Rory turns around slowly, almost paralyzed from the shock and ill timing of it all. She wonders how long her grandma has been standing there, how much she heard. "What is she doing here?" Rory thinks to herself. She is embarrassed and annoyed that her moment has been interrupted.
Rory takes a couple of deep breaths before speaking.
"Grandma…hi...what are you doing here?"
Emily's face scrunches up as she tilts her head to the side, trying to make sense of the scene that is playing out before her.
"Rory," she finally says, "I'm here to see you. I've been wandering all over this Godforsaken town looking for you and your mother." As Emily finishes, her attention quickly moves from Rory onto Jess.
Rory's head snaps back and forth between the two, who seem to be having a staring contest. She can feel the tension escalating and quickly interjects.
"Oh grandma, you remember Jess."
"I think, just barely, are you the gentleman who washes cars at the gas station?" Emily inquires innocently, honestly having no recollection of the brief few moments she met Jess 15 years prior.
Jess grinds his teeth as he tries to brush off the ignorance of the aristocracy. Just as he feels himself cool off enough to speak without going on the attack, Rory steps in, trying to release the tension.
"Oh no grandma, Jess is an author and works for a publishing company. He's here helping Luke run the diner while he recovers." Rory smiles, proud to list off Jess' accomplishments.
"Yeah, that's right, I'm running the diner so I better get back." Jess curtly interjects. His eyes met Rory's for a second. Rory wrinkles her brow and gives him an apologetic frown before he ducks behind a tree and disappears around the corner.
Rory stares after him for a minute too long, then she hears Emily's impatient voice cut through the silence.
"Well are we just going to stand here or are we going to find your mom. I took the day off from the museum and I would like to spend it with you both."
"Sure grandma," Rory says, sensing a hint of happiness in Emily's voice, despite the awkward run in.
Later that day...back at their house, Lorelei stares at the wall and blows her hair out of her face. She never had the patience for uncomfortable spaces, and anywhere her mom was just so happened to be uncomfortable. Rory sits in the chair across from the couch, the apartment ad still in her hand. She shrugs her shoulders and gives her mom a "what now?" look. Just then, the front door opens and Emily walks in with several bags under her arms.
"Well, I am just so glad we could find some time to come together."
"Really mom, we were kind of busy today and…"
"If you are referring to sitting around a diner all day stuffing your face with donuts then I hardly call that busy."
Lorelei opens her mouth to object and point out that the donuts were in fact, 'healthy' according to Taylor, but before she can speak her mom proceeds to share her findings.
"Rory, I wanted to come by to bring these for you."
"Oh, thanks, you didn't have to bring me anything. Just what is all of this stuff anyway?"
"It just so happens that on the edge of my town there is this fabulous little maternity store with all of these wonderful outfits for pregnant women! I was astonished at the quality and variety of the clothes. Back in my day when you were pregnant, you found a good seamstress to make a few tent dresses and prayed for the day you were done so you could burn them. Some modern things are an improvement I must say."
Rory, still unsure of her grandmother's intentions politely smiles and thanks her for the clothes.
"Now I have the receipts in there if things don't fit but at least now you will have some proper fitting clothes so you can get out of….well whatever that is," she gestures to Rory's tight fitting shirt that has bunched up around her midsection.
As Rory gathers up the bags to take to her room, she can feel invisible steam coming off her mom. She stares as her mother's face goes from an irritated red to a royally pissed off purple. She steps back and begins to crouch down, preparing for the eruption.
"Gee...thanks mom, you really didn't have to do that," Lorelei says, not trying at all to hold back her passive aggressive sarcasm.
"Oh it was not trouble at all," Emily replies, not noticing or caring to respond to Lorelei's tone.
"Mom, so what is all this?"
"What is what? I can't bring my pregnant granddaughter some nice clothes?"
"No mom, I mean it's been days since we saw you. How's your head feeling?"
"My head? It's feeling fine."
Rory swallows hard, knowing that the floor was about to turn to lava from a certain motherly volcano getting ready to spit fire in the direction of her grandmother.
