The Gilmore-Grey Union Book II: The Homecoming
By Michael Weyer
POV: Amy
Bruce wasn't happy at first when I told him we'd have to change the entire schedule of the day so I could do this. But he quickly understood that it was for Vincent's own good that I was the one to show up at the airport and not Mom. So I'm sitting by the visitor's lounge, waiting for the plane from Atlantic City to debark and going over some files while I wait.
I tap my foot impatiently for a few moments and it takes me a bit to realize I'm echoing the taps of the woman next to me. I glance up to her. She's a couple of years younger than me, long black hair, good looks, in dark skirt and blouse with a worried expression. She catches my expression, frowns, looks down at her leg and stops the tapping. "Sorry."
"It's okay," I say as I flip through the pages, trying and failing to concentrate on the words. "Waiting for someone too?"
"My daughter," she says. "She…got into some trouble during a trip."
"Must be catching," I say. "My brother got into a mess himself."
"Oh, I doubt it's like this."
"You'd be surprised." I snap the folder shut, realizing I won't be able to focus on anything besides Vincent right now. I glance to the woman and feel like talking. "What's she like? Your daughter?"
"Oh, well, until yesterday, she was almost perfect," she answers. "Bright, entergetic, brilliant, good judgement and I loved being able to call her my daughter."
I nod slowly. "How old?"
"21, why?"
I sigh and sit back. "My daughter is a teenager now and I'm trying to understand if it gets easier. She's acting out, she's doing wild stuff like dying her hair and getting her belly pierced and suddenly becoming a vegetarian and…" I shake my head. "I don't know if I can connect with her now."
She makes a thoughtful look. "I don't know what to say. My daughter didn't have a rebellious phase. Maybe it's because I treated her more like a friend than a daughter so that changed things." She snorted. "Maybe that explains what's happening, it had a delayed effect and finally caught up to her."
"Kids," I softly state. "They remind you how little you really understand about life."
"Amen, sister," the woman says with a smile. "But at least we can tell ourselves we do better raising them than our own mothers did with us."
"Now, that, I'll go along with," I laugh. I pause and then stick out my hand. "Sorry, Amy Grey."
"Lorelai Gilmore."
We shake and then our hands slow as the connection is made. We just stare at each other with widening eyes, hands still linked.
"Grey?"
"Gilmore?"
My jaw opens and shuts as I look her over. "You're Rory's mother?" My question is actually "you're the mother of a 21-year old?"
She nods. "Yeah. And you're…Vincent's sister." She licks her lips as she obviously tries to figure this out. "Um…well, ah…I guess we're family now!" She gives me a goofy smile as I just stare in disbelief.
Vincent, Vincent, Vincent, what in hell have you gotten this family into now?