JESS
Rory still hadn't shown up by the time the actual party began. When she did? It was with Paris. While Kat was set on avoiding Rory, Paris was set on me.
"Thank God, I finally found someone. I thought I saw Kat, but she immediately darted away. Is she avoiding me?" Paris asked.
"Don't know."
"Well, that doesn't matter, because I need your help. Rory did a little bit of pre-gaming and I need to make sure we keep her away from the alcohol. That's why I'm here, I had to drive her"
"Rory? Rory Gilmore pre-gamed?
"Jess, I am not a publisher and you are not writing a book. You do not need to think about saving me money on pages of words. You can use more than three words, one that you repeated, to respond. In fact, I would appreciate it."
"I will keep my eyes out. In fact, my eyes are telling me she is taking a drink from that tray of, based on what I was told, disgusting holiday cocktails."
"If you'll excuse me then." Paris said and began to head in Rory's direction. She paused to turn around, "If you see Kat? Tell her I'm here and said hello?"
Not too long after, in search of Kat, I found Lorelai
"Have you seen Rory or Kat by any chance?"
"Haven't seen Kat since we spotted Rory. Haven't seen Rory since Paris spotted me looking for Rory and I helped her find her"
"Paris is here?"
"It sounded like Paris is here, because Rory partook in some holiday cheer before this festive occasion commenced."
'Rory pre-gamed?"
"That is what I asked Paris who used that exact same description. Pre-gaming. Such an odd choice for Rory. I can't imagine Rory doing anything that I would consider pre-gaming."
"Neither can I. Ugh. What is going on with her?"
"I can't answer that, but I will say Emily is heading our way."
"Which means I am heading... that a way." Lorelai said as she headed off
As Emily started complaining to me that the band never showed up, I could see Kat out of the corner of my eye, she was eavesdropping. After a tilt of her head, she disappeared.
RICHARD
My wife spends a great deal of energy planning these parties. She confirms with everyone. Taste tests countless hors d'oeuvres. Rearranges the furniture to help the flow of traffic. So, the fact the band chose to not show up? Unacceptable. Katalina heard my wife's devastation and decided to locate me. Which she did, in my office.
"Katalina, you found my hiding spot."
"We may not be long time acquaintances, but we have some of the same tendencies to be drawn to the numbers. The numbers for you are within these walls... However, I am wondering if I can coax you out of them as a favor."
"Is everything alright?"
"No, but it's going to be. That is if I remember correctly that you were in an acapella group? "
"You do remember correctly my dear. I was a Yale Whiffenpoof."
"Well, I need that Whiffenpoof talent. The band is still not here. Emily is less than pleased... but she told me earlier their equipment is here. So I have a reasonable talent show quality voice, you have a – I would assume – a Whiffenpoof quality voice. Those two things coupled with the natural propensity of people who have sang acapella to create a beat? Put us together with a microphone or two and we have a makeshift band."
"Indeed we do young lady. What were you thinking?"
"Little drummer boy might be nice."
"I would certainly be happy to give you that beat. I know it well. We could also do Carol of the Bells. That was always a crowd pleaser."
"So you're in?"
"Let's go save Christmas or at least my wife's sanity."
LORELAI
I was still looking for Rory when I heard a soft gentle voice projecting into the room. As I walked towards the sound I could hear my father's booming voice as well. I saw Kat and my father where the band equipment was set up on the stair's landing, doing a duet to the Little Drummer Boy. A crowd was gathering in the room. I spotted Luke sitting on a couch and walked over, sitting down next to him.
"Did you know she could sing like that?"
"I assume you knew since you always remind me that she's your daughter"
"Lorelai." Luke said, sounding upset.
"I'm joking. I had no idea our daughter could sing."
"I mean she's not a stand out vocalist who is going to be getting a record deal"
"No, but her voice is definitely beautiful and relaxing. Have you seen Rory?"
"No, but I saw Paris."
"Jess told me Paris was with Rory."
"It's possible. I tried to avoid eye contact or any glance in her direction."
"Are you afraid of Paris, Luke? "
"Yes. Aren't you?"
"She likes me, but still? Yes"
We sat there listening for a while. They switched to another song.
"I think I want another apple tart." I said, breaking the silence
"How many have you had?" Luke interrogated
"That's irrelevant."
"How many have you had?"
"Not as many as I have eaten while not pregnant and definitely not enough to satisfy our growing baby boy." I said, placing my hand on my stomach.
"I'll go get you one." Luke said getting up.
"Two?"
"Alright."
"Thank you."
As Kat began to sing a song on her own. Ingrid Michaelson's, "Snowfall," I could hear my mother's friends talking
"Emily, I ran into your granddaughter earlier. She was such a pleasure to talk to. So lovely and clearly quite talented."
"Yes, Rory is wonderful. She's working for the New York Times you know."
"Oh, I meant Katalina. I thought you'd mentioned her biological father is Lorelai's husband. She's living with them now, right? At least she's no longer with Katherine. I noticed she's not here tonight."
"Of course not. I now have a good reason to not extend an invitation. That woman is insufferable."
"There's a reason she has yet to make it into the DAR. But seriously it's incredible how talented Katalina is. Figure skating. Academics. Track. Then tonight we learn she can sing well also. You must be so proud."
"Oh we are, we most certainly are."
Their conversation continued, but I couldn't hear it clearly. Kat was still singing when I suddenly heard Rory yelling. I couldn't understand what she was saying, but she did not sound happy at all. As soon as I got up, I saw Paris and Jess taking a still-yelling Rory by her elbows out of the room. My mother watched and saw me as I was exiting.
"This is your daughter behaving in this manner."
I went to go find Rory, but instead ran into a very confused Luke holding two apple tarts.
"Did I just see Jess and Paris taking Rory somewhere?" Luke asked.
"Yes, we need to go find them."
"Alright."
JESS
It was like a scene I couldn't even dream up for a novel. Rory lost it. Probably a combination of recent life events that probably felt like shortcomings, the alcohol, and a little bit of jealousy. I had been in the living room listening to Kat sing when Rory had come up with Paris. It was clear Paris had not saved Rory from herself... or rather the free flowing alcohol. When she started to hear Emily's conversation with her friend, Rory wandered in that direction. It was all Paris and I could do to pull Rory away from the conversation after she began a tirade in a very loud voice. I don't even think Rory intended to be so loud. It seemed like she just didn't know she was being that loud.
"What the hell happened in there?" I asked when we were outside the pool house.
"Eez eellliiiinng my wiiffee." It was hard to make out what Rory was saying, because she was slurring her words.
"What? He's stealing your wife?" Paris questioned.
"Sheez eeellliiiinnng my life." Rory said again, slurring her words still
"You mean Kat? She's stealing your life?" Paris tried to decipher
"Yes. My life. Furst Jess –" Rory clarified
"Rory. She did not steal me. We are not dating. In fact, I told her even tonight, despite knowing what you did to her? That I still loved you. So, no Rory. She did not steal me." I interjected, "I don't know what's going on. But you need to get it sorted out. Life happens Rory. Mistakes happen. You got to figure out what to do. I didn't graduate high school Rory. That's a pretty big deal. We live in a time where having a college degree is almost like having a high school degree and I didn't even have a high school degree. I had to go back and get a GED."
"I slept with someone and didn't get into Harvard. While I no longer think the two were linked, mistakes were made."
Rory suddenly looked very ill and looked frantically around. I was not surprised when she began throwing up as she ran towards the nearest patch of grass – some of her vomit hitting the statue.
