Finally.
The dinner rush was over and I felt like I could breathe again. I really hate owning a diner when Friday nights roll around. The usual town crazies come in and drive me nuts. Tonight was worse. Of course it's all over town about Jess and Rory so the first thing I get asked when I go to the table to take their order "So Luke what's going on with Rory and Jess?" I say nothing and ask what they want. They ask again. I say "I don't know". I ask for their order for the third time. They ask yet again. I say "Order or get out". They order but they still keep trying to get information I do not have. It's fucking annoying.
"I hate this town," I say aloud to the empty diner as I start to wipe down the counter. I glanced behind me to take a look at the time.
8:30 p.m.
It's dead in Stars Hallow right now. It always dies this time at night. But it never seems to stay dead. For me at least. Around this time Loreali and Rory will bust into here begging for coffee and pie. They are relentless. I would not have it any other way. Besides if Loreali turned into Rachel Ray I would not get to see her everyday. I like seeing her everyday. I don't like a lot of things - or people for that matter but I like her.
The bell rings on the door.
"And there she is," I say as I finish wiping down the counter. I looked up and I wanted to vomit.
"Now Luke you really should not presume that every time that bell rings after eight that it is going to be Loreali walking through the door."
Taylor Doose. You would think that man would practice what he preached to the town about not walking the streets after sunset alone. Something about unsavory characters. I wish one of them would show up and take Taylor far away to places unknown. With my luck the unsavory one would bring him back in ten minutes flat. He got on my nerves after twenty seconds but then again if the guy is desperate to meet his criminal quota maybe he'll keep Taylor a little longer. Maybe even do me and the rest of the world a favor and we would never see Taylor again.
Nope. Not happening. He's still standing in front of me yammering about something or another.
"Go home Taylor," I say as a start to wipe down the tables. "
"You still have not agreed to put the sign's up for my Ice Cream Shoppe's special tribute to strawberries in honor of..."
"No Taylor."
"You are being unreasonable."
"Do you want me to kick you out of here twice in one day?"
"This will be discussed..."
"Yeah I know. Town Meeting. Should I bring my chart with me?"
"What chart?"
"Oh you know the one. I've been keeping tallies of how many times you piss me off in a day." And there he goes. Trying to stomp out of here. Look at him. He can't even get the door open. He finally does. "You're up to about twenty for the day. Care to make it twenty-one?" Finally he's gone. He's pissed. I don't care. What else is new?
I'm almost done here. I scan the diner everything in place ready to close for the night. Tables all set for the morning. No one else to wait on. Shit. I forget to clean the stove. No Caesar forgot to clean the stove. Wait. He didn't even work today. No. He did. When did he go home? Did I see him leave? Ugh. When will this day just fucking end.
The bell dings over the door again. "Son of a bitch."
"Howdy Sailor." There's that angelic voice. "I hope you never kissed your mother with that mouth. God rest her soul."
"Never."
"Coffee?"
"I just cleaned the coffee pot."
"Noooooooooooo! Luke why would you do such a thing? You know me. Coffee equals survival. Especially after the day I've had and by the way have you seen my kid yet?"
"No." I say simply as a move back into the kitchen area. There actually is a pot of coffee ready back here. Hidden from the crazy woman at the counter whom I love for god knows what reason. She drives me crazy. She's nothing like me at all. We could potentially have nothing in common. Still doesn't stop me. I can hear her still begging. It's funny. I plan on letting her go for at least another two minutes before I give in. I call to her from the kitchen. "Did you finish everything up at the inn?"
"Okay so that was completely off the topic of my coffee and my child but yes. Tom is there right now putting the doors on the rooms. Not exactly the doors I ordered because the doors I really wanted were on backorder so I settled. Anyways Michel is there now driving Tom crazy and I'm here driving you crazy. Everybody wins. Except for me because I sir still have no coffee," she finished as she held an empty mug and made a puppy dog face. You know the one I'm talking about. The sad lip, wide eye look that small children use to get their way. Yup she's doing that right now. And she wins.
