Chapter 6
"Come on kiddo," Lorelai ordered as they climbed out of the car and walked up to the elder Gilmore residence.
"I'm going to Harvard."
"I though you decided not to go. You had a mile long list of reasons not to go. What happened?"
"I talked to Jess and we decided that he would go to Boston College. That way we would be close and he could help with the baby."
"He thinks he's getting into Boston College?" Lorelai questioned. "Are you sure about him, Rory?"
"I'm positive, Mom." Rory smiled. "I really think this is going to work out."
Before Lorelai had a chance to reply the door opened. "Hello, I'm Lorelai, and I'm selling subscriptions to Stuffy Old People Magazine. Would you be interested?"
"Lorelai. Rory. You're late," she sighed, ignoring Lorelai's joke.
"How late this time? One minute or did we get really bad come.. dare I say it." She looked at Rory then leaned in to Emily and whispered, "...two minutes late." She clasped her hand over her mouth.
"Is that supposed to be funny, Lorelai?" Emily questioned. "Never mind. Come with me. Rory, you look pale, did you do your hair before you came?" Rory touched her hair nervously. "Oh, it's too late now. Come on, I have someone I want you to meet." Rory followed close behind Emily. They entered the study to find Richard and a tall, fairly young man with short brown hair sitting on the leather couch. "Donald, this is our granddaughter Rory," she introduced. "Rory, this is Mr. Donald Roberts. He graduated from Harvard 15 years ago. He was in the top 10 of his class."
"Wow. That's amazing." Rory smiled and extended her hand. "It's very nice to meet you."
"And you." He grinned.
"Well, I guess I have to introduce myself... Don is it?" Lorelai held out her hand. "Lorelai Gilmore. Rory is my daughter."
"Really. You look more like sisters."
"We get that a lot." She replied. "A few face lifts and a boob job and here I am. I'm actually 55. Remarkable, isn't it?"
"Lorelai, please," Emily hissed. "I'll have to apologize for my daughter's behavior. I have no idea where she got such a distasteful sense of humor."
"It's a wonder I even have a sense of humor to begin with." Lorelai added with a smile.
Donald cleared his throat and loosened his tie a bit. "So, Rory. I hear you're looking to go to Harvard for college next fall."
"It been my dream since I was a little girl," Rory replied politely.
"Ah, very good. Well, I have quite a lot of influence at Harvard and I'm sure I'll be able to help you out. Of course, from what your grandfather told me you won't even need my help. You're a very bright girl Rory. You've got a real future." Rory put on a fake smile and stared down at her stomach.
"So, when do we eat?" Lorelai tried to take the attention away from Rory who looked a little upset.
"Let's all go to the dinning room and take our seats. We can continue the discussion in there," Richard told them.
BEEP BEEP
"Oh, that's my pager. Can I use your phone?" Donald asked.
"Of course. There's one on my desk. We'll meet you in the dinning room so you can have your privacy."
Lorelai, Rory, Richard, and Emily took their usual seats at the dinner table. After a few minutes of silence Donald came back in. "I'm so sorry. This is very rude of me, but I just got a page from my mother ... my uncle just got rushed to the hospital. I'm going to have to come to dinner at another time."
"Oh, we understand Donald." Richard stood from his chair and walked over to shake his hand. "Best of luck to your uncle."
"Thank you."
"Yes, we'll reschedule." Emily smiled gracefully also standing from her chair. "We'll walk you out."
"That would be fine. Lorelai, Rory, it was very nice meeting you both." Donald waved as Emily and Richard escorted him to the front door.
"It's fate. You gotta tell them now," Lorelai told her after she was sure her parents were far enough away.
"What? No way. I'm not prepared for this." Rory shook her head. "I haven't even had time to worry and contemplate."
"Rory, it's better to get it over with. Besides I really don't want to go to dinner next Friday."
"Forget it Mom, I'm not telling them yet," Rory told her sternly
"Telling us what?" Emily questioned reentering the dinning room and taking her seat. "Richard, come here, Rory has something to tell us." Richard entered the dinning room and took his seat.
"What's the good news, Rory?"
"No good news. No news at all. I have nothing to say." Rory sighed.
"Yes, she does. Her and Lorelai were just discussing it. Now come on now, Rory, tell us," Emily insisted. Rory shot her mother a death stare. "Come on. We are going to find out even if we have to keep you here all night."
"Mom." Rory's eyes pleaded.
"Rory's.... well remember how I said Rory is sick?" Lorelai asked.
"Yes. I remember."
"Well, she sick because...." she looked over at her daughter. "Because Rory is dying."
"What?" Richard asked concerned. "What's wrong?"
