disclaimer: Yeah, yeah I don't own GG.

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The Trouble With Kids

 

Chapter 7: Tavern on the Green…

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            Tristan and Rory stood at the front of her building. They had walked through Central Park and Tristan had bought Rory more coffee, which still had her bubbling. Their conversation was very light-hearted but there were the nervous giggles and smiles that replaced silent voids. At the moment they were remembering the first time Paris and Jess had met and Jess had been the victim of one of her hissy fits. They stood outside awkwardly, Tristan with his hands shoved in the pockets of his pants and Rory sipping on a frozen Cappuccino topped with lots of whipped cream. They both looked at each other waiting for the other to break the silence.


            "Well, this was quite fun Mary…" Tristan said.


            "Oh god, not the whole Mary thing, I thought you got over that! It just proves that men are from Mars." Rory replied sighing exaggeratedly.


            "And women are from Venus." Tristan replied.


            "Touché." Rory answered.


            "But I guess you were right about the whole Mary thing…" Tristan said. Rory had a satisfied smile on her face.


            "You couldn't have realized this during high school?" she asked. Tristan leaned close next to her ear. She could feel his cool breath against her cheek and ear.


            "Oh no…you're definitely not a Mary, you've been a Magdalene for a while now…and I would definitely be the one to know." Tristan whispered huskily into her ear, shot her one last smirk and made his way down the street, leaving Rory gaping in front of the door. She finally made her way into her apartment still a little stunned at what he had said. She was definitely sensing some innuendo there, and she definitely didn't like it.


            "Mom? Where were you? I thought you said breakfast at Al's?" Juliette said coming out of her room. She had on blue jeans, a white long sleeve t- shirt, and a matching denim jacket. Her hair was in a messy bun and she wore Addidas sneakers.


            "Sorry, I kind of got caught up. Maybe tomorrow? I can't have lunch with you guys I feel so bad, I have a date. But, I guess today you and Drew can hang out with your friends and check out the city, go shopping and stuff today. Then the rest of the week I should be pretty free, so we can do whatever you want." Rory apologized to Juliette who had her hands on her hips.


            "That's okay mom, and we can do whatever we want?" Juliette asked deviously.


            "Well…" Rory said trapped.


            "Even go to London for a couple of days?" Jules asked.


            "How about a little shopping instead…And since I have you guys during spring break, we can do a little British Isle trip then." Rory answered.


            "YAY!" Jules exclaimed. And Drew walked out of his room.


            "Mom, what did you promise her? And was that Dad I saw you walking down the street with?" Drew asked. He was also ready to go out. His blue eyes matched his blue sweater perfectly contrasting with his dark messy hair.


            "I said we would go to London over spring break, and yes that was your dad outside." Rory admitted guiltily. Juliette and Drew made eye contact and then looked at their mom.


            "You went out to coffee with dad? And who are you going on a date with mom?" Juliette asked one eyebrow cocked in the perfect angle.


            "Yes I went to coffee with Tristan. And I'm going out to lunch at Tavern on the Green with Sean Haley, another lawyer, at one." Rory answered.


            "Sean Haley?" Drew asked stunned.


            "Yes Sean Haley. S-E-A-N H-A-L-E-Y." Rory spelled out.


            "Ooh…Dad hates that guy…" Drew responded and Juliette mouthed 'Big Problem' to her brother.


            "So I found out this morning. Now what's up with the Spanish Inquisition? I have to get ready! Don't you two have something better to do than bug your poor mother?" Rory said as she walked into her room and closed the door.


            "Romeo…we have a problem." Juliette stated staring at the door.


            "Ya think?" was Drew's reply.


            "This is bad. We need to get Haley out of the picture fast. He could totally mess things up for Dad." Jules said ignoring Drew's sarcasm.


            "Jules, it's worse than that. He is supposed to be one of Manhattan's most eligible bachelors. He's the only person that could throw a monkey wrench into our plans."


            "Since when do you know his biography? And this doesn't look good for mom. What if she falls for him?" Jules replied nervously.


            "She can't, and we are going to get mom and dad back together even if Sean Haley interferes. My dear, I think we have to go to Tavern on the Green and do something ourselves." Drew said offering an arm to Juliette.