I disappear for a spilt second in order to grab the fresh pot of coffee from the counter in back. I bring it into view and she jumps off her seat. I told you the woman needs to be committed. "Oh my god Luke. I should definitely pull out a round house kick to the face for even joking about not having coffee for me. You know how I am about coffee."
"I wish I didn't." I add as I pour her a large mug of the hot, steaming liquid she drinks as if it was her means to breathe. She wraps her lips around the brim of the mug and takes a sip. Her lips are moist from the black liquid as she swallows hard in satisfaction. She makes eye contact with me and smiles. Her expression of happiness seems to light up the whole room.
"Thank you."
"Anytime." There is a silence now but it's not awkward or filled with tension. It's very comforting. I'm not that great with using my words so I'll take silence over holding conversations any day but with her, I find that it's not so hard to find something to say.
"So still no word from Bonnie and Clyde?"
"Did you hear the phone ring?" She shook her head to say no. "Did you hear a car pull up?" She repeated the motion. "Anything that would signify they have been here since the last time I told you no?"
"Luke. Come on. This is my daughter here and if he..."
"Breaks her heart?"
"I just don't want to see her with that look in her eyes like she's longing for him the way I look when I long for coffee. It's just not healthy for someone her age to be that much in love with someone or maybe it is I don't know. Seriously who am I to talk? I don't think I've ever been in love. Have you?"
I didn't want to answer her because the truth is... well you know the truth. "Once."
"With who?"
I knew she was going to ask that. She couldn't stop herself. "Let's just leave it at once and talk about something else." I said as I took a mug from behind the counter to pour myself a cup of tea. "How are you feeling about tomorrow?"
"I know everything is exactly how it's supposed to be and exactly how I wanted it."
"Except the doors."
"Right except the doors. I've just never been so nervous slash anxious slash excited in my life. Well except when Rory was born but that was a different kind of nervous/excited you know the one filled with fear of screwing up more than anything. I don't feel that about the inn. I know I can do it. It's just..."
"I felt the same way opening the diner. I knew I could do it and that I wanted to do it but there was just that looming feeling that..."
"You are going to have the floor fall from beneath you because your dream is so real and you would give anything for it not to be a complete and utter failure."
"Yeah something like that," I said as a refreshed her cup of coffee.
"Luke," she said my name reluctantly, "I couldn't have done this without you. I mean the only reason I was able to get to this point is because you my best friend decided to give me so much so I could keep going. I don't think I could ever thank you enough."
"Loreali, look at me." I stared deep into her beautiful brown eyes as I spoke. "You are capable of conquering the world if you wanted to. I would do anything for you to help realize your dream and don't worry about thanking me."
She moved her lips as if to speak but no words came out. She just looked at me in a way I've never seen her notice me before. For the first time it felt like she was really seeing me and seeing how much she meant to me. She leaned over the counter a bit more as I leaned closer to her. Our noses were barely two inches apart. The heat and anticipation was so intense I felt myself start to sweat.
"You have always been there for me," she spoke softly almost in a whisper, "and Rory. I didn't realize it until right now but you are the best part of my life. The only real thing I can count on." This is it. The moment is here. I can't breathe. My mouth is dry. I need to take the chance right now and move in for the kill. We leaned in closer. Our noses were touching. Her forehead was resting against mine. Our lips were only millimeters apart.
Then the unthinkable happened. I could hear voices outside but I was trying my hardest to stay in the moment even though I knew it was them. Talk about the worst timing in the world. I could strangle them both for ruining this moment.
They were laughing so loudly in unison as they reached the door. I saw them out of the corner of my eye as Loreali started to lean back from me. I could pull every strand from his head out right now. He reached for the door as we heard him say, "It was definitely the best I've ever had."
"So not fair that was only my first but as far as I can see the best," she stated after.
Loreali's eyes widened before she started to speak. "I swear to god I'll kill him if that's them behind me." She turned her stool to see them standing there shocked to see us sitting here in the dim light of the diner. She practically jumped from her spot and lunged at him. Luckily Rory caught her and I came rushing from behind the counter and grabbed her arms. "He deflowered my little girl after what getting back together for a day. A day! And are you even back together? Rory how could you let this happen? My thinker, my list maker how could you not think about this before letting it happens?"
