Title: Back In Stars Hollow
Chapter 8: Cutting Loose
A/N: That's right, people, I am back! I know that you guys have been waiting for this day, so here it is: chapter eight.
I always write Richard as the nice older grandfather, who's very supporting of Lorelai and makes fun of Emily. I like him that way. Emily's usually high-maintanence. Chris is a bad father in this story. Sherry's kind of distant. G.G.'s…a little kid. Lizzie's new, I've never written her. Jimmy…I already wrote Jimmy.
It's late November. It's a long story.
Rory impatiently tapped her foot, one hand tracing her coffee cup, the other hand tracing a circle around her swollen belly-button. Luke passed by her stool and glanced at her. Then he glanced at the coffeepot in his hand, back at her, and then walked behind the counter.
"Are you sure I'm giving you decaf?" he asked quietly, startling her.
"I'm sure," she answered when she felt her heartbeat slowing.
"Why are you so jumpy?"
She just gave him a "why do you think?" look.
He thought quickly, and then nodded.
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"When's he calling?"
"Tonight, hopefully." Rory sighed, tapping both pairs of fingernails on the counter.
"And when do you have to be in Hartford?" he asked, placing his hands over hers to stop the tapping.
"We," she corrected automatically, pulling her hands from under his and placing them on her stomach.
"We?" he asked worriedly.
"We." She nodded.
He groaned. "Why is she making me go?"
Rory gestured to her belly. "They don't know, and they won't flip as badly with non-family there."
"Oh." He crossed his arms and leaned on the counter. She stared at him for a minute.
"Am I gonna get my order? I'm eating for two, you know."
"Oh." He stood and exchanged the coffeepot in his hand for a decaf one. "Coming right up," he said, pouring.
"Thank you," she smiled as he walked off. Once he was gone, she resumed her tracing of both the coffee cup and her navel.
Lorelai paced around the living room, her phone in her hand. She stopped walking a foot from the fireplace and stared at the phone. The numbers were staring her in the face, taunting. She groaned.
"You suck," she said with quiet anger, throwing the phone onto the couch. She wasn't sure if she was talking to the phone or herself. She stared at the electrical appliance for a few minutes.
"You suck, and you're weak," she groaned, throwing herself onto the phone. This time she was sure she was talking to herself.
"You can do this." She tried to pep herself as she slowly dialed. "It's just—"
"Rory?" a distinctively male voice asked, pushing the front door open.
"Jess?" Lorelai asked, silently thanking God for the interruption. She turned the phone off and returned it to its hook as she walked into the foyer.
"Where's Rory?" he asked as she came into his view.
"Luke's. Aren't you supposed to be in California?" she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at him.
"The house is ready. I thought I'd surprise her. Do you guys have dinner with your parents tonight?"
"And you, too, now."
His eyes widened and he shook his head emphatically. She ignored him.
"Why do you ask?"
"Lizzie's expecting us in New York tomorrow, and Jimmy's expecting us back in California Saturday."
It was Lorelai's turn to shake her head.
"Chris is expecting you in Boston as soon as possible."
"Rory's…dad?"
"Biologically, yes. Emotionally…."
"Right." Jess nodded. "I've got one of those. So, uh, I'll call Lizzie, and tell her to expect us…Saturday?" He looked to Lorelai for approval. She nodded.
"And get Jimmy to expect you Sunday."
"Gotta switch out the plane tickets," he said, more to himself than her. But as she was watching him, something about the way he was talking bothered her. She narrowed her eyes again.
"Just how many plane tickets do you have?"
He glanced up at her, with a look of a kid who'd gotten his hand caught in the cookie jar. Seeing her suspicious look, he ducked his head again.
"Jess…." She used her Mom voice. He looked up.
"Uh…I think it's six."
"What did you do?"
"Oh, nothing, I—"
She ignored him—once again—and ran past him to the front door. When she pulled it open, four young adults—two familiar girls, one familiar guy, and an unfamiliar girl—turned to look expectantly at her. Lorelai looked back at Jess, who shrugged.
"I had some time. I thought Rory might wanna see 'em all again."
