Surprise did not begin to explain the look on Emily's face when she opened the door to Rory, Paris and Lorelai.
"Hello?" Emily asked. She focused her eyes on Lorelai after motioning towards Paris. "Who's this?"
"Grandma, this is Paris. We go to Chilton together." Rory said. Then Emily's eyes lit up.
"Oh a Chilton friend! So nice to meet you." She shook Paris's hand. "I just knew Rory would make friends at Chilton. She's such a bright girl." Paris glared at Rory, but didn't reply to that comment.
"Hello Mrs. Gilmore."
"Do you all want a drink? What would you like?"
"I'll have white wine mom." Lorelai said.
"Diet coke for me grandma." Rory piped up.
"Paris?" Emily asked. Paris cleared her throat.
"I'm fine." Lorelai leaned over to her.
"It'll be easier if you just accept it."
"What?" Emily walked over with three glasses.
"White wine for Lorelai and two diet cokes." She smiled.
"Thanks Grandma." Rory said.
"Yes thank you."
"Yeah mom." Lorelai barely took a drink of her beverage before being yanked off the couch. "Mom!"
"Come with me." Emily said coolly. They walked out of the room.
"What's wrong?"
"Why didn't you tell me Rory had a friend for dinner?"
"Mom, she just came over. I didn't know she was coming until a few minutes before we left home. She needed Rory, we couldn't turn her away. What was I supposed to do?" Emily frowned.
"Send her home. I don't know." Lorelai scoffed.
"She didn't want to be at home mom. That's why this girl who can't stand being with Rory took a bus all the way from Hartford to come to be with her." Emily scowled.
"You have no need to holler Lorelai."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Rory and Paris were sitting in the living room when the maid walked in. She looked around before she spoke.
"Where is Mrs. Gilmore?"
"I don't know. She and my mom went off somewhere."
"Oh well, dinner is ready. I'll go look for her." She left leaving Rory and Paris in silence. After several minutes, they looked at each other.
"Rory-"
"Paris-" speaking at the same time, they both stopped.
"Rory?" Paris tried again. Rory looked at her. "I'm sorry for showing up the way I did. I just thought you'd know how I felt more than Madeline or Louise." Rory nodded.
"Weird family crisis is my specialty." She smiled.
"You know if you tell anybody about this I will find a way to deflect it and make your life a living hell." Rory nodded.
"I know." Lorelai and Emily entered the living room.
"Come along girls." They stood and walked into the dining room.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Dinner wasn't as awkward with Richard and Lorelai around.
"Richard, this is one of Rory's friends from school." Richard looked at her.
"Hello." He smiled.
"She has a name mom." Lorelai grumbled.
"What?" Emily looked at her.
"She has a name. She isn't just a Chilton girl. She has a name."
"What's your name?" Richard asked and Paris cleared her throat.
"Paris Geller." She replied.
"Geller, Geller." Richard thought aloud. "I've known some Gellers. Did your father attend Yale?" Paris laughed.
"My entire family is Harvard graduates." Paris replied. Richard nodded.
"Well then," he paused, "we won't hold that against you." He smiled at Rory. Richard took a drink of his scotch. There wasn't much said at the dinner after that. Finally, Rory, Paris and Lorelai were heading back to Stars Hollow.
"When do you think Paris is heading home?" Lorelai whispered while Paris was in the bathroom. Rory looked around.
"The last bus leaves in forty-five minuts." Paris walked out of the bathroom.
"So, where am I staying?" The girls exchanged a glance.
"What?"
"Yeah. I'm moving in temporarily. Where can I sleep?" Rory and Lorelai shared a mother-daughter glance and had a conversation with their eyes.
"Mom! She can't stay here!"
"We don't have a choice Ror."
"No!"
"Look, you don't have to share your room."
They turned back to Paris.
"You can have my room Paris and I'll sleep on the couch."
"I don't want to inconvenience you." Lorelai waved her off.
"You're alright. I'll be fine on the sofa."
"Okay." Paris shrugged.
"This was definitely weird.