This is a bad idea. Rory gets out of the car and stretches, slightly unsteady after the speed of the journey, and blinks in the bright sun. Paris's driving alone was enough to make her reassess.
"Five hours off the estimate," Paris says smugly, opening the trunk and throwing her bag over her shoulder. "Not bad, huh?"
"Not bad at all," Rory agrees, finding her own bag which has thankfully survived the drive and decides against a remark on Paris's swerving between lanes. "We're not meeting Madeline and Louise for another hour."
"They're probably thinking we're stuck in that pile-up back there," Paris says cheerfully and Rory nods, hoping that pile-up wasn't started by Paris. It wouldn't surprise her. "Let's go check in."
Rory follows her friend to the hotel, its white paint blinding in the sun, and starts up the steps. Her legs are sore after being in the car for so long and Rory knew better than to suggest stopping on the way. They left New York at four in the morning and lunch was soda and two power bars. Paris said the trip would be like old times and it seems she meant literally as she pushes a bill into an employee's hand and says brightly, "We'll take your very best room."
"Still tipping as you go, huh?"
"Hey, it works."
Rory can't argue as she and Paris are led to a large room with a flatscreen TV and view of the ocean. Putting her bag down, she looks around the room and approvingly says, "Nice."
"It's more than nice, Rory," Paris remarks. "There's a whole separate living room!"
"I know," Rory says, noticing a drinks trolley in the corner and a balcony with French doors. "Very classy – I bet we don't have to roll around on the beds here."
"I said this trip would be good," Paris says, pouring a small glass of wine for each of them. "Cheers!"
"Cheers," Rory echoes, taking a long sip. This trip sounded like fun when she agreed to it – seeing Madeleine and Louise, soaking up some sun after an especially cold winter and slow spring and just taking a break from everything – but now she feels kind of weird about it. Another spring break! Louise had exclaimed on the phone and Rory laughed. They're in their midtwenties now, and although it wasn't that many years ago, their spring break, or attempt at it, seems like another lifetime. Rory walks out onto the balcony and looks out at the ocean which, she has to admit, is still breathtaking. She takes in lungfuls of salty air, the freshness welcome after being so long in the car, and Paris joins her.
"Look at it!" Rory exclaims. "The ocean is right there, Paris!"
"I can see," Paris replies but her tone isn't mocking. The friends smile, look back at the water, and as Rory finishes her wine she feels a little more optimistic. Being right by the seafront doesn't suck. Madeline and Louise stayed out here and right now, as Rory stares at the ocean, she can see why.
They still have some time before meeting Madeline and Louise. Rory takes the first shower, hearing Paris tell Doyle they made it safely. It seems Doyle doesn't have an issue commenting on Paris's driving as Rory hears her yell, "Three hours! I saved three hours, Doyle! Hey, you're the one who keeps a productivity journal!"
Wrapping a towel around herself, Rory steps out to see Paris throw the cellphone onto the couch.
"How's Doyle?" Rory asks and Paris snorts.
"Says he's too young to be a widow. As if I'm a bad driver!"
Rory makes a non-committal sound and quickly remarks, "I still can't believe you guys are married now!"
"Don't bet on an anniversary," Paris grumbles but she smiles. "We figured why not, right? Makes the taxes easier."
"Smart reasoning."
"And I guess I love him. Although not so much after advice like that!"
"He loves you too, you know. He just wants you to be safe."
"I'm the one protecting him half the time," Paris retorts but her tone softens a little. Rory finds her phone to check the time and sees a message.
"Madeline and Louise are going to get us a table."
"Great. And you have everything we need for tonight?"
"How can you doubt me?" Rory scoffs, getting The Power of Myth from her bag. "Upgraded to DVD."
"Perfect. I already found a pizza place."
It doesn't take long to find the bar. Madeline and Louise are sitting outside and jump up and wave as their friends arrive.
"Hey guys!" Madeline exclaims, hugging Rory tightly. "I can't believe you're here!"
"Me neither! I mean, same here!"
Rory talks to Madeline and Louise somewhat sporadically – they added her on some Chilton group and while it was fun talking to some of their other classmates, Madeline and Louise are the only ones Rory actively stays in touch with. After the drinks and appetisers have arrived at the table Rory exclaims, "I can't believe you guys live here!"
"We tried the whole college thing," Madeline says and Louise adds, "Didn't stick. It's just better out here."
"What do you do out here?" Paris asks sharply and rolls her eyes as Louise remarks, "As many cute guys we can hook up with."
"We do bar work, mostly," Madeline explains. "But that's only temporary."
