Written In The Stars II
By Gilmoregirl1979 (the reigning Quote Queen)
Provider of Quality Fan Fiction
Rating: PG-13 R/R: yes please I love reviews; I wanna marry them (as previously stated, I have strange passions.)
Hi this is your friendly disclaimer: I REJECT ASP's REALITY AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN! Once again, I don't own (DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!!), No Harm No Sue.
Summary/ the Q: What if they did the show… MY WAY (Like Frank!) Luvz: Miss you, because you are multifaceted abnormal
LOCALIZY: you are still the Queen of all that is awesome and GOOD…
Jenn and Guro: thank you for the read through and insight!!
A/N: Dialogue borrowed from:
1.06 - Rory's Birthday Parties
written by: Amy Sherman-Palladino
directed by: Sarah Pia Anderson
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Chapter 14:
Once More With Feeling
Rory's Birthday Party, Take Two (CLAP)
The next morning, Luke was still brooding from the fancy party. He was glad he said what he said to his mother-in-law, although perhaps he shouldn't have yelled, but Mrs. Gilmore hated him anyway, so what was the harm of speaking his mind and getting everything off his chest. Hopefully the gist of his message penetrated the protective cocoon that surrounded the cold Emily Gilmore.
Lorelai was sitting at the kitchen table, also trying to forget last night's verbal duel, finding some comfort in her pregnancy research and spoke up from her book to get her husband's attention, "Hey Honey?"
"Yeah," Luke was unloading some of the groceries from his early morning errands and bottles from the liquor store for the adult guests who attended Rory's sane, simple Stars Hollow party.
Lorelai informed, "Did you know that wearing boxers can increase your sperm count?" Lorelai quoted from her book, "…'by wearing regular or tight underwear, even pants, you can overheat your testicles and that has an adverse effect of the sperm.'"
Luke winced at the words 'testicles' and 'sperm', "I thought we weren't going to talk about babies for awhile?"
"I'm not talking about babies," Lorelai smiled, "I'm talking about your sperm count that will lead to babies."
Luke leaned over his wife at the table, a hand on the table, his other on the back of her chair, "Lorelai, how long have we been together?"
"In total, four wonderful, happy years."
Luke was inches from his wife's face, "I think you know the answer to that question, on our second date you got that answer."
Lorelai stood from the table, "Well, imagine your sperm count if you gave up boxers entirely? Or clothes for that matter," She enticed.
"I'm not going commando."
Lorelai grinned, "Hmm, but it's fun to think about," as she snaked her arms around him, leaning forward to kiss him.
Rory came out from her room, oblivious to here parent's "seedy" conversation and smiled at her folks, still so in love. She had to admit they were still kind of cute. Lorelai had Luke pinned against the kitchen counter while they hugged. "Good morning," Rory announced her presence since they were at it again.
"Morning," Luke separated from Lorelai, pushing his wife a step toward the table, "You want some pancakes?"
"No, I've got to get going," Rory wanted to forget about last night and get back to her own routine.
"Where?" Lorelai asked, closing her book on the table so Rory wouldn't see she had been researching Luke's sperm count.
"The college fair is this morning," Rory explained.
"So you're going to get yet another Harvard brochure?" Lorelai asked.
"I just want to see if they've changed the pictures," Rory shrugged.
"Weirdo," Lorelai looked at Rory again almost trying to see if she had gotten the wrong baby from the hospital.
"Do you want a ride?" Luke offered.
"No, I have the Saturday bus schedule. I'll be back in plenty of time to help you guys decorate."
Lorelai mock scolded, "No, this is your party. You do not work. You lounge and mock those who are. Have I taught you nothing?"
"Sorry. I'll try to be better. Bye," Rory got a jacket from the foyer.
"OK, bye-bye."
Lorelai eyed their homemade bar, examining the bottles, her old friends, "You know what's really cruel, all this alcohol and I can't have any."
"Hey, this is strictly for our guests," Luke pulled a bottle of vodka out of her hand, "I'm not indulging either, okay. It's been months since my last beer. We are both trying to get pregnant; we are both trying to eat healthy…more me than you…"
"Are you going to help me carry the baby too?" Lorelai smiled, "Tell you what, I'll take the first 6 months you can have the last 3, including labor, that seems more than fair…" Lorelai studied Luke for a minute, then slid her arms around his waist, "Hey, did I ever thank you for standing up for us last night?"
"No," Luke examined Lorelai's face.
Lorelai gave him a long kiss. When she pulled away she looked him dead in his eyes, "Thank you."
Since Rory was headed out the door, Luke didn't see any reason to shy away from the affection, "You're welcome."
Luke's arms tightened around her and Lorelai whispered, "You know, when you rant like that… you are so sexy. I mean it, just irresistible."
"Shut up," Luke teased and they kissed deeply again.
With her jacket on, Rory was about to head out the door, oblivious to the reason why her parent's conversation had gotten so quiet around the corner in the kitchen. She opened the door to find Sookie arrive just in time to enter the Danes den, "Aw, thanks Kitten," She puffed carrying bags and bags of groceries.
"Hey Sookie," Rory stepped aside to let the chef in since her arms were full.
Sookie entered the Danes' kitchen loaded with grocery bags and wasn't surprised to find Luke and Lorelai closely nuzzling by the range top. "Hello," she sing song'd to announce herself not even flinching over their affections.
Luke pulled away from his wife and was suddenly alarmed, "What is she doing in my kitchen?"
"Nice to see you too, Luke," Sookie shot off indignantly, indicating she thought his tone was rude, while setting her supplies on the kitchen table.
Lorelai winced, trying to sooth her husband, "I told you, she wanted to help; she's making some Hors D'oeuvres."
"You said she was doing the cake. I assumed it was at her house or the Inn?"
"It's in the car," Sookie filled in "Don't worry Luke, you won't even know I'm here," as she started unpacking her bags on the kitchen table, their contents seemed endless like Mary Poppins' carpet bag. "Could you run out to my car and get the last few bags, I couldn't carry it all in one trip." Distracted by her ingredients, Sookie commented to her friend, "Lorelai I think you need a bigger table in here," seeing as her supplies barely fit.
With Sookie's clumsy chronology, Luke would not budge, "Didn't I hear a story recently about one of your dishes exploding at the Inn?"
"You told him that," Sookie gasped at Lorelai.
"He's my husband I tell him everything." Turning back to said husband, she tried to calm him, "Now babe. That was a simple miscalculation..."
"She killed a Viking!" Luke hollered "It's the benchmark for gourmets, not arsonists...how do you kill a Viking?" he rhetorically asked Sookie.
"With a really big club?" Lorelai shrugged.
"No, Lorelai, the man said husband and wife, not husband and wife and Sookie! I married you, not Sookie. I adopted Rory, not Sookie!"
"Luke, I don't need supervision!" Sookie scoffed.
Luke countered, "That's debatable. What about all the dish rags you set on fire?"
"I misplaced them, nothing's happened…"
"Well, you misplace them on lit ranges; you misplace them quite a bit according to Jose!" Luke held strong, "...How are we going to remodel this places if its ashes?"
"Well, it would make remodeling that much easier to just start from scratch," Lorelai tried to joke.
"Oh, you're thinking of remodeling?" Sookie asked off topic.
"Not now, Sookie," Lorelai quickly dismissed.
"What about the Chilton bake sale? She set fire to the tablecloth…twice!! You almost burned the school down…..a two-hundred year old school!"
Sookie defended, "You are overreacting; it was just our table! And there was a fountain right there…"
"You mean my half of the table with the stuff I brought for my daughter's bake sale. Your kitchen torch almost set fire to my kid!"
"I didn't set fire to Rory, and I said I was sorry, the table was an accident!"
"Right, once is an accident, twice is a safety hazard, three times, four times, five times??" he ranted sardonically, "You are a disaster, you are too competitive," Luke pointed a finger.
