Friday night dinner was oddly quiet. Rory was still broken up over her break up with Dean and Lorelai was probably dealing with work, which Delilah understood.
"Everyone's awfully quiet tonight," Emily pointed out.
"Sorry, Mom, I'm just tired," Lorelai said.
"Me too – school," Rory said.
"Work," Lorelai said.
"Matt's mother," Delilah stated.
"Life," Rory added,
"Dig it, man," Lorelai said.
"Peace out Humphrey," Rory said in a bored tone.
"Mystery," Emily said. "Well, this is just ridiculous. Four intelligent women sitting here in complete silence. There must be something to talk about. Do you know that every night at dinner, the Kennedy clan would sit around the table having lively debates about everything under the sun? They would quiz each other about current events, historical facts, intellectual trivia. Now the Gilmore clan is just as smart and worldly as the Kennedy's, so come on, somebody – say something."
"Do you know that butt models make ten thousand dollars day?" asked Lorelai.
Rory chuckled.
"Camelot is truly dead," Emily quipped.
"Emily!" called Richard.
"In here, just follow the crickets," Emily said.
"I am sorry I'm late, but I come bearing wonderful news," Richard said.
"Siri, bring Mr. Gilmore a plate!" Emily called, getting up and following her husband to his seat.
"I just got off the phone," Richard said.
"Would you like to change first?" Emily asked, taking a napkin off the plate.
"Would you like to change first?" asked Emily.
"No, no, no I'm fine," said Richard. "So I—"
"Siri, Mr. Gilmore is hungry!" Emily called, before placing the napkin in his lap.
"Emily, I am perfectly capable of putting a napkin on my lap," Richard said.
"All right, I'm sorry," said Emily. "You were on the phone."
"Long distance," Richard said.
"God?" asked Lorelai.
"London," Richard said.
"God lives in London?" asked Lorelai.
"My mother lives in London," Richard said.
"Your mother is God?" asked Lorelai.
"Lorelai," Richard chided.
"So, God is a woman," Lorelai said, nodding.
"Lorelai," Richard chided again.
"And a relative, that's so cool," Lorelai continued. "I'm going to totally ask for favors."
Richard looked at Delilah and Rory, "Make her stop."
"Wish I could," Delilah said. Rory nodded in agreement.
"You spoke to your mother," Emily said.
"Yes I did. She's fine, she sends her love, and...she's coming to visit," Richard said.
Emily asked, "What?"
"You're kidding?" Lorelai said.
Emily asked, "When?"
"We're going to get meet our great-grandma?" Rory asked.
"Lorelai the first," Richard said.
Emily asked, "When?"
"I was named after her," Lorelai added.
"I figured," Rory said.
Emily said, "Richard, when?"
"You're going to love her," Richard continued. "My mother is brilliant, absolutely brilliant."
"We share that also," Lorelai added.
Emily said, "I'm asking a question here, does no one hear me? Am I suddenly invisible?"
Delilah felt a little smug at Emily suddenly being ignored, since it was how she always felt, but then a little guilty at being smug over it.
"I'm sorry," said Richard. "What was the question?"
Emily asked, "When is your mother arriving?"
"A week from today," said Richard. "Rory, Lila, I'm telling you, it's going to be such a treat."
"Excuse me," Emily said, before leaving.
"I still can't get over that I'm related to God," Lorelai said. "It's going to make getting Madonna tickets for much easier."
After dinner, Lorelai drove home, Rory said, "So tell me more about her."
"I don't really know that much," Lorelai replied, driving.
"Well, you know more than we do," Rory said.
"Well, let's see," Lorelai started. "She moved to London when Grandpa died, but she didn't like to travel, so once a year, Mom and Dad would go to visit her, usually leaving me behind, much to my relief by the way, and that's it. The rest I know from stories just like you."
"Grandpa says I remind him of her," Rory said.
"That is the biggest compliment that can be wrenched out of Grumpy McFarlen, believe me," Lorelai said.
"I hope she likes us," Rory said.
"She'll love you two," Lorelai said.
"I hope and Grandma get along," Rory said.
"She'll love you two," Lorelai repeated using the same tone.
Delilah refused to get her hopes up. Her grandparents on her father's side didn't like her and Rory and Emily and Richard weren't exactly proud of her.
Dean avoided Delilah as much as possible. He even sat across the classroom away from Delilah in math class. After math, Dean hauled his ass out of the room.
