Gilmore Girls Time Out

It was 8 pm Friday night. Rory and Lorelai were in a hotel suite getting ready for a night out. Rory, sporting a small but noticeable baby bump, was dressed stylishly in a colorfully patterned red wrap dress and heeled boots. "That's so not fair," said Lorelai when she saw her daughter, "maternity clothes are so much cuter these days. When that become a thing? In my day all we had were moo moos, sailor outfits, or your father's sweats."

'Well, you could get pregnant too."
"Or maybe I can just get one of those costume baby bumps that they use on TV shows!"

"That's an awful lot of effort for clothes you can successfully wear without being pregnant. Besides, you look nice also."

"Really? Not too old? I don't want to be one of 'those' women who dress inappropriately, looking like their trying to hard to hang on to their youth."

"What? And going to a club in New York on a Friday night with your daughter and her friends is not hanging onto your youth?"

'Yes, it is, but this is a special occasion."

Indeed it was. Tonight Hep Alien was playing the legendary Bitter End club, one of the music business' most sought after and influential venues. Many well-known musicians and artist have played this club and tonight Hep Alien was joining their ranks.

It had been quite a journey for them. Juggling the responsibilities of the band and everyday family life proved to be a great challenge. While other bands would have given up, Hep Alien soldiered on. Although Zach's tour with The VapoRubs brought much momentum and interest, they could not take full advantage because the twins were so little. So they pulled back, and Lane, Zach, Gill, and Brian went on with their lives, immersing themselves in the daily profound (but mundane)

while still practicing and playing gigs as time permitted. Yes, playing pop-up gigs at the Secret Bar, street fairs, and open-mic nights when time permitted was not the rock-n-roll dream, but at least they were playing, and to them, that was good for now.

Fortunes turned in July 2016 when Gill received a call from a buddy who worked as a sound engineer. He had a job for a street festival in Providence and one of the bands backed out at the last minute, so he asked if Hep Alien could fill in. That evening, the haphazardly packed Hep Alien VW bus pulled up to the concert venue where their set received an overwhelmingly positive response, garnering the interest of one particular person, a woman named Eve. Eve happened to be the sister of a Nashville musician who was looking for material to fill in an album that he was working on, and one of Hep Alien's original songs rang true to her. She sent him a video of their performance, and he immediately got in touch with his producer to work out a plan for possible collaboration.

"And you know who that producer is!?" Lane excitedly asked Rory after she broke the news. 'Who?"
"Jack White!"
"Noooooo!"

"YEEEEESSSS!"

"THE Jack White? The ex-husband of Meg? Founding member of The Raconteurs? Duets with Loretta Lynn and worked with Beyonce, Jack White?"

"The one and only! You may have to make more room for my kids in that apartment because I am dying, dying with excitement!"

"Lane, you can't die. If you do, who's going to work with Jack White?" "You're right, you're right...Oh My God!"

The collaboration with Jack led to a number of lucrative introductions. Soon Hep Alien and its members found themselves with not only a small loyal following but also being tapped for session work, songwriting, and other collaborations. "We're not playing stadiums, but are working and creating which really is at the core of what we wanted to do," Gill stated during a recent interview with Guitar Magazine.

It was indeed a great night for friends. Not only were Rory and Lorelai attending the show, but also Luke, Jackson and Sookie. April and a group of friends traveled from Boston, and Jess came in from Philly as well. Christopher, looking for a night, out decided to tag along, with Olivia and Moses, and Logan, Colin, and Finn topping off the guest list.

The show went off without hitch with the band doing three encores. It was truly a triumph. Afterward, the group, along with other friends and special guests, gathered at a nearby pub in the neighborhood, bought out for the night by Logan.

As Rory sat back and drank in the scene at the after party she couldn't help but giggle at the confluence people gathered in one room. At one table was Logan, Colin, and Finn, with Christopher drinking scotch and no doubt swapping boarding/prep school war stories. At another were Sookie and Jackson having a lively discussion about farming and landscape design with Olivia and Moses, while Jess and Luke were huddled in a corner quietly catching up. Then there was Lorelai, with April and her grad school friends on the dance floor moving and shaking like she was one them. "Desperately holding on to her youth indeed," Rory thought with a slight laugh

at the site of her mother. Rory then joined them.

