Monday morning Jess was up early and out in a cab headed for Hartford to start his new job at Richard's company. Rory was still sleeping when he woke up at a quarter to six showered and got dressed. The job required a suit or a least a sport coat and tie. He hated dressing up, but he saw this for what it was an opportunity for a good job with mobility, a real chance at giving Rory everything she wanted. For her happiness, he'd make any sacrifice.
Rory's classes started later on Monday so she got up later, about half past seven, Loreli was up in the kitchen making coffee.
"Hey, Babe," she greeted and noticed the bags under her daughter's eyes. "Rough night?"
Rory stretched, "Yeah, he was up three hours last night. He'd tried not to wake me up, but of course he did. That bed is pretty small for me not to notice him tossing and turning and shifting. I just wish he'd be able to get a little sleep." Rory poured herself some coffee and sat down.
"I wish you could get a little sleep. Maybe you could go out to the couch or…" Lorelai was cut off.
"Mom! I couldn't do that!" Rory protested. "I'm in this with him all the way. If he doesn't sleep then I don't sleep. In a couple of months, we're going to be husband and wife…"
Lorelai stopped her. "Rory, sweetie. Being husband and wife doesn't mean that you have to suffer through everything together. It just means that you have to support each other through everything. Jess would hate to see you looking this tired."
"I know," Rory sighed. "That's why he won't ever see it."
Lorelai nodded and changed the subject. "So, in a couple of months, we'll both be old married ladies. How do you feel about that? We haven't really talked since the whole engagement thing."
"I don't know. I never thought I'd want to get married, at least not this young, but now that it's hear and it's Jess, it's right I know it's right. It's like…I can't wait for everyday to start so I can see what it'll lead to…I know it sounds silly," Rory blushed.
"It doesn't sound silly, Honey. It doesn't sound silly at all," Lorelai comforted and admired her own ring.
"I still can't believe you picked New Years Eve as the wedding date. Grandma will never forgive you!" Rory giggled.
"And that was part of the selection process. You see, I figured if Grandma was wigging about the date she wouldn't go on and on about our choice of life mates," Lorelai sighed. "I'm surprised she kept quiet, Friday."
"Grandpa had her on a tight leash," Rory commented.
"Yeah, speaking of Grandpa, how did Jess take the "job offer," Lorelai asked.
"Other than the tie part it went pretty well. Jess always had a head for this stuff even when I was still at Chilton sometimes I'd bounce some econ stuff off him…He really is brilliant, Mom," Rory sighed.
"You don't have to tell me. He found the missing 0.37 in my checkbook last week," Lorelai said going to rinse out her cup. "Personal question?"
"Always," Rory replied.
"Have you and Jess…" Lorelai began.
"Um, no," Rory replied. "No. We tried once but he stopped. I'm not sure he feels comfortable yet. But I…I think once we're married it'll be okay."
"Me too. You now if Jess is half as good as Luke…"
"Okay," Rory interjected. "I do not need to hear about this. Also, we need to start house hunting next week. Get a place we can move into all on one floor. Lucy sent me some cabinet measurements and stuff from their place."
"Okay," Lorelai nodded. "I marked a few places, but you're welcome to stay at the inn until you find a place."
Rory finished her coffee, put her cup in the sink and kissed Lorelai's cheek. "Thanks, Mom. I've got to get ready for school."
In Hartford, Jess was settling into her new job. He was given a small desk in a small office and was in charge of returning phone calls, confirming meeting, and other menial tasks but there was promise of mobility after he got his degree. Overall, it wasn't too bad.
A young man a few years old than he was stepped by Jess' office. "Hey, I'm Martine, Martin Hensdale."
"Jess Mariano, nice to meet you," Jess greeted politely.
"So, I hear you were a special hire, picked out by Richard Gilmore himself," Marting commented. "And not even into an entry level position. Usually the new guys get cubicles in outer offices."
"Well, I guess that, Mr. Gilmore is the one who makes these decisions," Jess sighed. "Were you supposed to get this office or something?" Jess asked realizing he was in a world unlike what he knew.
"Well, it doesn't matter now so no use going on about it," Martin sighed. "Just wanted to meet the man who won Richard Gilmore's coveted favor."
"Well, if I see him around, I'll send him your way," Jess replied. His watch beeped ahd he moved his chair out from behind the desk. "Excuse me, I have a computer system orientation to get to."
Martin wasn't sure what to make of Jess Mariano until that moment when he saw the wheelchair. He deduced then maybe this young man was an affirmative action hire or an ADA hire. He was no real threat to Martin's advancement.
"Need help?" Martin offered.
"Nope, I'm good," Jess replied. "It was nice to meet you."
Jess joined Richard, Floyd Styles, and a few of the colleagues in the seminar room. Before the lesson started Richard wanted to introduce Jess to the other important members of the firm.
"Gentlemen, this is Jess Mariano, my granddaughter Rory's fiancé. Jess, this is our company's President Floyd Styles, and our new New Accounts Vice President Mitchell Anderson.
Jess shook the hands of both men. "Nice to meet you both."
"Is Rory still at Yale, Richard? It will be hard, getting married and going to the Ivy Leagues," Mitch commented.
"Rory has chosen to follow her heart, she's still in school, but she…"
Jess interjected, "She did really well at Yale, but with circumstances being as they are, we decided a simpler curriculum would benefit us."
"Admirable," Floyd commented. "You are a lucky man, if she loves you so much."
Jess beamed, "I think so. Now, let's get down to business."