Lorelai grinned at Jess, and then stepped outdoors to envelop first Lane, and then Paris into a hug. Jess followed her out of the house and stood next to Baylor as Lorelai greeted Dave.
Rory's cell phone, sitting on the counter next to her plate, tinkled out a little tune. She picked it up and inquisitively looked at the Caller ID. Luke shot her a look as she opened the phone and put it to her ear, but as she greeted her mom, he nodded and continued serving his customers.
"Mom?"
"Rory." Lorelai was grinning so hard, she was sure that Rory could see it, across town.
"Wow. You sound happy. What's going on? Dad cancel?"
Lorelai's grin faltered for a minute, but pretty much remained. "No. But, uh, someone showed up here."
"Oh, can I talk to him?" Rory asked, her restlessness seeping into her voice. She'd missed Jess, like she did whenever he traveled across the country.
"Sure. I'll let him tell you the news."
"What? What news?" But Lorelai had already handed the phone over.
"Hey, Ror."
"Hey." Her voice immediately softened when she heard his.
"I missed you," he said softly, turning away from the large crowd in Lorelai's living room. They all looked at each other and grinned. Rory grinned at his words.
"I missed you, too."
Luke glanced in her direction, walking by, and stifled a smile at the look on her face.
"But what's this about news?" She was ready to get back to business.
"Well. I've got a little news."
She rolled her eyes. "Duh. Just what exactly is it?"
"You and I are expected at Lizzie's Saturday, and then back in Cali by Sunday."
"I love the fact that you call it Cali." She grinned.
"Get that mocking smile off your face," he commanded. She continued grinning.
"What mocking smile? I don't have a mocking smile."
"Yes, you do. But that's not why I called."
"Actually, you didn't call, Mom did."
"Details, details. Do you want to know the rest of the news?"
"Is it the fact that you are now accompanying us to Hartford tonight, and we're heading to Boston tomorrow?"
"No, Lorelai told me that. Do you want to know the news or not?"
"I wanna know, I wanna know!" She bounced on the stool a few times, feeling like a little kid.
"I brought a few guests with me."
"'A few'? How many is 'a few'?"
"Four."
Rory's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, really? And just who are these guests?"
"Well, Baylor."
"Right."
"Paris."
"You found Paris?" Rory almost squealed.
"Yes, I did. It wasn't that hard, seeing as you had her address."
"Oh, right."
"But I did find two other people."
"Ooh, who?"
"Lane and Dave."
"Oh, my God!" Rory yelled. Luke shot her a questioning look. She waved him off. "Where are they?"
"Right here."
"Mom's house?"
"Yep."
Rory squealed. "I'll be right there." She slammed the phone shut and bounced on the stool a few more times. Luke walked over and helped her down. She grabbed him in a hug as her feet touched the floor. "He found Lane and Dave!"
"Good." Luke nodded, not knowing what else to say.
"Good? It's great! I'm rushing over to Mom's house right now. I'll see you in about an hour, for dinner!" She waved and ran from the diner. Luke glanced at an interested patron next to him.
"He found Lane and Dave," he shrugged, and poured some more coffee for the woman.
"Okay, a few ground rules." Rory turned from her spot facing the elder Gilmores' front door and faced the crowd. "Let me tell my story first. Baylor, it'd probably be better if you wait a while to introduce yourself. You, too, Lane and Dave. Paris, they know you. Mom, Luke, you guys can tell your story after they yell me out for the pregnancy. Jess, you…don't talk."
The other seven nodded, and Rory spun back around to face the front door. She raised her hand to ring the doorbell and then stopped.
"You know what? Let me get in the middle of the group. You know, maybe just cover up the pregnancy thing." Rory edged her way to the middle of the group, and pushed Lane and Dave together right in front of her. She peeked over their shoulders at Luke, who was now standing at the front of the group. "Ring the doorbell." She nodded.
Luke pushed the button and flinched. He'd met Emily Gilmore before, and he'd heard tales about her to know that he should probably be flinching. Especially with the group he was standing in.
"Well, Lo—Oh, my goodness." Emily had opened the door. She glanced over the small crowd on her front step and immediately turned back into the house. "Richard!" she screamed. "Get out here!"
