"Don't own Gilmore Girls. Welcome to 2024 and yes, this chapter has been being worked on for a very, very long time. Sorry it took me so long to get up. Still working on my doctoral degree and husband is deploying plus, I managed to travel over 10,000 miles since the last installment. However, my travels were glorious, unlike Rory's. I hope this was worth the wait. I plan to skip about a month between each chapter, so next up will be Thanksgiving and then winter wonderland wedding. While I am trying to incorporate as many original characters and new ones in here, it is taking place with Rory as my main character.
thanks for reading and happy new year!

Michel confirms the time for a lunch reservation and smiles slyly at Lorelai after hanging up. "You are so fortunate, Lorelai; I have confirmed your lunch date today at 12:30; please be on time to table 3." He purrs and then walks into the kitchen to speak with Sookie.
"Don't tell her" Michel starts with as he enters the kitchen, causing Sookie to lose her grip on a pan and have it clatter back to the stove.
"Tell who what?" comes the confused reply as she grabs the handle and pulls it back, really glad it was not the sauce she had just picked up.
"Lorelai, of course," his French accent slurs the words together, "she is having lunch."
"You don't want me to tell Lorelai she is having lunch?" a very confused Sookie echoes.
"Yes, exactly." a smug Michel leaves the kitchen as Lorelai enters, "she won't tell you." He grins.

Lorelai grabs a mug and fills it with coffee, leaning against the counter, "Sookie, what are you not telling me?" confident that in Sookie's chaos, she will spill.
"Honestly, Lorelai, I have no idea, other than I am not to tell you that you are having lunch, but I don't see how you don't know that you are having lunch unless you were planning to skip lunch or eat somewhere else. You know, I really don't know what he was talking about." she stuck her finger in the sauce and nodded her satisfaction, "You, Skip, come stir the sauce and turn it down. I need to check the pies and cakes," she continues grabbing a towel and opening the oven door.
Still confused, Lorelai realizes that Michel said nothing of use to Sookie and she was going to be having lunch in a couple of hours at table 3, which was not set up yet.

"Grandma, you're the best, thank you." Rory said as Emily hung up the phone, "Mom will be so surprised to have us all there for lunch."
"Well, I think your Grandfather will be delighted about my telling him to come home on a random Wednesday in October to eat lunch." The two Gilmores laugh as they enjoy their little surprise visit to Lorelai. "Now, we have the reservations, and I want to hear the details about what happened with Shira and Fallén. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall to see her expression."
"Grandma, you are my inspiration." Emily raised an eyebrow, questioning, "I had no idea she wasn't from society until you told us her story, and that gave me the confidence to tell her to butt out.""
"Rory, how could you not know? She is so crass and self-absorbed, just a real new money snob, and she is the 'rags to riches' new money snob, just the worst. It is just disgusting how she treats people, no real concern for those in need just showing up to charity events to be seen."
Rory's inward dialogue thought about how her Grandmother also didn't seem to care so much about people and her disregard for those in genuine need, but she also started to understand that her Grandma really didn't see how her treatment of people, particularly the hired help, was also a lack of concern for people. Musing this revelation, Rory contemplated if there was a way to bring it to Emily's attention. While part of her was really tempted to say something, she wasn't sure that rocking another boat was really in her best interest right now and maybe she could talk with Logan before exploring that particular issue. Knowing her mother had made numerous attempts over the years was not reassuring that Rory would be heard if she did raise the specter. Realizing she hadn't yet responded to her Grandmother and her rant on Shira, it was important to return to the conversation at hand.
"Please Rory, details." Emily pleaded.
Rory decided that she could give Emily the details and then just provide the overview at lunch when she surprises her mother with her grandparents in tow, and then she will be forced to give the details again after lunch when it is just she and her mother. Rory decides it is a small price to pay, repeating the story twice to get 48 hours in Stars Hollow. She has already tipped off Lane about her impending presence so they can get a few hours together.
Emily claps her hands in delight as the retelling of the Shira dress-down comes to a conclusion.
