The Gilmore Grey Union Book II: The Homecoming

By Michael Weyer

POV: Gillian

When I married Peter, I had no idea I was basically marrying his family. It was the single biggest miscalculation I've ever made in my life, vastly underestimating how closely tied he was to his family. I'm not going to say I would never have married Peter if I knew I'd have daily encounters with his mother, sister and brother.

But I think I might have reconsidered it just a tad.

Right now, I have a bit much on my plate. Peter and I are still getting used to reconciling and of course there's raising the two kids on my plate. I do, however, have to admire the irony that I seem to be the one taking this whole thing the most calmly.

I'm helping Ned finish his lunch, always a fun chore. He seems to like my goofy laughs and smiles. Come to think of it, so did his father when we were dating. Walt's taking a nap which makes this a bit easier. I have to admit, after caring for two sons, I'm starting to understand Maxine a lot better.

I'm trying to figure out whether that's good or bad.

Peter comes in, running a hand over his face, obviously concerned. "How is it going?" I ask him.

He sighs as he slumps into a chair. "It's…ugh."

I wince. "That bad?"

Peter nods. "My brother is such an idiot. I just can't believe he could do this."

I lean in to wipe Ned's mouth. "There's a good boy," I tell him in my bright Mommy voice. "That's a good boy, you got it all down!"

"He just gets married. How can you be so impulsive?"

"Impulsive?" I ask, still talking in "goofy Mommy" voice. "Like joining a rock band at 40 and leaving the family business go into bankruptcy?"

He glares at me before speaking. "I just got off the phone with Mom. She's with them at this Rory's home, Star's Hollow."

I drop the voice as I stare at him. "Maxine is there?"

Peter nods. "Yep. You're right, I didn't want to go with Amy."

"Maybe if you'd listened to me more…"

"Gillian, please…"

I stop speaking as I take Ned's plate to the sink. "You're right. It's Vincent's screw-up we're working on, not yours." I start to wash the plate off. "So what are they doing?"

"Well, Rory's grandparents want to have some big dinner party tomorrow night," Peter answers. "We're all invited. Of course, Mom makes it clear it's not an invitation you can turn down."

I nod, well aware of how Maxine can take any social occasion and make it her own with little effort. "How's Vincent?"

Peter shrugs. "For spending the day with Mom and Amy after a colossal screwup, not too bad, I guess. I still can't believe this is happening."

"Well, I'm looking forward to meeting this Rory," I say. "Carol, I never really got along with. I still can't believe she could just dump Vincent like that after all he gave up for her."

"Well, this Rory seems more down-to-earth," Peter replies. "I think Vincent likes her."

I frown. "How can you tell?"

"Just the way he talks about her," he replies as he rubs his shoulder. "He denies it but I do think he's starting to fall for her a bit."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, just what we needed. Another lovely family melodrama."

Peter nods in agreement. "I don't know if this is going to end well for him or her."

I dry my hands and come up behind him. "We'll get through it. We've gotten through a lot worse."

He has to smile at that. "That's true." He frowns. "I do have to talk to him though. If this ends up going through, I'm going to have to help him figure out his will and what to leave her. And there's the insurance and this may add to the equity and let's not forget the impact on the family taxes, this could upset some of my accounting figures…"

I just sigh and back away. I love him. I do. But when he starts going all business-like, it's best to let him blow off steam. In that, he is similar to the rest of his family.

I admit I have a total selfish reason to want to meet this Rory person. At long last, I'll be able to share with another woman the agony and the ecstasy that is being married to the Grey family.