DON'T WORRY BABY

CHAPTER 5 – For Heaven's Sake

That Friday, Rory and Lorelai were heading for dinner at the Gilmore mansion with Lorelai's parents.  They were arguing about telling them about Rory's being named prom queen.

"No mom."  Rory exclaimed.

"…but…"

"They don't need to know."

"But they'll find out eventually anyways…"

Rory sighed, knowing her mother was right.

"Yay!  I win.  Can I be the one to tell?"

Rory sighed again.  "Alright.  Just don't make a spectacle out of it."

"Who me?"  Lorelai gasped in mock shock.  "Never!"

Rory smiled.

"Hey, if you're the queen, what does that make me?  Just the old queen mum?"

"Oh, you can be the jester too."

"Yay…hey!"

They knocked on the door and the maid answered.

"Hey Eliane.  What's shakin bacon?"  Lorelai asked.

"Thank god you're here.  You're mother's driving me insane!"

"Yeah.  You gotta watch out for that."

"Eliane, what are you doing?  Don't leave them outside to freeze."  Emily Gilmore's voice could be heard coming from the living room.  Eliane's eye's widened in fright.

"Oh don't worry mom.  Rory and I were just, ummm, we were just admiring the door."  Lorelai blurted.

"The door." 

"It's a very pretty door grandma."  Rory said.

"You've seen that door hundreds of times!"  Emily stated, coming out and looking at the door for herself.

"It's really pretty mom."

"Beautiful"

"It's a door!"

"Extremely pretty."

"Some might even say gorgeous."

"For heaven's sake.  Come inside before you catch colds."

"Mom, it's the middle of June."

"Oh for heaven's sake."

Lorelai and Rory went inside.

"Eliane it's 7:00.  Please serve dinner."  Emily told the maid.

"Yes Mrs. Gilmore."

"For heaven's sake.  I don't know what I'm going to do with that girl."

They sat down and were joined by Richard for dinner.

"Rory how is school?"  He asked.

"It's great grandpa.  Exams are starting, so I'm almost finished."

"Wonderful."

"How was prom?"  Emily asked, a smirk on her face.

"It was great.  There was…"

"Rory was named prom queen!"  Lorelai interrupted.

"Oh?"  Emily asked, not surprised at all.

"You knew?"  Lorelai asked.

"Of course.  You are aware that I associate with many people associated with Chilton."

"Congratulations Rory."

"Thanks grandpa."

"Please continue telling us about your night Rory."

"Well, it was really fun."  Rory started, very excited.  "The food was great, I got to dress up.  Oh and there's the prom queen thing.  Oh and one of my best friends, Paris Geller, I think you know her family, she was named a princess.  Oh and there was dancing.  Jess is a great dancer, and…"

"Jess?"  Emily asked, interrupting Rory.

"Pardon?"  Rory asked.

"Jess.  As in that young hoodlum who came over for dinner with a black eye and a horrible attitude and treated you miserably?  He was your date?  You're still seeing him?"  Emily was very angry, as were Rory and Lorelai.

"Grandma…"

"Jess actually isn't that bad mom."  Lorelai said as everyone turned to her.

"Lorelai!"  Emily exclaimed, shocked.  "He's horrible!"

"Grandma…"

"Mom.  I admit that I wasn't too fond of him at first.  But he grew on me.  Quite a bit.  I actually kinda like him now."  Lorelai and Rory smiled.  "And he's really great to Rory."

"Ha!"  Emily scoffed.  "If that's great, I'll eat my shoe."

"Grandma, Jess had had a really bad day when you met him."

"So that's reason to treat you horribly?  The boy had a black eye for heaven's sake!  He was probably fighting half of the town!"

"He wasn't in a fight grandma."

"No?  Then how did he get that black eye."

"He…"  Lorelai started, as she and Rory tried to stifle their laughter.  "He was attacked by a swan."

"A swan."  Emily stated as Rory nodded, smiling.  "A swan.  As in a beautiful white bird?"  The corners of her mouth twitched.  Lorelai and Rory started laughing and were joined by Emily and Richard.

After the laughter subsided, Lorelai continued.  "I will admit that he has done some stupid things, but most of it was in New York, and his reputation followed him here.  But he's basically a good kid.  And he loves Rory, and she loves him."

"Really?"

