DISCLAIMER: it's fiction, kids. . . if I owned it, well, then there might
be money around here somewhere, but unless it's invisible money, well, then
I still don't own it.
AN: review, please, if you're reading this story at all? I love encouragement, and it drives me. Shameful plea, yes, but very much appreciated. Thanks!
The elder Gilmore mansion hadn't changed much since Rory had fled from there with her daughter some 16 years prior. Check that, it hadn't changed at all, really. Oh, the colors and fabrics were updated, but it had the same atmosphere of disapproval. Rory tried as hard as she could to remember the good times. There were years when Richard and Emily Gilmore had been proud of their daughter. She was the smartest in her class, on student council, had friends and even a very respectable boyfriend from a good family. She was going to Harvard. Well, she was going to go to Harvard. Until the very respectable boy bought the very faulty condom. The rest, well, they say is history. She calls it Lorelai, however.
Tonight, she sits in the drawing room of her parent's looming house, playing with an olive in her martini. Lorelai is drinking a soda and answering her grandmother's questions about the kids in her class. Though she's only been at the school a short time, Lorelai's outgoing nature made her fit in. Some of the snooty kids had looked down on her, being from a small town and not being rich, but they soon learned she didn't take much from anyone. She didn't want a life of cotillions, country clubs and all that. But the parties, she liked, and the boys, well, she would never complain if a rich boy wanted to take her out. She liked having fun, pure and simple.
"Rory, can I get you another drink?"
"I'm fine, thanks Dad."
"Well, how's that little paper of yours doing?"
"It's fine Mom."
"I was just asking." Emily informed her.
"I know." Rory stressed, giving her mother a warning look.
"So, how are your grades, Lorelai?" Emily switched gears and turned to her granddaughter.
"They're good. I was having some trouble with Hemingway, but Jess talked to me about it and I aced the last test."
"Jess?"
"He owns the bookstore in Stars Hollow, Mom," Rory interjected.
"Some strange man is helping your daughter with her homework?"
"He's not a stranger. We see him everyday."
"Are you dating this man?"
"No, I just buy his books. And his coffee."
"He has the best coffee, Grandma," Lorelai added.
"I'm sure he does. Why is dinner not ready yet?" Emily got up abruptly and went to check dinner. Rory leaned her head back against the settee and Lorelai gave her a hopeful look. Richard resumed reading the New York Times.
At long last, another dinner was over. They'd only been going for the last two months, but it felt like five years to Rory. She told Lorelai to get their coats as she said goodbye to her mother.
"Thanks for dinner, Mom."
"Yes, well, I'll see you next week."
Rory stopped and looked at her mother. She didn't look happy about having them here; she couldn't imagine why she was putting everyone through this.
"Mom, will this ever get better?" Rory asked quietly.
"What are you talking about?"
"This, this tension, the drama, the awkward silences and probing questions. THIS," Rory gestured between them.
"Well, if you don't like this," she gestured back, "you have only yourself to blame."
"How can you say that!?!"
"You took that girl and left. You, the most responsible girl in the world, it was like you lost all your senses when you got pregnant. You wouldn't marry Christopher, and you ran away so we couldn't help you."
"I had to figure it out for myself, Mom," Rory said softly, wishing her mother would gain some understanding.
"I'll see you next week." Emily said, with an air of finality.
"Right, next week," Rory sighed, meeting Lorelai at the door.
The ride home was silent for the most part. They'd almost gotten home when Rory turned to head towards the bookstore. She parked outside, and turned to Lorelai.
"You coming in?"
"I'm going to see if Lane can chat for a while."
"Okay. I'll just meet you at home."
Lorelai nodded and headed off towards Kim's Antiques, the store that Lane's mom ran out of their downstairs floor of the house. Rory walked into the bookstore, which had a few people browsing amongst the piles of books. She went over to the poetry section and started browsing.
"You know you only have another half hour, right?"
She smiled at the voice coming from her right shoulder. She didn't turn, and continued looking.
"I know the owner, I think I can talk him into letting me stay."
"Don't count on it. He's grouchy and tired."
"All the time, what's your point?" she laughed as she turned to face Jess.
"Hah. It's been a sucky day."
"So make me a cup of coffee and tell me all about it."
"Aren't you supposed to make me coffee?"
"Hey, I had dinner with my parents. I can match you sucky moment for sucky moment."
"Ooh, a challenge!" he mocked.
"What's wrong with you?"
"My sister called. She took off early, and left the kid to sort of tie up all the loose ends on his own."
"Isn't he 16?"
"Yeah, he is. She's just, being herself. Her irresponsible self."
"Jess, I'm sure it'll be fine. When is he coming?"
