Chasing Aphrodite
Chapter 3: Spiraling Downward
Disclaimer: Once upon a time, there was a woman named Amy. She wrote a story, and she called it "Gilmore Girls." People loved her story. It was all they could talk about. They started clubs to celebrate her story. And Amy's story was so special that it went on for over six years. I am not Amy.
A/N: First, I just want to make sure that everyone knows that I edited the first two chapters of this story. The 2nd chapter includes a brand-new scene. So, I would recommend rereading those chapters again, if you weren't aware of the changes. This chapter took a bit longer to write, but I think the time-spent was well worth it! I hope you agree! Thanks to Elise, Leigh, and Julia for their patience as I threw snippets of text their way and asked for help! Thanks also to Ali for the wicked banner. This chapter is dedicated to Ali and Lydia because NOGG and 22.8 Years inspired me to finally work on this again. And, of course, to my sister because, well, she rocks. She reads my story no matter how tired or busy she probably is. She gives it to me straight. And she likes me, regardless of whether I'm hyper or depressed. Thanks, enjoy, review. Becka
"I was ambushed!" Lorelai declared, shrugging off her coat as she walked in the door and letting it pool on the ground beside the purse she'd just dropped. "I can't believe I didn't see it coming!"
Rory frowned. "What happened?"
"Emily Gilmore happened," Lorelai explained as she flopped dramatically onto the sofa. "She was Santa Anna, and I was the Alamo."
"Okay, no more Westerns with Gus," Rory ordered, joining her mother on the couch.
"Oh, they were in such a good mood too," Lorelai continued. "My mother even made a joke."
Rory's eyes widened. "Wow!"
"Oh, yeah, it was quite the show. She answered the door herself, and she smiled. If I didn't know better – and, believe me, I know better – I'd have thought she looked happy to see me."
"Maybe she was happy to see you," Rory offered.
"Yeah, happy like a spider spotting the poor, helpless fly caught in its web."
"Okay, enough metaphors. What happened?"
"She tricked me."
"Grandma tricked you?" Rory asked disbelievingly.
"Yes, she plied me with alcohol and cheerfulness, and then, when I least suspected it, she sucker-punched me."
"How?"
Lorelai turned her eyes to her daughter. "She wants to have dinner tomorrow night."
"But I thought you had dinner tonight."
"Oh, no, there was no dinner tonight. Tonight was the pre-dinner floorshow."
"So we're having dinner tomorrow night? That's okay. We can handle that."
"At McCullough's," Lorelai supplied.
"Uh-oh."
"Oh, yes. Tomorrow night, we are having dinner at McCullough's. You, me, Richard and Emily Gilmore, and Gus."
"Okay," Rory hesitated before quickly reassuring her. "This isn't a big deal. Grandma and Grandpa already met Gus. They liked Gus. He liked them. It'll be fine."
"They're plotting something, Rory."
"They aren't plotting anything," Rory disagreed.
"You should've seen them. They were smiling and giggling. Trust me, they're plotting something."
"What could they be plotting?"
Lorelai frowned. "I don't know. I think my alert system is on the blink."
"You know what I think?" Rory asked.
Lorelai glanced at her. "You're wearing your serious face. I hate that face."
"I think you don't want to accept that Grandma and Grandpa might actually like Gus."
"That's ridiculous," Lorelai dismissed.
"They're happy for you, and you don't trust it."
"I don't trust them," Lorelai rephrased.
"They're happy for you, and it's a good thing." Seeing her mother's doubtful expression, Rory added more forcefully, "It is." Then, for good measure, she finished cheerfully, "Tomorrow will be fun."
Lorelai narrowed her eyes. Then, an idea dawning, she looked at her daughter again. "You're bringing Jess," she said matter-of-factly.
"What?" Rory squeaked.
Lorelai smiled. "You're bringing Jess."
Immediately, Rory started shaking her head. "No, no way!"
"Rory, you have to," Lorelai pleaded. "I need a defense until I get the sirens up and running again."
"He'll say no."
"He won't have a choice," Lorelai stated.
"Mom," Rory frowned.
Lorelai grabbed her arm and looked up at her pleadingly. "Please, Rory. They have a plan. You know it, and I know it."
"So your solution is to sacrifice Jess?"
"Who's sacrificing? I'm sure they'll just want you to be happy. They'll like him because you like him," Lorelai teased, throwing her earlier words back at her.
Rory folded her arms over her chest and leaned back against the couch. "Fine," she muttered.
With a loud squeal, Lorelai pulled her daughter into a quick hug and then stood up.
"But only if Jess agrees to it," Rory called out, watching her mother as she headed to the stairs.
"Well, in that case, you do what you have to do," Lorelai smiled. "Mommy gives you permission. And, you know what? You were right; tomorrow is going to be fun," she finished before darting upstairs.
"And suddenly I'm the Alamo," Rory muttered under her breath.
-
Jess groaned loudly and shot his hand out from under the blanket, slamming it forcefully onto the alarm clock's snooze button. Then, pulling his fleece cocoon even tighter, he relaxed and tried to get his brain to go back to the dream he'd been having. Nine minutes later, he was just finally drifting off again when, of course, the alarm resumed its blaring.
He cursed under his breath and jerked his hand out again. When it fell down upon lacquered wood, he frowned and ran his fingers across the surface, searching for the source of the ear-piercing beeping. He found a pencil. His book. He nearly knocked over a glass of water, but there was no alarm clock.
Barely containing a growl of annoyance, he threw the blankets off his head and glared up at the person he knew was standing beside the bed. Well, squinted more than glared. But he assured himself that the scowl on his face effectively demonstrated any anger his eyes weren't conveying.
