Title: Rory Gilmore, This Is Your Life!
Chapter Five: Purple Hair
Summary: (of this chapter) Rory talks to her mother about her Jess letters, and Lorelai convinces Rory her feelings are just cold feet. Another long forgotten flame shows up.
Spoilers: Not this chapter, but definitely in chapter seven.
Disclaimer: Yes, I do not own the GG characters. I wish I did. That'd be cool. Because then I could make sure that only Amy Sherman-Palladino wrote the episodes, and that her husband only directed the episodes, cause the best ones are the ones where Daniel directs and Amy writes. Amy writes cool. I like Amy. I wish I knew Amy. She's so cool.
Distribution: If my words move you so deeply you wish to share them with someone else, tell me first please! sami57peace2u@hotmail.com It's okay with me, I just want to be credited and asked first. Thanks so much!
A/N: Okay, so Kenny Loggins performed Footloose, not Kenny Chesney. I actually knew that, believe it or not. I knew it was a Kenny, I just forgot which one. But hey, at least I knew it was Chris Penn, and not Sean! One point for me!
~~~~
"Hey, babe, I'm home!" Lorelai called as she walked into the house later. "God, that's so cool to say that again! I love having you home, by the way." Lorelai walked into the living room and noticed Rory sitting on the couch, staring straight ahead with an unseeing gaze. "You okay?"
"I'm having second thoughts," Rory whispered as Lorelai sat next to her on the couch.
"About what? The whole two weddings thing? Cause that sounds a little too stressful to me."
"No, about the whole wedding thing. I'm thinking of calling off the wedding."
"Oh, sweetie, why would you want to do that?"
Rory took a deep breath. "You remember the letters I got from Jess yesterday, when we were on the phone?"
"Yeah. Yes, I remember the letters from delinquent second-boyfriend boy."
"Yeah, well, they're really good letters."
"Mmm. How good? Dirty good?"
"Mom!"
"Sorry. What's so good about them?"
"They make me remember why I liked him so much in the first place."
"Oh, did he use his words on you again? I tell you, that boy."
"Well, it makes me want to call off this stupid wedding to stupid, boring old Greg and run out to good old Venice Beach, California and see Jess again."
"Greg's not stupid. Or boring. I think Greg's the best boyfriend you've ever had."
"Even better than Dean?"
"Oh, yeah, much better than Dean. And much more up on his pop culture references."
"You mean yours."
"Yeah, my pop culture references. Let me see these letters, I'll tell you whether or not you're actually really thinking about running off to California."
"I am. I'm telling you, I really am."
"Let me see the letters."
Rory sighed and stood up from the couch. Lorelai stayed where she was, thinking. What if the letters really were as good as Rory thought?
"Here they are," Rory thrust the stacks of paper in her mother's direction. "And here are the two I've read."
"You've only read two?"
"They were really good," Rory protested, falling onto the couch.
"Whatever you say." Lorelai opened the old envelope and pulled out the two letters Rory had read. She started reading them aloud.
"'Rory—' Oh, that's a good way to start," Lorelai interrupted herself. "Full of love." She continued reading silently, only voicing a few select phrases. "'I'm gone.' Yes, that is clichéd. And yes, 'this is a crappy letter.'" Lorelai looked at her daughter. "You wanna leave Greg for this?"
Rory shrugged, keeping her eyes closed.
"Okay." Lorelai continued reading. "'Don't cry. I won't if you don't.' Jess was going to cry? Weird." Lorelai read the very last phrase of the letter. "'Be you. Jess.' Huh. That actually is kind of sweet. But not sweet enough to give up Greg."
"Read the—read the next one," Rory prodded.
Lorelai obliged, placing the first letter back in the envelope. She read the second letter silently.
"Sweetie, I hate to tell you this," Lorelai started quietly after she'd finished the letter. "But you're seriously delusional. He misses getting on Dean's nerves. I don't care if the mind singles out strange things—that's just damn strange. I think he's got some Danes in him, definitely."
"I'm not delusional, I love Jess!" Rory sat up and defended herself.
"No, you don't. You loved him. Past tense. You don't love him like that anymore. You think you do, and you only think you do because you're not entirely sure you want to commit yet. And yeah, the fact that you received these letters the day after you got engaged is a huge coincidence, but that's all it is. A coincidence. You don't want to go to California, I assure you. And I bet if you read some of the letters that are a little more recent than eight years ago, he'd probably say somewhere down the line that he'd gotten over you, and you were just a friend."
"You think?"
"I know. You love Greg and he loves you. I can see it in the way you talk and look at each other."
"Really?"
"Yes. You guys are made to last."
"Thank you," Rory said, throwing her arms around her mother.
"It was nothing. Just a mom thing."
"It was just what I needed."
The phone started ringing.
