CHAPTER 4

Rory could tell from the ride home that her mother was disappointed with what happened at the restaurant. To Rory, she felt like it was a slap in the face that her grandparents welcomed her announcement with open arms while her mother's always has to be subjected to scrutiny.

Luke tried to make light of the situation saying that at least they know that they would have two less people in the reception. Lorelai chuckled at the notion.

"Hey Rory, in your honor, the diner is open only to a few select people, if you get my drift. You and your mom are free to raid the place," Luke hinted. He knew his girls would act like children in a candy shop when they have an endless supply of coffee even for a day.

"Are you serious?" Rory's eyes lit up. "Mom, we can actually play bagel hockey on the floor!"

"That would be so cool," Lorelai chimed in as Luke pulled his truck in front of the crap shack. "But let's get out of these monkey suits before we do something relatively fun."

"You're not pulling our leg are you?" Rory asked Luke.

"Nope. This is my graduation present to you seeing I didn't get you a car to mark the special occasion," Luke teased since he thought it was rather absurd that a lot of graduates were given cars for presents like they were inexpensive toys from the dollar store.

"You know I don't need anything. You showing up at the graduation was enough," she admitted before jumping out of the truck. "We'll be there in about an hour."

"I'll be waiting!" Luke called out before pulling away.

Rory and Lorelai waited until the truck disappeared at the end of the street. Lorelai put her arms around her daughter's shoulder and gave her a big squeeze.

"What's that all about?" Rory asked.

"For not ever disappointing me," she said, laying a kiss on the crown of her head.

They walked in silence through the front door. Before Rory retreated to her room, she asked her mother, "I'm glad that you told them you're getting married."

Lorelai smiled wanly. "Me too."

"Are you disappointed that grandma and grandpa reacted that way?" Rory prodded.

Lorelai twisted in place like a child before responding. "I'd be lying if I said it doesn't bother me. But I knew that they'd react that way."

"I'm sorry," Rory mumbled.

"Me, too," Lorelai admitted.

Rory was walking towards her room when Lorelai started talking again.

"Hey Ror, go ahead without me. I'm going to take a shower before heading there."

Perturbed, Rory said, "Okay."

Then both went their separate ways.

Lorelai deliberately took the steps to her room slowly and quietly. She laid out a pair of jeans and a shirt on her bed. She disrobed slowly while she let the water in the shower run. As soon as she got under it, she started crying.

.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Tristin stared out of the bay window when he was interrupted.

"You know this is a private party. This placed is closed," he was rudely reminded.

"I was personally invited by Luke," Tristin responded in the same rude manner he was spoken to.

Like bulls, they both snorted at the same time.

"Fine," the server responded. "Want coffee?"

"Please," Tristin responded bluntly.

People started trickling into the diner slowly. Tristin recognized a few of them like Sookie and Jackson who decided to leave their two kids at home for the event. Then Miss Patty walked in. Surely, Tristin tried to make himself as inconspicuous as he could. Tristin held his breath that Dean would skip the whole event for everyone's sake.

Jess was miffed when he served the blonde his coffee. He hasn't met the guy and yet he felt somehow threatened. However, his brooding was short lived once he noticed a couple of raised eyebrows as people saw him behind the counter. Jess stared at the hordes of food still being appearing in addition the goodies Sookie prepared for the event. Greetings among neighbors were exchanged. Gifts brought for Rory started mounting at the end of the arranged buffet table. The "Cheers" atmosphere of everybody knowing each other's name made the once quiet diner into a source of noise pollution that it irritated Jess to the point of almost walking out.

"Jess, it's a surprise to see you here!" Sookie was the first to acknowledge his presence. He didn't know whether that was a good sign or not.

"Yeah, Luke needed some help when Rory got the grad tickets so he could attend," Jess muttered.

"That's so nice of you, Jess. I'm think Luke appreciates that a lot," Miss Patty throatily responded.

"Yes, I do appreciate it," Luke said as he walked around the corner in his usual red flannel outfit. He tapped his nephew's shoulder before he picked up the coffee pot and started serving drinks to the gathering crowd.

Jess was not surprised at the amount of people that came in to celebrate the milestone Rory was celebrating. Inside, he felt anxious about seeing her again. Thoughts ran rampant in his head about them running away together. He still hoped.

Suddenly, the door busted open and his heart sank. Rory was on the back of a brunette who carried her around. She looked so much like the girl he once knew and yet somehow, he knew that she was now a stranger to him.

"Look what I found loitering in front of the diner!" Rory yelled as cheers erupted. She was referring to Graham whose commencement exercise went on simultaneously with hers.

"Graham!" Tristin yelled out as he got up and aided Rory in getting off of Graham's back. His hands lingered on her waist as he pressed his lips up against her cheek. The exchange of affection both men exchanged with Rory made Jess feel like the outsider he always has been; first in and yet last to know.