"Oh that's funny because last we saw, your head was hurting from finding out news that some people would consider a miracle. You know, that your one and only granddaughter was expecting a child. You completely brushed her off and hurt her. Now, all of a sudden, everything is just gee-dandey? No, I don't think so. You owe Rory an apology and an explanation." Lorelei finishes her spat by crossing her arms and glaring at her mother. Old Emily Gilmore was not going to get away with treating Rory like that!
Emily pauses, giving herself time to absorb the blow. She tries to muster a look of shock for being spoken to that way but this is typical of a conversation with Lorelei. She sighs as her face softens before she responds.
"Now Lorelei I hardly think that is fair. I needed some time to process everything. And I am sorry if I acted inappropriately to the news before but you have to admit it was inappropriate news!" Emily turns to Rory with a sympathetic look. "Rory, you know that I was shocked at the news, it came completely out of the blue, but I have had a while to think things through and I have decided that I would love to be part of this child's life. Starting by helping you get settled in at this new place you found and putting together the nursery and all of that. In fact, I would be thrilled to throw you a baby shower, right here in town if you would like."
"Wow grandma that is really nice of you. I am not sure I need all of that but I am happy to have your support." Rory smiles, truly grateful to have her grandmother on her side. She feels a little bit more invincible with Emily as a part of her support system.
Lorelei squints her eyes and pushes out her lower lip, not buying her mom's sudden heroics.
"Yeah mom, really all of that is not necessary. Luke and I certainly can help Rory out and all of that."
Emily's face sours and frown lines appear as she turns to address her daughter. "Lorelei." she beings, trying to maintain her composure, "I am just trying to do something nice for my granddaughter. I….I didn't get a chance to do any of these things for you so I would appreciate if you stand down and let me support Rory how I see fit."
Lorelei sits back a bit, knowing that Emily is working her charm hard, throwing in a little guilt too, right up her alley. She doesn't want to give in but she can't think of a strong enough argument right now. "Damn this new found acceptance!" she thinks. "I'm never reading another self discovery book again." Lorelei looks back at her mother and starts to open her mouth to admit defeat when she sees Emily's eyes glass over.
"And you know Lorelei, I...I need this in my life. I need both of you...and this child. I think Richard would have wanted it this way." Emily finishes holding back tears.
Rory's heart feels heavy as she watches her grandmother begin to breakdown.
"Oh grandma, of course you can help me with things. I wouldn't want it any other way really." Rory reaches out and holds her grandmother. She can feel her body relax a little in her arms.
Lorelei sighs and gets up from the couch to join in the embrace. "Yeah, I guess us Gilmore girls have to stick together...or something."
A few days later….Rory is moving some things into her new apartment with Luke, Lorelei, and her grandmother.
"Rory, are you sure you want that lamp to go there?" Emily asks, a hint of dissatisfaction in her voice.
"Um, yes grandma, I think this part of the room needs some extra light."
"You know where has plenty of well placed light and furniture already?" Lorelei interjects. "My house! Where you are still perfectly welcome!" She grins from ear to ear out of exhaustion, ready to give up, head out the door and grab some lunch.
Emily lets out an audible "ugh" and continues repositioning a picture frame on the bookshelf.
"I get it mom, you are getting a little hangry. I think I have something to eat…" Rory trails off as she opens the fridge, a lonely ketchup bottle and bag of carrots stare back at her. Lorelei appears over her shoulder, staring into the abyss.
"My God you've been robbed! And they left you some carrots in place of your food! What a cruel trick!"
"Moooom…"
"I'm serious, someone has run off with Mrs. Butterworth! And where oh where can the kool-aid man be?"
"Certainly not smashing through the walls to help us put up these curtains," chimes Luke in his usual grumpy tone.
"I'm sure they didn't just run off with the Pillsbury doughboy and Tony the Tiger! Maybe those evil little elves snap, crackle, and pop started a Rory's new apartment mutiny!"
"Mom, ok, OK I get it, provisions are in order. I'll run over to Doose's and pick up a few things so we don't starve."
"I'm not sure a simple bottle of syrup will help me in my condition," Lorelei dramatically says fanning herself. "Let me call and order some pizza. You don't have to rush out to get groceries just yet."
"Yeah mom but I have guests over for the first time," Rory says motioning to Luke and Emily. "Let me at least get some ice tea to offer them."
"Ok fiiiiiine."
