Chapter 143

"So remind me why I have to be here again?" Luke sighed, long-suffering. Lorelai turned around, grinning.

"Because my mother summoned you, specifically. She has to make sure everything is hunky dory and that I'm actually going to get married this time, and that it's going to stick. Otherwise I'm sure she loses the bet with her DAR ladies."

"You think she bet in your favor? That's optimistic," Rory quipped.

"Bad daughter! Just for that, I'll have her return to your living circumstances again first."

"Oh, not this again," Jess sighed, rolling his eyes, "I still can't believe she's so opposed."

"It's not even any of her business."

"Since when has that stopped my mother from doing anything?" Lorelai grimaced. Rory sighed, nodding her agreement.

"Wait, why's she mad at Rory and Jess?" Luke asked, clearly behind. Lorelai sighed.

"Living in sin, Jess not being a Kennedy…you get the drift."

"So the usual."

"Yep."

"Remind me why you invited her into the apartment?" Luke asked. Lorelai sighed.

"Honey, it's whether or not her daughter was going to get married. If I didn't let her in she would have busted the door down. Now come on, let's go in before we're late and have yet another thing to be yelled at about." Luke nodded, and the four approached the front door, Lorelai knocking quickly.

"Hello! May I take your coats?"

"Sure, thank you," Lorelai smiled, "And you are…"

"Delilah." Lorelai held back a smirk.

"Nice to meet you, Delilah," Rory cut in, "How long have you been here?"

"Since 7?"

"…thanks, Delilah, we'll take it from here," Lorelai said, ushering the girl out of the room. She rolled her eyes at Rory. "Somehow I don't think my mother found her through Mensa."

"How long do you think she's got?"

"Optimistically? Appetizers."

They walked into the room.

"Lorelai! Rory!" Emily smiled brilliantly, walking over to hug them. Nonplussed, they returned her hugs, sharing a confused look behind her back.

"Hi, Mom."

"And Luke, Jess…so glad you could join us!" Emily continued brightly, "Let me get everyone a drink. Will champagne do for everybody?"

"…um, sure," Jess said, sitting down slowly and looking at Rory cautiously, "What are we celebrating?"

"Well, in a month our daughter is getting married, which is enough reason to celebrate anytime, don't you think?" Emily responded charmingly. Lorelai's eyes narrowed.

"…thanks, Mom. But is there anything else happening that's exciting?"

"Well…now that you mention it…"

"Uh-huh?"

"Oh, here's Richard, I'll let him tell you himself. Richard, the girls are here!"

"Splendid!" Richard boomed as he walked into the room jauntily. "Rory, Lorelai. I trust you've both been well?"

"Very well, thanks," Rory replied, still looking confused.

"And Jess, Lucas…how are you both this evening?"

"Very well, sir- thanks," Jess answered. Richard offered him a small smile.

"I heard my wife saw this bookshop of yours. I have to say, I'm rather jealous," Richard admitted. Emily's eyes narrowed, and her smile faded a tiny bit.

"Richard, it was…"

"Emily, later. Rory, now that you're grandmother's been to see you, I think it's only fair that I visit. Shall we say Tuesday?"

"Um…" Rory said, cornered. Jess smiled.

"You're welcome anytime, sir. Tuesday should be fine."

"Excellent!" he exclaimed. "Hopefully I can get my hands on a copy of this book of yours."

"Oh, I'm sure you don't…"

"Nonsense."

"Richard…the news!" Emily pressed excitedly. Richard smiled.

"Alright, Emily, I'm getting there. What have you told them so far?"

"Nothing, I was waiting for you!"

"Goodness," Richard sighed, sitting down. "Alright. So, in very unfortunate news, of course, Dean Gilson of Yale's Economics Department is stepping down suddenly, after several years of service."

"Suddenly?" Lorelai asked curiously. "Affair," Emily muttered. Lorelai grinned. "Juicy."

"Lorelai, that's enough," Richard chided, but not losing his smile, "Of course, upon hearing the news I immediately reached out to the Provost to share my empathies. Much to my surprise, he asked me for a meeting."

"Grandpa?"

"And…you know, of course, that I loved teaching that course, Rory," Richard said, welling up a bit, "But then, after the heart attack…well, it just didn't seem like the best idea. However, as you all know, my health has improved markedly, and I had been thinking about looking into an open teaching position."

"You had? You never said anything," Rory said. Richard smiled.

