The Gilmore-Grey Union Book II: The Homecoming

By Michael Weyer

POV: Amy

It's not too bad a diner. Reminds me a bit of the one Jared left to Mom, but brighter. There's only a few people inside as Lorelai leads us to a table by the window. "Here we go," she says. "I'll order for us."

"We haven't seen the menus," Vincent points out as we sit.

"Don't need to," Lorelai says. "We know what to order."

A guy comes up to us in jeans, a flannel shirt and a backwards baseball cap. He has a sour look on his face and a coffee pot in his hand. "Hey," he says.

"Hi, Luke," Rory says with a small smile.

"Rory," he replies as he picks up her cup and pours into it. "You've been the talk of the town, kiddo."

"So I gather," she says with a sad sigh.

Vincent frowns a bit at her. "You drink coffee this late?"

"I drink coffee any time," Rory replies. "Been doing it since I was nine."

I stare at her. "You've been drinking coffee since you were nine?"

"Mom wanted to start me earlier but I resisted."

"Which was futile," Lorelai states.

"You let your daughter drink coffee at nine years old!" I demand. "Do you have any idea what that can do to a child that age?"

"Make her smart and pretty like me?"

"No, it can stunt growth and cause addiction!"

"Oh, thank God," Luke states as he fills Lorelai's cup. "A woman with sense. I think I got engaged to the wrong brunette."

She glares at him as he backs up. He puts the pot down at a nearby table and sits next to us. "Okay," he says as he leans back in the chair. "So what's our situation now?"

"We're trying to figure that out," Vincent states. "I didn't expect to be in this situation at all."

"You and me both," Rory says. "I still can't understand why we couldn't settle this in Atlantic City."

"Because your grandmother wants to go Rumsfield on your new hubby," Lorelai says.

"Is she really that bad?" I ask out loud.

"Yes," Luke and Lorelai reply in unison.

"And we have another problem," Luke stated. "Seems the scuttlebutt around town is that Rory is pregnant."

"What?" The two women yelp. "Why do they think that? Who said that?" Rory demands.

"Kirk gave me a book and a crib."

"Kirk has a crib?"

"It was his crib and please don't make me go into the whole thing again."

Vincent and I exchange a baffled look. "Um, no offense," Vincent pipes up. "But can we have something to eat before we continue?"

Luke glares at him. "And you assume I'll do that for you?"

"Um, aren't you the owner?"

His face falls. "Damn, you're right." He sighs and gets up. "Okay, I'm assuming Rory will take the Hot Pockets and grilled cheese."

"How do you know that's what she wants?" I ask.

"It's Tuesday, isn't it?"

I glance over at Lorelai. "You let her eat like this?"

"Always have."

"You know, you're lucky my mother isn't in this area or she would have been called on you years ago."

Vincent chuckles at that while Luke just gives a puzzled look before heading away. "Hey, we didn't-----"

"How about a chicken sandwich for you and a burger for your bother?" he calls out.

I shut my mouth. "Um…yeah, that'll work." I turn over to Lorelai. "Damn, he's good."

"You better believe it," she says with a sly wink.

Rory coughs to change the subject. "So when do we meet Grandma and Grandpa?"

"I haven't talked to them yet."

"Why don't you call them on your cell?" I ask.

They both look at me like I'm crazy. "We're in Luke's," Rory says as if that explains it.

I blink. "So?"

"Luke!" Lorelai calls out. "Amy wants to use her cell phone in here!"

"No cell phones!" he yells from the kitchen. "Dammit, I'll take this spatula to it if she even so much as opens it in this place!"

She nods to me and I swallow, wondering yet again what kind of a town we've wandered into. Luke comes out of the kitchen a few moments later and nods to us. "Food will be up soon."

Before any of us can reply, the bell over the door rings and Luke turns to face it. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, actually. A rather robust woman said that my daughter and my son and his new wife could be found here. I'd like to yell at them all."

I freeze, my eyes bugging out. I slide them toward Vincent and he has the same look of horror on his face. We slowly turn to face the woman standing before the door

"Hi, mom," I manage to get out as she glares at us both. I glance over at the confused Gilmores and sigh deeply. These poor, innocent darlings have no idea how to handle the hurricane that is Maxine Grey.