A/N: Thanks for the reviews!
October 19, 2007
After almost three hours in Los Angeles traffic, Rory was about ready to pop open the emergency window and walk to the town hall. Unfortunately she knew she would probably just be sitting and waiting in an empty auditorium rather than sitting and waiting on a packed bus as just about everyone else heading to the town hall was also stuck in traffic. She had just gathered the courage to risk waking up Reema to get her headphones out of the top storage compartment when her phone started buzzing in her pocket.
"How did you know I desperately needed a distraction?" Rory whispered into her phone.
"I'm your mother, it's my job to know these things," said Lorelai, "and I just noticed your six 'save me I'm bored' messages from an hour ago."
"The traffic in this town is ridiculous," said Rory, "and it is so hot in October! Who ever heard of getting sunburned from sitting in traffic?"
"Well cheer up because you'll be back in dreary New England in just one week! I think we got a cold front and a thunderstorm in the works just for you."
"Don't I feel special. So are you all ready for my visit?"
"I've got the confetti guns locked and loaded."
"Speaking of my visit there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about," said Rory taking a deep breath, "It's about Luke."
"What about Luke?" said Lorelai
"I know you're back together with Luke," said Rory.
"What? What do you mean? I'm not errr that is we're not I mean I don't..." sputtered Lorelai
"Mom come on you guys suck at sneaking around. I've heard Luke in the background like four times this week and it's always after the diner is closed."
"Did your ear get bitten by a radioactive spider or something?"
"I don't know why you didn't tell me in the first place you know I love Luke."
"Well I didn't tell you because it's not as simple as we're just back together."
"What do you mean?"
"Well we've been seeing each other, you know like you know?" emphasized Lorelai.
"I'm going to need more details," said Rory.
"I don't think you do. You can't see it but I'm waggling my eyebrows," hinted Lorelai.
"Oh ohh ok definitely no more details please," said Rory finally realizing what her mother was trying to say without actually saying it. She was happy for them but she definitely did not want to hear any more details about what Lorelai and Luke did behind closed doors, especially since she would be seeing them both so soon.
"Right so that's happening but we haven't really talked about it," said Lorelai, trying to move on quickly to reduce the awkwardness, "I think we're both too scared to mess it up again."
"You know what you got to do," said Rory sternly.
"I know just keep going and ignore all potential problems," said Lorelai, choosing to ignore the stern voice.
"Mom come on, the only way you guys are going to mess it up is by not dealing with this."
"But do I really have to have the where are we going talk with Luke? Can't I just use the one we had three years ago? That was a good one."
"Well hopefully this will be the last time."
Lorelai groaned into the phone as she hung up. She walked into the main lobby of the dragonfly just as Sookie came running out of the kitchen.
"Lorelai, good I'm so glad you're here."
"Aw thanks sweetie."
"I need your hands."
"Oh well I'm kind of not done using them yet. Can I interest you in an appendix?"
"No no, you'll see just come into the kitchen and bring whoever you can with nimble fingers," said Sookie pushing Lorelai into the kitchen.
She opened the door to the kitchen to find every available surface covered in bowls full of pistachios.
"Pistachios?" asked Lorelai.
"Yes, its pistachio season and I need all of these shelled before dinner tonight. The dessert is going to be a pistachio and rose water madeira cake," said Sookie.
"All of these?"
"Yes."
"Before dinner?"
"Yes."
"Tonight?"
Yes now can you please start shelling. Here start a little station, shells go over here and the nutmeat goes here.
"Sookie, why can't we just buy shelled pistachios?"
"Have you ever seen the quality of preshelled pistachios? That nutmeat's been sitting around for hours, days even. I need my nutmeat fresh. Oh good here comes Jackson with some more people." Jackson walked in with Luke, Rune and Andrew.
"Are you seriously here to shell pistachios?" Lorelai asked Luke.
"Of course not," he said grumpily, "Jackson ran into the diner and started screaming about the oven acting up and basically told me it was going to explode if I didn't get down here right away."
"You believed him that the oven was going to explode?"
"It wouldn't be the first time."
"Sucker," she said as she began shelling.
"Only if I stay."
"You're staying!" said Sookie from across the kitchen, "Caesar has got the diner and I need fresh nutmeat."
"You have to stay just so she'll stop saying nutmeat. Here you take this bowl, I'll take this one."
"Why the hell did she even order this many pistachios anyway?" asked Luke as he began shelling.
"Don't be such a grump, I'll make you a necklace out of the leftover shells."
"So how have you been since twenty minutes ago when I stopped you from eating my last stale donut?"
"Oh I survived, I just went back home and ate a box of poptarts. Not the same but still satisfying."
"The whole box?"
"Well not the cardboard or anything," she said innocently.