"Enough!" Lorelai hollered, "Luke, it was an accident, both times, really, she won't be using a kitchen torch today, right Sookie?"
"Right."
"Okay, so truce?" Lorelai negotiated.
"Fine with me," Sookie said nonchalantly, since she wasn't the one with the problem.
Luke still fumed, and Lorelai was trying to head him off before the smoke came out of his ears; "Luke, I promise, I will keep constant vigil over her..."
"I don't need a babysitter, Lorelai…" Sookie scoffed.
"Not now Sookie," Lorelai sing song'd, "Luke, no flames I promise."
"How am I supposed to cook any…?" Sookie protested.
Lorelai gave Sookie a final look, "Sookie, please."
Luke warned Sookie with a stern finger, "Keep the food simple."
"I already brought all my ingredients; you won't have to do a thing. Mini orange biscuits with honey-mustard ham and cheddar cheese…."
"Sookie," Luke was about to object again and remind her not to go crazy preparing too much food.
Lorelai pushed Luke toward his own groceries, "Alright, to your separate corners and come out cooking."
"Luke, could you still help me with my other bags from the car…and the cake?" Sookie winced.
Luke glared at his wife, and caved not only to Lorelai, but to her friend as well. He huffed dramatically and went out to get the bags.
Sookie eyed the bottles on the counter, "Hangover?" she asked, as if that was the reason for Luke's sunny disposition.
"Emily," Lorelai informed.
"Aw, right, Moving on," and Sookie went about organizing her ingredients for each dish.
With that fight resolved, Lorelai went upstairs to use the good bathroom and since she was there anyway, she thought for the hell of it she'd take another pregnancy test… just in case.
Negative again, she sighed, tossing the stupid thing in the wastebasket.
Lorelai had been hoping that with Rory's birthday magic it would have been positive. Maybe Lorelai would bargain with Rory to dedicate her second birthday wish to benefit the family. Lorelai decided to put the negative results behind her and to focus on her party, fun, and impending guests; perhaps she could advance a romantic mood with her husband once all this party stuff was behind them.
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Rory arrived to the Chilton Courtyard where just a week before she had been selling baked goods alongside her dad. Getting a new college brochure was the perfect way to clear her head and cheer her up from the previous evening's birthday fiasco. Rory easily passed the other tables and went straight to her number one hope and dream, the Harvard table. "New brochure?" she asked the attendant, who nodded yes.
Rory took the new brochure and held it as if it was precious, as she turned away from the table to amorously flip through the pages and check out the new pictures of the campus, then like a pop up book from hell, Paris Geller suddenly appeared in Rory's face with ever accusatory tone, "What are you doing here?"
"There's a college fair going on, if you'd care to notice."
"No, I mean, what are you doing here?" Paris pointed to the ground in front of the Harvard table.
"I'm getting a new brochure."
"Why?"
"Because they're not selling pizza," Rory shot off with snark, then realized, "Oh no."
"You can't."
"You're applying to Harvard?" it was her worst nightmare to imagine that this stupid rivalry would last into her higher education.
"Yes."
"No!" Rory protested; this insane competition could last another five to six years.
"Ten generations of Gellers have gone to Harvard. I have to go to Harvard. It's practically predestined."
"I can't believe this."
"You can go somewhere else. Go to Brandeis. Brandeis is nice."
"I've only ever wanted to go to Harvard. That's it. Nowhere else," Rory considered her options, maybe she could strike a deal, a lot could happen in their next three years at Chilton, "It's a big school," she offered lamely.
"I guess," Paris admitted begrudgingly.
"We'll probably never see each other," Rory said hopefully.
"You think?" Paris joined in the same hope.
"And if we do, we duck."
"OK," Paris agreed, pleased that they had auxiliary plan. Paris started to walk away then stopped to turn and ask, "Hey...Are you dating Tristin?"
"What? No. No way."
"Do you like him?"
"Not even a little," Rory almost had to laugh.
"Really?"
"Really." Rory stressed.
"OK," before she left Paris complimented, "Hey...Nice party."
Rory had no choice but to accept the praise, "Thanks."
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Rory sighed as she got off the bus back in Stars Hollow. She felt there should be a rule about sucky days around one's birthday. To discover that Pairs was aiming for the same Ivy League school she was; at this rate they'd be roommates. Plus, Paris had the Gellar lineage on her side, to boot; another slap in the face from the haughty, elitist world of Hartford society.
Since the weekend bus made fewer stops, the trip back to Stars Hollow was much faster and Rory arrived in town with some time to spare before she had to return home. Rory went to the bookstore to pick up the books she had ordered as a birthday present to herself. She was confident that no one else would get them for her since they were out of print and she had enlisted Andrew's help in tracking them down. It was a mild day and she decided to relax with her new treasures outside on the gazebo.
As she was making her way to the center of the square, a tall figure appeared beside her with a green apron slung over his shoulder, "Hey."
Rory took notice of Dean, smiled "Hi."
"Where you coming from?"
"Hartford," Rory simply informed, "There was a college fair at my school."
Dean nodded, "New books?" wondering if they were birthday presents.
Rory giggled, "New to me."
"So, how was the party?"
"What?" Rory stopped before heading up the Gazebo steps.
"Well, your birthday was yesterday; I assumed there was a party."
"There was; at my grandmother's."
"Not much fun?" noting the expression on Rory's face.
"Not for me," Rory headed up the steps to sit on a bench, Dean followed her.
"Well, at least you got presents right?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, happy birthday, again…" Dean smiled and headed toward Doose's.
Rory watched him walk away a few steps, then realizing the opportunity before her, a chance to talk to Dean alone, "Dean?"
He turned back, "Yeah?"
"Heya Sugah!" someone called form across the street echoing in the town square.
Rory turned to see Babette, not only one of the most notorious gossips in town, but also her next-door neighbor heading right for the gazebo, "Hey Babette," Rory waved, forcing a smile, then she turned her head toward Dean, and quickly instructed, "Get Down!"
"Huh?"
Rory started pushing him down the stairs, "Go around the other side of the Gazebo, please, hurry."
"Why?" He didn't know why, but Dean followed her urgent request and hid behind the brick and wood landmark, he knelt behind one side of the stairs opposite the diner.
Rory turned back to her neighbor and put on her 100watt smile, "What's up, Babette?"
"Aw, I thought that was our birthday girl!! Shouldn't you be getting ready for the party?"
Hoping her neighbor hadn't seen Dean, Rory quickly rambled, "Um, actually my folks and Sookie had it all under control, so I… went to Hartford, there was a college fair at school."
"College!" Babette gasped, "Oh jeez, you are growing up so fast. Why I remember when you were younger, and you found a dead caterpillar in the yard. Remember how you dressed up like a little angel with the feather wings, going all over town inviting people to his funeral?"
Rory held in her mortification, unsure if Dean could clearly hear the embarrassing story, "Um, Yeah, my dad was humoring me"
"Luke was so sweet to go around the neighborhood with you. It really was a good turn out of a bug." Babette observed, "Oh, honey, I'm sorry, does it pain you to talk about it?"
"No, it's fine, it was a… long time ago," Rory tried to save face.
Dean listened from his hidden location, amused over the story, yet still confused as to why he was huddled against the structure, hiding per Rory's request.
"Gosh you were cute; I wonder if I have any pictures of you all dressed up. I'll go home and look and I can bring'em to the party. Oh, hey you wanna walk home together?"
"Um, well, I just have to stop by the bookstore," Rory fibbed, hopping Babette wouldn't see her books through the railings, "but I'll see you tonight."
"Alright, I'll see ya tonight, birthday girl!!"
"Bye," and Rory let out the biggest sigh as her neighbor walked away. Rory gathered her books and whispered, "Dean, you still here?" She quickly found him wedged in the corner between the stairs and the brick base of the gazebo. She sat down on the stairs so she could talk to Dean through the wood railings. Rory was happy Dean seemed to understand her need for discretion and had chosen to hide on the side away from Miss Patty's Dance studio, forethought or not.
