Colin and I were in Stars Hollow to go to a concert that Lane's band was playing at. Lane had invited both me and Rory to the concert and Colin had practically invited himself once he learnt that I was going home to Stars Hollow. Since I had first brought him home, he had this weird fascination with the craziness that was Stars Hollow. Having met Kirk the first time he wanted to see the rest of the weirdo's that inhabited the town. We walked into Luke's diner to meet up with my mother.
"Rory and Christa's coming in tonight?" we heard Luke ask Mom as we walked into the diner. They hadn't noticed us yet as we walked over to them.
"Yeah, they're going to see Lane's band play at Positively Four Street tonight. They have the coveted three in the morning slot." Mom informed him as I led Colin over to the table she was sitting at.
"I hear that's how Zeppelin started." I said to her as I approached. Mom and Luke looked up at us and I smiled at them as I gave Luke a hug and Colin kissed Mom on the cheek in greeting. I gave Mom kiss on the cheek as Colin greeted Luke with a hand shake and then we sat down at the vacant seats at the table.
"Hey, kids!" Mom said enthusiastically to us and smiled brightly. "Colin, you got dragged into the concert too?"
"Actually, I invited myself." He informed her with a smirk and she quirked an eyebrow at him in question.
"He thinks Stars Hollow is his own personal mental asylum. Full of crazy's." I explained to them with a giggle.
"That's true." Luke agreed gruffly as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Yeah, anyway, Rory's genius plan is to come home, go to bed early, set the clock for two, get up and go rock." Mom told us.
"Solid plan." I said with a nod of my head.
"Yes, except that when the clock goes off at two, she will be dead asleep and won't hear it. I, however, will. I will then proceed to get up, drag myself downstairs, recreating a classic Zucker Brothers moment and then I'll shake her awake. She'll get up, throw on some jeans, a t-shirt, and no make-up and look like a Neutrogena ad, whereas once she leaves, I'll pass out on the couch, too exhausted to make it all the way upstairs, and in the morning I will have bags under my eyes that should have Tumi stamped on them. I love being a Mom." Mom ranted to us and we laughed at her.
"Aw. Are the guys in town unusually lonely these days?" I joked as I noticed two men carrying a mannequin down the street through the large glass window.
"No, they're from the museum. I think they're getting ready to close it." Luke told us and Mom frowned up at him.
"Close it? No! Why?" she asked him with a pout as she watched them move the mannequin.
"Oh, well, you know, no one was going."
"I was going." Mom argued with her boyfriend.
"Oh, well, you went once."
"No, I was going to go again! Just as soon as the nightmares about the 'I love Jesus' mannequin subsided."
"Well, you saw it once."
"I guess." Mom said with a defeated sigh. Mom then turned to me with a bright smile and I raised an eyebrow at her in suspicion. "Did you return the blue sweater?" she asked me innocently.
"Oh, no." I moaned in anticipation of her line of questioning and threw my head back as Colin chuckled next to me.
"Answer, please."
"Two days ago." I informed her impatiently.
"Why?" Mom whined to me and I smirked at her.
"Why? Because two days ago you asked me to take it back. Demanded me, in fact."
"And suddenly you're just so freakin' reliable, you just hop to it and do whatever I say?"
"I've always been freakin' reliable. It's how I was raised."
"You were raised by Christopher. No, you weren't." she argued with my.
"Yeah, that's true." I said with a shrug. "I am not returning the blue sweater again, so don't think about asking."
"But I want it, I need it."
"I've already returned the Capri pants twice. I've tried to return a couple of your other items that were all sales final, which makes me look retail simple. And this is not the first, but the second time I will have returned the blue sweater."
"Ooh, the Capri pants. Have you taken those back yet?"
"I can't show my face in any stores in New Haven. They think I'm Paper Mooning them."
"Oh, she was very cute in Paper Moon. You're very cute, too." Mom said gleefully and I frowned at her.
"Calling me cute is not going to persuade me."
"Colin help me out here!" Mom begged my boyfriend.
"Come on, babe. Help me win boyfriend points with your Mom." Colin said to me and I turned to look at him I disbelief but then I saw his pouting face and I grimaced because I knew that I was caving.
"Yeah, help him!" Mom added, pouting and giving me the same puppy dog face Colin was.