"Geez"
They shelled in silence for a few minutes
"So I talked to Rory. She's coming for a visit next week."
"That's great."
"Yeah and by the way she knows."
"She knows what?" asked Luke.
"That we've been sneaking around."
"Oh my god you guys were so obvious," said Sookie not looking up from her bowl of pistachios
"What?" said Luke.
"Oh yeah and Sookie knows did I not mention that?" said Lorelai.
"Lorelai!"said Luke turning away from Sookie.
"Whoa Luke don't bruise the nutmeat," said Sookie reaching out to unclench Luke's fingers.
Luke glared at her
"Okay you know what I'll just check on how they're shelling in the dining room," said Sookie, turning and exiting the kitchen.
"So we should probably figure some stuff out," said Lorelai.
"Yeah I guess we've been avoiding it. How about tonight? I could make you a dinner that didn't include sprinkles packaged in 1980."
"I'll pack some zebra cakes in my purse just in case."
"So 7?"
"Yeah 7 is good."
I got to go check on the diner, tell Sookie I'll come back in a bit to finish my shelling shift.
She smiled as Luke walked out.
Rory speed walked to baggage claim while talking into her cell phone.
"Yes, I'm trying to get in touch with Councilman Reyes, this is Rory Gilmore from the …Yes I know I missed your call but I was on a plane..well if the Councilman had a few minutes now I could…Well what about after the opening of the new Chinatown library?... I see well maybe he wouldn't mind if I tagged along on his family's trip to the Grand Canyon I promise it won't end like Thelma and Louise..no I was just joking…yes of course I wouldn't joke about the Councilman's safety…I think it was Geena Davis but…right…right, okay well I'll try again real soon," Rory snapped her phone shut and resisted the urge to hurl it into the tarmac. Just as she managed to overcome that urge the phone began to buzz. "Hello?"
"Settle a debate, plot driven or character driven?" said Jess.
"Character driven, duh," answered Rory.
She could hear him yelling at someone, "Another one for character driven" and then heard someone else respond "Is there even anyone on the phone, I don't believe you're on speaking terms with this many people."
"What's going on?"
"Just trying to decide which book we can publish next month."
"You can't do both?"
"It's part of the charm of the small press and the budget," explained Jess.
"Let me guess you want character driven?"
"And you've just helped me get one step closer."
"Well what's the plot driven one about, maybe I'll change my mind," said Rory.
"It's some Da Vinci Code wannabe." Rory could practically hear him roll his eyes.
Rory heard the voice next to Jess say, "I know you're trying to be insulting but we make Da Vinci code money and we never need to have this argument again."
"We won't make money on a ripoff," responded Jess
"You never know, what about all the vampire stuff, that could be us," said the voice.
"Wow this guy really doesn't know how to sell you on stuff," said Rory
"Yeah too bad he does know what sells," said Jess.
"Jess Mariano have you sold out to the man, just chasing the cold hard cash, where's your artistic credibility?"
"It starved to death," deadpanned Jess.
"Tsk tsk," teased Rory.
"Relax, I'm going to keep fighting for the character driven but unless I can convince them that you're not just someone who lost a bet to me, it may have to wait till next month."
"Look at you compromising to keep the lights on," Rory continued to tease.
"I never thought I'd see that day. So what's up? Where are you now?"
"A little place called Bradley international airport."
You're back in Connecticut?
"Just for one night and then I'm actually going to be in your area soon, the first debate is in Philly."
"So I should warn all the cheesesteak places to prepare for Hurricane Gilmore?"
"Just tell me whether to hit Pat's or Geno's."
"Neither, they're tourist traps," said Jess.
"I'm a tourist!"
"You're better than that."
"Well if only I knew someone in the area," she hinted
"You got some time while you're here?" he asked.
"Well I haven't gotten the schedule yet but I think I'm free before 6pm. Oh I got to go, I think I see my mom buying all the Hartford, CT shot glasses."
"Some things never change," said Jess as he hung up.
Rory walked quietly up to her mother. "Step away from the shot glasses," she said. Lorelai almost dropped two of the shot glasses she was holding. She quickly turned to her daughter with a guilty face.
"They were calling out to me!" said Lorelai.
"You can't possibly have a need for those," said Rory.
"Maybe I've taken up glass chimes."
"That's with crystal goblets."
"Well these are cheaper and get the job done faster. Anyway on to the more important stuff," she said putting the glasses back in the display case and turning to hug her daughter, "How are you, kid?"
"Happy to see you," said Rory hugging her back.
"Luke wants to make you a special dinner, something fancy because he's worried you've been living off burgers and vending machines."
"Only for the first 23 years of my life. How's that going between you two?
"We talked, we're good."
"Good?"
"Good, committed but taking it slow."
"slow?"