He didn't know why, but he was still there, "Is Tom Cruise going to drop down from a black helicopter."
"I'm so sorry about that."
He saw her piercing blue eyes through the wood, and he knew exactly why he had stayed, "What's with the mission impossible?"
"Nothing, it's just that my parents don't know about you…"
"They don't?"
"Well, I mean I think they do, generally, that you are new to town, they may know that you work at Doose's, but they don't know… you know that we're …" whatever we are, Rory chose her words cautiously, "You know, friendly."
"Okay? But you're parents aren't here?" wondering how the raspy blonde was related to Rory.
"I know, but you may have noticed how talkative the town is. We're just one big gossip burg and everyone is in everyone else's business and well, Babette is one of the gossip queens and well, I guess… I just wanted to protect you…"
"…and yourself??" Dean countered.
"You have to understand, she's my neighbor; if she saw you, my folks would know immediately and…"
Dean tried to understand what kind of friendship they had, that she couldn't just tell her folks that they were friends, "Um, so I should just ignore you when your folks are around? Or when anyone is around?"
"No!" she said too quickly, "Um, that is I just haven't you know told them…" changing the subject to avoid the hole she was walking into, "Listen, I just wanted to talk to you…without anyone around?"
"Should we scour the gazebo for microphones first?" Dean joked.
"No, but, well," Rory wasn't going to exactly invite Dean to her party, how would that look. So many questions from her parents, they had freaked at the mere idea of a boy in Rory's life. She knew she could tell her folks anything, but this had to be handled delicately, especially after how her dad reacted when Tristan merely took her hand. Granted Tristan was being an annoying smart ass and deserved it, but Rory liked Dean, and didn't want her father's good intentions to drive him away. "I'm having a party tonight, that is my parents are having it for me… and well, I was wondering if you'd …"
Dean shrank a bit because he couldn't attend her party, "I work tonight…"
As Rory simultaneously said, "…meet me after?"
"…After?" Dean was already disappointed that he couldn't attend, but then even more so that Rory didn't want him to come to the main event anyway; confused as to why they had to be so low key about seeing each other. "So you weren't even going to invite me to the actual party?"
Rory's entire body felt like wiggly jello, but through her nerves she was determined, "Look, I'm new to this… and I just don't know how my parents will react when they found out I have a … friend… who is a boy… I mean, most of my friends are girls, and they're used to my friends being girls and this sort of rocks the boat; they're very… protective of me." Rory didn't want to complicate things by getting into the whole story of her mother's teenage pregnancy and her adoptive father. Rory decided to just be honest, "I just sort of wanted to see you …but my parents can't know yet… I mean they'll be at my party, and they'll ask me to introduce you and right now I really don't know what to say…"
"Rory…" Dean wanted to stop her rambling.
"Yeah?" he hates me.
"I can meet you after."
"Really?" Rory said relieved, "When?" Rory found herself looking forward to meeting with Dean more than the blowout her parents had planned.
"Well, I'm closing tonight," Dean explained, "I can swing by after my shift."
"You won't get in trouble with your folks, will you?" Rory asked concerned.
"No, since I'm working I have a valid alibi; though your house is a slight detour," he said dryly since he lived right off the main square.
"Alright, I'll try to excuse myself; I'll meet you on the side of the house where my room is. The front right corner?"
"I get off at 10, so 10:30?" Dean said through the wooden railing.
"Great, I'll see you then," Rory smiled, just before she got up, "Oh, wait a few minutes to leave okay, so no one will see that we were… you know talking," and Rory hurried in the direction Babette had headed a few minutes before. Dean waited it out, laughing at the situation himself. There was just something about this Danes girl that he liked and made him want to know more.
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Later that evening at the Danes Den, the party was getting underway;Lane was already playing DJ in the living room; the thumping music made the Danes Den even more inviting to the expected guests. "Now my queen, we also have this darling feather boa, which you can use to highlight your gestures as you order your subjects around, 'get me a soda, let them eat cake', and other queenly phrases."
Rory smiled at her mother's fun, but she was thinking ahead to her meeting with Dean. "Mom?"
"Hmm?" Lorelai put the finishing touch on her already beautiful birthday girl by placing a tiara that read "Happy Birthday" on Rory's head,
"How did Dad ask you out?"
Lorelai smiled at her daughter, "You know the story…it was at the diner, it was lunch; it was a very busy day when this person…"
Rory watched her mother in the mirror, "Yeah, I know that, but how long did he wait till he asked you out like for a date?"
"I'd say about a month?"
Rory tried to calculate how long she had known Dean and how long it had been since she bluntly declared her interest in him. She counted how many times they had talked and hung out, "Why did he take so long?" Rory was asking about her father and about Dean.
Lorelai was too occupied with her daughter's appearance to realize that her daughter was drawing parallels to a current situation, "I don't know; I always figured it was because he was so shy. He didn't know how to approach me, dazzling creature that I am. Besides I was his customer, I bought his wares, you know, that would change the dynamic between us."
Rory shrugged a shoulder, "It didn't change that much, you always said it was better?"
Lorelai found a necklace in her daughter's jewelry box, "Well, yeah, because I got free refills of coffee and I got to put things on a tab," Lorelai clasped the decorative chain around Rory's neck as Rory automatically moved her hair. "…And got to date the most desirable, most eligible man in Stars Hollow."
Rory pressed again, letting her hair fall back down her back once the necklace was secure, "But it was more than that right? I mean you didn't marry Dad just for the convenience and appearance."
"Of course not," Lorelai sweetly assured, thinking back on it all, "He's my soul mate; he was designed to be the best coffee brewer just for me. You know how much I love him," Lorelai paused, "Is something on you your mind, Hon??"
Rory thought about her crush on Dean. Technically they both were each other's customers; they both bought each other's wares. Was that why Dean was taking so long to ask her out? He didn't want to damage their fiscal relationship? … If he was indeed interested in her that way; Rory already told him she was interested, and what was his reaction? She didn't know, she had run away; Dean had no reason to be shy, and he seemed to be willing to talk to her, even respected her need for discretion at the gazebo. Rory finally said to her mother, "I just hope you and dad get what you want. You know …"
"We will," Lorelai said positively, but the end of the year was drawing closer. Maybe they just had to accept the doctor's appointment and specialists' help to get their prize child.
In her mother's reflection, Rory saw the love and admiration on her mother's face, "You're really happy? Aren't you, mom?"
Lorelai's first instinct was to jokingly scoff, how could you even ask such a question, but she really considered the question, and she was confident there was no better man for her than the one she said "I do." to three years ago, "Yeah, kid I am." Rory noticed Lorelai was absently playing with her wedding rings again.
Lane came in, "Hey, cute tiara! I need more CDs."
Lorelai smiled at their DJ's enthusiasm, "There are more upstairs."
"I'm on it," As Lane went out Luke came in.
"Alright, some people are going to have to settle for standing, I've moved several seats from Babette's place including Morey's piano bench."
"How do I look"?" Rory asked her father.
"Like you're growing up too fast."
Luke and Lorelai both admired their daughter, Lorelai put an arm around the guest of honor, "Alright me lady, your public awaits."
The house was filled with loud music and their closest friends from Stars Hollow. Luke was ever the reluctant host, but for the sake of his daughter's party, he smiled and nodded, socialized, freshened drinks and even replenished Sookie's hors d'oeuvres.
"Happy birthday, Rory!" the crowd cheered when Rory appeared. Rory greeted and hugged and caught up with some of her favorite Stars Hollow inhabitants, then her mother led the crowd in a chant, "Presents, Presents, Presents."
Lorelai set Rory up in an easy chair like a throne, and humbly from the floor handed her daughter gift after gift while Luke was content to lean on the arm of the couch beside his wife.