"Ah! Fine!" I agreed with them throwing my hands in the air in defeat.
"Yes!" Mom cheered while Colin and I chuckled at her. My head shot up as the bell at the door rang as it opened and Rory entered the diner with a shopping bag. She walked over to our table and fell down onto one of the seats.
"Here's your sweater, and I hope you're happy, because the saleswoman called me a name. Where's my pie?" Rory said in greeting to our mother and then handed the bag over to Mom.
"Luke! Pie!" I shouted over to him at the counter. Mom pulled a green sweater out of the bag and wrinkled her nose at it.
"What do we think?" she asked us as she held it up to her body.
"It's great." Rory said to her, sounding exhausted.
"Huh." Mom said dubiously as she looked down at the sweater. I leaned back in my chair with a smirk as I watched the two of them.
"No." Rory said plainly, already knowing where the conversation was heading based on that one word and the tone in mom's voice.
"I thought it was light green."
"No, it was dark green."
"Oh. Did they have one that was light green?"
"You are officially banned from ever shopping in New Haven again." Rory told her, exasperated and I chuckled under my breath.
"Well, thank God I have you and Christa to do it for me." mom countered brightly and I grimaced and leaned into Colin. Luke came over from the counter carrying two slices pie for me and Rory and coffee for all of us.
"Okay, so, other than your stylist duties, what else is going on in the life of the young and hopeful?" Mom said us after Luke had left again.
"I'm trying to find an apartment to rent in New York for the summer. I need one close to DeRossi Styles and the club scene." I informed her with a shrug.
"I'm considering taking Russian." Rory supplied to the conversation.
"Oh, very practical. How's Logan?" mom asked her and I took a bit of the pie I was sharing with Colin.
"He's fine. Grandma and Grandpa invited him to dinner." She said and I busted out laughing at her misfortune.
"You're kidding." I said through my giggles.
"It was actually less of an invite and more of a freak-out. They heard about the dinner I went to."
"Heard how much?" mom asked sceptically and I raised an eyebrow in question as well.
"The Reader's Digest version." Rory told us and we nodded in understanding.
"Got it."
"Apparently they've already exceeded the polite reciprocal invite window, and if he doesn't come to dinner soon, Grandma has to give back her pearls."
"Wow. So, um, when is this dinner happening?" I asked her with a sympathetic frown.
"Three dates were proposed. Logan's picking one of them." Rory said to me and I snorted in amusement.
"Huh. So it should be an interesting evening." Mom added with a frown.
"Yep. I'll take notes and pictures." Rory told her with an amused smile and then her expression turned thoughtful. Her face brightened in realisation and she turned to me and Colin next to her. I leaned away from her and narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "You two should come with us!" she said excitedly and Colin and I shared a look before we both started laughing uncontrollably.
"Ha! Yeah, that's so not happening." I told her through my giggles.
"Why not? They have to meet him sooner or later."
"Later." Colin and I agreed at the same time and Rory rolled her eyes at us.
"Please. I'm begging you both. It will help take the pressure from me and Logan. We've only been boyfriend and girlfriend a week. Unlike you two who have been together for seven months." Rory pleaded with us and I sighed and adverted my eyes.
"Maybe we should." Colin said lowly and my gaze snapped up to meet his. "I do need to be introduced as your boyfriend at some point and it's not like you haven't met my parents and grandparents. Plus, I've met Francine." He pointed out with a shrug and I groaned out loud and sunk down in my seat because I knew that he was right.
"Fine." I ground out as I finished the last of my pie.
"Yes! Thank you, Christa, Colin." Rory said happily and I rolled my eyes at her while Colin kissed my temple.
_________________________
Colin and I pulled up outside of Emily and Richard's house at the same time as Logan and Rory. I sighed loudly as we parked and Colin smiled in amusement at my discomfort.
"Come on. It won't be that bad." He promised naively and I shot him a disbelieving look as I climbed out of the car. He met me at the front of the car and entwined our hands as we walked to meet up with Logan and Rory as they got out of the car. Logan rushed around to Rory's side and opened the door for her like a gentleman but Rory had already opened the door herself.
"You know, you're not obligated to be polite until we're actually inside my grandparents' house." I heard her say in amusement as she climbed out.
