Rory sat in a poorly lit room vaguely listening to her and Jess' lawyers explaining to them their divorce papers rather than letting them read for themselves. On one hand Rory was relived, Jess and Rory had tried to make it work for years, but time and time again they proved to be pretty awful as a couple. Rory's borderline OCD clashed horribly with Jess' messy unplanned lifestyle in a way it never had while she lived with her mother. That accompanied with several money problems over the year which caused them, for a time, to live paycheck to paycheck (Rory's.) None of this however was helped by the fact that their Marriage was largely prompted by the imminent arrival of their daughter, Lori. Now four years old, and horribly confused and devastated by her parents separation and now, divorce.
they were fighting constantly and she couldn't wait to get away from that. On the other hand she knew her daughter Lorie (Short for Lorelai) was devastated and confused. She loved both her parents but she didn't understand what was so wrong. She figured everyone's parents fought like that.
"Miss Gilmore?" Her lawyer asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.
"Yes?" The straight A student in her was slightly mortified by being caught off guard.
"The papers, it's not official until you sign." Rory resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his comment, but took the papers with a polite smile.
Jess' signature was already there and Rory hesitated slightly before adding her name to the contract. Lori's puppy eyes haunted her, but Rory and Jess had decided that this was the best way. Lori deserved two happy parents living apart rather than two miserable parent together.
"Okay, at Midnight you will be officially divorced. We have already discussed child support, and custody arrangements so are there any questions?"
Jess gave some grunt for a negative response and Rory politely declined.
They left the lawyers office to see Lorelai sitting with Lorie who was drawing in her Beauty and the Beast coloring book.
Lorelai noticed Rory and Jess first, and whispered something into Lorie's ear. She looked up to see her parents but stayed seated, she was still pretty hurt.
The custody agreement was that Jess would have Lorie every other weekend, and she would live with Rory in Stars Hollow otherwise. Both parents decided that they wanted to avoid a Christopher situation, meaning that Jess and Lorie would have a good relationship no matter the state of Rory and Jess'.
Rory walked toward Lori and gave her a hug whispering in her ear, "Say goodbye to Daddy and then we're going to stay at grandma's house tonight."
Lori hugged back before jumping off the bench and rushing to Jess. He picked her up in her arms and gave her a crushing hug, but when he pulled back he saw tears threatening to fall. "Daddy, come with us. I don't want to move without you." Her voice was barely loud enough to hear, and it broke Jess' heart.
"Lori, look at me." Jess gently demanded, and only when she did he continued. "We're going to see each other all the time. I promise and you can always come and see me, always. Okay?"
Still the girl wasn't convinced on the 'everything's going to be okay' speech she'd been given over and over. "Why don't you love Mommy anymore?"
Jess and Rory had had this talk with her over and over, so Jess stated the situation in its simplest terms. "We just don't make each other happy anymore. But you, my dear, are the light of my life. Okay?" After getting a little bit of a smile he finished, "And of your Mom's too. Now don't worry, I'll see you Friday night after you have dinner at your grandma and grandpa Gilmore's house."
"Okay." Lori agreed sadly giving her dad one last goodbye hug.
~Meanwhile
When Lori ran to Jess, Lorelai came and sat by Rory. Just out of earshot of the parting parent and child.
"How are you? Are you okay?" Lorelai asked her daughter, cautious because of her negative opinion of their relationship all those years ago.
Rory let out a sigh and shrugged. "Yes. And no. You know, I really thought it would work. I did, but I guess I should have listened to you." Lorelai winced. "I'm sorry that was just..." she didn't continue.
"I know Sweets. I know." By this time Rory was enveloped in a hug holding the tears in. Once things had calmed down Lorelai spoke again. "So I was thinking. When Jess comes to get Lorie on Friday night, we could have a movie night, just you and me. Huh, what do you think?"
Rory smiled remembering the countless movie night's growing up when things were so much simpler. "What about Luke and Jack? Are they 'one of the girls' now?" Rory asked jokingly
"Yes, but they're not going to be there Friday. They're visiting April at Yale and then heading off camping for the weekend, It'll be just you and me like old times." Lorelai loved her family with Luke and their son Jack, just a month or so older than Lori, but Rory- and their life before would always hold a very special place in her heart.
Rory smiled tightly and replied, "That sounds like just what I need." Suddenly Lori was tugging her mother's pant leg. "Hey babe, Ready to go back to Nana's?" Lorelai insisted Grandma was not to be used, only Nana. And because of this the Elder Gilmores were referred to as Grandma and Grandpa to both mother and daughter.
After Lori agreed, They all said their goodbyes and headed 'home' for the night.