This was not going well. Not only did they ruin my moment but now she wants to murder Jess. You think they would have more sense then to just talk about having sex in the open like that. Did they forget where we are?
"Calm down Amy Fisher. We didn't have sex," Rory calmly stated. "Mom, we didn't have sex. I swear."
She looked at Rory and knew immediately she wasn't lying. "Then what was all that talk about it being the best he's ever had and it being your first. I don't claim to know everything but I sure as hell know Jess is no saint and Rory that he would be the first."
Jess, who was stationed safely behind the counter at this point, decided to chime in. "We went to New Haven and had aqua massages. I have them all the time in the city because I know the kid that runs the machine.
"An aqua massage?" Loreali questioned.
"Yes," Rory stated as Loreali wrapped her arms around her tightly.
"You have no idea how glad I'm to hear that kid. You have no idea."
No blood was shed this is good. Let's just hope it stays this way and that my nephew can keep his sarcastic mouth shut long enough for things to smooth over.
"Gees Ms. Gilmore," Nope. Why did I for a second think he was going to be an adult about this? And still he keeps talking. "You didn't really think I'd go behind your back and "deflower"..."
"That's enough Jess. Upstairs now." He was making air quotes and crossing a line he had to be stopped.
"But..." he began to protest.
"I don't care if you're an adult. I don't care if I'm not legally responsible for you anymore. You will go upstairs and we will talk when Loreali and Rory leave." I'm proud of myself. I can let a lot of things go but Rory is almost like a daughter to me and I can not listen to any more talk about her sex life... or lack there of. Actually I never said that. It's a moot point. End of discussion. I will never say those same words in that context again. Well at least I won't think about it anymore. It's creepy.
Loreali has still not let go of Rory. She's holding on to her like a newborn baby. "I think we should get going. Rory and I have some things to talk about so I'll just see you tomorrow." She released Rory from the hug but still kept a firm kung-fu like grip on her arm while she grabbed her purse off the counter.
"At the inn."
"The inn. Oh yeah because you are staying there for the test run. Of course. Umm yeah so I'll see you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow." It can not be here soon enough.
"Tomorrow," she said as she smiled and nodded while walking backwards towards the door.
"I'll talk to you later Ror," Jess said with a smirk as he waved good-bye to her.
"Good night." Rory smiled and gave Jess this look. I've seen it before. The night Jess had to pick up a part for his car at Gypsy's. They are going to meet up at a pre-discussed location.
Some things never change.
The walk home is silent. Uncomfortably silent. I've never had an uncomfortable silence with my mother. She's my best friend. We have days where being in silence is all we need. Not tonight. Tonight it is unbearable. I just want her to talk to me. To say something anything about what just happened at Luke's. I have never seen my mother lose control. That's a lie. I have never seen her jump to so many conclusions and lose control over Jess. No. That's a lie too. I have never had her not trust me to know that I would have enough self control to not have sex with Jess two days after seeing him again. That's the truth. I always thought Jess would be my first. We'll I've never had a first so who's to say he won't be anyways not the point. My mother completely lost her cool tonight when she thought that I slept with Jess.
Everything is changing between us. Ever since I started college is like we are living on different planets. I've hardly seen her all year and the times I did see her were rushed. It was not the quality mother/daughter time I've had for the past eighteen years. This situation sucks. I miss her and I want to be able to talk to her about everything at the drop of a pin but everything I want to say lately is better said face to face rather than receiver to receiver.
We are starting to walk up the front steps when she grabs my arm and starts to speak. "Rory I'm glad that you didn't rush into having sex." She turned to me and looked straight into my eyes. "I just want you to know that I'm proud you decided to wait." She turned around and sat on the top step.
Before I had a chance to respond she start un-strapping her heels on the front step. We are two feet from the door and she's taking off her shoes here. "What are you doing?"
"My feet hurt. Someone stole my jeep so I had to walk all day. In heels," she stressed as she pulled off her shoes, "So mommy can stop moving at anytime. I can become a bump on a log and there is nothing you can do about because I am the mommy and you are the result of nine hours of agonizing pain." She smiled as she put her shoes side by side between us on the step.
"I forgot how much you complain."