"Good. Allow me to use these brief Moments of time to make disgusting noises with my armpits." Logan said in reply and we all chuckled as Colin and I joined them.
"Oh, would you?" Colin said to his best friend, announcing our presence.
"Don't take Logan being a gentleman for granted, Rory. It goes away with time." I told her, shooting a playful glare at Colin who held a hand to his heart in mock offense.
"Hey, stranger." Rory said in greeting and pulled me into a hug. I hugged her back and offered her a small smile as she pulled back. I gave Logan a kiss on the cheek as Rory and Colin hugged in greeting as well.
"God." I muttered as I looked up at the house in distaste. Colin put a comforting hand on the small of my back and gave me a gentle push forward.
"So, this is going to be quick and painless. Believe me, my grandparents like you better than they liked Ronald Reagan." Rory said to Logan, to try and ease his nerves about meeting Emily and Richard as her boyfriend.
"Wow. High praise." Logan said with wide eyes and then he opened the back door of his car and pulled out two wrapped boxes.
"What are those?" I asked in confusion when I saw them.
"Hostess gifts. Never a bad idea to bring hostess gifts." He answered me with a smirk and I chuckled at him.
"Well played, Huntzberger!" Rory praised him with a smile.
"Suck up." Colin accused him with a playful scowl and I kissed his cheek with a laugh.
"So what about your Mom? She going to be cool?" Logan said nervously and the other three of us laughed at him.
"Of course she'll be cool." Rory told him as if it was obvious.
"She's the essence of cool." I added.
"Cool's her street name." Rory continued.
"She's got it monogrammed on her towels and everything." I finished with a smirk.
"Well, if she's got it monogrammed on her towels, there's nothing to worry about." Logan concluded with an easy going smile at us. We walked up the steps reluctantly and Rory rang the doorbell once we reached the top.
"What'd you bring, anyway?" I asked Logan curiously.
"Cigars for Richard, chocolates for Emily, and Mrs Eleanor Shubick's silver lighter." Logan informed me and Colin and I nodded in understanding but Rory looked at him in confusion.
"Huh? What's that for?" she asked him with a frown. Logan opened his mouth to explain but was cut off by Emily and Richard opening the front door with wide smiles.
"Christa! Colin! Rory! Logan, welcome!" Emily said excitedly.
"Come in, come in!" Richard added and we all walked into the house.
"Hi, Grandma!" Rory and I said in unison.
"Hello! And our guests of honour." Emily said to Logan and Colin.
"How are you, Richard? Emily?" Colin asked politely and I had to smirk at the interaction.
"Wonderful, now." Emily answered him.
"Yes, wonderful." Richard agreed with his wife.
"And Logan how are you?" Emily asked him and I sighed in relief that the spotlight was off me and Colin. I glanced at my boyfriend and smiled when I saw him looking back at me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the side so that my grandparent's attention was solely on Rory and Logan.
"I'm fine, thank you Emily." Logan told her with a society polite smile plastered on his lips.
"Oh, look at you two, you're just perfect. Aren't they perfect, Richard?" Emily gushed at them and I had to hold back a laugh.
"Perfect." Richard agreed with his wife once more and I rolled my eyes at them since they weren't paying attention.
"We're not perfect." Rory argued with an embarrassed smile.
"Nonsense, you're perfect!" Emily exclaimed.
"No, she's right. I've got split ends like you wouldn't believe." Logan joked and Emily and Richard both laughed.
"And a sense of humour." Richard complimented him.
"Emily, these are for you. A small token of my gratitude." Logan said and then glanced over at Colin with malicious smirk that no one but us noticed. Colin shook his head and mouthed the words 'suck up' to him and I pressed my lips together to stop from laughing at them. I rubbed Colin's arm comfortingly and offered him a sympathetic smile.
"Vunderschen chocolates, I absolutely adore these!" Emily told Logan happily.
"I picked them up last time I was in Switzerland."
"Well, aren't you clever."
"And here's a little something for you, sir." Logan said to Richard and then handed him the other box.
"Oh, Romeo y Julietas. You are a good man, Logan Huntzberger!" Richard said to him with a smile.
