Lorelai threw her keys on the side table and sighed. She knew that Rory was home because she had seen her car in the driveway. But as Lorelai listened to the sounds around her house, Lorelai heard the shower and realized that she could put off another confrontation with her daughter for a while at least. What would Lorelai say to Rory? Would she ask her if she had gotten the names? Did she even care? Could she hide the pain in her expression when Rory told her that she did find the parents? For Lorelai knew that with all of Rory's computer smarts, she had indeed found the parents' names. Lorelai had to think of something else so she walked into her living room and pressed the play button on her answering machine.
"Lorelai, it's your father I was just calling to…" But what he was calling to tell her she didn't care. She pressed the delete button.
"He's probably calling to tell you that I went over there." Lorelai jumped as she spun around and put her hand to heart.
"Jeez Rory I thought you were in the shower."
"I was," Rory explained as she toweled off her hair. "What's up, you look like you've seen a ghost or something." Lorelai cocked her head curiously. "I know it's weird to say it, but they always say it on movies so I wanted to try it. Won't happen again."
"Right, so umm…" Lorelai tucked her hair behind her ear nervously.
"Yeah I found three possibilities." Rory and her mother sat down at the table.
"Good. So it's over now. We can just go back and pretend like we never figure this out. Like it never happened." Lorelai put her hand over Rory's. Rory sighed.
"Why are you making this so hard for me?" Rory's eyes began to water and she turned away from her mother.
"I'm sorry?" Lorelai asked for explanation.
"I'm going to find them." Lorelai pulled her hand back.
"Sorry, I think I heard you wrong, you're going to find them?"
"I need to know which one is my mother."
"Me! I'm your mother! I'm the one who rocked you back and forth when you cried. Who cried with you when you started school or when Dean broke up with you."
"I thought you understood mom. You are my mother, but I need to know about my biology. My genes. And the only way to do that is to go see these women, find out which is really my biological mother and talk to her."
"I can't believe what I'm hearing! You're just going to dump me and go find yourself a new mother!" Lorelai stood up.
"That's not what I'm saying at all," Rory defended herself.
"No, that's exactly what you're saying. You're leaving to god knows where…"
"Georgia, Texas, and California," Rory said softly. Lorelai shook her head in disbelief and began to inhale deeply to stop the tears. After a bit she settled down in the chair next to Rory. "I'm really sorry mom. This was not intended to be a jab at you." Rory put her arm around her mother. "But I need to know." Lorelai nodded.
"I know. I just got mad because I'm selfish. I don't want to have to share you with anyone else. I want you to be mine and no one else's."
"So you're ok with me going?" Rory asked.
"I guess I have to be," Lorelai replied quietly. "Wow, California that's a long way away." Rory nodded. "Well when are we leaving?" Lorelai asked of Rory. Rory pulled back from her mother and gave her a look.
"We?"
"Well yeah, you don't think I'm going to let you go all the way across the country alone do you?" Lorelai stood up.
"Mom, you can't go with me. You have a wedding to plan and besides, I really think that this is something I should do alone."
"I guess I saw that coming. But there's no way in hell I'm letting my twenty one year old daughter go all the way across the country by herself."
"Well then what do you propose I do?" Rory shot back as she stood up too.
"Luke." Rory laughed immediately, picturing Luke in California.
"I don't think so."
"Well Rory then you come up with someone because I'm not letting you go by yourself."
"Mom I decided I'm leaving in two days, do you really think someone's going to drop everything and just come with me?"
"You're a pretty girl," Lorelai used as an explanation and then walked into the living room. Rory listened to the sounds of the television as she thought. Who the hell was she going to get to make a spontaneous cross-country trip with her? Suddenly a face popped into her head. Words floated back to her "I'm impressed because you actually live, I wish I had that." Figuring that this was her only option Rory raced into her room and searched through her bag. Finally she found the napkin on which he had printed his number. Rory collected her phone and punched in the number with an unsteady hand.
"Tristin Dugray," Tristin answered.
"Hey Tristin it's Rory!" Why was Rory's voice suddenly small and a bit shaky?
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Tristin sounded amused.
"Ok this is going to sound like a completely ludicrous question and feel free to laugh at any moment, but I remembered that you said you wanted to live some more at the coffee shop…"
"Rory, I don't need the War and Peace sized explanation just ask."
"Two days from now would you be interested in going on a trip with me?" Rory held in her breath as she waited for his reply.
