SPOILERS - None.
SUMMARY - Same as the other chapters
DISCLAIMER - The WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, et al owns it all.
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Chapter Nine (Thursday)
I came down the stairs and sat at the table with Lorelai and Rory, pretty much being ignored with their incessant chatting about this and that, what they still had to do for the wedding on Saturday, the honeymoon, etcetera. I sat there and ate my toast, stealing glances every now and then with Rory. It made me smile, something the people of Stars Hollow have never seen much of. I just can't believe I'm here with her. It felt a little strange to be sitting at a table with them, with Luke buzzing around the diner. I had the inclination to get up and refill coffees again, but I pushed it back. I don't need to get into that habit again, or Luke will start to expect it. My cell phone rang and Lorelai made an extra big deal of pointing that out to Luke, to which Luke responded by pointing to the phone and the door. I walked outside to take the call. Rory threw me a pouty look. I wonder if she thinks it might be a girlfriend.
"Hello, Jess Mariano," I answered.
"Hey Jess, it's Bill. How's small town life?" my boss was in a good mood. Good.
"Pretty great, actually. What's up?" I asked. I had a feeling that he had another assignment for me.
"Great, huh? You'll have to tell me all about it! Your last story was awesome. It'll be in next Sunday's issue. So, speaking of Sunday." he trailed off.
"Where are you sending me to now, Bill?" Silence. He cleared his throat. Aha, I knew it.
"I know that you hate these assignments, but." he started.
"Oh geez, please Bill, not another fluff piece. Can't you send me to check out the tourism in Vietnam or something?" I interrupted.
"Sorry, Jess. But it's for the Magazine this time. They're devoting an entire magazine to the allure of getting married in the islands. So we've got you booked on a flight to St. Lucia on Sunday night and we've got some couples for you to follow around and talk to, sorry, pal, I know you hate these lovesick puppy stories, but you're my best person. I'll email you with the flight and hotel information and the background on the people you'll be talking to." he went on and on, but I stopped listening. Suddenly, the idea of going to St. Lucia didn't sound so terrible. It didn't sound terrible at all. Especially if I had someone special to share it with. I stood there, leaning against the town's one and only traffic light, with a smile on my face. I looked into the window and saw that Rory was staring at me with her head tilted, as if trying to deduce who I was talking to by my facial expression. Lorelai waved her hand in front of her face to try to get her attention, then turned to see what she was looking at. Lorelai gave a short wave and turned to continue her conversation with Rory.
"Jess? Jess? Are you even listening to me?" Bill broke me out of my daydream.
"Oh, sorry about that, Bill. You were saying?" I covered.
"I just wanted to say sorry for the short notice, but you know how it is here, um."
"Bill? I might take someone with me on this one. Would that be a problem?" I asked.
"Someone? Care to dish?" he asked. I hated it when he went all 'Sex and the City' on me. He was a funny guy, but sometimes I just wanted to smack him.
"An old flame. Rekindled, I think. Let me call you back, okay?" I said and I could almost hear his smile over the phone.
"I'm glad to hear it, kid. You've been alone for too long now, call me back," he said, and the call was disconnected.
I flipped the phone shut and shoved it back in my pocket. Huh. I had so many things going through my mind, I didn't know where to start. Just then, Rory and Lorelai came bounding out the door, Rory came up to me and put her arms around my neck. I wrapped my arms around her waist.
"So, who is she?" she said with a smartass face.
'Wouldn't you like to know?" I said and kissed her. She dropped her arms from around my neck and tried to pull away, but I held onto her.
"Well, yeah, maybe I WOULD like to know," she said with a pouty face. She didn't have Lorelai's patented look down, but she was getting better at it.
"Bill," I stated simply.
"Your girlfriend's name is Bill? Jess, is there something you need to tell me?" she said with a smile.
"No, my boss's name is Bill. He was calling to tell me that my last story will be in this Sunday's paper and to talk about my next assignment." I drifted off. I wasn't ready to tell her where it was. She looked a little down.
"Oh," she looked down. "Do you have to go soon? Where are you being sent to?" she looked up at me hopefully, as if she were wishing I'd tell her I was being sent to Washington DC, where she's living these days.
"Um, no, he told me he'd send me the info in an email," I said. I didn't lie, he did say he'd send me the information on email, so I didn't need to feel guilty about not telling her I knew.
"Rory! Let's move it!" Lorelai shouted from the jeep.
"Oh, duty calls, we're picking up the flowers and table favors today," she said giving me a quick kiss.
"Okay, then, I guess I'll see you later?"
"Dinner? You and me?" she asked hopefully.
"Sure, let's get out of this town, though, okay?"
"Sounds good. See ya later, Jess!" she said waving off and getting into the jeep.
"Bye," I waved back.
I rushed into the diner and spotted Luke in the storeroom.
"Luke! Where are you going on your honeymoon?" I asked quickly.
"Geez! Why the hell do you want to know? I don't know, one of the islands in the Carribean. Why?" he said, surprised that I was asking him.
