GILMORE RESIDENCE, 11PM
Christopher pulled the car up to the house and stopped. "I guess I'll head back to Boston tonight," he said grimly.
"No, Christopher, I'm sorry." began Lorelai. "I shouldn't have laid into you like that. I guess I was just a little freaked over your business, and everything between us, and while I do think the preschool thing is nonsense, it's really none of my business. I'm sorry."
"Why were you freaked over us?" asked Christopher.
"Oh, just you talking about moving in. It's nothing. It's just me being me. I just have to get used to the idea. Let's start now. Please stay tonight."
"Lorelai, if this isn't what you want..."
"Of course it's what I want. I've been waiting for this for almost 20 years, Chris. I've been waiting for you. I guess I'm just having trouble believing that it's finally happening."
"How can I convince you?" asked Christopher. He leaned in as they started to kiss.
Lorelai came up for air. "I think you're making a believer out of me," she said. They kissed some more. "A little more and you'll have me preaching on the street corners." They kissed again. "Come inside?" she offered finally.
"OK." They got out of the car and went inside.
ELDER GILMORE RESIDENCE, FRIDAY, 6:30
The maid opened the door and let Lorelai and Rory in. "Your father is in his study," she informed them. "I will let him know you're here."
Lorelai and Rory went into the living room.
"OK, I'm depending on you tonight," said Lorelai. "I cannot be alone with my father. You are not allowed any bathroom breaks, no cell phone calls, there will be no reading of newspapers, and you will not leave a moment before I do."
"You are completely insane," said Rory.
"If you leave us alone together, one of us will not come out alive."
The maid emerged from the study. "I'm sorry, your father sends his regrets but he will not be able to dine with you tonight."
"What? After going ten rounds with my mother over Friday night dinners he's sending us home?" Lorelai said incredulously as she got up to leave.
"Wait, Mom. This isn't right," said Rory. She went over to the study and knocked on the door. "Grandpa?"
"Rory! I'm rather busy tonight. I'll call your mother tomorrow to reschedule," said Richard from behind the door, his voice sounding shaky.
"Mom, you have to talk to him. I think something's wrong," said Rory.
Lorelai came over and knocked on the study door. "Dad, is everything OK?" she asked as she motioned for Rory to go sit down.
"Lorelai, I will talk to you tomorrow," he repeated.
Lorelai opened the door to find Richard looking disheveled, tired, and buried under piles of papers and books. She closed the door behind her.
"Dad, what's going on?" she asked.
"Lorelai I do not wish to discuss this now," said Richard as he reached around wildly, finally grabbed a glass and took a swig.
"Dad, are you drunk?" she asked. "Is everything OK at work?"
Richard sighed and settled down into his chair. "Oh Lorelai, if you must know, my lawyer has advised me to offer to settle this ridiculous lawsuit with Jason."
"Oh Dad, I'm so sorry. He doesn't think you can win?"
"He thinks that the cost of settling is worth what we'll be saving in legal fees and reputations," said Richard.
"Dad...will you be OK?...I mean with the money?..."
"Oh Lorelai, I'll manage that somehow. It's the principle of the thing," Richard said fiercely. "I gave that boy a chance, I let him into my business, my own business that I created, and he went behind my back and now I have to pay him damages?" Richard slammed his fist on the desk as he spoke.
"I'm so sorry, Dad," said Lorelai gently.
"And then your mother...out with that bastard..." Suddenly Richard bent over his desk and started sobbing.
"Oh my God, Dad, where did you hear about that? Did Mom tell you?" Lorelai walked over to him and awkwardly started patting him on the back.
Richard took a deep breath. "I got a call from Bill Snyder, apparently you mother has been telling her friends at the DAR. He thought I should know."
"Dad, are you still...I mean...with Mom...? What went wrong with you two anyway?"
Richard turned away so she couldn't see his face, and did not reply.
"Dad, if this bothers you so much, if you still love her, then you need to tell her," said Lorelai.
"Oh Lorelai, it's no use. She's so angry with me, she just wants to move on," said Richard.
