Persuasion

I Will Take You Home

Although it was a vastly different night from the first time I was here, I got only slightly more sleep. It wasn't the same room, but it was close enough and I found myself up around sunrise sitting on a similar window seat gazing out at the freshly fallen snow. Each branch of every tree was encased in a blanket of white. I opened my laptop and sat staring at the blank document, willing myself to write something down but nothing came. I would write sentence and erase it almost immediately after I finished typing. I banged on the keys in all caps I LOVE YOU, and closed my laptop in frustration, returning my gaze out the window. It's really pretty here. Those words circled in my brain along with all the ones I should have said: choose me, don't marry her, screw the dynastic plan, stay with me, love me, and most importantly I love you.

A sharp knock on the door snapped me out of my inner dialogue and as I opened the door to three very familiar faces.

"Do I know you?" Finn greeted me with a smile.

I gave them each a hug "What on Earth are you guys doing here?"

"I think that you failed to remember that this is my inn" Collin pointed out.

"So what you had the front desk on lookout for me?" I asked incredulously.

"Something like that" Robert responded.

"We knew if Allie came back to Seabrook it meant she was truly in love with Noah." Finn said with a wink.

"How exactly do you know the plot of The Notebook Finn?"

"I can be romantic" he said sounding insulted "plus ladies are far more likely to come back to a stranger's apartment under the pretense of a romantic Gosling film"

"I think Lars and the Real Girl is probably a closer representation of your love life Finn" Robert teased.

"That doll is hot" Finn retorted.

"Come on Reporter Girl" Collin said interrupting their banter "we're taking you to breakfast."

We walked into the diner that should have been the spot of our farewell breakfast. Finn and I slid into a booth while Robert and Collin chatted up the blonde waitress behind the counter.

"Seriously why are you guys here?" I asked him.

"Ah when it comes to the lovely Rory Gilmore, we would be fools not to come running. Scotch?" He asked pulling a flask from his jacket and pouring it in the empty coffee cup.

"It's 10 am Finn" I warned.

"When has that ever stopped us before?" he asked with a wink.

He made a valid point. "I'll stick with coffee, thanks."

"Don't get judgmental Mother" he scolded.

I coughed choking a bit on the coffee. I know that he has called me that before, but the word just surprised me. "I'm not being judgmental Finn. Please drink up. Since you are here, I want information from you. The looser your lips the better." I said batting my eyes at him.

"Ah so you are looking for loose lips?" he smirked and took a big swig from his coffee cup.

"I'm looking for information" I clarified.

"I'm not sure what good I will be. I try my very hardest to be as uninformed as possible."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Believe what you want love. I'll never admit to anything. So tell me what is it that you think I can enlighten you on?"

I paused and looked at him "What can you tell me about Odette?"