"Hey, I bet that's Prince Charming himself."
"I'll get it!" Rory jumped from the couch and headed to the phone. "Hello? Hey, honey," Rory gestured to Lorelai and headed for her room.
Lorelai smiled. It was great to see Rory so in love with someone. The only thing that dampened Lorelai's enthusiasm was the fact that she herself was not with somebody. Lorelai sighed and found her gaze drifting to the letters sitting on the coffee table. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she searched through the bottom stack and came up with the most recent letter, dated April 25, 2011.
Rory-
Once again I'm writing to you. You've become my soundboard over the last eight years, even though we've had no contact. Somehow just writing these letters helps me think clearly.
I ran into Bernadette DeRussy yesterday. She came by the store, and we got to talking. Somehow we found out that we both knew you, and she mentioned something about how your boyfriend was planning to propose.
So let me congratulate you.
Congratulations.
I think that's wonderful. Bernadette had nothing but fabulous things to say about Greg, so I'm sure he's good for you, because I trust Bern's judgment.
This new news, of course, somehow prompted me to rethink my relationship with Kristen. So I have decided to make an honest woman out of the mother of my son.
As you know, she's been living with me for three years, and for the past two years we've been joined by little Adam. I bought a ring this morning, and it's modest, but I hope it gets the point across.
Somehow, just knowing that you have the prospect of being married, it prompts me into thinking that marriage isn't so bad, and it doesn't all end in divorce.
I don't know how you did that, but you did.
Thanks. I thank you, Adam thanks you, and hopefully Kristen does, too.
You know, I think I might actually send this letter.
Jess.
Lorelai lowered the letter. Huh. Jess had a two-year-old son, and he was getting engaged. Boy, sometimes people do change.
~~~~
"Lane's coming today," Rory said excitedly to her mother as Lorelai shuffled into the kitchen the next morning.
"You're too cheery," Lorelai complained, pouring herself a cup of coffee and sticking a Pop-Tart in the toaster. "But thank you for the coffee."
"You're welcome," Rory, sitting at the table, fully dressed, was reading a newspaper.
"Hey, Readily Reading Rory—where'd you get the paper?"
"I bought it from Bootsy."
"You've already been outside? Are you crazy?"
"No. Caffeineated."
"Ah. The secret to life. So what's going on in the world today?" Lorelai asked, sitting at the table.
"Lane's coming!" Rory squealed, closing the paper.
"Oh, is that all? That I knew." Lorelai stood back up to get her Pop-Tart, and Rory shot up from her seat.
"I'm going to the Inn." She announced, grabbing her purse.
"Okay. Say hi to Greg for me."
"Can do," Rory grinned and left the house. Lorelai sat at the table and wondered at the silence. Somehow she'd gotten used to having someone in the house in the last sixteen hours. Strange.
~~~~
Greg and Rory were walking through the town of Stars Hollow, arms wrapped around each other, later that morning.
"God, it's a pretty day, isn't it?" Rory asked as the couple walked past Miss Patty's on their way to Luke's.
"And a great town," Greg commented.
"I'm glad you like it. I can't believe I'm going to get married here."
"It's a great place to get married."
"Now, I have a few things to tell you." Rory started, but she was interrupted by Babette running up to them.
"Rory! Doll! You're back!"
"Hi, Babette," Rory struggled to say as the older woman squeezed the life out of her.
"You're such a famous big town girl, we weren't sure if you were coming back. And then we heard not only were you back, you were engaged! Morey and I were thrilled when we heard the news. Congratulations, doll."
"Thanks."
"Is this him?" Babette stage-whispered, pointing to Greg.
"Yeah," Rory stage-whispered back.
"Welcome to Stars Hollow!" Babette hugged Greg too, while Rory stood by and laughed. "Now you better be good to Miss Rory over here. Because if you hurt her, we'll all come after you and break your neck. Okay?"
"Okay," Greg said.
"Good." Babette gave Greg one last squeeze and then left, winking at Rory as she walked by.
"Isn't this town great?" Rory asked, latching on to Greg's arm as they continued walking.
"Just wonderful. Hey, before the crazy blonde tried to kill me by squeezing me to death, you said you had a few things to tell me."
"Oh, yeah. Okay, well, I like this town. A lot. And I'm thrilled that I'm getting married here."
"Well, the whole idea behind the wedding thing is to make sure you're thrilled."
"Yeah. So I love the town, and the people in the town, and the people in the town love me."
"Obviously."
"So if we got married here, I'd probably want this people to come to the wedding. Because I grew up with these people."
"'Probably'?"
"Okay, so I want to definitely get married with Babette and Patty gossiping in the back row. I think that'd be great."
"Well, if you think it's great, I think it's great."
"Really?"
"Of course." Greg smiled.
"Great." Rory smiled back and they continued walking.
