Disclaimer: See prologue page.
Chapter 7: Where to Go
Rory was sleeping soundly when the sound of a car woke her up. She assumed it was Jordan leaving to get Tristan, but was surprised when she heard the sound of her mother's voice.
"Where's Rory?" she heard her mother ask haughtily.
"She's sleeping," Shelly replied. "Why are you here?"
"I need to see Rory," Lorelai demanded. "Where's my daughter?"
"I'm standing in front of you," Shelly responded. "I happen to be your daughter, too."
"I want to give you two the news together," Rory heard her mother's voice breaking. "Please, go get her."
Rory bounded out of bed and downstairs to the kitchen, where Shelly had begun her trek up the stairs.
"You heard us?" Shelly asked.
Rory nodded, looking at her mother, who was near tears. "Mom?"
"Girls, I need to tell you something," Lorelai said. "Can I have some coffee first, though?"
Shelly nodded and grabbed three cups. "Sure, Mom."
Rory walked over to her mother and hugged her, unsure of what else to do. "What's wrong, Mom?"
Lorelai took a cup of coffee from Shelly and looked to Rory, who had not paid a bit of attention to the one in front of her.
"Mom?" Shelly asked, now sincerely concerned.
"Your father and I are no longer together," Lorelai stated.
Rory and Shelly looked at one another. They didn't know whether to be happy or sad about the news. Their mother was crying, but they no longer had to put up with their father.
Rory sat down next to her mother and put her arm around her. "What happened?"
"We were halfway to Greece when I started thinking about Luke," Lorelai replied. "I mentioned his name once to your father and he blew his top. He told me that he knew I'd been cheating with Luke, but we all know that's not true."
Shelly nodded, now sitting across from her mother at the kitchen table. "How did that lead to this?"
"I screamed back," Lorelai replied. "A few days earlier a woman had called your father's cell phone. I didn't think anything of it, until I walked in on a private conversation between your father and who I assume was the same woman. He'd been with her for two years. All that time I'd stayed faithful."
Rory scooted closer to her mother. No matter how badly her mother had treated her in prior years, she still loved her.
"I couldn't take it," Lorelai said. "I needed my girls. I needed to come see you and tell you that I loved you. I needed to get away from Christopher, which I did."
Shelly got up and walked around the table to hug her mother, who had begun to cry.
"I shouldn't be crying," Lorelai stated. "I should be happy, because I really do love Luke. I should be glad because I'm away from your father."
Tears were now threatening the corners of Rory's eyes. She rested her hand on her mother's hand. Shelly had, also, begun to cry.
The three Gilmore's were all crying together. Shelly held tightly to her mother, who in turn had Rory's hand in her own. Although no one would have guessed it, it was the first time they'd been together in a long time without fighting.
Shelly, Rory and Lorelai were now sitting on the porch drinking their coffee. The sun had not yet even started to rise, but they were all wide awake. Partly from the caffeine, but mostly from the fact that they were actually getting along.
Lorelai looked intently at Rory. "Rory."
Rory looked at her mother, at the easy going smile on her face. "Mom?"
"I'm sorry for what I did to you," Lorelai said. "You didn't deserve it. You needed me most and all I could do was tell you that you shamed our family. I'm going to make it up to you."
Rory smiled. "I love you, Mom."
"I love you, too, kiddo," Lorelai replied. "And Shelly?"
Shelly looked at Lorelai, unsure of what she was going to say. "Yeah?"
"You couldn't have gotten someone better than Jordan," she said. "He truly is someone special."
Shelly rested her head on her mother's shoulder and Rory followed suit.
Rory was still smiling when Lorelai looked at her. Rory felt her mother's eyes and suddenly felt uneasy.
Lorelai smiled at her daughter. "You've been smiling a lot this morning."
"Try the whole summer," Shelly joked.
Rory felt a blush rising to her face. "I guess I have."
"You've met someone," Lorelai said knowingly.
Shelly looked over to Rory, who was know fully blushing and smiling idiotically.
"I have," Rory agreed.
"What's his name?" Lorelai asked.
"Tristan," Rory responded. "Tristan DuGrey."
Lorelai gasped. "DuGrey? Valin's son?"
"Yeah," Rory confirmed. "That's him."
Lorelai put a hand to her chest. "Goodness. How is his mother?"
"Still putting up with him, surprisingly," Jordan said, coming out on the porch.
Lorelai looked up at Jordan, who in turn stared wide-eyed at his mother-in-law.
"Lor-- Mrs. Hayden?" Jordan asked.
Lorelai laughed at Jordan. "You can call me Lorelai. It's Ms. Gilmore, now, though."
Jordan looked to Shelly for some explanation. "Dad's gone. Out of the picture."
"How was everyone's fourth?" Lorelai asked, changing the subject.
"Jordan and I stayed here and watched," Shelly said. "Rory, Jess and Tristan went out to the field to watch."