"Hi, Mom," Lorelai smiled, edging her body closer to Luke's.
"Hi, Grandma." Rory pushed Lane and Dave closer to each other in front of her stomach. Emily rolled her eyes and turned to yell for her husband again, but he appeared at her side.
"What is it, Emily?"
She gestured wordlessly at the group in front of her, and then massaged her temples.
"Well, my goodness!"
"Hi, Grandpa."
"Rory! Where have you been?"
She shook her head. "It's a long story."
"We've got time," Emily spoke up, now staring curiously at her granddaughter. Rory glanced at Lorelai, who smiled reassuringly, and then at Jess, who squeezed her hand and grinned. Rory nodded and walked forward.
Emily gasped.
Richard's smile disappeared, and he let out a half-groan. "Oh, no, not again."
Emily sighed. "Won't you all come in? And explain," she ended pointedly, gesturing them inside. As Lorelai walked past her, Emily grabbed her arm and pulled her into the dining room. Richard led the other seven into the sitting room.
"Who's the father?"
Lorelai sighed. "Mom, why don't you just let Rory tell you?"
"Because I want to know right now. I want to know exactly which one of those…boys I should refuse to let into my house."
"It's complicated, okay? Just listen to her story."
"I'm not kidding, Lorelai! I want to know who ruined my perfect granddaughter," Emily hissed.
"He's not here, alright? And it's extremely complicated. It's like a movie. Rory wants to tell you. It was her idea to come here tonight."
"And just whose idea was it to bring six extra guests?" Emily folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes at her daughter.
"It was Jess'. If you wanna kill somebody, kill him."
"Jess? That horrible, nasty boy who broke Rory's arm?"
"Yeah, that's him." It was Lorelai's turn to massage her temples. "Look, Mom, it's taken Rory a long time to get where she is, and I personally think she's incredibly strong to come face you right now, so I think you should give her the benefit of the doubt. It won't take long, if she doesn't go into too much detail."
"What?"
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Just hear her out, okay? They're in the sitting room, right?" Lorelai grabbed her mother's arm and steered her in the direction the others had gone. Emily opened her mouth to protest. "Uh-uh, benefit of the doubt. Ah, here we are!" Lorelai softly pushed her mother into a seat next to Richard, and then looked around for her own seat. Rory was standing, Lane was basically sitting on Dave, Baylor and Jess were uncomfortably squished next to them, and Luke and Paris were sitting next to Richard. Emily had taken the only empty seat. Lorelai silently debated pulling a dining table chair into the sitting room, and then gave up and settled on Luke's lap. Emily shot her a look and then took the champagne Richard handed her. All nine stared expectantly at Rory. She cowered a little, and then took a deep breath and steeled her nerves.
"It all started when I met this nice guy named Mark Miller."
Lorelai groaned silently.She was starting at the beginning.
Paris groaned. Mark. What an asshole.
Lane continued to stare expectantly. She was still clueless about what had happened with her friend.
"Well, it turns out Mark was an ass, but I was pretty blind, cause I was really infatuated. He restricted what I did, who I talked to, who I spent time with…it wasn't pretty. Everyone around me tried to tell me that I was being an idiot, letting him control my life, but I didn't see it. But," Rory sighed, "the big thing is what happened seven months ago."
"What was that?" Emily asked when Rory paused.
"He…disappeared. Completely. Used a couple minions to cart me back and forth between New York and France for a few days, but after I caught up with Jess again, I got an idea. To be…artificially inseminated."
Emily paused. She wasn't sure she'd heard correctly. Did Rory say 'artificially inseminated'?
Lane's brain started working overtime. So Jess wasn't the father. But…why did he and Rory keep staring at each other like that?
Paris nodded. She knew about that. She was trying to figure out the reason Jess was shopping for a house in California. A single guy doesn't want a house. But a guy infatuated with a pregnant woman who's infatuated with him…that's a different story.
"And, so…I did it. And…it took. Four out of five pregnancy tests can't be wrong." Rory chuckled. "And then…I went on the run. Chopped my hair off," she twirled a short strand around her finger, "stole Jess' car, and drove off. Changed my identity four times. Paid with only cash. Worked four jobs. Until, one day…I got news. From Jess."