"What kind of trip?" Rory knew that this would come up sooner or later but she would have preferred later.
"See it turns out that I'm adopted so now I'm going on this trip to find my birth mother. I've got three possibles so we'll be going to Georgia, Texas, and California." Rory listened as Tristin thought it over.
"You said we."
"What?"
"You said we'll be going. What makes you so confident that I'll say yes?"
"Well, I just…" Rory became instantly flustered but Tristin began to laugh and Rory realized that he was just teasing her.
"Relax, the trip sounds great. I've got plenty of time to set up things around here so that I'll be ready in two days. How about I pick you up about seven on Wednesday?"
"AM?" Rory asked, slightly shocked at the time and slightly shocked that he was agreeing to accompany her.
"I'll bring coffee. Lots and lots of coffee."
"Great. See you then. And Tristin?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks." Tristin laughed and then Rory heard the click. Rory smiled, suddenly more excited to be going. She set her phone on her bed and then joined her mother in the living room. "I'm leaving on Wednesday at seven." Lorelai turned to her daughter.
"You found someone?"
"Tristin."
"Oh intrigue." Rory laughed and sat down next to her mother to watch the cooking show.
The sound of gravel in the driveway announced Tristin's arrival. Rory rushed from her position beside the window and walked to the front door. "Mom, Luke he's here!" She yelled into the interior of the house as she slipped on shoes. Rory looked around the house, memorizing everything about it before she flung the door opened. "Hey!" She called to Tristin. They had an awkward moment where it seemed the both finally realized what they were doing. The two of them had never gotten along particularly well in high school and then lost contact after that. Now they were about to just take off together. Their awkward moment was broken when Luke and Lorelai walked out onto the front porch, Lorelai still in her pajamas and looking very sleepy.
"Tristin Dugray." Tristin announced as he extended his hand first to Lorelai who shook it and then to Luke who looked at it rather angrily before gruffly shaking it.
"Tristin this is my mom Lorelai, and my future step father, Luke." Rory pointed to the two. The moment turned silent as Luke stared daggers at Tristin and Lorelai tried to hide her giggles. "Oook, well we better get my stuff in the car."
"I'll do that," Tristin announced, glad to have an excuse to get away from Luke.
"I'll help," Luke told him and the two walked into the house. Rory thought she heard the words "hurt her" and "kill you" come from Luke's mouth but she didn't focus on them long because now was the moment she had been dreading. She had to say goodbye to her mom.
"So this is it," Lorelai said wishing that it wasn't.
"Mom, I'm not dying. I'll be back before the summer's over."
"But you'll be different."
"No…" Lorelai held up a hand.
"You will. It's inevitable. You'll have traveled across the country with a boy and met your biological mother. You'll do a lot of growing up on this trip, I've prepared myself for it." The two began to cry.
"I love you mom!" Rory cried as she threw her arms around Lorelai's neck
"Ditto," Lorelai concurred. They broke apart as the door slammed open. Luke and Tristin walked across the yard and threw Rory's bags in the trunk. Lorelai put her arm around Rory and the two followed the men. Tristin slammed his trunk shut as Rory walked over to Luke.
"Luke when I get back I expect you and mom to have the whole wedding planned and I expect you to have burned my bridesmaid dress." Luke looked confused.
"I won't let you down." Rory and Luke looked at one another. Luke had never been one for affection. "Come here." He opened his arms and Rory threw herself into his chest. "I love you Rory," Luke whispered to her.
"I love you too Luke." Rory smiled as she pulled back. Luke kissed her on her forehead and then walked over to join her mother.
"Well let's let the quest commence," Tristin joked.
"Ok no picking up any boys no matter how cute they are," Lorelai instructed her daughter as Rory got in the car. "That goes for you too Tristin." Tristin laughed.
"I'll try my hardest to resist." Tristin nodded curtly to Luke and waved at Lorelai before getting in the car and starting it. "You're mom's pretty funny." Tristin said as he buckled his seat belt.
"She thinks so," Rory responded as she did the same.
"She's pretty cool though," Tristin added as he backed from the driveway. Rory's eyes were locked on the two people standing in front of the house she had grown up in. Luke had his arm wrapped around her mother's waist. Rory raised her hand and waved. They both waved back and Rory saw Lorelai wipe away a tear.
"Yeah, she is." Rory settled back in her seat as her house disappeared from view and she began to think of the trip ahead of her.
