CHAPTER 3
"So how long are we supposed to sit through this event?" Luke whispered in Lorelai's ear.
"At least as soon as Rory crosses the stage," Lorelai whispered back.
That was what Luke was afraid of. It was hard enough that he had to try to convince someone in the last minute to cover him at the diner.
He remembered Jess calling him last Saturday. His call was a welcome distraction to what he was doing at that moment.
"Luke, mom said you tried calling," Jess said over the telephone.
"Yeah. I tried your cell phone but you weren't picking up," Luke said, struggling to take the necktie he was trying on.
"Yeah, it's called a job, Uncle. I can't take them while in the building," Jess explained while he heard his uncle grunting and groaning. "What are you doing?"
"Taking this blasted necktie off," Luke hissed as he struggled with the knot.
"You don't wear ties," Jess said.
"I have to wear one to Rory's graduation," Luke confessed. "That's why I need you to come over if you can."
For an instant, Jess hesitated. He tried to avoid Stars Hollow so that he doesn't have to run into her again. He never got to hear her say "I love you" back to him but he can't ask her that. She took the first step to tell him the same words only he ran away. He should've taken the chance to stick it out and for once not be afraid to take a chance.
"Jess, you still there?" Luke asked.
"Yeah," Jess responded abruptly. "When do you need me?"
"Thursday, if that's okay with you," Luke grumbled.
"Cutting it short there, aren't you?" Jess mocked Luke.
"I know," Luke admitted. "But Rory scored extra tickets on the last minute so now I get to go and sit next to her parents."
"Wow, so did you take a crash course in Charm School?" Jess egged his uncle.
"If that's what you call talking to a mirror at nine o'clock at night wearing a suit that I really don't know if it's in style or not," Luke guffawed.
"I am impressed, Luke," Jess said after he formed a mental picture of Luke cussing and making polite with his reflection on the full-length mirror.
"But you can tell me that you can't come so that I don't have to go," Luke offered quickly.
"Oh, you're not getting off that easily," Jess leered at the other end of the line. "It's the least that you can do for Rory."
"So you'll come to town?" Luke clarified.
"Yeah. I have to do an article on Lane's band anyway. They're getting a lot of coverage since they've become a mainstay in the New York pub circuit. I could at least get a scoop for the paper," Jess explained.
"Hey, thanks Jess. You don't know how much this means to me," Luke said.
"Yeah, I do," Jess said sadly, thinking of Rory. "Tell her congratulations for me."
"I will," Luke responded with a smile.
"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore," the dean called out in the podium.
A round of cheers went around when Rory crossed the stage. You could see her blush on stage as she moved her tassel. Luke stood up like the rest of the Gilmore clan. He stood there like a proud father. Pride swelled in his heart and his chest, guarding the tears that were forming in his eyes.
Luke listened to the names of the other graduates being called out. He took that time to absorb what he was getting himself in. His eyes roved around the section they occupied. Richard and Emily stood on Lorelai's left. Christopher sat at the end of their row. Tristin, Madeline and Louise occupied the seats in front of them. 'This is Rory's world. This is Lorelai's world,' Luke said to himself.
"And I present to you, the graduating class of two thousand and six. Congratulations!"
Caps flew in the air as a sign that the commencement exercises were over.
All of a sudden, he felt like an outsider. Everyone in the tight circle in front of him was from money; a long history of it. Luke never pitied himself except for that split second. He didn't have any debts. He has a successful business. He has a woman that loves him. But he knows that he cannot give Lorelai the world he thinks he deserves.
She is smart and full of life. She has a razor sharp business sense that he always admired. She is forgiving to a fault but never is a pushover. Maybe proposing to her was not his best move.
Luke rattled off in his head the pros and cons of proposing to the dynamic woman while the family got off of their seats to meet up with Rory, Paris, Logan and Marty. He hesitated and watched the Gilmores flock toward the graduates.
Photos were taken. Hugs were exchanged. While he silently watched the family bonding taking place, Rory's eyes found him and almost immediately ran towards him.
"Luke, you made it!" Rory gushed, hugging him and giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Congratulations, Rory," he whispered in her ear.
"You better come over and take a picture with us," Rory said.
"No, no. Let your family take the pictures," Luke urged her.
"Well you're going to be family," Rory reminded him. "Please?"
Luke didn't want to tell her that he's uncomfortable but he grinned and had Rory lead him by the hand. "You know I'm just doing this for you."