They hear the door open as Richard enters, "I'm home, Emily; what was so important that I had to leave the office immediately?" his voice is irritated, and they can hear him hanging up his coat in the hall. Emily nudges Rory to answer him.
"I'm sorry to cause any problems, Grandpa." She calls outs.
"Rory? Is that you? Oh, my goodness, well, Emily, you should have told me it was even more urgent than you did, have I missed a minute with my Rory?" They embrace, Rory has a small tear of joy run down her face as she feels her Grandpa's arms, the only arms that feel any better are Logan's.
"I am glad you are pleased to come home early. I thought it would be fun to surprise Mom, we have reservations at the Inn for 12:30." She says letting go and wiping her check discreetly. Emily notices that both of them have slightly watery eyes and big smiles and inside she still delights that she convinced them to play golf all of those years ago. Their bond warms her heart.
Richard puts his hands on Rory's shoulders and looks her over, "you look spectacular. Lunch in Stars Hollow with your mother as a surprise. Well, this should be a treat. Might be the first time she is glad to see her mother." He chuckles.
"Richard, that is not nice." Emily scolds "ok, a bit true though."
Rory had forgotten about the playful private relationship between her grandparents. It is refreshing to see them this way again. After giving Rory another pat on the shoulder, Richard turns to Emily.
"Hello dear." He gives her a kiss and pulls her in, "thank you for including me." he says quietly in her ear.
"Of course, always." She says smiling and pulling back.
Rory is once again lost in her thoughts about how wonderful her grandparent's relationship is and that if she and Logan are lucky they too will still kiss and hug with the banter in the future. She pulls out her phone and looks at the time; Logan is definitely awake, probably in the office.
R: "Hey Babe, hope you are having a great morning. Thanks for the help in arranging the last minute flight to Hartford. Made it to my Grandparents about 30 minutes ago. We are going to SH to surprise Mom for lunch."
L: "Morning, Ace! Great news on the break; enjoy time with everyone. I'll tell Elaine you appreciate the arrangements. Have a wonderful lunch, reviewing data for a meeting. Talk tonight? Love you!"
R: "Love you too kisses"

Rory slipped her phone in her pocket and looked back at her Grandpa, who was just speaking.
"Well, Rory, how is the trail? Are you making the contacts you had hoped for? Have I mentioned how impressive your AP article was, we have it in every paper that picked it up in the area." Richard had sat down, prepared to dig into their conversation.
Rory knew they had about 20, maybe 30 minutes before they needed to leave, and she really wanted to talk with her Grandpa alone about the Oprah meeting and how to use that contact. She and Logan had discussed it some, but she wanted another perspective. "Actually, Grandpa, I met someone, and I need your take on the situation, Um." Richard's eyebrows went up, and he looked toward his office; she nodded and laughed nervously.
Richard beckoned to her and pointed to the office, "You know Rory, I have one last detail from the office to sort out; why don't you come into my office, and that way, we can chat as soon as I am finished?" A wave of relief washed over her, not that she didn't want Emily to know, but she needed the level-headed approach only Richard could provide. Closing the door behind them, "Well?"
"Grandpa, I met Oprah Winfrey, and she gave me her card and told me to contact her when we are in Chicago."
Richard sat for a moment, absorbing the information, "Your mother told me you met Oprah; she didn't indicate anything about her being a contact for you."
Rory biting her bottom lip, "I haven't discussed it with her, just Logan and now you."
Richard's shoulders squared, and he seemed to get bigger, "Well, then, I think she recognizes talent, and you would be very wise to spend some time getting to know her. You know she is an avid reader, and well, we both know that anyone who consumes books is a good person to know." His eyes twinkle as he finds the commonalities for her to grab onto, "Rory, you do know that the broader your network, the more opportunities that will arise. There is a rumor that she will be backing Obama, which makes sense, but this will be the first time she comes out for a candidate before the actual nomination. This could be a real opportunity. Maybe you could interview her on why she supports Obama and dig past the fact that they are both Black. This will let you know if she is someone you really want to connect with or just keep as an acquaintance."
Rory slides back in her chair as Richard pauses to mull over what he will say next.