"Well, he was coming Sunday, but now he's coming tomorrow. I still don't have a bed, and I have no idea where I'm going to put it, and," he began rambling. Rory had never seen him ramble; she'd never even seen him flustered. Everyone else had left the store, and there was just Kevin, the kid who was closing tonight, left.
"Jess, hey, why don't we go upstairs and I'll help you rearrange your apartment. So it's more two-person friendly."
"You don't have to," he told her.
"No, it'll give me a chance to pick through your books," she smiled, as she began walking towards the staircase.
"Keep your mitts off my books!" he called after her. He told Kevin he could go ahead and close up for the night and ran upstairs after Rory.
Rory was looking not at his books, but at the furniture.
"What size bed did you order?"
"A twin, why?"
"I'm thinking. What about his clothes?"
"I cleared some space out in the closet," Jess nodded towards the small closet by the bathroom.
"What about his underwear?"
"Excuse me?"
"You know, stuff that doesn't hang up?"
"He can have a drawer in my dresser."
"Jess, he needs a dresser, or something, that's just his."
"Why?"
"Privacy."
"Oh, right."
"Don't you want your privacy?"
"I'll be having a teenager in my apartment. I'll have no privacy."
"He won't be here all the time. He'll have school."
Jess just raised an eyebrow at her. She smiled and started giggling all of a sudden.
"What?"
"Sorry, I was just thinking, you'll have to find a good motel to start taking your lady friends to," more giggling erupted from her as she actually said the words.
"I don't bring women here anyway," Jess shrugged, ignoring her laughter.
That comment quieted her giggling altogether. "Oh."
"It's just, this apartment isn't the best place—I have a twin bed, for crying out loud."
"Well, try having a kid in the house."
"You bring guys back home?"
"No, no. Not that there have been that many, but I never bring them home. It's a Gilmore house rule."
"She's not allowed to bring guys home, either?"
"That's not even funny."
"Right. Strike that."
"But it's not like I've not been with guys," Rory insisted, still feeling weird about talking about this subject in the first place. Somehow she just couldn't not talk about it. Like trying not to look at an accident.
"I never said you hadn't been," Jess assured her.
"I've been with plenty of guys," she continued.
"Rory, seriously, stop talking."
"Right. Sorry."
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, no, it's just, my mother."
"Oh."
"Sorry, we're trying to get this place ready for a teenager. Well, I hope he's neater than you are," she commented looking around at the state of semi-shambles the apartment was in.
"Just, help me move the stuff around, will you?"
They worked at moving the furniture so that Jess' stuff was to one side of the apartment with room for the soon to be delivered stuff for Luke to be put against the other wall. The kitchen was situated in the middle anyway, but now Jess' stuff was more concentrated.
"You know, you could always use room dividers, for privacy and stuff."
"What?"
"You know, they use them on Trading Spaces," Rory explained.
"Trading What?"
"You've never seen Trading Spaces?"
"No."
"Oh my God! It's our favorite show!"
"You know, when you talk like that, it makes you sound like you have multiple personalities."
"Yeah, well, you aren't the first to make that comment," she smiled.
"Well, we're guys, I don't think either of us will mind not having room dividers."
"Whatever you say."
"So, you had a rough night, huh?"
"Just, my mother and father, and these weekly flogging sessions, it's just more than I want to deal with. I thought at this stage of my life, I would have resolved these issues, but sadly, no. In that house, I'm still sixteen and pregnant."
Jess didn't say anything; just let her get all her frustrations out. He put his hand on her shoulder, and she smiled up at him.
"Sorry, I don't mean to unload like that on you."
"Hey, if venting at me makes you feel better, vent away."
"Thanks." She looks at the clock on the wall and makes a face. "I had no idea it was 11:30! I should get going."
"Yeah. See you tomorrow?"
"Of course. Lorelai has a date. With a guy she seems to like."
"Why do you cringe when you say that?"
"I'm not good with the whole her and dating thing. Not yet, anyway."
"No one is good at watching their kids date. Or so I would imagine."
"Yeah. But she's sixteen. I won't sleep at all this year."
Jess smiled, as he walked her down to the darkened store. He flicked on a light, so she could see her way around the piles of books still in boxes on the floor.
"You want me to walk you home?"
"Oh, thanks, but I have the car."
"Alright. Night, Rory."
"Bye, Jess."
She didn't know why, but the comment her mother made about her dating Jess popped into her mind. She shook her head, as if to shake the thought out, and started up her car. She saw the light to the store flip off, as she started to drive off. She went into Lorelai's room when she got home, and tucked her in, mostly for old times' sake and walked wearily up to her bedroom. She fell asleep within seconds of her head hitting the pillow.
AN: Next chapter a young Luke appears! Just a tidbit, for those who care. I know I'm dragging it out a little, not having gotten to him yet, but I wanted to sort of build up the world he's stepping into.