Before his eyes had time to fully adjust, he leaned forward and smacked the clock Luke held in his hands, cutting off the alarm mid-beep. Then, without another word, he yanked the blankets back over his head and burrowed deep into the mattress. A second later, the covers flew off, and he was exposed to the freezing cold apartment air.
"Jesus!" he exclaimed, his eyes flying open and focusing on his uncle. Immediately, he saw the wide, self-satisfied grin on Luke's face. Then, just as quickly, it was gone. Oh, crap!
"What's that?" Luke asked, pointing at Jess's arm.
Jess didn't need to look to know exactly what Luke was talking about. He shot up out of bed and headed straight for the closet, pulling out the first long-sleeved shirt he could find.
"Tell me that isn't real," Luke ordered wearily.
"It isn't real," Jess deadpanned, glaring at him as he yanked the shirt on. Then he turned back to the closet to search for a pair of jeans.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Luke reconsidered the situation. He started to grin. "Who is it?" he asked, walking over to Jess.
Jess ignored him and quickly pulled on his pants. Grabbing a pair of shoes, he walked to the bed and sat down.
"Come on, Jess. Let me see it," Luke lightheartedly demanded, following after him. When he reached down to grab Jess's arm, Jess jerked it away and shot him a death glare.
"Touch me and die," he stated, causing Luke to chuckle.
"You know, I never really figured you for the tattoo type," Luke teased.
"Yeah, well, I never figured you for the nosy type," Jess retorted, tugging his shoelaces together.
Luke folded his arms over his chest and peered at his nephew. "Is it Liberace? It kinda looked like Liberace."
Annoyed, Jess looked up and met his eyes.
Luke held up his hands. "Hey, I'm not judging. Taylor loves Liberace."
"It's Shakespeare," Jess said flatly.
"Ah," Luke accepted.
Jess nodded, challenging him to say something more. When Luke remained silent, Jess stood up, grabbed his book from the table, and headed for the door.
"You're working in the diner today," Luke reminded him.
"Like I could forget," Jess muttered, slamming the door as he left.
Once he was gone, Luke shook his head and chuckled.
-
"Don't say anything," Rory ordered her mother as they approached the diner door.
"I'll be quiet as a mouse."
"I mean it, you'll only make things worse. Just… let me handle him."
"Squeak, squeak."
"Mom," Rory sighed.
"I promise, Rory. I won't say anything to Jess. Cross my heart," she vowed, tracing her finger in an "X" over the middle of her chest.
Rory gave her a doubtful look and pulled open the door.
"Squeak, squeak," Lorelai thanked her as she walked past her into the diner.
Rory narrowed her eyes and followed after her.
"Squeak?" Lorelai asked, pointing at a table.
"You are not funny."
"I'm a little funny," Lorelai corrected.
Rory shook her head. "Nope, not even a little. I'm getting coffee."
"Will you get me a slice of cheese too?" Lorelai asked as she sat down. "The big, mean cat stole mine."
Rory shot her a look and walked to the counter. Spotting Jess at the register, she smiled. He glanced over at her but didn't smile back. Not a good start, she sighed. She slid onto a stool and waited for him to finish with the customer.
A few seconds later, he appeared in front of her.
"Hey," she greeted, leaning over the counter to give him a quick kiss. When he barely reciprocated, she frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Luke saw it," he stated.
Looking at him in confusion, she moved back down to sit on the stool. "Saw what?"
Jess bent his arm in front of his chest and glanced down at it and then back up at her.
"Oh!" she smirked. "Sorry."
He was not amused.
"You're mad at me?"
He gave her a cold stare.
"You can't be mad about that!"
"I told you it was a bad idea," he reminded her.
"Jess, it's nothing. I'm sure Luke won't say anything."
"Right," Jess answered sarcastically.
"Okay, what can I do?" Rory asked.
Jess thought about it for a second and then leaned forward conspiratorially. "Tell him you held me at gunpoint and forced it on me."
"Well, I practically did," Rory agreed. "That should be an easy story to sell."
"He thought it was Liberace," Jess whispered, his voice pained.
The corners of Rory's lips curled up. "So I guess it could've been worse," she teased.
"Fine, laugh now, but just remember you owe me."
"It's only fair," Rory shrugged.
He nodded. "All right then."
She cocked her head to the side and looked up at him out of the corners of her eyes. "Two coffees, please?" she asked, using her most pathetic-sounding voice.
He scanned her face for a second and then sighed. "Fine."
When she smiled gratefully, he couldn't help but lean forward and give her the kiss he'd denied her earlier. When he pulled away, her smile was even wider. "Does that mean I'm forgiven?"
"Yeah, you're forgiven," he begrudgingly conceded before turning to get the coffees.
When he turned back around and handed them over, she flashed him a wide smile and then hurried to the table where her mother was waiting.
"How'd it go?" Lorelai asked, snatching one of the coffee mugs.
"I can't ask him," Rory stated seriously.
"What do you mean? You have to ask him!"
"No, I can't."
Lorelai looked at her curiously. "Why not?"
"Because I did something, and now I owe him, and I can't exactly ask him for something else when I already owe him."
"Ooh, what'd you do?" Lorelai asked, her eyes brightening.
Rory shook her head. "I can't say," she answered before taking a sip of her coffee.
"C'mon, he knows you tell me everything! Spill!"
"If you actually want me to ask him to dinner tonight or, even more importantly, if you actually want him to say yes? You will drop this."
"Squeak," Lorelai answered.
"Thank you."
"So, is there any way we still have a chance here?" Lorelai asked.