"Only to you sweets only to you."
Silence again.
I am feeling really weird and uncomfortable right now. This here is a once and a lifetime occurrence. At least I hope this does not happen again. It used to be all we needed when we had a fight or bad day in order to understand each other but she just does not fully understand me this time. The fact that she does not trust me when it comes to Jess hurts the most. I know she does not trust him but I never thought the day would come when she would not trust me.
Jess was and will always be a sore spot for us even more so know that I'm "not acting like myself" which I can not argue with but for the first, no make that second, time in my life I feel completely alive. Honestly, though she should be supportive of whom I choose to be without and trust me to do what is right for me.
There's that word again trust. She did not come right out and say that she did not trust me but it was very implied by her reaction. I can not fathom a world where she can't trust me.
The past year has been really hard for me, adjusting to being at an Ivy League college, recovering from my break up with Jess, and being away from my mom. There has been so much I've wanted to tell her face to face but getting used to going home at night to a dorm room with girls I barely know and Paris in place of my mom. Like I said before the relationship I have with my mom is changing and that frightens me.
Everything is still. The air. My mom. Me. It's just too silent. I just can not handle it anymore.
"Mom," I said breaking the silence as I rubbed my hands across the top of my jeans, "What if I did have sex with Jess tonight?"
Her head jerked in my direction. "Are you trying to tell me that you did?"
"No. I'm just wondering. You completely lost it tonight."
"Rory, I'm just trying to protect you from making mistakes you can't take back."
"That's all Jess has ever been to you is a mistake."
"That's not what I said Rory and you know it."
"It's exactly what you meant. You said you were going to try to be supportive and understand." This may be the only chance I have to make her understand and still I don't know if it will be enough. "Let me make my own mistakes because its part of growing up. So why, if this is a mistake in your book, can't you let me make it? It's not like I'm running away with him. I still have no idea what Jess and I are to each other again, if we're anything again at all. Let's just say it you don't trust me."
"Now you are talking crazy. Rory, when have I ever said I did not trust you? I let you make your own decisions about Chilton, Dean, Jess, Yale, the green spandex pants and pinkish grey sweatshirt you wore for a month when you were five. And you say I don't trust you. Babe, let me tell you something if I didn't trust you, you would not have had the choice of college, boyfriends, clothes and every other freedom you've had your entire life. That's the life I had and you know that is the last thing I wanted for you."
"Then why did you even think for one second that after seeing Jess again for what two days that I would jump into bed with him? That speaks volumes mom."
"I trust you Ror, I just don't trust Jess."
"Mom, you thought that I slept with Jess."
"I don't know what you want me to say here babe. I was wrong? Is that what you want to hear? Because I don't think I was wrong to assume that Jess forced..."
"Forced?"
"Ok maybe forced is not the right word but…"
"Honestly Mom. Jess would never force me to do anything. You are completely wrong about him."
"Really? Rory tell me one good, honest thing he has done to make me think otherwise."
I had nothing to say. The truth is that Jess did not do anything "good" to anyone but me. That's just the way he was. "Jess is not that same person anymore. Why don't you give him a chance to prove it?"
She stood up then bent down and grabbed her shoes. She started to walk towards the door as she reached for it she turned to me. "I'll give him a chance Rory but I'm not making any promises."
"Thanks." It was all I could manage to say.
"Only for you sweets, only for you." She said simply before disappearing into the house.
I think I want to stay out here and think. I just need to clear my head and process everything that is happening. That has happened.
Jess is back.
What does that mean? Is he back for good? Is he back to put a final nail in our coffin? Is he here to ask me to go away with him again? What is he thinking? Feeling? I just don't know. I've never been so sure and confused at the same time.
I want Jess. I know I do. I want him as much now as I did when we first met. I know Jess wants me but what does he want from me? Is he looking for a relationship? Sex? What?
He's saying all the right things that make me want to take that final leap from the comfort of his arms to the warmth of his bed. I wan to finally have the whole package. The entire relationship with all the baggage. I want everything. The good, bad, and the in-between; I want it all. I think I would have had sex with him tonight if he didn't stop us on the beach.
That's right he stopped us.
