Title: Changes
Author: Kenora Hazel Saul
Pairing: R/J & L/L
Disclaimer: I own none of GG.
A/N: They all go to dinner, various announcements are made.
**
Richard escorted Emily through the front door of the restaurant. Taking her coat, he handed it over the counter and received a tag back.
"Shall we wait for them, or just seat ourselves?" Richard asked Emily.
"Let's seat ourselves." Emily followed the maitre'd to their table. A sense of privacy was lent, assisted mostly by the strategically placed ferns.
**
"I'm nervous, what if Rory never talks to me again," Lorelai rubbed her stomach absently. Already thinking of their unborn baby.
"Everything will be fine, especially when we tell them our good news," Luke reassured Lorelai. Shutting the passenger door of his truck as he helped her out.
They entered the restaurant, hand in hand, united as one.
**
"Why do I have to talk to her, you heard her what she said to me. She was comparing me to her, making the same mistakes, like I'd made the same mistakes she had. She didn't get into Yale, Harvard, Stanford and Princeton." Rory's tone overlaid with bitterness as she talked.
"But if I had been Lorelai, I would've torn me limb from limb." Jess tried to make light of the situation.
Rory shrugged off his arm.
"Can we just have a good time at dinner, please for you, me, your grandparents and everyone else involved?" Jess asked.
"Alright, only if I can punish you afterwards, if I don't have a good time," Rory said sulkily. Brushing a lock of Jess's hair behind his ear, she softly nibbled on his ear, moving along to his lips. Heat stirred, passion formed, desire raged, ecstasy beckoned. Rory pulled back, smiled at Jess, linked their hands together and opened the door of the restaurant.
"The Gilmore party," Rory inquired.
"Right this way," a uniformed man led the way.
A table of six awaited them. Lorelai and Luke sat on the left, Richard and Emily on the right, leaving the middle two seats for Rory and Jess.
"Mr. Gilmore," Jess shook Richard's hand. "Mrs. Gilmore," he nodded to Emily respectfully.
Later
"As I'm sure you all know, we are here to celebrate a very special occasion," Richard lifted his champagne glass and toasted Rory.
"This young lady has achieved her dreams, and has gotten into 4 of the top schools in the country. Where she will go? Is her choice, I can only hope she chooses Yale." Richard lowered his glass and took a sip.
Emily raised her glass, "To Rory."
Lorelai and Luke echoed Emily's toast.
Jess raised his glass, "To Rory, may all her dreams come true." Leaning over, he gently kissed her cheek.
"I have an announcement to make." Lorelai started, Luke looked at her.
"Are you sure?" he asked gently.
"Yes, they may as well know. I'm pregnant with Luke's child, it's due in September," Lorelai said.
Richard almost choked on his champagne. Emily froze. Rory turned white. Jess smiled.
"Congratulations to you and your baby," Jess toasted Lorelai and Luke.
"Thank you." Lorelai smiled, looked at her parents and waited for the explosion.
5 minutes later
"You're pregnant, how did this happen?" Emily asked, her tone a little too sharp for Lorelai's liking.
Taking a deep breath, Lorelai said in a calm tone. "The usual way mother, you should know, having a had a child yourself."
"Now is not the time for your twisted sense of humor." Emily snapped.
"It wasn't planned, but I welcome the addition to my family. Luke is happy and that is what matters most to me." Lorelai smiled at Luke and took his hand.
"How can you have a baby now, you're 34, your daughter is going to college. Now is not the perfect time for a baby." Emily said.
Lorelai's hands curled and clenched as she tried to control her temper. She lost.
Standing up slowly. "I am only going to say this once, so listen carefully." Her tone was deadly calm.
"Rory is a big girl, who can take care of herself, she's proved that time and time again." Looking at Rory, whose face was a pale shade of gray now. Lorelai looked at her mother, her blue eyes icily accusing.
"As for you mother, you have no right to tell me when is the perfect time for me to have a baby. I am happy that I'm having a baby. Would it kill you for once in your life just to be happy for me, instead of pointing out all the faults you can find with my situation. Next time, I have important news, I won't bother to tell you since you can't seem to be happy for me." She picked up her purse and walked away.
Luke dropped his napkin on his plate and followed her.
Silence fell around the table.
After that bombshell, Rory could feel the rift between her mother and herself growing bigger. Grabbing Jess's hand, she gripped it tightly.
"I'm here, I'm never leaving you, I love you and that is forever," Jess whispered in her ear.
Outside the restaurant
"Goddamn it Luke, she's like a monster. Not once in her life has she ever been happy for me." Lorelai buried her head in his shoulder and sobbed her heart.
Luke helped her into the truck and they drove home.