"Great! Be right back." Rory heads out the door, glad to have a few minutes away from all of the commotion. She really pictured herself moving in and decorating in her own time but she quickly realizes her own time is limited and all the better to have everything set up and ready to go. She is grateful for the help, she finally decides, but that doesn't mean she doesn't need a break from it all for a bit.
Meanwhile in the center of town…
Jess sits on the gazebo steps, reading the latest issue of the Gazette, trying to keep himself from laughing at the quaintness of it all. "Miss Patty's new mobile grooming salon gets two paws up!" seems to be the headline news. He is still determined to turn the relic into something a little bit more engaging to put it mildly. Just as he is about to turn the page, he looks up to see Rory happily waddling down the street. His heart jumps into his throat and his hands immediately start to sweat. It takes almost all of his willpower to keep himself from sprinting across the grass and leaping over the pavement, just to get closer to her. He hasn't talked to her since her grandmother randomly showed up to town. Rory had given Luke a final draft of her book for Jess to review. He had big plans for it, but all would be revealed in time. He checked his watch, "Ceasar must be ready for a break by now, but he can wait another few minutes for me to take care of something," Jess thinks to himself, smiling.
He tries to disguise his fast pace by swinging his arms nonchalantly, hoping that Rory would think it's his normal walking pace. He wanted to catch her before she got to Doose's because dealing with Taylor was definitely not on his agenda for the day. Just as she is about to reach for the handle, he steps in front of her.
"Well if it isn't DB Cooper I was wondering when you would show your face around here," Jess says jokingly with a hint of relief in his voice.
Rory smiles, relieved to see Jess is in good spirits after the abrupt ending to their last meeting. "Yeah it was either face the light of day or continue being exposed to the stylings of grandma know it all, the always cheerful Luke, and hangry Lorelei, so I took my chances." Rory begins to chuckle but quickly stops as a passer by gawks at her and Jess shaking their head in disapproval.
"Well, looks like we gave them something to talk about…"Jess muses.
"It's not fair to you though, I mean this has nothing to do with you but somehow you have been dragged into my misfortune."
"First of all, this isn't misfortunate...you are very courageous to be doing what you are on your own, not sure if I ever mentioned that to you but it's true. Second of all, these yahoos huffing around are nothing more than amusement to me. Don't let them get to you. Let them have their scandal. Next week Kirk will rewire the cable so everyone only gets the home shopping network or Patty's mobile grooming service will butcher old man Pratt's beagle and that will be the next evil to be overbearingly judged by all."
Rory nodded, the guy had a point.
"Well, I better run and get some food to my mother before she paints a food mural on my new walls to spite me." Rory moves her hand toward the door again but before she can garb the handle, Jess reaches his hand out and stops her.
"Hey, you know we never got to finish our conversation from the other day."
"Oh...yeah that," Rory suddenly feels flustered. She didn't think Jess would be bold enough to actually acknowledge the conversation, let alone bring it up again. " Well, I'm actually heading out of town soon to write this article on Montpelier, Vermont. It's supposed to be lovely this time of year and I'm trying to cram a few other places in to get some articles finished before I can't fit behind a steering wheel."
"Back into hiding again? Ok." Jess says, feeling a bit hurt and pushed aside.
Rory pauses, she doesn't want to give Jess the wrong idea. After writing about him and spending time with him recently she had given into the undeniable fact that she had strong feelings for him. He was and still is a caring, intelligent man who intrigued her. He had grown up beautifully, his tight fitting shirts were also a constant reminder of that. She felt herself starting to blush at the thought but let her mind wander back to the simple, defining fact, that she was about to become a mother and she wasn't sure she could jump into a relationship with Jess when she would be soon learning to navigate a relationship with a tiny human. She wasn't sure she could do both at the same time. As she finishes her thoughts she looks up at Jess, unsure if this was the time or place to continue the conversation from the other day. But before she can speak, Jess gingerly cradles her hand in his. A small shiver makes its way up Rory's spine.
Jess stares directly into Rory's eyes. He wants her to understand how important this is to him. "Before you go, I'd like to see you. Come by Luke's tomorrow night after closing."
Rory can barely breath, everything evaporates from her surroundings and it's just her and Jess, standing there, existing together. How could she say no?
"Ok," she agrees.
