Chapter 36
Feast or Famine?
It had been 16 days and Rory had not yet rung to confirm a night for dinner. Emily could leave it no longer and dialled her granddaughter's number. It went through to her voicemail the first time so she hung it up, she abhorred leaving messages and refused to do so unless it was of dire importance. Ten minutes later she tried again, this time the phone was answered by Jess's signature tone.
"This is Emily Gilmore, I'd like to speak to my granddaughter please," her own clipped tones rung so loud and clear over the line that Rory heard them as she lay beside Jess, barely awake.
"It's your grandmother," Jess passed the phone to Rory, rolling over in an attempt to get some more sleep. Rory and her pregnancy hormones had kept him up half the night. Not that he was complaining, just would've been nice to have a sleep in. Who even calls before 8am anyway? Surely there's a rule about that somewhere in some high society rule book. He'd be sure to ask Emily next time he saw her. He groaned as he rolled back onto his back, looking up at the ceiling as he listened to Rory's end of the conversation.
"Dinner?...This Friday?...I guess...Okay...Yes, at 7, I remember...See you then...bye grandma." Rory ended the call and lay back on her pillow groaning as Jess had moments before.
"So I guess we've got dinner plans for Friday night?" he asked her. Rory just nodded her head in response. There was no way she'd get back to sleep now, she needed to find something appropriate to wear and she wondered where she'd find a suit of armour for Jess at such short notice. She had a bad feeling, despite Emily's apology at the hospital, that he'd be needing one.
The remainder of the week passed in an anxious blur. Rory had another session with her counsellor and was making good progress. She discussed her decision to keep the truth about what had happened with Dean from her grandparents but was now worried about what she might reveal if provoked over dinner. She was adjusting to the view that what had happened was not her fault and that she had no reason to be ashamed for what Dean had done to her. Hurt yes, absolutely, but ashamed, no, she should never feel ashamed. She was a strong and capable woman worthy of love and deserving of happiness. That was her mantra to tell herself when the doubt began to creep in. She and Jess hadn't spoken much yet about their respective sessions but they could both sense the change within each other and the slight shift in their relationship, as if the doors were finally open rather than just ajar. One day they would share their stories but this was something they each needed to work on by themselves, for now.
Jess sure looked the part as they stood waiting for someone to answer the door. He wore a dark blue dress shirt under the same dark suit he'd worn to his uncle's wedding. He'd decided against a tie, he didn't want to look like he was trying too hard, but he had polished his shoes. Rory smiled as she recalled the sight of him sat at the kitchen table, shoe in one hand, brush in the other. He showed his love for her in so many unspoken ways. It made her wonder how many she'd missed before she'd understood him enough to recognise them. Rory had settled on a dress she'd borrowed from her mother's maternity collection, pairing it with a cardigan and boots to suit the cold weather.
Emily smiled as Rory and Jess were escorted into the front room. She hated to admit it but they did make a striking couple and would no doubt produce a stunning child.
She rose to kiss Rory on the cheek and offer her hand to Jess, "we are so glad you could make it, and on such short notice too. I had worried when we hadn't heard from you that you must be terribly busy. How lucky we were that you had no plans on a Friday night. Isn't that right Richard?"
"Oh, yes, quite right Emily. They say fortune favours the bold but abandons the timid. How lucky we are that you, Emily, are the former and not the latter or we might not have had any guests at all and would have been forced to enjoy our own company for a third week in a row." Richard winked at Rory as he spoke and offered his hand for Jess to shake.
"How's the new store coming along Jess?" he inquired as he fixed himself a drink from the cart.
"It's keeping a steady pace," Jess replied.
"Can I fix either of you a drink?" Richard offered.
"Just a club soda for me thanks Grandpa," Rory answered and Jess asked for the same.
His counsellor had been discussing with him his use of alcohol to avoid dealing with difficult or confronting situations and in light of that Jess decided tonight would likely have a better outcome if he remained sober. That wasn't to say he wouldn't have one when he got home though. He'd see what the night had in store.
The drinks portion of the evening passed by relatively painlessly. Even Emily's tone seemed to have improved after a glass of wine. They moved on to the dining room to await the first course and then the games truly began.
"So Jess," Emily started as soon as they were seated, "do you plan to go to college now to be officially qualified to edit other people's work or will you continue on as an unskilled amateur? I guess being able to call yourself an author must help people to overlook certain details of your occupation and owning a share in your own publishing house would help with that too of course." Rory stared at Emily, unable to believe what she was hearing.
"You do at least have your GED don't you?" Emily continued. "You know, Lorelai went to business school not far from here, maybe you might like to look into that."
Noticing the glances passing between Rory and Jess, Richard spoke, "I think that's quite enough questions for now Emily, let the man eat his soup before it gets cold."
Rory smiled a grateful smile, "so grandpa, did you ever finish the Steve Jobs biography?"
Richard chuckled at her question in understanding, "I did Rory and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it, perhaps I should find my copy and encourage Emily to read it."
Jess kept his focus on his soup, smiling at Rory's reference and Richard's swift comprehension. He felt at least he still had an ally in Richard even if Emily seemed to have forgotten the purpose of this evening.
"I thought we'd try this again tonight seeing as you left before we ate last time," Emily directed at Jess when the main course of roast was served. Jess didn't understand why but he understood her game, she was trying to make him look bad in front of Rory, proving some kind of point to herself.
He was determined not to fall into her trap but two could play at this game, "why thank you Emily, that was very thoughtful of you. You have a good memory. I never did get to explain how I came to have that black eye that night. I'm sure you've heard the story before Richard?" Jess looked at Rory's grandfather, encouraged by the humour in his eyes.