"It's true grandma.  And he's really smart.  And funny.  And he can dance."  The corners of her mouth twitched again.  "And he loves to read."

"Really?"  Asked an interested Richard.  "What kinds of books?"

"He loves classic authors like Hemmingway."

"Hemmingway is wonderful.  What's his favourite book?"

"Oliver Twist."

"I think I'll have to meet this young man."  Richard said, leaning back in his chair, obviously pleased.

"Can he come for dinner next week?"  Emily asked.

"Ummm, I'll check."  Rory said, as they continued with their dinner.

***

"…really?"  Jess asked skeptically at the diner the next day.

"So will you?"  Rory pleaded.

Jess sighed.  "I guess."

"Yay!"  Rory kissed him.

"Hey!  None of … that in the diner!"  Luke yelled at them.

"Fine."  Jess snapped back.  "Hey Rory, I have that book upstairs if…"

"Just go!"  Luke said.  Jess led a giggling Rory upstairs.

Lorelai sighed.  "Lukey…"

"No."

"No?"

"No you can't have chocolate chip pancakes."

"Dammit.  But actually, I wanted to ask you something."

"Okay…"  Luke said tentatively.

Lorelai sighed again.  "Have you ever been in love?"

Luke was startled.  "Wha?"

"I mean.  Just looking at Rory and Jess.  They're obviously so in love.  I just makes me think that I want to be in love.  So have you?"

Luke thought to himself.  'If I say no, I'll be lying to my best friend.  But if I say yes, she'll ask who, and I can't.  Not yet.  But then again, maybe I should tell her, maybe it would...'

"Well?"  Lorelai interrupted his thoughts

"No."  Luke sighed.

"Never?"

"I've never been in love."  Luke said sadly, adding to himself 'except for with you.'

"So how bout those pancakes?"  Lorelai asked, changing the subject. 

Luke groaned.  "Coming right up."

While this was going on downstairs, Rory and Jess were upstairs, making out heavily on his bed.  Jess's hand was creeping up her back and was fumbling with the clasp to her bra.

"Jess…"  Rory murmured between kisses.

"Mmmmm…"

"Jess… we can't."  Rory said, breaking the kiss.

Jess sighed.  "Fuck."

"Jess, I'm sorry."

"No, it's not you.  Don't' worry about it."

"What?"

He chuckled.  "I got a bit carried away."

Rory smiled.  "Yeah.  Me too."

"So, ummm, about this dinner on Friday…"  Jess started.  Rory laughed.  "Why exactly am I going?"

"Because I'm pretty?"  Rory asked, batting her eyelashes.

"Nah.  Must be some other reason."  Jess teased as Rory swatted him.  "OW!"

"Serves you right."

"Fine.  But seriously.  I thought your grandmother hated me."

"Yeah, but my grandpa wants to meet you."

"Should I be scared?"

"Nah.  He's more easygoing than grandma.  Plus, I think you'll grow on them."

"Like I did your mom?"  He asked skeptically.

"Yeah.  She actually admitted it you know."

"Admitted what?"  He asked, kissing her neck.

"That she likes you."

"Wha?"  He asked, pulling away.

"Yeah.  We were at my grandparents talking about prom, and I accidentally let it slip that you were my date, so we got to talking about you.  Grandma was really upset, but mom stood up for you."

"Wha?"

"Yeah.  She said you've grown on her and that you're basically a good guy.  Grandpa asked about you and I told him you're funny."

"Of course."

"And smart."

"E=MC2"

"And that you read.  That got grandpa really interested."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah.  And grandma calmed down a bit.  Especially after mom told her that you love me and that I love you."

"I do you know."

"I know.  Me too."

"Good.  Is there that I should do to prepare, or anything I should be prepared for?"

"Ummm, make sure you dress nice.  Be prepared for criticism and lots of questions."

"Anything else?"

"Oh, and don't be surprised if you're asked how you feel about swans."

"Why wou… You didn't!"

She smiled at him.  "Of course."

"This is gonna cost you!"

"Oh.  How ever can I make it up to you?"  Rory asked, a teasing tone in her voice.

"Hmmm, I don't know."  Jess said, a teasing tone to his voice as well.

"How about if I told you that we have reservations for after dinner on Friday at a certain hotel…"

"That's a start…"  Jess said as they started to kiss again.