She got us. She got us good. I almost feel bad for her punishing Lor for my overexcited attempt at being "SuperDad," but oh well. Lor and I are walking out of the newsroom just looking at each other knowing that Rory has a lot of Lorelai in her. Canceling on Richard and Emily while promising that we would eat with them? Classic Gilmore maneuver skillfully executed. Once we are out of the newsroom door, I grabbed onto Lorelai's hand and continued walking toward the building's exit.
"She got us." I said with her hand firmly in mine. She stopped walking.
"Us? You were the one she got, yet I get punished too!" She said this with a devilish grin and then adds "I guess karma is after me for not going to see the new curtains…Lets make this quick and as painless as possible. Talk Yale and the universe with dad." She smiled and we were off to the restaurant. "Chez Fancy Pants here we come…again."
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Emily POV
"Why would she do this to us, Richard? Why on earth? This is our weekend!" I am so upset that Richard seems so calm. This is our tradition with Rory that we started her freshmen year. Last year's turbulence disturbed this tradition, but this year everything was back on track. It was back on track until I saw Lorelai at the brunch. What was she doing here? And now, Rory can't come to dinner but volunteered Lorelai and Christopher as available to join us. This is not something that Rory would typically do, nor was it something that Lorelai would agree to. Perhaps Christopher has had more of an effect on them than I realized, or perhaps they've done something to upset her. Either way, my weekend is ruined, and now what would have been a pleasant dinner with my granddaughter will now be shared with my granddaughter's parents.
"Emily, calm down. Rory cannot control the events that are the news, and there is a job to be done. Lorelai and Christopher should be here any minute." How can he be so calm?!? Why should I have to calm down?
"What choice do I have now?" Just as I was about to tell Richard that I doubted Lorelai and Christopher would actually show up, they walked through the door and met us in the lobby. "Lorelai, Christopher. It is about time. Come along, we have a reservation." I walked up to the hostess, and the evening began.
The hostess showed us to our table. There was a moment's hesitation when the hostess showed us to the corner round booth, but it was part of the atmosphere. Lorelai and Christopher scooted into the middle while Richard took the seat next to Lorelai after I was situated next to Christopher. There was silence as we examined our menus before the waiter came by for our drink orders. Christopher and Richard decided on a bottle of something, but I was not really paying attention. I was still bothered by why Lorelai and Christopher had made it to parents' weekend and ruined our tradition with Rory, and for now I was not in a talkative mood.
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Chris POV
As soon as Lorelai and I walked in the door, there was tension radiating from Emily as she eagerly got us to our table. Richard and I shook hands and moved along to the table. It was an awkward seating arrangement with Lorelai sitting between Richard and me while Emily was to my other side. Our table remained quite silent as we were glancing over the menu. Finally, Richard and I got talking about a bottle of wine and went with his selection. Finally, I broke the silence
"I've got to tell you, Richard, Yale is an amazing place. It was great to see Rory in her element." At this Richard smiled bigger than I have ever seen him smile.
"Yale is an amazing place, Christopher. I must admit, I was quite pleased to see you and Lorelai attending parents' weekend! Overall, I think that it was a very good day. Although I did have to endure meeting some parents whose not so bright children are in my class. Of course, that's not what I told them." Richard made a face that caused me to laugh which I quickly played off as something in my throat, but he does love being connected to Yale.
"Wow, Dad. I am surprised that you would give those parents false encouragement. What do you have to say about Rory as a student? Isn't she in your class?" Lorelai asks this with a mischievous smirk on her face which causes me to smile more. At least this time I can disguise my smile as small talk about Rory.
"Lorelai, Rory is by far one of the brightest in the class. Of course I am a bit biased, but she is nothing short of genius." He says this with a smirk and takes a sip of the wine that has now been brought to the table. With that we all smile. Despite everything, and despite everything they feel toward Lorelai and some extent to me, Rory is the one good thing we do have in common.
"I am choosing to believe you, Dad. After sitting in on that physics class today, I am beginning to think that her smarts came from Mr. Questions over here." With that she smiled and began to pat my arm and then embraced it in a partial hug with her briefly leaning her head on my shoulder. I loved the feeling of having her touch me. I truly love this woman, and being able to spend today with her as parents at our daughter's school was truly a wonderful feeling.
"I was just curious. Questions are a natural part of the learning process. I found it fascinating to sit there with so much information flowing." I can still feel Lorelai smiling at me, and Richard seems to be thrilled that we actually attended a class and actually enjoyed it!
