Gilmore Girls: Wish Upon a Snow

Chapter 38

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rory asked, an edge of irritation creeping into her voice.

Paris shrugged. "I just mean that you were always very concerned with the fact that I did whatever I could to get ahead. You were always the nice girl, wanting to do the right thing...then you woke up one day and you just decided to do whatever you wanted. It is a little disconcerting."

Rory opened her mouth but ended up just shutting it again, speechless. Paris had certainly insulted her on many occasions, but this conversation seemed particularly spiteful.

"You don't have to flap your mouth at me like some kind of bass, Rory. I just want to tell you what I am seeing. I feel like you may be 'going down the wrong road' or something equally cliche. Obviously, your bad decisions started a long time ago, but lately you have seen particularly listless," Paris explained. Her voice was calm and level, and Rory felt her anger growing with each word. 

"What do you mean 'my bad decisions started a long time ago?' You act like I am some kind of convict," Rory snapped.

Paris rolled her eyes. "Rory. You dropped out of school for awhile, you stole a yacht, you alienated a lot of people. You cannot act like you are just some kind of Bridget Jones, a little mixed up in your thirties, looking for love in all the wrong places and stuck in some kind of career rut. You are not having fun and being single, being unlucky in love. You are sleeping with an involved man, treating a relatively nice boyfriend like complete shit, you have no job, you live with your parents...you are involved with the same guys you were involved with ten years ago that got you absolutely nowhere. Why are you even bothering to sleep with Logan? You had your chance ten years ago to marry this guy and you didn't. Why are you ruining someone else's chance?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know this was the Spanish Inquisition. You should really stop taking out your insecurities about your divorce on me. I am sorry that you and Doyle are not going to be together forever but that doesn't give you the right to decide to throw the fact that I got arrested ten years ago in my face now. It is totally irrelevant. Besides that, Logan asked me to marry him ten years ago when I was basically a kid. I wasn't ready."

Paris shook her head. "No," she said softly but firmly, "You don't get to do that. You don't get to sit here and place blame on everyone else. It is never your fault. Chalk it up to timing. You and Logan weren't right for each other then so move on with your life. You are stuck in this neverending playback of the summer after our senior year. You have to grow up. You can never stand the thought of a guy that you liked, even if it was when you were a child, being in love with anyone except you, and that is really selfish."

Rory bit her tongue, pursing her lips in anger. "That is so ridiculous," she forced out, grabbing another piece of bread and looking down at the table.

"No, it isn't. When Dean moved on after you unceremoniously dropped him for that delinquent Jess, you just had to have him. Why? There weren't 15 other guys at Yale dying for your affection? Then Jess again, then Logan, the story just goes on and on. Marty, at Yale, you just had to keep him on the hook. You couldn't stand the idea that he could possibly be mad at sweet, lovely, wonderful Rory. You are like some kind of black widow or something. You want these men to mourn for you forever while you plan out your next meal. That isn't fair."

Rory sighed, "Are you done attacking my character now? I haven't been the best girlfriend, sure. But I don't think I am a black widow, for God's sake."

Paris nodded emphatically. "If you are done with someone, you need to be done. Do you want to come into my office for a paternity test? I think it would be for the best. Then maybe you can let at least one of these guys go."

"Yes, I want the test," Rory said quietly.

Paris stared at Rory for a few long seconds, something unreadable in her expression. "Fine," she said finally, "Stop by my office at 5 today. Do you by chance have something with one of the potential fathers DNA?"

Rory nodded, "I talked to my mom about the test before I left London, so I grabbed his toothbrush and put it in a bag."

Paris looked mildly disgusted. "Alright, Nancy Drew. It won't be kosher enough to use for legal purposes since that is not an official sample but at least you will know for yourself. You can always get a legal one redone later, if necessary," she said, her tone business-like. The waitress came to the table to drop off their salads. "Now eat your salad. This will all be figured out soon."

Rory said nothing, a knot growing in her stomach.