"So you're going to Stars Hollow? On your own?" Jess exclaimed, being fairly surprised by Celeste's determinedness to go help out Lorelai at the Inn. Her going there alone, was definitely a first.
"I mean sure, I hate leaving Evie, but it's not like I have a lot of other stuff going on at the moment, if I were to turn her down that'd be just laziness. I can go tomorrow just after my therapy and I don't know, maybe you could come over on Saturday so we can drive back together on Sunday," she described her preliminary plan.
"Yeah, but how are you going to get there - I'll need the car to come pick you up on Saturday," Jess hesitated, thinking practically - his car had Evie's carseat after all.
"I might have driven for half an hour alone in the City, but I am clearly not ready to do a two hour roadtrip on the interstate just yet," Celeste replied realistically. If she would, she'd probably be all tense and tired once she got there.
"So I was simply thinking of taking the train to Hartford and Luke can come pick me up. So I'll be there Thursday, see what more needs to be done, get myself acquainted with the place and rest of the staff and then just run with it," she explained. She hadn't really done this type of thing in a year and half, and something this size much longer. But once one had thrown a 1000 people Charity ball at the Louvre, a 250 people small-town wedding hardly scared her.
"And you've agreed everything with Cathy and April already?" Jess inquired. He really didn't doubt her abilities to make sure everything was taken care of, he just wondered whether there was anything more she wanted him to handle.
"Well it wouldn't hurt if you could be home by five on Friday so you could accept the grocery delivery so Cathy wouldn't have to deal with it," Celeste added.
"And you're staying at the Inn?" he asked.
"Actually no, it's fully booked and even some of the musicians are occupying the staff quarters. So Lorelai said I could stay above the diner," she replied.
"You realized that the place hasn't seen any updates since I lived there, right?" Jess tried to picture Celeste staying there. Sure, he knew she wasn't generally openly picky, but knowing what she liked and what she was generally used to, he just couldn't really imagine her being very cheery about the place once she saw it. But then again he had to admit - having her stay there did bring back some interesting fantasies.
"I mean how bad can it be..?" she shrugged.
"I'm sure you'll be fine for a few nights," he replied, realizing that perhaps he was scaring her enthusiasm away. "Just… keep your expectations low and bring whatever you feel would make yourself comfortable. If it's too gross, go shower at the spa or something," Jess suggested. The truth was he really didn't know what its current condition was - but when he'd lived there there had been issues with the plumbing, rusty water and occasionally with water pressure.
Celeste almost felt the challenge in this, wanting to prove to Jess that she wasn't some princess that would only stay at Radisson Red and above. Sure, she didn't exactly relish the thought, she had never really been the one to sleep well at strange places as it was, but she felt like Lorelai was putting her trust in her, and she just needed to prove to her, Jess and above all herself, that she could do this.
Jess was just dropping off Evie at Rory's and Logan's that Thursday morning, so the toddler could spend the day playing with Finny and the two nannies at their place. It was a little closer for Cathy's place and good for the kids as well, so they did this about once a week these days.
"Feeling better?" Jess asked with some concern as he glanced over Rory.
"Not particularly, but not worse either," Rory replied, adding, "I'm trying this glass half full approach with this," smiling apologetically. She was sick of telling people how she felt, having nothing new to add, and sounding all negative. Hence she'd ordered herself books that would hopefully put things in perspective - The Conversation by Volandes and Befriending the Wolf by Diericx hoping reading about situations and people that had it worse than she did would shift her perspective.
"Is Logan here?" he asked, just before he was beginning to consider heading off. He hadn't really come in with the intention of doing this now - but now that he was here, he figured he might just as well, knowing Logan often worked from home these days.
"He is, I'm not sure if he's on the phone or not, but you can check," Rory replied, eyeing at Jess curiously to figure out what he wanted to talk to him about. Her life wasn't exactly exciting these days, hence any interaction felt like a glimpse of the outside world.
"I just want to talk to him about my job, I think I want to quit…, well switch back to editing," he explained briefly.
"Wow..," Rory pulled herself up to make sure she got this right.
"And I am working on my own book as well," he began to explain just as he saw Logan emerging through the glass doors that led to Rory's study and from there to the living room.
The two men greeted each-other exchange a few casual pleasantries.
"Logan, do you have a five minutes so we could talk? Or in the evening maybe when I come to pick her up," he added, gesturing to Evie who was already playing with Finny's wooden toy train set.
