RED LIGHT ON THE WEDDING NIGHT
WHILST her mother and Rory were diving into the test tasting cakes Fran had so kindly baked, comparing notes and compliments, Hayden's mind was on one thing as she pushed the frosting around with her fork. School. Summer was almost at end and with that would come her return to Chilton alongside everyone else... alongside Tristan. And while she'd heard rumours of his holiday activities, hearing them was one thing, but seeing them in person was a whole nother ball game she wasn't ready for.
"With a crunch and a zing and a hm hm hm hm, hello!" Lorelai sang, knocking Hayden out of her thoughts.
"Okay, our house is burning down, and you can save the cake or us." Rory challenged "What do you choose?"
Lorelai frowned as she glanced to the plate in front of her "Well that's not fair. The cake doesn't have legs."
Hayden's lips twitched up in amusement before she spotted Fran making her way behind the counter "So how are we coming here?"
"Oh Fran, so good." Lorelai gushed "This cake is amazing."
"Beyond amazing." Rory corrected.
Hayden gave the woman a quick smile "The best."
"Well, I should hope so." Fran quipped "We've been doing this for a 112 years."
"Huh. Well, you don't look a day over a 106." Lorelai joked.
But Fran didn't understand and so frowned "No, I meant my family's been doing it for that long."
"Right." Lorelai cleared her throat "Okay, well, I'm glad we got that cleared up."
Rory gasped around another mouthful, gesturing to the cake in question excitedly "The raspberry, the raspberry, the raspberry!"
Fran smiled "So, when is the big day again?"
"Two weeks from tomorrow."
"Have you picked a flavor?"
Lorelai sighed "Oh, I don't know. They're all so good."
"Well you have to try them again." Fran declared.
"Oh no." She shook her head "I've already eaten so many."
Fran clicked her tongue "This is a very crucial decision, young lady. Cake is the glue of the wedding, so you will stand here and eat until you decide."
Lorelai gave in quickly "Okay, if you insist."
"I do. After all, what's more important then your wedding day?"
"Well, it ain't Guy Fawkes day." Lorelai quipped.
Fran nodded slowly "Yes, well, I'll just go and see if there's anything else in the back."
Whilst the elder woman headed off in search, Hayden cleared her throat "So how was in seeing Max last night?"
She grinned "Well—"
"No gory details." Rory chimed in.
Their mother scoffed "Like I've ever shared that part of my relationship with you."
Hayden raised an eyebrow "You've alluded—"
"You've insinuated—" Rory added.
"Indicated."
"Implied."
"Inferred."
"You have tiptoed to the brink of impropriety." Rory finished.
Lorelai hummed as she looked between the twins "Hm, that Chilton has taught you some big words."
Hayden shrugged "Big bucks get you a big education."
"That's kind of the point." Rory agreed, taking another bite of cake.
"It was really great." Lorelai admitted "I'm glad he's back."
Rory looked to her "And he's on board with the whole smallish wedding thing?"
"Oh yeah. We want fun, we want simple, we want fast. We've been completely in sync, without the slightly gay boy band affiliation."
Hayden nodded along "Well, I printed up some sample invitations for you that I made."
"Aww." Lorelai cooed, pinching her cheek before glancing over her shoulder at Rory "Isn't she the best?"
Rory nodded happily "And the brightest."
Hayden rolled her eyes but smiled at the pair as she pulled out three samples "All you have to do is pick out a quote for the front page, and I'll print 'em up."
"Okay. Um." Lorelai began to swipe through them "'What is love? It is the morning and the evening star.' Ugh."
Rory shot her mother a look "It's Sinclair Lewis."
"Sinclair Sappy Lewis."
Hayden sighed "Fine, next."
"'And all went merry as a marriage bell. But hush! Hark! A deep sound strikes like a rising knell!'" Lorelai frowned "What is it with poetry?"
Rory rolled her eyes "Lord Byron."
Lorelai set the invitation aside with the last "Byron and Lewis, together again."
"Okay, last one." Hayden held it out.
"'We have buried the putrid corpse of liberty.'" Lorelai read aloud before grinning "Perfect!"
