disclaimer: I don't own GG. I don't own the restaurant Tavern on the Green either, although they have some kickass food.
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The Trouble With Kids
Chapter 9: I love you too…
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[Ladies' bathroom at Tavern on the Green]
"You're separating from Henry?
Why?" Rory finally managed to sputter.
"Yes Ror…" Lane answered.
"But Lane, you guys were so
happy. The cutest couple I've ever seen. You were made for each other!" Rory said.
"And you and Tristan weren't 'a match made in heaven'?" Lane countered.
"Lane, that ship has already
sailed, and frankly it sunk. But what
happened between you and Henry?" Rory persisted, changing the subject. Lane got
up and ran her fingers through her silky black hair.
"I don't know Ror, we've just grown so apart. We're so involved with our
jobs; we don't have time for each other. He wants me to settle down, he wants a
family. But I don't want to sacrifice my career! A little baby would be the end
of my time as a doctor! We've just been fighting, and fighting, we can't
communicate, Ror. It's like there is this huge wall dividing us. Things have
been going downhill for a while and I've finally decided to take the first
step. After talking to my mother, we both agreed that maybe divorce was too
harsh and we should start with separation." Lane said pacing stopping to look
at Rory's shocked face once in a while.
"Lane, I don't get it… can't
you guys compromise? Even though it's not divorce,
separation is pretty serious, Lane. I don't want to see you get hurt." Rory said
her blue eyes shining in the dim light of the room.
"Rory, I just can't talk to
him. I can't." Lane replied.
"Well Lorelai Gilmore, I don't
think our dates would appreciate it if we stood them up would they now?" Lane
added looking at Rory's distraught face. Rory gave a small smile.
"I don't think they would."
Rory responded but inside she said to herself 'There is no way you and Henry are going to end up like me and Tristan,
Lane, there is no way I'm going to stand by and watch that happen.'
"Now tell me all about this
Sean guy, he looked cute, but the way Tristan and him were staring at each
other, I'm surprised they didn't come to blows." Lane joked and the best
friends laughed as Rory told Lane all about Sean.
Lunch had been pretty uneventful
until Lane caught Tristan glancing at Rory's laughing face. Both couples had
engaged in their own conversations, ignoring each other but it wasn't the first
time Lane had seen Tristan looking at Rory with those pitiful, longing, sad
blue eyes.
"Mister DuGrey…" Lane said and Tristan immediately snapped out of his
trance.
"Yes Mrs. Cho?"
Tristan asked. He noticed Lane's slight grimace at the last time. He had been
really upset when Lane had come to him. Henry and him were still good friends
and he felt horrible that they were going down this path, but at Lane's begging
he had caved in.
"You're doing it again…" Lane replied.
"Doing what?" Tristan questioned defensively.
"Becoming the little sixteen
year old Tristan DuGrey who'd make puppy dog eyes at my best friend when she
wasn't looking, and otherwise acting indifferent." Lane replied crossing her
arms over chest and leaning back slightly in her chair.
"What?" Tristan stuttered out the reply.
"Nothing…anyways how are my
lovely little godchildren?" Lane asked after seeing Tristan's clearly
embarrassed red face.
"Don't even ask. Drew was
captain of the basketball and soccer teams. And now it's lacrosse. The boy is
seriously insane, and on top of that he receives at least 10 calls a night from
girls asking for 'homework'. Now
Juliette, she is a totally different case. She's smart and yet scared to show
it because of some stupid crush. And of
course she is another heartbreaker. I don't know if I'm blessed or cursed!"
Tristan responded raking his fingers through his blonde hair.
Lane laughed out loud. "I
can't believe this! Tristan DuGrey lamenting about his children! I never thought I'd live to see the day!"
"Very funny
Lane, so funny that I forgot to laugh." Tristan remarked sarcastically
but Lane continued to laugh.
"I'm okay, I'm okay…" Lane
said calming down, "So while I'm in town do I get to see them? Or will I have
to resort to kidnapping nowadays?"
"Well, I don't see any problem
with that but they're with their mother right now, so your going to have to
talk to her." Tristan replied.
"I see, but sorry Tristan, Rory
and me have a shopping date and I think those two are
leaving." Lane said and Tristan helped her out of her seat twirling her around.