He smiled at her, and she smiled back, briefly.
"Mark and his main accomplice were gone. Completely. They couldn't bother me anymore. So…I came home. Found Mom. Told her the story. She…told me to tell Jess how I felt about him." She grinned. "I did. He returned the feelings. We moved back here."
"My turn?" Lorelai asked. Rory nodded, so Lorelai cleared her throat and walked over to her daughter. "Rory and Jess moved into the Inn. Together. But, I'm told, nothing happened."
"Nothing happened," Jess spoke up.
Emily rolled her eyes. Like she believed that.
"It's true," Rory added. Lorelai slipped an arm around her waist and squeezed.
Emily paused. Maybe she believed that.
"Anyway. Back to my story. There was a big storm. Luke and I made out."
Luke groaned and lowered his head into his hands while Lorelai grinned at him.
"It was fun. But, you know, it was a big deal. It's been a long time coming."
"You can say that again," Rory, Emily, Lane, and Jess all muttered. Lorelai glared, and then her face fell back into a grin.
"It's been a long time coming," she repeated. "And then, Jess went back to California for a week. Baylor?" Lorelai gestured to the only woman who hadn't spoken since they'd entered the house. Baylor cleared her throat and stood.
"I'm Baylor Clarke. I used to date Jess, but then I realized I wasn't into guys as much as I was…into girls."
Emily's and Richard's eyes widened.
"And so now I'm just his friend, who can get him to do…pretty much anything. So, we made a movie. And people liked it so much that the producers wanted us to do more. And offered a whole hell of a lot of money for it."
"It's an amazing opportunity," Jess spoke up. "It's seventy-five million for three movies. That's a wonderful nest egg for…a family."
Rory crossed the room and took Baylor's vacated seat, next to Jess. She placed her hand in his, and they smiled at each other. Lane squealed.
"I knew it! I knew it!" She leaned over and wrapped both Jess and Rory in a hug. "I could tell by the way you were looking at each other!"
Paris jumped from her seat across the room. "You're moving to California!" She pointed an accusing finger at Rory, who nodded. "You're moving to California!" Paris happily settled back into her seat.
"What? You're moving to California?" Emily asked, staring at her granddaughter. "Why?"
"Well, because. Jess has got a wonderful job, and we love each other, and we'll make a nice little family out there."
"But what about your family here?" Emily asked. "We've just found you after over a year, and you're pregnant with our great-grandchild"—she shuddered slightly at the word—"and you're moving all the way across the country? What about us? What about your mother?" Emily shot out the last one as a desperate attempt to get Rory to reconsider.
Lorelai scoffed. "Seventy-five million dollars, Mom. To be a single pregnant woman at the age of twenty-three—without a father to pay child support—seventy-five million dollars is heaven. And plane tickets are relatively easy to get."
"But she shouldn't be flying so late in her pregnancy!" Emily sprang to her feet to face her daughter, gesturing towards Rory. "It could be dangerous."
"Well, then, we'll just have to fly to see her." Lorelai said calmly.
Emily stuttered, caught. "Ugh, fine." She sank back into her seat, and stole Richard's champagne glass to compensate for her empty one. "But I don't approve of this."
"Well, that's too bad, because we're both adults," Rory spoke up. "And we don't have to do anything you say, so there." She finished so childishly, she felt like she should stick her tongue out…and she almost did.
Emily rolled her eyes. "I don't think adults disappear for a year at a time, and then show up pregnant."
"I explained that. It's over, now. I'm in a committed, loving relationship, and we're going to continue to grow and prosper in our love while living in a house together three thousand miles away."
Everyone else in the room looked strangely at Rory, who blushed and shrugged.
"I was watching Oprah."
"Oprah or Uma, I don't care. I don't want you moving to California." Emily shook her head.
"Okay, first of all—did you just make a joke?" Lorelai asked. Emily just glared. "All-righty-then. Second of all—there is absolutely no way that you are going to keep my daughter from leaving if she wants to. I whole-heartedly support her decision, and I have a feeling that if you want to continue to have a relationship with her, you should support her decision also."