"Which island?" I asked again.
"I don't know, I've got the brochures behind the counter, though," he answered, setting down the box he was unloading and heading for the register. "Here, Barbados, we're going to one of those couples' resorts," he pointed to the brochure.
"Great!" I answered, knowing that St. Lucia and Barbados were very close to each other. A short boat or plane ride away.
"Why do you want to know, anyway?" Luke asked, curious at my excitement about his and Lorelai's honeymoon.
"How about Lorelai's engagement ring? Where did you get her ring?" I asked, the gears in my head spinning out of control.
"What? What is going on Jess? What are you.wait! Are you? You're kidding!" Luke said, his face brightening up considerably when he figured it out.
"Yeah, my next assignment is down there, I have to fly to St. Lucia on Sunday night to do a piece on people who go to the islands to get married! And, well, I don't know, I just suddenly had this thought that I'd really like to go there with Rory, and then I thought, maybe this would be a great time, and, I don't know, do you think she'd even consider it? And if she said yes, you both won't be too far away, and you can take a boat or a plane and be our witnesses!" I rambled. I think it's the first time in my life I've rambled. I didn't like it much.
"Whoa there! You're squirming! You must be serious about this! I don't know if she'll say yes or not, but I've got a feeling that she might if you ask her. That would be so great, Jess, I don't know what to say." Luke said, getting sentimental.
"Well you can start by telling me where you got Lorelai's ring? I know they have the exact same taste in jewelry, so that would be a good place to start."
"Oh, yeah! It's actually a little antique store in New Haven that she and Rory found when they were looking at Yale. I've got the address at Lorelai's. If you watch the diner, I'll run home and get it for you," he said with enthusiasm.
"That would be great. I'll watch the place. I want to go there today."
"When are you going to ask her?" he asked, untying his apron.
"I don't know, maybe tomorrow night at the rehearsal dinner? I mean, I don't want to ask her on Saturday, that's YOUR special day, and Sunday will be too late to ask since I'll have to book the tickets in the next day or so. So, tomorrow night?" I asked him, looking for approval.
"That would be perfect! We're having the dinner at Sookie and Jackson's, so it will be great!" he said heading for the door. He stopped and turned when his hand reached the knob. "I'm proud of you, Jess, you're doing the right thing," he said thoughtfully.
"Thanks, it took me long enough," I said, waving him off. He rushed out the door to the get the antique store address.
END OF CHAPTER NINE. Next up: Lorelai interrogates Luke about his suspicious behavior, Jess goes shopping, Rory sadly wonders how long she'll be able to keep Jess this time.
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Chapter Nine (Thursday)
I came down the stairs and sat at the table with Lorelai and Rory, pretty much being ignored with their incessant chatting about this and that, what they still had to do for the wedding on Saturday, the honeymoon, etcetera. I sat there and ate my toast, stealing glances every now and then with Rory. It made me smile, something the people of Stars Hollow have never seen much of. I just can't believe I'm here with her. It felt a little strange to be sitting at a table with them, with Luke buzzing around the diner. I had the inclination to get up and refill coffees again, but I pushed it back. I don't need to get into that habit again, or Luke will start to expect it. My cell phone rang and Lorelai made an extra big deal of pointing that out to Luke, to which Luke responded by pointing to the phone and the door. I walked outside to take the call. Rory threw me a pouty look. I wonder if she thinks it might be a girlfriend.
"Hello, Jess Mariano," I answered.
"Hey Jess, it's Bill. How's small town life?" my boss was in a good mood. Good.
"Pretty great, actually. What's up?" I asked. I had a feeling that he had another assignment for me.
"Great, huh? You'll have to tell me all about it! Your last story was awesome. It'll be in next Sunday's issue. So, speaking of Sunday." he trailed off.
"Where are you sending me to now, Bill?" Silence. He cleared his throat. Aha, I knew it.
"I know that you hate these assignments, but." he started.
"Oh geez, please Bill, not another fluff piece. Can't you send me to check out the tourism in Vietnam or something?" I interrupted.
"Sorry, Jess. But it's for the Magazine this time. They're devoting an entire magazine to the allure of getting married in the islands. So we've got you booked on a flight to St. Lucia on Sunday night and we've got some couples for you to follow around and talk to, sorry, pal, I know you hate these lovesick puppy stories, but you're my best person. I'll email you with the flight and hotel information and the background on the people you'll be talking to." he went on and on, but I stopped listening. Suddenly, the idea of going to St. Lucia didn't sound so terrible. It didn't sound terrible at all. Especially if I had someone special to share it with. I stood there, leaning against the town's one and only traffic light, with a smile on my face. I looked into the window and saw that Rory was staring at me with her head tilted, as if trying to deduce who I was talking to by my facial expression. Lorelai waved her hand in front of her face to try to get her attention, then turned to see what she was looking at. Lorelai gave a short wave and turned to continue her conversation with Rory.
"Jess? Jess? Are you even listening to me?" Bill broke me out of my daydream.
