Rory stood by the bar and waited for the bartender to arrange her drink, she was tapped on the shoulder and she turned around to see her best friend grinning back at her.
"You know, there are certain rumours going around town. That a certain star's hollow member had a breakdown in the diner." Lane raised her eyebrows as Rory opened and closed her mouth in delayed shock.
"I didn't have a breakdown as such; people would not leave me alone. When's the date? What are you wearing?" Rory made her hand into a talking puppet imitating for effect.
"You know you would have been asked that as soon as you got home, this town is naturally curious. I mean come on, good scholastic girl like yourself, marrying a rebel."
Rory grinned as she watched Jess, deep in conversation with Luke and Lorelai at the head table. As if he knew she was thinking of him he looked up and caught her gaze, smirking causing her to blush slightly.
"Hmmm, yeah that's what I thought." Lane laughed and grabbed a glass of champagne from the waiter's tray as he walked past.
Both collapsed in a fit of giggles as the waiter handed them more glasses of champagne, as if understanding they needed a whole lot more to drink.
The reception went remarkably despite Emily Gilmore's protests, and as the wedding couple waved from the back of their car Rory finally felt like she could relax and enjoy the party.
**
Jess tried to manoeuvre the key in the lock while his other arm held onto his giggling fiancée, just when he thought he had a grip she would laugh and slip out of his grasp.
It had taken them fifteen minutes to actually get into the house, with some neighbours with twitching curtains obviously with the giggling Rory had erupted in.
Jess felt exhausted by the time that he finally got Rory under the covers; she smiled and turned on her side her eyes closing instantly.
"Why do I get the feeling, that life with you is never gonna be dull." He murmured watching her sleep.
* *
Rory slowly made her way through town her head lowered, pulling her hat further onto her head she groaned and grabbed the keys from her pocket. Opening the door to the diner she removed her coat and threw it on the counter. Switching on the coffee pot she yawned loudly.
Caesar entered the diner and gave a small tired smile, scratching his head he watched as Rory rubbed her eyes.
"Where's Jess?"
"He's taking care of the afternoon shift; I don't know why I agreed on looking after the diner today."
"Maybe, because you wanted to give Luke and your mom a nice honeymoon." Caesar smiled and patted Rory on the back before he moved into the kitchen.
Rory didn't have time to dwell on why she had to get up early, as the breakfast rush kept her busy most of the morning. Jess entered the diner to see Rory tilling up receipts, her head bowed.
Jess tapped his hands on top of the cash register, surprising Rory. She looked up an annoyed, the receipts flying over the counter.
"Jess, you made me lose count."
"And the receipts apparently." Jess bent down to pick them up and placed them back on the counter.
"I didn't realise how busy the breakfast rush would be." Rory brushed away the loose hair from her forehead.
"Hence the breakfast rush." Rory looked up at Jess, and narrowed her eyes.
"Why are you being all sarcastic all of a sudden?"
"You know I'm usually sardonic and sarcastic, the only difference is that you're hung over." Jess walked around the back of the counter and grabbed the dirty dishes and moved them over to the kitchen.
"Listen, why don't you go home and rest. I'll do the lunch and we'll close the diner early, I'm sure Luke won't mind." Jess walked back to where Rory stood and rubbed on her shoulders as she swayed back and forth eager to reach the door.
* * *
Rory sat at her desk a few weeks later, various bridal magazines occupying the space. Her hand, furiously jotting down ideas on her notepad, her phone ringing in her purse.
"If you can hear ringing, it's probably the cellphone in your purse that's been ringing for the past half hour."
Rory looked up to see Jude smirking down at her, grabbing a magazine from the desk and flicking through the pages.
"Yeah I know, I've rejected 3 missed calls from my grandma."
"And why is that?" Rory stopped writing on the pad and looked up at Jude.
"She doesn't like Jess, she knows that we are engaged, what she doesn't know is that we have already set a date. And I want to delay that conversation for as long as I have to" Jude raised her eyebrows and dropped the magazine back on the table.
"Well how about we go get some lunch, and maybe a large piece of pie. And forget all about overbearing relatives and wedding plans?" Rory grinned and grabbed her purse, rejecting yet another call from Emily Gilmore.
Rory took a slow walk home, enjoying the steady pace and tranquillity. As she turned around the corner she spotted the Chinese takeaway open, jogging across the street she noticed that Jess and hadn't eaten together this week.
Rory struggled with her key in her hand, after the impulse of choosing a few dishes on the menu. Finally gaining access into the building she climbed the two flights of stairs, rapping on the door she waited for Jess to open the door.
"Thank god, I thought I would have to wait for ages. I got your favourite dish , and other things. What?" Rory looked up as she saw Jess set aside to let her in, there sitting on the couch was Emily.
"Grandma, what are you doing here?" Rory dropped her purse by the door, and carried on through the kitchen to place the food on the counter.
"I heard a rumour, that you're getting married. I received no call from my granddaughter to deny the stupid rumour." Rory turned around and faced her grandmother, who skin was tinged pink in frustration.
"It's not a rumour, I am getting married." Rory could see Jess standing in the background, his hands shoved deep into his jean pockets.
"Do you know what you are doing, I think you get this from your mother. I thought you understood my feelings in this, I honestly thought this was a fleeting moment. If I had known..."
Rory suddenly felt closed in, she fully understood how trapped her mother felt in that house growing up. Slamming her hand on the counter she looked up, causing her grandmother to stop in mid-sentence.
"Stop! I am so sick of this, I am getting married. I don't care if I don't have your blessing, I don't need it. Is it your life's work to make people miserable?"
"I beg your pardon, how dare you Rory." Emily pushed the strap of her purse higher onto her shoulder. "After everything your grandfather and I have done for you, to get you where you are today"
"For that I appreciate the opportunity to get me there, but I also got there on my own merit. I will pay you back every cent believe me, but now I want you to leave our apartment." Rory folded her arms across her chest defiantly.
Emily Gilmore's pursed her lips, and spun on her heel towards the door. Jess moved out of the way quietly allowing Emily to grab the door handle.
"This is not finished Rory Gilmore, and I will make sure you don't make this drastic mistake." Emily closed the door behind her with a resounding slam that echoed in the large apartment.
Rory rested her folded arms on the counter and blew out a breath slowly; Jess walked over slowly and placed his arm around her shoulders. Rory quickly moved into his embrace her body shaking slightly.
"She'll come around."
Rory closed her eyes tightly, trying to stop tears from appearing behind her lids. Leaning back she stayed within the circle of Jess's arms.
"That's the thing Jess, she won't."