Chapter 12

Luke's Diner
Rory and Lucy are leaving

"Bye Luke thanks for dinner." Rory said giving Luke a hug, which he willingly returned.

"Bye Luke." Lucy said giving Luke a hug when Rory was finished, which he also returned.

"Bye guys." Lorelai said giving each of her daughters a kiss.

"Bye Mom." Lucy said following Rory down the stairs. "Don't do anything dirty!" she shouted.

"I wouldn't count on it." Lorelai said with a smile.

Luke rolled his eyes and smiled. "So, what do we do now?" he said.

"I was actually thinking about setting the umm wedding date I mean if you want to, we don't have to." Lorelai said stumbling on her words.

"Sure." Luke said with a smile. He went over to the couch and sat down. Lorelai sat between his legs.

"I was thinking you know, next summer, you know that way it could be properly organized and all that. We don't have to, if you have a better suggestion." Lorelai said.

"Next summer is perfect." Luke said kissing Lorelai on her forehead.

"You sure?" Lorelai asked.

"Positive."

"Okay." Lorelai said with a smile.

The Next Day…

Hartford, Connecticut

Richard and Emily Gilmore's House
Richard and Emily are talking in the living room

"What are your plans today Emily?" Richard said, reading his newspaper.

"Well, I was planning on taking Rory to her community service, but when I went to the pool house, she wasn't there." Emily said drinking her tea.

"Do you know where she is?"

"No, I suppose she already left."

"Why don't you try her cell?"

"It's off."

"Why don't you call Logan, see if she's with him."

"I guess."

"Good, now if you'll excuse me, I have to make some phone calls today." Richard said folding his paper.

Stars Hollow, Connecticut

"Mom! I need you to drive me to my community service!" Rory shouted up the stairs.

"How did you get there the day before yesterday?" Lorelai shouted from her bedroom.

"Grandma drove me."

"Oh, I guess I can drive you." Lorelai said coming down the stairs.

"Okay, great and after can we go to Grandma and Grandpa's, so I can get my clothes."

"I don't think so." Lorelai said grabbing her purse.

"Oh c'mon Mom, don't be a baby."

"I'm not being a baby. How about after your hours, we'll drive back home and you can take the car and drive down there."

"Mom." Rory said.

"Please Rory?" Lorelai said.

"Fine." Rory said reluctantly.

"Thank you."

"Could you guys be a little bit quieter?" Lucy said in a sleepy voice coming down the stairs. "Just because you guys have to go to work, doesn't mean I don't need sleep."

"Sorry Luc." Lorelai said.

"It's okay." Lucy said rubbing her eyes.

"What are you going to do today?" Rory said putting her shoes on.

"Eat, sleep, eat some more, and watch TV, I'm going to be a couch potato today." Lucy said leaning on the staircase.

"Good girl." Lorelai said patting her daughter on the back.

"Yeah, whatever."

"Oh hey guess what?" Lorelai asked.

"Mom, I'm half asleep." Lucy said.

"Ok I'll tell you. Luke and I set the date." Lorelai said excitedly.

"Wow, when is it?" Rory asked.

"Next summer sometime, not sure of the specific date yet. But it's definitely next summer."

"So I'm guessing you guys didn't watch Casablanca after we left." Lucy said.

"Mmmm no." Lorelai said smiling.

"Eww, I'm going back to bed, get out here." Lucy said.

"Okay, bye Luc, see ya later." Rory said.

"Bye Hon." Lorelai said.

"Bye." Lucy said and went upstairs.

"Okay, let's go." Lorelai said when she heard Lucy shut her bedroom door.

"Alright," Rory said and they left.

Later that day…

"Lucy I'm home!" Rory shouted as she went into her bedroom.

"Up here!" Lucy shouted back down.

Rory went up the stairs and said, "Hey kid how was your day?"

"Boring." Lucy, who was lying on her bed reading a book, said.

"That's good."

"Yup." Lucy said not looking or paying any attention at all to Rory.

"Hey, do you wanna come down with me to Grandma and Grandpa's so I can get my stuff." Rory said, sitting on Lucy's bed.

Lucy dropped her book and her head shot up. "What?" she said.

"Grandma and Grandpa's so we can get my stuff. Please Luc, I'll love you forever." Rory said pouting.

"Alright." Lucy said hesitantly and rolling her eyes.

"Thank you. Let's go." Rory said hopping off the bed.

Lucy sighed and followed her at of the room. This isn't going to be good, Lucy thought.

Richard and Emily Gilmore's House – Pool House
Rory and Lucy go into the pool house

"Okay Rory, hurry up, I don't want Grandma to come in and then I'll have to talk to her." Lucy said going over to the couch and sat down.

"Okay, I just need some things for the next two weeks." Rory said, going into the room.

"What's this?" Lucy said pointing to a stack of pamphlets.

"What?" Rory said poking her head out of the room.

"These pamphlet-like things."

"Oh," Rory said going back in. "Logan brought those."

"Eww." Lucy said dropping it on the floor as though there were cooties on it.

"Why don't you like him?"

"It's not that I don't like him, I just hate his attitude and his mind sense."

"So you like him, just not his attitude?"

"No, actually, I don't like him at all. He looks like one of those guys who cheat on his girlfriends."

"What?" Rory said coming out of the room. "You think he's cheating on me?" Rory said sitting on the couch.

"No, I said he-" Lucy started, but she as interrupted.

"Rory? Lucy?" a familiar voice said.

Uh oh, Lucy thought. She turned around. Please let it not be- Rory started to think.

"Grandma?" Lucy said.

"Hello Lucy, Rory?" Emily said going over to the couch Lucy and Rory were sitting on.

"Hi Grandma." Lucy and Rory said in unison with a sigh.

"Grandma what are you doing in here?" Rory asked.

"I could ask you the same thing. I heard a noise and I thought might be a burglar. What are you doing here?" Emily said sitting down.

"We came to get my stuff." Rory said.

"What for?" Emily asked.

"I'm uhh going to stay in Stars Hollow for the rest of the summer, so I needed my clothes." Rory said looking at her feet.

"You're staying in Stars Hollow?" Emily asked. Rory nodded. "You made up with your mother?" Rory nodded again. "Was it her idea?"

"No, it was my idea."

"Why did you change your mind?"

"I usually stay in Stars Hollow for the summer anyway, so I thought I should stay for the rest of the summer." Rory said looking at Lucy who looked as though she were thinking about something.

"Were you planning on telling me?" Emily asked.

Here we go, Lucy thought.

"Umm actually I did, but I never really got around to it, with my community service and all that today."

3, 2, 1, Lucy thought.

"You couldn't find 2 minutes out of your day to call and say 'Grandma I'm staying in Stars Hollow, just want to let you know'?" Emily said standing up.

Now we have lift off, Lucy thought.

"I'm sorry Grandma. I was going to tell you I really was."

"You know Rory, I would have expected this from your mother but not you." Emily said with a furious look on her face. "She told you not to tell me didn't she?" she said.

"No Grandma, she didn't, can we just leave Mom out of this please. It's not about Mom." Rory said standing up. "She has enough to worry about, with the inn and her engagement and me coming home. C'mon Luc, let's grab my stuff and go." Rory said.

She grabbed her stuff with the help of Lucy and they left, leaving a shocked Emily standing there. Engagement? Emily thought.