In science, Delilah watched as the teacher talked about intestinal parasites, before the teacher suddenly came over, grabbing the water bottle that Delilah's tablemate had out.
The teacher walked back to her desk and said, "Since I'm boring all of you, here's a quick, fun lesson: what happens when you try to set water on fire?"
There was silence.
"Come on, anyone?" the teacher continued.
"Nothing happens," Delilah spoke up.
"Good," the teacher said. She opened the water bottle and dumped it on the desk. "Now what happens when you set alcohol on fire?"
"It catches fire," a girl said.
"Right," said the teacher. She took a match, "Now let's see if that boy was drinking water or alcohol." She lit it and set it on the puddle of liquid.
It caught on fire.
"Well, that settles it," the teacher said with a maniacal grin. "You may take your things and yourself down to the office for illegally drinking on campus." She got water from a sink and put the fire out while Delilah's tablemate got his things and left.
History was going fine, until they had to partner up for a project. Delilah was lucky enough to partner up with her ex-boyfriend, Jake. They had to create a sort of newspaper that talked about major events from the1920s, including a random one-off story that didn't happen.
"So, I can find some paper that looks like it's from the 1920s. We can write it out by hand," Jake said.
Delilah nodded, "All right. So we have to look for news articles that took place in the 1920s."
"We can do that after school," Jake said.
"Sure," Delilah said. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt working with her ex-boyfriend, even though they dated for a week. It wasn't as if they had that much history like Matt and Velvet who had to work together.
"What's upsetting you?" Matt asked Delilah at lunch.
"My great-grandmother is visiting," Delilah responded.
"Ah," Samantha said.
Delilah looked at her carrot sticks, "I just know that she'll be over the moon with Rory and she'll look at me like 'I'm sorry, who are you?'"
"I've been there," Matt said.
Delilah sympathized, "I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Matt said. "I got used to it."
Delilah had gotten dressed and went into the living room.
Lorelai sighed and called, "Come on, let's go."
"Relax, I'm almost ready," Rory called back.
Delilah watched Lorelai get up, "We're going to be late."
"No we're not," Rory called back.
Lorelai said, "Well it's Friday night and traffic's bad on Friday night."
"It was never busy on Friday nights," Delilah told her.
Rory asked, "Yeah, since when?"
"Since the beginning of time," Lorelai said, going in the kitchen, where Rory was trying to put a necklace on. She took the necklace, "Here, let me do that."
"What's up with you?" asked Rory.
"Nothing," said Lorelai.
"You've been rushing us for almost an hour," Delilah said.
"Yeah, usually we have to drag you out of here kicking and screaming with Delilah threatening to chloroform you, just to go to dinner," Rory added.
"Now then," Lorelai said.
"You're usually whining, complaining, and acting like a temper tantrum throwing child," Delilah added.
"I do not," Lorelai defended herself.
"I had to pay you five bucks once so you wouldn't go in sweats," Rory said.
"Make your point and make it fast, as we move quickly to the front door," Lorelai said, finishing the necklace. Rory grabbed her jacket from the chair and went to the front door.
"You're just eager to see Grandma be a nervous wreck," Delilah said.
"That's mean," Rory added.
"Oh, okay, look," Lorelai started. "I will admit, I work very hard and sometimes I am a little tired come Friday night for the Gilmore family dinner. But I had a light day today and my grandmother, who I have no seen for years, is going to be there," Lorelai said.
Rory asked, "And it has nothing to do with the fact that Grandma hates Great-Grandma?"
"Not at all," Lorelai replied.
Delilah asked, "So, when you see Grandma having a nervous breakdown, you'll be sad and sympathetic?"
"Not at all," Lorelai said with a smile.
"That's just messed up," Delilah pointed out.
"And mean," Rory added.
"I'm kidding," Lorelai said.
"You're lying," Delilah stated.
"We want you to be nice," Rory said.
"I will be nice," Lorelai said.
Rory said, "And no outward reveling in someone else's pain?"
"I promise," Lorelai said, "Internal reveling only."
"Okay then," said Rory. "We can go."
"Okay, good," Lorelai replied. "Oh, wait." She opened a drawer and took out a camera. She held it up. "So the internal reveling can continue for years to come."
"Mean," Rory stated.
"Ha!" replied Lorelai.
"There's something wrong with you," Delilah added as she followed he mother out the door.
"Oh, I know," Lorelai said.
They carried the coat rack out of the jeep when they got to their grandparents' house and carried it to the door.