Rory was surprised and humbled at the same time as the town folk approached her to give their salutations.

Jess had to take a reality check at that point. Not once did Rory look his way. Not once did she entertain the idea that he would be around to see her reach her dream. Jealousy reared its ugly head as he remembered how happy she was when he broke into her bedroom to replace all the Harvard paraphernalia with Yale's. However, he kept his emotions in check. Nightfall will come soon and he can disappear again like he did years ago.

Not even half an hour after Rory's arrival, a younger crowd showed up which he assumed were Rory's friends from college. Jess deduced that this twenty-something crowd has become regulars in Stars Hollow since people like Miss Patty and Babette seem to know them by face or by name.

"Louise, I haven't seen you in a long time! Come give me some sugar," Miss Patty said as she asked the blonde to give her a hug.

"Hi, Miss Patty," Louise greeted back as she gave the large woman a squeeze. They became close friends when they realized both of them share the same weakness: men.

"So where is your boyfriend, honey?" Miss Patty asked.

"You mean, fiancé?" she giggled, offering her left hand for inspection.

"Oh my. That's a boulder you got there," Miss Patty said as she studied the engagement ring.

"Thank you. He'll be around in a few. He needed to get some provisions," Louise said.

On the other end of the room, Louise started pushing tables together. Luke was curious as to why she was rearranging the furniture.

"Madeline, what are you doing?" Luke asked.

"Getting the war table ready," Madeline responded like it was a natural response.

"Oh, don't tell me," Luke groaned.

Like clockwork, Paris barged into the room with a messenger bag, stack of magazines and note pads and rolled up poster boards for whatever reason.

"Paris, what are you doing?" Luke asked.

"We have a deadline, Luke. We need a game plan!" Paris deadpanned the flannel-covered man.

"There is no 'we', Paris. Yes, there are people getting married but you are not getting married," Luke pointed out to her in a whisper since the town still is clueless about the Gilmore girls' current soon-to-be-married status.

For a second, disappointment flickered in her eyes. "Oh. But someone has to do it! I mean, did you and Lorelai hire a planner? You know, I can plan this without asking for a cent and make things happen with a tight budget."

Luke knew from the years Rory brought the high-strung girl around that Paris does not mean harm to anyone. She just wants to feel welcomed.

"I'm sorry, Paris," Luke apologized. "You and the girls can talk about the frilly stuff later but right now, we're having a graduation party. Enjoy yourself first then ask Rory and Lorelai what they would need to get established."

Paris looked up, batting her eyes at Luke before she got distracted with the familiar face behind the counter.

"Jess? Aren't you Jess?" Paris said, walking away from Luke and approaching the counter.

"Who wants to know?" Jess looked up, trying to recognize the girl.

"It's me, Paris. We had dinner once at Rory's and you became my pseudo boyfriend when Dean walked in?" Paris tried to jog his memory.

Rory's ears perked up when she heard Paris' rapid-fire voice twittering in the background. She followed Paris with her eyes until she laid her eyes on the one man she thought would never be back in Stars Hollow.

"Jess," Rory whispered.

"Who, babe?" Tristin asked, rubbing his fiancé's shoulders.

Rory knitted her brows before acknowledging Tristin's inquiry. "Jess, Luke's nephew. It's been quite a while since I've last seen him."

"You're acquainted with that goon?" Tristin chortled.

"If you must know, yes. I actually dated him on and off eons ago," Rory confessed.

Tristin looked at her, waiting for some confirmation that Rory isn't planning to rekindle any lost love for Luke's nephew.

He received a kiss on the base on his neck, which sent goose bumps all over his body.

"Relax. The only romance I want to visit over and over again is ours," she promised. "Besides, you two have something in common."

"Other than dating you?" Tristin asked.

Rory playfully slapped his arm. "Yes," she said. "Both of you would like the opportunity to turn Dean into a punching bag."

Tristin landed a loud smack on her lips before he muttered his own confession.

"I think I like this guy already," he said.

Lane busted through the doors towing a huge box and Zach along with her. In seconds, Rory and Lane were squealing like little girls.

Luke was happy to see Rory enjoying herself among her friends and loved ones. He looked around the room and noticed someone missing: Lorelai.

He was a little surprised that she would miss this event. Usually at this point, she would have had half of Stars Hollow doing the limbo or something as asinine. Her absence was glaringly obvious that he had to interrupt the festivities.

"Excuse me, ladies," Luke apologized before speaking to Rory. "Where's your mom?"

Rory looked around before giving her response. "I know she said to go on ahead of her but I'd be thinking she would be here by now."

Luke closed his eyes and counted to ten before responding. He knew ten to one why Lorelai was somewhere other than the party.

Luke excused himself and told Jess that he had to run an errand. He took the truck and headed down to Lorelai's. He invited himself in and marched up the steps, two at a time. There he found Lorelai crying on the floor in her bathrobe.