Raise Your Flagons (with the Dragons)
Taylor paused and looked at the crowd gathered in the town square. Kirk had just finished seating a guest and saw that someone new had arrived. Holding the plastic box full of pink and blue ribbons, he ran back down the aisle to meet the couple who had already started to seat themselves on the plastic chairs covered with white cloth.
"Bride or groom?!" Kirk yelled, holding up a handful of ribbons.
Taylor shook his head and continued.
"All of us have been witness to this will-they-won't-they drama for many years now," Taylor said to the gathered group.
Lorelai smiled at Luke, but he knew what his fiancée was thinking.
Why did we agree to let him officiate?
"I am happy to report that they will. And by will, I mean that they will live happily ever after."
The crowd gently clapped and Taylor stood taller, pleased with himself. Taylor leaned in to the couple and spoke quietly.
"Now, before this important part, I should remind you, Lorelai, this is not an appropriate time for your strange little sense of humor."
Rory overheard Taylor and laughed audibly which caused Taylor to raise his eyebrow to her. She put her hand up and gave her most contrite look. Jess looked past Luke and Lorelai, smiled, and gave Rory a small shake of his head.
"Luke Danes, do you take Lorelai Gilmore to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage?"
"I do," Luke replied.
"Do you, Lorelai Gilmore, take Luke Danes to be your wedded husband to live together in marriage?"
"I do. I really do," Lorelai said, and she put her arms around Luke, pulled him to her, and kissed him, a tear running down her cheek.
"Now, wait a minute, Lorelai. We're not quite there yet," Taylor said. "Oh, forget it. By the power vested in me as the Selectman for the town of Stars Hollow whose charter explicitly states that the town Selectman may officiate weddings, I now pronounce you husband and wife. I guess that there isn't a point in saying that you may kiss the bride, but proceed."
The town's residents worked to rearrange the chairs and to bring in tables for the reception. Kirk began the playlist that he had been planning for the six months since the new engagement had been announced. Luke and Lorelai tried to maintain their smiles for photos, but the film crew and multiple photographers Emily had hired were arguing with each other.
Rory and Jess were standing off to the side where she had been updating him as to the events of her life since they had last seen each other. Rory explained how terrifying it had been to be travelling with seasoned journalists during the campaign. However, when it became clear that college students and young voters were becoming heavily involved in the campaign of the then-Senator Obama, suddenly those seasoned journalists were turning to her to provide the prospective of the young. She was constantly translating the terms of social media and the technology being used for the campaign to those who had covered every campaign since Woodrow Wilson's. Then, even more strangely, the news outlets began not printing the stories of their own journalists and opted instead to license content from the online media company for which Rory worked. Rory became the trusted voice of young Americans and, when the Senator had won the election, she had job offers from nearly every major media company in the world. Ultimately, she chose a position where she could travel, gather her story's research, and then return home to Stars Hollow to write the in-depth article on her own timeline.
Luke had learned that the former Independence Inn would be tearing down its tool shed so he bought it from the owners. He then had it moved in one piece to the Dragonfly Inn as a surprise for Lorelai and Rory. They then had it converted to an office for Rory.
"I've been getting a lot of pressure from my agent to write a book about my time on the campaign," Rory told Jess.
"Yeah? How's that going?"
"I need a publisher."
"You can't be serious."
"You'll be getting a call from her on Monday."
"Rory, that's crazy. We're still just a little independent publishing house."
"Then I expect a lot of attention. Also, I would prefer to not include Kansas City as part of the book tour. I didn't particularly care for the city. The barbeque pork ribs I had there were something special. I've changed my mind. Kansas City is back on the list."
"Let me say it again. That's crazy."
Rory and Jess looked over at the photographers when they heard Luke take control as referee of the photographer battle royale.
"You! Pick one shot now. Then you. Then you. Then you. Then, we're done," he yelled.
After the photo taking was done and the seating had been changed for the reception, Kirk knew that his time had come. He walked out from behind the tables with his music equipment. He grabbed an empty chair and placed it in the middle of the dance floor. He looked over the guests sitting at the tables covered with the Italian white linens chosen by Emily.