"Open it, open it, open it!" Lorelai led the crowd in the chant.
Rory opened a small box from her parents, "My own cell phone!"
Luke smiled at his daughter, "It's already activated, and if you don't like your ring tone, it's because your mother picked it!"
"…But wait there's more!!" Lorelai enticed encouraging Rory to open another box from her folks.
Rory tore the paper, to reveal a new laptop computer, in disbelief she shouted, "No!"
"Just remember," Luke teased, "We can take it back."
"No! I love it! It's perfect," Rory tackled her mother and father, "It's blue and it has a handle. It's so pretty."
"The prettier your school work will be," Lorelai chuckled as she straightened up from the hug.
"It's way too expensive."
Luke offered dryly, "I know, that's what I told the guy at the store."
"Thank you both so much!!"
Other gifts had been opened, more 'thank you's and hugs were exchanged, and when the coffee table was cleared, Sookie brought out the cake with Rory's portrait in the icing while everyone sang happy birthday and Rory made her wish.
"All right, everybody, I need your attention, your attention please. This is a very serious moment." All eyes fell on Lorelai, "Two priests, a rabbi and a duck…"
"Lorelai," Her husband admonished but chuckled at the same time.
"Alright, alright; we want to thank you all for coming, and I would like to propose a toast to my little girl without whom I couldn't have landed my wonderful husband. No, I'm kidding, okay serious," Lorelai let the words come from her heart, "To the one thing in our lives that is always good, always sweet, and without whom Luke and I would have no reason to get up in the morning. She's our hope, our joy, the sunshine of our lives …"
Miss Patty heckled, "and here's hoping you have three more just like her," egging on their baby trials.
Everyone shared in the laughter while Luke shook his head, and Lorelai raised her glass, "Cheers, baby girl."
Others raised their glasses as well, "Happy birthday, Rory."
"And in honor of this very special girl, I now invite you all to help me eat her face," gesturing to the cake with Rory's icing portrait on it.
The doorbell rang, while Rory started carving the cake. "There's something very disturbing about hacking into my own head."
Sookie seemed to realize, "Oh, my angel wings are still in the kitchen."
Luke said dryly "Is that because you've had so many accidents you should be dead."
"You're so funny, Luke."
"Sookie we have enough desserts." Luke followed her into the kitchen, both ignoring the door; the doorbell rang again.
The doorbell rang again, and Lorelai laughed at the absurdity of both Luke and Sookie missing the opportunity to answer the door, and at the formality of one of her neighbors to ring the bell, "Jeez, who the hell's ringing the bell?" Lorelai raised her voice, "It's a party! Get your ass in here!" Lorelai savored the final moments of Rory carving into her own face. Then Lorelai turned around to the new arrivals to find it was her parents, "Or asses, I guess." Lorelai could tell by the look on her mother's face, that wasn't exactly the proper way to receive guests into one's home.
Rory was so surprised to see them; they left things so uncertain the night before, "Grandma! Grandpa! I can't believe you're here, I'm so glad you came." Rory went to hug them in greeting, "Hey, no tie?"
"I thought I'd mix it up a little."
"Grandma, look," Rory showed Emily that she's wearing the bracelet Emily bought for her. Rory had slipped it on as soon as she unwrapped it.
"Why, it looks lovely," offering her granddaughter a kind smile.
"I want you to meet everyone," Rory informally announced to the room, "Everyone, these are my grandparents."
There was a group speak of greeting, "Hi" and raised glasses, not a curtsey or a bow among them.
"You are just in time for cake, I'll cut you guys a slice," Rory went back to the coffee table.
Miss Patty came over, "I'm Patricia LaCosta; we just love your granddaughter and her parents."
"Thank you," Emily said primly.
Patty turned to Richard, "My God, you're a tall specimen of a man. Must be all that good air in Hartford. What is it with you Gilmore women getting all the good prey?"
"I beg your pardon?" Emily asked confused.
"Mom, Dad, can I get you a drink?" Lorelai offered stiffly, hoping she sounded polite.
"No, thank you," Emily refused, still eyeing Miss LaCosta.
Lorelai needed a reason to leave her mother's side, "Oh, no, Mom, you're going to need one and I have wine glasses that say "Holiday Inn" on them."
"Stoli on the rocks with a twist," Emily declared as her eyes scanned the crowd that occupied her daughter's home, wondering how on earth she was to socialize with such…people, wondering what influence this kind of society had on her granddaughter's upbringing.
"Right," Lorelai quickly excused herself to seek out her husband for support. When Lorelai came into her kitchen and she wasn't surprised to find Luke and Sookie arguing.
"It's called Chruscik, Sookie!"
"Well, they are light like angel wings hence they are called angel wings."
"Have you met many angels with crunchy wings? Look, my aunt married into a polish family, it's called Chruscik and they aren't served with dipping sauce, you throw some powdered sugar on it and you're done. We've already got your cake out there, we don't need …"
Lorelai awkwardly announced, "Um, OK, uh, my parents are here."
The argument came to a halt, "What?" Luke said disarmed, his in-laws were at his house.
"No!" Sookie gasped in excited disbelief.
"Yeah, and I've already cursed in front of them twice and Miss Patty already tried to hit on my dad, and I'm sure my mom is going to call Child Protective Services."
Luke went to Lorelai, and caught sight of the Gilmores socializing with the Stars Hollow rabble over Lorelai's shoulder. Emily and Richard seemed to be sticking close together, casting disapproving glances in all directions. Lorelai put her head on her husband's shoulder, "This was supposed be the fun, relaxed party."
"When was the last time they were here?" Sookie asked.
Lorelai's answer was muffled in Luke's flannel.
"What?" Sookie asked.
"Never," Lorelai lifted her head.
"Not once?"
"Not since Rory and I moved here. I mean, they'd come down and visit us occasionally when Rory was a baby and we lived at the inn, but they have never been here."
"Wow. That's big stuff," Sookie smiled optimistically.
"How's Rory?" Luke asked concerned that Emily was still bitter and venomous over the previous night's party.
"Through the roof," Lorelai said morosely at her husband.
Emily entered the kitchen, "Lorelai, I just tried some of these hors d'oeuvres. They're unbelievable. Who is your caterer?"
Her mother actually thought she hired a caterer? So much for "pudding" and knowing her so damn well; "Well, Luke made stuff and so did Sookie."
"What's a Sookie?" Emily asked.
"That's a Sookie," Gesturing to the redhead by the sink.
"Hi. Sookie St. James," Sookie offered her hand, "I've heard so much about you, Mrs. Gilmore…" then stopped shore before she divulged Lorelai's colorful story telling of her mother.
"Sookie's the chef at the inn, Mom."
"My dear, you are very talented," Emily adopted her haughty tone.
"Luke made stuff too!" Lorelai interjected, defending her husband's talents, yet again.
Emily ignored the comment, "Well, you must cater my next party. When my friends get wind of you you're going to have so much business you won't know what to do with yourself. But remember…I discovered you."
"Mom, Sookie has a job. She's been discovered, she's the chef at the inn." Emily continued to look at Lorelai blankly, "The inn where we work …my inn. Six days a week, Mom." Lorelai turned to Sookie, "Just give her your number or we'll never get out of here."
Emily suddenly look perturbed, Luke noticed her eyes were on his arms around his wife. Luke quickly removed them, and politely nodded, "Mrs. Gilmore."
"Luke," she replied with disdain bubbling just below the surface; apparently she wasn't over his outburst from the night before.
"I'm going to take this in to Dad," Lorelai grabbed a glass of Miss Patty's founder's day punch. Emily chose to ignore Luke and talk up Sookie.
Lorelai decided to deliver a drink to her father, and she found her father inspecting the fireplace. "So, how does it look?"
"Hmm, looking very well."