~~~~
"Turn here," Lane said, pulling Dave's sleeve and pointing. "Turn, turn, turn!"
"Lane, calm down! I've been to Stars Hollow before, I know where we're going."
"Sorry," Lane said sheepishly, settling back into her seat.
"It's okay," Dave said. "We're here," he proclaimed, pulling up to Luke's.
"She's there!" Lane said happily, spotting Rory through the window. She unbuckled her seatbelt and flew from the car even before Dave had turned it off.
"Lane!" he called through the open door. She just waved and continued running into the diner. Dave sighed, got out of the car, closed Lane's door, and followed her.
"Rory!" Lane yelled, stopping just inside the door to Luke's.
"Lane!" Rory screamed from the counter. She jumped off her stool and ran to her best friend, throwing her arms around her.
"Dave," Greg nodded to the man standing not too far behind Lane.
"Greg," Dave nodded back.
"You're here you're here!" Rory yelled, jumping up and down with Lane.
"I'm here I'm here!" Lane responded.
"They're here they're here!" Greg and Dave mocked, jumping up and down next to the girls. Both girls stopped and hit their significant others, as the boys laughed.
"Okay, fine, we were being silly," Rory said, settling back into her seat at the counter. Lane sat next to her.
"Let's ignore them now."
"Good idea," Rory smiled. "I love your hair," Rory fingered a loose strand of Lane's purple hair.
"Thanks," Lane said, pulling the loose strand back into her messy ponytail. "We just got interviewed by Rolling Stone."
"Ooh, cool! When's it coming out?"
"Next month, I think."
"Send me a copy?"
"Always. Although, won't we be here?"
"Oh, yeah, you will. Okay, so give me a copy."
"Can do."
"Where's Lorelai?" Dave asked, desperately trying to edge back into the conversation.
"At work," Rory said dismissively.
"You met Lorelai yet?" Dave asked Greg.
"Yeah," Greg nodded.
"And she loved him!" Rory said happily, turning from Lane to place a hand on Greg's arm.
"You get all of her pop-culture references?" Dave asked.
"I bet she had some from Meet The Parents and Dharma and Greg, just judging from your name." Lane speculated.
"Yeah, exactly," Greg nodded.
"And he nailed them!" Rory said happily.
"Welcome to the family," Lane threw an arm around Greg's shoulder.
"You're in the family?"
"Honorary member since 1992," Rory answered Greg's question.
"Okay, then. So Dave's part of the family too?"
"I'm an adopted member."
"Since 2007." Lane said proudly, extracting her arm from Greg's shoulder and draping it around her husband's, planting a kiss squarely on his cheek.
"Aww," Rory said.
"No PDAs," Luke instructed, walking over with three empty cups and a coffee pot. "Coffee?"
"Luke, you're too strict!" Rory exclaimed. Luke gave her a glare and she meekly extended her empty cup. "Please."
"Sure," Luke refilled her cup and then filled two cups for Lane and Dave. Greg accepted a smaller cup of coffee, Luke shot him a look of approval, and then he walked off.
"Gruff guy, isn't he?" Greg asked.
"Oh, yeah." Dave agreed.
"None gruffer," Lane said.
"Are we going to surprise Lorelai at work?" Dave asked.
"Sure. And you've got to check in, anyway." Rory pointed out.
"Don't worry, sweetie, you can call Zach tonight and tell him that you saw the love of his life."
"Zach's still stuck on Mom?" Rory asked.
"Oh, totally. He wanted to come with us."
"Oh, but Brian did too." Dave pointed out.
"Yeah, he did. You know, you'd think that we hadn't spent the last eight years together, day in, day out."
"At least you got breaks every once in a while, after you guys made the records." Rory said.
"Yes, but we spent them with each other." Lane said.
"Except the one where we got married." Dave kissed Lane's cheek.
"Yeah, that one was just you and me. Although Zach and Brian were our witnesses."
"Along with Elvis," Greg reminded.
"Oh, yeah. You know, we should dig up those pictures. I mean, I brought all of our wedding stuff, both weddings, for us to plan with." Lane said to Rory.
"Oh, good, you did!"
"Yeah. Oh, Dave, VH1 called."
"What about now?"
"Uh, they're planning a wedding special for June. You know, rockers that get married and crap."
"Ah, and you figured that showing them our legal ceremony along with our religious ceremony would be good."
"Actually, I thought we could just go for the Elvis ceremony."
"Sure," Dave smiled.
"That's so cool!" Rory exclaimed. "You have VH1 calling you and wanting to use your wedding pictures!"
"And millions of loyal fans the world over."
"Oh, that," Rory waved her hand dismissively, and she and Lane laughed.
