Chapter 20: In the Balance
They began to talk and laugh together until she heard the distinct cry of little Audrey over the baby monitor.
"I'll go get her," Rory said, getting up.
Rory walked up the stairs to her brother and sister's room. Audrey was crying and kicking wildly in her crib. Rory picked her up and took her over to the changing table. Rory changed her diaper and got her all dressed up. Lorelai had made her a little blue and white sundress to wear to the graduation. She made Chip a matching suit.
Just as Audrey was dressed and ready to start her day Chip was up. He had a quieter cry. Rory got him all cleaned up and then carried them both downstairs to the kitchen. In the half hour that she had been gone, a dozen red roses had arrived for her. Looking at the card she discovered that they were from Marty. How sweet.
Around noon the Danes-Gilmore clan loaded themselves into their car and began their drive to New Haven. The ceremony was set to start at three. Rory had promised Marty that their parents would save a seat for the other, whoever managed to get there first.
Mr. and Mrs. Hanson, Marty's parents waved from a good spot in the theatre at Yale. Rory and Marty dismissed themselves to go get in line for the processional. At two fifteen Rory scanned the audience and spotted her parents and grandparents. The seat that she had Lorelai save for Dean was still empty. Lane and Zach were there. But Dean still wasn't. Rory dug out her cell and punched in Dean's new number.
"Dean, hi. It's Rory. Where are you? Cause I'm looking at the seat that is saved for you and you're not in it. You're on your way? You should have been here by now! Dean I really want you here! Get here as soon as you can. I'll see you soon. Bye Dean."
Rory was frustrated. The one person she wanted to see her graduate from Yale wasn't there yet. Of course the others were the most important but Dean was her first love. She wanted him there.
At three the processional began. Pomp and Circumstance played as the graduates took their seats. There was so many people that Rory had never even seen before. She only noticed those whom she had known. She saw Tanna, her roommate from her first year at Yale.
About halfway through the speech of the Dean Rory exited her seat go get to the stage for her speech. As she was walking through the halls of the theatre her cell phone rang.
"Hello? Dean?" she said, answering her phone.
"Is this Rory Gilmore?" an unfamiliar voice asked her.
"Yes this is Rory Gilmore, who is this?"
"Ma'am my name is Dr. Peter Green of New Haven General Hospital. I hate to inform of this. We have an accident victim here by the name of Dean Forrester. He sustained major trauma to his head and neck. I am afraid to say that he won't make it past the next hour. He wants to see you before he dies."
Rory nearly dropped her phone. "Please sir, do whatever you can to keep him alive. I am about to graduate from Yale University. Please keep him alive for another two hours. Tell him I am coming and to keep fighting."
She hung up the phone and contained her tears. She heard the Dean announce her.
"It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the class elected speaker. Ladies and gentlemen, Lorelai Gilmore-Danes."
Rory walked across the stage to the podium. She could hear her mother, father and friends cheer wildly. She looked down at the note cards in her hands. Her speech about home and never forgetting about it seemed rather stupid now that the life of one of her dearest friends hung in the balance.
"Friends, family and faculty thank you for coming today. I never thought this day would come. Graduating from college no longer seems to be such a big deal for people like it used to. People take college for granted. Skipping classes, partying until all hours of the night. College is the time to discover yourself and see what you're made of. College is the time to break away from the values and traditions passed down from our parents. To those of you who worked your butt off to get to this day I applaud you.
"Taking things for granted seems to be the norm of this generation. Whatever happened to living for the day? We should all live each day like it was your last. Don't ever let anger or hurt feelings keep you from telling someone how you really feel. Don't let their life hang in the balance because of something you said."
Rory choked back on her tears. "No matter how busy you get or how tired you are always let the ones you love know that you love them. Marty, I love you. I will wait forever to be with you. Mom, Dad, Chip and Audrey, thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for spending hours building me a tree house, thank you for everything you do. Thank you for being the dad that you didn't have to be. Grandma, Grandpa you have been my pillars of strength for so long. I don't know how you do it. Thank you. Those words sound so dumb and pointless at this time. I have to go. I have somewhere else that I have to be. Marty, grab my diploma for me."
Rory ran from the stage. It wasn't the speech that she wanted to give. It didn't make an ounce of sense. She probably made herself look like a total idiot. She ran to the parking lot. She finally realized that she didn't have her car with her. She had come with her parents. Pulling out her phone she dialed directory assistance.
"Yes in New Haven I need the number of a cab company, I don't care the one closest to Yale."
She memorized the number hung up the phone and punched it in. She explained her emergency and the cab arrived. She called her mother from the cab.
"Rory what the hell is going on?" Lorelai asked. "What is more important than your graduation?"
"Dean got into an accident coming here. He is hanging on by a very small thread. I got a call from a doctor just before my speech."
"Oh my God. Call me the second you hear anything. I'll let people on this end know what's going on," Lorelai said supportively.