Authors Note: Thanks Lore2, llanoestacado and RiskaSG for your reviews. It's good to hear, that you thought the last chapter wasn't as bad as I imagined.

Chapter 22: Another boyfriend

It's Friday again – this time Richard is actually home, so the girls have drinks with him – I saw them arriving 30 min. ago. I wonder where they are, normally they're 20 min. with him – well perhaps they have to tell each other more, after all his business trips (are they talking about Luke?) but over 30 min? Olga came 5 min. ago to tell me, that dinner is ready. I'm going out on the patio. Perhaps I'll just go and get them.

I'm smelling something – barbecue! I don't believe it, they're barbecuing. I'm waiting for them to come to eat, and they're already eating. I'm getting angry while going towards them – what the hell is Richard thinking? We had an agreement after all – drinks with him – dinner with me – granted it was my idea, but he agreed to it. He should've at least asked me, before he changed this. I'm nearly there.

"I knew I smelled something. You're barbecuing."

"So what?" Richard says.

I can't believe what I'm hearing – I would have never expected that from him.

"'So what?' The agreement was the girls have drinks with you and dinner with me."

"We are having drinks -- drinks and appetizers."

"Those are not appetizers -- those are skewers."

"Little skewers." Lorelai says.

"Little, tiny skewers." Rory backs her up.

Yes, be on his side.

"This is not tiny." I say, grabbing a skewer out of Lorelai's hand.

"Mom, that's mine. I'm – "

"This is a main course and a cheap way of cheating me out of my dinner." I say to Richard.

"You are the most paranoid woman I've ever met."

Oh please.

"I highly doubt that."

"You were the one who designated the drinks portion of the evening to me."

You don't need to remind me of our agreement – I know it and I'm not the one who broke it. Besides you agreed to it.

"You love drinks."

"Drinks last one hour at most. Then you get the dinner portion, which can last several hours, especially the way you structure things. You get more time. I should at least be able to serve appetizers with my drinks."

I can't believe it – he can't stick to one simple agreement. Not only that he's secret meetings with Luke, now he's throwing our agreement in my face. But however angry I might be, I won't fight anymore with him in front of the girls – they shouldn't witness this.

"Fine. I'll leave. Have your drinks and your appetizers. You two better be hungry when you get inside or else." I say pointing to Lorelai.

Then I'm leaving.

"Or else!" Lorelai hisses.

Don't think I haven't heard that. I can't make out the rest they're saying, but I can imagine. Inside the house I'm sitting down at the table – waiting for them. When Olga comes out to tell me again that dinner is ready I tell her harshly to keep it warm. Then – finally - I hear them coming. So I call for Olga to serve dinner.

"I hope you're still hungry." I say after greeting them.

"Of course we are Grandma."

Well – we'll see. I watch them carefully and they're not hungry at all. Both of them are picking unenthusiastically in their food – I knew it. Not even the two of them can eat that much. I hate Richard for doing this.

"Something wrong?" I ask them.

"No. Why? Why?" Lorelai asks – silly question.

"You're not eating."

"No, I am eating."

"You've taken two bites."

"Two really big bites."

"Rory's taken none."

"I did. You just missed it."

I highly doubt that.

"You're full."

"No." Lorelai says.

As if I would believe this – but I'm angrier at Richard.

"He can't stick to a simple agreement. He makes deals all the time in business, but drinks there, dinner here -- somehow, that's too difficult for him to manage."

"He was just – " Rory begins, but I haven't finished.

"He was trying to upstage me. He was trying to make his part of the evening the fun part. He's a child, a spoiled 4-year-old. I should take his dump truck away and send him to bed without supper -- or, as he calls it, 'appetizers.'" I add sarcastically.

"Mom, seriously, we are starving. Look."

She takes another bite – as if that would convince me.

"Mmm. Wow. - Eat some carrots. Eat some carrots." she says to Rory.

"Carrots -- delicious." she says unenthusiastically.

Alright – I can play that game, too if you want me to.

"Well if you're both that hungry, you must want more. Olga, good timing. The girls are famished. Load them up." I say to Olga, who just came in.

Suddenly Lorelai's cell phone rings – I hate that and she knows it.

"Lorelai!" I scold her.

"What? It's not me." she defends herself.

"It's me, Grandma. I'm sorry."

Not much better – but at least she apologized. She takes a look at the ID.

"I have to take this. I promise I'll be quick."

She stands up to leave the room.

"Hello? Hi. No, now is fine." I hear her saying.

Yes, during dinner is great timing – well she's Lorelai's daughter after all. I wonder who that is.

"Who is she talking to?" I ask Lorelai.

"How should I know?"

"Well you're the one who taught her to leave her cell phone on at the dinner table."

"That's for safety, mom, in case someone forces her to eat five chickens, and she has to call 911."

Don't change the subject.

"She's talking to a boy, isn't she?"

"I don't know."

Oh yes you do.

"She certainly sounds like she's talking to a boy. Does she have a new boyfriend?"

"Mom."

"Did she finally meet someone at Yale?" I ask excited.

That would be wonderful.

"I don't know."

"Oh, of course you know." I say getting angry.

"Because I'm the one who taught her to leave her cell phone on at the table?"

Thankfully Rory is coming back – Lorelai wouldn't tell me anything.

"Sorry, Grandma. Hey, that won't happen again."

"That's all right. - So, who were you talking to?"

"Dean, do you remember Dean?"

"The boy who made you the car?"

"Yep."

"I didn't know you were still seeing him."