"I hadn't made up my mind, it was just a consideration," Richard replied, "But…something compelled me to go meet with Henry."

"Henry?"

"The Provost, Lorelai."

"Oh, of course. Please continue."

"Well…it turns out, they're experiencing quite a bit of turnover right now, and the Department is in a bit of a shambles. And they really weren't expecting this resignation," Richard said, "Given that Henry and I are old friends, and we both taught classes at the same time during my tenure at Yale…not to mention that we go way back with the Whiffenpoofs…"

"What?"

"Don't ask," Rory whispered back to Jess, who rolled his eyes.

"He asked if I'd be willing to take the role of Acting Dean, in a temporary capacity, of course."

"Oh Richard!" Emily said, clearly pleased, "You know it won't be temporary. They'll put you in and by god, they're never going to let you leave."

"Emily…" he warned, but he was still smiling. Rory was the first to stand.

"Grandpa…congratulations. That's amazing!" she smiled, walking over to hug him. "Why thank you, Rory," Richard said, smiling at her warmly, "Honestly…I'm rather delighted."

"Congratulations, Richard," Jess said, standing up to shake his hand.

"Thank you, Jess," Richard smiled, "Now tell me, have you ever visited Yale's campus?"

"Um…once," he admitted, making eye contact with Rory and trying not to laugh, "But I didn't get a full tour."

"Well, we absolutely must do that," Richard said, clasping Jess on the back, "It's where Rory went to school, it's where I went to school, and one day…"

"I beg of you, Dad, please don't finish that sentence," Lorelai cut him off, smiling good-naturedly. "But really, Dad…congrats. That's amazing."

"Thank you, Lorelai."

"And your doctor approves?"

"Signed off this morning," he nodded, "Do you think your mother would have allowed me to otherwise?"

Emily grinned. "I'm so proud of you, Richard. You deserve this."

"Oh, hush, Emily," Richard teased, "I'm sure you're just pleased to finally have me out of your hair again."

"Well, that doesn't hurt," Emily retorted, smirking. Jess supressed a smile.

"Now…everyone, why don't we go straight to the table? I think I'd like to eat now," Richard smiled.

"Of course, Richard," Emily nodded, "Christina!"

"Think it's gonna be a minute," Lorelai quipped to Rory and Jess under her breath.

"Jess! Grandpa said he'd be here by 5:30, and it's already 5," Rory said anxiously, trying to pick things up around the apartment. "Can you help me with this?"

"Rory, calm down," Jess sighed, turning away from his writing, "It's not like it's your grandmother. And she's already seen it much, much worse than this."

"That's not the point!" Rory snapped. She sighed, "Ugh, I'm sorry. It's just…you've only seen the one side of Grandpa. And he's not always like that. He can be as prickly as she is sometimes."

"Really?"

"Maybe not as prickly, but definitely prickly," Rory nodded, still picking up items around the apartment, "I want everything to be perfect."

"Rory, you'll still be living in an apartment above Truncheon with me no matter how much you clean up," Jess pointed out, "And that's the part your Grandma took issue with."

"I know," she sighed, "But unfortunately, I care more what he thinks." Jess sighed.

"I get that," he said, sitting down next to her on the bed, "But are you happy here?"

"Of course! Jess, how could you even…"

"Your Grandpa might be prickly, but clearly what's important to him is you being happy," Jess said, squeezing her hand. "Don't drive yourself crazy. He'll get here, we can give him a cup of coffee, and then go out to dinner like we've planned. Okay?"

"Okay," Rory agreed. "Also, it's pretty late for him to be going back. I offered to let him stay, but he refused."

"We can try again, if it worries you."

"Thanks, Jess."

"Of course."

Rory's phone began to ring. She looked at the caller ID and looked at Jess. "Grandpa," she mouthed, before picking it up.

"Hi Grandpa," she said.

"Rory! I'm out front." Rory stepped over to the window, where she saw her grandfather getting out of his car.

"Great! We'll be right down," Rory said, hanging up. She rolled her eyes at Jess. "All that worry and he shows up early."

"Is that where you get it? Pretty sure it's not your Mom," Jess quipped, earning a smirk from Rory. "Now come on, let's not keep him waiting."

"But the living room…"

"Is livable. That's what counts," Jess insisted, "Look- a quick tour and we'll have him out of here, okay?"

"Okay," Rory agreed, inhaling deeply, "Thanks, Jess."