"Precisely, academia is a fascinating world. How did you two spend the rest of the afternoon?" At this time the waiter came to take our orders. This was turning out to be a pleasant evening; even Emily was lightening up, even though she certainly was eager to order wanting to get to that crème brulee as fast as humanly possible without eating it as an appetizer, and seeming to enjoy herself. After all, we are family, practically.
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Emily POV
"Richard, it is time to order; this conversation can wait until after our order is in." I am eager to order and get to dessert as quickly as possible. I can't wait for that crème brulee, and I hope it truly is to die for! We all ordered, and the food ordered sounded wonderful, and in that moment I realized that we were actually in a restaurant having dinner with Lorelai. I was trying to remember the last time that Lorelai had been in a restaurant with us. I struggled and could only think back a few years to one night when our maid burned the entrée and we had to go out, again without Rory. As much as I am not able to hide my disappointment that Rory is not with us, I do enjoy being seen in public with Lorelai and Christopher as a couple! This evening was definitely getting better as I further accepted Rory's absence.
Richard and Christopher continued their conversation of Yale and how beautiful the campus is. Lorelai and I interject in places, but they are in their own world of conversation. After the salads, Lorelai excuses herself to the restroom. As ladies should not go alone, I accompanied her. After we washed our hands about to head back to the table, I spoke. "Lorelai, I am glad that you are dining with us tonight. Looks like we are a foursome afterall." Lorelai hesitantly smiled, and we walked back to the table.
We ate our meal and enjoyed the remainder of the evening. After enjoying my crème brulee, which really was to die for but I still can't understand why Lorelai and Christopher opted for something else, Richard decided he needed to show Christopher around campus at night so he could see "the toe." Apparently that was the only thing that they had missed earlier in the day. I didn't mind the walk; it was a wonderful opportunity for our little foursome to continue on through the evening.
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Richard POV
"You missed the toe? Lorelai, how could you not take him to rub the toe? I am surprised that Rory didn't, but then she was a bit busy. Well, after dessert we simply have to take you by the toe. All who rub it are supposed to have good luck. And, I must admit, it brought me a bit of luck back in my day." I was so excited that we were going to walk through the campus and that I could show it off to my granddaughter's father that I did not think through my last comment entirely before speaking. Emily was not too thrilled, but rubbing the toe seemed to bring me good luck with her, so I am hoping that comment passes unnoticed, but then I am with my daughter.
"Really, Dad. Tell us more." She says laughing as we exit the table and are heading outside. I simply look at her and smile then grab Emily's hand and start walking to the parking lot. We each take our own cars back to campus, and Lorelai and Christopher follow us. I have a route mapped out in my head which I am quite excited about. Before making it to the toe, I guide us past a certain trash can where I briefly pause.
"I could not think of a walking tour of Yale that did not contain the most important spot on campus." I smile and try to see what Emily is thinking. I think I see her beginning to smile when Christopher speaks.
"I'm a little confused, I thought the toe was the most important spot on campus, and this trashcan does not seem to have feet." With that Lorelai elbowed him and filled him in on the significance at this spot.
"Shh, you. This is where my parents got engaged. So, this is the most romantic trash can in the world. So, this spot and the engagement that took place here plus a night of unsafe sex a few years later gave you me. See, it is a great trashcan!" With that I was about to chastise Lorelai for speaking like that when Emily beat me to it with the sternest "Lorelai" we have heard in a while, Christopher and Lorelai are also embracing and sharing a romantic moment. Just as I was giving Emily another kiss before moving on to the Woolsey statue, a student of mine passed making all sorts of cheers. That was a bit embarrassing, but it is college after all. The spirit of the campus still runs deep well over 40 years since I graduated. Lorelai got a nice laugh out of this, and the four of us continued on our way.
We made it to the statue. Christopher said it was worth the trip and rubbed the toe before returning to Lorelai's embrace. They truly seemed to be happy, and I was pleased to see them, even if it was over 20 years later than it should have been.
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Lorelai POV
As I see Chris rubbing the toe of a statue at Yale, I realize this is one of the strangest days I have had in a while. From starting out at parents' weekend, to the worst lunch ever with Rory and the paper people, to too many encounters with a cappella, I never could've imagined it would end with a tolerable dinner with my parents. On top of that, walking through Yale with my parents and actually seeing them as a happy couple. This day actually turned out alright. Much to my surprise, tonight we really are a foursome.
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A/N: This was just my take on what could've happened after Christopher and Lorelai left the YDN office to head to dinner with the Gilmores.
Insert usual disclaimers here