"Oh please, Richard. It's just another one of her sick jokes. What is going on Rory?" Emily pushed, she would not be fooled for a minute. "Speak. Tell us!"
"I need to get out of here," Rory whispered pushing back her chair, tears were forming in her eyes.
"Don't you leave this room, young lady," Emily yelled. "Sit back down in that chair."
"No."
"Excuse me. You sound like your mother. No, sit down."
"Hey!" Lorelai yelled. "Leave her alone, can't you see she's upset?"
"Of course I can and I'm trying to find out why but no one will tell me!"
"God, If you want to know so bad, then fine you asked for it! I'm pregnant okay!" Rory sobbed and ran out of the room.
"I knew this was going to happen," Emily sighed to Richard, her head in her hands. "She's too much like her mother."
"Well, I'm sorry that we're such a disappointment to you." Lorelai slammed her napkin on the table and pushed her chair back. "Excuse me while I go comfort my daughter, because I'm sure I'm the only one in this house who will. "
**Upstairs**
"Hey sweetie." Lorelai knocked on the open door.
"Are they totally freaking out?" Rory sat at the edge of her mom's old bed.
"Oh, yeah. Emily downing her 10th drink by now and your grandfather is studying the pattern on the table runner."
"So they're taking it better them we expected."
"Yeah. So far they haven't made one suicide attempt so I'd say we're doing good," Lorelai joked. "But don't get your hopes up. They just might be in shook still. You might want to lock all the windows on the second floor."
"Very funny." Rory sighed and rested her head on Lorelai's lap.
"Oh, don't worry sweetie." She brushed her hair back. "I told you they're gonna be mad for a week at the least."
Before she had a chance to say anything else they were interrupted by another knock at the door. "We need to have a discussion. Come downstairs," Emily told them before turning and walking back downstairs.
"Can't we just leave without telling them?"
"No, they'll catch us."
"Then we'll tie some sheets together and climb down the balcony."
"Been there, done that. Bad idea ... unless you want a broken leg," Lorelai told her with a smile. Rory tilted her head as is she was considering the idea. "Come on, there's no avoiding them." Lorelai sighed and the two girls headed downstairs.
"Sit down," Emily ordered as they entered the study. "What about Harvard?"
"God, is that all you care about?" Lorelai questioned. "Some stupid school."
"It's not stupid, Lorelai. This is her future we're talking about here," Richard interrupted.
"Don't you even care about how I feel about all of this?" Rory asked.
"Of course we do, Rory," Richard sighed. "Your boyfriend, Dean, have you told him yet?"
"Yes, he knows all about it. We broke up yesterday and he hates me."
"He broke up with you. That low life. What kind of boy leaves the girl he got pregnant?"
"Christopher." Lorelai interjected.
"Leave him out of this, Lorelai. I don't want to get into it," Emily warned. "Richard, you better call that boy and tell him that he better take responsibility for this baby."
"Leave Dean alone," Rory ordered. "He's not the father."
"What are you talking about? He was your boyfriend up until yesterday. Who else's baby would it be?"
"God, does she need to go into detail about everything?" Lorelai asked. "She cheated on Dean with someone else and got pregnant. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out."
"Rory. I'm surprised at you," Richard sighed. "I never pictured you as the type to cheat on anyone."
Rory looked down at her lap. "Who is the father?" Emily demanded.
"His name is Jess."
"Jess," Emily repeated.
"He's Luke's nephew. You remember Luke's Diner, right?" Lorelai asked.
"That troublemaker that you told me about?" Emily questioned. "Lorelai, how could you let this happen?"
"Well, I'm sorry, Mom, but I don't control who my daughter is friends with. It's her life."
"And that is exactly why she ended up like this. You were too easy on her, Lorelai."
"Oh please. At least I wasn't a controlling mother who had to plan out my daughter's entire life for her." Lorelai yelled.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"STOP IT! Everybody stop fighting." Rory stood up. "Grandma, don't take out your anger on Mom, and Mom, just back off for now."
RING RING
"That's Jess. I asked him to come and get me when I was upstairs before. I can't stay here anymore," Rory told them as she headed for the door. She found Jess waiting for her, Luke's truck sat in the circular driveway. "Thank you so much for coming to get me."
"I drove as fast as I could," Jess told her as she ran towards him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she threw her arms over his shoulders. She squeezed him tightly, just being in his arms made her feel much better. "Everything's gonna be okay."
"I wish." She pulled away and took his hand. "Come on, let's go home."
"No, wait," Jess stopped her. "I want to go in."
"You're kidding, right?" Rory asked.
"No, I want to meet your grandparents. Maybe if they meet me.... I don't know. I just think I should meet them."
"I don't think that's such a good idea."