"Can I interject here?" Dave, the only one slightly thus far, asked, raising his arm slightly.
"It's not school, honey," Lane said quietly, patting his knee. He rolled his eyes and lowered his arm.
"Fine. I just want to say: Rory's one of the most together people I know. And Jess…well, he seems much more together. He tracked all of us down, bought our tickets out here, arranged for hotels and transportation. All for Rory, who he obviously loves, and who obviously loves him. If anyone deserves a chance to prove that they can make it, away from their family, no less, it's these two." Satisfied, Dave nodded and sank back into silence. Lane smiled at him and patted his knee again. Jess grinned at him, and Rory mouthed, "Thank you."
"Well. I suppose…if you absolutely must move to California…it's better to move with the prospect of a good life," Emily said.
Lorelai smiled. "Thank you, Mom."
"Yes." Emily offered a small half-smile, and then abruptly stood up. "Let's see about getting enough dinner for all of us, shall we?"
"What an ordeal," Lorelai groaned as the eight of them trouped out of the elder Gilmore house two hours later.
"I think it was handled beautifully," Baylor grinned. Jess pushed her shoulder.
"You would. You're such a masochist."
"Masochists are highly underrated, I'll have you know," she shot back, fluffing her hair. Jess shoved her again.
"Children, let's behave," Paris commanded, stepping between the two friends.
"Yes, ma'am," Jess saluted her, stopping in his tracks. Baylor rolled her eyes and walked behind him to push him from the back. They continued hitting each other childishly, and Paris continued scolding. Rory and Lane, walking arm in arm, grinned.
"He's going to make such a great father," Rory commented.
"Oh, an absolutely wonderful one, if that fight's any indication." Lane gestured with her head at the three. Dave, walking behind them, said, "He's getting his ass kicked, and by a girl. I'm gonna help." He ran off.
"Ah. So wonderfully sexist," Rory commented, watching as Dave ran up behind Paris and pushed. Baylor had Jess in a headlock.
"Yeah, but he fights like a little girl, so I let it go."
Paris had turned around and shoved Dave into Baylor and Jess, causing Baylor to release Jess. Dave grabbed Jess' arm to steady himself and ended up pulling both guys down. Baylor and Paris high-fived.
"Shall we save them?" Lane asked.
"Hmm. Saved by a pregnant girl." Rory grinned. "Let's help 'em up and shove 'em back down."
"Perfect." Lane and Rory walked over to their respective partners with looks of pity on their faces. Lorelai and Luke watched as the girls shoved the boys onto the ground.
"Are you sure that having Rory and Jess living together around those four is such a good idea?" Luke asked.
"Oh, definitely. They're cutting loose, having fun…they've got no worries. It's perfect."
The boys snuck up behind the celebrating girls and smashed a snowball into each of their heads. The girls screamed and started running after the boys, who tripped and fell face-first into a snow bank.
"Perfect." Luke nodded.
"Okay, who is this again?" Baylor asked four hours later, as the minivan Jess had rented at the airport was pulling into a driveway in Boston.
"Rory's dad," Lane repeated for the fifteenth time, rolling her eyes.
Baylor shook her head. "You've got a messed up family, Rory."
"Thanks, Baylor," Rory said, climbing from the passenger side. Paris and Baylor climbed from the middle and Lane and Dave appeared from the very back. Jess got out of the driver's seat and said, "Okay, someone else is driving this godforsaken thing to New York. There is absolutely no way I am driving this stupid minivan another mile."
"It's not cool enough for ya, huh?" Rory asked, draping herself over one of his arms. He tried to stifle a smile, but didn't succeed. Rory laughed.
"Who's there?" a female voice called into the darkness, opening the door of the house they were standing in front of slightly. Rory's smile faded as she recognized her father's wife.
"Uh, Sherry?" she asked, walking forward, pulling Jess with her. The other four followed at a distance.
"Yes?" Sherry said stiffly, standing up straighter in the open doorway.
"It's me. Rory."
