Rory looked down at her watch.  It was 4:30pm and she had to pick up Alex and Hannah at 5:30.  Just as she was gathering her things to leave the office, the phone rang.

      "Rory Gilmore speaking."

      "How's it going Mrs. DuGrey?"

      "Tristan, what do you want?"

      "It's nice to talk to you too.  I'm doing well by the way, thank you for asking."

      "I haven't got time for this.  I have to pick up Alex and Hannah."

      "I've taken care of that, Claire will pick up the kids."

      "That's not your housekeeper's job and how dare you ask her to do something like that without consulting me first."

      "You're right, I apologize but I had to move quickly.  If you don't jump on a deal, you'll lose it."

      "What does this have to do with me and the kids?"

      "I need to see you tonight."

      "Tristan," Rory cut in.

      "I really need to see you.  If you could look through the phone, you'd see me on my knees begging.  Meet me at Serendipity 3?  Please."

      "Tristan."

      "Rory please."

      "What time?"

      "6:30."

      "I'll see you then."

      As she rushed down 3rd Avenue, all Rory could think about was her impending meeting with Tristan.  She knew she needed to talk to him, to make him understand that she didn't love him anymore but she dreaded having to tell him that.  Upon entering the restaurant, she saw Tristan sitting at a table in the back, two mugs sitting in front of him.  Probably frozen espresso, my favorite drink, she thought.  Serendipity 3 was famous for its desserts especially its frozen hot chocolate.  As usual, it was bright, crowded, and smelled like sugar.  The place was full of tourists and the décor was a little too cutesy for her taste but she'd absolutely loved the restaurant when she'd first moved to New York. 

      "Mary," he said huskily.

      "Don't start," Rory said as she sat down.  She could still remember the first time he'd called her that.  It was her first year at Chilton and she'd hated it.  She'd been dating Dean at the time and though she thought Tristan was cute, she'd found him extremely cocky.  Then one night at a Chilton party, she'd seen the real Tristan, the vulnerable guy behind the arrogant and cocky façade.

      "One of us has to start.  Rory, I love you.  I always have, I always will.  I think you still love me too, at least I'm hoping you do," he said grabbing her hands.

      Immediately she pulled her hands away.  "Tristan don't."

      "Rory I love you."

      "God Tristan, don't make me say it."

      "Say what?"

      "I don't love you.  And even if I did, a relationship between us wouldn't work."

      "Of course it would."

      "No, it wouldn't.  Are you willing to stop working so much because before you were hardly home?"

      "I wasn't away that much."

      "Yes you were.  I know because I remember spending a lot of time alone."

      "I was trying to build a future for us, for Alex and Hannah.  You wouldn't want them struggling, would you?"

      "Of course not.  But I'd rather they did without designer clothes and toys if it would have kept you home."

      "You're living in a very nice townhouse in Soho.  You really can't be all that against me working hard."

      "That house is for your children.  Besides, I would have been perfectly happy in a small house in Hartford."

      "Hartford!  Nothing happens in Hartford.  I would never have been able to build up DuGrey Incorporated in Hartford."

      "When we were in college, you said you didn't want to be like your father.  You said you wanted to be your own man, do your own thing, change the world."

      "Rory, your life is considerably better because I went to work for my father's company."

      My life is considerably better!  I didn't want that life," Rory said then stood up.  "You didn't do those things for me.  You didn't even do them for our children.  You did them to prove to your father that you weren't irresponsible and spoiled.  I loved you for the man you were.  I loved that guy who wanted to start his own business.  I loved that guy who wanted to backpack across Europe and I would have followed him to the other side of the world if he'd asked me to." 

      "Rory."

      "Don't Rory me.  When you come over this weekend to pick up Alex and Hannah, you can pick up that bracelet as well.  I don't have a need for it," she said then turned and walked out of the restaurant.