Rory smiled in amusement "Mussolini it is. Um, can I ask you an ethical question?"
Lorelai hummed, taking another bite of cake "Mmm."
"Is it right to be sampling wedding cakes when Sookie's making ours?" Rory questioned.
"For free." Hayden added.
Lorelai's lips pursed "What is right anyway, you know? Who defines right? And if eating cake is wrong, I don't want to be right."
☕️
WITH Max staying over the first time (not including his night on the couch), they were celebrating with a family dinner and movie night. But instead of their usual takeout, Hayden had taken to the kitchen to whip up a home cooked meal courtesy of Luke's lesson and pantry.
The Gilmore girl was rushing around the kitchen as she worked, hair scraped up into a messy bun and her apron coated in various sauces and seasonings. She needed everything to be perfect so her future step-father would feel welcome, wanted... She couldn't risk another person leaving.
"Wow, smells good in here." Hayden glanced over at the voice and gave Max a quick smile as she set down a tray full of chicken parm "Can I help?"
"Uh, sure." Hayden paused in her momentum, looking around the kitchen that looked like the aftermath of the lunch rush at Luke's "Can you stir the mac 'n' cheese?"
Max nodded, clapping his hands before rubbing them together "I can do that."
Lorelai smiled as she watched them work together "Can I help?"
"No." They answered in sync, sharing a chuckle.
Lorelai pouted "Why won't you let me help?"
"Because you're a danger to the process." Max rebutted.
"And others." Hayden added.
Lorelai scoffed "That's not true!"
Max sent her a pointed look "I've got numerous scars."
"I cut you that one— two times, and I've helped you tons of times." She protested.
"You helped me twice and both time you cut me." Max shot back.
Lorelai smirked "Well, I do like watching you cook."
Max returned it "I like you watching me cook."
"And I'd like to not throw up all over the chicken." Hayden fake gagged.
The couple chuckled before Rory popped her head into the kitchen "Are we eating at the table?"
"Wherever you want." Max shrugged.
"TV?" Lorelai suggested.
Rory nodded "I'll get a tape."
Lorelai looked between them "Can I at least grab some dishes?"
"Far away from us." Hayden's eyes narrowed jokingly.
Lorelai scoffed in amusement, returning the gesture as she grabbed a stack of plates "Alarmist."
☕️
CURLED up on one side of the couch, Hayden absentmindedly pushed her fork through her dinner, unable to focus on the television like her mother and sister who sat on the ground before her. Max sat on the other side of the couch, leg crossed comfortably as he cleaned his plate.
"You don't learn very fast Injun."
Lorelai gasped mockingly at the movie on screen "How fast do you learn Billy Jack?"
"Fast enough."
"Billy Jack, I'm gonna kill you if it's the last thing I do." Rory joined in.
Lorelai shook her head "Ugh, he so jinxed himself with that one."
"Yeah, he should've said 'Billy Jack, I'm gonna kill you or buy myself a lovely chenille sweater.'" Rory agreed.
"Ooh, yeah, either way he wins." Lorelai gushed.
Max smiled in amusement "How many times have you seen this movie?"
"I'm out of digits." Lorelai admitted.
"You can't see a Billy Jack movie too many times." Hayden rhymed off what their mother had taught her and Rory well.
Max looked to her "Who's the guy Billy Jack's—"
"Shh, shh, shh!" Lorelai scolded.
"All right you cats. Very slowly now."
Lorelai grinned "Let's do some jumping jacks."
"Spread out. One."
Rory swatted her mother excitedly "Oh it's the counting part."
"He means it Daniel."
"Two."
Lorelai nudged her in return, making sure to reach back and do the same with Hayden's leg "Ooh, here comes my favorite and my least favorite line all rolled into one."
"I'm gonna cut your bowels out."
"Ughughugh." Lorelai shook her head with a grimace.
Rory's nose scrunched up "Ahh, yuck!"
"And I've lost my appetite." Hayden chuckled, setting her plate on the side table.
"Three."
"Ooh, comeuppance time!" Lorelai perked up.
Max scoffed at the three "You guys talk throughout the whole movie and then when I say something, you shush me."