"Oh. Rory." Sherry glanced over Rory's stomach and the five young adults with her. "Come in. I'll get Christopher." The older woman gestured vaguely toward the living room and walked off. The group piled into the stiff room and found places to sit, Baylor opting to sit on the floor and Lane opting to sit on Dave again. After a minute, a very harried Chris entered the room and started when he saw the large group.
"Oh! There's quite a few of you."
Rory nodded and stood, again pulling Jess with her. Chris started again.
"Wow. When your mother said you had news…I didn't think that was it." Rory's father gestured to her stomach with a pained expression on his face. "Like mother, like daughter, I suppose."
Rory's formerly easy face hardened as she looked her father in the eyes for the first time in years.
"You have no idea what I've gone through," she said calmly, evenly, through her teeth. Her hold on Jess' hand tightened, and he reached a hand and touched her shoulder, giving her more resolve. "I have been through hell the past year and a half, and the only good thing to come out of it is this child. But there's no way you could know that, is there? In order to know that, you'd have to know me."
"I do know you," Chris started, but Rory cut him off.
"No, you don't. You've hardly talked to me for years. You've been too busy with your new daughter, your new life. You missed my high-school graduation. You don't know the hell I went through with my last boyfriend, and you missed what would have been my college graduation."
"You didn't—"
"No, I didn't. But do you know why? Do you know why I dropped out of my last month of Yale? Do you know why I'm pregnant? Do you know why I'm going to New York tomorrow, or why I'm moving to California after that? No. You don't. And since you don't seem to care—since you haven't seemed to notice that I've disappeared from your life—then I think I'm going to leave again. Only this time, I'm not going to be so quick to come back." Rory turned to leave, and noticed that the rest of the group, save Jess, had already exited to the car. Jess squeezed her hand, and she faced her father once again. "Don't expect to know your only grandchild."
With that, she spun on her heel and exited the Boston home, pulling Jess with her. He glared at Christopher until she slammed the front door.
Chris, shocked, sank onto the first step of the stairs in his home. Sherry leaned against a doorjamb.
"Well. That went well."
Chris glared at her, and stalked upstairs.
"That was wonderful, Rory, really. Loaded with emotion," Baylor glanced in the rearview mirror before turning back to the road.
"Thanks," Rory muttered, her face buried in Jess' shoulder. Lane, on her other side, laid a hand on her back.
"Aw, it was just what's been coming to him for years. I know it was hard, though."
Rory wordlessly reached a hand behind her and clutched Lane's hand. Lane squeezed gently. Paris, sitting in the middle again, reached back a hand and patted Rory's shoulder. Rory smiled at the show of affection.
Dave, sitting shotgun, sensed the need for a change of subject. "So. What are we doing for the rest of the night?"
"Driving to New York," Jess shrugged.
"Does your mom have enough room for us?"
"No, but we've still got a hotel suite."
"There's not enough room in a hotel suite for six people," Lane spoke up.
Dave nodded. "There's hardly enough room for four people."
Jess groaned. "I got a suite, I thought it would be enough. It was insanely expensive, even for one night, and so we're not changing the airplane tickets and flying back to Cali tomorrow."
"Does your mom have enough room for the two of us? We can send the other four to the hotel," Rory said quietly. Jess thought for a second, and then nodded.
"It's settled," Lane, who had been watching the exchange, said. "We'll drop Rory and Jess off first, and then we'll go to the hotel. And tomorrow morning we'll go back to Jess' mom's apartment, and then we'll head to the airport at four."
"Sounds good to me." Baylor nodded, and the others followed suit. "Good." She turned her attention back to the road.
"Bye, guys," Jess waved, and then lifted his and Rory's bag onto his shoulder. Rory settled into his other shoulder, and they walked into Liz Mariano's apartment building as the minivan sped off.
"I'm meeting your mom. This is kind of exciting," Rory said. Jess shook his head.
"It's not gonna be exciting meeting Lizzie. She's just…not exciting."
"I'm not excited cause I think she'll be exciting. I'm excited because this is your mother. It's a big deal."
"Whatever you say," Jess followed Rory onto the waiting elevator and pressed the button for the tenth floor.
