"Well that's my dorm, it hasn't changed much in 2 months. Where do you want to go next?"
Rory looked around the room thinking it seemed smaller than she remembered it when she'd dropped her daughter off. She wasn't sure what she had expected to find here, of course Rae would have tidied up knowing she was visiting. She still had a hard time picturing her daughter living away from her, especially here, so close to where it all began. She pulled the parents weekend pack out of her bag and looked at the schedule.
"There is a tour of the library in 15 minutes."
"You always talked about how great the library here was, wanna go?"
"I don't know, wouldn't you prefer to do something else? You always complain when I drag you round libraries."
"It's fine, I mean you probably already know all about it, you could take the tour but I know how much you love the library here."
Rory thought about it for a moment. It would be good to look around the library again and there wasn't a lecture Rory was interested in until the afternoon. Where better to spend some time but the library.
"That's just enough time to grab a coffee on the way then."
Rory had finished her coffee before they made it to the library. They joined the small group of families by the entrance. Thankfully Rory didn't recognise any of them. A student a few years older than Rae was standing at the door welcoming them to the tour.
"This is Sterling Memorial Library, built in 1930. It houses over 1/3 of the 10 million volumes in the university. I'm sure many of you noticed the women's table as we entered, it was designed by the same Maya Lin who designed the Vietnam war memorial. Originally a class project for which she received a B, the teacher who gave her that grade had also submitted a design for the memorial." Rory already knew all there was to know about this place it seemed. She walked a little further from the group towards the bookcases surrounding her. Rory ran her hand over the shelves reading the titles as she went. She picked one off the shelf and lifted it to her face. Only stopping when she heard her daughter clear her throat.
"Mom you're not going to smell it are you?"
"What's wrong with me smelling it?" She asked
Rae looked away from her towards the wall where a bronze plaque read 'Please refrain from smelling the books.' Rory frowned and lowered the book. Returning it to the shelf. Who would put up a sign like that?
"So you already knew all of that?" Rae nodded her head towards the tour still going on without them.
"I might be familiar with this library's history."
"You knew every word she said didn't you?"
"I did, and I would have done it better!" They both chuckled and headed for the shelves on the opposite side of the library to the tour group.
"So do I get the Rory Gilmore tour instead then?"
"What do you mean?"
"What did you do here? Where did you go? Where did you hang out?"
"I spent most of my time either in my dorm hiding from your aunt Paris, in here, doing work on the paper or in lectures."
"I don't believe you."
"Believe away, even back then you mother was a boring old bookworm who was happiest with a coffee and a notepad."
"Did you say your dorm was near the library?"
"Yeah, they both were actually."
"Who did you have to bribe to get a room near the library?"
Rory laughed it off but then thought for a moment, had her Grandfather had some input to her accommodation? He had set up her meeting with the dean after all. She felt the familiar pang of sadness as she realised she wouldn't be able to ask him.
Rory pointed a few things out on their way to the dorm rooms, the tree she used to study under. The bench Paris had thrown up behind before vowing never to drink vodka again, even though Rory was sure Paris had been drinking vodka at Rory's birthday last year.
"That's where my Grandfather and I played a trick on…"
"Yes?"
"Never mind. Did I tell you your great grandfather lectured here for a while?"
"Yes you did. Who did you play a trick on?"
"Oh, just someone in my class who'd played a trick on me. We were getting them back. I was showing someone around from Chilton and they'd embarrassed me so."
"Ok Then, do you think Gramps would do the same for me if someone embarrassed me here?"
"Oh he's been know to settle a score or two in his time. Did I ever tell you about the time he pushed Uncle Jess in the lake?"
"He did what?"
Rory told as much of the tale as she could Remember. " I think that's what happened, you'll have to ask them about it."
They visited Durfee Hall first, the building was much the same, Rory hadn't expected it to have changed much over the years. Obviously the couldn't go in the room but Rory showed Rae which one it was and told Rae about moving in and all ordering take out on their first night.
Then they went to Branford dorm. The entrance was exactly the same. They walked in, Rory heading to her old room to show her daughter.
"They've moved the notice board."
"What?"
"There used to be a notice board here." Rory looked at the patch of wall outside her old dorm which now had a small screen towards the top flashing different pictures and notices.
"Well, that's a bit old fashioned isn't it?"
"I liked that notice board."
"Sorry? Do you want me to ask if they still have it somewhere? I could bring it back for you at Christmas."
"Very funny!"
"So where else is on the Rory Gilmore tour?" Rae counted off on her fingers, "Dorm hiding from Paris, library, paper. Lets go to Yale Daily News."
"No. I've already been there. It's changed a lot."
"Perfect, you can tell me how it was when you were here." Rae linked her mothers arm and started back towards Yale Daily news.
"So where did aunt Paris build her bunker or did you make that up?"
"How did you know about that?"
"I read your book you know."
"Really? When?"
"Last time Uncle Jess visited, he asked about it, I said I'd never read it so he lent me a copy."
"There's nothing about, Well, it's only got people you already know in it."
"Yes I know, but there were a few stories I hadn't heard before. Artistic license?"
"No, I didn't make it up. She built it here but the editor's desk was here then and everyone had their own desktop."
Just then Rae pulled out her phone and looked at the screen. She raised one side of her mouth in a small smile then started tapping away.
"Everything ok?"
"Yeh. Some of my friends are taking their parents out to an Italian for lunch. They've asked if we want to go?"
"Oh. Who's that then?"
"Just a few people in my class."
"Sure, I'd love to meet your friends." Rory couldn't help but think something was up, Rae was not one for showing off her friends to her mother. Since the age of 10 her mother had been a great source of embarrassment to Rae.
They continued on Rory's makeshift tour for another half an hour before heading to the Italian resturaunt where Rae had arranged to meet her friends. They were early so they waited outside on a bench overlooking the park, Rae was glued to her phone so Rory got her book out her bag and started reading, this was comfortable for them, not talking a mile a minute like Rory would do with her Mom, just enjoying each others company but doing their own thing.
Rae's phone beeped again "They are just round the corner."
Rory marked the page in her book and tucked it away in her bag. She looked up to see the boy, young man, Rae had been talking to earlier. Rory's heart sank, of course he would be one of the friends they were meeting. She stood up and followed her daughter to the door. She was barely through it when she heard an all too familiar voice.
"Ace?"