Flashback
I could not let him finish his sentence. If either of us started to rationalize this then the kissing, the passion, the love would all be gone. I pulled his lips into mine again. He responded to my liking like I knew, scratch that hoped, he would. We fell to our knees on the cold white sand as he gently leaned me onto my back the kiss grew deeper than it had ever before. I am not going to stop. I can not stop this. Not this time.
I ran my hands down his back and under his shirt. My hands against his skin never felt so right. His skin was so soft. His muscles are so smooth. I traced my fingers along his back as our tongues danced passionately.
His hand ran down my arm and rested on my hip as his other arm rested beneath my head.
I moved my hand from his back to his stomach. I moved my hand down slightly and found his belt buckle. I can't think. I can only feel. And I feel that I want him more than anything to devour me right here, right now. I started to fiddle with the belt buckle and he pulled back. 'What's wrong?"
He rested on his knees and ran his hand through his hair. He never looked so gorgeous. "Rory, we can't do this."
I pushed myself up from lying in the sand. I put my hand over his and looked deep into his eyes. "Jess, I want to do this. I'm ready to do this."
He leaned forward and pushed his lips against my forehead then gently laid his lips against mine. "We have plenty of time for this."
"Don't you want me?" I was starting to feel really insecure. After all, I'm not Jess' first. Maybe he just doesn't want me the way he wanted those other girls. Maybe I'm just not the girl he wants to sleep with. I'm the girl he wants to have everything else with just not the physical part.
"I want you more than you'll ever know. I just don't want to screw this up again. Whatever this maybe," he spoke soft and his voice was filled was an incredible sincerity and passion, "Trust me when I say this will be worth waiting for. You are worth waiting for."
"So know what?"
He pushed himself up from the sand and stood over be before reaching his hand out for mine. "I have an idea." I grabbed his hand and he helped me to my bare feet. He brushed his hand over the back of my hair to help get the sand out.
"The downfall to the beach… sand," I said as I wiped the sand off the back of my jeans.
"Do you want a massage?"
"Are you offering to give me one?"
"Even better. Trust me," he said as he grabbed my hand and led me back to the car.
End flashback
If I had my way tonight, my mom would have flipped out but it definitely would have been for something. She would have been completely right. One detail would have been wrong. I would have been the one that forced the sex thing with Jess. I wanted to so badly. It just felt right.
Jess and I just felt right.
A chill has just entered the air. Not an overwhelming it just dropped twenty degrees chill but one that gives you the sense rain in coming. I love the rain. I love the way the air feels before, during and after a good rain storm. The sound of thunder and seeing the bolts of lighting illuminate the sky. It is one of Mother Nature's spectacular shows and I think I want to sit right here to watch the whole thing unfold.
"What do you think I'm going to do to her?" I'm getting an intense feeling of déjà vu here. I've had this conversation many times before. Yeah. I'm pretty sure I was standing right exactly here and he was standing right exactly there the last time this conversation unfolded. I can tell you how, when and in which tone he'll say it in too. It definitely has the "Groundhog Day" feel to it and I do not like it. This situation is getting very tedious and quite repetitive.
"You have not changed one bit. I thought you did. I thought you grew up and learned when to shut your damn mouth," he declared in a very stern tone.
"It was a joke Luke."
"It's not a joke. Not to Loreali and not to me."
"I was trying to lighten up the situation. Even you can admit that it was getting very tense down there," I explained as I pulled the chair from the small table in the center of the room and sat down.
"It was uncalled for." Even though he did not say it, he agreed with me. Loreali flipping out on me like that was unnecessary. "You really have to learn to think before you speak."
"That whole thing downstairs was just awkward and superfluous."
"Superfluous, huh?" He repeated as he pulled out the chair across from me and sat down.
"Unnecessary. Excessive. Over the top. Any of those ringing a bell?"
"Listen smart ass I may not be a human thesaurus but I know what superfluous means." Do not let him kid you. He had no idea. He's just trying to act like he knows more than he actually does. Don't get me wrong Luke is a very bright guy but the English language is not his forte.
"Are you sure? You kind of had this blank look that resembled that of Victor Navorski when Frank Dixon was trying to explain to him that he couldn't leave JFK."