Lorelai glanced back at him "That's because you're talking through parts we talked through last time, so we haven't seen those parts in awhile."
"Ah, well now it's clear."
As the phone began to ring, nobody moved and so Lorelai looked to her fiancé once again "Max?"
"What?" His eyebrow's furrowed "The phone?"
"Whoever's closest answers." Hayden told him.
Rory nodded "House rule."
Max scoffed in amusement "You're all closer."
"Oh, but I'd have to walk around the coffee table so my path would be farther." Lorelai reasoned.
"And my foot's asleep." Rory excused.
Hayden shrugged when he looked to her with a raised eyebrow "You're taller. With longer legs that will get you there much faster."
Lorelai nodded emphatically "Yes, so even if we all left for the phone at exactly the same time..."
Max sighed in defeat "I got it."
As the amused man headed off to answer the phone, Lorelai turned to smile between her daughters "I'm gonna like having him around."
☕️
MUSIC blasting in her ears, Hayden worked her way through the new routine she'd put together for the dance team, perfecting each step until she was breathless and marred with sweat. Taking a breather, Hayden pulled her Walkman headphones out and hunched over, placing her palms on her knees and it was only then did she spot the fallen photograph peaking out from under her desk. With a shaky sigh Hayden made her way over, hunkering down to grab it before slowly settling down on the chair, photo in hand.
Her eyes trailed over the photograph of her and Tristan. Her smile so wide and carefree, laughter spilling from between her lips as Tristan teased her until she covered his mouth with her hand. A moment captured in film forever. With tears pricking her eyes, Hayden's hand shook until a knock on the door had her straighten up, stuffing the photo inside a textbook open on her desk before she wiped at her eyes "Come in."
Lorelai led a sleepy Rory in by the hand "Hey, you're up?"
"Yeah, I wanted to get some pratice in." She admitted as the pair sat on her bed.
She frowned "It's pretty late, hon."
"Says the mom who just came into my room." Hayden shot back with a grin that softened as joined them on the bed.
Lorelai let out a sigh as they settled back against the headboard "I have a boy in my room."
"So?" Rory mumbled tiredly.
"So," she began "I have a boy in my room."
Hayden sighed "It's Max."
"I know."
"You like Max." Rory reminded her.
"No, uhh, yes, I do, but it's weird." She admitted "We've never had a man in the house like this up there."
Hayden shot her a look "You're marrying him."
Lorelai sighed "Very true."
"So all you need to do is adjust." Rory advised "It's like that time you got the green stripes in your hair."
Their mother scoffed "I hated those green stripes."
"Well, I'm tired." Rory grumbled "I can think of a better example tomorrow."
"No, wake up, wake up." Lorelai shook Rory as her eyes closed "We've not properly talked about this."
Hayden frowned "About what?"
"About having Max in the house. About the effect on you guys. Don't cover up anything. Let's get it all out in the open."
"I don't have anything to cover up." Rory shot back "I like Max."
Hayden nodded "Me too."
"I know you do, and that's good." Lorelai sighed "But you know, once we are married, nothing will ever be the same again."
"We know." They answered in sync.
Lorelai looked between them as they lay on either side of her "It won't just be the 'me and you guys secret special clubhouse no boys allowed' thing anymore."
"It will be different." Rory agreed.
"Not just different." Lorelai argued "Our lives as we know them will be over."
Hayden sighed "Mom, we're not dying."
"No, we're not dying." She agreed "But the life we had is gonna morph into this like mutation that we could never possibly have conceived."
Rory raised an eyebrow "Like the giant ants in 'Them'?"
"Metaphorically speaking, yes." Lorelai nodded "And I don't want it to be like giant ants, so that's why I'm talking about it now."
"I am in no way anticipating being attacked by giant man-eating ants because Max is living here." Rory told her in amusement.
Hayden nodded "Ditto."
"Good. Good."
"Weirdo." Hayden mumbled with a snort.
Lorelai stayed silent for a moment before speaking "You know, you guys can't walk around in the buff anymore."
Rory frowned "I don't remember ever walking around in the buff."
"I know one time you did." Lorelai defended "Both of you."
Hayden raised an eyebrow "Were we three?"
