Chapter Five

To IDB and whoever else picked up on it, yes Lorelai did say she had two sons in the letter because originally that was my plan but then I started thinking what would it be like if Lorelai and Chris had another daughter who was raised in the life they hated and what she would be like, so you'll meet Sydney and Pierce in the next chapter.  Oh and there's one short snippet I stole from "You jump, I jump Jack," but when you get to it I'm sure you'll see why I used it... 

"How'd it go?" Luke is behind the counter when Rory walks back into the diner an hour after she had left.

Rory shrugs, "it was fine."

"Well, what's she like?" Lane prods, wiping down the counter, Luke had reopened the diner after Rory had left to give everyone something to do.

"She's...." Rory shrugs, "she's nice. She likes coffee as much as I do, um she has a degree in business but she doesn't work. She's in the process of getting divorced and she has a daughter and a son."

"Are you going to see her again?" Luke asks as nonchalantly as possible.

"Um yeah," Rory nods, "she wants me to go to this dinner at her parents house on Friday night. If that's okay with you."

"Of course," Luke nods vigorously, "of course."

"Where'd Adam go?" Rory asks looking around the diner for her boyfriend.

"He said he had a meeting he had to be at," Lane responds.

Rory sighs, "I forgot, I have to be at a meeting for the Franklin at school."

"He said he'd explain to Paris for you," Luke states, "so that you didn't have to bother with it."

Rory shakes her head, "I have an article I have to get in...and you know Paris..."

"Unfortunately," Luke responds, Paris Gellar drove Luke insane he thought she was a pretentious snob and didn't bother hiding the fact from his daughter. "You don't have to go, Paris'll get over it, you have a lot going on right now."

"Dad, it's fine, I really have to be at this meeting," Rory walks around the counter and kisses her father's cheek. "Besides I can drive and I'll be back faster than I usually when I take the bus."

"Drive safely," Luke cautions.

"I will," Rory nods. "I'll see you later."

"I changed my mind," Rory states a week later. "I don't think I want to do this."

"Then don't do it," Lane had come straight over to Rory's after school to help her to decide what to wear to the dinner she was suppose to be having with Lorelai's parents.

Rory glares at her best-friend, "aren't you supposed to talk me into going, telling me that it will be an experience to help me grow?"

"Is that what your dad told you?" Lane asks.

Rory nods, "he thinks me getting to know the Gilmore and Hayden families will be good for me, but I'm not sure if that's what I want, I like my family just like it is."

"No one is forcing this on you," Lane states, "it's all up to you."

Rory sighs and drops onto the bed beside Lane, "I don't know..."

"You should have asked Adam to go with you, he's used to all these socialite dinners and stuff, don't his parents run in the same circle as these people? Emily and Richard Gilmore or whatever?"

"He offered, but he was supposed to have dinner with his parents and they get mad when he backs out of things so I didn't want to put him in that position." With another sigh Rory gets off her bed and returns to shifting through her clothes. "I don't even know what to wear."

"Well what would you wear to dinner with your grandparents?" Lane asks, "your mom's parents I mean...I mean Rachel's parents wow this is really confusing. Aren't they loaded too?"

"Well yeah," Rory nods. "But they're insane, so basing my attire off of what would be appropriate for dinner with them wouldn't be a good idea...my mom is exactly like her parents so I have a feeling they are nothing like Lorelai's parents. This is dumb, I've never been the type of person to care what I am wearing."

"Go with a simple black skirt and a top," Lorelai's voice startles Lane and Rory. "Sorry, I was in town on business and I thought I'd stop by and make sure you hadn't chickened out on dinner...it's okay if you do because it's definitely warranted."

"It's just a lot..."

Lorelai nods, "yeah I know, so if you want to back out I would cover for you."

"No," Rory shakes her head, "I wouldn't back out, that would be rude."

"I would," Lorelai laughs. And then at the look of fear on her daughter's face she quickly states, "the Gilmore's really aren't as bad as I make them out to be, but they will ask you a million and one questions. I'll try to field as many as possible but I can't take them all. So you'll get to meet Syd and Pierce today, they are anxious to meet you..."

Rory bites her lip and mumbles, "me too."

"Listen, I have to get back to Hartford, I have a meeting at Sydney's school but we'll see you at seven right?"

Rory nods, "right."

"You have the directions I emailed to you?"

Rory nods again, "yeah."

"And you're sure you don't want to back out."

"I'm sure."

"She does seem nice, funny," Lane comments once Lorelai has left the room.

"Yeah," Rory responds absentmindedly before pulling out a black knee length skirt and blue button down blouse. "What about this?"

Lane nods, "looks good. So are you ready for this?"

Rory bites her lip, "no."

"Okay, come on Rory get with it," Rory whispers to herself while standing at the door of a huge house.

After ringing the doorbell the Rory is greeted by a solemn looking blonde woman in a maid's costume, "hello, come in."

"Hi, I'm Rory."

"I'm the maid," the maid gives Rory a slightly odd look before accepting her jacket.

"Right," Rory nods, suddenly embarrassed and unsure of what else to say.

"Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore are waiting for you in the living room," the maid informs Rory.

"Thanks," Rory nods and then asks, "where is it?"

"This way, mam," the maid gestures for Rory to follow her through the large house and into the living room where an older man and woman are sitting.

They both stand immediately, "you must be Rory," the woman smiles warmly at Rory. "We are so glad you could make it."

"Mom," Lorelai is speaking even before she walks into the living room. "I see you've got a new maid, good I was getting worried, you had Helga for an entire two weeks I was concerend that your mental health may be failing you...Oh," Lorlai stops speaking when her eyes land on Rory, "you didn't change your mind."

Rory shakes her head, "nope, I'm here."