"Well as slow as two people who almost got married and never got over each other can take it," said Lorelai.
"You happy?"
"I'm happy."
"Good."
"Now back to you. We have 24 hours to squeeze in everything. Luke's got dinner covered so I'm thinking we hit Al's and then the tour of the town and then stock up on movie snacks for after dinner."
"Let's go," said Rory picking up her bag.
Several hours later after lunch at Al's, an extensive town tour, receiving the latest gossip from Miss Patty and stopping at the video store and Doose's to pick up movie night provisions, Rory and Lorelai walked into the house to find Luke cooking in the kitchen.
"Lucas we're home," said Lorelai
"Hey you get everything?" asked Luke
"Oh we got everything. We are so ready, we got the extra extra butter movie theater popcorn, we got the sprinkly cheese and the spray cheese to put on top.
"We got tobasco for on top," piped in Rory.
"For on the side," corrected Lorelai.
"Fine on the side since some people can't handle the heat," said Rory.
"She spends one weekend in New Mexico and suddenly she's a fire breathing dragon," said Lorelai.
"It's not that hot," said Rory.
"And the pièce de résistance, we're doing something we've never attempted before but since we have your culinary expertise we thought, crumbly bacon for on top," said Lorelai as she pulled out three packs of bacon
"Where are the mushrooms?" asked Luke.
"The what?" said Lorelai.
"The mushrooms," said Luke, "The reason you guys went out. Remember I said I'm making mushroom duc sel for dinner and you did your Scrooge McDuck impression."
"Smarter than the smarties and tougher than the toughies," said Lorelai imitating the cartoon duck.
"You understand I'm not making duck for dinner right?"
"Smarter than the smarties and tougher than the toughies," repeated Lorelai.
"And then I said I need you to pick up some mushrooms so you and Rory went out to…buy three pounds of bacon instead. Ok I'm going to get the mushrooms, don't touch the stove," said Luke as he grabbed his wallet and walked out the back door.
Is that what you think I do, when you go out?" said Lorelai to Luke's retreating form.
"It's great to be home," said Rory smiling at her mother.
The next morning Rory and Lorelai were sitting around their kitchen table with coffee and on their second box of French toast sticks.
"Ok I need to pack and then meet Lane before I get back on the road," said Rory.
"You haven't packed yet? Miss I plan all my outfits two weeks ahead of time," said Lorelai following Rory into her room.
"I have been on the road for months now, I've totally perfected my system."
"Ooh there's a system, let's rush to the patent office."
"If you are going to mock you can wait for me in the living room."
"No no, let me hear about your system," Lorelai crashed onto Rory's bed
"Ok well my purple sweater with the grey lines goes on the bottom," started Rory.
"Never liked that sweater," interrupted Lorelai.
"I know but works for the business casual look and its light so doesn't take up room. I wear it when I'm at the end my clothes rotation hence it's on the bottom, and then I've sorted all my other outfits for the week in chronological order. Pajamas go on top because that's the first thing I'll need when I make it back to the hotel. Laptop, legal pads, recorder and pens on top of pajamas and in their own compartment for quick access."
"What goes in this side pocket?" asked Lorelai.
"Aeropress and a ziplock of Luke's coffee grounds."
"And this one?" said Lorelai pointing to the identical pocket on the other side of the bag.
"Last week's New Yorker and the latest Junot Diaz once I stop at the bookstore after Luke's."
"Not bad. So what's next on the campaign tour?" asked Lorelai as Rory continued to sort her clothes.
"Next week is Philadelphia for the debate."
"That's exciting. So what's the plan for Philly, getting a cheesesteak?"
"Oh yeah and…I may get together with Jess," said Rory bracing for impact.
"Get together with Jess?" asked Lorelai sitting up from the bed.
"Yeah."
"Like you're going get together with Jess or you're going to get together with Jess wink wink?"
"What's the difference?"
"Well one involves birth control I hope," said Lorelai.
"Mom!"
"Would you have preferred the eyebrow waggle?"
"You're being ridiculous," said Rory trying to hide her flushed face. As the one boyfriend she had never slept with, she had to admit she was curious but she wasn't ready to throw away the tentative friendship they had built just to satisfy her curiosity and her libido.
"I'm being concerned," said Lorelai.
"Why?" asked Rory. "Jess and I haven't been together in years."
"Well you have a bit of a habit of…," Lorelai trailed off.
"What?" asked Rory.
"Recycling ex-boyfriends," she said reluctantly.
"I do not!" Rory knew she didn't have a lot of experience but she couldn't believe that her mother thought her so fickle.
"I'm sorry Hon, but you do."
"Ok I got back together with Dean but that is it you can't call that a habit."
"You got back together with Dean twice and you also said you and Logan broke up and then got back together with him."