Rory nods in understanding, stopping as her friend goes on, "Until we find starter husbands."
"Starter husbands?" Paris echoes and Louise says, "Hey, you should know. You're married."
"Doyle isn't my starter husband. I'm a doctor."
"I still can't believe you're married," Louise says, sitting back in her chair. Taking a drink, she turns to Rory and asks, "What about you?"
"Me? I'm not married."
"Are you seeing anyone?"
"Not right now." Rory looks at her drink and snaps her head up as Madeline says, "We can fix that."
"What does that mean?"
"Lots of cute guys out here," Louise says, sitting forward. "And if you're not seeing anyone…"
"Forget it," Rory says loudly. "I don't have energy for that tonight anyhow."
"I thought we were going out!" Madeline exclaims in disappointment and Rory shakes her head. "Raincheck? I'm wiped."
"Paris drove me to Manhattan once," Louise says shrewdly. "I thought the tunnel we went through was the one with the bright light at the end."
"You said you wanted a fast journey!" Paris retorts and, hearing the edge in her voice, Rory stand up.
"Paris took hours off the drive. How about we go for drinks tomorrow night?"
"What are you doing in the day?" Madeline asks. "We scoped out a new spot on the beach and it has the best view."
"The lifeguards train there," Louise adds and rolls her eyes as Rory says, "Paris and I are going into the city. There's supposed to be some really amazing architecture from the nineteenth century."
"Rory Gilmore, you're exactly the same."
"I'll take that as a compliment. Night, guys."
Rory thought she was exhausted but kicks off her shoes, walking energetically around the room as she demands, "Hook me up with some guy! What does that mean?"
"I don't think you exactly need to read between the lines. I don't think Madeline and Louise go for subtext."
"No thanks!"
"Oh relax, Mary."
"Do not start with that nickname," Rory warns, pointing a finger for emphasis. She was already beginning to feel like a teenager again and being called Mary doesn't help. "I am not getting into that with them."
"Whatever," Paris yawns. "Can we discuss this in the morning? I want to actually have my eyes open when we go look at the architecture."
"Sure," Rory says, letting out a breath. "Are you too tired for The Power of Myth?"
"As if that's a possibility," Paris says indignantly. "I was just about to get the pizza!"
Rory relaxes as they watch, already knowing Lorelai will judge her and already not caring, and passes out almost as soon as her head hits the pillow. The next day is fun too, aside from an embarrassing moment where Paris yells at (or forcefully corrects, in her words) the guide at a museum they go into. They meet Madeline and Louise at a bar near the beach, a little more lowkey than the one from last night, and Rory smiles as they sit down. The relaxed air of it all makes her think back to the night on Spring Break.
"How was your building?" Louise asks by way of greeting and Paris replies, "Fascinating. How were your lifeguards?"
"Not as many guys we as hoped for but still hot," Louise answers. "I say we drink to that."
Rory pours out a round from the jug on the table, asking, "What is this stuff?"
"Punch," Madeline says simply and Rory takes a drink, wrinkling her nose. She didn't think any punch could match Miss Patty's but this drink is proving her wrong.
"What's in it?"
"Double of everything," Louise says and Rory puts the punch down.
"I'm guessing the cups will dissolve then," she remarks and Louise laughs, commenting, "Sooner rather than later."
"Great."
"So tell us more about what you're doing," Madeline interjects. "Paris is a doctor and married – what about you?"
"I'm a journalist, you guys know that," Rory says, feeling strangely self-conscious. "I started working right after college."
"And there's no guy?"
"No. Actually, I broke up with someone right after college," Rory says, perhaps against her better judgement. "He proposed but I said no."
Louise's eyes widen and Rory takes a long drink of bitter punch.
"You said no?" she asks suspiciously and Madeline cries, "Why?"
"I wasn't ready to get married," Rory says, taking her time to answer and sighs as Madeline asks, "Was he poor?"
"He was actually kind of rich."
"Rich and you turned him down," Louise says, staring at Rory. "Curiouser and curiouser."
"Hey, it's not like I need a guy to support myself," Rory says defensively, smiling as Paris adds, "Doyle's looking into screenwriting so if anything I'll be supporting him!"
"Wasn't he cute?"
"He was cute," Rory says awkwardly. "It just…wasn't the right time."
To her relief, the subject is dropped and Louise says, "I remember you and Paris running the newsroom."
"Hey, I was editor," Paris says hotly and Louise laughs.
"Yes, I vividly remember you saying we had to treat it like the New York Times or whatever. Is it like that, Rory?"