The rest of the day went by quickly Jess learned the system and the codes in no time. The job was easy, tedious and did very little to stimulate him, but it was a living. He left there at two and went to physical therapy for ninety minutes, then headed to GED classes, which also bored him. Thankfully, it was only a six week program.
Jess didn't get home until 7:30 pm that night and it was very likely he wouldn't any night except Friday for six weeks. That thought upset him. He enjoyed dinners with Rory, Luke and Lorelai, but he'd made a deal, accepted terms in a bargain, now he had to carry them out.
The cab left Jess' off in front of the Gilmore home and the driver who expected to be tipped handsomely helped him get his chair set up. Jess said the driver and started for the house. He had his briefcase on his lap and was so tired he didn't notice the silver Volvo parked alongside Rory's Pruis.
As Jess' approached the door, he could hear voices raised voices coming from inside. "You don't get to make that decision!" Rory shouted. "It's my life, my decision."
"Rory, he's not good enough for you. Look at what you've all ready given up for him," the male voice argued.
"But I chose that! Jess didn't ask me to change schools or anything like that," Rory insisted. "It was my choice."
Jess opened the door when he heard Rory's voice break. He didn't care who Rory was arguing with, no one was allowed to upset her. "What's going on in her?" Jess declared as he pushed open the door. "I could hear you all the way around the back."
Rory quickly wiped her eyes and went to Jess' side. "Jess, this is my Father, Christopher Hayden. Dad, this is Jess," Rory said sitting carefully on Jess' lap.
Christopher looked at his daughter, sitting on the lap of the young man in a wheelchair. He didn't know it was that bad, he only thought she was marrying a screw up, he had no idea she was doing this to herself. "Oh my God!" Chris managed through the shock.
"Shocked?" Jess queried. "Guess you and Rory haven't been in touch for awhile."
"Oh, Rory. You…do you have any idea what you're doing?" Chris asked.
Rory slipped off Jess' lap and stood next to him, "Yes, I'm getting married to the man I love."
"He…but…" Chris was still sputtering.
Jess could see where this was going. Chris feared Rory was marrying him out of duty, binding herself him out of something other than love. Rory slid off Jess' lap and spoke again, seeing the same.
"Dad, I know what you're going to say. You're worried Jess can't take care of me, but he can because he's smart and he will succeed. You're worried that I'll get trapped into taking care of him, but I won't because..." Rory took Jess' hand. "Dad, we're going to be partners."
Jess felt Rory's hand shaking inside his. She was angry and upset at Christopher and he knew it went deeper than Chris' disapproval of their impending union.
"You're too young to know that," Chris countered. "You can't really understand what kind of long term commitment this is."
Rory was taken aback, "Wait a minute. You are going to tell me about long-term commitment? You who've never had a successful relationship with anyone until your thirties, by your own choice and even that relationship was the picture perfect example of dysfunction."
Chris discounted that remark and watched his daughter firmly holding her fiancé's hand. This was the boy Lorelai feared, the boy who broke Rory's wrist, the one who broke her heart. Chris knew the type Jess was like him, irresponsible and childish, not prepared for familial responsibility. He still wasn't at thirty-six. He used this to his advantage. "Exactly my point, Rory. This…this…" he referred to Jess. "He's exactly like me. He's irresponsible and self centered…He's exactly like me, Rory. He broke your heart once all ready; I know he'll do it again. I know it!"
Jess had heard about enough. Rory was starting to cry she was standing there with tears running down her cheeks, eyes fixed to the floor. It was time for him to intervene, "You know nothing," Jess said deathly quiet. "All I know is that I've made mistakes. I hurt Rory, I hurt Luke but I'm sorry for that and I never plan to repeat it. But you, you keep doing the same thing over and over again, you don't learn, you don't listen, and whenever you sweep into town, you leave nothing but destruction in your wake. Now, you've done enough damage for this visit, I would appreciate you leaving," Jess said and moved to open the door. "Now."
Chris knew arguing was pointless. Rory was upset and if he was still here when Lorelai got home and she saw Rory crying he'd have to pay dearly. So sadly and somewhat reluctantly, Christopher left.
Jess closed the door and touched Rory's hand, "Rory. Rory, Baby? Are you all right?" Jess asked gently.
"No!" she sobbed. "Why…why can he be happy for me? Why aren't…why can't Grandma be happy for me? I…everyone says we're too young…" she sniffed. "That we won't last. What if they're right? What if we are too young? What if you or I…" she stopped and cried harder.
"Rory, we love each other. We've stuck with it since May, only four months, but four very tough months. If we could survive that, we can survive anything," Jess tried to console her to reason with her.
"But…what if…what if it is just novelty us being together, like you said? What if we really can't make it?"
"We will," Jess insisted and studied her face. He saw fear in her eyes, panic, and seeing that he felt his own unique panic, especially at her next words. "I can't do this, Jess," she cried.
"Rory," he practically pleaded. "Don't do this. Please don't start doubting us."
"I'm sorry, Jess. I can't marry you now, I can't," she cried and slipped the ring off her finger before running out the door.
"Rory!" Jess called after her as she ran out into the night. "Rory, please don't do this! Rory!"
It was too late; Rory had all ready made it to her car and was pulling out of the driveway. Jess sat in his chair on the porch and watched her go until he could no longer see her car. Once the taillights were out of sight, Jess looked down at the ring in his hand. He stared at the small diamond until its shine became blurred by tears gathering in his eyes.