"Oh, sorry about that, Bill. You were saying?" I covered.
"I just wanted to say sorry for the short notice, but you know how it is here, um."
"Bill? I might take someone with me on this one. Would that be a problem?" I asked.
"Someone? Care to dish?" he asked. I hated it when he went all 'Sex and the City' on me. He was a funny guy, but sometimes I just wanted to smack him.
"An old flame. Rekindled, I think. Let me call you back, okay?" I said and I could almost hear his smile over the phone.
"I'm glad to hear it, kid. You've been alone for too long now, call me back," he said, and the call was disconnected.
I flipped the phone shut and shoved it back in my pocket. Huh. I had so many things going through my mind, I didn't know where to start. Just then, Rory and Lorelai came bounding out the door, Rory came up to me and put her arms around my neck. I wrapped my arms around her waist.
"So, who is she?" she said with a smartass face.
'Wouldn't you like to know?" I said and kissed her. She dropped her arms from around my neck and tried to pull away, but I held onto her.
"Well, yeah, maybe I WOULD like to know," she said with a pouty face. She didn't have Lorelai's patented look down, but she was getting better at it.
"Bill," I stated simply.
"Your girlfriend's name is Bill? Jess, is there something you need to tell me?" she said with a smile.
"No, my boss's name is Bill. He was calling to tell me that my last story will be in this Sunday's paper and to talk about my next assignment." I drifted off. I wasn't ready to tell her where it was. She looked a little down.
"Oh," she looked down. "Do you have to go soon? Where are you being sent to?" she looked up at me hopefully, as if she were wishing I'd tell her I was being sent to Washington DC, where she's living these days.
"Um, no, he told me he'd send me the info in an email," I said. I didn't lie, he did say he'd send me the information on email, so I didn't need to feel guilty about not telling her I knew.
"Rory! Let's move it!" Lorelai shouted from the jeep.
"Oh, duty calls, we're picking up the flowers and table favors today," she said giving me a quick kiss.
"Okay, then, I guess I'll see you later?"
"Dinner? You and me?" she asked hopefully.
"Sure, let's get out of this town, though, okay?"
"Sounds good. See ya later, Jess!" she said waving off and getting into the jeep.
"Bye," I waved back.
I rushed into the diner and spotted Luke in the storeroom.
"Luke! Where are you going on your honeymoon?" I asked quickly.
"Geez! Why the hell do you want to know? I don't know, one of the islands in the Carribean. Why?" he said, surprised that I was asking him.
"Which island?" I asked again.
"I don't know, I've got the brochures behind the counter, though," he answered, setting down the box he was unloading and heading for the register. "Here, Barbados, we're going to one of those couples' resorts," he pointed to the brochure.
"Great!" I answered, knowing that St. Lucia and Barbados were very close to each other. A short boat or plane ride away.
"Why do you want to know, anyway?" Luke asked, curious at my excitement about his and Lorelai's honeymoon.
"How about Lorelai's engagement ring? Where did you get her ring?" I asked, the gears in my head spinning out of control.
"What? What is going on Jess? What are you.wait! Are you? You're kidding!" Luke said, his face brightening up considerably when he figured it out.
"Yeah, my next assignment is down there, I have to fly to St. Lucia on Sunday night to do a piece on people who go to the islands to get married! And, well, I don't know, I just suddenly had this thought that I'd really like to go there with Rory, and then I thought, maybe this would be a great time, and, I don't know, do you think she'd even consider it? And if she said yes, you both won't be too far away, and you can take a boat or a plane and be our witnesses!" I rambled. I think it's the first time in my life I've rambled. I didn't like it much.
"Whoa there! You're squirming! You must be serious about this! I don't know if she'll say yes or not, but I've got a feeling that she might if you ask her. That would be so great, Jess, I don't know what to say." Luke said, getting sentimental.
"Well you can start by telling me where you got Lorelai's ring? I know they have the exact same taste in jewelry, so that would be a good place to start."
"Oh, yeah! It's actually a little antique store in New Haven that she and Rory found when they were looking at Yale. I've got the address at Lorelai's. If you watch the diner, I'll run home and get it for you," he said with enthusiasm.
"That would be great. I'll watch the place. I want to go there today."
"When are you going to ask her?" he asked, untying his apron.
"I don't know, maybe tomorrow night at the rehearsal dinner? I mean, I don't want to ask her on Saturday, that's YOUR special day, and Sunday will be too late to ask since I'll have to book the tickets in the next day or so. So, tomorrow night?" I asked him, looking for approval.
"That would be perfect! We're having the dinner at Sookie and Jackson's, so it will be great!" he said heading for the door. He stopped and turned when his hand reached the knob. "I'm proud of you, Jess, you're doing the right thing," he said thoughtfully.
"Thanks, it took me long enough," I said, waving him off. He rushed out the door to the get the antique store address.
END OF CHAPTER NINE. Next up: Lorelai interrogates Luke about his suspicious behavior, Jess goes shopping, Rory sadly wonders how long she'll be able to keep Jess this time.