"Well, go ahead,
I definitely would not want to spend hours shopping with you two. I'd probably
go insane, and resort to hitting my head repeatedly against a wall." Tristan
responded.
"Touché, Monsieur, touché."
Lane said as they made their way out of the restaurant. Outside, a not so
wonderful sight greeted them, well for Tristan at least. Sean and Rory were
kissing, Tristan felt his stomach lurch.
"Well Laney, I got to go, so
I'll meet up with you later, right?" Tristan said quickly.
"Of course I'm in town till
Monday, I couldn't miss Lorelai's gala she would throw a fit!"
Then she sighed after his
retreating car, and Rory's figure still locked in an embrace. Lane walked over
to them.
"Sorry to break up this
lovey-dovey moment, but we have some shopping to do, what was it, uh…Sean. So ta ta my dear!"
And Lane whisked Rory away from Sean.
"Party
pooper. Lane, wait a sec I got to change my shoes, there is no way I'm
walking across Manhattan in these atrocities!"
Rory exclaimed.
Lane slightly chuckled and said,
"Gilmore you better have some sneakers in there 'cause I am looking for the perfect dress for your mom's little
party at her hotel. And why do you have shoes in there in the first place? This
wasn't a planned meeting ya know."
Rory came out wearing some Addidas tennis shoes. "What was the first part Lane? And
whenever wearing shoes like those, a spare pair is always at hand." she asked.
"Ahh, behold the beauty queen."
Lane remarked, Rory gave her an evil glance, and they proceeded to walk down
the street.
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[Several Hours later, Hayden Penthouse]
Rory and Lane walked through
the door, laughing, and carrying dozens of bags on each arm. Drew and Juliette
who were trying to fix up some dinner in the kitchen stared at them
quizzically. Drew was the first to recognize who had just walked into the room
along with his mother.
"Aunt Laney!" he exclaimed and
he walked to the door.
"Ew, don't
call me Laney. That would be like saying I was Rachel Leigh Cook's character in
She's All That,
but then again kissing Freddie Prinze Jr. wouldn't be
a bad thing." Lane babbled.
"Okay, you just lost me
there…" Drew said running his fingers through his hair.
"AHH! If you DuGrey men keep
doing that I am going to shave your heads in your sleep!" Lane threatened.
"I'll help you Aunt Lane." Jules said stepping
out of the kitchen.
"Well, Jules, I think we
should but then they'd probably kill us. You do know that hair is a matter of
pride to them." Lane replied.
"Argh, I'm going to go finish
that cake." Drew said and went back into the kitchen.
"Did someone say cake? Yum, what kind?" Rory said dropping her bags.
"Chocolate, Jules and me
decided to fix up some dinner." Drew replied from the kitchen.
"Thank god you two learned
cooking from your father. Or else I would have to insist on taking you guys out
for dinner. Let's just say making edible food is one quality the Gilmore women
have never perfected." Lane remarked resulting in Rory sticking her tongue out
at her. Before Rory could retort, her cell phone rang.
"Lorelai
Gilmore speaking."
"Sure Sean, what time?"
"Oh, you want to meet the
kids, okay."
"Yeah 7:30 sounds good."
"Love you too."
"See you later, bye!"
Jules, Drew, and Lane who had
only heard half the conversation looked at each other and then at their
mother's smiling face.
"Sean asked me out to dinner!"
Rory exclaimed happily.
"Two dates in one day, don't
you think that seeing him once in a
24 hour period is more than enough? And 'I
love you too'? You just met the guy today for heavens sakes." Lane asked.
"Well, lunch was pretty casual
and stuff. I don't know Lane, Sean's just so sweet and nice, and he might even
be 'the one'." Rory replied.
"If you say
so, Ror. Anyways I got to check into my hotel, so bye guys." Lane
responded skeptically.
"No! You're staying with us Lane! We have a guest bedroom and everything, just bring your stuff up! You can have dinner
with the kids. Jules, Drew I really feel horrible about totally ditching you
guys today, but do you think you can handle Lane for a while?" Rory said.
"Yeah mom." They chorused sighing. Sean Haley was really
screwing things up, and it looked like even Lane wasn't too cool with it.
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3 hailey