any differently" I told him.

He nodded and sighed.  "I know, you're right, I need to stop worrying so much – but how can I?  Her health is deteriorating, Rory.  She tries to pretend like she's okay, but she's getting more and more worn out so fast.  I'm afraid I'm not going to know how to be strong enough for her" he whispered.

"You just have to be - that's all there is to it.  I think it's okay to show her you're scared, too.  I think that's important.  But just let her know that you're still her rock when she's the one doing the freaking out" I told him and he just nodded thoughtfully.

**                                **                                **

Just as Charlie and I were getting ready to leave the restaurant, I realized I never took my phone off of silent after the meeting, so I pulled it out of my bag and my heart sank – 17 missed calls from Emma's school and another 20 from Logan and Odette, plus a slew of voice mails and text messages.  "Oh my God" I whispered, dialing Logan's number first.

"Is everything okay?" Charlie asked in concern and I just held a finger up and shushed him.

"Logan, what the hell is going on!?" I asked in a panic.

"Where are you?" he asked me.

"I had a meeting with Debbie Carter and was having lunch with Finn's brother in law, Charlie – please tell me what's going on!" I pleaded.