"Luke fixed it a few years ago; it nearly collapsed in on itself. Ever since he moved in," Lorelai caught herself from divulging too much, since her parents didn't know they had been living in "sin" before they were joined as husband and wife, "You know after the wedding, when we were married, … uh he really took a sense of pride in this place, you know, a man's home is his castle and all that… which is why we renamed it the Danes Den."
The look on her father's face told Lorelai she had given him way too much information, or as if she had grown another head, "Drink up, Dad," handing him a Holiday Inn wine glass with his drink in it. Then Lorelai saw Luke heading toward the door to grab his jacket from the foyer table.
Lorelai pushed through her friends to get to him, "Luke… baby, where are you going?"
"We're out of ice."
"How could we be out of ice? We had a ton of ice. It was like a penguin habitat in there."
"Did you ever think maybe people used it? Or that it could have melted," Luke said dryly, as he slipped his arms into the sleeves of his coat. "I knew I should have bought more; a good rule of thumb is you can never have too much ice."
"Yes, hindsight is very 20/20, but Luke, you can't leave me alone with my mother," she whispered harshly.
"I'll be right back, as the father of the birthday girl and host; I have to deal with it."
"I thought we were supposed to handle things as a team…I'll come too," wanting to grab her coat from the foyer table.
Luke put his hand over the hook preventing her from claiming her coat, "Lorelai, you have to play hostess for the other guests, just stay on the opposite side of the house from your mother," Luke pecked at her lips, and was out the door.
Lorelai turned and saw her mother standing in the hall between the kitchen and the living room, obviously she had seen them. Emily looked particularly smug, no doubt Emily the hawk had seen or worse heard her son-in-law's comment, "Oh, hi, Mom."
Emily just stared at her daughter.
"Um, I'm going to help Sookie," and Lorelai headed back to the kitchen.
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Luke had returned with arms full of ice, politely nodding to his father-in-law who settled on the porch bench.
"Richard."
"Luke."
Rory opened the door for her dad, Rory found Richard outside on the porch, "Grandpa?"
"Rory, what a lovely party."
"I've been looking for you?" Rory noticed the chill in the air, "Aren't you cold?"
"Well, I felt the need for some fresh air, all those people in there, and it's much quieter out here," Richard awkwardly stated, the truth was he was simply trying to escape the advances from the rather forward Ms. LaCosta, whom Richard understood to be unmarried. Richard barely spoke to his granddaughter before these weekly dinners; while the recent conversation in his study put him at ease with Rory, he wasn't quite ready to bond with the entirety of Stars Hollow. Richard wasn't in the habit of socializing outside his social circle. .
Things seemed better between him and Rory and that was enough for him; it was like back when Rory had just turned twelve, but Richard had always attributed Rory's cheerful disposition to her relationship with Luke, making her more comfortable around male figures. Rory was a good start, and maybe over the course of these dinners he would learn more about Luke and Lorelai and have a more comfortable relationship with them once again.
"Well, I brought you something to read."
Richard turned to his granddaughter surprised by the gesture, "Oh, that's very …thoughtful of you, Rory. Thank you."
"It's not the Wall Street Journal, but… it's a stack of Dad's sport magazines. It's got a lot of interesting articles, really gets inside the player's heads."
"Well, I appreciate this, thank you," Richard took out his reading glasses from his jacket.
"And here's my copy of Don Quixote, Dad and I were reading it last summer."
"Cervantes?" Richard was surprised. Richard knew his granddaughter was bright and bookish but he was relieved that she hadn't turned into one of those teenagers who only cared about celebrity gossip or the latest death rocker tour. He was also impressed Luke adapted to the role of "father" so well, took a real interest in fostering her reading habit and the two used it as a platform to bond and learn together..
Rory offered her grandpa a smile, and stood to head back inside, "Oh, I should warn you, there maybe a swimsuit issue in there… just a heads up," and Rory went inside, giggling that maybe the swimsuit issue would keep her grandpa warm.
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Rory had returned to the living room in time to hear her gathered neighbors sharing stories about her youth, "So there was Lorelai freezing her keister off in that wonder woman costume," Babette cackled.
"Yeah, that wasn't one of my more brilliant ideas," Lorelai endured the humiliation.
"Oh, Morey, you remember the time that Rory decided that our old tree stump was a fairy ring?"
"I sure do," The mellow musician concurred.
"How old was she then, sugar?" Babette asked Lorelai as she delivered a drink to a guest.
"I think she was about 10," Lorelai said, admiring their daughter, as she went to join her husband sitting on the armrest of his chair, putting her arm around his shoulders, and Luke automatically put his arm around her as well. Lorelai thought how sad it was that Luke wasn't around back then. Still he eagerly listened to his daughter's early misadventures. He always liked it when people told stories about young Rory; it was his way of catching up on the years he had missed before the Gilmore girls came into his life. Lorelai couldn't wait till she and Luke could recount stories about their new baby to their friends and neighbors, they just had to conceive that baby first.
Rory defended herself, "Hey, all I know is that it matched the description from the library book."
"Oh, God, she was cute," Babette gushed, "She used to sit out there with a peanut butter sandwich just waiting for the fairy to get hungry."
"OK, new story," Rory said mildly embarrassed.
Miss Patty piped up, "I'm still crushed beyond belief that she quit her ballet lessons."
"Oh, not me," Lorelai disagreed, "'Miss Perfect Work Ethic' would prance around this room 24 hours a day."
"And I still stunk," Rory concurred.
"That's not true!" Miss Patty defended.
"She was pretty bad," Morey chimed in.
"No, don't you listen to them. You had a true gift," Patty said authoritatively.
"Too bad she doesn't have Luke's rhythm."
"Lorelai!" Luke admonished.
"What, you're a great dancer," sending at suggestive wink to Patty and Babette who laughed together.
As the crowd shared in the laugh, Lorelai saw her mother head upstairs, withdrawing from the friendly ensemble. Emily looked upset for some reason. Lorelai felt better knowing where her mother was and what she was discovering about their Stars Hollow life on her own. Wondering if her mother was snooping in her and Luke's bedroom, she followed, "Mom?"
Emily was in the bedroom, holding a quilt that had been slung over the foot of the bed frame.
"I made that," Lorelai quietly admitted.
"Really?"
"From Rory's old baby clothes."
"How nice. I hope you washed them first."
"Oh, rats. I knew I forgot something," Lorelai joked, and she was rewarded with a small smile from her mother, a sign that Emily knew she was being too much of a mother. Perhaps if it was just Emily and Lorelai one on one, they could recapture the magic of pudding.
"That's quite an assortment of characters you've assembled down there."
"They're great people," the Stars Hollow surrogate family that adopted her and Rory, sympathetic to her desperate situation of 15 years ago.
"I noticed the pictures of Rory around the house…"
"And of Luke."
"Yes," Emily admitted, there was seldom a picture when Rory was without one of her…parents. She choked on the word in her mind. It was obvious in the photographs littered all over the house how seriously Luke took his role as a parent and male role model for Rory. Emily would hate to admit that she was wrong, but her daughter had really put together a wonderful family for Rory, no matter what her opinion of Luke was."I liked the one of you at the gazebo, from your wedding day," Emily recalled being present when the photo was taken.
"I like that one too," progress, Lorelai and Emily had agreed on something, "You know, he hung them, too."
"I imagine he can be…pretty handy," Emily strained to compliment him after his despicable behavior the previous night.
Lorelai went to the closet, "Hang on," and she pulled out a box, "Here's some more, you want to… look through them?"
In the bedroom, seating was limited; Lorelai had no problem sitting on her bed, but she noticed Emily seemed apprehensive to sit on the mattress that Luke and Lorelai shared.. So Lorelai pulled over the seat from her vanity for Emily, while she sat on the bed.
Lorelai pulled out a photo of Luke and Rory dancing at the reception. "I like this one too."
Emily smiled, noting how dark it was in the background of the picture, "Was this after we left?"