Lorelai's lips pursed "Somewhere around there."
"Does he hog the bed?" Rory questioned curiously.
"No. He's a very 'stay on his side' kinda guy."
Rory nodded sleepily "Good."
"He's cute." Lorelai smiled softly "He wears pajama bottoms."
Hayden groaned "Stop."
"Not funny ones." Lorelai glanced to her "I hate funny bottoms."
"I'm gonna call you Funny Bottoms from now on." Rory mused.
Their mother budged her "Nuh uh!"
Hayden looked to her, eyebrow's furrowed "Aren't you happy?"
"Yes." Lorelai breathed out after a moment "I'm happy."
"Well, then it'll be fine." Rory reassured "You'll get used to it, having Max there."
Their mother sighed "I know. You're right. I will. I will get used to it."
Hayden rolled her eyes as she watched the woman close her own "Mom."
"Hm?"
"You're falling asleep." Hayden accused.
She didn't open her eyes "So?"
"So you need to be a big girl and go to your own room." Hayden chided.
Rory nodded "And I need to go back to mine. But it's so far away..."
"Okay, you're right." Lorelai sighed and sat up a little but struggled "Ugh— ugh! Rory, I'm stuck. Are you stuck?"
Hayden watched blankly as Rory tried to do the same, grunting with effort but ultimately fell back into bed "It's like quicksand."
Rolling her eyes, Hayden closed her own eyes "Fine, ten more minutes."
☕️
WHILE her mother and sister slept soundly in her bed (ten more minutes, my ass Hayden grumbled to herself) the youngest Gilmore girl had taken herself out of the house before sunrise to help Luke open up for the morning rush. While Luke cranked out the orders, Hayden was in charge of coffee and condiments.
Coffee pot in hand, Hayden approached Taylor "Refill?"
The Doose man beamed at her and Hayden was stumped "Absotivalutely."
"Luke!" Hayden called making her way to the kitchen "Something's wrong with Taylor!"
"Tell me something new." Luke shot back as he waltzed out past her, wiping his hands on a cloth and raised an eyebrow at the man who merely laughed much to their confusion "What's up Taylor?"
He smiled "Up, I know of nothing up."
Luke sighed in annoyance "What's up Taylor?"
"I'm just happy." He defended with a shrug.
"That's what makes me nervous." Luke muttered.
Taylor sniffed, lifting his chin "You're a paranoid man Luke. I feel very sad for you."
Luke rolled his eyes before the jingle of the bell above the door sounded and her looked up to see Lorelai and Rory and so gestured to a free table for two "Over there."
Lorelai pursed her lips and nodded towards another "Uh, can you clear that one off?"
"Why?" Luke demanded.
"'Cause it's bigger."
He sighed "So."
"Well, we need a place for three." Lorelai admitted.
"Hayden's working." Luke waved her off.
The girl in question made her way out of the kitchen, order in hand and smiled at the pair, setting Taylor's omelette down before her eyebrows furrowed "Where's Max?"
"Max, huh?" Luke muttered in realisation "So when did Max become invisible to the human eye?"
"He's on a paper hunt." Lorelai told the pair, rolling her eyes at Luke.
Rory nodded "Max likes his three papers in the morning. The Hartford Courant, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal."
"Three papers." Luke deadpanned.
"He likes to be well informed."
Luke sighed but moved to clear the table "Yeah, well, reading three papers all reporting the same news is a terrific use of trees."
"You be nice Luke, I mean it." Lorelai warned.
The door opened and a smiling Max made his way inside "Hey there."
"Max, buddy, top of the morning to you!" Luke greeted him with over-the-top enthusiasm, shaking his hand vigorously "Hey, you look good today. Brown is your color, my friend."
Max frowned in confusion but smiled nonetheless "Thanks."
Lorelai looked to her fiancé as he joined them at the table "So?"
"I got two out of three." He held up his papers.
"Not bad." Rory commended.
Max sighed "No one has the Wall Street Journal."
"Well this isn't a very financially oriented town." Hayden pointed out, passing the three a menu each.
"Yes, it's more oriented to coffee." Lorelai agreed, beaming when Hayden filled her cup "Bless you, my child."
