The phone conversation with Emily was a prelude of the bad things to come.
Emily flew directly home from Europe, disgusted that Tweeny was spreading gossip so fast that it reached her abroad, disgusted that Rory wouldn't offer any information, and disgusted that her daughter kept an attack a secret from her own parents. Also bothersome was the odd inclusion of that Dean boy that Rory used to date in the story of her daughter's attack. Why was he in the picture at all?
Richard was too busy palling around with Digger to be of any help, and it looked like Emily would have to hire a suitable lawyer for the coming court proceedings. What would she say at the DAR?
Trial proceedings begin Tuesday in the case of Gimore and Forester v.
"Mom!" Rory called out as she entered the house, dropping her luggage in the foyer.
"Rory, I'm so glad to see you."
"Mom, I'm sorry I went away with Grandma, I divulged nothing about, well, you know."
"Kid, I'm sorry too. Things are going to get messy now with this trial and with our names in the paper. Um, Dean and I are, well, we are, um, seeing each other. What do you have to say about that?"
"I'm not sure. I hate the idea, that hasn't changed, but you and I are both adults. Dean is an adult. I don't want us to abandon this relationship and end up like you and your mom, I hate that scenario more than hating you being with Dean. Where does that leave us? The silent treatment punishes me more than you, so I don't want to ignore you. Mom, I don't want to see you and Dean together here. I realize you've probably...I just don't want to be around when he is. That's all I can say at this point."
"Fair enough. And I mean, you don't have to come to the courthouse. It's going to be uncomfortable. The town will know or at least know enough to piece things together. I'm not sure that Dean's mother won't murder me during the trial. I need to buy some stylish Kevlar clothing."
"Mom, that isn't funny. You know Grandma will be there. She griped about you the entire flight home. She is in quite a state over this whole situation. And Grandma isn't stupid. She didn't like Dean with ME, I cannot imagine she will be more accepting of YOU and Dean. I'll go to court to support you, but I'm afraid of Grandma in that courtroom."
"Rory?"
"What?"
"I love you, and you know that I wouldn't be seeing Dean if, well, if it was just a stupid crush. I cannot fathom how weird this must be for you, but there is something about him, and despite our age difference, he's the first man who really got me. I don't have to be another version of myself with him, or better, I don't try to be another version of myself around him, I get to be me. That has never happened before. I've never been this truly happy with anyone else. You need to know that."
"Noted. Of course I want you to be happy mom, you've sacrificed so much for me. We'll muddle through. It's tough, and a little Jerry Springer, but we'll figure something out."