Lorelai happily retold the story, "I think so. Rory insisted on yet another dance with Luke. About ten minutes later, Rory sacked out at Lane's."
"Her friend, Lane."
"Yes," Lorelai nodded; pleased her mother was putting forth some effort to learn.
Emily sifted through a few more photos, with Lorelai providing colorful commentary. Camping Trips, Town Festivals, a Christmas Procession; then one was pulled from the box of Lorelai in a cast; "What's this?"
"Well, that's me, Mom."
"I know that's you. You're wearing a cast."
Lorelai winced as her mother hit that indignant register like nails on a chalkboard, "Yeah, that's when I broke my leg."
"You broke your leg?"
Emily was ruining the nice moment they were having, "Yeah, a few years ago during a yoga class. The headstand portion took a very ugly turn. The good thing was I brought the smug, blonde, pretzel chick down with me. I've since learned that I'm a bit too competitive for yoga."
"I never knew that you broke your leg."
"It was no big deal, Mom."
Emily asked sarcastically, "Has Rory broken anything I should know about?"
Giving an honest answer, Lorelai winced, "her arm?"
"Her arm?" Emily repeated, she had meant the question as a joke.
"Yeah, you see, there was this… tree, and she fell …"
"She fell out of a tree and you never told me?" Emily repeated indignantly. "What was my only grandchild doing in a tree?"
Lorelai paused at the phrase, "only grandchild" but tried to explain, "Mom, she only wore a cast for a few weeks; it didn't even affect her GPA, she's fine."
"I didn't ask if it affected her GPA, I asked what was she doing in a tree? Why wasn't Luke there to stop her?"
Suddenly it was Luke's fault Rory broke her arm? Lorelai countered, "Well, because he doesn't wear blue tights."
Emily then posed, "Has Luke broken anything during your marriage?"
"Well, no, not during, but he did in high school. That's kind of how he helped Rory through her broken arm. He taught her never to use a pencil to try scratch an itch."
"Lorelai Gilmore…"
"Danes," Lorelai corrected again, and the women stared at each other, Lorelai begging her mother not to ruin the brief nice moment they were having. Finally offering, "If any of us had been really sick you would have known."
"Of course," Emily couldn't believe her daughter, couldn't trust her that the polite promise would have been true. Their lives, Rory and Lorelai's, had been altered for a period of time for a medical aliment. By Emily's definition that was sick, and not so much as a phone call. What else was Lorelai keeping from her?
Emily looked around at the sparse patches of clutter, "You know, you could get a maid in here once a week to at least tidy the place up."
"We like it cluttered. Makes it easier to find things," Lorelai thanked her mother, "It was nice that you came tonight, Mom. It meant a lot. To Rory. Really."
"Well, she is my only grandchild, after all. I should be here."
Lorelai tried not to react to the singular of grandchild. Here it was, a safe, nice moment that Lorelai could tell Emily of the Plan. Lorelai tried to form the words, you know mom, you may have more in your future…it was as simple as that, but all that came out was a heartfelt, "Uh, yeah. You should be here. ."
Emily lovingly placed the pictures in the box. rose from her seat, Emily started to fold up the quilt Lorelai had made.
"Leave it," Lorelai insisted, a small protest, a sign that Emily couldn't control the condition of this house, or the lives of its inhabitants.
Emily released the blanket from her grasp, tried to smile at her daughter, "Excuse me."
Lorelai was alone again and took a deep breath. She was a big, deep fried chicken. She heard a legend that there are people who actually get along with their folks; Rory was a prime example of that. Why couldn't Lorelai and Emily be in that select few? Why couldn't Lorelai just suck it up and tell her mother she and her husband wanted to have a baby.
Lorelai figured the moment with her mother had passed; she'd have to wait for another opportunity. She was about to head down stairs to rejoin her guests. She turned to leave, then Emily came charging out of the bathroom back into the bedroom, holding a pregnancy test in her hands, with a barrier of toilet tissue, "What on earth is this?"
Lorelai was having flashbacks of when Emily found out Lorelai was pregnant at sixteen. Lorelai scoffed, "You went through my garbage! That is low, especially for you! Don't you have staff to do that?"
Emily held up the pregnancy test again, and bitingly barked back "Stay on topic, why was this staring at me from the trash can?"
"Well, it doesn't have eyes so…"
"Do not be cute! You should really dispose of these properly if you don't want people to know…you're hosting a party for pity's sake."
"Well, everyone knows to use the downstairs bathroom," Lorelai was unnerved at her mother's snooping and discovery, not in the mood for another lecture about Luke's horrible background.
"That is hardly practical for the number of people you invited, and I was already up here."
She couldn't believe it they were arguing over the number of bathrooms in her house? Shouldn't they be discussing the test in her hands? Since her moment was ruined anyway, Lorelai refocused her mother on the point; "MOM! You went through my garbage," Lorelai couldn't believe Emily's snobbish gall. Fortunately the music and laughter from the party muffled the argument from the guests downstairs.
To Emily, the ends justified the means, she didn't mean to snoop and find the test but it was there left in plain sight. Emily admonished, "Really to leave a pregnancy test just lying around for anyone to see…"
The bickering twins were back in full force, "MOM! The town knows okay, the town knows … Everyone in town already knows…"
Emily was stunned silent, "Are you… are you pregnant?" Suddenly it became so clear; the last few weeks at Friday night dinner Lorelai had been refusing alcoholic beverages.
"Well, hello my results were staring at you…" Lorelai rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, getting strange sense of déjà vu over the conversation, "You want me to pee on the stick right now to prove it to you!"
"Lorelai," Emily admonished the vulgar suggestion.
"No, mom, I'm not pregnant," Lorelai dismissed quickly, pushing aside her own sense of failure. Hesitantly she admitted, "But …Luke and I have been trying…"
"Trying?" Emily said archly.
"Yes, we've been trying!!" Lorelai was exasperated, it was already uncomfortable to broach the subject of her and Luke having kids to her mother, but to specifically refer to sex in the very room where the trials took place, "We want kids; okay… our own kids… Rory wants a sibling… we are ready to expand our family…jeez, get the lamp out why don't you!"
Emily said primly, "I didn't realize Luke was interested in children," let alone that her daughter was.
Lorelai scoffed sarcastically, "Hello Mom, have you met Luke?" Lorelai knew it was because Emily made no effort to get to know Luke as part of the family. It was almost like Emily still expected Luke to just up and leave and she just had to bide her time till she wouldn't have to see him ever again. Why couldn't Emily just accept they were in love and were going to be together forever?
Lorelai was quick to defend yet another choice that she had made for her own life, trying to head off the return of the judgmental conga line in Emily's head. "What mom? It's what married people do, most married people," not wanting to think of her parents making the beast with two backs to give her a sibling. Luke and Lorelai had decided this together, this is what they wanted and not even Emily Gilmore would stop them. Though Lorelai had been correct in her fears that Emily would be critical of yet another "bad decision".
"I see," as usual Emily was always the last one to know, and that hurt her deep inside. Her own daughter felt the need to hide her desire for more children. "When was this decided?"
"Our last anniversary," Lorelai knew her mother wouldn't appreciate the effort she had put into the "Pass my test" bit she gave as her gift to Luke, so she didn't bother to tell her.
"Why didn't you say anything," Emily needed a reason why Lorelai always felt the need to keep things from her.
"Well, you weren't directly related to the decision making process. I didn't think you'd want to know, about me and Luke's …you know, personal business," Lorelai shifted uncomfortably. Lorelai sunk to the bed beside her mother, "Besides, nothing's happened yet, so what was the point of bringing it up? I figured if anything happened then we could let you know then…" Lorelai didn't want to tell Emily how hard it had been to conceive. Didn't want to give her more ammo against Luke; in Emily's opinion, if Luke was unable to provide for his family with the Chilton tuition, came from an undesirable, no name family and now he couldn't live up to traditional husband duties. Or Emily would add this as another failure on the constant tally of Lorelai's perceived failures on Emily's list.