"Come on, let's all go in the living room, shall we?" Emily said and I sighed in relief because I really wanted to get tonight over with. Emily took one of my arms and one of Colin's and dragged us forward into the living room. I glanced back and noticed Richard doing the same thing to Logan and Rory.
"I just adore this jacket you're wearing. Isn't this a fine jacket, Richard?" Emily said to Logan as we entered the living room and I scowled at the ridiculousness of the night.
"Oh, I like how the lapels are cut. Aren't those nice lapels, Rory?" Richard added.
"Uh, sure, Grandpa. His lapels look great." Rory agreed uncomfortably.
"Most modern tailors cut lapels too low. It's so sloppy, having one's lapels hang down around the chest like a basset hound's ears or something."
"But those are excellent." Emily said and I felt the urge to bury my head in Colin's chest so I didn't have to hear any more of the lapel talk but reframed.
"Oh, they really are." Richard concluded and I rolled my eyes and glanced at Colin to see him chuckling at the events unfolding in front of him. I lightly smacked his chest with the back of my hand and he gave me an innocent look that made me smile back at him.
"Hi, Mom." I heard Rory say brightly so I turned around and smiled when I saw her sitting on the couch.
"Hey, how am I sitting?" Mom asked her.
"Great. Mom, you remember –"
"Logan, this is Christa and Rory's mother, Lorelai. Lorelai, this is Logan Huntzberger." Emily introduced them, interrupting Rory.
"Yes, we've met, actually. Nice to see you again, Logan." Mom said politely as she shook hands with Logan.
"Nice to see you." Logan replied equally as polite.
"And Lorelai, this is Colin. Colin, this is Lorelai." Richard introduced them, not knowing that they had already met.
"Actually, we've met, Dad. How are you Colin?" Mom asked happily as she stood up and gave Colin a hug in greeting, like she had since they met at the triple date before we were even dating. Colin returned the hug and smiled at her as they pulled apart.
"Since I saw you a few days ago? Not much. Your daughter thinks that coconuts are a fruit." Colin joked and I playful hit me in the arm but I was smiling as he and Mom both laughed at me.
"Shut up." I said playfully to Colin as I gave Mom a kiss on the cheek and then sat down on the couch next to her. Colin joined me and I linked ours hands together with smile, feeling more relaxed now that Mom was there as well.
"Come on, sit, sit, sit. Let's get drink orders." Emily said to everyone and Logan and Rory sat on the opposite couch. "Logan, Colin, what will you have?"
"McKellen neat, if you have it." Logan said to her with a smile.
"The same, please." Colin said and I noticed Mom looking disapproving. I leaned over to whisper in her ear.
"He's over twenty one." I told her and as relaxed a little even though so she knew that I drank and I was only twenty.
"Oh, I adore a man who drinks his scotch neat." Emily gushed to them.
"That is a fine drink indeed." Richard said approvingly as he went over to the drink cart in the corner of the room.
"Rory?"
"Just club soda." Rory answered her.
"So demure. Isn't she demure?" Emily asked Logan and I scrunched my eyebrows in distaste at their behaviour because it was obvious they were trying to marry her off.
"The demurest." Logan agreed.
"And, Christa, martini?" Emily asked me and I frowned up at her.
"Actually, I'll a scotch too." I told her and I felt Colin squeeze my hand. Emily gave me a disapprovingly look but didn't say anything. "I'm going to need it." I whispered to Colin and he chuckled and rubbed little circles on my hand with his thumb to calm me.
"And your usual, Lorelai? A sidecar?"
"Sidecar? No." Mom said to her in confusion.
"Isn't that your drink?"
"No, my drink is a martini. It's always been a martini."
"Really?"
"Yes. Pretty much every one of the other eight thousand times I've had a drink here it's been a martini."
"I would've sworn you were a sidecar girl."
"Not even sure what's in a sidecar, Mom."
"Well, Richard, apparently Lorelai would like a martini." Emily told her husband with a wave of her hand.
"Can do." Richard said from the drink cart.
"I just can't get over those lapels." Emily said to Logan with a happy smile on her face and I shook my head in amusement.
"Grandma and Grandpa are very taken with Logan's lapels." Rory informed our mother.
"They look fine to me." Mom said with a nod of her head.