"Come on. How bad can they be?"
jess
"Come on kiddo," Lorelai ordered as they climbed out of the car and walked up to the elder Gilmore residence.
"I'm going to Harvard."
"I though you decided not to go. You had a mile long list of reasons not to go. What happened?"
"I talked to Jess and we decided that he would go to Boston College. That way we would be close and he could help with the baby."
"He thinks he's getting into Boston College?" Lorelai questioned. "Are you sure about him, Rory?"
"I'm positive, Mom." Rory smiled. "I really think this is going to work out."
Before Lorelai had a chance to reply the door opened. "Hello, I'm Lorelai, and I'm selling subscriptions to Stuffy Old People Magazine. Would you be interested?"
"Lorelai. Rory. You're late," she sighed, ignoring Lorelai's joke.
"How late this time? One minute or did we get really bad come.. dare I say it." She looked at Rory then leaned in to Emily and whispered, "...two minutes late." She clasped her hand over her mouth.
"Is that supposed to be funny, Lorelai?" Emily questioned. "Never mind. Come with me. Rory, you look pale, did you do your hair before you came?" Rory touched her hair nervously. "Oh, it's too late now. Come on, I have someone I want you to meet." Rory followed close behind Emily. They entered the study to find Richard and a tall, fairly young man with short brown hair sitting on the leather couch. "Donald, this is our granddaughter Rory," she introduced. "Rory, this is Mr. Donald Roberts. He graduated from Harvard 15 years ago. He was in the top 10 of his class."
"Wow. That's amazing." Rory smiled and extended her hand. "It's very nice to meet you."
"And you." He grinned.
"Well, I guess I have to introduce myself... Don is it?" Lorelai held out her hand. "Lorelai Gilmore. Rory is my daughter."
"Really. You look more like sisters."
"We get that a lot." She replied. "A few face lifts and a boob job and here I am. I'm actually 55. Remarkable, isn't it?"
"Lorelai, please," Emily hissed. "I'll have to apologize for my daughter's behavior. I have no idea where she got such a distasteful sense of humor."
"It's a wonder I even have a sense of humor to begin with." Lorelai added with a smile.
Donald cleared his throat and loosened his tie a bit. "So, Rory. I hear you're looking to go to Harvard for college next fall."
"It been my dream since I was a little girl," Rory replied politely.
"Ah, very good. Well, I have quite a lot of influence at Harvard and I'm sure I'll be able to help you out. Of course, from what your grandfather told me you won't even need my help. You're a very bright girl Rory. You've got a real future." Rory put on a fake smile and stared down at her stomach.
"So, when do we eat?" Lorelai tried to take the attention away from Rory who looked a little upset.
"Let's all go to the dinning room and take our seats. We can continue the discussion in there," Richard told them.
BEEP BEEP
"Oh, that's my pager. Can I use your phone?" Donald asked.
"Of course. There's one on my desk. We'll meet you in the dinning room so you can have your privacy."
Lorelai, Rory, Richard, and Emily took their usual seats at the dinner table. After a few minutes of silence Donald came back in. "I'm so sorry. This is very rude of me, but I just got a page from my mother ... my uncle just got rushed to the hospital. I'm going to have to come to dinner at another time."
"Oh, we understand Donald." Richard stood from his chair and walked over to shake his hand. "Best of luck to your uncle."
"Thank you."
"Yes, we'll reschedule." Emily smiled gracefully also standing from her chair. "We'll walk you out."
"That would be fine. Lorelai, Rory, it was very nice meeting you both." Donald waved as Emily and Richard escorted him to the front door.
"It's fate. You gotta tell them now," Lorelai told her after she was sure her parents were far enough away.
"What? No way. I'm not prepared for this." Rory shook her head. "I haven't even had time to worry and contemplate."
"Rory, it's better to get it over with. Besides I really don't want to go to dinner next Friday."
"Forget it Mom, I'm not telling them yet," Rory told her sternly
"Telling us what?" Emily questioned reentering the dinning room and taking her seat. "Richard, come here, Rory has something to tell us." Richard entered the dinning room and took his seat.
"What's the good news, Rory?"
"No good news. No news at all. I have nothing to say." Rory sighed.
"Yes, she does. Her and Lorelai were just discussing it. Now come on now, Rory, tell us," Emily insisted. Rory shot her mother a death stare. "Come on. We are going to find out even if we have to keep you here all night."
"Mom." Rory's eyes pleaded.
"Rory's.... well remember how I said Rory is sick?" Lorelai asked.
"Yes. I remember."
"Well, she sick because...." she looked over at her daughter. "Because Rory is dying."
"What?" Richard asked concerned. "What's wrong?"