"You know, some famous people are not actually people you want to be associated with. Money doesn't define the person; their values and moral compass are important. I just, Rory, this is just between us." Rory moved forward in her chair; Richard rarely discussed this type of personal information. "Rory, when I was just starting out in the insurance business, we had a client in New York, real estate developer, well, you know the name – Trump. I was excited to get that business. It was millions in revenue for us, but then I met him, and he, well, something didn't sit right. As we talked to people who did business with him, he was engaged in valuation games, saying one thing to banks and another to his insurance company. We held onto him for a bit, but then we saw how he was; well, I won't go into details, but let me just say, he didn't treat your Grandma right, and no one disrespects my wife." Richard sat back and put his fingers together in front of his chest.
Rory sat for a moment, thinking, "He didn't do anything?" she queried.
"Oh, no, he would be dead if he had." Richard's face was stern, "No, he spoke to her in a way that she was somehow beneath him because of his money."
Rory smiled; she knew that feeling; Shira tried to do the same thing to her. "Rory, you know I want the best for you, and well, in that vein of thinking, I, of course, never want you to go without, but money doesn't buy love, and it doesn't buy true respect."
She slid back into the chair, her mind flitting from the thought of how Logan respects her and how much they are both compromising to make all of this work. Then she sees the connection to Oprah; there needs to be respect for her on a personal level and not just her star-struck fame. "Thanks, Grandpa. I like the idea of the interview. I want Oprah to respect me, and I think an interview will be a huge step in establishing that trust. "
Fidgeting with her shirt, "So you think I should get in touch when I get to Chicago."
"Oh, no, my dear." He replied, leaving Rory to look at him quizzically; he noticed she was about to question his statement, "I would arrange a date and time now for when you are in Chicago. She has a show and the charities, and when you are in Chicago, Obama will be in Chicago, and it will be best to already be on her calendar."
Emily came walking into the room, "whose calendar, Richard?"
He cheekily replied, "Oprah's."
"why on earth do you need to be on Oprah's calendar? Does she need insurance on a house here in Connecticut?" Emily inquired, "And we must get going; let's finish this discussion in the car. Oh, I am really looking forward to seeing Lorelai's expression. Should we enter first, and then Rory come in after us? Maybe I can use that new phone you have, Rory, to take a picture and capture the surprise."
Rory was glad that the topic of Oprah was now in the past and they had moved on, she agreed with the surprise and would plan to give her phone to her grandparents for them to take the picture. She was just hoping that Michel had not spilled the beans. In the meantime Rory had sent the contact information for Oprah to Logan and asked Elaine to make an appointment for her on the 2nd day they would be in Chicago in early November. She knew her Grandpa was right last minute was not ideal with someone that busy. The three of them chatted about her itinerary and the pieces she had worked on since California. There had been a few adjustments to the schedule and she was updating Emily on activities on the east coast, and was pleasantly surprised that they asked her if they could come to one of the events in New York City.
"Actually, Grandma, if you come, we could make a little trip out of it, Barack has to go to DC for some business as Senator following New York and I was thinking that I could be there instead of heading to DC and just sitting in a hotel. Finn could arrange a suite for us and I could introduce you to Mary K. I know that the other reporters will be heading into DC but she wanted to explore New York."
Emily was delighted to be invited to be with Rory and her friend, but not wanting to overstep, "well, then we will plan to attend the fund raising event, and your Grandpa can take care of any business he has in the city that morning and we can do a breakfast and maybe go to Barney's or Bergdorf, then I will leave the two of you for lunch. Does that sound like a good plan?"
Rory was relieved that her grandma was willing to join them, but not overstay, "sounds perfect."
They fell into a comfortable silence as Richard drove through the town. "Nothing ever changes here, does it" she mused, she had opened the window to let the music from the troubadour serenade them.
"Unless you count the installation of this silly stop light, it can definitely add extra time." Richard complained.
"But Grandpa, it gives you more time to enjoy the music."
Emily went to say something, but Richard patted her hand and she let it drop. This was Rory's home and she was including them in this surprise for Lorelai. She really was delighted with how things were going and didn't want to rock the boat. Rory tapped Emily on the shoulder, " ok, Grandma, here is my phone. I will wait outside for a full minute before coming in."