"You'll have to excuse Lorelai, Logan. It takes a certain eye to be aware of this kind of thing. You know Colin, Christa's very talented with fashion. She recently got a very sort after internship with Patricia DeRossi that's taking place in New York over the summer." Emily praised me and I smiled genuinely at her for the first time that night.
"I know. I'm very proud of her." Colin said to my grandma but his gaze was on me and I blushed a little under his gaze but I smiled at him gratefully. He squeezed my hand and kissed my temple and I heard my grandmother sigh at the gesture.
"Three scotches neat, and a club soda." Richard said as he brought over all our drinks. Logan, Colin and I all hurried to take our drinks.
"Thank you." Colin said.
"Thank you, Richard." Logan told the older man.
"Thanks, Grandpa." Rory and I said to the same time.
"And one martini." Richard said as he returned to the bar to make Mom's drink for her.
"That's with a twist, Lorelai?" Emily asked her daughter, purposely messing up the drink order.
"Nope. An olive." Mom corrected her.
"In a vodka martini?"
"Not vodka, Mom. Gin. It's always been gin. Gin martini."
"Really?"
"Yes! Always!"
"I don't remember that at all."
"Uh, so. Logan. Where exactly do you live at Yale? Are you in Christa and Rory's building?" Mom said, changing the subject because I could tell she was getting irate.
"No, I'm at Berkeley." Logan told her politely as he took a sip of his drink.
"Is that far from Rory?"
"No, I'd say it's about ninety Kropogs or so."
"Kropogs! Did somebody say Kropogs?" Richard asked excitedly as he came back over with Mom's drink.
"Kropogs. Now that is clever." Emily said with a laugh and I couldn't help smiling a little at the word.
"Uh, fill me in here. What's a Kropog?" mom asked in confusion.
"Years ago, someone at Yale started measuring things based on the height of a kid named Kropog." Colin explained to her with a smile.
"I can't believe that today's Elis are still using Kropogs. Now that is really something. Maxwell T. Kropog was his name, class of forty-four. Oh, Lorelai, I'm sorry. I forgot your drink." Richard said as he handed it to her and she gratefully accepted it before he sat down. "I'm glad to hear that Kropog is still part of the Yale vernacular. Tradition is so important."
"Why don't we talk about something other than Yale?" I suggested when I saw mom still looking a little confused at the conversation.
"Nonsense, there's nothing better to talk about than Yale. Because Yale men are the greatest. I dated a few Princeton men and a Harvard man back in my day, and they had nothing on Yale men." Emily said with a smile and I grimaced at the thought.
"They'd better not." Richard said playfully to his wife. A little while later, I was bored out of my mind listening to Emily and Richard fawning over Rory, Logan and Colin. Mom and I sat side by side occasionally sharing grimaces and sympathetic smiles. I looked down at my empty scotch glass and wished that it was full again. I glanced at mom and saw her frowning down at her empty martini glass which hadn't been refilled since the beginning of the night.
"And the racquets have changed too. Honestly, the people at the club must have thought I was there to play badminton when I showed up with my old wooden thing." Emily said to Logan and I shook my head in boredom at the conversation.
"Oh, you have to get a new racquet, Emily. The materials available today make all the difference." Logan told her.
"I told her the same thing." Richard told him pointedly, giving Emily a look that she just rolled her eyes at.
"I know this guy, he's one of the top manufacturers of ceramic racquets. Pete Sampras loves them. I could totally set you up." Logan offered to them and Colin and I shared a look and I mouthed the words 'suck up' to him. He laughed at me silently and pressed kiss to my cheek.
"Did you hear that, Richard? Logan can set me up!" Emily exclaimed excitedly to her husband.
"Well, how about that!" Richard said with a jovial smile. I heard the click clack of shoes and turned to see the maid entering the living room.
"Dinner is ready, Mrs Gilmore." The maid announced politely.
"Well, shall we?" Richard said to the room.
"I'm just going to pop into the kitchen to check on a thing or two. Richard, will you come carve the roast?" Emily asked her husband and I sighed in relief at the mention of food.
"Certainly."
"Is there going to be alcohol with dinner, Mom?" mom asked Emily as she stood up from the couch and I giggled at her but silently agreed with the need for alcohol to get through this dinner.