Luke made his way over "I've got the blueberry pancakes this morning. Hayden helped whip up the batter."
"Bring 'em." Lorelai chirped, handing back her unused menu.
"Bring 'em twice." Rory added in excitement as she did the same.
Hayden smirked before turning to Max "Make that three?"
But he was too busy perusing the menu "I'm gonna need a minute."
An awkward moment followed his statement and Lorelai blinked "Oh. Well, then, hold off."
"Same here." Rory mumbled, slumping slightly.
"I might run out of the pancakes." Luke warned.
Max glanced up "Go ahead, order. I'll just be a minute."
"No that's okay." Lorelai assured "We'll wait."
"I'm almost out and I can't make more." Luke added.
Lorelai frowned "Well, then Hayden can—"
"She can't make anymore either."
"Set some aside."
Luke shrugged holding by a smile at her frustration "It's first come, first serve."
"We'll take our chances." Rory declared but shot her mother a look of uncertainty.
Lorelai nodded "Yes, we'll wait."
"Whatever." Luke shrugged them off and headed to the kitchen.
Max looked between the pair "You didn't need to do that."
"Aww, happy to." Lorelai assured.
Hayden stood awkwardly by the table as she watched Max read carefully through the menu, her mother and sister sipping their coffee impatiently. After a moment Hayden nodded slowly to herself "You read the terms and conditions, don't you?"
Whilst Max frowned in confusion, Lorelai was quick to step in "Okay, yeah, that's still eggs and all your basic breakfast stuff up there."
"Just order." He told the pair.
"We're fine." Rory reassured once again.
Max sighed "I want you guys to go at your normal pace. My rhythm might not necessarily be your rhythm." He paused as Luke walked back over, passing him another menu "What's this?"
"It's the lunch menu." He deadpanned "I stop serving breakfast in an hour."
Hayden snorted, covering her mouth with the menus in her hand as Lorelai shot the man a scolding glare "Luke."
"I'll have poached eggs." Max finally decided.
"And blueberry pancakes!" Lorelai rushed to order.
Rory's eyes widened "Did we make it?!"
Hayden scoffed "Oh come on, he already set them aside."
"How'd you know?" Luke questioned.
"Because you're Luke." Hayden shrugged, giving him a smile that he returned softly before heading to the kitchen.
"Love ya!" Lorelai called after him before looking to her youngest daughter "So, dinner tonight you, me, Rory, Max and Dean."
Hayden's heart dropped. A double date for her to fifth wheel? "I actually promised Luke I'd work to closing too. Cesar's sick."
Luke raised an eyebrow from behind the counter as he grabbed a cloth while Lorelai frowned, shoulders slumping "Oh hon, that sucks."
"Yeah," she sighed, feeling guilty but relived "next time."
Taking Max's two menus, Hayden made her way over to the counter and Luke gave her glance "Cesar's sick, huh?"
"Oh, yeah, I think he mentioned something about a cold—" she sighed at his knowing gaze "Please call him and tell him he has the night off. My love life is pathetic enough without having to tag along on my mother and sisters double date."
Luke thought for a moment before nodding, voice softer than normal "You got it, kid."
"Thank you." Hayden perked up "You're the best."
"And don't you forget it." Luke pointed at her before catching sight of a work crew beginning to gather outside "What the hell are they doing out there?"
Taylor perked up, his eyes flickering nervously to the window "What? Who is that?"
Luke's eyes narrowed on him accusingly "What are they doing Taylor?"
"Looks like they're coning off the street." He shrugged innocently.
"Taylor."
He sighed in defeat "Well, if you must know, they are a county work crew here to install Stars Hollow's first traffic light and metered crosswalk— Luke!"
Hayden grimaced as she watched her boss storm out before looking to the Doose man, folding her arms across her chest "I knew something fishy was going on with you."
☕️
STANDING in line outside a downtown night club, Hayden stood beside her sister as their mother and her friends (Sookie, Miss. Patty and Michel) waited around them to officially commence Lorelai Gilmore's bachelorette party.
Rory sighed, arms folded across her chest "They're never gonna let Hayden and me in."
