AN: Rory centric POST-AYITL story that takes place mostly in Stars Hollow. Small-town charm and quirk, mixed with starting her life over in a new role as a mother. For me she is not perfect - and I don't expect to make her one. There will be guys we all know and love in this story, and while there'll be some angst, romance and opportunity for "something" mixed in - this story is not about this becoming a ROGAN or Literati or any other ship specifically. On that front I'll just leave you guessing where'll she'll end up. Life is a process not a fixed happy-ever-after outcome.
The Simpler Life
"I really don't feel like asking him, Mom!" Rory complained, feeling both embarrassed and reluctant to do what her mother had optimistically suggested as her bright idea this morning.
Being back home had made her feel like a child, and she was well aware that complaining like this also made her sound like one. But in the company of her mother, she rarely felt the need to filter out much of what flowed out of her mouth, as did her mother.
They were making their way across the snow-covered town square, just passing the gazebo, their destination being as predictable as the fact that the sun rose from the East. Lorelai's third cup of coffee and Rory's first waited for them at Luke's, plus it was Danish day. Like clockwork - every Wednesday.
"Don't be such a chicken, Rory," Lorelai shot back. She was nearly about to cluck like a chicken to rub it in, but instead ran her fingers through the back of her loose and wavy hair, having not fully finished blow drying it this morning. Even for her, some jokes had become less funny with time.
"It was bad enough I had to ask him for the job! I had to beg him for it!" Rory exclaimed, tucking her hands around her waist to protect herself from the morning chill and wrap her coat tighter around herself.
"Yeah, a job that barely pays," Lorelai added with sarcasm, rolling her eyes. It was barely a real job in her eyes. Even though she understood what Rory saw in it. Considering Rory's circumstances, Lorelai had offered Rory a job at the Inn instead now that she was opening the new Annex come summer. But since Rory was even more insecure of her business savviness than her journalistic momentum, she'd bowed out, claiming to not want to work for her mother and feel like she was receiving charity.
"But it's a job that's in my field. It's something I actually know something about. Besides - the Gazette is historic, there's value in preserving something like that," Rory replied. For the same reason she'd never really considered the teaching career Headmaster Charlston had offered her, or turned down a number of other opportunities over time that she'd felt too proud to accept.
"Besides, it's not like he's eager to give out handouts," Rory added, returning to their topic at hand.
Lorelai knew that her arguments, explaining to her daughter how life was about second, third and umpteenth chances, being the perfect example of that herself, that didn't necessarily include one's original plan for a profession had already gone through out of Rory's other ear the first time she'd said them. Hence, she didn't bother this early in the day to bring it up again. Rory wasn't ready to hear her, and she was glad Rory had her writing project. Whether it actually became a book, whether it would actually get published, didn't matter to her as long as it gave her daughter who had looked so lost for a while now some sense of purpose.
"What's the harm in asking? Luke just went on and on the other day how Taylor owns like half the town. Apparently, he's been buying up properties for years now. Besides, even if he doesn't have anything to offer, he's bound to know if there's anything vacant anywhere else," Lorelai insisted.
"Or I could ask Ms. Patty?" Rory suggested, and made a skillful maneuver to step over an icy puddle at the edge of the road that she'd once slipped on years ago, while making a similar journey.
"She's on that cruise, remember?" Lorelai reminded her, and stepped past the ice herself. Things really had been turning around in Stars Hollow - people were retiring their businesses and newcomers were filling their places. There was the secret bar to liven up their nights, in the otherwise dead nightlife. There was the 30-something gang, which was making Rory feel annoyingly regular in comparison to everyone who'd left this place once with a lot less ambition than she had.
"Ah, right. But you know what he's like," Rory continued, referring to Taylor.
"Yes, I do know what it's like," Lorelai chimed in return, mocking Rory a little. She knew what dealing with Taylor was like, she also knew what it was like to be on the verge of a new beginning like her daughter was. That was even more clear to her than to Rory at this point probably.
Rory exhaled frustratedly.