"Dad, she's angry that you were shutting her out. If you still feel this way, you need to talk to her. You need to let her know how you feel."
"Well, maybe," said Richard. "I suppose I could call her in the morning."
"No, Dad. If you're going to do it, you need to do it now, before you change your mind."
"But she's not even home."
"So we'll wait. We'll go over there together a little later," said Lorelai.
"I can do this by myself, Lorelai."
"Friends don't let friends, remember? Besides I'm not missing this. How often does a girl get to pull a Parent Trap?"
OUTSIDE EMILY'S RESIDENCE, 10PM
Lorelai, Rory and Richard sat in Lorelai's car, waiting for Emily to return home.
"I feel like we're on a stakeout," said Lorelai. "Hey, got any donuts back there?" she asked Rory.
"This is so cool," said Rory. "I can't believe we're doing this."
"Excuse me, young lady, but we are not doing this, I am doing this," said Richard.
Just then a car pulled up, a man got out, waked around and opened the door for Emily. Richard started to get out of the car.
"Wait till he leaves, Dad," said Lorelai, reaching out her arm to stop him.
"Lorelai, if you think I'm going to watch him..."
"Dad, if you go over there now and start beating him up it's only going to make Mom more angry," said Lorelai. "Just wait a few minutes and see if he leaves."
They watched for a short time as Emily and the man talked, then finally he leaned over, kissed her on the cheek, then left.
"You're on, Dad," said Lorelai.
Lorelai and Rory watched as Richard got out of the car and walked over to Emily.
"Wow, she looks pretty surprised," said Rory.
"OK, where are the binoculars when you really need them?" asked Lorelai. "This car is just not prepared for a stakeout. I'll have to do something about that."
"For all those other people you're planning on stalking?" said Rory, watching Richard and Emily. "Oh no, what did he say? She looks mad."
"Well I guess he didn't have her at hello," said Lorelai. "No, no, no! No flailing arms! No cold shoulders!" she pleaded as she watched.
Richard started walking back to the car. "That's it. I'm going to go smack some sense into them if it's the last thing I do," said Lorelai as she started opening the door of the car.
"Mom, you really think you should be giving romantic advice to your parents?" asked Rory. "Wait! Wait! She said something! He's turning around!"
"Oh my God, they're talking! No shouting involved!" said Lorelai.
They both watched as Richard and Emily joined hands and walked inside together.
"Hey, what was that comment supposed to mean, anyway?" asked Lorelai.
"What?"
"The 'do you really think you should be giving your parents romantic advice' comment. Does that mean that I'm no good at romance, or it's too weird when my parents are involved?"
"Ah, it works on so many levels, doesn't it?" replied Rory.
Lorelai picked an empty paper cup off the floor and threw it at her. "Well my work here is done," she said.
SATURDAY MORNING, LUKE'S DINER
"OK, so I've just got a little Sociology homework, some reading for History, and some problems for calc to get through, and then we can do some shopping," said Rory.
"No way, hon, it's your birthday, no work allowed," replied Lorelai. "Today we are going to watch bad movies all day, and top it off tonight with dinner with your dad. Did you bring clothes to wear out?"
"Yes."
"No you didn't"
"Yes I did," said Rory.
"No you didn't."
"Yes I did," Rory insisted.
"No you did not, because if you had, there would be no reason to go shopping for some new ones, and while we're there, just maybe happen to come upon the perfect new dress for me as well," said Lorelai.
"Ah," Rory said coyly. "Gosh, I just have no idea what I'm going to wear."
Luke came over to take their order. "Ready to order?" he asked.
"Waffles for me," said Rory.
"Large coffee and pancakes, please," said Lorelai. Luke went into the kitchen.
"Oh my God, I can't wait to have some decent food," said Rory. "It feels like ages since I've been here. I'm so glad you made your peace with Luke. How's it been between you two?"
"Cordial. Weird. I don't know," said Lorelai, watching Luke deliver some plates to the other customers. "Normal, and yet everything is different."
"Different how?" asked Rory.
