Notes: I realize I haven't actually thanked my reviewers since I came back. But, so you know, I'm always grateful for your reviews. I really love them! And I do take them seriously, considering that sometimes I change the direction of the story or a least add in a scene I wasn't planning on because of your reviews.
And a few comments on last night's episode, so skip this if you haven't seen it yet. Personally I thought it was high-larious. And truly ironic in that I had already written down one or two of those exact jokes to use in my own future chapters. Apparently I'm thinking like a Palladino, no actually Keith Eisner who was the actual writer of the episode. Which isn't such a good thing cuz he only wrote one other episode and that one really wasn't very good. But overall, hilarious. It seemed that break did the GGs some good, it felt like almost old times until that LL scene at the end, where Luke was PodLuke and Lorelai kept her feelings inside. I was surprisingly yelling at Lorelai, which is very unusual for me. But I was yelling at Luke as well. Ay... I miss 5th season LL. And also unusual is the fact that I'm really hating Lauren Graham's hairstyle lately.
And where are my Friday Night Dinners? I mean really haven't seen them this year. I think the one at the beginning of 'You've Been Gilmored' is the only real one I can think of from this entire season. I feel gyped. Even when Emily and Richard were fighting we still had FNDs! They're missing an important aspect of the show, it's not just about Lorelai and Rory but also Lorelai and Emily, at least to me. Maybe there's something coming, I don't know, I don't read spoilers. So, we'll see.
Anyways, in response to this rant I give you: one Friday Night Dinner. Yeah, I know, I'm so good to you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday Night Dinner
Lorelai and Rory walk up to the front door. "Have I told you yet how jazzed – no excited – no – no thrilled I am to be here today?" Lorelai deadpans.
"Mom, it's going to be okay," Rory says. Lorelai doesn't look like she believes her.
"Yes, I can hear it now. Mom, I'm not marrying Christopher. 'Oh Lorelai that's fantastic. I never wanted you to marry the father of your daughter. I'm so glad I wasted money planning your wedding. All that matters to me is your happiness.'" Lorelai says in her faux-Emily voice. Rory giggles. "Yeah, I really think that's going to happen," Lorelai says in disbelief.
"Well you let me know when you're ready for me to ring the doorbell." Lorelai purses her lips and sighs.
"No sense in delaying the inevitable," Lorelai says. She reaches in front of Rory and rings the doorbell. The maid opens the door.
"Oh, I thought Mrs. Gilmore said there would be three," the maid says. Rory and Lorelai share a look. Lorelai smiles.
"Nope just us chickens," Lorelai replies. The maid doesn't look like she understands. Lorelai rolls her eyes. "It's just us." The maid nods. She steps aside to let Lorelai and Rory in. They hand the maid their coats.
"Mr. Gilmore and both Mrs. Gilmores are in the living room," the maid says and walks away. Rory and Lorelai share another look. Lorelai shrugs. She takes Rory's hand and they walk into the living room.
"Rory, Lorelai," Emily says, welcoming them. Lorelai surveys the room, noticing Trix in a chair next to Richard. "Where's Christopher?" Lorelai's eyes go wide and she glances behind her as if she expects him to be there.
"Oh, he must have run off with the spoon," Lorelai responds. Emily glares at Lorelai. "Get it, he's a dish. A dish?" No one laughs. Lorelai glances at Rory who shakes her head violently. Lorelai shrugs.
"So, I take it he's not coming tonight?" Emily responds, disappointed. Rory gives Lorelai a look telling to just spill it, but Lorelai holds back. Instead she smiles at Trix and Richard.
"Hello, Gran," Lorelai says, walking over and sitting on the couch next to Trix's chair.
"Well hello Lorelai, I was wondering when you were going to notice me," Trix says in her haughty tone.
"Oh Gran, I would could never ignore you," Lorelai teases.
"Hello there Rory, are you just going to stand there by the door? Emily is that where you make your granddaughter stand?" Trix berates Emily.
"No. Rory go sit by your mother. Here's a soda and give your mother the glass of wine," Emily orders. Rory takes the drinks and walks over to sit next to Lorelai. She hands Lorelai the wine.
"Lorelai, I heard that you have a wedding coming up in April," Trix says. Lorelai forces a smile, refusing to turn and look at Rory.
"Yes, it's going to be wonderful. We have the hall and the flowers and the invitations all picked out," Emily says. Lorelai glances up at Emily, trying her best to keep the horrified look off her face.
"Actually..." Lorelai begins, looking suddenly tense.