"Here ye! Here ye! By the powers granted to me as the official town crier, I introduce for the first time anywhere on planet Earth, Luke Danes and Lorelai Gilmore." Kirk said and stopped as he had confused himself. "I suppose they have always had those names," He stepped down from the chair and walked to the side of the dance floor where the wedding party had been waiting. He walked determinedly up to Lorelai. "Why didn't you change your name?" Kirk then walked away in a huff, but forgot his troubles when he played Carole King's version of her song, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" as the wedding party entered of which he was particularly proud of his choice. The crowd looked at each other confusedly, but then realized it was better to not try and understand Kirk's reasoning.
Sookie's nine course meal began soon afterwards. Those who came from Emily and Richard's world in Hartford kept murmuring among themselves about how Emily had convinced someone who must have been one of New York's finest chefs to cater a wedding in Stars Hollow. One guest had taken out her reading glasses to examine Sookie's prosciutto-wrapped cajun shrimp.
Kirk once again pulled a chair to the center of the dance floor, a large area with laminate wood flooring that Luke had laid himself. Kirk stepped confidently up on the chair and hit a glass three times with a fork as if he were striking a gong.
"Ladies and gentleman, the best man," he said. Kirk then pulled a microphone from his jacket pocket and handed it to Jess.
Jess stood on the dance floor shoulders slightly slumped. He looked around at the tables and saw faces scowling back at him. The citizens of Stars Hollow clearly had long memories, he thought to himself. He cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and spoke into the microphone.
"Many of you know me, but in case you don't, I'm Jess Mariano, formerly the town's social pariah." Jess paused, looked around, and then continued. "When I came to Stars Hollow, I was angry, I was confused, I was feeling rejected, I was lost. Most everyone, including myself, believed I would not end up anywhere but in a prison cell. For whatever reason, Luke kept believing in me. Luke kept giving me another chance," Jess said and then looked over at Luke.
"I didn't deserve it. I didn't deserve to have someone believe in me. I did stupid things, but Luke still defended me. When I had to leave because of my actions here, Luke kept trying to contact me. Luke said saw something in me." Jess looked down at the ground, focused on a scratch on the floor and wouldn't look away from it.
"I don't know how to explain this to all of you here who grew up in this town that Rockwell built or to those of you who came from those Tudor-style castles in Hartford. I was so angry. I didn't believe in myself and having someone tell me that I had potential just made me more angry. Yet, when opportunities came my way, I heard Luke's voice in my head telling me that maybe, just maybe, I could amount to something if I gave myself the chance." Jess looked over at Rory who was patting her eyes carefully with a tissue.
"Thank you, Uncle Luke. Thank you. Everything," Jess felt a pressure in his nose and looked up to the sky. "Everything that I am now is because of you." Jess saw in the corner of his eye Rory began clapping and all guests of the wedding joined in. Jess stiffened his lips as his way to thank them. "You deserve all of the happiness in the world and when I look at the woman with whom you will forever walk side by side, I cannot imagine that you will have anything but days of wonder, laughter, and love. Seriously, man, she is perfect for you. You make coffee, she drinks nothing but coffee. Kismet." Jess looked at Lorelai who laughed at his last statement. Jess decided to close with something he was not sure that he would share.
"Lorelai, I wish that I could take some credit for putting you and Luke together. Really, you need to thank the Black, White, and Read Bookshop because that's where Luke bought the self help books and tapes that taught him to love again," Jess gave a wicked smile to Luke who opened his eyes wide before covering his face with his hands. "'You are a road in need of some repair.' Does that sound familiar, Uncle Luke?" Lorelai almost did a spit take and was slapping the table. The wedding guests collectively gasped and then laughed together for a long, long time.
"Will everyone please raise their," Jess looked up at what was in his hand. "Mugs?"
"Flagons!" Rory and Lorelai yelled in unison.
"Whatever. To Uncle Luke and Lorelai."
"To Luke and Lorelai!" responded everyone.
When Jess turned around, Kirk was almost right up against him, an empty chair behind him. Kirk then grabbed the microphone forcefully from Jess.