"I don't work for the New York Times," Rory tells her. "If anything, Paris was tougher."
That's only a half joke. Madeline and Louise laugh knowingly as Paris grumbles, "They didn't know the meaning of word journalistic integrity until I got the job."
"Do you like it?" Madeline asks. "Are you as into it like you were with the pavement piece?"
Rory laughs, taking another drink. Either the air is hazy or the drink is strong as she ruminates and finally says, "I like it. It's hard sometimes, but I like it."
The first year after college was so exciting. It sucked after everything with Logan but Rory threw herself into reporting, travelling around the country and even getting into living out of a suitcase. It was a real thrill working on articles with likeminded people, feeling like she was making a difference. Rory found a spot at a paper in New York the year after, not the New York Times but a paper all the same. It's still enjoyable but she's noticed a change this year – lots of pressure to embrace video and visual media which is jarring. Rory's always focused on words. She doesn't know if Madeline and Louise will know what she means, or even if they care, so instead settles for saying, "I have steady work now."
"And no guys?"
"You're obsessed!" Rory laughs, throwing a napkin at Louise who retorts, "And that punch is taking effect."
Rory can't argue. She takes another sip before saying, "No guys. I've had dates here and there but nothing serious."
"What happened to your boyfriend?"
"Jess? Or Dean?" Rory has her cellphone safely in her purse this time as Louise says, "The first guy – Dean. Is he still married?"
"Um, no," Rory says, wondering how much to go into. "He got divorced that same year."
"I knew I was psychic," Louise says proudly, ignoring Paris's remark of, "Yeah, that was a real risky bet."
"We actually got back together for a little while," Rory admits and Louise laughs.
"I knew he only had eyes for you!"
"Yeah, well, we broke up. The whole thing was dumb."
Louise nods, thankfully not asking further, and then says, "So what about Jess?"
"Jess?" Rory echoes dumbly and Louise says, "I remember he only had eyes for you too. Where's he these days?"
"He's doing okay." Dean is no longer on Rory's cellphone but Jess is, not that Louise is going to hear that. "We talk now and then."
"I remember you guys never made it to prom," Madeline says sadly and Rory shrugs in response, still feeling a small sting all these years later.
"It was a bad time for him."
"Do you think you guys will ever…"
"Me and Jess?" Rory exclaims, almost spilling the punch. "I am not going there."
Like it didn't hurt enough the first time. Spring Break is suddenly sharp in Rory's mind, sitting at a table just like this and trying to move on from him. She'd spent the whole year trying to move on from him, not that it really worked. Rory remembers flirting with a guy whom, now she thinks back, even resembled Jess a little. God, it's embarrassing. It's embarrassing now, talking about Jess and her general lack of romantic life. Not that Rory measures herself by that but it's like being back in high school.
"Is he seeing anyone?" Louise asks pointedly and Rory looks away. The cups are indeed dissolving.
"I don't know. I don't think so."
She last saw Jess at Christmas, last spoke to him on New Year's. They call each other randomly here and there, occasionally email, and Rory always enjoys speaking to him. It never feels like a long time ago with Jess but she doesn't want to start anything with him. It was too hard the first time and Rory treasures their friendship. She's not going to mess it up like that time at Truncheon.
"I'm not going there," Rory says firmly, ignoring the look of disappointment in Louise's eyes. "I'm good."
"I still say you should hook up with a guy here," Louise says. "Have some fun."
"I am having fun. I don't need to hook up with some guy!"
"Still such a Mary," Louise teases, laughing as Rory throws a napkin and misses. "What's your five-year plan?"
"Excuse me?" Louise asking about a five-year plan is as alien as if were asking about splitting atoms.
"I remember some teacher back at Chilton talking about five-year plans and Paris had a notebook for it," Louise explains, her tone sounding somewhere between amused and critical. "You were always talking about Harvard."
"I went to Yale."
"My notebook worked," Paris interrupts angrily. "I loaned it you when you freaked out about not getting your college applications done which I guess was a waste of time, right?"
"Yeah, but it was still a plan," Louise says, taking another drink and ignoring Paris. "What's the current one?"
It's funny thinking back to who she was at high school, always prepared, always doing extra credit work and always, always wanting to study as much as she could. Rory could practically write college applications in her sleep by the time she left. She thinks fondly of that girl who seems so far away now as she admits, "I don't have a plan."
"What?" Madeline exclaims and Louise lifts up Rory's cup, critically asking, "How much did you drink?"
"I mean, I still want to work as a journalist," Rory says quickly. "I still want to make it as a correspondent."
