Disclaimer:  Still not mine.

A/N:  Not much of an author's note this time… Just keep reviewing- I hope you like it!

Chapter 17

Bad Dad and Hurricane Emily

Rory awoke the next morning when the sunshine poured through her window and into her bedroom.  She sat up in bed for a moment before getting up and walking through the bathroom to Jess's room.  She knocked as she opened the door, calling to him.

"Jess?"  Rory stepped into the room and glanced around, not seeing him anywhere.  She then returned to her room and shoved her feet into her pink fluffy slippers.  She tiredly padded into the kitchen to find a note on the countertop next to a full coffeepot. 

She picked it up and read it aloud to herself.

"Morning Ror-

I'm so sorry I had to leave before you got up- didn't have the heart to wake you.  Someone from school called early this morning and needed some help with a paper.  Who would have thought the day would come when somebody would ask me for help on an assignment huh?  Anyways, I don't know how long I'll be.  At worst, I'll see you tonight. 

I love you, Jess."

Rory helped herself to a cup of coffee before getting ready for the day.  An hour later, she had showered and dressed, and she was out the door and on the elevator before she reconsidered her plans.

She was going to go to Christopher's to tell him she was engaged.  But she was scared.  Should I wait for Jess?

She dug her phone out of her purse and hit 2 on speed-dial (Jess was second, but only to Lorelai.)

"Hello?" Jess answered on the second ring.

"Hey! Did I interrupt?"

"No, it's okay.  Did you see my note?"

"Yeah."

"Good."  Jess paused, "Listen Ror, I don't know how long it'll be before I can come home."

"That's okay… I was um, going to go see my dad, but I don't know if I should."

"By yourself you mean?"

"Yeah."

"Well it doesn't matter to me.  If you want me to be there then we can go tonight or something, but if you want to just tell him now it's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

Rory thought for a moment, "Okay, I'll go."

"Good.  Hey, I better get back to work here- I'll see you later?"

"Sure.  I love you."

"I love you too."

Rory hung up the phone and started her walk to her father's apartment building, just two blocks away.

She soon arrived and pressed the buzzer at the door.

"Hello?"

"Dad?  It's Rory."

"Rory!  Come on up!"

Rory waited for the door to unlock and went inside.  Chris greeted her at his door.

"Well this is a surprise!  How was your vacation?  You saw Lorelai right?"

"Yeah, it was really great."

"Good.  Come on in."

The father and daughter went into the apartment and took seats on the couch.

"Where's Sherri and Eric today?"  Rory asked.

"Oh, shopping or something…"

"Ah."

"So what brings you here Rory?"  Chris asked, eager to get to the point of this unexpected visit.

"Well, Dad, I…" Rory took a deep breath, "Jess and I are getting married."

Christopher's eyes grew larger from shock, but soon returned to their normal size.  Although it was a surprise, he was happy for them.

"Congratulations!" he said, hugging Rory, "When's the wedding?"

Rory smiled at him brightly, "Sometime this summer.  June I think."

Chris's face fell, "June?"

Rory nodded, "Why, what's wrong with June?"

"Nothing's wrong with June.  I'm sure it will be a beautiful wedding.  Be sure to take pictures for me."

"Well I was kind of hoping you'd be there."

"I'm in Spain all summer."

"What?"

"Business.  I'm going to be overseas."

"But- can't you just…"

"I'm sorry Rory, there's nothing I can do."

"But I'm getting married Dad!  I only intend on doing it once!"  Rory insisted, tears forming in her blue eyes.

"I'm sorry."

Rory stood up and went to the door.

"Rory!"

She turned, hoping he had changed his mind.

"Congratulations though."

Rory sprinted out the door and made it to the street before she let a single tear drop from her eyes.  She ran all the way home where she collapsed on the couch.

Jess, exhausted from spending the majority of his day trying to help a classmate that didn't even want to become a writer write a paper, slowly entered the apartment building just moments after Rory had run through.

"Mr. Mariano!"

"Hey James."

"Miss Gilmore…"

"What about her?"

"She just ran through in tears, I'm afraid.  Did something happen?"

Concern filled Jess's eyes, and he barreled through the doorway and up to his apartment to find Rory lying face-down on the sofa crying.

He sat on the couch next to her and placed a hand on her back rubbing it gently. 

"Rory."  He whispered.

Seeing he was there, Rory sat up and allowed herself to fall into Jess's open arms.  He stroked her hair until her tears slowed.

"What happened?"

"I told my dad."

"And?"

"And he's happy for us."

Jess was confused, "So why the tears?"

"He won't come."

"What?"

"He's scheduled to be on a business trip all summer, and he doesn't think it's important enough to come back for a few days for our wedding."

Jess was shocked.  How could any man call himself a father, and then refuse to attend his daughter's wedding?

"God, Ror."  He didn't know what to say, so he just held her for a little longer.

After a while, Rory pulled back and looked up into Jess's eyes.

"Who needs him anyway?"

"You mean it?"

Rory shrugged, "Do you think Luke would give me away?"

Jess smiled at her, "Are you kidding?  He'd love to."

Jess knew that it hurt Rory to know that her father wasn't really there for her, but Luke was like a father to her for her whole life.  It made more sense anyways.

"Hey." Jess said.

"Yeah?"

"Let's go to dinner."

Rory glanced at a clock, it was 7 pm already.  "Okay.  Let me go clean up a little."

A few minutes later, Jess was helping Rory into her coat.  They left the apartment, and just as they closed the door behind them, the phone began to ring.  Soon, the machine picked up.

"Hi, you've reached Rory and Jess.  Leave us a message!"

BEEP

"Rory, it's Grandma.  Listen, I'm in Boston and I'd like to stop by.  Please call me."

A few hours later, Rory and Jess returned home.  Hand-in-hand, they stepped into their apartment to find a rather impatient Emily Gilmore seated on the couch with her arms folded.

"Grandma?" Rory gasped, "What are you doing here?"

"It's about time!" Emily said, ignoring Rory's question, "Where have you two been?  I've been waiting for quite some time!"

"We went to dinner." Jess explained.

"Did we know you were coming?"  Rory asked, still confused.

"If you had checked your messages you might have."

"Oh."

"Well, I intended to begin wedding plans with you both."

Rory raised her eyebrows.

"But that will have to wait until morning.  I'll see you both bright and early."  Emily hugged Rory goodbye and left the apartment.

Jess gave Rory a puzzled look, "What was that?"

Rory shrugged, sighing, "Hurricane Emily."

"Do we know when she'll strike again?"

"I'm guessing first thing tomorrow morning."

It was Jess's turn to sigh.

"You still up for this?" Rory asked.

"Marrying you? Are you kidding?"

"Well I mean the whole planning a wedding, putting up with three generations of Gilmore craziness…" Rory began to babble, and Jess silenced her with a sweet, yet passionate kiss.

Rory smiled and looked up at Jess, "Is that a yes?"

"Definitely." Jess kissed her again.