Chapter 199

"Rory?"

"Hi Mom," Rory smiled into the phone, "How's it going?"

"It's going," Lorelai sighed, continuing to walk around her house, trying her best to manage the chaos around her, "You know, my life looks and feels like a tornado ran through it. But I'm sure that'll wear off after the wedding. How are things there? You still at Paris'?"

"Yep," Rory nodded, "I head home tomorrow morning."

"And how's it been?"

"…awkward."

"New baby bliss?"

"I mean, yeah. But I was mostly referring to the adults in the situation."

"…so everything didn't just kind of magically work itself out, huh?"

"Doesn't seem like it," Rory sighed, "But whatever. It's her choice. We talked about it a little. If she wants to wait to deal with it and not do it right now, that's her choice."

"I mean, she did just have a baby."

"…yeah, but the baby's not going anywhere."

"…she hasn't shared any of the gory details with you, has she?"

"What gory details? She had a vaginal birth, not a c-section."

"Oh boy," Lorelai laughed, shaking her head, "You really have no idea."

"…no idea about what?" Rory asked, irritated, "She seems fine. It's the happiest I've ever seen her."

"I have no doubt that it's the happiest you've ever seen her, and probably the happiest she's ever been," Lorelai said, "But hon…the recovery is often even more painful after a vaginal birth. She's probably in a lot of pain."

"She seems fine."

"Have you guys left the house?"

"No, but Simone's too little."

"That's not why."

"…I don't think I want to know this."

"Suffice it to say, your friend is almost certainly in a world of pain and the world's worst period wouldn't even begin to compare."

"…I'm pretty sure I just said I didn't want to know."

"Alright, alright. I'm just saying- go easy on her. See if there's anything you can do for her, not just the baby. Okay?"

"Okay," Rory sighed, "Wow, this is a lot. I'm glad it's not me yet."

"Yet?" Lorelai asked curiously, "Why, you think it will be one day?"

"I don't know," Rory shrugged, "It came up the other day. I don't think I'm against it any more, at the least, though I'm not sure if this is how we'd go about it. But that's all way down the road."

"Well, as curious as I am about how you might go about it, I'm gonna focus on the other part. This came up? With Jess?"

"…yeah. In a very long distance, down the road, one day kind of way."

"…well, I guess I'm not surprised, considering the last Friday Night Dinner."

"What happened during the last Friday night dinner? Other than Grandma nearly giving me an embolism," Rory rolled her eyes.

Lorelai paused. "Jess didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Rory asked impatiently. Lorelai sighed and inhaled deeply, but ultimately answered.

"Your grandfather sat him down and asked him about his intentions."

"What?" Rory said disbelievingly, "Grandpa? Why would he do that? He likes Jess."

"Yes, he does. But you're still his granddaughter, and he's very protective of you. You know that. Even though he likes Jess, he wants to be sure you're safe and taken care of."

"How did you know about this?"

"I was kind of there," Lorelai said sheepishly. Rory's eyes narrowed.

"And you're just telling me this now?"

"I thought Jess told you! I assumed he'd tell you that night."

"What did he say? Was Luke there?"

"Luke was hiding in the bathroom."

"At least someone handled the situation appropriately," Rory grumbled.

"What was I supposed to do? I was there!"

"You were supposed to deflect him, tell Grandpa to back off!"

"I tried! But your boyfriend insisted on answering."

"…why?"

"Because he had an answer."

"…you know what, I don't want to know. If Jess wanted me to know, he would have told me himself."

"That's a smart choice."

"…but it's not fair that you know and I don't! What if it's bad? Or if it's…damnit. Tell me."

"I don't know…"

"Mom, tell me what he said."

"…he said he sees a future with you as long as you'll have him."

"You mean…"

"It was really pretty clear what he meant. Especially with the way Grandpa had teed things up."

Rory was quiet. Lorelai waited for a moment.

"Look, it was all good stuff. Your boyfriend loves you and wants to spend his life with you. There's nothing bad here."

"You mean other than my grandfather and my mother knowing that before I did? And the fact that he's making proclamations like that, voluntarily, might I add, after we've only been together for a couple months?"

"Rory, you've known each other since you were sixteen."

"That doesn't change anything! We hadn't talked in years. This is still new."