"They will let you in." Lorelai assured.
"This is a felony, you know, corrupting minors." Michel fretted "We'll all end up in the bookie."
Rory turned to their mother wide eyed "He's right."
"We're all going to the bookie." Hayden mocked with a teasing smile and French accent.
"Sweetie, don't say bookie." Lorelai placed a hand on her arm "It's creepy."
Sookie looked between them encouragingly "Just try to look older."
"How?" Rory questioned in disbelief.
"Look like you're thinking about retirements or 401Ks and stuff." she waved her concern off.
Michel rolled his eyes "Yes, you should've brought your fake beard and mustache."
Lorelai hooked a thumb towards them "Who invited Mister Schnickelfritz?"
"He heard us planning and wanted to come." Sookie admitted.
Michel glanced at the twins "I did not know the evening included babysitting."
"They're going to get in." Lorelai told him before her cellphone began to ring and she dug her hand into her purse "Sorry. Hey!"
As their mother moved off to the side to take the call, Rory turned to Hayden "We're not getting in."
"Not with that attitude." Hayden chided, raising her chin "Confidence is key."
Rory rolled her eyes "I'm confident we're not getting in."
Sookie perked up as Lorelai rejoined them, closing over her phone "Okay, new rule for the evening. No calls to fiancés or boyfriends or anything else like that. It's girls' night out. Plus Michel."
Hayden smirked as she nudged the man "So, girls night out."
As the line grew shorter, they finally reached the door and Lorelai smiled at the bouncer "Hey."
"It's twelve bucks." His eyes drifted to the twins, Rory who stood frozen with a nervous smile on her face and Hayden who met his stare head on, arms folded across her chest "And it's eighteen and over."
"Oh, they're eighteen." Sookie lied.
"That's right." Rory piped up nervously "Last week. So it's a new eighteen, but it's eighteen, yup."
He raised an eyebrow "You got some ID?"
"Hey, uh, sir, make way for Rory and Hayden. That's their names. And their only names. Rory. Hayden. Single name, they're that important. Internationally known international supermodels and sometimes spokespeople for international products."
"They're very big in Germany." Sookie added.
Lorelai nodded "Yah, yah, yah, with the leichter hosen and such."
Looking between them once again, the bouncer sighed and shook his head "Twelve bucks."
"Thank you." Their mother chirped, handing over the cash.
Sookie grinned on her way past "Danke shane, cutie."
With a smug smirk in her sister's direction, Hayden tugged Rory inside only to come to a stop as the group looked around the crowded room in awe. Michel's eyes widened "This is a drag club."
"It's called the Queen Victoria." Sookie chuckled "What did you expect, tea and crumpets?"
Lorelai sighed as she looked around, seeing every table in sight full "Aw, you guys, I guess we're gonna have to stand."
Sookie slumped in defeat before spotting one in the centre "Wait, that one looks open."
The group headed towards it only for Hayden to almost stumble in shock at the sight of her Grandmother sitting, waiting "Holy sh--"
"Shh." Rory hushed her, clamping a hand over her mouth.
"What in Lucifer's reach is my mother doing here?" Lorelai hissed.
Michel smiled "Oh, I invited her."
Her head shot to him in disbelief "You what?"
"Just a little surprise for you." He smirked "I thought it would be a kick."
Lorelai sighed heavily before leading the group over "Excuse me sir, you look just like my mother."
"Hi Grandma." Rory greeted.
Hayden smirked teasingly "Come here often?"
"I should say not." She snipped, straightening out her jacket "How did you two get in?"
"Oh, apparently, we're internationally known supermodels." Rory told her as they al took seats around the table.
Hayden nodded with a smile "We're big in Germany."
Emily nodded slowly before turning to her daughter "Happy bachelorette party, Lorelai."
"Thank you Mother."
"And in the future, when you plan one of these things, and you tell a person to show up at eight o'clock, it is considered good manners for you to also show up at eight o'clock."
Lorelai sighed silently "Well, I didn't exactly invite you mother, Michel did."
"Ah, well, I feel much better now." Emily muttered sarcastically.
"Huh, let's drink." Lorelai declared.