"Yes, and you better remember that."
Jess rolled his eyes, and she grinned and kissed him.
They stepped from the car a minute later, and walked down the hardwood hallway to a white door with '10E' posted on it and a blue "Welcome" mat.
"Welcoming," Rory said stupidly, causing Jess to roll his eyes again as he knocked on the door. He'd used a key to enter the building, but he felt it would be better to knock before entering his mother's apartment.
"Just a minute!" a female voice yelled just inside the door.
"She's cleaning," Jess said matter-of-factly. "She knows we're supposed to be here, and she's cleaning."
"Who else would be knocking on her door so late at night?"
Jess shook his head. "I don't wanna know."
"Jess!" Rory slapped his shoulder. He grinned.
"What? I don't."
Rory grinned in spite of herself.
And, the door opened.
"Hi," the brunette who answered the door smiled. "Wow, you both look happy."
"Your son was being rude," Rory explained.
"Oh, he's very good at that." Liz's eyes twinkled as she teased Jess. "Please, won't you come in?"
"Thank you," Rory said, entering the apartment and pulling Jess behind her. As he was passing Liz, she pulled him away from Rory into a hug.
"Mom," he complained, trying to get away. She squeezed one last time, and then planted a kiss directly in the middle of his forehead. He squirmed away and started down the hallway in the middle of the apartment. "I'm putting our bag in the room." He entered a room, wiping his forehead as the door shut behind him. Rory grinned at Liz.
"He's such a kid."
"And yet, so grown-up." Liz half-sighed and entered the kitchen, gesturing Rory to follow her. "Would you like something?"
"Um…my cravings are pretty full-force," Rory nodded. "I was thinking…a peanut butter, apple jelly and banana sandwich. On white bread."
Liz laughed. "I think I can handle that." She pulled the refrigerator open and pulled out apple jelly, and then started going through the cabinets for the other ingredients. Rory settled herself onto a chair at the table.
"Um, can I ask you a question?"
"Yes, of course," the older woman nodded, starting to fix the sandwich.
"Oh, wait, can you mix up the peanut butter and jelly?"
Liz paused, and then nodded. As she pulled out a small bowl, she said, "Shoot."
"Okay. I've been working up the nerve to do something…pretty big in a few months. But in order for it to work, I need your help."
"I'd agree right now, but I know not to do that before knowing what I'm agreeing to."
"Right. Um, I just need to know your mom's name. I'd ask Luke, but my mom would wrench out of him the fact I asked, and that would ruin the surprise."
"Okay." Liz nodded, slowly spreading the peanut butter and jelly mixture onto one side of the bread. "I shouldn't ask what the surprise is, should I?"
Rory shook her head. "You'll know soon enough."
"Okay. My mother's name was Amelia."
"Oh, good! It's pretty."
"I know." Liz leaned closer to Rory. "And I would be honored if you named your child after my mother."
Rory smiled. Liz handed her the finished sandwich, and they both looked up as Jess burst into the kitchen.
"You guys need to tell a person before you leave a room. I've been looking for you for five minutes!"
"It's been two," Rory responded through a mouthful of sandwich.
"And the apartment's about six rooms big," Liz said, starting to wash the dishes she'd dirtied.
Jess rolled his eyes. "Semantics." He settled into a chair next to Rory. "Can I have a sandwich, too?"
"Make it yourself." Liz nodded at the bread, sitting on the counter.
"Why does she get the royal treatment?"
"I'm pregnant, idiot."
"Details, details." Jess rolled his eyes and started making his sandwich. Liz and Rory shared a secret smile behind his back.
"Bye, Liz." Rory hugged the older woman, and then Jess pulled her arm again.
"Come on, we've gotta go."
Rory pulled apart from Liz and rolled her eyes at Jess. Liz grinned and grabbed Jess.
"Mom! Come on, it's your fifteenth hug!"
"It is not." Liz started kissing Jess' forehead furiously. "It's only about the sixth."
"Mom, we're gonna be late."
"Okay." Liz released Jess and sighed. "Call me when you get there."
"Of course." Jess started backing up, pulling Rory with him to the minivan.