"How many times have you seen that movie?"
"Four. It's a decent date movie." I have been on four dates in the past year. Ironically back to back because every girl wanted to see the same movie. Needless to say the plot sticks like an old band aid. "Comedy, drama, romance all mixed into one plus Catherine Zeta-Jones is not horrible to watch for two hours."
"I won't argue with you there." Luke and I have very little in common as far as interests goes. I like to read and well he owns five books, three of them are about walking tours in New York. But there is one thing that we have in common; we both are in love with a Gilmore girl. That is something very few men have the displeasure of knowing.
I'm kidding being in love with Rory is the best part of me… it keeps me going and pushing forward even when we are apart. That's what the love of a Gilmore will do… make you better inside and out.
"Jess, I just want you to be careful with her this time."
"I didn't have sex with her Luke. She wanted to and I mean she wanted to, she was practically begging…."
"Okay stop please." He said as he got up from his chair and started to pace around the room. "I told myself I did not need to ever think about Rory and sex in the same thought so please."
"I'm just trying to be honest here Luke," I say in the most innocent, boyish tone. I know it pisses him off.
"Jackass."
I chuckle. He means it in the best possible way. No Johnny Knoxville reference intended on his part. "Listen I know that me being back here is going to be strange for everyone, I just I don't know what is going to happen here."
"What's your plan?"
"Nothing. For all I know tomorrow I could be back on the road to nowhere." And that's the truth. I have no long term plans for staying here. My intent was never to stay here this long but I trusted Luke to stick around to just see what was going on and I did. I guess I should thank him because I got to see her again. I now know that she does want to be with me, hell she went all the way to New York to tell me that she changed her mind.
"You can't just take off on her again."
"I'm not going to." I made that mistake before. There was no way I was going to walk away without knowing for sure if this is the right time for us. It may turn out that the timing is wrong again. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman's characters in Casablanca had the same problem. Timing was constantly off. The first time Ilsa ran out on Rick in Paris. I ran out on Rory, twice, in Stars Hallow. Then when they reunited the Germans & Victor Laszlo kept them apart again.
This is my third shot with Rory. If the timing isn't right I think I could be okay with that. At least I would know.
"Then what are you gong to do Jess?" He doesn't want me to hurt her. I can't blame him. I don't want to hurt her either. Rory is like a daughter to him and I know deep down I'm like a son to him so he just wants the best for both of us. No matter what that may be.
"I'm just trying to figure out what's going on with Rory right now. That's the most important thing."
"Just don't take off in the middle of the night," he said as he headed towards the bathroom. "Since your sticking around, you should come with me to the inn tomorrow."
"Yeah I meant to ask you about that. It sounded like you and Loreali where going on a romantic weekend away or something," I said as I got up and walked over to the refrigerator. My throat is really dry for some reason. Need to quench thirst. I open the door and grab the first bottle of water I see.
"It's not Loreali and I. I mean it is for Loreali and yes I'll be there but just for support and all. She is opening her own inn and the whole town is going to test out the kinks." If he could be any more obvious I would be vomiting right now. But it is amusing to watch him try to hide his feelings for Loreali. Very amusing. It should be a reality show.
"So lab rats we are." I say as I take a sip of my water. That is very refreshing. My throat likes to be wet, "I'm kidding. You really need to lighten up."
"Come. Don't come. Your choice," he said before closing the bathroom door.
I walk over to the window and for the first time since I've been back, I take a good look down at the town. It's raining now. The water washes over the pavement like the waves wash over the sand as the tide comes in. The rain drops trickle down the leafs making their own unique path down before disappearing into the rush of water.
Rain is such an amazing sight. I really like the way the air smells right after it rains. It's revitalizing. Like a new beginning. I know its really cheesy but hey maybe I'm getting soft.
I do trust her. No matter what she says or what she thinks I trust her. I just have to get used to having him around again. I promised her I would give him another chance. I really am going to try. I want her to know that I am doing this for her. It is going to be really hard for me.
I just finished getting into my pink comfy bed pants and white tank top when my cell phone starts to ring. I jump onto to the bed to retrieve my phone on the nightstand near the window.