"Nice speech," Kirk said quietly to Jess before stepping up on the chair. Without the microphone, he said loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, the maid of honor. You are still a maid, right? Did you get married while you were on the road? Should I revise my statement to say that you are the matron of honor?"
Rory grabbed the microphone from him and smiled uncomfortably.
"Thanks, Kirk."
"Wasn't she on the TV?" a woman who was clearly hard of hearing and who was clearly from Hartford asked her husband.
Rory smiled uncomfortably again. "My name is Rory Gilmore and I am proud to be the maid of honor. If you do not already have someone like my mom in your lives, you need to leave this wedding and find one." Rory stopped for a moment. "Kirk, I didn't literally mean to leave this wedding. And seriously, Lulu is right there."
"I'm lucky. I know that because my mother is my best friend in every way possible. When I started at Yale, I was so homesick and so uncomfortable, and then she came. She is my savior. Whenever my heart was broken, she alone knows how to mend it. She is my healer. Even now, when the world doesn't make sense to me, when people act in ways that I cannot understand, she would explain it to me. She is my guide." Rory turned and gave her mother a small smile. Lorelai was already weeping but was trying to listen. Emily motioned to the film crew to get a close up of Lorelai's face.
"Since I graduated from college and joined the Obama campaign as a correspondent, I have to admit, there were times that I was scared. I mean, I was terrified. Since the election, I have had the opportunity to see some of the most horrible things happening to good people. I have spoken to the most horrible monsters who spend their lives committing the worst atrocities. Yet, I never doubted that I could do these things. I never doubted that I could handle what came my way. I do what I do because someone has to tell the world about what is happening in the dark corners of the world. I do what I do because my values come from my mom. People tell me that I'm brave just because I can look a general in the face. Let me correct you right now, I'm still not half the woman that my mother is, but I do hope to get there someday." Rory looked over and saw that her grandmother, who is normally stoic in social situations, had begun to tear up as well. Rory almost could not continue when she saw this.
"I really don't mean to name drop, but the first time I met with President Obama, I did not get to a single one of my questions because we both had so many stories about our single mothers. Seriously, we kept going on and on about them and their sacrifices so Charlie Rose had to wait half an hour to meet with the President and I felt really bad because I love Charlie Rose. That was the day that I decided that every story that I would write from that point on would be signed Lorelai Gilmore because that is who I am and I could not be more proud to share the name with my mother. She is, and always will be, my hero.
"Mom, when we become adults, we are able to choose which lessons and which values from our parents we will carry with us throughout our lives. We then attempt to drop the others. Well, Mom, I choose them all," Rory said with a broken voice. "I will not drop a single one. Not one." Rory paused and took a deep breath.
"I can't give my mom all of the credit," Rory said as she looked at Luke. "Luke Danes is a special man and we all know it. As most of you have heard, Luke has a little bit of temper. Yet, whenever I would be there in the diner, he would change his tone almost immediately when talking to me. He has such a gentleness in him. When I was in a little town called Elko, Nevada with then-Senator Obama, I caught a cold. I called my mom and told her that all I could think about was Luke's chicken noodle soup and how he would bring it to the house when I was home sick from school. The next morning, the hotel manager knocked on my door saying that I had received an overnight delivery and that it was smelling good.
"Most of you already know this story, but give me a moment to expand on it for you. My mother loves the snow. I mean, it's not healthy how much she loves falling snow. She believes, and I do as well, that there is still magic in this world and for her, some of it is linked to snowfall. When my mother began doubting the magic, when her construct of the world began crashing down around her, my mom came home and found an ice rink on the front lawn. I say again, Luke Danes is a special man," Rory said and she saw Luke give her that genuine, sweet smile she looked forward to most mornings of her life.