"Hon, you guys live together, you guys are basically attached at the hip, you share friend groups and weirdly enough, me and Luke. So I feel like you can't use a traditional timeline with this."

"But I didn't agree to that!"

"…are you saying you don't want to marry Jess?"

"I shouldn't even be hearing that phrase come out of your mouth for at least another year! The point is that it's totally premature, and it's not…it's just…god, Mom."

"I shouldn't have told you," Lorelai said, a sinking feeling in her stomach. Rory inhaled deeply.

"No. Jess should've."

"Really? You think this conversation would have gone over swimmingly with him?"

"Mom…" Rory warned.

"Rory, he's the one. He's your person. It's the most obvious thing in the world. Why would you run away from this?"

"Rich question coming from you," Rory retorted. Lorelai paused, stunned.

"That was mean."

"It was true. Mean would be giving you the list."

"Well, you've built up your own to rival it."

"…I learned from the best."

"And on that note," Lorelai snapped, and hung up the phone. Rory slammed the cell phone across the bed. It lit up, buzzing Jess' name. She ignored it. After a moment, she picked up the phone.

Rory: Baby sleeping. Can't talk. All ok?

Jess: All good here. Just wanted to say goodnight.

Rory: Goodnight.

Rory knew she should go out and check on Paris. Her mom's warning from earlier was still circling her head, and as much as she didn't want to think about what might be happening, specifically, she hated the idea of Paris being in pain. Plus, she couldn't sit around with her phone in this room anymore. It was beginning to feel claustrophobic.

She stood up, putting her phone on the charger and walking over to the master bedroom. She found Paris there, lifting Simone into her bassinet.

"Hey," Rory said softly, "Want a glass of lemonade?"

"…sure, that sounds great, actually," Paris nodded, "I have the monitor, though I always know before I hear anything anyway."

Paris followed Rory to the kitchen, where Rory poured her a glass of lemonade. Paris took it gratefully, and looked at Rory with curiosity.

"…that was nice of you."

"Am I not normally nice?"

"Prickly."

"Sorry. Mom and I had a fight."

"I'm sorry," Paris said carefully.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, I get that."

Rory poured herself a glass of wine, and they both sipped their drinks in silence for a moment.

"Can I help with anything?"

"…I've got everything handled, but thanks."

"I don't mean with Simone. I mean with you. And your…recovery," Rory said awkwardly. Paris sighed.

"Your mom fill you in on the joys of childbirth?"

"As much as she could before I could get her to stop."

"…don't let her scare you."

"So it's not that bad?"

"No, it's terrible. But don't let her scare you," Paris joked, a grim smile on her face. Rory looked at Paris' face more closely. She could still see all the joy and bliss, as prominent as it had been since her arrival. Paris still had a kind of glow- but looking closer, Rory could see that the glow was mostly sweat, and that Paris hair appeared to be glued into the knotty bun at the back of her head. Paris was wearing a navy sweatsuit- a crew neck sweatshirt and joggers, which had looked put together from afar. Looking closer, Rory could see that the sweats were stained, just well hidden by the color. This second look was revelatory- Paris was, truthfully, enamored and in a state of bliss. Paris was also exhausted and in pain. Rory noticed that her posture had changed. She wasn't standing up as straight as she normally did, and, thinking back, Rory thought she hadn't stood up that much at all this weekend, if she could help it. Rory turned and looked at Paris firmly.

"Go lie down."

"…I'm fine."

"On the couch. I'm turning on the TV and making you some food."

"But the baby…"

"Is asleep. Go take a hot shower too, and show me where your laundry machines are."

"Rory…"

"Where are your clothes? And what helps with the pain?" Rory went on, continuing firmly. Paris sighed, defeated.

"Laundry's in the hall closet opposite your room. Most of my clean stuff is in a basket on top, I haven't had a chance to put it away yet."

"Go get in the shower, and then get comfy on the couch. Stir fry okay?"

"…Rory, you don't have to do this."

"…tough. I'm doing it." Rory met Paris' eyes with determination. After a moment, Paris gave her a small smile.

"I'm really lucky to have you as a friend."

"So stir fry?"

"Sounds delicious. But I hate mushrooms."

"Aversion noted. Now go, and I don't want to see you again until you're plopped in front of the TV watching a stupid 90s sitcom."