Rory glanced over her shoulder at Jess, considering the options. Then, she turned back to her mother. "Maybe."
"Maybe is good."
Rory took another long sip of her coffee then stood up. "Wait here."
-
Jess walked into the storage room and looked suspiciously at his girlfriend. "What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"Huh. That's interesting 'cuz when my girlfriend comes to the counter and whispers that I should meet her in the storage room, I kinda assume something's going on. Very covert, by the way."
"Thank you," Rory smiled, walking towards him. When she reached his side, she leaned up and gave him a kiss.
Running his fingers along her cheek, he returned the kiss for a moment before pulling away and searching her eyes. "Okay, really, Rory. What's going on?"
"I need a favor," she admitted.
He looked at her for a second before taking a step back. "What?"
"My grandparents sort of arranged this dinner tonight."
"No way!" he said immediately.
"Jess…"
"We just started dating, Rory."
She shifted uncomfortably. "I know that."
"I'm not going," he stated.
"But it's at McCullough's. Dinner in a public place is much safer than going to Friday night dinner at my grandparent's house," she argued. "And my mom will be there. And Gus. No one will even notice you."
"Thanks, that's very flattering."
"You're going to have to meet them eventually, you know."
"Later rather than sooner is fine by me."
"You're not even considering it," Rory complained irritably.
"No, I'm not," he agreed.
Rory fixed her eyes on the ground.
Jess let a long moment pass before he said her name. When she still didn't look up, he took a step forward and said it again. She met his eyes. Seeing her sad expression, he hesitated, not sure what to do. Then, he explained, "I just think it's a little early to test how much you like me."
"It's not a test," Rory responded.
"For you, maybe not. But they will definitely be testing me."
"Then you'll pass," she said firmly.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Just come. Please."
"Does she know what I look like?" he asked.
"I don't think so," Rory replied, confused.
"Perfect. Find someone who vaguely resembles me. Take him. Just don't kiss him goodnight."
Rory smiled. "That's not going to work."
"Andy Warhol did it all the time."
"Please, Jess," Rory asked again. "It's one night. And then it'll be over. Just one night."
He tightened his jaw, hating the idea.
"Please," she repeated, taking a small step forward and kissing the corner of his mouth.
"You already owe me for the tattoo, you know."
"I know," she nodded, kissing the other corner.
"If I do this, you're going to owe me big."
She looked up into his eyes and nodded again. "I know."
With a small smirk, he closed the distance between them and kissed her. She smiled against his mouth, knowing she'd won. He took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, and she leaned into him.
He placed another quick kiss on her lips and pulled away. "Okay, I'll make you a deal."
She grinned and bounced slightly. "Whatever it is, I agree."
He smirked. "You are so going to regret saying that."
-
"Refill?" Luke asked, pulling Lorelai out of her thoughts.
She looked up and smiled at him before holding out her half-empty mug.
As he poured the coffee, he jerked his head in the direction of the storage room. "Any ideas what that's about?"
Lorelai glanced towards the room. "I'm not sure, but I think it involves heavy making-out."
Luke lowered the pot to his side, his eyes wide. "Should I do something?"
"No, it's okay," Lorelai assured him.
"I could go back there to get something. I think we're almost out of pickles. They'd never know I was checking up on them."
"Oh, they'd know," Lorelai grinned. "But thanks for the offer."
He nodded. "Sure."
Lorelai took a sip of her coffee, then, noticing Luke hadn't moved, she peered up at him. "Luke?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
He looked at her gratefully and slid into the seat across from her, setting the coffee pot on the table. "Have you noticed anything strange about Rory lately?"
"Uh, no, not really," Lorelai replied, confused.
"No weird piercings or, I don't know," Luke continued. "Tattoos or anything?"
"Well, there are those matching tattoos we got in Tijuana, but I don't think those count."
"Lorelai, be serious," Luke stated, giving her a firm look.
Her face dropped. "Okay. No, Luke, of course Rory doesn't have any tattoos. She's Rory."
"Right," Luke nodded.
"You do realize this is the strangest conversation we've ever had, right?"
"I find that hard to believe," Luke retorted.
"Okay, point taken. What's going on?"
Luke looked at her. "Jess has a tattoo," he whispered across the table.
"What? Where?" Lorelai stage-whispered back.
"On his arm."
Lorelai glanced furtively around the room before turning back to Luke. "Is it of Rory?" she questioned, leaning forward a little.
"No, it's not of Rory," Luke said quickly.
"Oh, good," she relaxed. "Because we've seen how that kind of thing turns out for celebrities. Look at Johnny Depp. Pamela Anderson. Ooh," she snapped her fingers. "Sean Penn! And now, with the recent Jolie/Thornton breakup, poor Angelina," she finished sadly.
"Who are those people?" Luke asked, looking bewildered.
Lorelai smiled sympathetically and patted his hand. "People magazine, honey," she intoned. "You gotta read the People."
Luke stared at her like she was crazy.
"Forget it," Lorelai dismissed, pulling her hand away. "So what's the tattoo of?"
"He said Shakespeare, but I don't know. It really looked like Liberace."
Lorelai's eyes widened and lit up. "You're kidding?"
"I wish," Luke moaned.
"Jess has a tattoo that may or may not be of Liberace?"
Luke shrugged uncertainly. "If you ask me, it looked like Liberace."
"Wow! I don't know if I'm deserving of this gift. I must've been a saint in my last life," she observed with a bright smile.
"Don't say anything," Luke demanded.
"Uh, Luke, how can I not?" she asked, aghast. "The joke writes itself."
"It isn't real," he explained.
Her smile dropped. "Aw, seriously? That's not nearly as fun."
