The Gilmore-Grey Union

By Michael Weyer

POV: Emily

I'm sitting down for my afternoon tea in the living room as I go over the plans for the upcoming DAR meeting. The maid (Consuela? No, I fired her last week. Beatrice? No, that was the previous week. Oh, well, I'll get it eventually) hands me my cup and I sip at it as I flip through some magazines. This meeting will help us set up for the New Year's Ball, one of the most important functions of the year and we desperately need it set soon.

I do hope Rory will be calling in soon as I could use her help here. She's been so helpful with all this DAR things. It's good to see that unlike Lorelai, she can understand how important these things are. And it'll be good experience when she does eventually go back to college.

I haven't noticed the telephone ringing and am making some notes from the magazine when I hear Richard's voice bursting from the office. "WHAT!"

I'm immediately thrown by this. Richard doesn't yell that often, certainly not in this house. I frown as I lower the cup and listen. I hear his voice from afar before the office door opens and Richard storms out. His face is flushed and his eyes wide as he enters the living room. "I cannot believe this. I simply cannot…"

"Richard? Richard, what's wrong?"

He runs a hand through his hair, his face marked with shock. "How could she? How could she do it?"

"Richard, what on Earth are you talking about?" I'm rising and following him as he stalks around the room.

"If it hadn't been Logan, I wouldn't have believed it. But it's true and now, now I have no idea what to do…"

"Richard, for Heaven's sake!" I bark. "Stop auditioning for the Macy's Parade and tell me what is going on!"

He turns to face me and I see the look in his eyes, a mix of fear and panic and I'm suddenly struck with the oddest sense of déjà vu. "Logan just called from Atlantic City. Rory…." He takes a deep breath. "Rory got married last night."

It's one of those moments where I can't quite accept what I've just heard. I simply stare blankly at him before speaking. "I beg your pardon?"

"Our granddaughter got married last night," Richard went on. "With some…some man she met at a bar while drunk."

"Oh my Lord," I state in the same blank tone. "How? How did this…" I turn and yell out. "Carla! Bourbon!"

"I do believe that's how it happened," Richard dryly states.

I fire an angry look at him. "Our granddaughter just had a drunken marriage, Richard. I do believe a dose of alcohol is not only called for but highly encouraged in this instance."

The maid is there quickly and handing me the glass. I drown the shot in one gulp and hand it back. "Another, please." As she goes, I face Richard. "Why didn't she call us herself?"

"Fear, I would guess," Richard says and I can see him calming down himself as he absorbs the shock.

"Fear of what? All we would do is the sensible thing of how she has to get an annulment immediately!"

"Emily, let's try to calm down so we can figure this out."

"There's nothing to figure out, Richard! This marriage is over as soon as it can be!"

"Emily," he carefully begins. "Might I point out that an annulment is public and quite probably messy?"

My face falls. "Damn, that's right." I frown. "But more messy than a drunken marriage?"

"Actually, we could try to keep that quiet for a while," he suggests. "I think for right now, we need to talk to both of them. Rory and this Grey fellow she married. We need to sit them down in order to figure this all out."

Carla comes back to hand me my drink and I hold it as I mull over his words. As much as I want this swept up quickly, he's right, this is the more logical thing to do. At least we can meet this fellow and try to see what kind of man he is before we jump to conclusions. While the chances of her marrying a drunk from a good family are limited, it's still possible so we should at least talk to the man. "All right, Richard. Fine, we talk to them."

Richard nodded. "Good. I'll try to get in touch with Rory and talk to her about it."

I nod back. "That's fine. I got a call to make myself." I turn and march my way to the foyer. I pick up the phone and swiftly dial the number I want. I try to compose myself as I wait for it to collect. I need to let Lorelai know how disappointed I am she allowed this to happen and how she contributed to her daughter's situation.

I swear, it is so aggravating to be the only sensible woman in this family.