"Marty?" Rory looked up in disbelief. She rubbed her eyes to clear the tears.
"Hey."
"Hey." Rory stood up and threw her arms around him. After a bit, she pulled back and Marty smiled at her, sheepishly. "How have you been?"
"Good."
"No more naked escapades in the hallway?"
"Sadly no." The two of them laughed, remembering the time when they had first met. "So how have you been?" Rory opened her mouth to respond, but then realized she didn't really know what to say. Up until about an hour ago she had been great. But now, she just wasn't sure anymore.
"Ok." But she couldn't fool Marty, he sensed something in her voice.
"So you cry now for fun?" Marty gave her a smile and she gave him a feeble one back.
"It's just tonight. I assure you I don't do this all the time."
"Did something happen?" Marty's smile now faded to a look of concern.
"Do you have anything to do tonight because it's a pretty long story." Marty didn't say anything and he looked like he was thinking about something. For a moment, Rory felt really stupid, thinking that he was probably thinking how to get out of this, but then he spoke.
"Come with me." He grabbed her hand and Rory couldn't help but notice the way her breath quickened a bit.
"Where are we?" Rory looked around the grand entrance. The ceiling was inlaid with what looked like gold. Lush couches faced one another. Plants stood in every corner. It looked like the front entrance to some swanky hotel except for the kitchen off to the side and a door that looked like it would go off into a bedroom.
"Would you believe that it's my apartment?" Rory's jaw dropped. The last time she had talked to Marty he had been trying to pay off school by bartending at rich parties.
"Wow, it's impressive."
"Oh it's not mine. I was just asking if you would believe it." Rory shook her head.
"So whose apartment is it?"
"A guy who I bartend for every once in a while." Marty walked to the kitchen and pulled a soda out of the fridge.
"So we just broke into someone's apartment?!"
"No I have a key. He gave it to me so that I can let myself in before the parties."
"Does he know that you're here?" Rory asked doubtfully.
"Well no, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him. Soda?" Rory was hesitant to take it, so Marty talked to her.
"It's ok I do this all the time and he hasn't noticed yet." Rory took the soda, but she still couldn't believe what Marty was doing.
"Don't you think that this is kind of stealing?"
"No, his friend's are lousy tippers, so I figure that it all evens out in the end." Rory laughed and then went to sit on the couch. She sank into it and was sure that her feet had left the floor. "So are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Marty asked as he sat beside her. Rory inhaled deeply.
"Do you really want to know?" Marty nodded. "Ok here it is, my mother is Anne Bancroft." Rory took a deep swig of her soda, almost wishing that it was something with alcohol in it.
"What?"
"Anne Bancroft, the Graduate." Marty looked confused.
"Maybe you could spell it out for me, I'm kind of slow."
"She's dating Logan!"
"Logan's still in your life?"
"Not anymore," Rory half muttered.
"So you and Logan broke up and then he started dating your mom?" Marty tried to keep the harshness from his voice, but the moment Rory had mentioned Logan his stomach had started gurgling with hate.
"No! That might have been halfway acceptable! Instead they go behind my back and I have to find out that they're dating by finding them snuggled up on the couch!"
"Wow." Marty ran his hand through his hair. "I don't really know what to say, I'm sorry I guess."
"I think I've heard enough of that word tonight to last me a lifetime." Rory sipped out of her soda.
"If you don't mind me asking, when did Logan and your mom ever talk to each other without you there?"
"One night I went to some guy's apartment and Logan went to her to see if she knew where I was."
"You were at another guy's apartment?"
"It wasn't like that! I wasn't interested in the guy. Nothing happened, well I mean we did kiss, but that was it."
"Oh," Marty mumbled.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"No that wasn't a nothing oh, that was an oh loaded with meaning. Spit it out."
"Well it sounds to me like your relationship was over even before your mother came along."
"Unbelievable!" Rory slammed her can on the table.
"You asked what I meant!"
"Yeah well I thought that you'd be supportive. Although I don't know why after all it seems like no one is on my side. I don't have anyone." Rory put her head in her hands and began to cry. After a few moments, Marty set is can down gently and then put his arms around her, hugging her to his chest.
"I'm always on your side. And you'll always have me. Remember that." Marty rubbed her back. And as Rory sobbed into his shirt his face screwed up as he resisted the urge to kiss her.
"You look like hell," Sookie told Lorelai as Lorelai poured herself coffee.
"Well good morning to you too." Lorelai sipped the coffee and then made face. "Cold." Sookie brushed Lorelai aside and began to fix a new pot of coffee.
"I didn't mean it like that, I just meant that you look like something's bothering you. Did something happen?"
"You could say that."
Sookie poured the beans into the maker. "I could say that or something really did happen?"
"Something happened."
"And by something you mean…"
"Loud angry words."
"So there was a fight." Lorelai nodded. "Are we going to keep going like this or will you just tell me what happened."
"Rory and I had a fight." Sookie gasped.
"Oh no! You know I think it's because of this new pregnancy. I always told myself that when I was a mom I would be just like you and well you don't have three kids so…" Lorelai cut Sookie off.
"Sookie that makes no sense."
"No, no it doesn't." Sookie tasted the pot nearest her and then handed the spoon to someone to stir. "Sorry this pregnancy is making me crazy and forgetful too. I have a feeling this baby's going to be a nutter." Lorelai tried to steer the conversation away from herself.
