A/n: AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Another one today. Am I crazy? I think we all know the answer to that question is a big fat YES!
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore girls. Sorry. If you sue me you'll get nothing.
Chapter Five: Hysteria in Hartford
"Why are we having dinner at the house? It just doesn't make sense. The secret's out. We know Mom and Dad are separated. So what's with Mom telling us to go to the house as usual? What's wrong with a restaurant?" Lorelai asked as they turned the corner onto the street the elder Gilmores lived on.
"She probably wants to keep some sort of normality in her life. You know her. Grandma loves to plan meals and then yell at her staff when they screw it up."
Lorelai grunted in agreement and they pulled into the large circular driveway. "Whose car is that?"
Rory looked at the silver BMW sitting behind Emily's car.
"I have no idea," she answered. They got out of the car and walked up to the front door. As they drew closer they could hear the distinct voices of Emily and Richard arguing noisily inside. Rory reached out and timidly rang the doorbell.
The front door shot open immediately. Rory looked up, startled, and found herself looking into Tristan's blue eyes.
"Hey," he said.
"Hi," Rory and Lorelai answered at the same time.
"They're kind of fighting. I took it upon myself to come warn you before you come in here."
"How noble," Lorelai answered in her sarcastic tone.
Rory shot her mother a disapproving look. "Thanks Tristan."
He stepped outside and closed the door behind him.
"How long have you been here?" Rory asked.
"Twenty minutes or so."
"Have they been fighting the whole time?"
He nodded. "Mrs. G. found out I didn't have plans for tonight and insisted I come. I didn't know I'd be walking into World War III. She must really pity me if she invites me over to, well, this."
"Well, the sight of Tristan DuGrey unoccupied two days in a row deserves a bit of pity."
"You'd be surprised," he answered. "I spend a lot more time at home now than I used to."
Rory nodded, knowing he was telling the truth, but still skeptical. A Tristan without six girlfriends was something that had to be seen to believe.
Emily's voice grew louder. "-completely INFURIATING!" she concluded, throwing the door open. She jumped in surprise when she saw the three congregated outside. She stepped out onto the landing and slammed the door.
"Dinner's canceled," she stated angrily, walking towards her car.
"What do you mean dinner is cancelled?" Lorelai cried, hurrying after her.
"Exactly what I said. We won't be having our weekly dinner tonight. Have a nice week girls. I'm sorry for the inconvenience Mr. Dugrey. I hope I shall see you later." She got in the car and sped away.
"She's the infuriating one," Lorelai mumbled. "All right troops, back in the cars." She walked down the driveway and got in the Jeep.
"So I guess this is goodbye for tonight," Rory said feeling a bit disappointed.
"It doesn't have to be," Tristan answered, feeling the same way. "Are you hungry?"
"Well, we were jipped a meal," Rory answered.
"Do you have any ideas of what you want to eat?"
"Um, I've been wanting breaded chicken for like a week and a half."
"I know the best place that serves breaded chicken. But do you have to be anywhere tonight?"
Rory shook her head.
"So you have five or six hours to spare?"
"Uh, I guess so," she said skeptically.
"Great. Let's go."
"I should go tell my mom, she's waiting for me."
Rory walked to the Jeep and opened the door.
"Tristan and I are going to go out to dinner," she said.
Lorelai looked disappointed, but she nodded.
"I probably won't be home until late, so you don't need to wait up or anything."
"Okay. Have a good time."
Rory closed the door and found Tristan waiting by the passenger seat of the BMW. He opened the door for her and helped her in.
"Such a gentleman," she complimented. "Is this how you charm all your ladies?"
"Most of 'my ladies' don't need much charming," he answered. He said it as a joke, but also knew the truth in his statement.
"So, where are we going?" Rory asked when they turned onto the highway.
"Some Italian place, I forget the name. But they have the most incredible chicken imaginable."
"Is it in Hartford?" she asked.
"A little further actually."
"How far?" she asked, wondering if the six hours they were going to be gone was estimated driving time.
"Have you ever been to the North End?"
"No. Where's that?"
"Boston Massachusetts."