"Logan, thank you," Lane said to him as she and the rest of the band mixed and mingled with their guests, "This is amazing."

"Yea man, thanks, I can't think of a more perfect night," added Zach.

"No need to thank me, this is my pleasure", replied Logan, "when you make it big I will be able to say that 'I knew them when.' "

"Yes, it's a really nice set up here, really nice, a good time for everyone." Logan heard someone say as Lane and Zach departed to take a picture with some fans.

Logan turned to find Jess standing behind him. "Yes, and are you having a good time?" Logan guardedly responded.

"Oh yes, the best. So I didn't know that you knew the band that well. When did you become best friends?"

"Well, were not exactly best friends, but Lane is Rory's oldest friend and the Godmother to her boys so in a way that makes her family."

"Wow, so generous of you to do this for family-like people."
"Well, she and Zach have been a great support to Rory, and well I am grateful for their help." "So you need help with Rory? "

"I'm just saying that since I am not there all the time, it's nice to know that she has support."

"Oh, yes, because she needs to be supervised."

"I didn't say that now did I?"

"No that's not what you said. If there is anyone who can make it on her own is Rory, she can take care of herself."

"I know that she can take care of herself. We were together for a long time, even lived together, so I am very well aware of Rory. In fact, I can say that I know her in ways other people wouldn't understand."

"Really now?"
"Really."
Suddenly, Christopher, Lorelai, and Luke showed up at their side.
"Hey guys what's going on?" Lorelei asked.
"Just having a friendly conversation," Jess responded without taking his eyes off of Logan. "Getting reacquainted," Logan added, matching Jess' tone and manner.

"That's great." Christopher interjected, "Hey Logan," Christopher continued while looking at Luke and Lorelai meaningfully, "What is that brand scotch you were telling me about? I think they might have it, join me for one?"

"Sure," Logan said. Christopher put his arm on Logan's shoulder and led him away. "Hey," Luke said to Jess after they walked away, "what was that all about?"

"Nothing. Just getting reacquainted with Daddy Warbucks there." "Is that all?"
"Yes, that's all."

"You should have seen the two of them." Lorelai reported to Sookie the next day, "It's not like they were threatening each other outright, but it was that overly friendly, overly polite passive- aggressive tone, you know? Like at any minute they were going to pound each other. I felt like if Rory were a fire hydrant they would be peeing all over her"

"Eww, please use another metaphor, now that visual will be permanently etched in my head!" Sookie replied cringing.

"Sorry. It was just weird. I know that Logan has feelings for Rory, I mean they are having a baby together for Christ sake, but Jess? I thought he was over it by now, but I guess not.

Lorelai and Sookie joined Rory, Lane, and Paris is the mud bath room. It's early afternoon on the Sunday after the Hep Alien concert. Lorelai, Sookie, Rory, Lane, and Paris are at Spa Tahanan, "researching" their offerings for the Dragon Fly Annex. Michele, who networked with the owner when he and Fredrick visited the spa the previous month, arranged the day. Tahanan was looking to expand, so Lorelai and Sookie were currently negotiating the possibilities of them operating an independent satellite spa at the Dragon Fly annex.

They started with facials, followed by a rain and steam shower. Next, Paris talked them into a cupping session ("I used to think this Eastern Medicine stuff was bunk, but I was wrong. Yes, it is possible." ) and massage, followed by the requisite mani -pedi.

"Thank you Lorelai for inviting me to this outing." Paris said when they sat down for their mani- pedi.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you could join us."

"So am I. I was climbing the walls at home. If I didn't get out today I think I would have strangled Doyle."

"What's going on with Doyle?" Sookie asked.

"He's been a bit over the top, hovering like the worst helicopter parent ever. I guess that's what happens when you are on the brink of divorce only to find that your one last fling results in a pregnancy. Know what I mean Rory?" Paris said.

"Ha, Ha" answered Rory sarcastically.

"Was he like this with the first two kids?" Lane asked.

"No, he was pretty Zen about the last two. I was the one who was crazy. I think the combination of the almost divorce and the surprise pregnancy has freaked him out. He wants everything to be absolutely perfect, and it's making me batty."

"It's sweet, though." Sookie added.

"Yes, it is. Really I shouldn't be complaining, there are women out there who can't get their man to wash a bottle, much less do any heavy lifting when it comes to kids."