"Sure, I'll just go grab some water," Logan added and continued to walk towards the kitchen. He returned a minute later with his water and a smoothie for Rory and handed it to Rory with a kiss over the couch back.
Jess followed him to the study, where the two-sided large gridded door was opened up to the terrace, where Logan had just last week sail shade installed to keep the south sided room cooler without having to have the AC on all the time which usually made his troath ache.
"Why don't we go sit outside," Logan suggested gesturing to the terrace where he had a small table and two Hampstead rattan armchairs. The summer air felt wonderful, the smell of linden trees and the sound of the street down below reaching the terrace in a distant echo. "So what can I do for you," he began.
Jess explained his plans once again.
"You know you really have been doing a pretty good job with Truncheon New York, I have to admit that I'm not particularly happy to let you go. If it's just a sabbatical you need, we could discuss that as well. With everything you've had to deal with this spring, I hardly blame you for asking," Logan explained.
"I can't pretend that Celeste's condition has had nothing to do with this, but I think I just needed to comprehend that I was happier simply editing and working on my own things than I am while being in charge. I don't want to let the brand down - I care for what it stands for and what it represents, but I just don't feel I can keep up the standard if I keep losing the motivation like this," he explained.
"So you'd want to stay on as an editor," Logan added.
"Yes, definitely. I have my own book coming out, but I'm not too good at writing under pressure, so I feel like I'd need that to balance things out," Jess replied.
"Have you got any suggestions in mind who might take over?" he asked.
"I talked to Jenn, she's willing but she kind of feels like she wants the decision to come from above. I know Noah is an option, but…," he trailed off not quite finishing his thought. Logan knew what he meant.
"Okay," Logan exhaled. "Have her send over her resume, I'll see what we can do," he added. In a way he was proud of Jess admitting that he wasn't enjoying the work. There were far too few men and women in the corporate world who dared to admit it, most just kept on pushing until they broke themselves - broken marriages, drugs, depression, violence or worse usually being the result.
"Lorelai is beyond relieved that you could make it. She's hardly ever sick so she hasn't really put a lot of effort into having replacements around for herself," Luke said just as they drove past the Stars Hollow sign.
"Well I'm happy to help," Celeste replied. What she didn't say that she'd been missing some action - some of that thrill that came with event planning, her current life sometimes feeling just a bit too mundane - most of her task being on a loose deadline and always coming with the option of just simply skipping them altogether if she didn't' feel like it. But here she was, actually putting herself out there, even if it was just this once.
"I'll just let you drop off your stuff at the apartment, you could have some lunch while I accept a few deliveries that should here within an hour. And then Lorelai told me to bring you over to out place, so she can just give you the assignments while she sits inside and you can sit on the porch - she has this a whole big scheme how to not spread the disease thought out," Luke explained, rolling his eyes. "Oh, and you can use her car if you want. The inn is not very far from the diner, as you know, but in case you need to run some errands," Luke explained.
"Sounds good," she replied. She hadn't exactly told a lot of people besides her closest friends about her issues with driving in the States, but after that one morning she was feeling a little easier about the prospect - especially here.
Luke parked the car on the side of the diner and slammed the door of his green pickup, that still surprisingly ran perfectly, shut, grabbing Celeste's small hang-luggage sized suitcase and her garment bag from the back.
Celeste had been to the diner several times, but somehow now without Jess around she seemed to be missing that buffer which always explained the dynamics in the place. That day the diner had a table full of students of some sort, working on some group work on their laptops, a few families with babies and the two older ladies, she'd seen before, making juicy commentary about one of the guys at the counter, but she couldn't quite recall their names. She wasn't really sure who she was supposed to greet hence she nodded friendly to anyone who she made eye contact with, which was probably a few times more than necessary.
"You want anything to eat? I can order it now and Caesar bring it up for you or if you want you can eat it down here," Luke offered.
"Maybe some salad? Whatever is good, doesn't matter. And I can come down and eat at the counter," Celeste replied, seeing a vacant spot by the counter. She didn't want to be too much trouble.
"Caesar, a chef's salad, when you get a chance, thanks!" Luke called out towards the kitchen, recalling they'd just gotten in fresh turkey breast.
"The apartment is right up there," Luke added to Celeste motioning towards the back, still carrying her luggage.
