The Mariano court date was a week away. Rory had never been busier; new
clients kept coming in and the old ones were keeping her on her toes. One
day, during one of the few small quiet times she had, the office phone
rang.
"Gellar and Gilmore, how may I help you?" Rory answered it, lightly.
"Hello, I think I may need some help. You see there's this crazy lady named Emily Gilmore, and she keeps calling me and asking about my daughter, and if she's doing alright, and I tell her I don't know because this girl is so damn busy all of the time. I think I might sue her."
"Hi, mom." Rory replied, rolling her eyes.
"Hey, honey. How's the law business going? Have you represented any famous people? Just remember to always turn down R Kelly...He scares me." Lorelei warned Rory cheerfully.
"Things are fine. Really busy, but fine. And I talked to you the day before yesterday, so why in Grandma flipping out?" Rory asked, sitting back in her chair.
"Well, you know her. The littlest indication that she isn't the center of the universe, and it's 'Danger, Will Robinson'." Lorelei told her. Rory laughed.
"Well, let her know that I'm doing great, and that I'll call her when I get the chance. What's new in town?"
"Not much, really. Miss Patty has started a new 'Stars Hollow Idol' contest. The judges are Taylor, Kirk and Mrs.Kimm. She still hasn't got a hold of Simon Cowell." Lorelei replied. Rory rolled her eyes.
"I think Miss Kimm would be a pretty good replacement for him." She said thoughtfully. She heard Lorelei laugh.
"And you haven't even seen Kirk's Paula Abdul costume yet." She commented.
"Sounds like a lot of fun," Rory remarked wistfully, "I really wish I could be there. I hate to think of you spending all those nights alone. No one to talk to, no one to make you coffee..." When Rory said this, she heard her mom go into this guarded little giggle.
"Mom?", She asked, suspiciously, "What? What is going on?"
"Well, honey, you know, maybe I'm not entirely alone here." Lorelei allowed, clearing her throat nervously. Rory narrowed her eyes.
"What do you mean? Do you have a boyfriend, and didn't tell me about it?"
"Now, C'mon, honey, it's no big deal..." Lorelei replied.
"No big deal? Mom, I can't believe you didn't tell me! That's awesome! Now who is he, and when can I meet him, and how long have you been seeing him?" Rory asked, feeling overly happy for her mother.
"Well," Lorelei started, "You see it's..."
"Lorelei, I hope that you did not expect me to go to Patty's stupid 'Idol' thing this afternoon. Cuz I'm not going. And I don't feel bad about it. In fact, I'm taking pleasure in not going." Came a familiar voice from the background. Rory gasped.
"MOM! Is that Luke?" She demanded. Rory couldn't hold back the smile that came to her face.
"Yeah." Lorelei replied, guiltily.
"That's great! That's greater than great? It's about time!" Rory laughed, "Well, mom, I should let you go. I have to get back to work. But this doesn't let you off the hook. Just so you know, I'm calling you back, and you are going to tell me every little detail. I love you."
"I love you too, Rory." Lorelei said before hanging up. When she put the receiver in the cradle, Lorelei turned to Luke.
"So she knows?" Luke asked, walking over to her. Lorelei nodded.
"She knows. And you know what, I think she's happy about It." she told him, wrapping her arms around Luke's waist.
"Good." Luke replied, before kissing Lorelei hard on the lips. ******************
"So how's Jess holding up?" Rubin asked Rory, later that night as they were snuggled on the couch watching a boring TV movie. Rory looked at Rubin strangely.
"Why do you ask?" She inquired, narrowing her eyes. Rubin shrugged.
"I don't know. I just thought you might."
"And why did you ask me about Jess? Why didn't you ask about Patty? Rubin, are you still on that 'you are having an affair with Jess' kick? Cuz if you are, drop it!" Rory demanded. Rubin threw his hands in front of him, defensively.
"Whoa! Slow down, Rory. I'm sorry. I'm just.you know. Covering my bases. I'm the jealous type. I can't help it." He told her. Rory took a deep breath, and stood up from the couch.
"No, you know what? I'm the one who's sorry. I'm way too defensive. I'm gonna go get some more popcorn." She left the room, and Rubin stared blankly at the TV, thinking. Why had Rory reacted like that? She had flipped out. That either meant that she was completely offended by the suggestion, or.The phone rang, interrupting Rubin's trail of thought. That was ok; he wasn't sure he wanted to think those thoughts anyway.
"Hello?" He answered, after taking a deep breath.
"Rubin, hey." Came Jess' voice through the line. Rubin's eyes narrowed.
"Hey." He replied. Uh oh, Jess thought, he sounded kind of dangerous.
"Listen, I was wondering if I could talk to Rory for a minute. She, uh.well, I have to go over my testimony again, I want to make sure everything is ok." Jess said hurriedly.
"Hey, Jess, you sound really nervous. You must be stressed about this case." Rubin remarked, coolly. Jess wanted to smash his head against the wall. He was so stupid. Why had he called? Now Rubin was probably suspicious again. Rory had told him not to call.
"Yah, I am. We have to win this, for Brandon's sake." Jess told him, clearing his throat nervously. At this point, Rory walked back into the room.