"Just like you let me know about your broken leg?" Emily became quiet and absently sat down on the edge of the bed absorbing the news. She was shocked, her daughter wanted more children and Luke was going to provide them. Emily absently had started playing with a patchwork comforter lying on the edge of the bed. She then examined the fabric in her hands made from Rory's old baby clothes. Emily didn't know what else to say, but she was softening to the idea, another grandchild; that would be a new beginning, perhaps a fresh start for all members of her tempestuous family.
Emily then realized, "Your anniversary was in July…"
"Yes, Mom, I know."
"Are you two having… problems?"
Lorelai stiffly admitted her and Luke's failures, "It's more challenging than we expected."
"Given how quickly this happened for you in high school …"
Lorelai warned Emily, "Do not go there." Why do you do that? Take something happy and beautiful, that would usually bring a family together, and you twist it into something hateful.
"Well, have you seen your doctor? A Specialist?"
"Mom," Lorelai droned, she didn't want to get into the complications they had run into, because frankly at this point they didn't know anything.
"Well, I have to ask, what is being done? What is the problem?"
"We've been to the doctor; it just takes time," Like everything else, Emily had to spoil it. Had to be critical, had to be judgmental, had to be …Emily.
"You've had since July."
"Well I was on birth control for a while it still may be in my system," Lorelai latched on to the excuse as her only hope.
"Lorelai…"
"Mom, please just stop."
Emily started musing to herself, "Josie Brandforth's son is a Doctor, I wonder if he knows someone."
"Mom…"
"And I'm on the hospital board, perhaps I could ask around, if you like?"
"Mom, it's taken care of…"
"It's not taken care of; three months later you're results are still negative. Maybe with the New Year, I could get you an appointment and…"
"And what? You'll pay for any necessary treatments? Then you, me, Luke, Rory and the baby can have tea every Sunday?"
"I only want to help you, Lorelai. There is no ulterior motive."
"Then help by butting out!"
"Lorelai, I…"
"I don't want to hear it! This is our family and you can't just waltz in as some great savior when we have it under control!" Lorelai was so defensive, she completely missed that her mother was actually trying to be supportive. Lorelai had gone with her gut instinct, that her mother discovering Luke and Lorelai's little project would be trouble. She had enough of her own fears and Luke's fears and Rory's fears, she didn't need Emily to pile on or meddle or make things worse.
Emily was so aghast at Lorelai's tone she left the room straight away.
Lorelai blew out a breath. She knew she shouldn't have snapped like that, but such was their volatile relationship. She was trying to defend her and Luke's abilities to have a child. She didn't want to go to the doctor and it be anyone's fault, she just wanted it to happen already. Lorelai went down stairs to rejoin her guests. Maybe she would try to make up with her mother, maybe she'd save it for another day.
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After taking a couple of minutes to gather her own thoughts in the downstairs bathroom, not really keen on returning to the one upstairs in case she was to discover yet another thing about Lorelai's life that her daughter seemed so determined to keep from her own mother, Emily sought out Richard to take her home. She found him reading a magazine on the porch, "Richard… it's time to go."
"Just a moment," Richard was discreetly admiring the swimsuit issue, but realized he had to go so he reluctantly put it down.
Emily turned to find Rory standing in the Foyer wit h Lane, "Rory, we're going to get going now."
"Thank you for coming." Rory smiled and hugged her grandmother.
"Thank you for asking me. Happy Birthday, Rory. Enjoy the bracelet," Emily said sincerely but forced a smile just the same, she needed some time to reflect on all she had learned in Stars Hollow.
Richard stood from the bench, "Ah, lovely party. I enjoyed the reading material immensely." Rory then hugged him, and he accepted the awkward hug with his granddaughter. Before she pulled away he handed her another check "For Fez," he said simply.
Rory had to protest, "Grandpa, you already took care of that."
"Fez is a very large city. Happy Birthday."
Lorelai noticed the shadows on the porch and her and Luke joined their daughter, "Hey, so are you guys leaving? The mud wrestling starts in ten minutes," Lorelai joked, while avoiding eye contact with her mother.
"Good night, Lorelai. We had a lovely time."
"And with a straight face you said that."
Emily didn't react to Lorelai's attempt at jokes. Emily wasn't in a joking mood in that moment; not only had Lorelai kept something from her, but even when Emily offered a helping hand it had been slapped away. The Stars Hollow trio watched as Emily and Richard walked to their car.
"So..." Rory said innocently, "…Food fight?"
"Absolutely," Lorelai agreed with the plan; she just needed something outrageously fun to get her mother's discovery out of her head.
Luke quickly trailed behind… "No, No food fight! Absolutely not!"
Lorelai sighed as she watched her mother climb into their car, Lorelai looked around at her friends and neighbors laughing and having a good time. She didn't know what she felt like, there was still fun to be had being around other people, but now the cat was out of the bag. Her mother knew her deep dark secret, and she didn't know what was going to happen next Friday night.
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Richard opened the car door for his wife and Emily sat in the passenger side and sulked over Lorelai's disclosure.
Richard got in on the driver's side and buckled up, noticed how quiet Emily was; "Emily? Everything alright?"
"She's right," Emily's voice broke, "I don't know my daughter at all." Something was missing from their relationship; that trust to share absolutely anything with each other. Emily was envious of the high level of trust between Lorelai and Rory, even more so that it also seemed present between Rory and her adoptive father.
Emily didn't know how to explain to her husband that Lorelai and Luke planned to have a baby. It wasn't like there was any news to tell, since the baby in question hadn't even been conceived yet; but babies had always been a sensitive subject, even before Lorelai's situation in 1984.
Emily quickly calculated how long ago her daughter's anniversary had been, yet her thoughts drifted further back to that time, long ago, when Emily found herself obsessing over birthing a baby.
Why was it taking so long for Lorelai? What had happened in the delivery room when Rory arrived? Did Lorelai have to face the same decisions Emily and Richard had to during Lorelai's birth; on her own, sixteen, open and bleeding and scared?
Perhaps Emily could have helped back then had she been allowed in the delivery room? Perhaps she could offer some perspective now, if only her daughter would let her in.
Emily suppressed her thoughts and feelings of the distant past and accepted, yet again, the things that could not be changed, "We should go. Traffic."
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Rory was anxious, she was a little late. She hoped that she hadn't missed Dean in the yard. Maybe he waited, figured I wasn't coming and went home.
Suddenly there was a rustle of branches and just as Rory thought she was about to be attacked by a rabid wolf, she saw it was him. "Oh you scared me!"
"Sorry, I didn't think you wanted your dad to see. He had been out on the porch a few minutes ago."
"I'm sorry, I had to help clean up a bit, and then Sookie insisted that I shouldn't since I was still wearing the crown." Then self-consciously Rory removed the birthday tiara from her head, and smoothed out her hair.
Dean laughed, "Hey, I got you something."
"You didn't have to get me anything."
"Sorry, that's the rules. You get older, you get a gift," and he handed her the small box.
"I'm sorry about this sort of… sneaky thing. I just haven't told them, I mean, not that there's anything to tell. I just…"
"That's okay. This is better," Dean whispered.
Rory couldn't explain the tingly feeling all through her, she hoped her hands would stay steady as she unwrapped the gift.
"Oh my God. It's beautiful," she pulled out the bracelet from the box.
"Well, I bought the medallion and I just cut some leather straps and drilled a hole, and well…" Like an artist trying to explain his piece. There really wasn't any symbolism to it, he just wanted to make her something himself, "You like it?
Her mother had made things for her in the past, costumes and dresses, but this was a boy taking the time to make her a gift. Rory was overwhelmed, "I … it's amazing."
"Good."
"Thank you so much," she was staring into his eyes for a moment.
