Chapter Two
"Rory could you come in here?" Joan, Rory's boss, calls as she walks by her open office door with Georgia in tow.
"All right, I'll be right in." Turning to Georgia she suggest, "why don't you take the book I just bought you into my office and I'll be right in."
"All right." Georgia nods skipping off in the brand new jean overalls she had picked out for herself the day before.
"What's up Joan?" Rory asks, she had a lot of respect for the woman who had started and ran the newspaper Rory worked for.
"We need to talk, why don't you sit down." Joan motions toward the chair across from her desk.
"Is something wrong?" Rory asks taking the offered seat.
"I hope not," Joan states, "I understand you are going through a lot right now, with having to take on your sister and everything. I understand what a change that must be for you, and I know it has complicated your life considerably."
"I know I shouldn't be bringing her to work, but I've tried to find a sitter but even two weeks into the summer and all of the good sitters are all ready taken. I'm just concerned with leaving her with someone I don't trust, she's all ready been through so much."
Joan nods, "I understand Rory, I really do."
Rory lets out a deep breath, "thank you."
"But I think you should take some time away from work until you have your life settled in. I've noticed a decline in your work and while I understand the reasons behind it I can't accept this work. We are a business, after all."
"Joan..."
"Rory I assure you that you will have a job when you come back, you are my most promising writer and the paper is better with you, when we have your full attention."
"Joan..."
"Rory sweetie," Joan takes a deep breath, "I'm not really suggesting anything here. Why don't you give me all call when she starts back at school, when you have more time for yourself?"
Rory runs a hand through her short hair, "all right, thank you for everything Joan."
"Rory, I'm truly sorry about this."
Rory nods, "no I understand you don't have to apologize."
"Call me."
Rory nods again, "I will."
"Did you get a new article assignment?" Georgia asks when Rory walks into her office.
Rory shakes her head and forces a smile, "actually my boss offered me the summer off, until you start school so we can spend time together."
Georgia grins, "really?"
Rory nods, "yes."
Georgia wraps her arms around Rory's waist, "we are going to have so much fun."
"Rory is everything all right?" Lorelai asks her daughter over the phone.
"Can I stay with you for awhile?"
"I thought you weren't coming to Stars Hollow?" Lorelai questions.
"I know, I don't want to, but I don't have much of a choice. I can't afford to live in New York, take care of a little girl and work. It's just for the summer, once school starts Joan says I can have my job back at the paper."
"Rory, I'm so sorry." Lorelai sighs, "of course you can come stay with me, we'll make room here. If this is what you want."
"This is my only option." Rory sighs softly, hoping that Georgia who had just gone to bed can't hear her. "There's no way I can keep my apartment without the pay I was getting at the paper. I'm sure I can find some work in Stars Hollow, just for the summer, is Luke hiring? I don't want anything that will take up a lot of my time."
"I'm not actually sure." Lorelai's voice sounds weird at the confession.
"Could you ask him for me?" Rory asks.
"If I see him."
"If you see him..." Rory echoes her mother's words, "are you guys fighting?"
"No, we're not fighting."
"Then what's going on?"
"It's nothing Rory." Lorelai insists, "really."
"No, you see Luke several times everyday, why would that stop?"
"He's not speaking to me." Lorelai responds.
"Why?" Rory asks suspiciously.
"Rory you have so much going on..."
"Mom, what's going on with you and Luke?"
"Well, he confessed his love for me the day of Chris' accident. I didn't get a chance to say anything else because I met you at the hospital and he's been avoiding me since."
"You and Luke haven't been speaking for three weeks and you didn't see fit to tell me?" Rory asks.
"Rory it's not that big of a deal. But there's something that might be." Lorelai's sigh is audible.
"What?"
"You can't work at the diner."
"Why?"
"Jess is back."
Rory's mouth goes dry and she attempts to swallow against the lump in her throat, "Jess."
"He's been back for awhile, but you always refused to come back to Stars Hollow so I didn't think that you needed to know he was back, since you would never see him."
"Oh."
"If you don't want to come to Stars Hollow now that he's here, you can always go stay with your grandparents, I'm sure they would be very happy to have you and Georgia for awhile."
"No." Rory clears her throat, "I've been trying to get Georgia out of the mentality Sherry put into her, living with Grandma would only put it back into her and I've only just gotten her to loosen up."
"Rory."
"We'll be there the end of next week." Rory states firmly, "I'm fine Mom, really."
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
Rory stands up and stretches, she had just finished packing up the dishes and all she had left before she left for Stars Hollow in the morning was her closet, the one area she had been dreading to pack. Slowly she walks into her bedroom, but she quickly packs her clothes and shoes until she comes to the back of her closet where there is a large yellow box that hadn't been opened in three years. Rory carries the box over to her bed and carefully lifts the lid off, the smell of baby powder invading her senses the instant the top is off and Rory is forced to hold back her tears. Carefully she runs her fingers over the contents of the box inside lay a newborn starter kit given to her by her mother. The first thing she pulls out is a pink layette, lifting the small outfit to her cheek she gently rubs the soft material against her cheek and slow tear slips down onto the cloth and lying down on the bed she holds it close, crying herself to sleep.