"Michel, table three is set for 4 people." Lorelei leaned on the desk imploring him with her eyes.
Rolling his eyes, "Vraiment?" he looks at the table, "Oui, it is." He confirms.
"Ugh, Michel, who is coming?"
"An honored guest." He replies, his eyes light up as he sees Emily and Richard walk through the door.
Lorelei groans, "My parents? You are ambushing me with my parents? Remind me to garnish your wages," she lashes back at Michel, "Mom, Dad! What are you doing here? Did I miss a message?"
Emily scowls. "Oh, stop being so dramatic, Lorelai." Turning to Michel, "Hello, Michel, it is so lovely to see you." As they touch cheeks in greeting. Meanwhile, Lorelai has turned to her Dad.
"Dad, this is unexpected to see you."
"Thank you, dear." He responds with a hug and pulls out the chair as they have moved to the table. He has noticed that Rory snuck in and is around the corner. Lorelai goes to sit in the offered chair, "I'm sorry, Lorelai, you need to get your own chair. This is for someone else."
She looks around and sees her mother is already sitting down. "Did you invite Luke? Is this a wedding intervention? Everything is going fine with the planning. We are definitely getting married." She notices her mother is holding a phone, "Mom, you have the new iPhone? What is going on."
Richard smiles and calls, "Come on out; we don't need a total meltdown here."
"Hi, Mom!" Rory says as she comes around the corner.
"Oh, my god, Rory, this is "They are hugging and jumping up and down while spinning in circles. "Rory, you're here! What are you doing here? When did you get in? How long are you staying?" All the frustration that had been building up is completely released as daughter and mother separate. Emily has captured the look on Lorelai's face and places the phone at Rory's place.
Rory steps back, "I thought I was the reporter." She grins and gives her mother one last hug. "I flew into Hartford about 2 hours ago" a questioning tone of voice looking at Emily, who nods in agreement, "Yeah, about 2 hours ago. I have about 48 hours before the next event, so I took advantage of being on the East Coast. Obama has a vote in Congress regarding the economy, and then he is meeting with some colleagues in preparation for another vote on funds for the Iraq and Afghan wars. As soon as they announced the time off, I decided to come visit since we were in New Hampshire. Does that answer all of your questions?" The two have settled in, and food is being brought out from the kitchen. Rory looks up and sees Sookie; she jumps up and runs over to give her a big hug. "Thanks for keeping my secret." She whispers, then pulling back and looking at the very pregnant body, "Everything going well?"
"Hey, we are both great. Regarding your secret, even Michel didn't know that I knew. Thanks for letting me know so I could make you the mac and cheese. Oh, and Luke is on his way. He wanted to give you some time with your Mom. He will come in time for the main course, now go eat your crostini." She gave her arm a squeeze, turning to head back into the kitchen with a big grin on her face. Sookie knew that Lorelai was going to be walking on cloud 9 for the next few days, and there wasn't much that could make Sookie happier than seeing her friend happy. She also knew that she couldn't imagine not having her Davey, Martha, and her soon-to-arrive surprise.
Rory smiled as she looked at her family seated around the table. Her Grandpa was sitting back in his chair, relaxed with a glass of red wine, having just finished the salad that had been brought out, listening to Lorelai talking about the wedding plans with Emily. Emily was obviously not trying to interrupt the plans, they had discussed the need for Lorelai and Luke to do it their way, the Stars Hollow winter wedding, having lost out on the original June 3rd plan due to the appearance of April. In a way, having the first one canceled had helped Emily be more accepting of this one's quirkiness, as she just wanted them to get married and be happy. Rory was also relieved her Mom and Dad had made a go at marriage, despite the insanity of the wedding, because there was no room for doubt that they were not meant to be. Rory sat down and grinned at her Grandpa; she leaned over, "I'm happy for them, too."
He tapped her hand in acknowledgment so as not to interrupt the flower conversation, "Mom, I would love to have you come with me to get flowers. I am still trying to decide how many I will need. With it being in December and the ceremony being outside at the gazebo, we won't need any there, and the gazebo will already be decorated in lights from Christmas."