"What?" Emily questioned, sounding disapproving.
"You know, booze? 'Cause I haven't been able to get even a Kropog of gin since that first drink."
"A Kropog is a unit of distance, Lorelai. Not volume." Richard corrected her impatiently.
"And there'll be wine with the meal. There's always wine with the meal, Lorelai! Honestly! You're acting as if you've never been here." Emily said to her in exasperation and then left the room with Richard following her. the five of us all just sat there awkwardly and Colin and I shared an amused look at each other.
"Well, this is awkward." I stated matter-of-factly as I recrossed my legs.
"We could make out?" Colin suggested to him with a half-smile.
"'Cause that would make it less awkward." I replied with a smirk and mom playfully slapped my arm as she giggled at us. The awkward silence continued as I tried not to make anymore inappropriate comments.
"Roast. Sounds good." Logan said to the room and I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing.
"It does." Rory agreed with her boyfriend.
"Yeah. Who doesn't like a good roast?" mom asked rhetorically.
"Vegatarians?" I suggested playfully.
"Vegans?" Colin added, making me chuckled at him. We got up from our seats and walked towards the dining room. Mom, Colin and I walked ahead to the dining room but I glanced back and noticed that Logan and Rory were still back in the living room. I paused in the doorway and waited from them.
"What are you doing?" I heard Rory ask Logan in a hush whisper.
"A little Life and Death Brigade business. Every time we're in a rich person's house we take a knick-knack. Then I leave the knick-knack I took from the last rich person's house. I've been doing this up and down the eastern seaboard for years." Logan explained to her and I smirked as I watched him pick up a small box from a nearby table and replace it with the lighter that he pulled from his pocket.
"Logan, no." Rory protested weakly as she looked around to make sure no one but me saw them.
"Trust me. They never notice."
"You're crazy!" she said to him with a smile on her lips.
"It's fun to be crazy." Logan told her with a smile of his own. I shook my head a the two of them and walked into the dining room where mom and Colin were waiting. After we all ate dinner the maid served us coffee and dessert.
"Believe me, Rory's the real star at the Yale Daily News. People hate her." Logan said proudly to Richard and Emily and I rolled my eyes playfully as I sipped my coffee.
"They hate you?" Emily asked her, impressed with her granddaughter.
"I'm not hated. Am I hated?" Rory asked in disbelief.
"I hate you a little bit." I told her playfully as she mock glared at me from across the table.
"She's had more pieces printed above the fold this year than anyone." Logan informed everyone.
"Well, you are both enormously talented. Because if you have one tenth of your father's ability, young man, you are going to go straight to the top." Richard complimented Logan.
"A power couple. That's what you are." Emily said with a wide smile and I shared an amused look with Colin and then mom.
"We were thrilled to hear that Rory is going to be working with your father, Logan."
"I'm not really working with him. Just near him, more like." Rory corrected them and I frowned at the mention of Logan's father because I hadn't spoken to him since the dinner Rory had at the Huntzberger's.
"She's knocking them dead over there. Now if I can just get her to relax." Logan said with a smile at Rory.
"I relax." Rory protested, looking defiantly at him and I snorted at her because I knew that she most certainly didn't relax.
"Speaking of relaxation, does your family still have their place on Martha's Vineyard?" Emily asked Colin. Colin gave me a look that I smirked at before turning back to Emily with a society polite smile in place.
"I think they bought it from Martha. They're not giving that up. It's not going anywhere." He told her with a chuckle.
"It's lovely in the vineyard. A few years ago, Richard and I attended a wedding there. I thought there could be no more gorgeous a spot for a wedding."
"It's beautiful."
"But then we went to one on Cape Cod and it was wonderful too. Either place would be good for a wedding, don't you think?" Emily asked, addressing her question at both of us and I immediately tensed up at the mention of weddings. I looked over at mom to help me defuse the situation before it got out of hand. Mom frowned at me in sympathy and then glared at Emily.
"Sure, I've been to weddings at the Cape myself." Colin said politely, squeezing my hand reassuringly when my body stiffened.
"So you like Cape Cod?" Emily asked him coyly and I glared at her.
"Yes."
"We like Cape Cod." She said, meaning her and Richard and I nearly groaned out loud.