"Or," Lorelai interjected, "there is no man or partner and are doing everything alone."

"Yes," Sookie agreed, "I don't know what I would have done without Jackson. He was great after I had our kids. But he came from a big family so everything came naturally to him."

"Zach was somewhat clueless," Lane added, "but he was a fast learner. He read everything he could before the boys were born. Between that and my mom, he did really well. What he lacked in skill, he made up for in enthusiasm. My mother calls his parenting skills her greatest accomplishment."

"It will be interesting to see how Luke is with your kid." Lorelai said to Rory, "He doesn't overtly show it, but he's excited. He was pretty good with you."

"He wasn't around when I was a baby."

"Yes, but he was pretty hands once he entered into our lives. Thinking about it now, he was there feeding you, he helped care for you when you were sick. Remember, he helped you move into Yale? He was there as much as he could be."

"So how about Logan?" Sookie inquired, "Does he seem like he's ready to dive in?"

"Yes, he's very into the whole fatherhood thing. He's been to every appointment, we've been communicating about the pregnancy, he's even teaching himself baby sign language." informed Rory

"Aww, that's sweet. So what are your plans after the baby is born?" "Well, The Huntzberger Group grants six weeks paternity leave." "Six week? Wow, well that's progressive!" Paris said.

Rory continued, "Surprising, isn't it? Logan says he plans to take it plus two more weeks unpaid leave. I think we will hang out in Stars Hallow for most of it, but depending on how we are after the birth, we might commute between there and New York. We haven't worked anything beyond the summer."

What to do beyond the summer? That was the question weighing on Rory's mind later that night as she stared out her hotel suite window. After the spa and a nice dinner, Paris returned home while Lorelai, Sookie, Lane and Rory settled back in the hotel. Lorelai, Sookie, and Lane opted to turn in early so they could get up for the early train back to Stars Hallow, leaving Rory alone with her thoughts.

"Hey kid," Lorelai sleepily said walking out of the bedroom, "can't sleep?" "No." Rory replied, "I still decompressing from the day."

"Honey, we spent the day at a spa, if you are not decompressed from that experience then something serious is going on."

"The reality of this situation is really dawning on me. That conversation at the spa today made me realize even more that Logan and I co-parenting will be a bit more complex than I thought. I'm going to have to move to New York to make this work because him commuting 4 hours a day to and from Stars Hallow is not realistic. But this means leaving my support system which now is a little scary. Plus, there is also the question about my working, where we are going to live. There so many things still up in the air."

"Well, I can't imagine that securing help would be a problem. I mean as far as baby daddies go you hit the jackpot kid."

"Yes, but having the nanny is not the same as having your mommy and your close friends you know."

"I know, but you'll manage."
"I know, "First World" problems. "
"I have confidence that Logan will take care of things."
"Yes, and this will sound funny, but I think that's part of the problem." "How so?"

"Logan is very sweet. I know that he takes great pleasure in taking care of things. But him taking care of everything makes me feel uncomfortable. He did a lot of that when we were in college and throughout our relationship last year. All I had to do was ask and he would give it to me no questions asked. Again, it was sweet and he had no ulterior motives, but in a way it made me overly dependent on him. I'm not blaming him, but feel like this was a factor in my losing my way. You know what I mean?"

"Yes, I understand,"
"I am trying to be more thoughtful and deliberate in my life. I think that was missing the past few

years. I was so busy chasing a dream that I didn't stop to think about the realities. do that anymore. I can't do that anymore."

"Well that's good, you are finally trusting your gut." "Yes, but my gut isn't telling me what I want to hear." "It never does."
"Mitchum Huntzberger offered me a job." "Rrreeaallly?"

I don't want to

"Yup, in PR. External communications at The Huntzberger Group. Salary, benefits, he even offered to put me up in corporate housing."

"That doesn't sound so much like a job offer than a bribe or just blatant manipulation."

"Oh yes, he admitted to that. To his credit, he was adamant in stating his belief that he would not have offered me the job if he didn't think I could handle it, but his main motivation is to provide me stability so Logan and I could have a 'viable' family life."

"Huh, well that's an improvement. Your grandfather offered Christopher and me marriage and a

job in the insurance biz. At least you don't have to do the marriage part...or the insurance part. AND you get your own place!"

'So you see it as a trap?"

