2033 - Spring

It was a porch-sitting night and Jess Mariano used it wisely, a whisky, a book, satisfying silence. He had to argue heatedly today with a client and it was exhausting and time-consuming.
"Dad?", he heard his daughter asking.
"Yes, pump?" He smiled at her, slightly because she was already in her PJ's, with no make-up and closely resembled her mother.
"Tell me about California. I really want to go there next year... I really do. But I'm scared to mention it again because Mom freaked out... geez. Maybe you can help me. Pretty please."
He chuckled. "Em, your Mom just lorelaied over it, don't worry."
"Lorelaied? What's that?"
"Well, when your Mom was your age, she also had to decide which college she liked to attend. They made huge pro and con lists, as usually, and although her favorites Harvard and Yale were not as far away as California, Lorelai always started to annoy the hell out of everyone, whining that the apple of her eye would be in another universe and forget about her precious mother instantly..."
Emma started to laugh. "Well, yeah, that really sounds like Nana Lorelai."
Jess rolled his eyes. "So, history repeats. Take it easy."
She sat next to him and sighed. "And you, you won't miss me?"
He chuckled. "Oh dear, stop. I will miss you every second."
"You will? So, you're confident that I can make it?"
"I'm confident that you achieve your goals, yes. And if it is California, then go for it. It will break my old, crappy heart, but that's okay. I've been hurt before." He smiled at her. "I want you to follow your dreams. And your Mom wants that, too. We'll figure it out. There's Lily, she will be there for you when you miss our little arguments."
Emma laughed. "Oh, yeah, I'll miss them. How was it with Lily, when you first met her?"
"Kinda terrifying and awesome at the same time. She was a bookworm living in closets. In fact, she's still kind of a nerd. But she and I, we got along well. She didn't complain once when I crashed their place, other than Sasha and Jimmy. In fact she insisted her Mom to let my stay."
"Yeah, Lily can really be convincing. Did you miss Mom? I know that this was the summer after your break up."
Jess sighed. Oh, those memories. "Of course I missed her. It almost killed me. And as you know, truth is, there wasn't a proper break-up, I just ran away. I was a jerk. But I thought she'd be better without me."
"But she wasn't", Emma noted silently. "She once told me that this is one of her biggest regrets. Not fighting for you. Not seeing in which situation you have been. Not helping you."
"I wouldn't let her help me, Em. There's no one to blame but me."
The blue-eyed girl stayed silent. He saw a single tear running down her cheek which she wiped away quickly.
"Hey, sweets, what's up?", he asked her with confused emotions.
"Nothing. It's just...", she was searching for words, "it's... you know, sometimes I feel like Mom regrets having me. Because I remind her of her other life. Not the life she's leading now and that's obviously the life she's loving. So when she regrets letting you go, this means, that I shouldn't be there. That sounds stupid, I know, but..."
"Hey, hey, hey, stop it." Her father took her into his arm. "Not a single word is true, I promise you. Your Mom loves you so much and never regrets her decision to have you in her life. Why is she coocoo about you moving to the other side of the country? Because she loves you fucking much. She needs you around her. Are you sometimes a pain in the ass? Yes." He nudged her and showed his crooked smile. "But there's not a day that Rory's wishing to live her life without you, believe me. And me neither."
Emma nodded slightly. "Okay."
"You brought us together, Em. When you entered this world I realized, I wanted to be back in the life of Mom. I wanted to be there, for her, for you. Finally being strong, being the support she needed. There's not one single regret about you."
Both sat there, arms entangled.

Rory was drying some plates with a dishtowel and saw her husband and daughter sitting outside through the window. She smiled contently at them.
"Mom!" The voice of her ten-year-old son appeared and soon after he entered the room.
"What's up, baby?"
"Stop calling me that, Mom." He rolled his eyes.
She ruffled his dark hair and laughed. "Sorry, Richard the Second. Better?"
"No comment. I just need you to sign a school paper." He suddenly got a nervous undertone.
"Let me see." Rory took it out of his hands and started reading it. Her eyes widened.
"Rick, that's... great. Why didn't you tell us?" The paper was in fact a praise of his teacher on how he developed well in classes and that his outstanding talents in art and design will be honored at the presentation of the children's graduation certificates.
Her son just shrugged.
"I'm proud of you."
He smirked. "Thanks. No big deal. But Mom..."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for not sending me to a private school with uniforms and stuff like Emma. I would hate it, in fact this one day when we looked at the school, it was hell", he said silently.
She pitched his arm. "I know. I want you to be happy."
"I am." He looked up at her and smiled.
Their conversation was interrupted by Jess and Emma who came back inside.
"Hot cocoa with marshmallows, everybody?", Jess shouted.
"But Nana says that's Christmas' food stuff and it's shortly before summer!", Rick answered, but grinned.
"Screw that", his father countered and started gettings mugs out of the cupboard. "Let's call it a Mariano-family-meeting!"
"Well, actually, Gilmore-Mariano!", Rory interjected.
"And technically, I'm half a Huntzberger!", Emma joined in.
"Geez, He-who-must-not-be-named", Jess groaned.
Ricky stood there, arms crossed over. "You're all crazy", he simply stated. "But I fancy a cocoa. So, I'm okay with a crazy-ass-family-meeting."
"Rick, language!", Rory rebuked him instantly.
"Ri-ick, language!", her son and husband copied her unisono which caused Rory to give them one of her witherings stares.
"Cute", Jess mouthed and started warming up the milk.

Later they were sitting on the big greyish couch, sipping cocoa, when Jess made an announcement.
"Guys, listen, I've made some thoughts. Y'all know that Miss Emma has this idea of moving to Cali and not everyone is quiet pleased with it." He raised his hand to gesture at Rory who made the attempt to interfere.
"So, how about a trip to California this summer?", he added.
"Oh my god, I'm so in!", Emma yelled and even threw away her phone in excitement. "That's awesome!"
"A nice trip to Venice Beach, finally all together." Jess smiled at his family.
"Only under this condition...", Rory said, "no road trip!"
"Yeah, I'm with Mom for once", Rick nodded.
"Excuse me, for once? What does that mean?"
"Relax, Mom. Just kidding." Her son grinned. "I'm also in."
"S'okay, I can live with the fact that you all have no gratitude for such a life-changing experience, with perfect road trip music, beef jerky and lots of energy drinks, but if you insist, there's still the plane. Em, what are you doing?" He saw her grabbing her phone,
"I'm totally posting this online to make my friends jealous. Maybe I'll meet all those celebrities, or, even better, that hot guy from Rash Boom will fall in love in with me! I think he's living there!"
Jess looked at Rory. "Okay, I need some liquor in my cocoa. Excuse me for a minute."
She giggled in response. Next destination: California.

A.N.: Thanks for your sweet comments and support! I appreciate every single one of them!