"Hello."
"Hey doll." The raspy, smoker's voice could only belong to one person.
"Hi Babette." Of course it's Babette. Who else would it be at this hour? She probably over heard my whole argument with Rory.
"Listen, I didn't know if you knew but Rory's outside on the front porch. I think she might have gotten locked out but its raining so I don't want the poor thing to catch a cold."
"I knew she was out there, she not locked out she's probably just enjoying the rain. You know how she loves the rain."
"Yeah, I remember when she was about 10, little thing ran around outside in that pretty blue dress you made for her for hours while it rained. She wouldn't come in for anything."
"That's Rory, can't reason with her when it comes to the things she loves." I say it like its not big deal. Like its something as easy as changing your underwear everyday. Letting go of her is hard as hell. When you have a kid as great as her and you're as close as us, you tell me how to just let go. "But thank you so much for calling Babette. I appreciate it."
"No problem doll. I'll see ya tomorrow for the test run. Morey and I are so excited; do you have those coin operated beds?" I don't even want to know why she is asking just answer her and get off the phone.
"Sorry Babette I don't."
"It's a shame because Morey and I…"
"I really have to go Babette I got another call coming in. I'll see you and Morey tomorrow."
"Ok doll. Have a good night."
"You too," I say as I hang up the phone and throw myself back onto my bed. I love these people I really do but sometimes there is just too much information.
Is Rory still sitting outside in the rain? It wouldn't surprise me. Ever since she was little she always loved the rain. Some nights it was the only thing that would calm her down when she was a baby. The nights it rained she would cry until I opened the window. The sound of the rain was soothing to her. The rain is her snow. I love snow. I just love the way it blankets everything and turns everything into this pure white sheet. It's such an amazing sight.
I walked downstairs to go check on her. I was going to just open the door and tell her to come inside but something stopped me. I walked into the living room and peered out the window.
She was still there alright but she wasn't sitting on the porch and she wasn't alone.
There she was standing in the walk way up the house with Jess. She is smiling and laughing. I really want her to be happy. I can't believe it. I just saw Jess smile and laugh simultaneously. I didn't know he could do either let alone both at the same time.
I really should not be watching. I trust her. I just I can't help myself. Being curious isn't a crime isn't it? I guess I just want to see him through her eyes. The good Jess.
I watch as he puts his hands on her face and pulls her lips to his. The rain is making this all the more dramatic and as much as I hate to say it… romantic. I never pictured Jess for romantic but here he is standing in the rain making out with my daughter. Both of them are absolutely drenched. I watch for what seems like an hour but really only about two minutes have passed and they finally pull away from each other.
There just standing there holding hands smiling and I think whispering. I can't tell if they are talking or just trying to catch their breath. I can't believe I'm going to do this but I think it'll be a step in the right direction.
I walk to the door and take a deep breathe before opening the door. "Jess, Rory," I say as I step out onto the porch with my arms folded across my chest, "Why don't you two come inside? You can get some dry clothes on and I'll make some coffee."
They are both surprised by my gesture. I'm shocked by it too but I told Rory that I would give Jess another chance and I will. I'm trying. I can tell by the way Rory is trying to convince him he is being cautious. "Come on, I'm sure I can find you some sweats and a tee shirt to wear. Plus bonus I just bought "Napoleon Dynamite" so what do you say?"
I watched Rory turn to Jess and whisper something to him. He nodded his head and she led him up to the porch. Rory mouthed "thank you" to me as Jess let go of her hand.
He reached it out to me, "I'm sorry about earlier. I was just trying to …"
"Hey don't worry about it," I say as I place my hand on his back, "If the places were reversed I would have done the same thing." Okay so that's almost true. I think I would have done the same thing… try to lighten the mood that's just the type of personality I have. I don't take many things seriously just things that pertain directly to Rory.
"Rory," I called to her as I followed Jess into the house, "Go upstairs in the guest room and get Jess some dry clothes. I think you can find something for him. I'm going to start the coffee."
I know it was not something big. Dry clothes, coffee, and movie. It may not have been a big deal for him probably more of a nuisance but it meant something to Rory and really that's all that matters.