"Well, I apologize," he said half-heartedly.
"Oh, don't worry! There's still some fun to be had," she promised. "So, if it isn't real, what are you so worried about?"
"It's just, at first, I thought it was funny too," he admitted. "But then I got to thinking, and… nah," he dismissed, waving his hand in the air. "I'm probably overreacting."
"Uh, I'll say," Lorelai agreed. "Although… Liberace?" she repeated, stunned.
"It's just," Luke hedged, deep in thought. "You don't think it's the beginning of a downward spiral, do you?"
"Getting a fake Liberace tattoo?"
"Yeah, it's stupid," he decided.
"Luke, the tattoo is a joke. I promise you. Jess is doing fine."
Luke nodded and stood up. "You're right. It's nothing."
"Hey," Lorelai added. "You've done a really good job with him. I know I don't tell you that often, but he's almost bearable now, thanks to you."
"He's a good kid," Luke agreed.
"It's sweet of you to be concerned."
Luke shrugged. "It's what I'm supposed to do, right?"
"Yes, it is one of the parental prerogatives. That, and public embarrassment. You've definitely done your job today, my friend."
"Speaking of which…"
"Customers are waiting for their food," Lorelai finished.
Luke nodded and, grabbing the pot, started to walk away. He got about two feet before he hesitated and turned around. "I'll just leave this with you," he said, setting the pot back down.
Lorelai looked at the pot and grinned. "If I didn't know better, Mr. Danes, I'd think you're warming up to me a little."
"It's been years. It was bound to happen," he grumbled before heading back to the counter.
Lorelai watched him go. Then, under her breath, she whispered, "Yeah, it was bound to happen."
-
Glancing in the mirror one last time, Rory took a deep breath.
"You look amazing," Lorelai commented from the doorway. Rory lifted her eyes and met her mother's gaze in the reflection.
"Thanks," she smiled, turning to face her. "Wow, and you look really beautiful."
"Oh, this old thing?" Lorelai downplayed as she walked in front of the mirror. She shifted around and checked herself from a different angle, smoothing her hands along the lines of her form-fitting, vintage dress. "It does look pretty good, huh?" she grinned.
"Definitely," Rory nodded.
"So, when is Jess get—," Lorelai began, but her words were cut off by the sound of the doorbell. "Speak of the devil. Possibly, literally."
"Be nice," Rory reprimanded, brushing past her to get the door. "He's doing this for you, you know," she called over her shoulder.
Lorelai frowned and trailed after her. "Please, he's doing it for the nookie," she said matter-of-factly.
Rory's mouth fell open, and she shot her mother a look. Then, trying to ignore the deep blush rising in her cheeks, she pulled the door open to reveal Jess. He looked… incredible.
"Hey," he greeted.
"Hi," she responded shyly, taking in his crisply pressed dress pants, button-down shirt, and suit jacket. "You look…"
"Blame Luke," Jess said quickly.
She smiled and stepped forward, giving him a long kiss.
"Or thank Luke, whichever," he amended.
Rory giggled and moved aside to let him in.
As he walked through the door, Lorelai noticed the stack of books he held in his hands. "Expecting a long night, huh?" she joked.
"Actually, these are for Rory," he clarified, holding them out to his girlfriend.
She took them and shuffled through the titles. "The Sun Also Rises," she read, her nose wrinkling. "A Farewell to Arms. The Old Man and the Sea." She looked up. "I already have this one."
"And now you can't claim you couldn't find it," Jess remarked.
She sighed and looked back down. "For Whom the Bell Tolls. The Night in Question. The Night in Question?" she repeated, meeting his eyes again.
"Tobias Wolff," Jess stated.
Rory nodded. "I know."
"He's been compared to Hemingway. For good reason," he explained.
Rory frowned. "This is inhumane, you know."
"Ah, but a deal is a deal," Jess smirked.
Lorelai's eyes widened. "Ohhh, so he did it for the bookie," she concluded, nodding her head knowingly.
Rory turned to her mother. "Aren't you supposed to be meeting Gus at the restaurant?"
"Fine, fine," Lorelai moaned, grabbing her purse off the end-table. Smoothing back Rory's hair, she gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and headed for the door. "Let the fun begin," she said unenthusiastically before taking her coat off its hook and walking outside.
As soon as she was gone, Rory turned back to Jess. "I should put these in my room," she stated, shifting the books in her arms.
He nodded. "Okay."
While she left to do that, he walked further into the living room and glanced around. He was peering at the pictures on the mantel, looking at them with new eyes, when she appeared beside him.
"You were a cute kid," he observed, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.
She smiled, remembering the pictures she saw when she visited his apartment in New York. "So were you."
"Oh yeah?" he smirked.
She scrunched her face in concentration and let her eyes wander to his hair. "The hair hasn't changed at all," she teased.
"I did manage to dodge the bowl-cut phase," he agreed. "Guess I was lucky."
She smiled and took a step forward. "I like your hair."
He studied her for a moment before taking her face in his hands and placing a soft kiss on her lips. Then, he slowly shifted his hands down to rest on her waist, gliding across cool satin.
"This is nice," he decided, taking in the pale blue dress she was wearing.
She smiled mischievously. "Wanna borrow it sometime?"
"Ha-ha," he responded, drawing her closer and kissing her again.
He felt her shift a little in his arms, so he pulled away to meet her eyes.
"We should go," she said softly.
"Right," he nodded. "The firing squad awaits."
"I promise it won't be that bad," she assured him, freeing herself from his arms to grab her jacket.
"Sure, it won't," he mumbled before following after her.