Emily's mouth had fallen open at the mention of being outside, and she was just now recovering her composure, "outside? In December? Lorelai, what are you thinking?"
"Mom, there is no better winter wonderland than winter wonderland, am I right, Rory?"
"Hey, you say where and I am there." Rory backed out of this one; she knew her mother and Luke had decided on the outdoor venue to keep it small, very small. There was no way Emily would invite people to an outdoor wedding in December.
"Richard, did you know about this?" Emily chided.
"Um, I plead with Rory here." Richard responded, "Just hope we can warm up over a barrel fire."
"Oh, Richard, don't think such a thing, let alone say it." Emily was beside herself with the image of a barrel fire at a wedding, "this is not hoboland."
"Hoboland? Mom, seriously, hoboland? What does that even mean?" Lorelai picked up her wine glass and made room for the main course of chicken marsala over garlic potatoes.
"You know exactly what I mean, a bunch of people standing over barrel fires trying to stay warm. Rory, please tell me you and Logan will have a normal wedding." She pleaded, turning to Rory.
"I'll let Logan know we are crossing the Hoboland-themed wedding off the list." Rory grinned and could picture Logan laughing at the mere thought of his mother warming her hands over an open barrel fire. How did Emily get to these crazy ideas?
"Mom, we will not have barrel fires; thanks, Dad, for planting the idea." She didn't really sound all that grateful, "It will be a short ceremony outside at the gazebo with family present, then the reception here at the Inn. I will need flowers for here, ok Mom, we will have a lovely party here to celebrate."
Emily leaned back, putting her fork down on the plate, looking relieved that the reception would be inside at the Inn. "Very well, if that is what you want." But the tone of voice was full of Dear lord, what are you thinking?
While Emily returned to eating, "We must tell Sookie how simply delicious this chicken marsala is."
Richard cleared his throat, "so how are the honeymoon plans coming?"
But before Lorelai could answer, Rory jumped in, "So, does anyone want to hear about my encounter with Oprah?" she knew that Luke and Logan had been in cahoots and trying to keep the plans from Lorelai for as long as possible. Luke was downgrading Logan's grand island hoping plans and extravagant offers to something he and Lorelai would enjoy, while still accepting Logan's generosity by accepting an offer to stay at a condo in the Bahamas.

The conversation had been successfully steered away from the wedding and honeymoon plans and Luke had joined them during a dessert of chocolate cake. Emily placed her napkin on the table and pushed back, "Well, Richard, I think we need to head back home. Rory, are you coming with us, or are you staying here with your mother?"
"Mom?"
"Hey, kid, it goes without saying."
"I did bring my bag so I can stay, at least until tomorrow. Plus, I have plans to visit with Lane for a bit." She smiled, knowing that it wouldn't be a problem.

Rory approached Lane's house and saw her out on the porch with Kwan and Steve. "Hey, Lane, how are my little nephews?" she swooped in and gave Lane a huge hug and then leaned down to plant a kiss on the top of each of the twin's heads.
"Rory! It is so good to see you. I wasn't sure when you were coming, and was kinda hoping that the boys would be napping once you arrived, thus the outdoor play."
Rory sat on the step and leaned against the post, watching the boys kicking on their backs, laying on the blanket, "Not a problem, I can be here for a couple of hours. We can discuss the kid-friendly stuff first and then move on to the juicy details once they are sleeping." She looked around, "and when we can be certain there aren't any extra ears."
The two friends talked about Rory's time on the trail, the lack of plans for a wedding at this point, and how everything was shaping up for Luke and Lorelai. Lane was busy catching Rory up on the new recording session Zach was doing with Vapor Rub. Lane has been keeping an eye on the twins during the entire conversation, rubbing their bellies and encouraging them to engage while not taking over.
"Lane, you are a really amazing Mom. I mean, we have been able to talk this entire time, but you still took care of them." Rory observes as the boys start to rub their eyes and look a bit sleepy.