"Rory! Rory! Wake-up!" Georgia's voice can be heard from the other side of Rory's door as the sun starts to stream through Rory's bedroom window.
Jumping up Rory quickly puts the pink baby layette back into the box, puts the lid back on and quickly puts it into the box with her shoes. "I'm coming Georgia."
"When are the movers going to be here?" Georgia asks once Rory has opened the bedroom door.
Rory glances behind her at her bedside clock, "in 30 minutes, so let's both get dressed quick so we'll be ready when they are here." Rory had two sets of movers coming, a small truck to take all the necessities to her mother's house and a larger one to take everything to storage until they came back once the summer was over.
Once Rory had changed completely her cell phone rings, "hey Mom." Rory greets.
"Hey, you're sure you want to take the train here?" Lorelai asks.
"Yes, Georgia's never taken the train before, I want her to experience it." Rory states.
"Because I can be there to pick you up in no time, it'll be faster this way."
"This is fine Mom, Georgia and I will meet you for pizza at 7:30, all right?"
"All right, pizza at 7:30."
By the time the train ride was an hour I Rory was wishing she had taken her mother's offer to come and get them. She had a headache from crying the night before and she had fallen asleep in a position that had resulted in a pain in her neck. "Rory," Georgia looks up from the book she was reading, she was turning into a bookworm like Rory had been at her age after discovering Rory's book collection.
"Yes?" Rory turns to face her sister.
"I'm hungry." Georgia informs.
"All right, how does peanut butter and jelly sound?" Rory asks.
"Good."
Rory hands Georgia one of the sandwiches and takes one for herself, "I made them myself."
"Rory?"
"Yeah, Georgia."
"Does your Mom hate too cook like you do, or are we going to be eating at home more?"
"My Mom is the one who taught me to order out, if anything we'll be eating out more."
Georgia grins, she loved eating out, "cool."
One the next Gilmore Girls:
"Can I get one large pizza with everything on it?" Rory requests.
"It'll be 15 minutes." The teenager behind the counter states.
"All right thanks," Rory digs into her purse and turning around she calls, "Georgia, why don't you..."
"Rory." Jess cuts off Rory's suggestion.
"Jess..."
"Rory could you come in here?" Joan, Rory's boss, calls as she walks by her open office door with Georgia in tow.
"All right, I'll be right in." Turning to Georgia she suggest, "why don't you take the book I just bought you into my office and I'll be right in."
"All right." Georgia nods skipping off in the brand new jean overalls she had picked out for herself the day before.
"What's up Joan?" Rory asks, she had a lot of respect for the woman who had started and ran the newspaper Rory worked for.
"We need to talk, why don't you sit down." Joan motions toward the chair across from her desk.
"Is something wrong?" Rory asks taking the offered seat.
"I hope not," Joan states, "I understand you are going through a lot right now, with having to take on your sister and everything. I understand what a change that must be for you, and I know it has complicated your life considerably."
"I know I shouldn't be bringing her to work, but I've tried to find a sitter but even two weeks into the summer and all of the good sitters are all ready taken. I'm just concerned with leaving her with someone I don't trust, she's all ready been through so much."
Joan nods, "I understand Rory, I really do."
Rory lets out a deep breath, "thank you."
"But I think you should take some time away from work until you have your life settled in. I've noticed a decline in your work and while I understand the reasons behind it I can't accept this work. We are a business, after all."
"Joan..."
"Rory I assure you that you will have a job when you come back, you are my most promising writer and the paper is better with you, when we have your full attention."
"Joan..."
"Rory sweetie," Joan takes a deep breath, "I'm not really suggesting anything here. Why don't you give me all call when she starts back at school, when you have more time for yourself?"
Rory runs a hand through her short hair, "all right, thank you for everything Joan."
"Rory, I'm truly sorry about this."
Rory nods, "no I understand you don't have to apologize."
"Call me."
Rory nods again, "I will."
"Did you get a new article assignment?" Georgia asks when Rory walks into her office.
Rory shakes her head and forces a smile, "actually my boss offered me the summer off, until you start school so we can spend time together."
Georgia grins, "really?"
Rory nods, "yes."
Georgia wraps her arms around Rory's waist, "we are going to have so much fun."
"Rory is everything all right?" Lorelai asks her daughter over the phone.
"Can I stay with you for awhile?"
"I thought you weren't coming to Stars Hollow?" Lorelai questions.
"I know, I don't want to, but I don't have much of a choice. I can't afford to live in New York, take care of a little girl and work. It's just for the summer, once school starts Joan says I can have my job back at the paper."