Miss. Patty raised an eyebrow as the elder Gilmore took a sip from her glass "Looks like Emily's gotten a head start. What are you drinking honey?"
"Manhattan. Good too. Not too sweet." Emily nodded towards a passing server "I ordered it from that nice fellow dressed as Joan Crawford."
"So, is there no dancing here?" Michel questioned as he looked around "I was hoping there'd be dancing."
Sookie chuckled "You need to strut Tony Minero?"
"It is a weekend and on the weekend I like to move, and the ladies, they like it too."
"Especially when you move out of town." Lorelai taunted "Ba zing!"
Emily leant closer to Sookie "Has she eaten?"
"Yeah. About a quart of wine."
"Hmm, hi Mae West." Lorelai hummed as a server in drag approached.
They grinned "What can I get for you?"
"My dignity back." Michel grumbled.
Hayden smirked at him "You can't get back what you never had."
"We'll have a rum and coke, a margarita no salt, martini with olives, two Shirley Temple's--"
"Love her!" The server gushed.
Rory smiled politely "I'll have her on the rocks please."
"Make that two." Hayden added "With extra cherries please."
"And uh, I will have a giant Long Island iced tea." Lorelai finished.
As their server nodded and excused themselves to grab their order, Emily turned to her daughter "So Lorelai, how are you feeling?"
"Um, well, I'm tipsy, but just short of seeing pink elephants."
"No, I mean about you getting married." Emily frowned "It's only a week away."
"I'm fine. Everything's fine." She shrugged her off "I figured once I got the shoes to match the dress, the rest was just gravy."
Emily nodded "I must say, I admire your composure. The week before my wedding, I was a wreck."
"So was I, before all of mine." Miss. Patty admitted.
Hayden chuckled "How many was that?"
"Well, uh, there was Sinjin, John, Sergio, Sinjin." She counted "Three men, four times."
"Do you regret any of them?" Sookie questioned curiously.
She sighed "Well, Sinjin was a let down the second time, but he was my Burton and I was his Taylor. Just wish I could've found a little Mike Todd there in the middle."
"You know, I can't believe it was 34 years ago that I married Richard." Emily began "I remember it so distinctly."
Sookie leant forward in interest "Ooh, this is gonna be a romantic story."
"My stomach was not my friend." She admitted "It was full of butterflies, I couldn't eat a bite the whole week."
"Hmm, what a bummer." Lorelai muttered, smiling thankfully as her drink was handed to her.
Emily sighed dreamily "I was actually weak in the knees. Trembling all the time, can you imagine?"
Rory smiled "Really?"
"When I wasn't actually with Richard, I was thinking about him. Constantly. Imagining what he was doing, was he thinking about me?" As her grandmother spoke, Hayden's mind drifted to Tristan. Did he ever think of her? Did he miss her even a little? "--Making up little scenarios in my head about how we'd run into each other accidentally at the club. And he would be playing golf and I would walk by and he would be so distracted that he'd completely miss the ball. Silly."
"It's sweet." Sookie assured.
Emily smiled softly "I was in love."
"It is wonderful to be in love." Michel mused and Hayden's heart clenched painfully. It wasn't wonderful for her.
"But the thing I remember most was that for the entire week before my wedding, I'd wait 'til my mother went to sleep, and I'd sneak out of bed and I'd put on my wedding dress and my tiara and my gloves, and I would stare at myself in the mirror and think how very safe I felt. How very right and wise and honored." Emily admitted in a bit of a daze before snapping out of it as she picked up her glass "This is a very good drink. I highly recommend it."
Sookie snapped out of her own trance "Okay, I have got to make a call."
"Are you calling Jackson?" Miss. Patty questioned with a grin.
"No. Well yes, but it's only because I need to pick up something I left at his house, that if it's still there, I should... hi honey, it's me."
As Sookie left the table, Emily turned to Rory as she watched her send a message "And who are you writing to?"
"I just want to see if Dean's around." She shrugged bashfully.
Emily smiled knowingly as Hayden swallowed thickly "And thinking about you?"
"Oh no, not you too."
