Chapter four

Wednesday passed without leaving a lasting impression. I soon found it was Thursday and my meeting with Mrs. McAllen was quickly approaching. I was getting ready for that meeting. I pulled out my knee length, black, thick- strapped dress with a square neckline and decided to wear it with a pair of open-toed black heels. I quickly took my shower and let my hair dry naturally so it would hang around my face in loose waves. I carefully did my make-up. I didn't put on much just a hint of light silver eye shadow, a touch of eye liner and a bit a pink gloss. I dressed and quickly packed my workbag. I needed my tape recorder and the list of questions just in case I needed a little help. I hurried out the door and drove to the McAllen's. When I reached the McAllen residence, I was a few minutes early. After all those dinners with my grandmother I knew that it was better to be early than to be late. I took in the house and its surrounding gardens. The house was a white sandstone structure that loomed over your head. It was a really beautiful home but it just reeked of money. The gardens were beautiful, it seemed that they held every kind of flower imaginable. I walked up the path and rang the bell. A maid in a proper black dress answered, she had this stiff aura around her. My grandmother would have loved her.

R: "Hello, I have a meeting with Mr. & Mrs. McAllen."

Maid: "Of course, right this way." She led me down a hall; out the back door and into the most beautiful garden I had ever seen. It rivaled even that of my grandmothers. The back had a huge rose garden, with roses of every color. The roses surrounded a path and a large square. There was a fountain in the middle of the square with a table at the far end. As I was lead to the table Mrs. McAllen stood to greet me.

"You must be Miss Gilmore." Mrs. McAllen said as she reached out her hand, which I shook.

R: " Yes, It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. McAllen."

Melanie: "Oh, call me Melanie, Miss Gilmore or may I call you Lorelai?"

R: "Please call me Rory, Lorelai is my mother."

M: "Alright, Rory. I'm afraid I have some bad news. Steven won't be able to join us and won't be back until the night of the party. He was called out on emergency business."

R: "I need an interview with both of you. Would I be able to do the interview over the phone?"

M: "I'm afraid that he can't be reached but since you are sending a photographer to the party, you can join us as well and get your interview then."

R: "Oh, I couldn't bother you at your party. Are you sure he can't be reached?"

M: "You won't be a bother. I insist that you come. You can meet your grandson and his charming business partner, Austin. You two would look wonderful together."

R: "Could we do the interview through email?"

M: "Nonsense. I want you there but remember that it is an event that requires formal attire."

R: "Okay." I couldn't find away out of this. I really didn't want to go but it seemed like I didn't have much of a choice.

M: "I bet you would look stunning in a royal blue or a deep red." She kept talking about dress colors and I simply nodded and replied at the correct times, while attempting to think of a way to get out of this. I left without her portion of the piece because she insisted that I could get it when I got her husbands. I now not only had to go to a dreaded social event but I had also promised a dance to this Austin guy. I don't know how she did it but she was good. I knew I needed to go shopping for a gown because the last one I had bought was for my grandma's annual Christmas party two years ago and it now had a stain on the front. It was a few months after Tristan left and I was forced to go. I tried to make it a little better but ended up having a few too many glasses of brandy. I hid in Grandpa's study the entire time drinking until the pain went away and when mom found me I was passed out on the couch with brandy all down the front of my dress. Grandma never forced me to go to a function after that. I headed for Maria's. It was a cute little formal shop where I knew I could find something. I sifted through racks of beautiful formal gowns, some were two pieced and but most were one. I chose a few and headed towards the dressing room. I tried them on and finally decided on a royal blue one piece. It was a spaghetti strapped ball gown with a tight bodice and a skirt that flared out at the waist. There wasn't much detail to it but I like things simple. I didn't need anything else complicated in my life. After I purchased my dress I headed home. When I reached my apartment I turned on the coffee maker and opened a window so that fresh air could come in. It was one of those days in May, when it was too chilly for the air conditioning but too warm to leave the house closed up. I changed into a black tank top and a pair of Winnie the pooh boxers before retrieving the carton of ice cream from the freezer. I plopped down on the couch and grabbed the remote and began to haphazardly flip through the channels. When I found nothing that sparked my interests I turned the TV off and grabbed the phone. I dialed the number I knew by heart and listened to it ring while shoving a heaping spoonful of ice cream in my mouth.

"Hello? Lorelai's whore house."

"Hi, Mom" I said with my mouth still full of ice cream.

L: " Ror, I was going to call you tonight but anyway cherry chocolate chunk or mocha chip?"

R: "Mocha chip."

L: "What's wrong? You only eat the hard stuff when something is up so spill."

R: "Well you remember that ridiculous article I had to write. 'Here comes the woof.'"

L: "Yeah, and it wasn't ridiculous it was cute."

R: "Well, he liked that one so much he gave me a better piece."

L: "That's great honey, so why are you sulking mode?"

R: "Well, I'm basically interviewing Emily Gilmore, only her name is Melanie McAllen."

L: "Oh no."

R: "Oh it gets better. I'm supposed to be covering their 65th wedding anniversary and we set up an interview for today but her husband was called away on emergency business so she insisted that I get both of their interviews tomorrow at the party. On top of having to go to this formal event I have to dance with her grandson's business partner."

L: "Why do you have to dance with him?"

R: "She somehow got me to agree to it. You know how, Grandma does it to you all the time. Before I knew what was happening I agreed to dance with him. Then she gave me tips on the dress color I should wear."

L: "She's good. I wonder if she's related to Emily Gilmore? What colors did she want you to wear?"

R: "Royal blue or a deep red."

L: "Good sense of color. Have you bought your dress yet?"

R: "I bought it today."

L: "Ooh What color?"

R: "Navy blue."

L: "Ooh I bet its pretty. Is Mike going to be there taking pictures?"

R: "Yes, why?"

L: "Oh no reason."

R: "Mom, just tell me."

L: "I just wondered if there were going to be pictures of this party that's all."

R: "Uh huh sure."

L: "That's it I swear. So how are classes going?"

R: "And she changes the subject. Very smooth and they're going."

L: "Are you getting you daily dose of coffee?"

R: "Yes, mom. I'm taking care of myself."

L: "But how many cups would you say?"

R: "About eight."

L: "That's why you so down. You're a Gilmore you need at least seven to survive and twelve to function properly. You know that. What are you trying to do? Deprive yourself of the very beverage that gives you life?"

R: " Mom, I'm fine but I really should go."

L: "Okay, I was thinking about heading to Luke's anyway."

R: "Alright, go flirt and beg for coffee."

L: "I don't flirt with Luke."

R: "Oh yeah you don't flirt with Luke and there are purple oompa loompas."

L: "Whatever you think, Ror. I'm going to go and beg but I doubt he'll give it to me."

R: "Kiss him and he'll give you coffee. But anyway I love you mom."

L: "Do you think that will really work?"

R: "Yes."

L: "Well I love you too kiddo. Bye!"

R: "Bye, Mom."

*End of Phone call*

A/N: Okay, I know you all are about to have me lynched but I've been struggling with a particularly heinous case of writers block. And I am aware that this chapter is like 12 days over due and I'm very sorry about that. I have part of chapter 5 started and I hope you like this. So please review and I'll start working on chapter 5 promptly.

Sam