The Gilmore-Grey Union Book II: The Homecoming

By Michael Weyer

POV: Lane

The life of a rising rock band takes more out of your time than you'd think. But I never realized how much it left me out of the loop until I heard, from my Mom of all people, about Rory.

She called me out of the blue which was throwing on multiple levels. For one, I forgot my mom even knew how to use a telephone. For another, it's been a long time since she tried to initiate a conversation with me.

"Have you heard of your friend?" are her first words.

"Mom?" I asked, obviously confused. "What are you…"

"Your friend, the Rory!" she snaps. "You see why I have tried to keep you on the proper path? She goes and gets married and-----"

"Excuse me!" I erupt. "What are you talking about?"

"I heard it around the town!" Mom goes on. "She got married to some man she met while drinking! You see what I have warned you of? You see what I was trying to keep you away from? Perhaps now, you may thank----"

I hang up on her, a move I'm sure will be earning me a few hundred prayers for my soul later on. I immediately dial up another number and wait for it to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Rory, it's Lane. What is going on? Is it true?"

I hear her sigh. "Yeah, it is. I'm sorry, I was gonna call you but it's a little chaotic at the moment."

"Oh my God!" I gasp out loud. "You…got married? To who?"

"His name is Vincent Grey, he's a writer in Hartford. I'm with him now."

"Are you home?"

"Heading over. I'm with Mom and his sister."

Yikes. Now there's a car pool I'm more than grateful not to be a part of. "Man oh man, Rory…This is so huge…"

"I know, I know. We're trying to figure it out now. I have no idea how we're handling it of course but we're trying."

I shake my head hard. "Rory…is there…I mean…anything I can do?"

She sighs. "I don't know, Lane. I don't think there is at the moment. I'm just trying to handle this mess."

I let out a long breath. "Rory…Why didn't you call me? We're friends, remember? I had to hear about it from my mother, which is like Michael Moore getting his news from Fox!"

"I know, I was going to but…well, I've had a few other things on my mind."

I can hear the sharpness in her tone and I realize she must be fraying close to the edge so I back off a bit. "Okay…um…when are you coming?"

"We should be in town in an hour or so, probably going straight over to Luke's."

"Okay, I'll see you there."

"Lane, you don't------"

"Hey!" I cut in. "First, you broke your promise to let me be your maid of honor. I think you at least owe me a meeting with your hubby!"

She sighs again. "Okay, okay. I'll see you there."

I soften my tone. "Hey…it'll be okay. I know it will."

"Thanks for lying," she says before hanging up. I do too and rise to get my stuff together. The band is going to have to call of practice tonight. Some things take precedence over a future MTV slot and a best friend's drunken marriage is one of them.

Now I just have to worry about ignoring Mom for a while. In that, I think I'll be a tad more successful than either of the Gilmore ladies.