"Oh, I come in here and it's just like normal, he serves me coffee and burgers and tries to make me eat vegetables, and he gives me a hard time when I talk on the phone and I watch him yell at Taylor, and everything seems so normal, but then things happen like the other day," said Lorelai.
"What happened the other day?"
"The shelves in my closet gave out."
"And this has what to do with Luke?"
"Well I had shirts and sweaters and skirts and shoes all over the place and I was trying to figure out how to fix the shelves, and did I want to replace them with wire shelving like they had on Queer Eye, or wooden shelves, and how do I hang them, and where on Earth do I go to buy all these things, and suddenly I realized."
"Realized what?" asked Rory.
"Luke has always done that stuff for me. I am completely inept around my own house."
"He has helped you out quite a bit over the years," agreed Rory.
"And I wanted to call him and ask him, but...well, it was just too weird," sighed Lorelai.
Just then Luke came over with their food. "Here ya go, and here's something for you," he said as he produced a large piece of cake with a candle in it and set it in front of Rory.
"Aw, thanks Luke," said Rory.
"Happy birthday," he said. "Want two forks?"
"Only if you're going to bring two pieces of cake," said Lorelai, smiling playfully at him.
"Fine, fine," Luke grumbled as he went back into the kitchen.
RESTAURANT, 7PM
"Christopher left me a message saying he's running a little late," said Lorelai as they walked in to the restaurant. "He said to start without him. Hayden, party of 3," she said to the maitre d'.
"So how weird is this? Both my parents and me together to celebrate my birthday," said Rory as they sat down at the table.
"Only took your parents 20 years to get it together," said Lorelai.
"Things going well with you two?" asked Rory.
"Rory, he's talking about moving down here."
Rory's jaw dropped. "But what about his job? What about Gigi?"
"Well he's saying he can see her on the weekends, and as for the job, well he's...he's looking for something around here," said Lorelai evasively.
"Oh my God, 20 years and my parents will finally be living in the same place!" said Rory.
RESTAURANT, 9PM
Lorelai and Rory sat silently at the table, finishing up their dessert.
"Well, maybe he'll make 21 years," sighed Rory.
END OF PART II
Christopher pulled the car up to the house and stopped. "I guess I'll head back to Boston tonight," he said grimly.
"No, Christopher, I'm sorry." began Lorelai. "I shouldn't have laid into you like that. I guess I was just a little freaked over your business, and everything between us, and while I do think the preschool thing is nonsense, it's really none of my business. I'm sorry."
"Why were you freaked over us?" asked Christopher.
"Oh, just you talking about moving in. It's nothing. It's just me being me. I just have to get used to the idea. Let's start now. Please stay tonight."
"Lorelai, if this isn't what you want..."
"Of course it's what I want. I've been waiting for this for almost 20 years, Chris. I've been waiting for you. I guess I'm just having trouble believing that it's finally happening."
"How can I convince you?" asked Christopher. He leaned in as they started to kiss.
Lorelai came up for air. "I think you're making a believer out of me," she said. They kissed some more. "A little more and you'll have me preaching on the street corners." They kissed again. "Come inside?" she offered finally.
"OK." They got out of the car and went inside.
ELDER GILMORE RESIDENCE, FRIDAY, 6:30
The maid opened the door and let Lorelai and Rory in. "Your father is in his study," she informed them. "I will let him know you're here."
Lorelai and Rory went into the living room.
"OK, I'm depending on you tonight," said Lorelai. "I cannot be alone with my father. You are not allowed any bathroom breaks, no cell phone calls, there will be no reading of newspapers, and you will not leave a moment before I do."
"You are completely insane," said Rory.
"If you leave us alone together, one of us will not come out alive."
The maid emerged from the study. "I'm sorry, your father sends his regrets but he will not be able to dine with you tonight."
"What? After going ten rounds with my mother over Friday night dinners he's sending us home?" Lorelai said incredulously as she got up to leave.
"Wait, Mom. This isn't right," said Rory. She went over to the study and knocked on the door. "Grandpa?"
"Rory! I'm rather busy tonight. I'll call your mother tomorrow to reschedule," said Richard from behind the door, his voice sounding shaky.
