The next few months sped by with teething and shots which upset Libby, finally the day Rory was dreading arrived.
Jess stood outside with the 6 month-old Libby in his arms, she was dressed in a pink sundress with matching pink booties and a pink sun hat.
"Jess I don't know about this…" Rory trailed off.
"Ror, going back to school was always the plan. You've already signed up for all your classes and if you don't leave now you're going to be late."
"I know. I just don't want to leave her."
"Do you want to tell your mother she's crazy or should I do it Lib?" Jess asked. Libby just giggled.
"Jess."
"You scheduled all your classes so you only have to go in three days a week, you'll only be gone for a few hours, you can call between classes, but honestly we'll be fine."
"I know but she's my baby and…"
"Would you feel better if we came to Yale for lunch, just so you can check on her? Make sure I'm not neglecting her or something."
"That would be great." Rory told him. "Not the neglecting her part, the lunch part, because I know you would never…"
"Lib say goodbye to Mommy." Jess interrupted. "Otherwise she'll be late for class."
Rory gave Libby a kiss.
"Be good." She then gave Jess a kiss too.
"Have a good day." Jess told her.
Rory reluctantly got in her car. Jess waited until she had gone until he went back inside.
"Everything okay?" Luke asked when Jess got inside and grabbed Libby's bottle and offered it to her.
"Libby and I are going to Yale for lunch." Jess told him.
"Right."
"It was the only way I could get her to leave."
"You know why it was so tough for her to go right?" Luke asked.
"Yes. I'm going to take Libby upstairs I'll be down when she's asleep."
"Take your time."
GG
"Coffee." Lorelai requested as soon as she walked in the door.
Luke poured her a cup and then gave her a kiss over the counter.
"How's my granddaughter today?" She inquired.
Luke pulled a baby monitor out from under the counter and placed it in front of Lorelai and turned up the volume.
Lorelai could hear Jess moving around talking to Libby.
"What's he doing?"
"Getting ready to go to Yale for lunch."
"Yale?" Lorelai questioned.
"Rory didn't leave. The only way Jess could convince her was to agree to take Libby to Yale so Rory could check on her."
"So how have things been in the diner? Has Jess been much help?"
"We had a rush earlier, so Libby sat with Miss Patty while Jess helped out." Luke replied.
"I bet Miss Patty liked that."
"She did until Libby pulled her earring."
"Oops."
"Sounds like they're coming down." Luke switched of the baby monitor and put it back under the counter.
Jess carried Libby down the stairs, diaper bag slung over one shoulder.
"Hey Libby." Lorelai smiled.
"Hey go to Grandma kid." Jess handed her off to Lorelai.
"I hear you're going to Yale for lunch."
"It was the only way to get Rory in the car."
"She's her daughter; if anything happened to Libby and Rory wasn't here she would never forgive herself."
"I know." Jess replied. "Rory and I've had this conversation at least ten times. She knows I'd never let anything happen to Libby."
"It still doesn't mean that all the worst case scenarios aren't playing out in her head."
"I know. I got to the bathroom."
Jess went and when he returned he set off for lunch with Rory.
TBC