As Celeste followed him, she could already hear the two ladies whispering, "Wasn't that Jess' wife?"
"I know it's not a lot, I mostly use it as an office right now," Luke gestured towards the laptop and some papers on the desk. "Feel free to move stuff if you want," he suggested. "The sheets are fresh, there are towels in the bathroom over there," he added.
Lorelai had in fact been anticipatinf that someday the apartment might come in handy - more so in cases when she needed to accommodate an employee of hers hence the place looked a lot less manly than it once had - having actually new white curtains and a new couch cover, which definitely helped to spruce the place up a little, but the bones of the place were still the same.
"The fridge is empty, but anything you want just go get it from downstairs, everything is on the house. The first batch of coffee is usually ready by 6.30, " Luke added.
"Ok, thanks," she replied.
"And the key on the table there, if you need it," Luke said. "And I guess I'll let you get settled, I'll see you downstairs in a bit," he added, backing out of the door. He'd gotten to know Celeste quite well by now, still here and without Jess around he felt a little awkward.
"Thanks again," Celeste replied. She glanced at the time and lifted her suitcase onto the desk chair by the bed. She hung the garment bag, having brought a few dresses for the actual events, so she'd look presentable.
She casually continued to unpack her essentials, and decided to call Jess to let him know she got there alright, knowing he had probably still at work.
"Hey," Jess replied smugly, still getting momentary butterflies in his stomach when she called.
"Hey, I just wanted to say that I got here alright," she said.
"So, how bad is it?" he inquired. It was more about the fact that he was a little embarrassed himself, her seeing the way he'd lived there once, not that the place was anything compared to some of the temporary placed he'd lived in during his life. But he just wanted the best for her, he wanted her to be comfortable, almost worried that she might behave too altruistically when her knew how she was supposed to avoide additional stressors.
"It's not bad, I don't know why you were so worried," she replied, exaggerating a little. She was a little particular about some things, but she tried to raise above it.
"Have you been to the bathroom yet?" he asked, as if doubting her words.
She held her phone between her shoulder and hand while carrying her toiletry kit and make up bag to the bathroom. Sure, the place wasn't in it's first youth, there being some rust and a few broken tiles, but she figured she could live with it - it was just a couple of days after all.
"It's okay," she assured.
Jess felt proud of her, to be frank. She'd come a long way in many things, this being one of them.
"Good," he sighed.
"So you'll call me in the evening, so I can talk to Evie?" she asked, feeling guilty for leaving her. But having been away for weeks on end before, she knew Evie was resilient enough for a few nights.
"Sure, I'm picking her up from Rory's in an hour or so. Oh, and I talked to Logan," he said, while she continued to unpack her shoes.
"About work? What did he say?" she asked. They'd discussed it once more since Philly, and she'd assured him again, that he was free to do what he felt was right.
"He was a little disappointed, but he's not standing in my way," he replied.
"Relieved?" she asked.
"You have no idea," he exhaled.
"I'd hug you if I could, just so you know," Lorelai exclaimed as she laid on her living room sofa. She really wasn't feeling great, her fever kept going up within an hour after taking Tylenol.
"It's quite alright," Celeste said, as she sat at just outside the living room window on the bench as Lorelai had requested, Lorelai having lost all hope in vaccines and she really wasn't going to risk anyone else getting sick, even Luke going through major deisinfection each time he left the house.
"So I just e-mailed you all the contacts and the to-do list, but I think you should go it over with Michel just in case," Lorelai said. She was beginning to second guess most of her decisions, including the to-do list, hardly recalling if she'd just dreamt of doing these things or had actually done them.
"And where might I find her?" she asked having misheard her pronounce the name.
"Oh, Michel? It's a he," she corrected.
"Sorry, I didn't hear right," Celeste apologized.
"No wonder," she groaned, with her neck all swollen it was a miracle she could make herself heard.
"And where can I find Michel?" she asked.
"Oh right," Lorelai grumbled, "he's at the Dragonfly, and I think it's best if he takes the larger events that are taking place there and you'll take the Caldwell and Higg's wedding tomorrow and Cooley and Andrews' on Saturday. They're a bit smaller, but they have a few tricky musicians, so be warned. They're on the lists," Lorelai instructed.
"So basically what I'd need to do today is just confirm the outside vendors, musicians, make-up artists…," Celeste summed up what she'd briefly made out of the check-list.