"God, this thing weighs like a thousand pounds."
"I know, I know," Lorelai said. "Here, put it down."
"What are we doing?" asked Rory.
"Well, in case Gran comes to the door, you know," Lorelai said.
"Good idea," Delilah said.
"I mean she's eighty," said Lorelai going to the door. "The eyes have got to be gone, right?"
"Let's just try to keep her inside the house," Rory said.
"Good thinking," Lorelai said, knocking on the door.
Emily opened it, "Do you have it?"
"We got it," said Lorelai.
"Hurry up, bring it in here," said Emily.
Rory, Delilah, and Lorelai got the coat rack.
Lorelai screamed a little.
"Sorry," said Rory.
"Okay, be quiet, be quiet," said Emily.
"Okay, Mom, thanks for the direction and all but, um, we need some help," Lorelai said.
"Oh, yeah, sorry," replied Emily.
"Careful honey," Lorelai told Rory.
"Watch it, watch your head," Emily said, as they got the coat rack inside the house. "Get it over here. Okay, yes, yeah, I think that was about – no I think it was maybe a little more on the left. Oh God, I should have put tape down."
"Mom, you don't think that the coat rack could've moved a quarter of an inch in five years?" Lorelai asked.
"Yeah, you're right," Emily said. "That's it. Okay, put your coats on it."
Delilah took her coat off and stuck it on the coat rack.
"How'd you get her in here without her noticing it wasn't there?" asked Lorelai.
"Well, I brought her in through the back way, then I had Stella wax the floors, also she napped so that took up about an hour," Emily explained.
Delilah asked, "So, where is she?"
"In the living room scratching the diamond pendant I bought her against a mirror," Emily said.
Lorelai asked, "So, we shouldn't keep her waiting, huh?"
"No, you're right, we shouldn't," Emily said. "Oh, heaven help me!" They headed for the living room and Lorelai chuckled.
"Knock it off," Delilah told Lorelai.
Emily stopped and said, "Mom, look who's here?"
Lorelai the First was looking at a newspaper with what looked like a monocle. She asked, "Who?"
"Well, look," Emily replied.
"If I wanted to look, I would look," said Lorelai the First. "I haven't looked therefore you must draw your own conclusions." Richard handed Lorelai the First a drink. "Ah, thank you, dear boy."
"You're welcome, Trix," Richard told her.
Rory asked, "Trix?"
"Dad's pet name for Gran," Lorelai replied.
Emily replied, "Isn't it just darling?"
"Hi, Gran," Lorelai said.
"Lorelai," replied Trix.
"Yes, it's so good to see you again," Lorelai said.
"Trix, this is Rory and Lila. You haven't met them yet," Richard said.
"No, I don't believe I have," Trix replied.
"Hello," greeted Rory.
"Come," said Trix. "I want to get a very good look at the three of you." Lorelai put one arm around Rory's shoulder and led them over to Trix. "They're tall." She pointed at Delilah, "You on the other hand, aren't that tall. But that's okay, neither am I."
"Well, yes, they are," Richard said.
Trix asked, "How's your health?"
"Very healthy," Rory said. Delilah nodded and Lorelai hummed in agreement.
"Good, that means the majority of your blood is Gilmore blood. Gilmores don't get sick," Trix said.
Trix wasn't there to see the flu that struck Delilah when she was nine.
"Am I right, Richard?" Trix asked.
"Oh, we wouldn't dare, Trix," Richard replied.
"That's right," said Trix. To Lorelai, she spoke, "Your mother is always sick."
"I'm hardly always sick," Emily replied.
"You're sick right now," Trix said.
"Are you sick now, Mom?" Lorelai asked.
"Headache," replied Emily.
"Gilmores don't have headaches, our heads are perfect," Trix asked. "You don't drink?"
"Uh, well..." started Lorelai.
"Emily, get this woman a drink," Trix said.
"Oh, I'll do it," Richard said.
"Oh, thanks, Dad," Lorelai said, "White wine."
"I'm going to go get the hors d'oeuvres," Emily said, leaving.
Lorelai and Rory sat on one couch, and Delilah sat down on the other.
Trix looked at Rory, "So, you're Rory." She looked Delilah, "And you're Lila."
Delilah nodded and Rory, with a smile, said, "Yes, ma'am."
"My son speaks of you two constantly. He seems very fond of you both," Trix said.