"Luke has been a constant in my life. When a pipe would leak or when any appliance would stop working, Luke would be there with his metal toolbox. As most teenagers would tell you, sometimes you feel a little down on yourself, like you are not good enough for this world full of exceptional people. Each morning, though, I would walk into Luke's and he would make me feel special. He would give me the warmest smile, and maybe offer me something not on the menu. When I was leaving Stars Hollow, Luke coordinated the last minute celebration and he stayed up all night sewing tarps and tents because of the coming storm. Holy crap, Luke! I have to remind you all that Luke did all of this all while not dating my mom. Luke, in all seriousness, you represent to me the importance of chivalry, kindness, and unconditional love. I'm so happy that after all of the years of loving pure and chaste from afar, you are here now sitting beside the most important person in the world to me," Rory said and then turned away to face the crowd.
"Raise your flagons, people, to my mom and Luke!"
"To Lorelai and Luke!" the crowd responded.
Kirk had been preoccupied with something behind his table and looked up when he heard the toast like a racoon caught digging through a garbage can. Rory tossed him the microphone and Kirk look around frantically for an empty chair. He instead climbed on the table with his music equipment.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the father of the bride," he said from atop the table.
Richard first walked up to Kirk who was carefully trying to get down from the table to retrieve the microphone and then walked to the center of the dance floor. He towered over the crowd as the gentle giant that he was. Before he spoke, he gave a long look to the flagon in his hand.
"My name is Richard Gilmore and I am proud to be the father of the bride. However, I have the distinct dissatisfaction of having to follow two of the finest writers in America. Let me first start with Luke because, quite honestly, I am not sure if I will be able to make it through my speech about my daughter," Richard said and then stood taller like a commander about to rouse his troops.
"Luke Danes is a terrible golfer," Richard said to the laughter of the crowd. "Yet, when they were engaged the first time, he golfed with me anyway. I say this because I should have recognized at the time how much this man loves my daughter. When I attempted to get to know him back then, I could not see beyond his pedigree, his career, or his horrible, horrible golf game. Luke, I was very wrong, and you have my sincere apologies." Richard looked to Luke who gave him an acknowledging nod.
"Those on the outside might say that my daughter is difficult to love since she has her quirks, and her - let's say interesting - sense of humor. Her mother had chosen an array of champagne glasses of the finest crystal but Lorelai insisted on these flagons."
"The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon! The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true!" Lorelai and Rory yelled in unison.
"Those two," Richard sighed. "Luke, you and I both know that loving Lorelai is as easy and as natural as breathing air. Lorelai is truly a special soul, and though it took me a little while to realize it, you are as well." Richard then turned toward the crowd. "There is a great many layers to Luke Danes with each one being more interesting than the last. For example, while he serves all-American fare in his establishment, with respect to our dear Sookie, Luke Danes is the second best chef before us. Emily, Lorelai, Luke and I traveled to a rustic fishing cabin in Maine recently - believe me, it was an experience for Emily - and Luke used the minimal ingredients on hand to somehow serve up the finest steamed trout I had ever had using the fish that we caught earlier that day."
"What'd you use? What'd you use?" Sookie yelled from her seat. Luke gave her a gesture that they could speak afterwards.
"As I had admitted, I had difficulties getting past the fact that I had not been acquainted with a Danes family in Hartford. Yet, in our many conversations since, I now know that Luke Danes is a man of great integrity and a man of values the likes of which are a rare traits in the world from which we hail," Richard said to the murmurs from those tables with guests from Emily's D.A.R.
"You know it's true, Alistair," Richard replied. "There is one particular value that is a completely foreign concept to those from our world and that is knowing when we have enough. Luke certainly does have a fire in his heart, but he also has a calmness and contentment that I imagine you rarely see outside of those Buddhist monasteries on the highest of mountains. I did not understand the dichotomy at first, but as some of you know, I have recently traded in my golf clubs for fly rods," Richard said as he mimicked a casting motion. "Golf was never a calming activity for me, but I would punish myself week after week because that was where business was done. I never felt as though I had enough.
"I hope that it is okay to share this, but Lorelai was a little short when building the Dragonfly Inn. Emily and I are very fortunate, and believe me, we are aware of that fact, but when Lorelai needed help, Luke was the one who was there for her. To hear Lorelai recount the story, Luke had a check for her without any hesitation and without any strings whatsoever. A truly unselfish and kind man is Luke Danes."
