Sugar and Spice: The More Things Change
By Misha
Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.
Chapter Forty-Seven: Plan For the Future
"You look very proper." Lorelai commented when Christa met her at the inn on Saturday afternoon.
Lorelai admitted she still thought of Christa as her wild-child, always pushing the boundaries of acceptability. But, today she was wearing a pair of gray pants and a cute, but slightly conservative, pale purple swear.
"It's too cold for a short skirt." Christa told her.
Lorelai gasped. "I didn't just hear you say that. It's never too cold for a short skirt."
"Well, for a good date, no," Christa agreed, "but dinner with the parents? I think I'll pass."
Lorelai had to admit that she wouldn't have minded the wild child look today, it might help remind Andrew McCrae that Christa was too young to get married. Instead, she looked like the proper society wife-in-training and it made Lorelai more than a little uncomfortable. She wasn't ready to think of her daughter that way.
Just then the main door to the inn opened and two men entered. Lorelai recognized one as Colin and knew the other had to be his father. She knew she had met Andrew McCrae at least once before, but the encounter hadn't stuck. He was in early-to-mid 50s and still very attractive. He looked a lot like his son, except that most of his hair had gone mostly grey, giving him that 'distinguished' look.
The pair approached Lorelai and Christa.
"Miss Gilmore," Andrew said politely, sticking out his hand.
"Please call me Lorelai," she told him as she shook it, "it's nice to see you again, Mr. McCrae."
"Andrew." He said easily, he turned to Christa. She didn't get a handshake, instead Lorelai watched as the older man gave her daughter an easy hug. "Christine, glad you could tear yourself away from your studies."
"Hi Andrew." Christa said with a smile.
"Good to see you again, Lorelai." Colin greeted.
"You too, Colin." Lorelai told him, watching as he wrapped an easy arm around her daughter's waist and she leaned into him.
They looked good together. Anyone could see that they fit. Lorelai didn't argue with that, she knew Colin was good for her daughter and that he made her happy, she just wished they weren't moving so fast.
"Would you like a tour, Andrew?" Lorelai offered after a moment.
"Yes," he told her. "I'm very interested in seeing the operation you have here."
"While you guys do that, Colin and I are going to visit the horses." Christa announced. "And then I'll go bug Sookie."
Lorelai saw Andrew pause, obviously not a fan of this plan.
"Colin, I would actually like your insight." He said finally, "once you and Christa are done with the horses, would you please join us?"
Colin nodded. "Of course." He looked at Christa. "Come on, let's go see those horses that you love so much."
"I still wish I could have one at Yale." Lorelai heard her daughter say as the young couple disappeared out the door.
"She is a remarkable young woman," Andrew told Lorelai, "You must be very proud."
"I am." Lorelai told him, though she had a feeling not for the reasons he thought she should be.
"She's brought a remarkable change in Colin," Andrew told her, "for the first time, I think he's seriously thinking about the future."
"They have time before they need to think about the future." Lorelai pointed out. "They're still in college."
"The college years go by very quickly." Andrew said quietly. "Just because they're young and in college now, they won't be forever. I'm not pushing my son into something he's not ready for, I'm just making sure he starts considering his future."
Lorelai couldn't find fault with that—except the future Colin was being asked to consider wasn't the one she wanted for Christa. She wanted Christa to graduate and find a fulfilling career and travel and then settle down once she'd had time to see the world.
"How do you think it's going with the parents?" Christa asked as she and Colin petted the horses.
"Hopefully they haven't come to blows yet." Colin said with a grin. "I'm actually looking forward to the conversation."
"What was that about?" Christa asked. "Your father making you come back?"
"He was torn between his two goals." Colin told her with an eye roll. "Training me to be his heir and encouraging our romance. So, he compromised, we get some alone time and then I have to go back and observe."
"I'll join you after I say hi to Sookie." Christa promised.
Colin grinned. "Good. I'm sure my father would love to hear your insight as well."
"Would he?" Christa asked with a shrug.
"Oh, yes." Colin told her. "My father values your brain, Christa. It's one of the reasons he settled on you, because you're not just your typical society brat."
"Well, that's good to hear." Christa told him. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You know, they're probably expecting us to make out in the stable before we go back."
"That sounds both tempting and horrifying." Colin told her.
"What don't want to get straw in your hair?" Christa teased.
"Not particularly." He admitted, but he pulled her towards him for a kiss. "I wouldn't think you'd want to ruin your outfit." He told her when he released her. "You look very proper."
"My mom hates it." Christa said with a laugh. "I think she almost prefers the wild child rebel."
Colin laughed. "She should see you on a random Friday night."
"I'm not sure it would make her feel better," Christa pointed out, "even when I'm drunk, I'm still pretty much all about you these days. Rory says she was traumatized after the party."
"Your sister needs to lighten up," Colin pointed out.
"Well, yes." Christa agreed. "But for the record, I'm not 100% sure I want to watch her grope a guy all night either." She sighed and looked up at Colin. "Did Logan tell you that he kissed Rory?"
Colin raised an eyebrow. "No. When did this happen?"
"Tuesday, after he brought Anna back." Christa told him. "Rory is very confused about how she feels about Logan."
"You don't like it." Colin said quietly.
"Not really." Christa admitted. "I just can't see it ending well. Can you?"
"No." Colin agreed. "But they're both adults. I can't believe Logan hasn't said anything to me."
Christa shrugged. "Maybe, he thinks it's awkward because Rory is my sister."
"Or because she's so far from his normal type and he knows I'll advise him against it." Colin pointed out. He must have seen Christa's surprise, because he added, "I don't want to see Rory hurt either. I think she's a little uptight, but she's a nice girl."
Christa gave Colin another kiss and then sighed. "You should probably get inside."
"Probably." He agreed, taking her hand. "Don't be long with Sookie, okay?"
"I won't." Christa promised him, because honestly she was interested to see how her mom and Andrew were getting along first hand, and be there to intervene, if necessary.