"Oh, well, I'm very fond of him too," Rory replied.
Delilah nodded in agreement.
"These two little girls are as smart as a whip, Mom. I think they have a great deal of you in them," Richard said, giving Lorelai her wine, before sitting down.
"Really?" asked Trix.
Richard hummed in agreement.
"How nice," replied Trix.
Emily came in with a tray. "Is this cheese?"
"Yes it is," Emily replied.
Delilah grabbed a cheese.
Trix asked, "Am I supposed to eat that cheese?"
"Well, only if you like," Emily replied.
Richard asked, "Emily, where are those spiced nuts that Trix likes so much?"
"I'll get some," replied Emily. She put the tray down and went to go the spiced nuts.
Delilah actually felt a little bad for her grandmother.
Trix looked at Lorelai, "So, Lorelai, since I've seen you last, you've grown up, gotten pregnant out of wedlock, raised two children, and still haven't bothered to get married. Have I left anything out?"
"Well, sometime in between growing up and getting pregnant, I got my ears pierced," Lorelai replied.
"I've always hated a scandal," Trix replied. "However, I've always appreciated self-sufficiency. Tell me, how do you support these children?"
"I run an inn and Lila helps out by having a part-time job at the local bakery," Lorelai replied.
Trix asked, "Hard work?"
"Yes it is," Lorelai said.
Trix looked at Delilah, "Is it hard work at the bakery?"
"Yes," replied Delilah. "It's just me, Fran, Marjorie, and Eli working there. Well, before Eli showed up, it was just me, Fran, and Marjorie. I plan on owning my own chain of bakeries someday."
Trix smiled, "Good. Hard work is good for a woman – makes her stronger. I admire people who enjoy hard work, and women who own their own businesses."
Emily came in with a bowl filled with the nuts. "Here we go; spiced nuts."
"Thank you, Emily," said Trix. She held her hands out and wiggled her fingers, "I suppose I can just put these nuts in my hand."
Delilah looked away, and stifled a laugh. She couldn't believe how her mind when straight to naughty thoughts.
"I'll be right back," Emily said with a forced smile. She took off.
Lorelai asked, "So, Gran, um, when was the last time I saw you?"
"You were still in your teens, wild hair flying everywhere. I see you've taken care of that," Trix said.
"Yes, I joined a support group, bought a hairbrush, and just taking it one day at a time," Lorelai said.
Trix asked, "That was a joke?"
"Yes it is," replied Lorelai.
"Very good," replied Trix.
"I have dishes and napkins," Emily said, returning with a tray of plates and napkins.
"Good for you," replied Trix. "Richard, I would like to be escorted into the dining room now."
"Your wish is my command." They got up and started going into the dining room.
Emily started, "Well, uh, I'm sure that dinner is ready just yet."
"Well perhaps our presence in the dining room will teach your help that when one is told dinner is at seven o'clock, people often expects dinner at seven o'clock," Trix stated.
"But it's only five after Mom," Emily said.
They stopped in the entrance between the dining room and living room.
"Only give after?" Trix repeated. To Richard, she said, "Only five after? Richard, in the event that I am kidnapped and a ransom is demanded at a certain time, I would prefer that Emily not be in charge of the drop off."
Richard was smiling before he went into the dining room.
Rory and Lorelai followed after.
Delilah took a plate and put some spiced nuts on it, before taking it with her. It kind of bothered her on how no one was eating the hors d'oeuvres. It seemed like a waste of food.
Delilah whispered to Emily, "If a kidnapper called, you would be the first one to answer, just to hang up on them, huh?"
"It's one of my fantasies," Emily admitted to her.
They were eating, when Rory said, "Grandma, this dinner's delicious."
"Very good young lady, we all believed you," Trix cut in before Emily can say anything. "Now let's talk about your education. Where are you two attending school?"
"I go to the local public school, Stars Hollow High," Delilah said.
"And I go to Chilton," Rory stated.
"Rory is in the top ten percent of her class," Richard said.
"We're very proud of our Rory," Emily added. "She's going to Harvard."
Trix asked, "Harvard?"
"Yes, ma'am," Rory said.
Trix zeroed in on Delilah, "And where are you going for college?"
"Well, I was planning on going to Hartford to attend some business management courses and I saw that there was Culinary Tech Center in New York that I can attend," Delilah admitted.
Trix made a scoffing sound, "Nonsense, you're going to The Culinary Institute of America in New York and attend business class at Yale. No great-grand child of mine is going to go to ordinary community college to learn culinary arts."
