The Gilmore-Grey Union

Book III: The Dinner

By Michael Weyer

Sorry about the delay between updates, distracted by a few other fics. I hope I can try to keep updates going a bit more regularly. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

POV: Gillian

Donna and I have gotten along well. I don't know why that is, it just is. Maybe we somehow are in synch mind-wise or maybe it just comes from being outsiders to this whacky Grey family. Regardless, she and I have often been able to connect.

Still, having her just show up at dinner unannounced like we were all expecting her is a bit much. Then again, from what I can tell, Donna's drummer doesn't just follow a different beat, he's in a completely different musical spectrum.

That's proven by her reaction of picking Vincent up in a gigantic bear hug and spinning him around. He looks as thrown as everyone else as she puts him down. "Oh, wow, I am so happy for you!" She then punches him in the arm and he really looks hurt by it.

"Ow, what was that for?" he complains as he rubs his arm.

"That's your second wedding I wasn't invited to!" she yells. "You promised me after the last time that if you got married again, you'd invite me!"

"Again?" Emily's eyebrows shoot back up. "You were married before?"

Amy gives a look that basically says "saw this coming." Vincent tries to brush Donna off and sit again. "It was a couple of years ago," he stated.

"Really," Emily coolly states. "And how did it end? You broke it off because if you think you're going to do the same for my grand-daughter…"

"She left me," Vincent snaps. "I quit my job, alienated my family, moved across the country to take care of her when she had cancer and she dumped me for her doctor."

Well, that sure quiets her down, which is something we could all use right about now. Donna is still standing with that goofy smile of hers as she goes around the table and hugs a startled Rory. "Hi, I'm Donna, welcome to the family! I'm so happy to meet you!"

She backs up and gets a serious look on her face as he raises her hands. "May your first child be a masculine child…but…not too masculine, you know? My baby isn't which is good since she is a girl but…you know what I mean."

I glance around the room and I see Lorelai looking completely baffled by Donna. I look to Luke and I can tell he's apparently more baffled at Lorelai being baffled by someone. Donna does have that effect on people.

She moves over to give Lorelai a hug. "And you must be her mother, wow, nice to meet you, I look forward to us meeting more in the future!" She nods to Luke. "You I don't know but I guess you're important, so welcome." She gives him a hug as Luke looks up to the sky as if waiting for something.

"Donna," Amy finally speaks up. "How did you find out about this?"

"Oh," Donna says as she lets go of Luke and faces Amy. "I called Lauren and she told me what was going on. You left her the address and number in case of an emergency so I threw on a dress and drove right on up."

By the look on Amy's face, Lauren can kiss her allowance goodbye this week.

"Excuse me," Emily pipes up at last. "May I ask just what is your relationship to this family?"

"Oh, right," Donna says. "Well, I was Judge Grey's court clerk for several years. She's my mentor." She gives Amy that big smile as Amy just gives that usual eye roll at her hero worship. Donna doesn't seem to notice as she goes on. "And Vincent and I were roommates for a couple of years, he helped me out when I got pregnant and later found out that the father, who was in prison, really did chop his mother to pieces and wasn't framed like he claimed."

Peter, Amy, Maxine and myself all take simultaneous gulps of wine.

"So I've been close the family since. Oh and Maxine helped me when I gave birth in a tub in her living room!" She beams as she sits down at last. "So, have we started yet or are appetizers coming because I can eat a horse right now!"

Emily still has her glass raised in one hand as she stares at Donna as if she just stepped off a spaceship. Richard is also pretty silent as he gazes at her. Something needs to be done to clear this tension and I'm the person to do it.

"You know, Peter is thinking of going back to performing for a rock band again!"

The focus moves to me with Peter staring at me in shock. Oh, dear, I think I've done it again. I'm trying to help and I just let slip something that may make things even worse for the family.

Maybe that's why Donna and I get along so well.