"Oh please, Richard. It's just another one of her sick jokes. What is going on Rory?" Emily pushed, she would not be fooled for a minute. "Speak. Tell us!"
"I need to get out of here," Rory whispered pushing back her chair, tears were forming in her eyes.
"Don't you leave this room, young lady," Emily yelled. "Sit back down in that chair."
"No."
"Excuse me. You sound like your mother. No, sit down."
"Hey!" Lorelai yelled. "Leave her alone, can't you see she's upset?"
"Of course I can and I'm trying to find out why but no one will tell me!"
"God, If you want to know so bad, then fine you asked for it! I'm pregnant okay!" Rory sobbed and ran out of the room.
"I knew this was going to happen," Emily sighed to Richard, her head in her hands. "She's too much like her mother."
"Well, I'm sorry that we're such a disappointment to you." Lorelai slammed her napkin on the table and pushed her chair back. "Excuse me while I go comfort my daughter, because I'm sure I'm the only one in this house who will. "
**Upstairs**
"Hey sweetie." Lorelai knocked on the open door.
"Are they totally freaking out?" Rory sat at the edge of her mom's old bed.
"Oh, yeah. Emily downing her 10th drink by now and your grandfather is studying the pattern on the table runner."
"So they're taking it better them we expected."
"Yeah. So far they haven't made one suicide attempt so I'd say we're doing good," Lorelai joked. "But don't get your hopes up. They just might be in shook still. You might want to lock all the windows on the second floor."
"Very funny." Rory sighed and rested her head on Lorelai's lap.
"Oh, don't worry sweetie." She brushed her hair back. "I told you they're gonna be mad for a week at the least."
Before she had a chance to say anything else they were interrupted by another knock at the door. "We need to have a discussion. Come downstairs," Emily told them before turning and walking back downstairs.
"Can't we just leave without telling them?"
"No, they'll catch us."
"Then we'll tie some sheets together and climb down the balcony."
"Been there, done that. Bad idea ... unless you want a broken leg," Lorelai told her with a smile. Rory tilted her head as is she was considering the idea. "Come on, there's no avoiding them." Lorelai sighed and the two girls headed downstairs.
"Sit down," Emily ordered as they entered the study. "What about Harvard?"
"God, is that all you care about?" Lorelai questioned. "Some stupid school."
"It's not stupid, Lorelai. This is her future we're talking about here," Richard interrupted.
"Don't you even care about how I feel about all of this?" Rory asked.
"Of course we do, Rory," Richard sighed. "Your boyfriend, Dean, have you told him yet?"
"Yes, he knows all about it. We broke up yesterday and he hates me."
"He broke up with you. That low life. What kind of boy leaves the girl he got pregnant?"
"Christopher." Lorelai interjected.
"Leave him out of this, Lorelai. I don't want to get into it," Emily warned. "Richard, you better call that boy and tell him that he better take responsibility for this baby."
"Leave Dean alone," Rory ordered. "He's not the father."
"What are you talking about? He was your boyfriend up until yesterday. Who else's baby would it be?"
"God, does she need to go into detail about everything?" Lorelai asked. "She cheated on Dean with someone else and got pregnant. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out."
"Rory. I'm surprised at you," Richard sighed. "I never pictured you as the type to cheat on anyone."
Rory looked down at her lap. "Who is the father?" Emily demanded.
"His name is Jess."
"Jess," Emily repeated.
"He's Luke's nephew. You remember Luke's Diner, right?" Lorelai asked.
"That troublemaker that you told me about?" Emily questioned. "Lorelai, how could you let this happen?"
"Well, I'm sorry, Mom, but I don't control who my daughter is friends with. It's her life."
"And that is exactly why she ended up like this. You were too easy on her, Lorelai."
"Oh please. At least I wasn't a controlling mother who had to plan out my daughter's entire life for her." Lorelai yelled.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"STOP IT! Everybody stop fighting." Rory stood up. "Grandma, don't take out your anger on Mom, and Mom, just back off for now."
RING RING
"That's Jess. I asked him to come and get me when I was upstairs before. I can't stay here anymore," Rory told them as she headed for the door. She found Jess waiting for her, Luke's truck sat in the circular driveway. "Thank you so much for coming to get me."
"I drove as fast as I could," Jess told her as she ran towards him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she threw her arms over his shoulders. She squeezed him tightly, just being in his arms made her feel much better. "Everything's gonna be okay."
"I wish." She pulled away and took his hand. "Come on, let's go home."
"No, wait," Jess stopped her. "I want to go in."
"You're kidding, right?" Rory asked.
"No, I want to meet your grandparents. Maybe if they meet me.... I don't know. I just think I should meet them."
"I don't think that's such a good idea."
"Come on. How bad can they be?"
jess