"Well, the tuition for Culinary Institute of America is like forty thousand dollars," Delilah said. "And I don't think I can even afford Yale."
"If you want, I will pay for it," Trix said.
Richard made a choking sound, "Now, Trix, you don't have too—"
"I want to, Richard," Trix said firmly. "I think a girl who wants to own her own business like her mother should have the best."
It made Delilah tear up a little. It was strange having someone want to support her like this. "Okay, Gran, if you want to."
"That's Trix to you, Lila," Trix said with a smile towards her. She always liked a good underdog story. Richard had talked a lot about Rory and Delilah, but he mainly bragged about Rory. She barely knew anything about Delilah.
"But Yale and the Culinary Institute of America are miles apart. It'll be a hassle for her to get to one and the other," Richard started.
"She's a Gilmore, Richard," Trix stated. "And Gilmores always figures something out."
"I could go to either Cornell or Yale," Delilah suggested. "I think both offers culinary courses."
"That would be great," Trix said. "I would prefer you go to Yale, like your grandfather, but Cornell is good too."
That meant Delilah had to pick up her GPA if she had to go to Cornell or Yale. Chilton would probably have a GPA that exceeds a 4.0, but she couldn't handle that type of schoolwork. The most, she can probably bring her GPA up if she did a load of extra-credit work and somehow kept her grades straight As.
The problem was that she had to lift her grades up. She looked at Rory, who had a deer-in-headlights look that probably mirrored how Delilah was feeling inside.
"So, Rory is going to Harvard?" Trix asked.
"Yes," Rory replied.
"Richard, how can allow one of your granddaughters to go to Harvard?" Trix asked, like she didn't agree to let Delilah go to either Cornell or Yale.
Richard started, "Now, Trix—"
Trix started, "You're a Yale man; your father was a Yale man!"
"Well, we want Rory to be whatever kind of man she wants to be," Lorelai cut in.
Delilah thought it was interesting how Lorelai wanted Rory to be who she was, but she was set on Rory going to Harvard when they were younger.
"That's enough jokes for this evening, Lorelai," Trix admonished.
"Sorry," Lorelai replied, taking a sip of her wine.
Trix said, "Now if you don't mind my asking, Chilton is rather an expensive institution. I'm curious how the manager of an inn can afford such a luxury?"
Lorelai started, "Ah well..."
"We're helping Lorelai out a little," Emily said.
"Yes, we've seen to it that Rory's education is taken care of," Richard said.
Trix asked, "So, why is Rory going to Chilton and not Lila?"
"Well, there was only one opening," Emily started.
"Admittedly, my grades are terrible," Delilah stated. She might as well get the whole Cornell and Yale off the table. "I think I have a 3.1 GPA. I'm to average to even get into Cornell or Yale."
"Nonsense, if an average man can get into one of those places, you can too," Trix said.
Did she call me an average man? Delilah wondered. Slowly, she said, "Thanks."
"Rory's Chilton expenses are temporary," Lorelai said, trying to get back to the conversation. "It's a loan. I plan to pay them back every cent. They know this."
Trix put her fork and knife down, "That's it, I'm done, Richard. Tomorrow, Lila and Rory, I shall plan the menu. When you've lived in Europe, you learn a thing or two about food."
"Oh, I can't," Rory said. "I'm studying tomorrow. I'm in a study group and our presentation is due on Monday."
"Jake and I were supposed to research 1920s news articles for this newspaper project we're doing in history," Delilah said. "If I'm going to be a university girl, I should try to study to bring up my grades."
"Oh, your mother can tell you all about it," Trix said to Rory and Delilah. She was getting up and Richard went to help her.
"I will, I promise," Lorelai added.
Emily asked, "Won't you have dessert?"
"I once traveled to a small village in Cambodia," said Trix as Richard lead her out of the dining room. "I did not eat dessert there either."
Delilah was sure that Trix hated traveling, so why would she go to Cambodia?
As they left the house, Rory asked, "Cornell or Yale?"
"She's pushing it on me," Delilah said, panicking. "Which one is the easiest to get into?"
"I don't know," Rory said. "You're going to need a lot of extra credit work to bring up your GPA up. You're going to need to score a high grade on the SAT and ACT."
"If you don't want to go to university, that's fine," Lorelai said. "Don't let her force you go to one."