"Thank you," she said.
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Christopher leaned back on the chair's backrest. He watched his daughter kiss Tristin. He saw Logan snuggle up against Louise. Even Marty who felt uncomfortable taking Emily's offer to join them for a graduation lunch was canoodling with his fellow graduate, Amanda. He alone was staring at the mother of his child who held the perfect smile. He never felt so alone in that table.
"Alright, alright," Lorelai called the table in order. "I would like to make a toast."
"Lorelai, sit down. Have you no manners?" Emily scolded her.
"Come on, mom. You at least have one Gilmore graduate from a four-year institution. Take a chill pill," Lorelai chided her mother.
A groan erupted around the table.
"I would like to take this opportunity to point out that the lovely lady that is sitting in that chair," she took the moment to point to Rory, "is all me."
"Hey!" Christopher yelled.
"Oh, I'm sorry. There's the donor," she retorted to Chris' objection. "But that lady is the fruit of my loins down to her addiction to caffeine."
Yells and cheers again exploded.
"And I hope that she carries on the Gilmore name to prosperity and fame when she kicks the likes of Anderson Cooper from CNN. Look out world!" Lorelai proclaimed.
Everyone raised their glasses to a toast as their lunch got served to them. The boisterous crowd simmered down while they ate. Almost everyone was oblivious to the bomb that still has to erupt.
Dessert was set in front of each person after an hour of fine dining and drinks. Rory stood up to make an announcement of her own.
"Since this is my graduation, I get to say what I want," Rory said smugly. "I want to announce that Logan's dad, Mitchum Huntzberger had offered me a position in their New York office. It's nothing big but I'd be doing some field work."
Claps went off to Rory.
Rory paused to look at her mother. "I would also like to thank mom for helping me make my dreams come true."
Lorelai blew a kiss to her daughter.
"I would like to say 'thanks' to my grandparents. Without them, I would've not made it here," she paused. "I would've been a Harvard graduate."
"Sacrilege!" Richard yelped in good humor.
"But if I went to Harvard, I might not have the opportunity to meet up with Tristin and get reacquainted with him outside of high school," Rory's voice softened as she focused on the man beside her. "Everyone, Tristin asked me to marry him and I have accepted!"
Everyone on the table with the exception of Richard and Emily knew about the news but knew better than rock the boat.
"That's a surprise! Congratulations!" Emily exclaimed as she got off of her seat to go hug the young couple. "Richard, I guess you have to visit Janlen and make arrangements."
"Already marked in my book," Richard chuckled. "Congratulations, Tristin and Rory."
"So when's the wedding? " Emily asked.
Rory paused before she answered her grandmother. She looked at her mother like she was telepathically trying to ask help in answering the question.
"Uh, mom, she's getting married this fall, next to me," Lorelai said between a half serious chuckle.
Emily's lighthearted manner took a defensive pose immediately.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Lorelai grabbed Luke's hand and stood up. Luke followed Lorelai's actions, waiting for the bomb to go off.
"Luke asked me to marry me and I accepted," she announced.
Hoots and hollers from the children around the table with the exception of Rory erupted. Richard became rigid and stared at Christopher.
"You are not serious," Richard commented.
"As a heart attack, dad," Lorelai said with a frown tugging o the corner of her lips.
Emily stood erectly and marched towards Lorelai and Luke. "You are making the biggest mistake."
"Who says, mom?" Lorelai dared her mother to respond.
"Other than the fact that it is tacky to have multiple weddings in one time, you're marrying Luke," Emily rattled off.
"I know that, mom." Lorelai said.
"What is so wrong with you marrying Christopher? There's no Sherry involved and Gigi already loves you. Why don't you marry your daughter's father?" Emily asked without listening to the words she spat.
"Because it was Luke who asked me to marry him, not Chris," Lorelai said in finality.
Emily and Richard stared at Christopher.
"Aren't you going to do something about this?" Emily grilled Christopher.
Christopher sat up straight from his seat and eyed the elderly couple. "I wish Lorelai and Luke the best."
Emily clammed up as she policed her belongings from the table.
Smugly, Emily said, "Let's see if you can get to the altar. We know your record of running away from events like this."
"Why can't you just be happy for me?" Lorelai asked, a tear escaping the corner of her eye while she squeezed Luke's hand tightly.
"Because you can do better," Emily said through gritted teeth.
Just like that, Emily and Richard left the table.