"You wouldn't mind asking for me, would you? Maybe not mention it's for me at all?" Rory added, not loving to admit how her 'I'm not back' she'd been chiming to everyone who'd asked for the past six months had become a big fat joke. She was back. For how long she didn't know, but long enough to be back.
"Hey, it was your decision not to stay at grandma's house. She did offer," Lorelai reminded her.
"Have you seen the size of that place?!" Rory exclaimed. She had lived in that house for several weeks. But truthfully, the place had just felt too spooky for her, almost like a mausoleum of a different time.
"Um, huh, hello!? Excuse me, I happened to live there for the first 17 years of my life!" Lorelai snorted.
"Yes, but by yourself?!" Rory argued.
"I had some of the best time in that house while I was all by myself," Lorelai tittered to herself, thinking of some wild things that had gone on in that Hartford house one time or another. "But besides - you won't be alone, not for very long anyways," Lorelai chimed back to the topic at hand.
That was the hard reality, wasn't it? As much Rory liked to think she was just doing this for herself, for sake of self and pride, she was really doing it for the little girl in her belly, who was just about the size of a lime. Tiny still - but an identifiable girl nonetheless, with a rapid but steady heartbeat, making her very, very real.
"So, you'll ask him, right?" Rory asked her mother, half teasingly, just as the door to Luke's chimed in a familiar matter.
But her mother's glance was a firm reminder to her that she was no longer a child, despite what their banter might've suggested, and needed to start acting like the mother she was due to become.
After drinking her coffee, really slowly, and fighting the urge to let Ceasar top it off a couple of times without being too obvious about her reasons, Rory had gathered up enough courage to dart towards the Soda Shoppe next door.
She hurried out and over to the next door, nearly running into Andrew on her way there. Rory knew all about his sweet tooth during his shifts at his bookstore.
"Hey, Taylor, um… Can I talk to you for a minute?" Rory said. She looked casual enough, ready to head to the Gazette after this, her leather messenger bag across her body.
"Rory! How are you doing this fine morning?" Taylor chimed, jollily.
"You have a minute?" Rory repeated, gesturing towards one of the small tables.
"Remember Rory, I warned you. There's no room for raises in the town budget," Taylor began, guessing she was about to ask for something.
"This is not about that. Although…," Rory began, but realized herself that this was not the time to put any plea for a raise out there, despite desperately needing it. "Forget it. I was actually about to ask if by any chance you have any small apartments available in town that you haven't put on the market yet? I am in the market for one, but understandably, considering my salary right now, it would have to be a budget option," Rory said, managing to squeeze the request in in another form, leaving her feeling rather proud of herself, despite the underlying embarrassment of having to do this kind of begging in her age.
"Oh, that's a different story. Mostly anyways," Taylor chimed, thoughtfully, in passing greeting a few patrons that had stopped by at the shoppe in the meanwhile.
"So, do you?" Rory asked again, wanting to get this task over with.
"Well, I'd have to think about it," Taylor replied. "Is it just for yourself that you're looking for. A one-bedroom, I assume? Parking, too, right?" he discussed, not really expecting for a response from her.
"Um...," Rory began but Taylor simply carried on.
"Well, there is this attic space I've been meaning to renovate into a studio…," he added.
"Actually, I'd prefer if it wasn't too high up. As in it wouldn't have too many stairs. You see, I'm expecting a baby due this summer. And I'd like a place for the two of us. But yes, one bedroom or two, would do," Rory replied, inhaling deeply, admitting to the secret she'd been carrying around and so far, had only admitted to Lane, Luke and her mother.
"Oh my!" Taylor chimed, his mind clearly going where Rory really did not want his mind going. She almost felt like answering those questions straight up, but she was still under the illusion or rather, hope, that she could only share with the town the necessary details of her personal life. "Congratulations!" Taylor corrected his stance.
"Thank you," Rory replied, humbly.
"Hey, Rory! I couldn't help overhearing…," Babette's, her r-rolling voice suddenly came from behind her, causing Rory to sigh deeply. The news was as well as out for everyone in town now. But it was nothing she hadn't anticipated - it was the way small-town life was like and it was part of the reason she'd chosen to stay here to raise her girl, after all.