Delilah nodded. She knew that, but Trix was practically the first person in her family to actually believe in her on attending a university. It felt like she would let Trix down on it. She knew that she would probably crash and burn, but maybe she'll actually retain information better knowing someone, besides her partners, believing in her.
Delilah was definitely panicking as she looked through news articles on a microfiche machine.
"Are you actually reading the newspaper that fast or do you like the look of the newspapers going by?" Jake asked Delilah.
"I'm panicking," Delilah said.
Jake asked, "Over this history project?"
"No," Delilah said. "My great-grandmother offered to pay my tuition at either Cornell or Yale once I get accepted to either one. She would prefer me to go Yale and now I feel like I have to go to university." Jake nodded. "Now I have to bring my GPA up so I can get admitted into one of them. Which one is easier to get into?"
Jake asked, "Why not avoid going to a university if it's causing you this much stress?"
"I would, but she's the only one in my family who believes that I can go to a university," Delilah said.
Jake arched an eyebrow, "So, your mother and sister don't believe that you can make it?"
"They don't want me to feel pressured in pleasing her," Delilah said.
"And yet, here you are, feeling the pressure at just the thought of going to a university," Jake told her. "Why are you getting worked up over this?"
Delilah took a deep breath and explained, "It's obvious to me that Rory is the golden child. She's smarter than me, she goes to Chilton, and she's set on going to Harvard. I'm average and I planned on going to community colleges just so I can open up a bakery. So, my great-grandmother comes in, offering to pay for me to go a university, and this is the first time that one of my relatives actually believe that I can make it. She said that even an average man can make it there, so, I don't want to let her down if I don't. It's like I'll be proving to everyone that I'm just Rory's stupid sister."
"You're not stupid," Jake said to her. "Look, you can do it; you just need to do it for yourself and not for your great-grandfather or to prove a point. That's what's going to end up destroying you, because you're not going to be happy, you're going to end up miserable and waste away studying because you don't want to be there, because someone else made you feel like you have to be there."
Delilah nodded, but Jake had a point. She had to do this for herself and not because Trix was forcing her into it.
Delilah was trying to study while Lorelai got ready for the Saturday night dinner. She could've gone to Samantha and Matt to study together, but they would eventually get distracted with each other or with something else.
Lorelai spoked as they came down the stairs, "There is money on the kitchen table and there's really good chocolate cake that I took out and defrosted for you two, especially this morning and call me if you either of you need me and I'll be home early and what else?"
"Don't be a jerk to Grandma," Delilah called after Lorelai,
"Yeah, yeah, broken record," Lorelai said as she headed out the door. "Okay, I'm gone."
"Be good," Rory said.
"Bye," Lorelai called.
"Bye," Rory and Delilah said in unison.
Rory went into the kitchen and Delilah stared at the notes she had taken. Rory came into the living room with her backpack.
Rory asked, "Cornell or Yale?"
"Yale," Delilah muttered. After a lot of debating, she settled on Yale. It was in Connecticut and Trix preferred if she went to Yale. Besides, after debating all day, it felt like her heart settled on Yale.
"I asked and the others in the study group said that Cornell would be easier to get into," Rory told her.
"Yeah, well, I looked, and Yale is like an hour away from Hartford," Delilah said. Rory chuckled. Delilah was confused, "What?"
"I never thought you would decide to become a university girl," Rory said.
Delilah sighed, "Me too."
"You know, you don't have to do it," Rory said. "Mom said that she was going to talk our great-grandmother out of the idea."
Delilah asked, "Why?"
Rory shrugged, "Because...you said it yourself. Your grades suck and you never had any real incentive on going to a university. I don't think the pressure will be good for you. This will be harder work. If you keep failing, they're going to kick you out, not send you to summer school."
"I'm well aware of that," Delilah said. "Some people thrive under pressure."
"And some people crash and burn," Rory countered. "We just want to make sure that you're doing wants best for you."
"Maybe going to Yale will be best for me," Delilah said.
Rory shrugged, "Maybe."
Rory busted out the chocolate cake that Lorelai had defrosted for them while Rory tried to help Delilah study.
They ate most of the cake, when they heard a knock on the door.
Rory went to answer it.
"I don't know what to wear," Delilah heard Paris say.
Rory responded, "Ever?"
"On my date with Tristan," Paris responded. "I'm not trendy girl, okay? I don't haunt the boutiques hoping to find that one fabulous little top. I study and then I think about studying and then I study some more."
