A/N – This is the former Chapter 11, which is now Chapter 12. I mentioned in the last author's note that I wanted to revise this chapter…I probably should have READ this chapter before I said anything, cuz, guess what – there's no Rory/Jess interaction whatsoever! So, disregard anything I said about this chapter. (It has been revised SLIGHTLY – however, the changes are completely insignificant, so if you've already read it from the previous posting, feel free to skip it this time.)
nicole – You may want to change your opinion of Mrs. Kim after reading this chapter. (That, or you'll really love Emily!) Slight spoiler: Everyone goes to the schools they've mentioned!
To the anonymous reviewer – In total, this story has actually received over 100 reviews, most are just on the other posting; there is currently 1 additional chapter (not including this one) that is simply waiting to be re-posted, with another chapter in the works; don't worry, this story's gonna be finished, and it's gonna be a long one, 30+ chapters. Reviews have never been mandatory for me, and when I mentioned them to Her Royal Highness (Princess Heather), she had no clue what I was talking about. I already have the final two chapters written, and just need to finish the middle of the story, so that I can post the ending.
(The above, and below, were all written by yours truly, Just Jamie.)
RECAP: Skips 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11. Concerning Chapter 9…Rory and Paris are both going to Yale. Jess was accepted to NYU, but hasn't told anyone. Lane got an audition for the Juilliard. Tristan was left out of Chapter 9 entirely; his subplot will be partially addressed in this chapter. Chapter 10. Rory tells her mother and grandparents that she's going to Yale instead of Harvard. Lane was accepted to the Juilliard on the spot following her audition; however, Mrs. Kim saw her in New York, and is now refusing to let her go to school there. (Obviously – it's Mrs. Kim!) Emily made a decision, and wanted to speak to Richard about it. (Cliffhanger – what was the decision? Read on! Hehehe.)
This chapter takes place the next day, Saturday.
FREE AT LAST
"Mrs. Kim. I would like to speak with you." Emily called, looking around the cluttered antique shop.
"Yes?" Mrs. Kim appeared from behind a rather large wooding rocking chair.
"Mrs. Kim, hello. My name is Emily Gilmore. I'm Rory's grandmother."
"Yes, yes. What did you want to talk about?" Mrs. Kim asked curtly. "I am very busy today."
"Then perhaps I should return another day." Emily replied, graciously. "I was hoping that we would be able to sit down for tea while we spoke."
"Tea is fine. One moment." Mrs. Kim turned, and called up the stairs. "Lane, come mind the store."
"Coming, Mama." Lane called back down, a chill evident in her voice.
"Come with me." Mrs. Kim led the way to the kitchen. "Sit."
Emily sat, and watched Mrs. Kim prepare the tea. "Mrs. Kim, Rory told me last night that your daughter, Lane, was accepted to the Juilliard Institute in New York."
"Lane will not be going." Mrs. Kim responded, setting the teacups on the table heavily.
"I completely agree." Emily replied, a sly smile forming on her face. "Nothing but trouble could come from allowing Lane to move to New York, completely unsupervised."
"Yes. Too many hoodlums in New York. They will ruin my daughter."
"Of course they would. All those boys doing nothing but playing music, with no adult to guide them."
"Too many boys. I've already decided which school Lane will attend."
"Quite right that you should do so. Young girls such as Rory and Lane should never be trusted with such an important decision. That is why Mr. Gilmore and I put our foot down; Rory will be attending Yale."
"Good for you." Mrs. Kim was beginning to warm up to Emily, who seemed so charming and intelligent.
"Today's society gives children entirely too much independence. It's always refreshing to see a parent with morals, and the will to enforce them."
"Yes. Thank you."
"It seems absolutely ridiculous that girls of seventeen and eighteen feel that they should decide their own futures."
"Quite right."
"After all, how are they to know how to live their lives and make good choices? They are far too young, and have nothing but our example to teach them."
"Yes." Mrs. Kim was suddenly unsure of where the conversation was heading.
"Of course, there are some who will say that children should be allowed to make some of their own decisions. I believe that statement is often supported with such things as, it is their life, and how will they learn to make good choices if they aren't allowed to make a few mistakes on their own?"
"What is this about?" Mrs. Kim eyed Emily suspiciously.
"Simply this. I have learned through personal experience, with Lorelai, that children will make their own choices and mistakes, despite everything we do for them."
"Lane is a good girl."
"Lorelai was, also. However, I realized, too late, that there comes a point in time where children must be allowed to think they are making their own decisions, so that we may continue to guide them without the risk of the child disregarding our words completely."
Mrs. Kim didn't respond, instead taking a sip of tea.
"I think that such a time may have come with Lane. With that in mind, I have come to make a proposal."
"What do you mean, such a time may have come with Lane?"
"Mrs. Kim, I'm going to be completely honest. I believe that Lane may attempt to attend the Juilliard, whether you approve or not. I would like to propose something, where Lane will be able to attend this school, and you will still be able to guide her through these difficult years."
"And what would that proposal be?"
"Rory was awarded a full scholarship to Yale. Therefore, the money Mr. Gilmore and I had said aside to pay for her education is no longer necessary. I would like to propose that Lane be allowed to attend the Juilliard. Mr. Gilmore and I will obtain an apartment for her in New York. We will also employ someone to act as chaperone."
"A chaperone?"
"A person, approved by you, to live with Lane and provide her with proper supervision while she is in New York."