            "I think your right old chap." Juliette said sarcastically and took his arm.


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[Tavern on the Green restaurant]

            Juliette impatiently watched the door of the restaurant. Drew and her had been waiting for their mom to show up for 15 minutes. They were sitting at the outdoor café next door and eating lunch. Suddenly Rory's red Lexus pulled up. She parked the car and stepped out. She was wearing a white square-necked sundress that had little red flowers scattered everywhere. A little red handbag, super straight hair, and red strappy sandals completed the look.


            "Andrew, dear, I think we've spotted mom. But, Mr. Haley seems to be nowhere in sight. Do you think he'll stand her up?" Juliette asked observing her mom over her sunglasses.


            "Nah…but I would love it if he did…not that I want to see mom hurt…" Drew answered messing around with his chicken sandwich. He accidentally flicked a piece into Jules' hair.


            "DREW! Ick, you're putting that stuff in my hair!" She chastised him quietly just in case Rory heard anything. By the time they had both re- focused their attention at the door their mom had disappeared inside the restaurant and Sean Haley had pulled up in a black BMW.


            "There's Mr. Haley himself." Drew said munching on his sandwich.


            "We have to go in and do some sabotage." Juliette said finishing the last of her ice cream sundae.


            "Nuh uh…I haven't had dessert yet!" Drew whined.


            "Drew, grow up! If you hadn't been playing with your sandwich, you would've gotten dessert, but since you have the brain the size of a ping- pong ball no wonder you didn't." Jules replied.


            "Meanie…and that sundae looked so good too." Drew pouted.


            "How are we going to get in? Haley probably got one of the special tables." Juliette thought while Drew paid the bill.


            "Easy 007, we use Dad. He has his own table here and the DuGrey name does go far. Now who has the pea-sized brain?" Drew said picking up his jacket and running his fingers through his hair. They made their way over to the restaurant but before they reached the door, Drew grabbed Juliette's arm and spun her around facing the other direction.


            "What the hell was that for Romeo?" asked an angry Juliette.


            "What kind of spy are you? Don't you know you're not supposed to get caught? Did you even pay attention to who just pulled up? It was Dad." Drew answered shoving Juliette back towards the restaurant.


            "Dad?" Jules asked incredulously.


            "Oui, Mademoiselle!" Drew answered. And sure enough Tristan DuGrey was just stepping out of his car dressed in a suit carrying his briefcase. It was obvious this lunch was no social call.


            "Drew, we can't just let him go in there! If he sees mom with Haley he might totally freak and ruin everything." Juliette said.


            "And what exactly do you plan on doing?" Drew asked. And as soon as he did Juliette grabbed his arm and they made their way down the street towards Tristan.


            "DAD! I have just been dragging Drew around all day to find the perfect dress for Grams' gala and we stopped next door for lunch. Surprise seeing you here! You're going to eat lunch here?" Juliette asked giving her dad a hug.


            "At least I plan to…actually; I'm meeting a client down here." Tristan answered eyeing his offspring suspiciously.


            "Oh, why here? There's that great Chinese restaurant down the street. There food is amazing!" Jules said elbowing Drew.


            "Yeah it is! Remember you took us there for dinner once?" Drew threw in his two cents.


            "They had nice food…what are you two up to? Is there a reason I shouldn't be going in there? Tavern on the Green is one of my favorite restaurants, but if there is like some case of food poisoning that I should know about you guys tell me, kay?" Tristan joked, but he still tried to read Jules' overly sweet expression and Drew's angelic façade.


            "Nothing Dad…Now Jules I gotta meet my boys. Maybe you could drag Molly down to finish up you're shopping. Bye Dad, see ya later!" Drew said grabbing his sister's hand and dragging her down the street.


            "What was that for Drew?" Jules asked angrily.


            "He was on to us, any way I saw Mom and Haley still in the waiting area. If she spotted us we'd be dead!" Drew responded.


            "Whatever Drew, but if they come to blows it is so not my fault. I'm going to call Mollz up; we should be back at Mom's by 5:30ish we have to go to dinner. A bientôt Romeo!" Jules called and brother and sister went their separate ways. At Tavern on the Green, things were about to get interesting as Tristan stepped into the restaurant and ran straight into Sean Haley and Rory.

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3 hailey