"Yes, and go see Michel. He'll sort out the paperwork and an access card. He might have something he needs help with," she advised, clearly already getting a little mixed up in her mind what she'd already said.
From the moment Celeste stepped into the Dragonfly she could already feel cold sweat creeping up on her. It was the reluctant French accent that alerted her. Off all the gin joints - rephrasing Rory, it was here she was to find a Frenchman.
Her fear grew stronger as she waited at the reception table so the man in question would finish his phone call, and she noticed his name tag. She swallowed the lump in her throat, knowing that she just needed to push through it - Lorelai needed her help.
Michel glanced at her briefly, first nodding apologetically and indicating he would be with her shortly, but the second time he looked up, she could see that there was something more. Almost like recognition. She tried to calm herself.
"Welcome to the Dragonfly Inn, how may I help you?" Michel spoke in an overly polite tone, as he put down the phone.
"Lorelai sent me, I'm Celeste Mariano, I'm here to help you with the weddings," she spoke hesitantly, hoping desperately that her own accent was no longer evident, trying instead to pronounce her last name in a slightly more Italian manner.
"Excellent!" he exclaimed and waved over one of the other members of staff to take watch the front desk for him and gestured for Celeste to follow him to the office.
"Lorelai sent me some list she wanted me to go over with you and see if you have anything else for me to do," Celeste said as she took a seat at the small round conference table next to him.
"Yes, and I have your work agreement right here as well," he pulled two sheets of paper from a folder he had on the table.
Celeste skimmed over the contracts - pretty basic stuff - and she really had no reason to doubt Lorelai. She wouldn't even have asked for payment but it was Lorelai who had insisted also for the sake of having everyone's paperwork in order after they'd had an USCIS raid a few years back. She signed the papers without hesitation.
"I'm sorry, has anyone ever told you you look like the spitting image of Odette Aubertin, sure you have a few extra pounds - no offence - and your hair is a little different, but that face, those angles - I could swear on my life, " Michel insisted a moment later. He knew celebrity magazines inside out, and still subscribed to France Dimanche and Voici despite being away from France a long time. He wasn't really a fan of other French people, but celebrities were a different story.
Celeste went white in her face by the time he finished that sentence, clearly not able to put up the poker face she'd used on a journalist before or even on Noah. There really hadn't been too many situations like this, with her keeping her head down. She'd somehow come in here too vulnerably, having not been ready for this.
"My dear, you look pale - would you like a glass of water, perhaps?" Michel asked with concern.
Celeste nodded, trying to take deep breaths. She knew she needed to say something - but as far as she knew this was not just some random concierge, this was Lorelais' very old friend and business partner. Surely Lorelai trusted him?
As Michel returned with the water, she bought some time by taking a sip, her heart still racing.
"Je suis sous la protection des témoins. Veuillez ne rien dire s'il vous plaît," she pleaded under her breath. (Translation: I'm under witness protection. Please don't say anything.) It wasn't the truth, but close enough and hopefully enough so he wouldn't ask anything else. She couldn't admit to anything directly, but this was close enough.
Michel was momentarily shocked, but gathered himself quickly - he had decades of experience with dealing with any type of situation he'd encountered in this line of work within a blink of an eye after all. But instead of being terrified or ashamed of having suggested that, he couldn't help but to feel some pride - to him having a celebrity of her scale in this Inn, and not only staying but working for them, was something else. He lived for moments like these. He was almost mad at Lorelai for not telling him - surely she must've known!
"I'm sorry," he replied as if nothing was amiss. "So…," he began, rose and handed her a keycard from a nearby desk. "It works both here and at the Spa, anyone who's at the reception there can show you around the place. I recommend you go by tonight, so by tomorrow you'll know your way around," he continued, inside desperately wanting to continue talking to her about her person. He recalled, wanting to bite his lip, the pictures he'd seen of her, the interviews, the gossip, my god - those dresses she'd worn.
He looked over the to-do list thankfully crossing a few things off the list which Lorelai had already done in her dizzy state. She had the itineraries, menus, all the planning details and all the names, numbers - she now only lacked the actual guest and basically needed to act as host and resolve problems on the go and make sure everyone knew where they needed to be at specific times.
She left the office, with a brief handshake, adding, "Thank you," that meant so much more than just that. Still - this really wasn't a good start.