"Oh speaking of babies have you seen Lane's yet?"
"No." Sookie poured Lorelai a cup of the fresh coffee. "I think Mrs. Kim is going to keep anyone from seeing those kids until they get married."
"And she might not even let their wives see them then." Lorelai sipped the coffee. "Ah, much better thanks." She turned and was almost out the door when Sookie caught her.
"Wait you never told me what the fight was about." Lorelai mouthed a curse and then turned, attempting to make her face appear innocent.
"What fight?"
"Wow, it must be serious."
"Nothing major."
"So what was it about?" Lorelai hesitated.
"Logan."
"I thought you liked him."
"I do." If only Sookie knew how close to the truth she was.
"Well then what's the problem?" Sookie sprinkled some salt in a pan.
"He and Rory aren't together anymore."
"Did he dump her or did she dump him?"
"Neither, she caught him cheating on her."
"Oh! I never liked that kid. He's never going to find anyone like Rory…"
"He came pretty close," Lorelai mumbled. Sookie stopped her rant.
"What was that?" Lorelai took a sip of her coffee and then exhaled.
"Ok I want you to promise me that you won't judge based on what I tell you next." Sookie nodded. "The woman that Rory caught Logan with was me." The spoon Sookie had been holding clattered as it hit the pot.
"You and Logan?"
"Yes me and Logan."
"But he's so…young."
"I know, but he's really mature for his age. And I didn't mean for it to happen it's just…I don't know. You can't really help who you're attracted to can you?"
"I guess not." Sookie didn't look at Lorelai.
"Sookie, can I ask what you're thinking?"
"He was dating Rory."
"I know and like I said I didn't mean for it to happen."
"And he's young enough to be your son."
"So are you saying that you don't think I should date him?" Sookie looked at Lorelai and she could see the hurt in her eyes. She couldn't do that to her friend.
"I guess love can break down barriers." Lorelai smiled.
"And you're sure that it doesn't creep you out or anything."
Sookie wanted to say yes, but her mouth wouldn't form the word. "No. It doesn't creep me out. In fact you should bring him over sometime to get to know Jackson and the four of us can have dinner." Lorelai smiled and hugged Sookie.
"Thanks." Sookie smiled a bit, but as soon as Lorelai left the kitchen Sookie shuddered. As much as she wanted to be supportive, this relationship was a little too weird for her.
Lorelai felt free. It had been a week since she had had the fight with Rory and while she missed talking to her daughter she felt happy. She had a boyfriend, they had finally defined their relationship, and Sookie was getting more supportive. Although she had been apprehensive at first, Lorelai could tell that Sookie was gradually warming up to the relationship. Feeling as if she was walking on air, Lorelai walked to the front desk. "Good morning Michel."
"Good morning," Michel said a bit more curtly than normal. "I should warn you that we have a fraternity group checking in this afternoon. Please try to refrain yourself from jumping on them all."
"What…"
"Sookie told me about your little relationship and I think it's utterly disgusting." Lorelai closed her eyes.
"Who else did she tell?"
"No one, but I made sure to mention it to Miss Patty."
"You didn't."
"Oh I did." Lorelai grabbed her purse and walked to the door. "Mrs. Lawrence is checking in with her ten year old son, should I warn her or is your cutoff teenagers?" Lorelai resisted the urge to flick him off as she slammed the door behind her.
Lorelai felt like all eyes were on her as she entered the diner. After driving around for an hour Lorelai realized that she needed coffee and as much as she didn't want to be in public she knew that the most comforting coffee was at Luke's. Avoiding all eye contact, Lorelai sat down at the counter. The whispers picked up as Luke came in from the kitchen. He took one look at Lorelai and walked in the other direction. "Luke. Come on. Talk to me."
Luke walked over to her. "I don't want to. I'm a little disgusted to tell you the truth. And mad for what you did to Rory. In fact everyone in this town is mad."
"That's not true." Luke gave her a look.
"Raise your hand if you don't like what Lorelai did to Rory," he called to the diner. Every hand in the place shot up. He looked at Lorelai with a smug grin.
"You don't even know the whole story," she yelled to the diner, but specifically to Luke.
"I don't have to."
"Fine if you're not going to listen to me there's no reason for me to be here. Give me coffee and I'll go." Luke shoved a cup at her. The two of them looked up as someone entered the diner.
"Get out," Luke hollered at the little boy who had entered. He couldn't have been more than thirteen. "Or if you stay, sit as far away from this woman as possible." Lorelai threw a few bills on the counter.
"Keep the change." She stormed towards the door.
"Don't you dare touch him," Luke called to her.
"Go to hell!" She yelled in response and then slammed the door behind her, leaving a very confused little boy to deal with a fuming Luke.
She slammed her own front door. "Hey," Logan whispered to Lorelai as he wrapped his arm around her waist.
"How did you get in here?" Lorelai asked him, pushing him off a bit.
"Rory told me where you keep the spare key." Lorelai walked away and sat down on the couch. "Bad day?" Lorelai began to tell him all about the town's reactions.
"They hate me. They all hate me." She was crying now. Logan put his arms around her and rocked her.
"No they don't. They hate us. It has nothing to do with you and all to do with me. Don't worry about it." But Lorelai continued to cry, unable to stop.