Dean easily could have been distracted by her gaze, but suggested "Here, let me put it on you."
Rory offered Dean her wrist and he tied it around her. Their eyes met again as they smiled at each other. Rory had been so busy looking into his eyes, she hardly noticed when Dean took her hand, the hand he had just put the bracelet on, and held it.
There she was, holding hands with a boy, she didn't know how long it would last but she enjoyed every second she got to talk with Dean one on one.
Yeah, the sneaky thing was definitely much better.
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Luke entered their bedroom from cleaning up after the party, he seemed to be fuming, "Thanks for all your help cleaning up," he shot to his wife, who was already curled up in bed.
After their guests had left, Lorelai didn't feel much like being on cleanup crew. Sookie had told her she had it under control so Lorelai went upstairs. "I'm sorry," the then explained, "my mother and I… had a thing."
"A thing? And that's excuse enough to leave all the dishes to me! You know I hate it when my hands get all dried out and pruney!" Luke examined his hands.
"Then use some of my moisturizer, and get off my back," Lorelai shot back.
Luke argued, "For Christmas I'm getting you a dishwasher!"
"How romantic…" Lorelai scoffed. Lorelai decided to just get it over with and just tell him straight away, "Look, My mom knows we've been trying…"
"Trying?"
"Yeah, you know… trying…she found my pregnancy tests in the bathroom."
"So… half the town knows we've been trying thanks to someone's big mouth. You buy those pregnancy tests in bulk," Luke said indignantly.
"Hey!"
Luke grunted, "I'm sorry, sorry, I'm just… nothing…" Luke pushed what was on his mind away and asked, "Why? Why do you suddenly care if your mom knows that we've been trying? I mean doesn't this take the pain out of trying to tell her later?"
"Luke, since when do I tell my mother anything that we do …especially …that!" then Lorelai took a moment to sit up against the head board, "I just don't like the idea of her picturing us having sex. I don't know… It didn't go so well. I guess, I wanted it to be a surprise, you know. I just thought maybe… when we have a baby…. Maybe mom and I could start over with another grandchild…forgive the past and she could be there from the beginning for this baby…and not hate me so much for keeping Rory away from her those early years," Lorelai looked up from pouring her heart out to find Luke still pacing. "Luke, are you even listening to me?"
"What?"
"What's with you?" Lorelai asked her snappy, distracted husband.
"Nothing," Luke said quickly with his hands on his hips and kept pacing back and forth at the foot of the bed.
"Luke? Did you have a thing too?"
Luke stopped to look at his wife, gauging if he should reveal what he had just seen downstairs as he was washing the dishes. "Okay," Luke stood at the foot of the bed, folded his hands in front of his mouth, choosing his words carefully, "You know the new bag boy at Doose's'?"
"Umm, no," Lorelai shook her head since Luke and Rory did most of the shopping.
"Okay," Luke said patiently, "Well, there is a new bag boy at Doose's…" he informed.
"Oh yeah, what's his name?" she politely smiled.
"I don't know his name, Lorelai!" Luke shouted.
"Luke, what is the big deal?" she shrugged, "I know you hate Taylor but…"
Luke drew in a deep breath and did what he did best, ranted. "I was downstairs cleaning up from the party, doing dishes that you promised to do! And I look outside the kitchen window and there is Rory with some boy, the new bag boy from Doose's'."
"What?"
"I think it's that guy she likes, the one she almost gave up on Chilton for. I saw them outside together. He gave her a box…I can only assume it's a birthday present…he gave her a bracelet! Put it on her wrist! Is out there right now holding my daughter's hand!" Luke said exasperated, gesturing to the side of the house where the offense occurred. "How long has this been going on?"
"Okay Luke… calm down."
"Calm down? Rory is sneaking out so some strange boy can give my daughter jewelry and you want me to calm down?!"
"Luke, come here," Lorelai patted his side of the bed to invite him to sit.
Reluctantly, Luke sat on the edge, hanging his head. Lorelai crawled over to him and slung her arms around his neck and rubbed his back. Her first mission had to be to put her husband's mind at ease, the next was going to be fishing for information from her daughter, "Luke, we knew this had to happen sooner or later, right? She's a teenager. In some respects I'm relieved…she's normal, she may have hormones…"
Luke grumbled, "I don't want her to have hormones…"
"Neither do I, but she's growing up; she can't stay that adorable eleven year old that won you over forever."
"I know, I know, I mean I didn't expect to ship her off to a convent," Luke griped, though now the idea was sounding better and better, maybe to a Catholic private school? "…But why didn't she tell us…aren't we supposed to be this freakishly close family who tells each other everything? I mean, even when she started… umm, you know…"
"Menstruating?" Lorelai filled in.
"Well, yeah, I mean, it was weird for a while, but then it worked itself out and we were all normal again…"
"This is different," Lorelai shrugged reluctantly, "…I mean, I remember not wanting to tell my mother everything…"
You still don't want to tell your mother everything. That didn't help Luke's perspective; it was merely a confirmation of his worst fears, of Lorelai's history repeating itself with Rory, giving up all the opportunities her parents had sacrificed for their daughter. For a moment, Luke now felt he had insight to the Emily Gilmore thought process; not that he would ever be able to voice such fears and opinions to Lorelai without offending Lorelai, and he vaguely said, "Well, if she can't tell us about this… what else will she keep from us?"
Lorelai swallowed hard, "Luke, please… this is … hard for me too, I mean, she's never been interested in a boy unless he was in the library and long dead. Even during her William Holden stage thanks to you and Stalag 17; but this is Rory… right? She's smart, she's a good judge of character, and she's probably just as surprised and confused as we are. You know how she gets in problem solver mode… she will try to figure things out for herself and if she needs help, she will ask for it."Lorelai suddenly saw the reasoning behind Rory's questions before the party, "She couldn't even tell us about that D she got."
"Exactly, what else won't she tell us?" Luke shot back.
"Babe, you said it yourself, we just have to trust her, let her make her own… decisions," Lorelai nearly choked on thinking of the domino affect all her teenage decisions had "…with school and …well, now with boys."
"I do trust her; it's him I don't trust."
"Luke…"
Turning to look his wife in the face, "Well, what if he's not willing to wait… huh?"
"Woah, woah, just when I thought I had the protective caveman reigned in …"
"Protective?!" Luke scoffed and stood up again, "I was a teenage boy, Lorelai; I know exactly how they think…" He'd been so desperate one night that he had made out with Crazy Carrie under the bleachers; unfortunately she had told everyone in their class that they'd done it out in the open field, and the rumor stuck with him beyond high school, much to his dismay.
"Then know Rory, know how she thinks, that's the furthest thing from her mind. When we had 'the talk' she was like 'ew gross' and never brought it up again." Lorelai was just as uncomfortable with the idea as Luke was, but had the benefit of the doubt for Rory. "Please Luke, just trust that Rory is different…and special…and that this guy…well, he has to be pretty special too to even catch her notice! He gave her a bracelet, not an engagement ring; Like you said, things are weird now, but you never know, this may just work itself out too," Lorelai finished hopefully. They held a worrisome gaze for a moment, "Please, just come to bed," she pulled on the comforter further to invite him in.
Begrudgingly, Luke changed for bed, and as they settled in each other's arms, Lorelai asked, "Is he cute?"
Luke grumbled, "How am I supposed to know," under his breath.
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"That was all God given talent." – why thank you Luke.
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A/N: I thank you loyal minions and crack whores and keep reading. Believe it or not, I AM working diligently on the next chapters!!
R/R: PLEASE, I like to better myself. To quote The Princess Bride,
"...Remember this is for posterity ... so be honest."
Please be specific with R/R; name one (or as many as you can think of or want to mention…) At least one specific thing you liked
Please! It makes me feel good...inside (Dirty!)
Hence the Rant option below.
Insert Rant here V
A/N: if not completely satisfied with this chapter, please return unused portion for a full refund...