At Miss. Patty's exclamation, Hayden turned to see her mother getting to her feet, phone in hand "No, it's just.. it's-- I'll be quick."
Hayden's eyes drifted back to Rory who smiled at her phone, to Sookie who twirled her hair as she talked on the phone, to every happy couple in the club. With her throat clogged over, Hayden excused herself from the table just as the tears began to sting her eyes. She planned on making a break for the bathroom when she bumped into a figure and grunted before mumbling an apology.
The server dressed as Dolly Parton smiled sympathetically as they looked her over "Oh Darlin, you look like you need a drink." Hayden allowed them to lead her over to the bar almost robotically and swallowed thickly as a shot of vodka was placed in front of her "On the house."
Hayden hesitated as her fingers brushed the glass before she glanced over her shoulder towards the loved up women. Maybe it would help. Taking a deep breath, Hayden turned back, picked up the shot and gulped it down in one. She winced at the burning taste, setting the glass back as a buzz settled across her, the image of Tristan slightly fading and she looked to the server hopefully "Can I get another, Dolly?"
And so she got one, and another and another. By the fourth shot Hayden's head was feeling fuzzy with no sign of Tristan and so with a smile she got to her feet only to stumble slightly on her heels. As her head spun, Hayden righted herself with a chuckle before heading towards the door. She was so warm. Slipping past the bouncers, Hayden stumbled out just in time to hear her mother on the phone.
"And you can picture me married, right?" Hayden's eyebrows furrowed. Why would she be asking Max that? "Right, right. He's a great guy, Max. I know. Well, I'll talk to you later. Bye, Chris."
Hayden's heart dropped, as did Lorelai's as she turned only to find her daughter with a fallen expression "You called dad."
"Hayden--"
"We're at your bachelorette party because you're marrying Max." Hayden reminded her "And all that talk about love and you think of dad? Are you kidding me?"
"Hold on a minute, kid--" Lorelai stepped towards her only to pause as her nose scrunched "Is that vo-- have you been drinking?"
Hayden's stomach churned and she shook her head ready to deny it, but the action had her head spin once again, feet stumbling from underneath her until she crashed into her mother. Lorelai's eyes widened before panic seized her as she watched Hayden's eyes roll back, her body slumping sending the pair to the pavement "Hayden--Hayden!"
Lorelai looked up at the sound of footsteps and met Rory's eye just as she came out in search of her mother and sister with a smile on her face that promptly fell. Rory froze "Mom..."
Lorelai's eyes welled with tears "Rory, I need you to call 911."
☕️
AS she came too, Hayden felt groggy, head heavy as well as her body. She stirred, groaning slightly before feeling pinch on her hand that had her eyes flutter open, wincing at the florescent lighting. Blinking away the fuzziness in her eyes, her gaze moved to her hand, finding an IV inserted into her skin and she frowned before a warm hand covered her own.
"Hey, kid." Lorelai uttered softly.
"Mom." Hayden's voice was scratchy "What--?"
Lorelai took a deep breath "The doctors said you were dehydrated, probably from all the stress you've put yourself under with work and school and dance and wedding planning. I mean, you haven't been sleeping, at all have you?" Her eyes filled with tears as she took notice of the bags under her eyes before noticing just how hollow her cheeks seemed "And you've hardly eaten anything. Add in drinking and well, here we are."
Hayden's eyes stung "I just... I needed to stay busy because it's the only time I forget. I'm sorry, Mom."
Lorelai sighed as she sat forward in her chair, cupping her hand with both of hers "You don't have anything to be sorry for."
"I ruined your bachelorette party." She frowned.
"No, I did." Lorelai uttered softly "When I called your dad instead of Max."
Hayden's eyes drifted to her mother's left hand which was noticeably missing her engagement ring and her heart dropped "You're not marrying him are you?"
Lorelai sighed sadly "No, kid. I'm not."
☕️
AFTER a few more hours under hospital supervision, Hayden was finally discharged and ready to go home. But as she followed her mother towards the jeep and found Rory waiting, her eyebrows furrowed at the sight of the bags in the trunk sticking out from behind the car seats "What's going on?"
Lorelai shared a look with Rory before shrugging her arms with a smile "Road trip?"