"And don't let Jimmy hog you too much, Rory. I wanna know the second you have that baby."
Rory smiled. "Of course."
"Okay, we're seriously going to be late. Bye, Mom, love ya, call ya soon." Jess pulled Rory into the van and slid the door shut. Dave, sitting in the driver's seat, glanced back and grinned.
"Jess has got a weakness," Lane sing-songed, sitting next to Dave.
"Shut up."
"Ooh, are you blushing?" Baylor asked from the backseat, pointing. Jess glared at her.
"No." He turned to Dave. "For the love of God, drive."
"Oh, yeah. Gotta get going so you can call your mom." Dave put the car in gear and they eased from the curb.
Rory smiled at the glare on Jess' face. "It's okay, they're only teasing."
"Yes, it's so nice when a rebel loves his mom," Paris piped up.
Jess glowered and lowered in his seat, his arms crossed over his chest. Rory smiled at him and planted a kiss on his forehead.
"I don't want a minivan, I don't care what you say." Jess shook his head emphatically.
"Well, if not a minivan, a midsize sedan car…thing. I don't know, just something more baby-friendly than your '67 convertible," Rory gestured at the car they were standing in front of. Jess got a wounded look on his face and placed a protective hand on the car.
"Don't be mean to Evelyn."
Rory stifled an urge to roll her eyes. "I'm sorry. You can keep Evelyn, but we still need another car for the baby."
"Okay, fine. We'll get another car, a family car, and Evelyn'll just be mine."
"A compromise."
"Exactly."
"Good." Rory smiled, and they sealed the deal with a kiss. "Now," Rory said as they parted, "let's go see the house."
"Paris, Lane, Dave, Baylor and I have been working non-stop to get it all nice and fixed for you."
"Aw, nice!"
"Right, hormone lady."
"Don't make me smack you."
"I'm sorry, ultra-hormone lady."
Rory rolled her eyes.
"C'mon." Jess ignored the eye-roll and pulled her towards the house by her hand. "Close your eyes," he commanded as they stopped in front of the door.
She giggled and obliged. He walked behind her and placed one hand over her eyes, and used his other hand to open the door.
"Can I see now?" she asked as the door closed behind them.
"No. We're going upstairs."
"Blinded like this?"
"You're not blind. Come on, step." He slowly led her up the stairs and to a closed door. He lowered his hand and said, "You can open your eyes now."
She obliged. "It's a door," she said flatly.
"Open it," he said matter-of-factly. She pasted another grin on her face and slowly pushed the door open to reveal…a nursery.
Painted in soft pastels, there was a crib in one corner, a changing table under the large window in the center of the far wall, and a rocking chair in the other corner. Diapers were stacked next to the changing table and baby toys were strewn across the floor. The closet stood open and was filled with light-colored onesies. A white wicker dresser was to the left of the door. Rory gasped and spun around to give a hug to Jess.
"It's wonderful," she said over his shoulder.
"I thought you might think so," he smiled, returning the hug.
Sometime near the middle of January, Rory sat at her desk in the study she and Jess shared. She was going over the pages of the script he'd left for her that morning. He'd started leaving the script for her to go over when she'd picked up a scene he'd been having trouble with and finished it in half an hour. They'd come to a silent understanding that she was going to be credited as co-writer in the credits, fixing little snafus in the story while he was off directing other scenes.
Besides, at eight and a half months pregnant, Rory was practically a whale, and couldn't do much more than sit around all day and read.
The cordless phone, sitting next to her computer, rang, startling her. She answered quickly.
"Hello?"
"It's me. The lead's putting me through hell, so I'm thinking about calling for an hour break and coming home for lunch. Whaddya think?"
She smiled into the phone. "That sounds great. Want me to order something?"
"Nah, I'll pick something up on the way there."
"Okay. I love you."
"I love you, too. See you soon."
"Bye." Rory hung up the phone and slowly pushed herself from the desk. She was going to head downstairs and put the phone up, and then settle onto the couch until Jess got home.
As she was nearing the last step, however, something warm and wet trickled down her legs.
"Oh, crap," she groaned, glancing down.