She didn't mention him once when we were in Europe – I don't think they were together there – no I would have noticed that. But she was weird – something was on her mind…

"Um, well, we got back together recently."

"Really? Well, that's a surprise, isn't it, Lorelai?" I say turning towards her.

Of course you knew about this.

"I know. I'm floored."

You're acting so badly tonight.

"He's been working crazy shifts lately, and I've had so much schoolwork that we keep missing each other, so I told him to call me tonight."

"Well, thank you for telling me. I'm just glad I got to hear it from you and didn't have to pick it up on the street somewhere."

Or from Kirk.

"Cause you hang out on the street so often, Mom -- you and Melrose Larry Green."

I'm ignoring Lorelai.

"So, are you happy with this Dean?"

"Yes, I am."

"Well, good. Now, eat up. We have the fish course coming."

In fact that's not good at all – first Lorelai and Luke and now Rory and Dean – they can't be serious.

"The fish course?" Lorelai asks a little shocked.

"Yes, Olga makes a mean pickled herring."

"Oh, well. What a delightful skill."

"Yes, isn't it? Now eat – I've enough for everyone."

During the rest of dinner – where they really tried to eat a little more – I can't but think about Dean and Rory. That's plain wrong – what is she thinking? He's not good enough for her – they broke up before and they'll break up again – I just know it.

Why can't she date someone from Yale? – I know there are enough good-looking, wealthy and smart young men there, why can't she fall in love with one of them? Perhaps she's too shy? I know she's not party-girl (unlike Lorelai by the way) and in some way I'm grateful for that, but she needs to meet the right men. Maybe I can help her. But I have to be careful. I have to find a way so that she will play along - I know she's not Lorelai who would boycott everything I plan on principle, but you never know – if I would invite her to some sort of gathering she could make up excuses – she's smart she will suspect that I have ulterior motives - so I need a good reason for her to come to whatever I'll host.

And then I realize what will make her come – Richard, more exactly Richard and me – together. I know she would love to see us back together (like me) and if I could get Richard to play along… I will get him to play along – he adores that girl – he can't want that she's dating Dean, he never liked him in the first place. So whatever weird spirit got into him when he was golfing with Luke, I just know that it will be different with Dean.

As soon as the girls have left I'm walking over to the pool-house. I knock at the door. Richard is coming to open it.

"We need to talk." I say while walking straight into the pool-house.

He has just finished dinner, too. After he's shut the door he stares at me – kind of stunned. I wonder what he's thinking. It's making me nervous.

"What?" I ask him.

"You're not seriously making me a scene tonight, aren't you?"

"What?" I ask him confused.

"Please Emily – just because I've made a barbecue once – "

Oh that – right - I forgot.

"No, it's not about your 'appetizers' – though you could at least have me informed about it beforehand. But this is about something more serious."

"Yes?"

"Do you know that Rory has a boyfriend?"

"No."

I thought so.

"Well she has, and guess who it is?"

"How should I know?"

"Well you know him."

"Emily please, just tell me what you have to say."

"Dean."

"What?" he says upset.

I thought so – perfect.

"Seems that they just got back together – well I don't know your opinion about it, but I think that is plain wrong – they broke up before and they will again – I don't know what she's thinking. But perhaps we could help her to meet some decent young men. I thought about hosting a Yale Alumni party next Friday. We could invite all our friends who have boys at Rory's age – that would give her a wide selection."

And people will perhaps stop gossiping about us, when we're hosting this together.

"I know perfectly well though, that I can't do this on my own – you're the Alumnus so you have to be present. I'm here to ask you, if you think we could host this party together."

He's still staring at me.

"Dean?" he finally says.

Has he heard me at all?

"Yes, Dean – Richard did you even listen to me? Do you want her to be with him?"

"No – certainly not – and I did listen to you. You're right – a Yale Alumni party should be the best thing to do. - Will you handle everything?"

"Of course I will. I'll come to you with the guest-list tomorrow if that is alright with you."

"Certainly."

"Good. But I need your help with one invitation."

"Yes?"

"Rory – she's smart she will suspect that something is going on – but I know that she'll come when we'll invite her together, cause what she wants more than anything is…"

Somehow I can't finish that sentence. I look at him and I just know, that he knows exactly what I'm talking about – but he isn't saying anything either.

"So I thought that when we would call her together tomorrow I just know that she will come. And well we're adults, we should be able to get this over with in a civilized way."

"Yes we should. Just tell me what you want me to do Emily. I certainly don't want her to date Dean again, so everything I can do to help you with the party – "

"Thank you, but I guess except for confirming the guest list and calling Rory I have it all covered. So will you come over tomorrow?"

"Yes I will."

„Good – Thank you."

„There's no need to thank me – I'm totally with you on this."

We're looking at each other – both unsure of what to do now. It's the first thing we agreed on for months.

"Well I guess I should go – it's getting late. Goodnight Richard."

I turn around to leave.

"Emily?"

I look at him again.

"Yes?"

"I should've told you about the barbecue. It's just… "

I wonder what he wants to say. I look at him encouragingly.

"It won't happen again."

I nod. Too bad he didn't finish that sentence – perhaps we could have even started to talk.

„Thank you."

With that I'm going back to the main house. I don't know what to think of our ‚relationship' – one moment he's having secret meetings with Luke – totally going against everything I wish for Lorelai and just when I'm thinking that we can't agree on anything again something like this happens and we're united to get Rory to meet the right men.

So what do you think of it – especially the last conversation between Emily and Richard – I would love to hear your thoughts.