"It's a trap only if you make it out to be."

"It's tempting, but I want to explore my own options."

"And those are?"

"That's the problem, nothing yet. I have to wrap up my current job before I can concentrate on anything else."

"Yes, that is smart. Can't overwhelm yourself, you only end up spinning your wheels. Well, at least there is an option. It's good to have a fallback."

"I guess so."

"I do get it though, the whole 'living your life deliberately' concept. I had that 'Come to Jesus' moment myself."

"Yeah? When?"
"When I found out I was pregnant with you!"

"Mom, I know how you felt/feel about having to raise me alone, but how did you know that doing so was the right thing?"

"As you know, before you were born, there was a lot of pressure on Christopher and me to 'do the right thing' and get married. Our parents had everything planned for us; where we were going to live, where Christopher was going to work, and all of that. I was very resistant to that. Now, I get it, at least the way our parents saw it. It was the path of least resistance. I see how following their plan would have made things easy in the onset, but in the long term, it would have been disastrous because that solution wouldn't have made things right, you know what I mean? Your father and I would have had a comfortable life, but we would have had terrible problems."

"Yes, I can see that."

"Anyway, the 'moment' happened in the hospital. You dad and I were standing at the nursery window. He was seeing you for the first time. He said, 'Well, so I guess we should get married.' And it was then that I knew for sure, I was going to be alone. It wasn't what he said, but the way he said it, like he was Patti Hearst joining the SLA. He was surrendering while I was refusing to surrender. You know, up until that point everything I did was in reaction or retaliation to my parents, I was not being deliberate in my decisions about my life. But once that stick turned blue, well I knew that things had to change; that I had to make real decisions, not just follow or react to my parents. If not for me, than for you. I could not bear the thought of you growing up unhappy and oppressed like I was. I could not bear the circle repeating itself. For whatever reason, your dad would not/could not fight, but I was. I think that was what really killed it for us, his lack of fight. There were times, especially in the beginning, when I was angry, but in the end, it was better this way. The Haydens are not exactly the most pleasant people. I can't imagine Straub being too kind, especially after Christopher did not go to Princeton and failed to fulfill the family destiny. Yes, a mother and father living together, house and white picket fence is the ideal, but sometimes it's better to go it alone. I don't regret my decision Rory, not at all. Anyway, that is not exactly your situation, Logan is fighting after all."

"Yes, but sometimes I think it would be easier if he didn't. Just leave us to be."

"Well if he were not interested then yes, you going it alone would probably be the best. But he is interested, and you owe it to this kid to let his/her father in. I may have raised you alone, but the door was always open for Christopher to come in. I think of Luke and all the years he missed with April. I know he is happy now and they have a great relationship, but he missed out on some really important and cool stuff. I think that is why he is going a bit crazy with the presents."

"Logan's parents keep asking why we won't just get married. They don't understand what is preventing us from doing so."

"Well, it seems the intended bride in question is preventing."

"Yes, and they don't get it. I would have my whole life set if we got married and they don't understand why I won't take it."

"Well, just because things look good on paper, doesn't mean it will work in reality. Anyway, why won't you? You really don't love Logan?"

"No, I don't know if I am into marriage. Co-parenting yes, well I have no choice in that matter. Marriage? I'm not sure. I was never one of those girls who dreamed about her wedding day. I was that girl that dreamed of being Christiane Amanpour, you know travel, adventure. I mean sure I thought about it with Dean, Jess, and very seriously with Logan, but there was always something else that seemed more appealing. There was never a moment when I thought, "Yes, I have to marry this man."

"This makes me feel sad." "Why?"

"Because you don't see marriage as a positive thing. I feel like this is my doing, that I didn't set a good example."

"No, you are with Luke."
"Yes, but look how long it took for us to get married."

"Grandma and Grandpa were married for 50 years! They are example enough for all of us. Lane and Zach are going strong. Babette and Morey are still on their honeymoon. They all work, but they fit, like you and Luke fit. I am not sure with whom I fit."

"Well, if not Logan than who? What about Jess?"

"Jess?"

"Well, he's been hanging out an awful lot lately."

"No, really mom, I am not interested in anyone right now. Just me, and little Matilda or Morris here."

"Ick, Matilda or Morris?"
"Sid or Nancy? Julieanne or Derek?"

"I think you have to search Nameberry again."