AN: review, please, if you're reading this story at all? I love encouragement, and it drives me. Shameful plea, yes, but very much appreciated. Thanks!
The elder Gilmore mansion hadn't changed much since Rory had fled from there with her daughter some 16 years prior. Check that, it hadn't changed at all, really. Oh, the colors and fabrics were updated, but it had the same atmosphere of disapproval. Rory tried as hard as she could to remember the good times. There were years when Richard and Emily Gilmore had been proud of their daughter. She was the smartest in her class, on student council, had friends and even a very respectable boyfriend from a good family. She was going to Harvard. Well, she was going to go to Harvard. Until the very respectable boy bought the very faulty condom. The rest, well, they say is history. She calls it Lorelai, however.
Tonight, she sits in the drawing room of her parent's looming house, playing with an olive in her martini. Lorelai is drinking a soda and answering her grandmother's questions about the kids in her class. Though she's only been at the school a short time, Lorelai's outgoing nature made her fit in. Some of the snooty kids had looked down on her, being from a small town and not being rich, but they soon learned she didn't take much from anyone. She didn't want a life of cotillions, country clubs and all that. But the parties, she liked, and the boys, well, she would never complain if a rich boy wanted to take her out. She liked having fun, pure and simple.
"Rory, can I get you another drink?"
"I'm fine, thanks Dad."
"Well, how's that little paper of yours doing?"
"It's fine Mom."
"I was just asking." Emily informed her.
"I know." Rory stressed, giving her mother a warning look.
"So, how are your grades, Lorelai?" Emily switched gears and turned to her granddaughter.
"They're good. I was having some trouble with Hemingway, but Jess talked to me about it and I aced the last test."
"Jess?"
"He owns the bookstore in Stars Hollow, Mom," Rory interjected.
"Some strange man is helping your daughter with her homework?"
"He's not a stranger. We see him everyday."
"Are you dating this man?"
"No, I just buy his books. And his coffee."
"He has the best coffee, Grandma," Lorelai added.
"I'm sure he does. Why is dinner not ready yet?" Emily got up abruptly and went to check dinner. Rory leaned her head back against the settee and Lorelai gave her a hopeful look. Richard resumed reading the New York Times.
At long last, another dinner was over. They'd only been going for the last two months, but it felt like five years to Rory. She told Lorelai to get their coats as she said goodbye to her mother.
"Thanks for dinner, Mom."
"Yes, well, I'll see you next week."
Rory stopped and looked at her mother. She didn't look happy about having them here; she couldn't imagine why she was putting everyone through this.
"Mom, will this ever get better?" Rory asked quietly.
"What are you talking about?"
"This, this tension, the drama, the awkward silences and probing questions. THIS," Rory gestured between them.
"Well, if you don't like this," she gestured back, "you have only yourself to blame."
"How can you say that!?!"
"You took that girl and left. You, the most responsible girl in the world, it was like you lost all your senses when you got pregnant. You wouldn't marry Christopher, and you ran away so we couldn't help you."
"I had to figure it out for myself, Mom," Rory said softly, wishing her mother would gain some understanding.
"I'll see you next week." Emily said, with an air of finality.
"Right, next week," Rory sighed, meeting Lorelai at the door.
The ride home was silent for the most part. They'd almost gotten home when Rory turned to head towards the bookstore. She parked outside, and turned to Lorelai.
"You coming in?"
"I'm going to see if Lane can chat for a while."
"Okay. I'll just meet you at home."
Lorelai nodded and headed off towards Kim's Antiques, the store that Lane's mom ran out of their downstairs floor of the house. Rory walked into the bookstore, which had a few people browsing amongst the piles of books. She went over to the poetry section and started browsing.
"You know you only have another half hour, right?"
She smiled at the voice coming from her right shoulder. She didn't turn, and continued looking.
"I know the owner, I think I can talk him into letting me stay."
"Don't count on it. He's grouchy and tired."
"All the time, what's your point?" she laughed as she turned to face Jess.
"Hah. It's been a sucky day."
"So make me a cup of coffee and tell me all about it."
"Aren't you supposed to make me coffee?"
"Hey, I had dinner with my parents. I can match you sucky moment for sucky moment."
"Ooh, a challenge!" he mocked.
"What's wrong with you?"
"My sister called. She took off early, and left the kid to sort of tie up all the loose ends on his own."
"Isn't he 16?"
"Yeah, he is. She's just, being herself. Her irresponsible self."
"Jess, I'm sure it'll be fine. When is he coming?"