"Thanks, Rory, I appreciate that. Sometimes it is so overwhelming, but this was really nice. Can I ask you to help me put them down – they are both ready for that nap we were talking about." Lane leaned over and scooped up Kwan, "Here, can you take Kwan inside? We need to check diapers and give them a bottle. If all goes well, we should be kid-free within ten to 15 minutes." Rory feels a bit nervous but takes Kwan and cradles him. He is rubbing his eyes but accepts Rory holding him without any fuss.
"Hey, he likes me." Rory coos, "Hey, you like your auntie Rory." She is delighted that it is going so smoothly. Rory copies everything Lane does with the diaper change and then the feeding and rocking. Soon, there are two sleeping boys, and the friends find their way to the sofa to talk. Rory tells Lane about the Oprah encounter, which led Lane to talk about her desires for the future.
"You know, Rory, having the twins this early in our marriage has made it hard. I mean Zach is making ok money with Vapor Rub, but they are selling out stadiums. Then working at Luke's is great and all, but still, it is hard to cover all of the expenses of the babies. Mama has told me I can have the antique store once the boys are old enough. She gets a lot of business with the people traveling through here and then even more now with the Dragonfly."
The girls are facing each other on the sofa with their feet tucked under themselves; Rory has been listening carefully to Lane and leans her face on her hand, which is propped on the back of the sofa. Her free hand touches Lane's leg, "you know Lane, I don't hear you getting to do any of the things we talked about when we were growing up. Are you ok with letting go of all of your dreams and plans that way?"
Lane shifts, thinking about the question, "I am Rory, I am ok with the changes, well, at least some of them. I love being a Mom. I had no idea how simply amazing being a Mom could be. I understand my Mama now, you know, only wanting the healthiest foods and best influences." Rory winced thinking about her mother's junk food hauls, "Rory, I mean your Mom is amazing, but she is more a friend – you know, she had you so young. I think it is different when you are older and have a better sense of what it takes to raise a child."
Rory shifted again, "Lane, hey, I know my Mom did the best she could. I mean, had she stayed with my grandparents, I would have had all of the healthy food, but I don't think I would have had the same sense of love and wonderment that I had growing up here. It would have been different. I appreciate everything she did for me, and well, now, as an adult, I can also see that she made some mistakes. But overall, she did a great job, and I didn't turn out too bad." She laughed an awkward laugh.
Lane smiled, "Rory, you know - growing up, I always wanted Lorelai as my Mom, and she was a second Mom, but now I am glad I had my Mom. So, I would not give up being married and having the twins to be on tour. But I do want to figure out how to keep making music, even if it is just to make sure Steve and Kwan appreciate it all. Rory, are you afraid of not becoming an international correspondent because you and Logan are together? Seems to me like he will support you doing whatever you want and there aren't any kids, so."
They sat quietly while Lane waited for Rory to respond. "Lane, I don't know what I want. I feel like I am letting my Mom down if I don't become the next Christiane Amanpour. Then I feel like I am letting down Logan by never being home. I don't like being on the road all the time. I thought traveling was going to be glamorous, like how my Grandpa talked about it, but his trips, while for work, were more – I don't know, but they sounded better than what I am doing now. Don't get me wrong. I am meeting amazing people and seeing parts of the country I never thought I would see, but covering the attitudes in Iowa. I guess I just have to wait to see how the primaries work out. Right now, I don't think Obama is going to win, so I might be out of a job soon, and then it won't be an issue, right?"
Lane looked at her friend. So many other people's expectations were resting on those shoulders. It was one of the reasons that Lane liked Logan; he didn't tell her who she should be; he accepted her for who she was and supported her. "Question, so Logan, he is really okay with you never being home? I mean, Zach is rarely home, and I miss him, but I have the boys to keep me busy, and well, I am here with everything that is familiar."
"Yeah, I think about that. But Logan is so busy with the new internet company, and then he is working with two other guys on a digital magazine platform. I think that if I were there every day, he would feel guilty about the long hours. There is a rhythm to our days that we have established where we are able to connect and communicate. I mean, I miss the snuggles and the sex, but we are both working really long hours, establishing ourselves and then when we do get the face-to-face time, we are together 24 hours. It is really intentional and loving. I am a bit nervous about our expectations for when we are living together full-time, honestly."