Unfortunately the maid walks in and tells them that dinner is ready. Richard helps Trix up, who has begun to go on about how dinner is never ready on time, and they walk into the dinner room. "Well come on!" Emily exclaims, motioning to Lorelai and Rory. She walks into the dining room.
Lorelai and Rory slowly stand up. Lorelai quickly downs her drink. "Do you think they'd notice if we just didn't show up at the wedding?" Lorelai wonders. Rory frowns in thought.
"It's hard to say," she answers. Lorelai chuckles. She puts an arm around Rory and leads her into the dining room. They sit down next to each other across from Emily.
The maid walks in and puts salads down in front of each of them. "So tell me about this man you're marrying?" Trix asks Lorelai, who looks up at her grandmother, timid for once.
"It's Christopher, Rory's father, Mom," Emily responds.
"Actually..." Lorelai begins again. She looks down at her plate, collecting her thoughts.
"He's not Rory's father?" Trix asks, confused.
"Actually, we're not getting married. We broke up," Lorelai informs them, forcing a smile. Rory looks down at her plate, playing with her lettuce, waiting for what comes.
"You broke up?" Richard asks.
"Yes, Dad, we – we didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things. We're not the same people we were at 16," Lorelai tries to explain. This doesn't seem to settle anyone in the room.
"How can you just let her do this, Emily? How can you let her just throw her life away?" Trix snaps. Lorelai's eyes open wide.
"She didn't have anything to do with what happened!" Lorelai insists. She glances over at Emily, who's smirking. "What!"
"I can't say I'm surprised. I don't know why I even put any money into this wedding. Of course you were going to break up, of course you were, because that's your style Lorelai," Emily says. Lorelai sits back.
"My style?"
"Yes, this has happened before. With Max. With Christopher the first time."
"Well I never got engaged to Christopher the first time," Lorelai responds.
"With David Dryer." Lorelai's mouth drops open.
"Uh! That was eighth grade!" Lorelai exclaims. "It was for fun. It was a joke. Who gets engaged in eighth grade and gets married?"
"Amy Saddleburg," Emily replies, with a sickly sweet smile.
"And where is she now?"
"I believe she lives in Hartford still with her husband, who she married after high school, and their two children." They glare at each other.
"Well okay, there's one." Lorelai shrugs.
"Still, it is a habit with you. Fine then. Next time you get engaged, don't tell us, just call us up the night before the wedding, I'll get the present out of the closet and come to the wedding," Emily says coldly.
"Oh I hope you don't go through too much trouble," Lorelai mutters.
"Well I deserve to be angry, you've done this time and time again. Just think of what you're doing to your daughter."
"By not marrying someone I don't love?"
"You just spend your life flitting from one man to the next as if it doesn't matter. As if you just need a man by your side to make you happy, who cares which one. And then you get engaged, because it seems inevitable, but eventually you realize that the man was just a fling and you break it off."
"Two broken engagements does not a habit make," Lorelai mumbles, starting to cave under pressure.
"And you'll do it again. Maybe one time, one time you'll make it to the alter. I just hope the wedding isn't in that filthy diner!" Lorelai's eyes shoot arrows at Emily.
"I hope you're not meaning what I think you're saying," Lorelai warns.
"Well it may end up being your only option," Emily retorts.
"Lorelai, your mother's right, you can't just treat men like that," Richard adds.
"You could end up unmarried and where would that leave you?" Trix asks.
"Mom has a point," Richard says, with a wink towards Trix.
"And again just think of the model you're setting for Rory," Emily adds. Lorelai put her head in her hands, trying to block everything out.
"You know, this has been a very unsettling dinner. This argument has upset my palate. I don't think I could eat a bite. Richard, will you come help me to my room?" Trix asks. Emily and Lorelai glare each other.
---------------------------------
Rory and Lorelai walk out of the house into the snow. Lorelai stands there, arms crossed for a moment. "It could have been worse," Rory says. She looks up at Lorelai, her face full of sympathy.
"You know. I've seen those documentaries on TV about cults and tribes. They drag one defenseless member out into the center and attack them verbally and physically until they leave them to rot," Lorelai says quietly. She sighs taking Rory's hand and rubbing it as she looks down at it. She swallows.
"Mom, do you want me to drive?" Rory asks. Lorelai looks up at Rory with tears in her eyes. She sees how deep Rory's feelings run for her and smiles softly.
"Yeah," she says nodding. "Yeah I do." Rory nods and takes the keys from her mother. She gets into the car. Lorelai glances back up at the house, her lips trembling, and she closes her eyes.