-
McCullough's was bustling with activity when Lorelai arrived. Spotting the coat attendant, she hurried over.
"Hey Tarrah," she greeted as she handed over her jacket.
The tall, slender blonde smiled. "Last time I saw him, he was in the kitchen."
"Thank you," Lorelai said gratefully.
"No problem. Big night tonight, huh?"
"Be on the lookout for flying knives," Lorelai warned.
Tarrah chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Oh, and I guarantee my mother and father will be rude to you. He's tall with a bowtie. She's a petite redhead. Don't let them get to you."
"I'm sure it'll be nothing I haven't heard before."
"Don't bet on it," Lorelai cautioned.
"Plus, August compensates us for any pain and suffering."
"As he should," Lorelai agreed, stepping aside for a couple who'd just arrived. "I'll let you get back to work."
"Good luck," Tarrah offered sympathetically.
Lorelai gave her a nervous smile and started towards the restaurant. Then, reconsidering, she stopped and turned back around. "Hey, one more thing… if a teenage boy – about this tall," she described, holding her hand in the air, "dark hair, probably brooding – tries to escape, don't let him."
"I'll do my best," Tarrah vowed.
Lorelai nodded and continued on into the restaurant.
-
"Lamb reporting for slaughter," she quipped as she walked into the kitchen.
Gus turned around and smiled. "Sorry, we're already fully stocked," he replied, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "You look beautiful," he whispered in her ear before pulling away.
She smiled and glanced at the kitchen staff. "Hi, guys," she waved.
They all nodded and smiled at her.
"They hate me," she said out of the corner of her mouth.
He laughed and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I've sufficiently prepared them, I promise. They're excited for the challenge."
"Right," she accepted doubtfully.
"We should probably go out. We don't want to keep your parents waiting."
"No, we definitely wouldn't want that," Lorelai sarcastically agreed. "Bye, guys!" she called out. The staff all nodded and smiled again. "Oh, they hate me," she groaned, letting Gus lead her out of the room.
As they walked through the small and very empty adjoining buffer room, she stopped in her tracks. Gus looked down at her curiously, and she took the opportunity to pull him into a fierce kiss. Without hesitation, he enfolded her in his arms. A second later, she pulled away.
"Wow," he uttered.
"Just in case it's the last time," Lorelai explained.
He smiled and took her hand. "Don't be ridiculous."
-
As soon as they entered the seating area, they spotted Richard and Emily being led in by the maitre d'. Immediately, Gus smiled and pulled a reluctant Lorelai in their direction.
"Mr. Gilmore," he greeted, shaking Richard's hand.
"Now, now, none of that," Richard dismissed. "Call me Richard."
Gus nodded and took Emily's hand. "Mrs. Gilmore," he said charmingly, kissing the back of her hand.
"August," she replied, a fake smile plastered across her face.
"Welcome to McCullough's," he stated. "I'll show you to our table. Thanks, Branson," he added, allowing the maitre d' to leave. Taking Lorelai's hand again, Gus led them to a well-lit but secluded corner table.
He pulled out a chair for Emily, and she gave him a prim smile before sitting down. As he moved to do the same for Lorelai, Emily glanced around the restaurant. Sitting down, Lorelai looked over at her mother just in time to witness the brief millisecond when her fake smile faltered. Uncertainly, she looked in the direction of Emily's gaze and saw Rory and Jess, walking hand-in-hand behind the maitre d'.
Emily didn't move. "Who is that, Lorelai?" she hissed under her breath.
"Oh, that's my daughter, Rory. Did I forget to introduce you two?"
Emily gave her a look of exasperation.
"It's Jess," Lorelai said, trying to sound nonchalant. "He's Rory's boyfriend."
Emily's mouth fell open slightly. "He's what?"
"Grandma," Rory greeted, drawing Emily's attention. She leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. Releasing Jess's hand, she gave Richard a quick hug. Then, just as fast, she was back beside Jess, entwining her fingers with his and giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "This is Jess," she finished.
Both Emily and Richard turned their eyes to the dark-haired boy.
"Jess who?" Emily asked, scanning him up and down.
Rory hesitated.
"Jess Mariano," Lorelai supplied. "Luke's nephew. You remember."
Emily's body stiffened. "The boy who outbid Dean?"
"Among other things," Lorelai replied.
"What is he doing here?" Emily asked.
"He's Rory's boyfriend, Mom."
Rory glanced at Jess and saw his jaw tighten.
"Since when?" Emily asked.
"Since around Sookie's wedding, I guess," Lorelai shrugged.
Emily's mouth set. "No one informed me."
"Uh, well…" Lorelai began, looking at Rory for help.
"I, um, I," Rory faltered. Then, feeling Jess slip his hand from hers, she shot him a desperate look. His face was blank. Her heart thumped. "There wasn't time, Grandma," she recovered. "I went to DC, and you were at Martha's Vineyard."
"I see. Well, I didn't realize all modes of communication ceased to exist this summer. Next time, I'll request a passenger pigeon," Emily replied, turning back to the table and opening her menu.
Lorelai looked apologetically at Rory and then turned her eyes helplessly to Gus.
"Here comes the waiter," he said abruptly, gesturing at one of the staff.
The waiter hurried over, and Rory moved to sit down. Hesitantly, Jess walked over to sit between her and Richard. As he pulled out his chair, Richard stood up and extended his hand. "Richard Gilmore," he greeted. "It's nice to meet you, Jess."
Jess looked up at Rory's grandfather, surprised to see sincerity on his face. Shifting awkwardly, he reached out and shook his hand. "Mr. Gilmore."
Richard nodded and sat back down. "Now, Emily," he began. "What looks good?"
