Hello to everyone !
First of all, I've to tell you something : I'm french and even though I understand everything I read or listen in English, it's hard for me to express myself in this language. So that's why I asked for someone to help me translate this fic in English. So I want to thank musicalfreak22 (former RoryJessAddict) for her help ! You're amazing !! I still can't believe how fast you managed to translate this chapter !! O.ô ! Thank you so muuuuuch 3
I had this story in my mind for a while. I'm in love with Rory & Jess. They really were meant to be. I didn't understand why Rory didn't break with Logan after her visit to Jess in Philly. They kissed, he owns a bookstore, wrote a book, he's just so perfect for her ! (he always was !)
So that's why I wanted to post this fic : they need a second chance. Jess deserves that.
Special message : hey Tina, d'you want to do the Happy Dance with me ? 3
PS : If you want to have a look at the trailer of this fic, go to my profile, there's a link 3
Hope you'll like the story !
Literati Network.
Summary : Lorelai needs a miracle to stop Rory and Logan's wedding… What if she were holding it in her hands? A book… A simple book. Written by Jess Mariano.
Chapter 1: The One who extorted a package from UPS
The alarm-clock was indicating 2:33 PM. And it was snowing.
Lorelai was feeling a heavy weight in her chest. It was too hard, too difficult. And why was it snowing? It was the first snow of the season, she should have been smiling, she should have been dreaming, but the upcoming fateful day was making her anxious.
The snowflakes were thick, a sign that the snow wouldn't melt away, at least not over the weekend. For the first time in her life, she thought that the snow wasn't bringing only good things. Where had the happy days in this house gone? Rory wasn't living here anymore, wouldn't live here anymore, and the souvenirs of their long fight were all the snow brought in remembrance. They had finally made up, after a long time, but that fight had put a huge strain on their relationship. Rory, who had left Yale for some time and went to live with Emily and Richard…
Rory, who would be marrying Logan in two days.
Lorelai ran a hand through the mess that was her hair. Waking up had been hard. The more the wedding was approaching, the less she was feeling the strength to attend. Of course she'd go; it was her daughter's wedding, her other half, her best friend. But her heart wasn't into it. Because Lorelai knew that Logan wouldn't make her daughter happy. How could he anyway? He had made her miserable in the last few years and the future didn't seem to present itself to be any better. Rory Huntzberger would become a housewife worthy of Emily Gilmore. She would know about the joys of hosting parties in her mansion, the joys of her husband being away on business, and the joys of the days spent looking for something to do… Goodbye to the dreams she had as a little girl, her career projects. Logan had made sure she understood what it meant to marry a Huntzberger, and Rory had accepted it all. That, and the move to Porto Alto, thousands of miles away from Stars Hollow.
Lorelai had been wondering for days where she had failed. It wasn't how she had raised her daughter… Rory seemed to be only a pale copy of herself and she couldn't bear with that idea anymore. But what could she do? It was Rory's choice, only her could decide what she wanted to do with her life. She could only hope she had done one of her famous pro/con lists…
She went in the kitchen, put a new filter in the coffee maker and put a good portion of the coffee package in it. The stronger it was, the better. She then remembered something Rory had said, a long time ago.
"Why don't you just pour the water right into the bag?"
A sad smile graced Lorelai's face and her eyes stopped on Rory's bedroom door. She stepped slowly towards her daughter's den, and slowly pushed the door open. She looked around sadly, this room that wouldn't welcome Rory's next books purchases, their laughter, their tears. Lorelai ran her hand along the comforter, thinking of each night on the 8th of October, at precisely 4:03 AM, where she'd come in the room and wish her daughter a happy birthday.
All of that was now definitely over. In two days, Rory Gilmore would become Rory Huntzberger. And unless a miracle was to occur, the wedding would definitely happen. Emily was making sure that everything was perfect for the most important day in her granddaughter's life. Reception with a big fanfare, thousands of balloons, hundreds of white flowers, nothing would be missing for this almost princess-like wedding. And for once, Lorelai didn't care. Not that she approved of her mother's luxurious choices, no… a flight of doves and a $ 100 000 car, it wasn't Rory… but at least it allowed her to not participate to the preparations of this wedding. What's worse than organising a wedding when your heart isn't into it? Rory had asked for her help, for the cake, in the choice of her dress, but Lorelai had always succeeded to avoid it, by saying that she was swamped with work at the Inn at the moment, and it was a good enough excuse.
As if to prove it to herself, she was at the Dragonfly at 7 every morning, going home late at night. Luke was worried that Lorelai was working too much with Rory's wedding quickly coming, but on a pillow talk night, she had confessed everything. Her wish to see Rory come to her senses and leave Logan, her wish to see Rory finally open her eyes and see that this wedding was so not her. Where had Rory, the simple girl who only wished to get married in Stars Hollow with her people, the people that loved her, go? There she was, ready to get married in Hartford, far from her friends, far from the people of Stars Hollow, but with the friends of her in-laws and her grandparents' acquaintances. How could she even think about getting married in front of people she didn't even know?
Rory was hurt by her mother's obvious lack of enthusiasm. She knew she didn't like Logan, but to go as far as to not participate in the organizing… it still was her wedding… So the phone calls were coming in less frequently, and the visits as well. And when she did come to visit, they never lasted more than 10 minutes, Rory having to go to the Inn to meet her mother, who was running around because she had so much work to do.