"Great." Colin answered and I could hear the tightness in his voice and felt my impatience wavering.
"And I know Christa would like Cape Cod."
"I like what I've seen in pictures." I answered her sharply.
"You two would look awfully cute in Cape Cod." Emily finished with a grin and I glanced at Colin and saw him grinning cheekily at me. I dug my nails into his hand and then smiled in satisfaction when he pressed his lips together to keep from calling out in pain.
"Mom, did you get a job at the Cape Cod chamber of commerce?" mom asked Emily shortly when she noticed me glowering at my grandmother.
"No." Emily answered, equally as short and then she smiled brightly at Colin and I. "There are a lot of kids in your family, aren't there?"
"Yeah. The extended family's been pretty busy procreating lately." Colin replied nervously.
"They have, have they?" Richard asked coyly and my eyes narrowed at him before I went back to glaring at Emily.
"Do you like kids?" Emily asked him brightly.
"Sure." Colin said with a nod of his head.
"Kids love Cape Cod." She said to him and I looked at mom pleadingly for her to stop the conversation.
"I think internships are a Communist plot." Mom announced loudly and everyone looked at her in surprise. I muffled a laugh with my hand and smiled at her in thanks.
"What?" Richard asked what in an offended tone.
"Forcing someone to work without pay? It's a little Pinko, isn't it? I mean, where's Roy Cohn when you need him?"
"Have you lost your mind?" Emily asked her, outraged.
"No, no. It's still sloshing around up there." Mom answered her, shaking her head from side to side. Emily rolled her eyes at her daughter and turned back to Rory with a smile. I turned my attention to mom and mouthed a 'thank you' and she nodded back at me. I sighed in relief and I released my tight hold on Colin's hand. He smiled at me in sympathy and lifted my hand to press a kiss to the back of my hand. I smiled at him slightly and he smiled back at me.
"Would you like another apple, Rory?" Emily asked her.
"Oh, no thanks. They were really good, though." Rory answered her.
"How about you, Logan? Apple?"
"Thank you, but I don't think I could eat another thing, and unfortunately we should be going. I have an early day tomorrow." Logan said to her, making an excuse to leave.
"Oh, Logan, an early day. I'm so sorry we kept you."
"I wish I could stay longer."
"An early day is an early day. Beatrice, get their coats." Emily called to the maid as everyone stood up from the table.
"I had a wonderful time. Thank you so much."
"Yes, thank you, Grandma and Grandpa. It was great." Rory added and I made a face at her sincerity.
"Of course. We had a wonderful time too." Emily told the couple with a smile.
"I'll you see tomorrow, Christa?" Rory asked me and I gave her and hug as I nodded.
"See you tomorrow." I said to her and gave Logan a kiss on the cheek as Rory said goodbye to Colin by giving him a hug.
"Bye, Mom." Rory said as she gave mom a hug.
"Bye, hon. Goodnight, Logan." Mom said as she shook his hand.
"Nice to see you again." Logan said to her with a smile.
"Nice seeing you again, too. I hope we can all do this –" mom started to sat but Emily cut her off.
"Lorelai, don't keep them. Logan has an early day tomorrow." Emily scolded her daughter.
"Sorry." Mom apologised as Emily and Richard walked Rory and Logan to the front door. Mom sat back down at the dining room table and leant her head in her hands with her elbows on the table. I sat down next to her and rubbed little circles on her back to calm her down. I glanced at Colin and gave him a look meaning that it was time to go as well.
"Mommy." I said in a childlike voice and she looked up at me with her eyebrows raised, knowing that I wanted something from her. She waited for me to continue expectantly so I sighed and put on an innocent smile. "It's time for Colin and I to go."
"I know, baby." She assured me and smiled at me. I stood up and gave her a hug as we headed for the front door. Colin gripped my hand as we said goodbye to my grandparents and it wasn't until we were sitting in the car on the way back to Yale that I finally breathed a sigh of relief. Colin and I hadn't ever spoken about the future. I had never really thought about the future revolving around my personal relationships. For years I had been hell bent on not even being in a relationship so marriage was something that I hadn't ever considered. I glanced over at Colin in the driver's seat and smiled softly as I thought that maybe marriage wouldn't be so bad. If you found the right person.