Rory asked, "Do you want to come in?"
Paris walked in, speaking, "I only have one lipstick at home, okay? And it's barely even a color. You put it on and it looks like you're not wearing anything which is why I liked it in the first place. But to date, you need the fabulous little top and you need a lipstick that you can actually tell you're wearing."
Rory asked, "Do you want to put that stuff down?"
Paris was talking as she put clothes that were still on hangers down, "You said once that if I ever needed to talk to anyone, I could come talk to you."
"Yes I did," Rory replied.
"Well, here I am," Paris replied.
Rory asked, "Okay, can I ask you a question?"
"Okay," replied Paris.
"Why didn't you got Madeline or Louise about this? I mean, they seem to get that 'fabulous little top' thing."
"Oh, yeah, that they get," Paris replied. "The whole supportive 'You're going to be fine and not throw up twelve times on the way to his car' thing – that they don't get."
"Okay, let's just see what you got," Rory said.
Delilah went to go help, look.
"I brought everything just in case there was some sort of hidden potential in something that I just didn't see. So?"
Rory set aside a shirt, "Well, you'd be one well dressed widow."
"Forget it," said Paris. "I'm not going."
"Yes, you are. Come on now," Rory said.
Delilah asked, "Did you bring you entire wardrobe?"
"Yes," Paris replied.
Delilah asked, "All of it?"
"All of it except my Chilton uniform and my bat mitzvah dress which has menorahs on the collar," Paris said.
"That sounds oddly cute," Delilah mused.
"Let's go," Rory started, going to the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Paris asked.
"To our one stop shopping store," Rory said, as she went upstairs.
Delilah followed after Paris, who followed Rory.
Rory and Paris went in Lorelai's room while Delilah went to her room. She took a peach colored lip gloss that she didn't like very much.
Delilah went to Lorelai's room when Rory was holding up a blouse. "What about this?"
"My mother says the color pink makes my head look small," Paris stated.
"I think that's actually magenta," Delilah corrected.
"Okay, no pink or magenta," Rory said, putting it back.
"This whole thing is so insane," Paris stated.
Rory asked, "Why?"
"Tristan asking me out?" Paris asked, "Why would he do that?"
Rory asked, "Why would he not do that?"
"Because he's gorgeous and experience and only dates those most likely to become a trophy wife," Paris replied.
"Tristan would be lucky to go out with someone like you. He's not going to have read the menu to you or explain that the dancing trash bins in the movie theater previews aren't real. It's going to be much less stressful," Rory explained.
"All these years I've hoped this would happen and now it has and I feel...I don't know. I don't have a lot of experience in the dating department. I mean, if you can't put it on your transcript, what's the point right?"
"I know," Rory said. "Before Dean, I'd never had a boyfriend. Or a kiss."
"Yeah," Paris agreed.
"I had a boyfriend for a week," Delilah said.
Paris asked, "Why only a week?"
"He couldn't figure out how to integrate himself with our friends, Matt and Samantha," Delilah said.
"She says 'our friends' when in reality he wasn't friends with them to start with," Rory said.
"He liked and they liked him and they got along, therefore they were friends," Delilah pointed out. "Anyway, this is about me, this is about Paris."
"Oh, yeah," Rory said. "How about this outfit?" She took an outfit that was a black skirt and a red and black blouse. Although the blouse looked like it was pinker.
"It's okay," said Paris. Rory gave her a look, "It's great."
"Put it on," said Rory.
Paris seemed excited about it, actually. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," said Rory. "Bathroom's down the hall."
Paris took off her jacket tossed it on the bed as she went to try on her outfit.
Delilah went to grab it but noticed that note cards had fallen out. She grabbed them and Rory took them from her.
Rory whispered, "She brought note cards on a date?"
"Maybe it's to study while Tristan goes to the restroom," Delilah said. "You brought a book to a party. Don't judge."
Rory went to the bathroom, "Uh, Paris. What are these cards that fell out of your jacket?"
"Oh, yeah, those are notes for tonight," Paris replied.
Rory asked, "Notes?"
"Yeah," Paris responded. "Just some reference points, really. You know subjects to bring up in case the conversation lags."
Rory said, "Well, can I suggest that you leave this one about the Spanish Inquisition out?"
"Unless you plan on launching a reenactment of the Monty Python sketch," Delilah added.
Paris added, "So, I'm guessing the Spanish Inquisition is not very romantic?"