It's not a plan though, she knows, and Louise shakes her head. "I never thought Rory Gilmore wouldn't have every stage of her life figured out."
"I guess I just…don't," Rory says weakly, pouring herself more punch. "I'm working at the paper and that's enough for now."
"I can get you a notebook," Paris says enthusiastically. "You've ignored me way too long on this, Gilmore."
"I think I'm good," Rory says, already knowing Paris will be stopping at a stationery store on the way home. "I need….I don't know."
Twenty-five is a strange age to be. Rory still feels new at this whole adult thing but she feels years older than when she was here the first time, when she was nineteen, and even leaving college seems like a decade ago. It's not so long until ten years since she graduated Chilton, which is crazy. Time is starting to slip around her. Will she always feel like this? Is she having a quarter age crisis or whatever it is? Rory tries to think about the future and it's not as clear to her as it once was. Is this life or is this her? She knew this trip was a mistake. Rory drinks some more as Madeline says, "I say you should get into the spontaneous thing, Rory."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. It's fun."
"I don't know if spontaneous works for me." Lorelai is the spontaneous one, Rory thinks. When she tries being spontaneous it never seems to end well – missing her mother's graduation and stealing a yacht come to mind.
"You threw out a five-year plan," Louise counters and Rory shrugs. That's the economy, not her, though sometimes she wonders if she would have stopped being so scheduled anyway. Life is throwing more curveballs than she expected.
Rory changes the subject to asking Madeline and Louise about what they do each week and, after receiving an extremely colourful answer, Rory starts getting woozy.
"No more of that punch," she says, pushing it away and blinks. The table is starting to spin. "I'm going to bed."
"Sweet dreams," Louise says. "And the offer still stands."
"What offer?"
"Hooking you up with a guy. I know one who works at the next bar and word on the street is he's an excellent kisser."
"Thanks, but I'm good," Rory says, ignoring Paris's laughter. "And I'm not going to ask how you know that."
"Take my word for it," Louise says enigmatically. "I'm just saying you should enjoy your vacation."
"I am." Absently, Rory wonders what Jess would make of all this, if she called him after all. But no, she manages to reason foggily. Tonight has shown that it still hurts after they fell apart. Still, she imagines his laugh and it makes Rory smile.
Somehow they make it back to the room without incident and Rory wakes the next morning with a dry mouth and even sorer head. She forgot the golden rule of water after drinking and groans, pushing herself up, still in her clothes from the night before. Making some coffee, Rory can see it's already a beautiful morning and Paris starts to stir.
"What time is it?"
"Early. You want to go down to the beach?"
"I think I'm going to throw up."
Rory takes that as a no but then her friend is struggling to her feet and, after half a cup of coffee, follows Rory down to the sea. They must look funny, Rory thinks, dressed in their clothes from last night and remembers how Madeline and Louise told them they sleep all day. They seem to have a pretty good life out here, Rory thinks, even if it's not the life for her.
She and Paris stare out at the water for a moment and Rory says, "Should I be more spontaneous?"
"You need a notebook," is all Rory gets in response. Sighing, she stands up and starts stumbling along the sand.
"Where are you going?" Paris yells and Rory calls back, "Just want to put my feet in the water! You coming?"
"Whatever," Paris answers ambiguously. Rory kicks off her sandals and wades in. The water is cool and welcoming. Walking in a little deeper, Rory lifts her skirt, remembering how reluctant she was to swim as a kid. You just have to jump Lorelai said and, when Rory finally did, she found out it was kind of fun. Rory can't remember the last time she was in the water. Without stopping to think Rory jumps into the waves, shouting with laughter as the sea washes over her head.
"What the hell are you doing?" Paris cries and Rory calls back, "Being spontaneous!"
"I thought you were the level-headed one out of us," is what Paris says in response as Rory walks back up the sand. "Felt some great need to be at one with nature?"
"No," Rory says, and then she's laughing. She can't stop laughing despite Paris's look of disapproval. Maybe this trip wasn't such a bad idea after all.
"Louise texted to say she got that guy's number if you want it," Paris remarks and Rory grins.
"I'll kill her later," she says wiping her eyes and laughs again as Paris says, "I'm going inside for breakfast. You coming? Or do you feel another need to act like Ariel?"
"Relax, I'm done."
"You know, you are different now," Paris remarks. "You don't talk as much about the future."
"I guess it's less easy to predict," Rory says, but the thought doesn't freak her out as much as it once did. Sometimes it's sort of exciting. Rory stops to take one last look at the ocean. What was it Lorelai said? All that matters is that she's going. Maybe the destination can change along with her.