-
Jess skimmed his eyes over the plates of nearby diners. He should've known what to expect after hearing the dress code. Most of the plates held food the size of a fist, surrounded by leafy garnishes and drizzled with decorative sauces and syrups. He sighed and turned back to the menu.
Noting his expression, Rory leaned over and whispered, "Go with the shepherd's pie."
He didn't look up. "I can handle it," he said tersely.
Rory watched him for a second, surprised at his reaction, then turned back to her menu.
"Soda bread?" Gus offered, sensing their tension.
Jess glanced up and snagged a piece from the basket Gus held out. "Thanks."
"No problem. Rory?"
"Uh, no thanks," Rory replied quietly, setting her menu on the table. "I'm fine."
Gus nodded and lowered the basket. Then, seeing that everyone but Jess had closed their menus, he waved a waiter over. "Is everyone ready to order?" he asked, eyeing Jess.
Giving up, Jess shrugged and set his menu on the table as well.
Gus smiled up at the waiter. "We appear to be ready, Marshall. Emily, why don't you go first?"
Emily fixed her eyes on the waiter. "How is the lamb stew?" she inquired.
"Very good, ma'am," Marshall replied.
"They pay you to say that," she remarked.
"Yes, they do, ma'am," Marshall agreed good-naturedly. "But it truly is excellent."
Emily narrowed her eyes. "What about the corned beef?"
"Also excellent," Marshall smiled.
"And I suppose the confit of duck is also excellent?"
"Actually," he replied, venturing a quick glance at Gus. "The side of sauté livers isn't really my taste."
Emily fought back a small smile. "Very well. I'll have the lamb stew."
"Excellent choice, ma'am," Marshall nodded. "And you, sir?" he asked, turning to Richard.
After everyone else had placed their orders, he turned to Jess. "And, last but not least, what would you like, sir?"
Jess shifted, turning his eyes to the table in mild frustration. Then, he looked back up at the waiter, "Shepherd's pie," he stated.
"Another fine choice," Marshall smiled. "Your food should be out very soon," he concluded, heading for the kitchen.
Jess didn't need to look. He knew Rory was smirking.
-
Once the food arrived, the conversation had settled into a nice, if muted, rhythm. Lifting their forks, they all settled in and began to eat.
Richard took a bite of his corned beef and looked at Gus approvingly. "This is wonderful, August," he praised. "What made you decide to open a restaurant?"
"Well," Gus began. "I was originally a civil engineer."
"So you're the mastermind behind that lethal intersection at 10th and 17th!" Lorelai exclaimed jokingly.
"Goodness, Lorelai, you act like you're hearing this for the first time," Emily commented.
"Maybe I am," Lorelai kidded.
"I can't say that would surprise me," Emily mumbled as she took a sip of her wine.
"Anyway," Gus cut in. "It wasn't long before I grew bored with it and started brainstorming other things to do with my time. My father's always been very proud of our Irish heritage, and he remarked one day on the lack of good Irish restaurants. I saw his point, and the rest, as they say, is history."
"Restaurants are a risky venture," Richard pointed out.
"Well, I've always been a bit of a risk-taker, and so far, they've all seemed to pay off."
Richard nodded, impressed. "We should talk business sometime. I have a feeling you could teach me a few things."
"Oh, I doubt that," Gus dismissed. "But I'd love to pick your brain."
"We'll arrange something," Richard decided.
"How's the stew, Emily?" Gus asked, turning his attention to her. "We're always looking for ways to improve it."
"Actually, it's very good," she begrudgingly admitted.
Gus smiled widely. "Glad to hear it."
"You're very young to be so successful," Emily observed.
"Oh, no. Just good genes. I'm thirty-nine."
"And still unmarried?" Emily pried, ignoring Lorelai's look.
Gus nodded, not minding the interrogation. "And still unmarried."
"Not marriage material?"
"On the contrary," Gus replied. "I love the idea of marriage. That's why I haven't done it yet. Just waiting for the right person."
"I see," Emily accepted, smiling against the edge of the glass she'd raised to her lips.
Almost unnoticeably, the waiter arrived and removed some plates. When he departed again, Emily turned back to her daughter's boyfriend. "Your wait-staff is excellent."
"Thank you. I'll be sure to tell them that," Gus answered.
"It's hard to find good help these days. I'm sure Lorelai's mentioned my staff."
"Once or twice," Gus said, looking at Lorelai with amused eyes.
"Yes, well, perhaps I'll have to steal one of yours," Emily teased.
Amazed at what she was witnessing, Lorelai sat in stunned silence.
"Well, now that we know a little about August, what about you, Jess?" Emily asked, turning her eyes to him.
Jess lifted his eyes to the eldest Gilmore. He'd seen enough disapproval to recognize it immediately, no matter how hard someone was trying to hide it. He lowered his fork. "What do you want to know?"
"Where are you from?" she asked, her tone neutral.
"New York," he replied, trying to keep his answers as brief as possible.
"New York is a fine state."
"It's all right," he shrugged.
"And now you live with Luke?" she continued.
He nodded. "Yes."
"Above the diner?"
"Yes."
"And do you work in the diner?"
"Yes."
Irritated by his one-word responses, Emily pursed her lips. "Is that where you got the money to buy Rory's picnic basket?"
Jess smirked. And here we go. "Yeah, I stole it from the till," he replied, his sarcastic tone belying the truth of the statement.
"That's a joke, Grandma," Rory said quickly, shooting Jess a look.
"Is it?" Emily asked, fixing her eyes on Jess. "Lorelai seems to think you're trouble."
"Mom!"
"Grandma!"