Lane nodded, "yeah, that is a lot of pressure you are putting on yourselves. Like you said, if Obama doesn't win, then you are there in California, but what if he does? What if you are on the road for another year?"
"Honestly, Lane, if Obama does win, I will need to reevaluate everything. It is one thing to cover a candidate, most of them don't win. But from what I am hearing from the writers who fly in for the special interviews, a lot of the reporters who are on the trail end up in Washington afterward. I am not counting on anything, but you have made it easier for me to contemplate being a wife and mother – eventually." The boys start to stir, and Rory helps Lane feed them and change them once more before making her way back to her mother's for the night. Spending time with Lane was really helpful, and it had been a long time since they had talked that deeply and openly.
Rory was approaching Luke's and glanced inside she noticed her mother and was about to go in when the cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket, expecting to see Logan's name, but instead, it said Paris. After a moment, she decided to decline the call and walk into the diner for a burger.
"Hey Mom! Have a burger with me?" Rory pulled out the chair at a table near the window. The conversation moved back to the impending nuptials, and then they discussed the Thanksgiving plans. Rory would have four days off and see if Logan could come east. "Mom, I think Logan will make the trip, and I think you will be impressed with how hard he is working at this new company. There is nothing easy for him here, no 'son of the boss' privileges." She confirmed. Her phone continued to vibrate as Paris left the third message. "Mom, it must be something important; Paris has called three times now. I think I should listen to her messages." Standing up and stepping outside, Rory went to listen to the voicemails when the phone rang again.
"Gilmore, finally, you are some friend; I called you three times; I could have had the abortion by now with the speed at which you answered the phone. Damn it, Gilmore, why does this happen to me. I can't have a baby now, I just can't. Medical school just started, and I am so stressed out. Doyle is great being here, but he has it so easy just going to work. He is all for it. But I can't. Rory, you have to come and be with me. I can't do this alone, and Doyle will want to keep it."
Rory was in shock, did she just hear Paris right, baby, abortion, Doyle keep it? "Paris, hey, hold up, what is going on?"
"Geez, Gilmore, do I have to spell it out for you?"
"Um, in this case, Paris, yes, you do. When did you get pregnant? How far along are you? You really haven't told Doyle?" Lorelai is standing next to Rory as she asks Paris these questions; she motions for Rory to walk with her, trying to give her privacy from the town, but then also finds out what is going on with Paris.
"Well, I spread my legs." Paris started.
Rory rolls her eyes, "I don't need those details, Paris; the timing is more what I was getting at."
"As I was saying, Rory, I spread my legs last night and realized afterward that Doyle forgot to put on a condom." Paris continued with the details of their sexual escapades to make it clear why she hadn't paid attention to the lack of protection on Doyle's end. Rory muted the call and told her mom that Paris was most likely not pregnant but definitely crazy.
Eventually, Paris took a breath so Rory could get out her next question. "Um, Paris, are you on birth control?"
"Of course I am; what do you think I am, a harlot? I have an IUD, but Doyle knows the rules; he is to use a condom. Oh, so you think I might be overreacting and not pregnant? What if he was sleeping around and gave me an STD? I have been feeling itchy – I bet I have crabs or syphilis; oh, it could be gonorrhea. Why did I agree to this relationship?"
Rory is now sharing the phone with her mother as they are controlling their laughter at the overzealous Paris response. "Paris, last time I checked, getting laid was supposed to help calm you. I am sure that Doyle is not sleeping around, and he didn't give you an STD. I think it takes longer to exhibit symptoms."
Paris cut her off, "How would you know? You're not a doctor."
To which Rory reminded her, "Neither are you, Paris. Do some yoga or Krav Maga. Next time I am in Boston, I will stop in, and we can get coffee."
"Thanks, Rory. I guess I still need my best friend."
"Anytime, Paris!

A/N: I have been able to clean up the text for the app and the web version, but just mobile through a browser is still showing html and I don't know why. sorry!