"Do you realize that almost two years ago we were in this exact same spot doing this exact same thing?" Lorelai says as she paints Rory's toenails out on the patio.
"Only it was red not pink and my dinner was Reddi-whip."
"I can't believe you made me live without you for six weeks."
"You know when I go away to college you'll be living without me all the time."
"That's an awful thing to say," Lorelai says. Rory agrees. It's an awful thing to think, leaving her mom and the comforts of Stars Hallow.
"Well, I'm very glad to be home."
"I can't believe you're leaving me on the very night you got home," Lorelai whines, lower lip puckering into a pout.
"I can't control when Madelyn throws her back-to-school parties."
"But you don't have to go."
"I promise I won't be out real late and when I get home we can do anything you like."
"Can we make chocolate chip pancakes and watch Almost Famous?"
"I told you, anything you want."
"Okay, then you can go tonight. Give me your other foot."
Rory hoists her other foot into her mother's lap and closes her eyes, grateful for the homey feeling of Connecticut.
"So this thing with you and Jess…is that over?"
"I don't know," Rory says, thinking of waking up to Jess in Washington, the adorable way he kept the blankets curled around his chin. "It's on pause anyway."
"What about the situation with you and Dean?"
"It's friendly."
"Friendly?" Lorelai questions.
"Well friendish. We talked a couple times when I was in Washington. We're just sorting through everything."
"And Tristan?"
"What about Luke and you?" Rory asks.
"Mmm…very interesting that you don't feel comfortable talking about Tristan."
"Don't read that much into it."
"So are you and Tristan together?"
"No."
"But you're going to this party with him tonight, right?"
"He'll be there."
"Very interesting."
"Stop saying that, it isn't interesting."
"Yes it is. Keep your toes spread, okay? I'd hate for all my work to go to waste."
"It's not a date."
"Really," Lorelai says.
"It's not that big of a deal. I'm just going because Paris is," Rory says, but she doesn't believe it any more than Lorelai does.
They're quiet for a while. Rory thinks about Tristan, how far they've come over the summer. She remembers running through the rain that first day in Washington D.C., the sound of his laughter when he kicked puddle water at her.
"What are you all smiley about?" Lorelai asks. Rory shrugs, turns her thoughts to last spring- the car crash, New York, Sookie's wedding.
"I don't think it would have worked with Jess," she admits. "As a boyfriend, I mean. I care about him a lot and he's a great friend to have around, but…"
"But, Tristan?" Lorelai says, laughing when she sees Rory's surprised expression. "Puh-lease, he's all you talk about and I do spend an awful lot of time around you. I can tell when you're all ga-ga, Rory."
"Is it stupid to say I think I was waiting for him?" Rory asks. It's a question she's been pondering ever since the night they played pool and Paris informed her that Tristan and she were in love with each other.
Lorelai shrugs.
"Not stupid," she says. "The heart is a curious organ."
"I mean I always thought he was cute in an annoying kind of way, but it feels like after he left, I was always waiting for him to come back," Rory frowns, wiggles her freshly painted toes. "What do you think Mom?"
"I think you're going to have a great time tonight."
But Rory isn't so sure as she parks on Madelyn's block and steps out of the Jeep. The street is lined with all kinds of cars and Rory feels a familiar fatigue that comes over her when she thinks about socializing with kids her own age. Rory wishes Lane could have come, Lane has a way of knowing what to say to put Rory at ease. But instead Rory is forced to enter the buzzing house alone.
Never good at mingling, Rory finds herself wandering from room to room, unsure of what she's looking for. She remembers a night like this a long time ago when Dean and she had first broken up and Rory had wandered through Madelyn's house, not wanting to pull Lane away from Henry. Henry is here tonight, Rory spotted him dancing with some brunette girl that she didn't recognize. He saw Rory too but didn't acknowledge her, maybe thinking that Rory was mad at him about Lane. She makes a mental note to approach Henry at school and let him know that he doesn't need to feel weird around her.
"Hi."
Rory is startled by Tristan's voice calling to her from a room she thought was empty. Rory backs up to a sight that tugs at her sentimental heart.
Tristan sitting on a piano bench, fingers of one hand running along the ivory keys in a senseless pattern.
"Hi," Rory coughs out, her surprise causing Tristan to chuckle.
"What a walk down memory lane, huh?" he says.
"Yeah…only last time I walked in I said 'sorry.'"
"And I said something real intelligent like 'no problem.'"
"And I said I was sorry about you and Summer breaking up."
"Oh that's right!" Tristan exclaims. "Summer and I had just broken up."
"You're breaking character," Rory admonishes, smiling.
"Oops. Um…you said you were sorry about Summer and I, and I said 'it doesn't matter because I'm actually crazy in love with you.'"
Rory can't figure out what to do with her eyes, whether she should look at him or the piano or her hands. She keeps them steady on the floor and tries to ignore the dizzy-love feeling clouding her brain.
"No, you said you didn't want to talk about Summer," Rory corrects, voice quiet and timid.
"And then you leaned against the piano and asked how I did on the biology test," Tristan says and Rory leans on the piano.
"And you were confused."
"I was confused. I couldn't understand why you were being so nice to me when I'd been such a jackass to you. That's when I figured out how special you were."
"Only you didn't say special. You said odd," Rory reminds him. She sits beside him on the piano bench.
"Remember that first day we spent together in Washington? When we were getting ready to make a run for it in the rain and I offered you my jacket and you said you didn't want it?"
"Yeah."
"And then I started smiling and you asked why. You remember?"
"I remember."
"I was smiling because you were the first girl I'd ever met who wasn't afraid to get her hair wet in front of me."
Rory laughs, sure that her face is a flaming red.
"Every other girl has always been so timid about their imperfections. They always wanted to look flawless to me, like if I discovered their hair frizzed in the rain I wouldn't want to date them. And for the record, your hair looked like crap by the time we got back to the dorm room…but it was also the moment I realized that I'd been waiting for you the whole time I was away."
"I think I was waiting for you too," Rory says. She gathers courage and raises her eyes to his. He's going to kiss me, she thinks. "You look nervous," Rory says, her own voice shaky.
"Yeah, well, last time I did this you ran out of the room crying so I think I have a right to be a little apprehensive," Tristan says.
He smiles, smoothes her dark hair, touches his fingertips to her cheek.
"Stop biting your lip," he commands. Rory laughs nervously, stomach tight with anticipation.
"Nervous habit," she whispers.
"You have nothing to be nervous about."
"Maybe I do."
"Are you kidding? You have me wrapped around your finger, Lorelai Gilmore."
Rory blushes, ducks her head. Tristan touches her chin and raises her eyes to meet his.
"Thanks for waiting for me," he whispers. His voice is so tender it makes Rory want to cry.
"Thanks for choosing me," she responds. Then he guides her mouth to his and puts an end to all the waiting.
The (tentative) End.