"You said it yourself, Lorelai. What do you think, Jess? Are you trouble?"
"I think that's her opinion."
"You have parents, I assume?" Emily asked.
"I didn't just fall out of the sky."
"But you live with your uncle?"
Jess's expression turned cold.
"Emily, would you like some more wine?" Richard interrupted.
"Oh, I think she's had plenty of wine, Dad."
"Don't make light of this, Lorelai! This boy is dating your daughter."
"Thanks for the update, Mom."
"Why doesn't he live with his parents?"
"That's a long story best told at another time," Lorelai replied.
"Yes, Emily," Richard agreed, his voice firm. "We can hear it some other time."
"I'd like to hear it now," Emily stated.
Jess shook his head and set his napkin on the table.
Emily persisted. "There must be a reason you live with your uncle instead of your parents. Children don't just get shipped off to other relatives without a reason."
Jess clenched his teeth and took a quick glance at Rory. And that's when he saw her expression. He'd been punched quite a few times in his life but never quite as hard as at that moment.
"Mom, could we please talk about something else?" Lorelai asked. "Look!" she continued. "Here's Gus! Interrogate Gus!"
"Okay, fine," Emily replied, turning to face Lorelai's boyfriend. "Now that you mention it, there is something I've been wondering."
"What's that?" Gus asked cordially.
"Does it bother you at all to know my daughter is in love with another man?"
Lorelai's mouth fell open in shock, and her head started spinning. Through the muddle of her mind, she grasped onto the first thing she could. Pointing an accusatory finger at Jess, she blurted, "He has a Liberace tattoo!"
A silence fell over the table.
Then, in the next moment, Jess pushed his chair from the table and walked out of the room.
-
Rory hurried out of the dining area and frantically searched the lobby. Spotting Jess by the coat-room, she rushed over.
"Just give me my damn coat," he ordered.
"I can't find it," Tarrah lied, pretending to search through the rows of hanging coats.
Jess jerked his head irritably. "Excellent staff, my a—," he began but cut himself off when he saw Rory coming towards him. "Great," he muttered. "Forget it." And, with that, he bolted for the door. He was outside and just down the steps when she caught up to him.
"Jess," she pleaded. "Just wait for a minute."
He stopped and turned to face her. "What?"
"I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted," he retorted before heading in the direction of Luke's truck.
"Wait," she said again, grabbing his arm to stop him.
"What?" he demanded.
"I know that didn't go well," she began.
He chuckled and shook his head. "You think?"
"It was a bad idea," she admitted.
"Tripling with your mother and grandparents on our first date?" he retorted. "Nah, great idea, Rory."
"Okay, but it wasn't my idea."
"That's kinda the point."
"What does that mean?" she asked.
"Nothing," he waved her off.
"Look, it's not as bad as you think. My mom was just trying to break the tension," she tried to explain. "And my grandmother doesn't like anyone at first."
He looked at her in disbelief. "I don't care what they think," he said tightly, gesturing at the restaurant.
"Okay," Rory hesitantly accepted. "Then why are you so mad?"
"Because I care what you think," he nearly yelled, pointing a finger at her.
Rory's heart stopped. "What are you talking about?"
"Why didn't you tell your grandparents about us?"
"I don't know," Rory answered, grasping for an explanation. "I guess it just… didn't come up."
"It didn't come up?" he repeated with a bitter chuckle.
"Things with my grandmother … they're complicated," Rory clarified.
"Right," Jess nodded, drawing his lips together in a tight line.
"Why would I invite you here if I cared about that?" she asked, frustrated.
"Gee, I don't know, Rory," he threw back at her. "You tell me. Why did you invite me here?"
"Because," she said hesitantly but honestly. "I wanted them to meet you."
"But you didn't want them to know the truth."
Rory searched his eyes. "What truth?" she asked, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"I saw your look in there," he accused, gesturing at the restaurant again. "When she asked me about living with Luke."
"What look?" Rory demanded, looking at him wide-eyed.
"Don't! Don't do that!"
"Do what?" she asked, fighting back tears. "All I know is what I was thinking, and I was thinking that I – I didn't know why you live with Luke. I don't. And… I wish I did. I wish that you would tell me things."
"We've been dating for a day and a half."
"No," she corrected, shaking her head. "We've been dating all summer. We talked almost every day, and you never said anything about – about any of that."
"Because it doesn't matter."
"It matters to me!" she exclaimed.
"Don't you think I know that?" he fiercely replied, stepping forward and jerking his finger at the ground. "You want to know what you're getting yourself into. That was the look."
She vehemently shook her head. "That isn't true," she defended, regaining her composure. "You just don't want to – you don't want to talk about it because you're scared of letting someone in. You'd rather just kiss me and hope I forget," she accused.
His eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"
This was getting out of control. She needed to think for a second. "I just," she said hesitantly, choosing her words carefully. "I think we were just moving too fast. This is all happening too… fast."
"Are you serious?" he asked defensively. "Gee, Rory, I'm sorry I'm not a cold fish like Dean, but all we did was kiss."
"No, I didn't mean it like that," she said desperately, focusing her frustrated eyes on him. "I mean everything. We've been acting like we're just this… normal couple, but we're not. We're not. There are things that have happened between us that we should've discussed." Her voice got quiet. "We don't even really know each other."
"Yeah," Jess fumed. "That is becoming very clear."
"I think we just thought that if we ignored it, it would go away, but… it won't," she explained. Then, seeing hurt flash in his eyes, she quickly clarified herself. "Jess, it doesn't mean that I'm second-guessing this – us," she assured him taking a step forward.
He stepped back.
She stopped mid-movement and searched his eyes. Then, she watched as he turned and left.