"Oh, that," Dave said, in a perfect imitation of Rory's voice. He waved his hand, exaggerating the move Rory had just made, and he and Greg laughed. Both girls hit the boys once again.
"You know what, Lane? I think we should leave these boys here, and go visit Mom alone."
"I think that's a wonderful idea. And maybe later I can spend the night at yours and Lorelai's house, and let the boys stay in the Inn all by themselves. Especially a certain guitar player."
"No! I'll stop, I swear!" Dave said. The girls ignored them, and walked out of the diner. The boys looked at each other and bolted from their chairs at exactly the same time.
~~~~
"And make sure room 18 has enough towels, they were complaining last night," Lorelai directed a maid, who nodded and left. Lorelai walked to the front desk and greeted the clerk. "Afternoon, Clara. How's the first week coming?"
"Good so far. Thank you so much for this opportunity, Miss Gilmore."
"Nonsense, it's the least I could do. After all, I've been in your situation before."
"Right, with Rory."
"Yeah, my only daughter. And please, call me Lorelai."
"Lorelai," Clara nodded. "I can do that."
"Great. Ooh, and if the Rygalskis call or come in, can you come get me? I'm expecting them."
"Sure, Lorelai."
"Thanks so much!" Lorelai smiled and walked into the kitchen. The ever-present Sookie was running around, no doubt preparing a fabulously fabulous dinner to blow the guests away. Seven-year-old Annette was trailing after her mother, and, like Sookie, was clumsily tripping over her own feet. "Hey, Nettie!"
"Don't call me that!" The seven-year-old made a face and then ran into Lorelai's arms and gave her a hug. "Aunt Lori!"
"You're the only person who can call me that."
"You're the only person who can call me Nettie," Annette shot back, and the girls laughed.
"You got any coffee?" Lorelai asked, straightening up.
"Just made a fresh pot, sweetie. How was your morning?" Sookie asked.
"Good. It was pretty cool waking up to coffee again."
"Like having Rory home?"
"Love it," Lorelai smiled.
"And how was your trip into Hartford?"
"I'm convinced that they are ripping us off on towels."
"Well, I guess that's how they get their money."
"By ripping people off on towels?"
"Uh…yeah?"
Lorelai laughed. "Yes, I guess that is how Martha Stewart gets the big bucks."
"Ooh! Tell me about the fiancée!" Sookie, suddenly remembering Greg, sat down at the kitchen table across from Lorelai.
"Okay, well, he got my references."
"Score three points for Greg."
"Exactly. And he and Rory didn't make out extensively in front of me."
"Score two for both of them."
"And he's really sweet to her, and he spent the night here, instead of home."
"He sounds perfect."
"Oh, he's definitely not."
"What's wrong with him?" Annette asked from behind her mother, a cookie in her mouth.
"He thinks 'Footloose' is the best song from the movie."
"The sacrilege!" Sookie mock-gasped.
"Yeah, that's bad. Cookie?" Annette held a cookie out to Lorelai, who hesitated before taking it.
"Who cooked it?"
Annette rolled her eyes. "Mom."
"Phew." Lorelai sighed. "I'd love one, in that case."
"Stop making fun of me!" Annette stamped her foot and crossed her arms across her chest.
"Oh, sweetie, we're not making fun of you, we're making fun of your cooking skills," Lorelai said soothingly.
"Yes, which you obviously got from Jackson."
"But you got your zeal for cooking—along with your clumsiness—from your mother."
"Ah, thanks, sweetie."
"No prob," Lorelai said, sliding her chair back from the table. "Well, the duties of an executive manager-slash-part owner of an inn never diminish."
"Okay, see you later, Lorelai." Sookie said, also getting up and heading back to her cooking.
"Bye, Aunt Lori," Annette said.
"Bye, Nettie," Lorelai called back, walking out of the kitchen. Making sure Clara was okay at the front desk, Lorelai walked upstairs, checking out all the rooms.
Meanwhile, four twenty-somethings walked into the Inn, and up to the brunette behind the desk.
"Hey, Clara," Rory said. "Lane and Dave need a room."
"Okay, just a sec," Clara said, typing something into the computer. She looked up and noticed Lane and Dave. "Cool hair!"
"Thanks. Can we have a room?"
"Oh, yeah, just let me check really quick." Clara typed some more stuff into the computer, and the four looked around the inn anxiously.
"Hey, I have to go to the bathroom," Dave said suddenly. "I've been driving non-stop for four hours."
"That's not that bad," said Greg, "but I'll show you to the bathroom anyway."
The boys walked away, leaving the two girls to look around for themselves. As Lane was watching the front door, a tall blonde girl on the arm of a taller brunette guy walked in, and Lane elbowed Rory.
"Is that who I think it is?" she whispered fiercely. Rory looked at the couple and then suddenly realized why they looked so familiar.
"Oh, my God," she whispered.