"Rory, I'm so sorry." Lorelai sighs, "of course you can come stay with me, we'll make room here. If this is what you want."
"This is my only option." Rory sighs softly, hoping that Georgia who had just gone to bed can't hear her. "There's no way I can keep my apartment without the pay I was getting at the paper. I'm sure I can find some work in Stars Hollow, just for the summer, is Luke hiring? I don't want anything that will take up a lot of my time."
"I'm not actually sure." Lorelai's voice sounds weird at the confession.
"Could you ask him for me?" Rory asks.
"If I see him."
"If you see him..." Rory echoes her mother's words, "are you guys fighting?"
"No, we're not fighting."
"Then what's going on?"
"It's nothing Rory." Lorelai insists, "really."
"No, you see Luke several times everyday, why would that stop?"
"He's not speaking to me." Lorelai responds.
"Why?" Rory asks suspiciously.
"Rory you have so much going on..."
"Mom, what's going on with you and Luke?"
"Well, he confessed his love for me the day of Chris' accident. I didn't get a chance to say anything else because I met you at the hospital and he's been avoiding me since."
"You and Luke haven't been speaking for three weeks and you didn't see fit to tell me?" Rory asks.
"Rory it's not that big of a deal. But there's something that might be." Lorelai's sigh is audible.
"What?"
"You can't work at the diner."
"Why?"
"Jess is back."
Rory's mouth goes dry and she attempts to swallow against the lump in her throat, "Jess."
"He's been back for awhile, but you always refused to come back to Stars Hollow so I didn't think that you needed to know he was back, since you would never see him."
"Oh."
"If you don't want to come to Stars Hollow now that he's here, you can always go stay with your grandparents, I'm sure they would be very happy to have you and Georgia for awhile."
"No." Rory clears her throat, "I've been trying to get Georgia out of the mentality Sherry put into her, living with Grandma would only put it back into her and I've only just gotten her to loosen up."
"Rory."
"We'll be there the end of next week." Rory states firmly, "I'm fine Mom, really."
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
Rory stands up and stretches, she had just finished packing up the dishes and all she had left before she left for Stars Hollow in the morning was her closet, the one area she had been dreading to pack. Slowly she walks into her bedroom, but she quickly packs her clothes and shoes until she comes to the back of her closet where there is a large yellow box that hadn't been opened in three years. Rory carries the box over to her bed and carefully lifts the lid off, the smell of baby powder invading her senses the instant the top is off and Rory is forced to hold back her tears. Carefully she runs her fingers over the contents of the box inside lay a newborn starter kit given to her by her mother. The first thing she pulls out is a pink layette, lifting the small outfit to her cheek she gently rubs the soft material against her cheek and slow tear slips down onto the cloth and lying down on the bed she holds it close, crying herself to sleep.
"Rory! Rory! Wake-up!" Georgia's voice can be heard from the other side of Rory's door as the sun starts to stream through Rory's bedroom window.
Jumping up Rory quickly puts the pink baby layette back into the box, puts the lid back on and quickly puts it into the box with her shoes. "I'm coming Georgia."
"When are the movers going to be here?" Georgia asks once Rory has opened the bedroom door.
Rory glances behind her at her bedside clock, "in 30 minutes, so let's both get dressed quick so we'll be ready when they are here." Rory had two sets of movers coming, a small truck to take all the necessities to her mother's house and a larger one to take everything to storage until they came back once the summer was over.
Once Rory had changed completely her cell phone rings, "hey Mom." Rory greets.
"Hey, you're sure you want to take the train here?" Lorelai asks.
"Yes, Georgia's never taken the train before, I want her to experience it." Rory states.
"Because I can be there to pick you up in no time, it'll be faster this way."
"This is fine Mom, Georgia and I will meet you for pizza at 7:30, all right?"
"All right, pizza at 7:30."
By the time the train ride was an hour I Rory was wishing she had taken her mother's offer to come and get them. She had a headache from crying the night before and she had fallen asleep in a position that had resulted in a pain in her neck. "Rory," Georgia looks up from the book she was reading, she was turning into a bookworm like Rory had been at her age after discovering Rory's book collection.
"Yes?" Rory turns to face her sister.
"I'm hungry." Georgia informs.
"All right, how does peanut butter and jelly sound?" Rory asks.
"Good."
Rory hands Georgia one of the sandwiches and takes one for herself, "I made them myself."
"Rory?"
"Yeah, Georgia."
"Does your Mom hate too cook like you do, or are we going to be eating at home more?"
"My Mom is the one who taught me to order out, if anything we'll be eating out more."
Georgia grins, she loved eating out, "cool."
One the next Gilmore Girls:
"Can I get one large pizza with everything on it?" Rory requests.
"It'll be 15 minutes." The teenager behind the counter states.
"All right thanks," Rory digs into her purse and turning around she calls, "Georgia, why don't you..."
"Rory." Jess cuts off Rory's suggestion.
"Jess..."