"Here's some more.Who's on the phone?" Rory asked. Rubin said nothing, just handed the phone to Rory.
"Hello?" She said into it, scrunching up her face into confusion.
"Oh, Jeez, Rory, hi. Don't say anything. I'm really really REALLY sorry, but I had to call you." Rory heard Jess' voice plead.
"Oh, hi, Jess. Yes, I think we have all the main details worked out." Rory replied for Rubin's sake. She heard Jess' sigh of relief.
"Please don't be mad at me.I didn't know that he was going to answer, and I miss you. I'm going totally crazy, here. I love you." He told her. Rory fought hard to keep from answering him back, or reacting in any way.
"Yes, your testimony." She said to Jess, as Rubin watched her, "I think it'll be fine, Jess. If Patty sets up a solid base for the jury, then we'll be fine."
"This is so weird. It's like, army code. Ok, just cough twice if you love me, too. I'm kidding, don't really." Jess laughed. Rory smiled. She couldn't help herself.
"I do." She replied, quietly. She figured that was safe to say, and Rubin didn't seem to respond any differently.
"Ok, well, I should go before we get into any more trouble. I do love you, Rory. I need to see you. Soon. Call me some how, when you get the chance." Jess said, quietly.
"Alright. It's no problem, anytime I can be of service, just call. I'm glad to help." Rory replied.
"Goodbye, Rory."
"Goodbye, Jess."
Rory kept the tears out of her eyes as she hung the phone up. She turned to Rubin.
"He's freaking out. Most clients do that this soon before a court date." Rory told him, sitting back down. Rubin nodded, but didn't return her smile, and they continued to watch the movie.
"Tristan, I need a favor." Rory declared when he picked up the phone. She was at the office, and after days of consideration, she had figured out what to do.
"Ok, Mary, calm down. Name it, I'd be happy to help." Tristan replied, over the line.
"I wouldn't even be asking, but it's just that I don't know what else to do. I need to see Jess, but I can't call him because Rubin is really suspicious. I was wondering if."
"I could call him, and set something up? Tsk Tsk. I can't believe you would do something that sneaky." Tristan joked, with a little laugh.
"Tristan."Rory said, pleadingly.
"Rory, of course I'll help you. Why wouldn't I? You know I'm into all this sneaky stuff. I'll get ahold of Jess, and then I'll call you back." He told her.
"You know I." Rory started to say, but Tristan cut her off.
"I know, I know.I'm amazing, I'm wonderful, what would you ever do with out me." he joked. Rory sighed.
"Just, Thank you." She said.
"Don't mention it." Tristan replied.
**********************
"Gellar and Gilmore, how may I help you?" Rory answered it, lightly.
"Hello, I think I may need some help. You see there's this crazy lady named Emily Gilmore, and she keeps calling me and asking about my daughter, and if she's doing alright, and I tell her I don't know because this girl is so damn busy all of the time. I think I might sue her."
"Hi, mom." Rory replied, rolling her eyes.
"Hey, honey. How's the law business going? Have you represented any famous people? Just remember to always turn down R Kelly...He scares me." Lorelei warned Rory cheerfully.
"Things are fine. Really busy, but fine. And I talked to you the day before yesterday, so why in Grandma flipping out?" Rory asked, sitting back in her chair.
"Well, you know her. The littlest indication that she isn't the center of the universe, and it's 'Danger, Will Robinson'." Lorelei told her. Rory laughed.
"Well, let her know that I'm doing great, and that I'll call her when I get the chance. What's new in town?"
"Not much, really. Miss Patty has started a new 'Stars Hollow Idol' contest. The judges are Taylor, Kirk and Mrs.Kimm. She still hasn't got a hold of Simon Cowell." Lorelei replied. Rory rolled her eyes.
"I think Miss Kimm would be a pretty good replacement for him." She said thoughtfully. She heard Lorelei laugh.
"And you haven't even seen Kirk's Paula Abdul costume yet." She commented.
"Sounds like a lot of fun," Rory remarked wistfully, "I really wish I could be there. I hate to think of you spending all those nights alone. No one to talk to, no one to make you coffee..." When Rory said this, she heard her mom go into this guarded little giggle.
"Mom?", She asked, suspiciously, "What? What is going on?"
"Well, honey, you know, maybe I'm not entirely alone here." Lorelei allowed, clearing her throat nervously. Rory narrowed her eyes.
"What do you mean? Do you have a boyfriend, and didn't tell me about it?"
"Now, C'mon, honey, it's no big deal..." Lorelei replied.
"No big deal? Mom, I can't believe you didn't tell me! That's awesome! Now who is he, and when can I meet him, and how long have you been seeing him?" Rory asked, feeling overly happy for her mother.
"Well," Lorelei started, "You see it's..."
"Lorelei, I hope that you did not expect me to go to Patty's stupid 'Idol' thing this afternoon. Cuz I'm not going. And I don't feel bad about it. In fact, I'm taking pleasure in not going." Came a familiar voice from the background. Rory gasped.
"MOM! Is that Luke?" She demanded. Rory couldn't hold back the smile that came to her face.