Mrs. Kim was silent. She rose, and busied herself with making more tea while she thought about Emily's offer. She knew that Lane was unhappy, and that her daughter truly wanted to attend the Juilliard. Lane had expressed interest in working with autistic children; a degree in music might actually help her achieve that goal. But Mrs. Kim worried about her daughter, in a big city, on her own. A chaperone in New York essentially solved her dilemma. She turned back to Emily. "I will accept your proposal, provided we find a suitable chaperone."
Emily smiled, and stood. "Thank you, Mrs. Kim. I will make the appropriate arrangements, and let you know when I have found a few candidates."
Mrs. Kim nodded, watching as Emily walked out of the kitchen.
Emily passed Lane on her way out of the store. "Good morning, Lane."
"Good morning, Mrs. Gilmore. I…I heard what you and my mother were talking about. Thank you." Lane offered Rory's grandmother a tentative smile, incredibly grateful for what the woman had just done, but still slightly apprehensive about Mrs. Gilmore's motivation.
Emily smiled warmly at her granddaughter's best friend. "You're welcome." She turned, and left the store.
"Mama!" Lane called. "May I go to Rory's?"
"Be back in half an hour."
"Okay, Mama, I will. Bye!" She called over her shoulder, already dashing out the front door.
Lane ran all the way to Rory's house, and let herself in. She found Rory on the phone.
"Don't tell Paris; she'd probably have an aneurysm if she found out that you were accepted to Harvard when she and I were both turned down." Rory turned when she heard Lane come in, and held up a finger, indicating that she'd be off the phone in just a minute. She laughed at something that the other person on the phone had said. "Well, hey. Lane just got here, so I have to go." Pause. "Okay, I will. Bye!" She hung up the phone, and turned to Lane. "Hey, what's up? Tristan says hi. You're in a good mood!"
"Hi, Tristan. Rory, your grandmother just talked my mom into letting me go to the Juilliard!" Lane exclaimed, her face glowing with happiness.
"What? How?" Rory was amazed.
"I heard something about an apartment, with a chaperone. But, even if my mom moves to New York with me, that'll be okay, as long as I get to study music!"
The two girls went on about how cool it was that Lane was going to be able to attend the Juilliard, until Lorelai burst in.
"Free at last, thank god almighty I'm free at last!" Lorelai exclaimed, dramatically collapsing on the couch. "Lane – you're incredibly happy for someone whose dreams have been shattered."
Lane and Rory exchanged a glance, before Rory shrugged, indicating that her grandmother may not have told Lorelai her intentions, either.
"Your mom convinced my mom to let me go to the Juilliard." Lane explained.
"Oh." Lorelai looked confused, and then realization hit, rapidly followed by quickly concealed anger.
"Anyway, I need to get going…my mom gave me 30 minutes, which means I have about 45 seconds left to get home." Lane said her goodbyes, before dashing out the door and running home.
"So, Mini-me…we haven't talked about your decision to go to Yale yet."
"No, we haven't."
"So…why Yale?"
Rory shrugged. "I don't know…I guess, I got kind of used to the idea of going there, back when we thought I wouldn't get into Harvard. So I just kinda figured that I'd go to whichever school I was accepted to. It didn't occur to me that I might get into both. Then, when I did…I knew that Grandma and Grandpa really wanted me to go to Yale. But, our dream has always been for me to go to Harvard. I didn't know what to do…no matter which school I went to, someone would be upset or disappointed. Jess told me to just go to whichever school would make me happy, because I would be the one going to school there for four years. Then, when I talked to Paris, she was really upset that she hadn't gotten into Harvard, and kept accusing me that I had. Anyway, I told her that I was turned down, too, and that seemed to calm her down a lot. When I told her I had gotten into Yale, she told me that she did too, then asked me to be roommates with her, if I live in the dorms, and I kind've…agreed."
"Oh…so it was basically an attempt to keep Paris from causing your untimely demise, and you got trapped in it."
"Yeah…but not entirely. I mean, once I told Paris that I was going to Yale, it just felt…I don't know, it felt…right." Rory struggled to explain herself.
Lorelai frowned, thinking. "Rory…if you want to go to Yale for yourself, I'll support you. I just don't want you to give up your dream of Harvard to make my parents happy."
"Don't worry, Mom. Grandma and Grandpa…well, they did have something to do with my decision, but I'm not going to Yale for them."
"Okay, good." Lorelai leaned over and hugged her daughter. "So you and Paris are going to be roommates, huh?"
Rory groaned in response, burying her face in her hands. "How do I get myself into these situations?"
Lorelai laughed. "You have my luck, that's all…and my talent of being able to speak without the words passing through your brain first."
Rory grinned back at her mother. "Maybe it won't be so bad…and, it's still months away; Paris could always decide she hates me again, and back out."
"There is always that possibility. Hey, that reminds me. I need coffee."
"How does that remind you that you need coffee?"
"Well, I just remembered that I need coffee, and since we were talking about you and Paris being roommates, that's obviously what made me remember."
"Obviously," Rory replied teasingly.
"So, c'mon, let's go!"
"Alright, just let me grab my coat."
~End Chapter 12~
A/N – Okay, that's it for Chapter 12. I hope everyone likes it, but if not, give me suggestions, and I'll revise. The former Chapter 12/new Chapter 13 will be posted later today (January 13, 2003). – Just Jamie