"It is, if he's anti-Semitic," Delilah added.
There was a pause on the other side of the door, before Paris said, "Good point. Also, I'm dressed."
Rory asked, "How's it look?"
"Bad," Paris stated.
"Well, I don't really trust your opinion on that subject so come out here please," Rory stated.
"Fine, but it looks bad," Paris said. She opened the door and stepped out.
"You look great!" Rory said.
"The color of that blouse works on you, but I don't like the shirt, admittedly," Delilah said. "Hold on." She went to her room and found a pink shirt of similar color and a plain grey long sleeved shirt. She returned and handed the tops to Paris, "Here I these will go good with the black mini." Paris seemed annoyed, took the tops and went back in the bathroom. She emerged and held out her arms.
"You look amazing," Rory said.
"I feel weird," Paris said.
"Weird works because you look good," Delilah said.
"Really?" asked Paris. "You're not just saying that?"
"I swear to God," Rory said.
"Are you atheist?" Paris asked.
Rory replied, "Excuse me?"
"Because that affects the validity of your swearing to God," Paris pointed out.
"What she means is that you look great and we wouldn't tell you that if you didn't," Delilah said.
Rory nodded.
"Okay, well if you two think it looks okay," Paris said.
"I believe the word 'amazing' was used," Rory pointed out.
"Then I'll wear it," Paris said. "Thanks."
"Anytime," Rory said.
Delilah nodded.
"I have to go," Paris said.
"Don't forget the lip gloss and your clothes," Delilah said.
Paris grabbed the tube of lip gloss. She said, "You're going to hold this evening over my head for the rest of my life, aren't you?"
"Probably," Rory said.
"I won't," Delilah said. She wasn't entirely sure if she'll ever see Paris again after high school was over, anyway.
"Bye," said Paris. She gathered things and left.
Delilah looked at Rory, "Since when does Tristan like Paris enough to ask her out?"
"Since I told him to ask Paris out," Rory said.
Delilah looked at Rory, "Let's hope that he doesn't let that slip, because Paris is not going to forgive you for it."
Lorelai tried to get Trix to change her mind of the whole Yale tuition payment, but Trix was holding firm on Delilah going to Yale, which meant that Delilah really had to get her average ass to Yale.
"I need to get my GPA up, so I can get into Yale," Delilah said to Samantha and Matt.
They looked at her confused.
"Well, you're going to have to do a lot of extra credit work," Samantha said.
"And you're going to have to stay on top of all your classes," Matt pointed out.
Samantha nodded, "What brought this on?"
"My great-grandmother," Delilah said. Samantha arched an eyebrow, and Delilah launched into an explanation of how Trix would pay for Delilah's tuition if she went to either Cornell or Yale, preferably Yale.
Samantha nodded, "Oh, okay. Well, you're going to have to talk to your school counselor about it. You're probably going to have to go to summer school."
"Oh my god," Delilah groaned.
"Hey, you're going to be a Yale woman," Matt said. "Maybe you might not have to go to summer school."
Delilah shrugged. She was thankful that they were taking her decision to go to Yale seriously.
"I'm sorry, but her nickname is Trix?" Samantha asked. Delilah nodded, "All I could think about is Trix Yogurt now."
"Now I want Trix Yogurt," Matt said. Delilah nodded wanting yogurt now.
Lorelai stopped in Weston's Bakery to get some coffee, after her tea with Emily and Trix.
"Nice hairnet," Lorelai said with a smile to Delilah, while she got some cupcakes that Lorelai wanted.
"Do you want hair in your food? I suggest you don't joke about the hairnet," Delilah told her with a glare.
"I talked to Gran again and she finally agreed to get off the Yale kick. She said that she'll still pay the tuition on any college you pick out," Lorelai told her.
"That's great," Delilah said.
Lorelai was beaming, because she didn't have to watch one of her kids have a meltdown trying to push herself into trying to get accepted into Yale, anymore, and Delilah can pick whatever college she really wanted.
However, she still had a bit of a desire to try and get into Yale. Realistically, she knew that they probably won't accept her, because of her grades, even if she somehow managed to scrape by, especially once they got a hold of her transcripts.
"Oh, by the way, you and Rory both lost out on half of a million dollars today," Lorelai added.
Delilah was confused. She was unaware of that she was getting about two-hundred-fifty dollars. "What? We did?"
Lorelai took off.
Delilah felt a little insulted. She could've used that money to save up to open her own bakery someday.