-
In the restaurant, Lorelai sat mutely, processing what had just happened. She felt Gus rest his hand gently on hers.
"Lorelai?" he asked with concern.
She slowly turned her eyes to him. "I'm sorry. That was just," she began before stopping herself and looking at her mother coldly. "I hope you're proud of yourself."
"Those are questions that need to be asked, Lorelai. You know that."
"You have no idea what's going on with Jess," Lorelai replied quickly. "His parents could be sick or dead or a thousand other things. Did you even consider that?"
"Are his parents sick or dead?" Emily asked.
"Rory deserves better than that," Lorelai said, dodging the question. "But you always do that, don't you? You just always do that. You meet people and judge them in two seconds. Have you ever in your whole life gotten to know someone before deciding they suck?" she asked.
"I don't think that boy sucks," Emily replied, her disdain for the slang term obvious.
"Wow, I'd hate to see how you treat someone you do dislike then," Lorelai shot back. "Although I'm pretty sure there must be poisoned apples involved."
"Everything's a joke with you, isn't it?"
"No, not everything, Mom. Watching you hurt Rory is not a joke. Watching you make a scene in Gus's restaurant is not a joke. And listening to you butt in like you know the first thing about any part of our lives is not a joke."
"And whose fault is that exactly?" Emily asked indignantly.
Lorelai hesitated, confused. "What?"
"Why is it that I don't know anything about your lives? Could it possibly be because you don't let me? Is that even the slightest possibility? I don't dislike Jess, Lorelai. What I dislike is the way you seem determined to turn my granddaughter against me," she explained, gesturing at Rory's empty chair. "I've accepted that you don't tell me things. That I'm always the last to know when something happens in your life. But I will not and I do not accept being shut out from Rory's. I am her grandmother, and I would like to know when important things happen to her."
"So you can make her feel bad about them? Sure, definitely, Mom. That puts you at the top of our call list."
A silence fell across the table. Then Emily shifted haughtily and looked at her daughter. "Do you know what I think, Lorelai?" she asked before immediately continuing. "I think, deep down, you're happy I asked those questions because you're worried about her relationship with Jess. That isn't what upset you. You're upset because you just realized that, for once, despite all of your best efforts, your mother figured out something before you did."
"And what's that?" Lorelai retorted.
"I think that's for you and August to discuss. Come on, Richard," she said firmly before rising from the table and leaving the room.
With a curt good-bye, Richard followed after her.
-
"I am so sorry," Lorelai apologized. She rested her head in her hands and, massaging her temples, tried to ignore the nearby diners who were undoubtedly peering over at them with curiosity.
Gus reached out and gently traced soothing circles on her back.
She peered up at him. "There are not enough words or enough languages to express how sorry I am."
He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. You should go find Rory."
"But I nee—"
"We'll figure all of this out tomorrow," he reassured her.
"Are you sure?"
He nodded. "I'm sure."
Lorelai gave him a small smile and stood up. Then, taking a quick step towards him, she leaned down and brushed her lips against his. "Good-night."
"Good-night," he returned warmly.
Grabbing her purse, she headed out of the dining area. When she reached the lobby, Tarrah spotted her and held out three coats. Lorelai smiled weakly and walked over, taking them from her hand.
"I tried to stop him," Tarrah apologized.
"You couldn't have stopped him," Lorelai promised her.
Tarrah nodded, and, after wishing her good-night, Lorelai walked outside.
-
As she neared the jeep, Lorelai spotted Rory in the passenger seat, furiously wiping her hand across her cheek. She sighed and pulled open the door.
"Hey," she greeted, climbing in.
Rory didn't reply.
"It's freezing out here. You should've come back inside."
"I'm fine," Rory muttered.
"Put this on," Lorelai gently ordered, holding out Rory's jacket. When Rory didn't take it, she sighed. "It won't look good for me if my daughter freezes to death in a sleeveless dress," she joked. "I'm pretty sure they'd lock me up for that one." Still getting no response, she said resignedly, "Come on, Rory."
Not meeting her mother's eyes, Rory took the jacket and slipped it on, then fastened her seatbelt.
"I got Jess's too," Lorelai told her, tucking it behind the jeep's seats.
Rory glanced at it and then swiped at the new tear that ran down her cheek.
Lorelai reached out and tucked a strand of her daughter's hair back. "I'm so sorry."
Folding her arms over her chest, Rory stared straight out the window.
"Obviously, you're mad at me. With good reason. But you know I did not mean for any of that to happen."
"I'd really just like to go home," Rory said tonelessly.
"Okay," Lorelai nodded. She stuck the key in the ignition but stopped short of twisting the engine on. She turned to face her daughter again. "Can I just get an idea of how bad this is?" she asked. "I need to know what I'm working with here."
Rory turned her eyes to look out the passenger window.
"Are we talking a 1 on the Richter scale? I just let Brad Pitt run away with our money, which is bad but excusable because, well, he's Brad Pitt."
She got no reaction.
"Okay, what about a 5? I'm Cher, and I've moved you from place to place because I'm… flighty, and now I've just ruined yet another thing, and you'd really just like to call me the town slut and be done with me? However, I'm with Bob Hoskins, which you eventually will decide is punishment enough?"
Annoyed, Rory shifted a little but kept looking out the window.
"Hmmm… all right, so we're thinking a 9? You're Meryl Streep, and you really just want to blow a giant hole through my stomach with a shotgun?"
At last, Rory glared at her.
Lorelai processed that. Then, with a small nod, she turned her eyes to the steering wheel and started the jeep. "Nine, it is," she accepted as they pulled away.