"Mom, you have to talk to him. I think something's wrong," said Rory.
Lorelai came over and knocked on the study door. "Dad, is everything OK?" she asked as she motioned for Rory to go sit down.
"Lorelai, I will talk to you tomorrow," he repeated.
Lorelai opened the door to find Richard looking disheveled, tired, and buried under piles of papers and books. She closed the door behind her.
"Dad, what's going on?" she asked.
"Lorelai I do not wish to discuss this now," said Richard as he reached around wildly, finally grabbed a glass and took a swig.
"Dad, are you drunk?" she asked. "Is everything OK at work?"
Richard sighed and settled down into his chair. "Oh Lorelai, if you must know, my lawyer has advised me to offer to settle this ridiculous lawsuit with Jason."
"Oh Dad, I'm so sorry. He doesn't think you can win?"
"He thinks that the cost of settling is worth what we'll be saving in legal fees and reputations," said Richard.
"Dad...will you be OK?...I mean with the money?..."
"Oh Lorelai, I'll manage that somehow. It's the principle of the thing," Richard said fiercely. "I gave that boy a chance, I let him into my business, my own business that I created, and he went behind my back and now I have to pay him damages?" Richard slammed his fist on the desk as he spoke.
"I'm so sorry, Dad," said Lorelai gently.
"And then your mother...out with that bastard..." Suddenly Richard bent over his desk and started sobbing.
"Oh my God, Dad, where did you hear about that? Did Mom tell you?" Lorelai walked over to him and awkwardly started patting him on the back.
Richard took a deep breath. "I got a call from Bill Snyder, apparently you mother has been telling her friends at the DAR. He thought I should know."
"Dad, are you still...I mean...with Mom...? What went wrong with you two anyway?"
Richard turned away so she couldn't see his face, and did not reply.
"Dad, if this bothers you so much, if you still love her, then you need to tell her," said Lorelai.
"Oh Lorelai, it's no use. She's so angry with me, she just wants to move on," said Richard.
"Dad, she's angry that you were shutting her out. If you still feel this way, you need to talk to her. You need to let her know how you feel."
"Well, maybe," said Richard. "I suppose I could call her in the morning."
"No, Dad. If you're going to do it, you need to do it now, before you change your mind."
"But she's not even home."
"So we'll wait. We'll go over there together a little later," said Lorelai.
"I can do this by myself, Lorelai."
"Friends don't let friends, remember? Besides I'm not missing this. How often does a girl get to pull a Parent Trap?"
OUTSIDE EMILY'S RESIDENCE, 10PM
Lorelai, Rory and Richard sat in Lorelai's car, waiting for Emily to return home.
"I feel like we're on a stakeout," said Lorelai. "Hey, got any donuts back there?" she asked Rory.
"This is so cool," said Rory. "I can't believe we're doing this."
"Excuse me, young lady, but we are not doing this, I am doing this," said Richard.
Just then a car pulled up, a man got out, waked around and opened the door for Emily. Richard started to get out of the car.
"Wait till he leaves, Dad," said Lorelai, reaching out her arm to stop him.
"Lorelai, if you think I'm going to watch him..."
"Dad, if you go over there now and start beating him up it's only going to make Mom more angry," said Lorelai. "Just wait a few minutes and see if he leaves."
They watched for a short time as Emily and the man talked, then finally he leaned over, kissed her on the cheek, then left.
"You're on, Dad," said Lorelai.
Lorelai and Rory watched as Richard got out of the car and walked over to Emily.
"Wow, she looks pretty surprised," said Rory.
"OK, where are the binoculars when you really need them?" asked Lorelai. "This car is just not prepared for a stakeout. I'll have to do something about that."
"For all those other people you're planning on stalking?" said Rory, watching Richard and Emily. "Oh no, what did he say? She looks mad."
"Well I guess he didn't have her at hello," said Lorelai. "No, no, no! No flailing arms! No cold shoulders!" she pleaded as she watched.
Richard started walking back to the car. "That's it. I'm going to go smack some sense into them if it's the last thing I do," said Lorelai as she started opening the door of the car.