"Jess met some girl and we didn't see him until it was time to go home," Rory added.
Lorelai looked at Rory. "Jess is here?"
Rory nodded. "Yeah. He got into Harvard, too."
"That's good," Lorelai said. "Wonderful. Where is he now?"
"Not sleeping anymore," Jess replied, walking onto the porch with everyone else. "Crazy giggling schoolgirls woke me up."
Rory smiled and made room for Jess on the seat next to her. "Look Jess, Mom's here."
Jess shook his head. "You're crazy."
"You're going to Harvard," Lorelai said, pointing at him. "Mr. Harvard Smarty Pants."
"You had to tell her," Jess mumbled.
Rory looked up and saw Tristan walking up the driveway to the house. He looked up and smiled at her and she ran out to meet him.
"My mom's here," she told him.
"Good morning to you, too," Tristan greeted sarcastically. "You good? Wonderful."
Rory stopped him from walking and kissed him. She saw him smile as the kiss ended.
"Good morning," Rory greeted. "My mom's here."
"Your mom?" Tristan asked. "Wow. Why?"
"She left my dad," Rory replied. "She's going to go find Luke."
"Hey! Why don't you two join us?" Lorelai yelled from the porch.
Rory smiled. "I've already had four cups of coffee this morning."
"I've got you beat," Tristan said. "Five."
Rory pouted and led him up the porch. "Mom, Tristan's had five cups of coffee this morning."
"I've had, what, six or seven now?" Lorelai countered.
Tristan smiled. "Hi, I'm Tristan DuGrey."
Lorelai extended her hand. "Lorelai Hay-- Gilmore."
Tristan shook her hand. "Nice to meet you."
Lorelai smiled at him. "Likewise."
Lorelai put her arm around Rory as Jordan and Tristan left. "He loves you."
Rory nodded. "I love him."
"Good," Lorelai said. "I'm glad."
"How long are you staying here?" Jess asked.
"I'm leaving later today," Lorelai replied. "I'm going back to Stars Hollow. I still own the Crap Shack, so I'll just move back in this week."
Rory looked at her mother. "Are you going to talk to Luke?"
Lorelai nodded. "Yes, I am. Hope he doesn't hate me."
"He doesn't," Jess interjected.
Lorelai looked at Jess. "He doesn't?"
"He's still crazy about you," Jess said.
Rory smiled at her mother. Shelly began to jump up and down.
"Good," Rory responded, using her mother's words. "I'm glad."
The three Gilmore Girls began dancing on the porch. Lorelai and Shelly began to do a distorted version of the tango. Rory grabbed Jess and led him to the other side of the porch.
"Hey, Jess," Rory said.
"Hey, Rory," Jess mimicked.
"Will you do me a favor?" Rory asked.
Jess eyed Rory curiously. "Sure. What is it?"
"If I still feel the same way about Tristan at the end of the summer," Rory began. "Don't let me go to Harvard."
"Are you sure?" Jess asked. "Are you really sure?"
Rory nodded. "I'm sure."
Jess smiled at Rory. "It's a deal. But only if you still feel the same way about him."
Rory hugged Jess and began dancing with him. Lorelai and Shelly joined them. All of them danced as though it was the happiest day of their lives.
Rory walked her mother out to the car. Lorelai had her arm around Jess, giving him explicit instructions on how to handle Tristan.
"If he even breathes the wrong way around her, tackle him to the ground and strangle him," Lorelai instructed. "Got me?"
Jess nodded. "Got you. No worries. I can handle him."
"I can handle him, sweetie," Lorelai said. "No worries for me, either."
Jess rolled his eyes and hugged Lorelai. "Go after Luke. I'll be back in Stars Hollow this weekend."
Lorelai smiled and turned to Shelly. "I promise I'll visit more, okay?"
Shelly nodded and hugged her mother. "Good. I need you sometimes."
"I need you, too, sometimes," Lorelai said.
Shelly walked up to the porch and Lorelai turned to Rory. "Need pepper spray?"
Rory laughed. "No, Mom. If I do, I'll call you, though."
"The summer's almost over," Lorelai commented.
Rory nodded. "Then it's Harvard here I come."
"And then it's CNN, look out, here's Rory Gilmore," Lorelai responded.
Rory looked at her mother. "You said that wasn't practical."
"I know," Lorelai said. "But I also know you're a kick ass writer. You can do anything you want, Rory."
Rory smiled and hugged her mom. "I'll see you in August."
"August," Lorelai repeated. "I'll see you then."
Lorelai got in the car and drove off. Rory couldn't help but think that everything in her life was finally getting back to normal.
A/N: I know… no Trory action, but I got this idea and ran with it. I promise lots of fluff next chapter. I'm sort of trying to wind all of this down. I don't think it'll be a very long story. By the way, I updated my profile, so you can go there and read my small rants. Also, I'm open to any and all ideas you have!