"Well, my memory has never been as reliable as Emily's so I'd be happy to hear it again," Richard encouraged him. It was Rory's turn to stay quiet this time. She wasn't sure where Jess was going with this but at least Grandpa seemed to be on his side.
Jess began to retell his side of that disastrous day, "...and then out of nowhere, this swan beaked me..."
"Well that is the most preposterous story I have ever heard and I will not sit hear and listen to you mock me in my own house young man," Emily cut him off mid story.
"But it's the truth, I swear!" Jess replied, this time unable to keep the barb from his own voice.
Rory stood from her chair as if moved by an invisible string.
"That's enough!" she shouted, her voice silencing the room.
"Yes, thank you Rory, that is quite..." Emily began but Rory cut her off.
"I was talking to you Grandma! I heard it in your tone the moment you greeted us but I ignored it. Then you drill Jess over soup and now this? This dinner was your idea, we are here at your invitation and yet you're doing your best to make us feel unwelcome. For the record Jess does have his GED but what of it? He has a brilliant mind and has put it to good use creating something incredible. I'm sure you've been conjuring your own list of comparisons and in your version Logan is the clear winner no doubt. I'll tell you a few things to add to your list and then you can reassess the tally. Did you know when I stole that yacht and dropped out of Yale, Logan and all his friends threw me a party? Oh yeah, just imagine it, a room full of people, convict costumes and everything, drinking to my downfall. Now Jess, on the other hand, he gets the credit for getting me to wake up to myself and get myself back on track, back to mum, back to Yale, back to all the things I loved but had been blinkered from because Mitchum Huntzberger had told me I wasn't good enough. If Jess hadn't shown up when he did with the incredible book that he wrote, I don't know where I would be right now. He knows me better than anyone and he was the one who sat up and took notice and called me out on not being myself. Maybe you should take that into consideration next time you're planning a roast." Rory finished her speech and left the room.
Emily sat in silence as she watched her granddaughter leave the room. Richard continued to eat his dinner. Jess excused himself and followed after Rory. He checked Richard's study first but found it empty. She wasn't in the downstairs bathroom either. He hadn't heard the door so he knew she couldn't have left. Remembering back to the last time he'd been in this house with Rory he climbed the stairs to her mother's childhood bedroom. She didn't answer when he knocked but he knew she was in there. He entered the room but Rory was nowhere to be seen.
"Is that you Jess?" her voice carried through the open window.
"I'm here Rory," Jess assured her as he stepped out onto the balcony beside her. He could see she'd been crying but suspected they'd been angry tears not sad ones.
"What are we doing here Jess? How did I get roped into this place once more?" Jess held her in his arms as she continued, "you know, as a kid, I thought this place was magic but my mother had felt like Rapunzel, trapped in her ivory tower. I couldn't understand it then but that night when you came back, when you took those blinders off, that's when I understood."
They both stood in silence as the cold night air wrapped itself around them making Rory shiver and huddle closer to Jess for warmth.
"What if you hadn't come to find me that night Jess? What would my life be now?" she asked, her voice suddenly sounding exhausted.
"I would have always come back to you Rory. This bond between us, this tether, you're stuck with me. I never was able to keep away for long, there was always something to draw me back to you."
A loud knock at the door broke the spell and Jess helped Rory back into the room from the balcony before opening the door to find Richard standing there.
"Shall we try again? Third time's a charm, or so they say. We wouldn't want a delicious tiramisu to go to waste now would we?" Richard held out his arm and Rory looped her hand through it, allowing him to escort her back to the dining room with Jess following right behind.
Emily was still as they'd left her. Her eyes looked tired as if she had fought a long battle and lost. Jess wondered what words might have passed between these two while he and Rory had been gone. The tiramisu was served and they ate in uncomfortable silence. Rory glancing at Jess, Richard at Emily, it was undeniably awkward. When the dessert plates had been cleared away Jess made to excuse himself and Rory to leave but Emily cut him off, this time pleading rather than provoking.
"This evening has not gone at all as I had hoped. Could we please just go back into the sitting room, there's something I'd like to show you both."
Jess looked at Rory who shrugged her shoulders slightly then nodded.
"Okay then," he agreed and they all rose from the table and followed Emily into the room where this odd evening had begun.
Once they were all seated Emily excused herself, returning a few moments later with a rather large folder.
"This is for you Rory," she passed the folder to her granddaughter. "I wasn't sure if you'd prefer satin or lace but I've put some ideas in there that would work with either."
Rory flipped through the pages confused over this gesture - was this Emily's way of offering her approval? Suddenly feeling incredibly tired Rory closed the book in her lap.
"Thank you Grandma. There's so much to look at here but it's been a long day, maybe we could go through it together some other time?"
Emily smiled with relief.
"Of course Rory, I'll look forward to it. Now Jess, how about you get this girl of ours home, she's had a long day."
Jess nodded in agreement not trusting himself to speak, afraid a scoffing sound would erupt from his mouth and hinder their escape. Richard and Emily walked them out, Richard shaking Jess's hand and encouraging him to come around anytime he felt like borrowing a book. Emily kissed Rory on the cheek promising to call her to arrange a time for them to go over their own book. As Jess drove through the gates and out onto the street Rory let a huge sigh escape her lungs.
"Let's get you home to bed," Jess rested his hand on hers.
"Yes, bed sounds good but first, please tell me we can get some food. Soup and tiramisu is just not enough when you're eating for two."