"Mom, you really think you should be giving romantic advice to your parents?" asked Rory. "Wait! Wait! She said something! He's turning around!"
"Oh my God, they're talking! No shouting involved!" said Lorelai.
They both watched as Richard and Emily joined hands and walked inside together.
"Hey, what was that comment supposed to mean, anyway?" asked Lorelai.
"What?"
"The 'do you really think you should be giving your parents romantic advice' comment. Does that mean that I'm no good at romance, or it's too weird when my parents are involved?"
"Ah, it works on so many levels, doesn't it?" replied Rory.
Lorelai picked an empty paper cup off the floor and threw it at her. "Well my work here is done," she said.
SATURDAY MORNING, LUKE'S DINER
"OK, so I've just got a little Sociology homework, some reading for History, and some problems for calc to get through, and then we can do some shopping," said Rory.
"No way, hon, it's your birthday, no work allowed," replied Lorelai. "Today we are going to watch bad movies all day, and top it off tonight with dinner with your dad. Did you bring clothes to wear out?"
"Yes."
"No you didn't"
"Yes I did," said Rory.
"No you didn't."
"Yes I did," Rory insisted.
"No you did not, because if you had, there would be no reason to go shopping for some new ones, and while we're there, just maybe happen to come upon the perfect new dress for me as well," said Lorelai.
"Ah," Rory said coyly. "Gosh, I just have no idea what I'm going to wear."
Luke came over to take their order. "Ready to order?" he asked.
"Waffles for me," said Rory.
"Large coffee and pancakes, please," said Lorelai. Luke went into the kitchen.
"Oh my God, I can't wait to have some decent food," said Rory. "It feels like ages since I've been here. I'm so glad you made your peace with Luke. How's it been between you two?"
"Cordial. Weird. I don't know," said Lorelai, watching Luke deliver some plates to the other customers. "Normal, and yet everything is different."
"Different how?" asked Rory.
"Oh, I come in here and it's just like normal, he serves me coffee and burgers and tries to make me eat vegetables, and he gives me a hard time when I talk on the phone and I watch him yell at Taylor, and everything seems so normal, but then things happen like the other day," said Lorelai.
"What happened the other day?"
"The shelves in my closet gave out."
"And this has what to do with Luke?"
"Well I had shirts and sweaters and skirts and shoes all over the place and I was trying to figure out how to fix the shelves, and did I want to replace them with wire shelving like they had on Queer Eye, or wooden shelves, and how do I hang them, and where on Earth do I go to buy all these things, and suddenly I realized."
"Realized what?" asked Rory.
"Luke has always done that stuff for me. I am completely inept around my own house."
"He has helped you out quite a bit over the years," agreed Rory.
"And I wanted to call him and ask him, but...well, it was just too weird," sighed Lorelai.
Just then Luke came over with their food. "Here ya go, and here's something for you," he said as he produced a large piece of cake with a candle in it and set it in front of Rory.
"Aw, thanks Luke," said Rory.
"Happy birthday," he said. "Want two forks?"
"Only if you're going to bring two pieces of cake," said Lorelai, smiling playfully at him.
"Fine, fine," Luke grumbled as he went back into the kitchen.
RESTAURANT, 7PM
"Christopher left me a message saying he's running a little late," said Lorelai as they walked in to the restaurant. "He said to start without him. Hayden, party of 3," she said to the maitre d'.
"So how weird is this? Both my parents and me together to celebrate my birthday," said Rory as they sat down at the table.
"Only took your parents 20 years to get it together," said Lorelai.
"Things going well with you two?" asked Rory.
"Rory, he's talking about moving down here."
Rory's jaw dropped. "But what about his job? What about Gigi?"
"Well he's saying he can see her on the weekends, and as for the job, well he's...he's looking for something around here," said Lorelai evasively.
"Oh my God, 20 years and my parents will finally be living in the same place!" said Rory.
RESTAURANT, 9PM
Lorelai and Rory sat silently at the table, finishing up their dessert.
"Well, maybe he'll make 21 years," sighed Rory.
END OF PART II