"Well, he was coming Sunday, but now he's coming tomorrow. I still don't have a bed, and I have no idea where I'm going to put it, and," he began rambling. Rory had never seen him ramble; she'd never even seen him flustered. Everyone else had left the store, and there was just Kevin, the kid who was closing tonight, left.
"Jess, hey, why don't we go upstairs and I'll help you rearrange your apartment. So it's more two-person friendly."
"You don't have to," he told her.
"No, it'll give me a chance to pick through your books," she smiled, as she began walking towards the staircase.
"Keep your mitts off my books!" he called after her. He told Kevin he could go ahead and close up for the night and ran upstairs after Rory.
Rory was looking not at his books, but at the furniture.
"What size bed did you order?"
"A twin, why?"
"I'm thinking. What about his clothes?"
"I cleared some space out in the closet," Jess nodded towards the small closet by the bathroom.
"What about his underwear?"
"Excuse me?"
"You know, stuff that doesn't hang up?"
"He can have a drawer in my dresser."
"Jess, he needs a dresser, or something, that's just his."
"Why?"
"Privacy."
"Oh, right."
"Don't you want your privacy?"
"I'll be having a teenager in my apartment. I'll have no privacy."
"He won't be here all the time. He'll have school."
Jess just raised an eyebrow at her. She smiled and started giggling all of a sudden.
"What?"
"Sorry, I was just thinking, you'll have to find a good motel to start taking your lady friends to," more giggling erupted from her as she actually said the words.
"I don't bring women here anyway," Jess shrugged, ignoring her laughter.
That comment quieted her giggling altogether. "Oh."
"It's just, this apartment isn't the best place—I have a twin bed, for crying out loud."
"Well, try having a kid in the house."
"You bring guys back home?"
"No, no. Not that there have been that many, but I never bring them home. It's a Gilmore house rule."
"She's not allowed to bring guys home, either?"
"That's not even funny."
"Right. Strike that."
"But it's not like I've not been with guys," Rory insisted, still feeling weird about talking about this subject in the first place. Somehow she just couldn't not talk about it. Like trying not to look at an accident.
"I never said you hadn't been," Jess assured her.
"I've been with plenty of guys," she continued.
"Rory, seriously, stop talking."
"Right. Sorry."
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, no, it's just, my mother."
"Oh."
"Sorry, we're trying to get this place ready for a teenager. Well, I hope he's neater than you are," she commented looking around at the state of semi-shambles the apartment was in.
"Just, help me move the stuff around, will you?"
They worked at moving the furniture so that Jess' stuff was to one side of the apartment with room for the soon to be delivered stuff for Luke to be put against the other wall. The kitchen was situated in the middle anyway, but now Jess' stuff was more concentrated.
"You know, you could always use room dividers, for privacy and stuff."
"What?"
"You know, they use them on Trading Spaces," Rory explained.
"Trading What?"
"You've never seen Trading Spaces?"
"No."
"Oh my God! It's our favorite show!"
"You know, when you talk like that, it makes you sound like you have multiple personalities."
"Yeah, well, you aren't the first to make that comment," she smiled.
"Well, we're guys, I don't think either of us will mind not having room dividers."
"Whatever you say."
"So, you had a rough night, huh?"
"Just, my mother and father, and these weekly flogging sessions, it's just more than I want to deal with. I thought at this stage of my life, I would have resolved these issues, but sadly, no. In that house, I'm still sixteen and pregnant."
Jess didn't say anything; just let her get all her frustrations out. He put his hand on her shoulder, and she smiled up at him.
"Sorry, I don't mean to unload like that on you."
"Hey, if venting at me makes you feel better, vent away."
"Thanks." She looks at the clock on the wall and makes a face. "I had no idea it was 11:30! I should get going."
"Yeah. See you tomorrow?"
"Of course. Lorelai has a date. With a guy she seems to like."
"Why do you cringe when you say that?"
"I'm not good with the whole her and dating thing. Not yet, anyway."
"No one is good at watching their kids date. Or so I would imagine."
"Yeah. But she's sixteen. I won't sleep at all this year."
Jess smiled, as he walked her down to the darkened store. He flicked on a light, so she could see her way around the piles of books still in boxes on the floor.
"You want me to walk you home?"
"Oh, thanks, but I have the car."
"Alright. Night, Rory."
"Bye, Jess."
She didn't know why, but the comment her mother made about her dating Jess popped into her mind. She shook her head, as if to shake the thought out, and started up her car. She saw the light to the store flip off, as she started to drive off. She went into Lorelai's room when she got home, and tucked her in, mostly for old times' sake and walked wearily up to her bedroom. She fell asleep within seconds of her head hitting the pillow.
AN: Next chapter a young Luke appears! Just a tidbit, for those who care. I know I'm dragging it out a little, not having gotten to him yet, but I wanted to sort of build up the world he's stepping into.