"That can hardly be called a recycle, he never even made it to the dump fully," countered Rory. She knew she wasn't great at relationships but it made her uneasy to think how obvious some of her mistakes looked to those on the outside. When she looked back her second and third relationships with Dean and Logan she cringed at how clear it was that things would not work out, Dean was married for goodness sakes. Despite the cringe factor, Rory tried not to be too embarrassed, after all she had honestly believed at that point in her life that she was making the right decision. She could at least take comfort in the fact that now she wasn't so naïve and selfish as to disregard a man's wedding vows when considering a long term relationship with him.
"I'm just saying, Jess is the only ex left you haven't given a second chance, not that he hasn't tried," Lorelai rolled her eyes as she thought of his attempts in the past.
"Ok first of all, he's grown up a lot and second of all I don't even know if I am seeing him, we have just been emailing a bit and I happened to mention I'll be in his neighborhood."
"He's always had a thing for you, and you emailing him and visiting him it may send the wrong idea."
"You have nothing to worry about Mom."
"If you say so."
"I do."
"Okay."
"Okay, I'm meeting Lane now but I'll meet you at Luke's before I leave."
Rory and Lane were walking around the town square each with a sling around their front holding a baby.
"I got to say when I imagined meeting up in Stars Hollow after college this is not exactly the picture I had in my head," said Rory as she lightly bounced Kwan.
You're telling me, I was supposed to have a full sleeve tattooed and a world tour by now, said Lane.
"Any regrets? You can be honest you know." Rory couldn't imagine being the mother of two at this point in her life.
"What can I say, I wish I had more time to focus on music but look at these little cheeks," she said nuzzling Steve. "This was not the plan but I love my boys."
"You don't have to pick you know, who says moms can't rock," said Rory.
"Yeah maybe in a few years, right now this mom can't stay awake unless a baby is screaming or feeding. "
"Definitely fair," said Rory.
So how's the new job?"
"Crazy, I still don't feel like I have the hang of it but it's getting more comfortable. I'm covering the first debate next week in Philadelphia."
"Try and hang out with M Night Shamalan for me."
"Even after Lady in the Water?"
"We try not to think about that one."
"Did I tell you my mom's worried about me falling for Jess again?"
"Are you?"
"No, we're friends."
"Just friends?"
"Yes."
"Okay," said Lane. "Hey do you think you have a type?"
"I don't know."
"I mean Jess and Dean were both very different but they're more similar than Logan, he kind of blew any type out of the water."
"You think so?"
"Honestly I was kind of surprised the first time you told me about Logan."
"Why?"
"He's Tristan 2.0."
"That's ridiculous just because he's rich and blonde?"
"Throws money around, beloved by the grandparents, two dim witted lackeys, pulling pranks, and the nicknames."
"The nicknames were not the same," argued Rory. She had always liked it when Logan called her Ace. At worse it could be seen as patronizing but she knew he didn't mean it that way. She remembered the first time he had used the nickname and how it had given her butterflies. It reminded her of the time Jess had teased her by offering to help her practice be a journalist. After the drought of her freshman year, she was beginning to doubt if she would ever feel that way again.
"Why not?" asked Lane.
"One was insulting and one was cute."
"Which one is which?"
"Lane!"
"Look, I liked Logan I swear," said Lane holding up her hands. "But I'm just saying back in high school you were so not interested in Tristan besides that one rebound kiss. It was just weird that suddenly you were into that type."
"Well it's good to date different people right? And I still maintain that Logan, though very different from other guys I've dated, was also very different from Tristan. Tristan just assumed I would fall all over him, Logan didn't really pursue me until I already liked him."
"Right because he was sleeping with half of Yale anyway."
"That's not fair."
"Okay okay just saying," said Lane.
"Wow if I had to pick one of my exes who you hated I thought for sure it would be Jess."
"Yeah he did not get points from the best friend for running away twice or was it three times?" Lane thought about it for a second and then finally settled on, "It was way too many times."
"So if you had to choose between the two?" asked Rory.
"Honestly, Jess."
"Wow really? You hated him when I was with him."
"I know, I know but the worst thing I can say about Jess is he would rather leave than try to communicate which don't get me wrong is a serious offense but he was also a screwed up eighteen year old and clearly in love with you. As someone who has strict demanding parents, I don't have much sympathy for Logan's issues."
"Wow."
"And then Dean cheated on his wife with you, so actually Jess may be my favorite of your exes."
"So basically you think I have terrible taste in men?"
"Pretty much," joked Lane.
They walked into Lane's house to find Zach and Bryan with tiny jars of baby food opened all around them.
"The plum is the best man," said Zack dipping a tiny spoon into a jar.
"No way, the sweet potato pea for sure," said Bryan.
Lane turned to Rory, "But you know I'm no expert."