"Yeah." Lorelei replied, guiltily.
"That's great! That's greater than great? It's about time!" Rory laughed, "Well, mom, I should let you go. I have to get back to work. But this doesn't let you off the hook. Just so you know, I'm calling you back, and you are going to tell me every little detail. I love you."
"I love you too, Rory." Lorelei said before hanging up. When she put the receiver in the cradle, Lorelei turned to Luke.
"So she knows?" Luke asked, walking over to her. Lorelei nodded.
"She knows. And you know what, I think she's happy about It." she told him, wrapping her arms around Luke's waist.
"Good." Luke replied, before kissing Lorelei hard on the lips. ******************
"So how's Jess holding up?" Rubin asked Rory, later that night as they were snuggled on the couch watching a boring TV movie. Rory looked at Rubin strangely.
"Why do you ask?" She inquired, narrowing her eyes. Rubin shrugged.
"I don't know. I just thought you might."
"And why did you ask me about Jess? Why didn't you ask about Patty? Rubin, are you still on that 'you are having an affair with Jess' kick? Cuz if you are, drop it!" Rory demanded. Rubin threw his hands in front of him, defensively.
"Whoa! Slow down, Rory. I'm sorry. I'm just.you know. Covering my bases. I'm the jealous type. I can't help it." He told her. Rory took a deep breath, and stood up from the couch.
"No, you know what? I'm the one who's sorry. I'm way too defensive. I'm gonna go get some more popcorn." She left the room, and Rubin stared blankly at the TV, thinking. Why had Rory reacted like that? She had flipped out. That either meant that she was completely offended by the suggestion, or.The phone rang, interrupting Rubin's trail of thought. That was ok; he wasn't sure he wanted to think those thoughts anyway.
"Hello?" He answered, after taking a deep breath.
"Rubin, hey." Came Jess' voice through the line. Rubin's eyes narrowed.
"Hey." He replied. Uh oh, Jess thought, he sounded kind of dangerous.
"Listen, I was wondering if I could talk to Rory for a minute. She, uh.well, I have to go over my testimony again, I want to make sure everything is ok." Jess said hurriedly.
"Hey, Jess, you sound really nervous. You must be stressed about this case." Rubin remarked, coolly. Jess wanted to smash his head against the wall. He was so stupid. Why had he called? Now Rubin was probably suspicious again. Rory had told him not to call.
"Yah, I am. We have to win this, for Brandon's sake." Jess told him, clearing his throat nervously. At this point, Rory walked back into the room.
"Here's some more.Who's on the phone?" Rory asked. Rubin said nothing, just handed the phone to Rory.
"Hello?" She said into it, scrunching up her face into confusion.
"Oh, Jeez, Rory, hi. Don't say anything. I'm really really REALLY sorry, but I had to call you." Rory heard Jess' voice plead.
"Oh, hi, Jess. Yes, I think we have all the main details worked out." Rory replied for Rubin's sake. She heard Jess' sigh of relief.
"Please don't be mad at me.I didn't know that he was going to answer, and I miss you. I'm going totally crazy, here. I love you." He told her. Rory fought hard to keep from answering him back, or reacting in any way.
"Yes, your testimony." She said to Jess, as Rubin watched her, "I think it'll be fine, Jess. If Patty sets up a solid base for the jury, then we'll be fine."
"This is so weird. It's like, army code. Ok, just cough twice if you love me, too. I'm kidding, don't really." Jess laughed. Rory smiled. She couldn't help herself.
"I do." She replied, quietly. She figured that was safe to say, and Rubin didn't seem to respond any differently.
"Ok, well, I should go before we get into any more trouble. I do love you, Rory. I need to see you. Soon. Call me some how, when you get the chance." Jess said, quietly.
"Alright. It's no problem, anytime I can be of service, just call. I'm glad to help." Rory replied.
"Goodbye, Rory."
"Goodbye, Jess."
Rory kept the tears out of her eyes as she hung the phone up. She turned to Rubin.
"He's freaking out. Most clients do that this soon before a court date." Rory told him, sitting back down. Rubin nodded, but didn't return her smile, and they continued to watch the movie.
"Tristan, I need a favor." Rory declared when he picked up the phone. She was at the office, and after days of consideration, she had figured out what to do.
"Ok, Mary, calm down. Name it, I'd be happy to help." Tristan replied, over the line.
"I wouldn't even be asking, but it's just that I don't know what else to do. I need to see Jess, but I can't call him because Rubin is really suspicious. I was wondering if."
"I could call him, and set something up? Tsk Tsk. I can't believe you would do something that sneaky." Tristan joked, with a little laugh.
"Tristan."Rory said, pleadingly.
"Rory, of course I'll help you. Why wouldn't I? You know I'm into all this sneaky stuff. I'll get ahold of Jess, and then I'll call you back." He told her.
"You know I." Rory started to say, but Tristan cut her off.
"I know, I know.I'm amazing, I'm wonderful, what would you ever do with out me." he joked. Rory sighed.
"Just, Thank you." She said.
"Don't mention it." Tristan replied.
**********************