"I know that it is customary for the father of the bride to welcome the groom to the bride's family, but I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Luke for allowing Emily, Rory and me to be a part of the Danes family. We could not be more proud." The crowd clapped and Luke stood up which led to an early standing ovation for Richard.
"Thank you, thank you. And now, my dear Lorelai. My dear, dear Lorelai," Richard said as he looked down at the flagon once again. "Emily," he said and Emily joined him to hold up his towering frame.
"What does a father do when his only child is so different from himself? How do you raise a child when it would almost seem that she is speaking another language? Lorelai, we have had our differences, certainly, but I would not change a single day. Those days, all of them, have led us here, my dear child," Richard said and he saw Luke offer Lorelai his napkin.
"I have told you in the past how proud I was of you and now, I want everyone to hear it," he said as he turned to the crowd. "I do not think of myself as having been a good father. I lost my daughter. I did not fight for my daughter as I should have," Richard said as he slumped down a bit. He stood tall once again before he continued. "She came here to all of you here in Stars Hollow and you gave her the love and support that she so truly deserved. Lorelai created this family here. Emily and I attend a lot of weddings, and quite honestly, far too many. Yet, I cannot select one from my memory that was full of this much love. That's what Lorelai is able to do. That is what my daughter is able to do. She builds families and I, her father, may take no credit for the person that she is. I wish I could tell you where this talent came from because there is not a Gilmore in our long line that has been known for his or her love and compassion." Richard gave a small smile. "Emily, who is this girl's real father?" As the crowd laughed, Emily slapped Richard on his shoulder.
"How can anyone who knows Lorelai possibly consider themselves a good parent? She has set the bar so high which should be apparent if you at all know my granddaughter." Rory mouthed the word, 'Grandpa' and then covered her face. "This flagon that I hold in my hand is representative of my daughter. It is so wildly unique, so out of place in a conventional world. Yet, it is so utterly beautiful."
"I was so proud of Rory when she finished at Yale, which is my alma mater, by the way, but her completion there was bittersweet since it meant the end of our Friday night dinners. Both Emily and I will admit that we had an ulterior motive when we instituted them and that was to have our dear Lorelai back in our lives for more than simply Easter and Christmas dinners. Even though Lorelai and I fought - and believe me we fought so much when she was young - her bright disposition was the sun at the center of our solar system. When she left, there was just so much darkness. Again, I admit I was not as good a father as I could have been," Richard said with Emily's hand seemingly the only pillar of support keeping him upright.
"We are Gilmores. We are taught a particular decorum. We are taught that emotions are less important than appearances and traditions. When Rory left, I was still recovering from my heart surgery and, I must admit, I was full of so much fear and regret. I thought that I would leave this life without being able to let my daughter know how undoubtedly perfect she is. I survived, and it was a fine time to stop being the man I once was. I opened up to those around me, I took the opportunities for new experiences like ones in rustic fishing cabins in Maine, and I never let a day pass without telling my wife, daughter, and granddaughter how much I love them." Richard stopped as the crowd began clapping.
"The source of the new Gilmore tradition should not be a surprise you if have ever heard my daughter on the phone with Rory. Lorelai kept coming each week to our home even though she did not need to be there. Luke began to join her and sometimes that darling April - who I have no doubt is Yale material - would come as well. Lorelai would regale us with a recount of the events of the week in her own unique way that could rival the great storytellers of literature. Now, Rory is back, and the Gilmore home has never been more full of love and happiness. Lorelai is no longer just the sun in the center of our solar system, but a supernova for our entire universe.
"Lorelai," Richard said turning to look directly at his daughter, "without a doubt, you are the best Gilmore there ever was, and you are quite simply," he stopped. "Emily." Emily leaned in and gave him some words of encouragement which helped him to finish his thought. "Lorelai, you are quite simply the finest person I have ever known. My goodness, I love you so very much." The crowd once again stood and applauded as Luke, Rory, and Lorelai joined Richard and Emily on the dance floor where they all hugged to the applause.
"All of you, now! Raise your flagons with the dragons! To Luke and my daughter, Lorelai!"