2:54 PM. Lorelai closed Rory's bedroom door on her way out, the coffee was done brewing. She poured herself a mug and slowly strolled to the living room bay window. The snow was still falling; the Jeep's roof was covered with a cute white blanket. This day off would do her good, she had a hard time keeping up. Her body was starting to complain of the daily treatment she was giving it: five hours of sleep for three weeks now, it was just not enough. She was planning on doing nothing today besides drinking coffee and lounging around on the couch watching Willy Wonka. She went to the DVD player and put in the disc of her favourite movie… but she had barely had time to turn on the television when she heard her dog, Paul Anka, scratching happily on the front door.
"What are you doing?" she asked him. "Is Paula Anka on the other side of the door for you to be so happy?"
Lorelai went back in the living room to look through the window for what was making her dog so excited. She had her answer when she saw Kirk, in his UPS uniform, motionless in front of the mail box, a package in his hands. She put on her parka and went out, Paul Anka hot on her heels.
Kirk's black uniform was becoming white, but he didn't seem to care. He was just standing there, motionless, staring at the parcel.
"Kirk? Are you planning on staying there until you're turned into a snowman? I swear, if you die, there isn't any space in this yard for me to bury you… Kirk?"
Lorelai stood in front of him and waved her hand in front of his face. He didn't move.
"Kirk? Are you already dead?"
Paul Anka helped his owner by jumping up on UPS' newest delivery man. Kirk unfroze and finally noticed he wasn't alone.
"Oh, Lorelai. Sorry about this, I was thinking."
"You really did choose your moment to think, Kirk. It must be at least 14 degrees out here! Can I have my package now before you transform into Mr Freeze?"
Lorelai reached out to take it, but Kirk stepped back.
"No, you can't."
She opened her mouth, stunned, and put her hands on her hips.
"May I know why? This parcel IS for me, right?"
"Well, maybe it is for you, maybe not. I was just thinking about UPS's rules and I can't remember what paragraph B of the #24 article states to be the course of action to take when there is doubt as to the receiver of the package. Do I have to give it anyway or do I keep it? I can't remember if it's the name or the address. Unless it's both, and in this case I can't give it to you… but if it's the address, I…"
"Kirk!" interrupted Lorelai, who hadn't listen to a thing he had said. "Show me."
"No."
"Show me."
"No."
"Show. Me."
"No."
Lorelai and Kirk gauged each other, ready to draw their weapon, like in a western movie. Paul Anka was moving his head from one to the other and didn't dare move. Then followed by a Benny Hill-worthy race around the UPS delivery truck, Kirk with his arms in the air followed by a determined Lorelai, who was thinking she had never run in the snow in slippers and she thought it was quite funny.
"Show me!"
"Noooo!"
"Kirk! Show me this package! Now!"
"No!"
Paul Anka was running happily around them, barking.
"Kirk, if you don't give me that parcel right now, I will ask my dog to bite your butt!"
"Do that and I will have Cat Kirk break into you house in the middle of the night to claw at your face!"
Lorelai's eyes rounded. She remembered the marks Cat Kirk had left on Human Kirk, making him run to Doose's and empty the first aid aisle.
"I'll ask Luke to forbid you access to the diner for six months…"
Kirk immediately gave Lorelai the parcel.
"You win. Sign here and I'm leaving."
Lorelai grabbed the package with a big smile, signed and looked at Kirk with disgust.
"Have a good day Lorelai," Kirk replied with the same disgust. "Paul Anka…"
He shook his head and got in his UPS truck.
Lorelai quickly went back into the house, quickly followed by her faithful dog. In two steps, she was in the living room and sitting down on the couch. In a quick movement, she covered herself with the quilt and gazed at the box Kirk brought. She hadn't been expecting anything; she didn't remember ordering anything… She looked at the address and her heart missed a beat.
"Rory Gilmore" was written in black ink.
So that's why Kirk wouldn't give her the package. It wasn't for her, it was for Rory… She brought it to her ear and shook it, like a child trying to guess their Christmas present. It wasn't very heavy and it was small. Maybe a wedding gift that came early…
Lorelai put the package on her knees and looked at her dog laying on the carpet in front of her.
"What should I do?"
Only Paul Anka's snore answered her, so she sadly pouted. She would be seeing Rory on Saturday, the day of the wedding. Did she have to give her the parcel on that day or go to Hartford before then? Was it something important Rory was expecting? Lorelai smiled bitterly at that thought. Rory hadn't been giving that address for deliveries for a long time. She grabbed the box again to look at the stamp indicating the origin; maybe it would give her an idea of who the expeditor was.
"Great…"she sighed. "The snow melted on the paper and it's unreadable."
All she could see was the time at which the parcel was sent, something that wouldn't help her a lot… she put it down on her knees again and looked at it.
"If it's important, I'll take it to her in the morning… Yeah, we'll do that…"
She stood up and went to the kitchen. She came back seconds later with a small pocket knife. The package opened on bubble wrap. She smiled, imagining herself in a few minutes, making them pop. She finally found the content of the mysterious package by rummaging around. Her hand closed on the object, she brought it out and her eyes widened.
A book.
A simple book.
Written by Jess Mariano.