Glimpses

Chapter 3

November 5th, 2016

Champagne coupes clinked together along with a near-deafening cheer as the bride and groom kissed, right after both the maid of honor - Rory, and the best man - Jess, had cracked the crowd up with their speeches.

Their speeches had contained just the right amount of admiration and respect for the happy couple, but also hadn't lacked the right amount of embarrassment and teasing on top of a couple of simpler jokes. Rory's had been more emotional, Jess' more withheld, but similarly cleverly worded. Most people probably thought they'd coordinated their speeches, but they really hadn't needed to. They thought the same way when it came to the happy couple. They knew them probably better than anyone, beyond themselves.

Weddings rarely made this much sense. It had made sense for more than a decade, making this wedding long overdue.

"Nice speech," Jess commented, as he stepped up to Rory's side from the back of the crowd about five minutes later, jolting Rory out of her thoughts. 

The crowd watched Lorelai and Luke dance their first dance as a married couple. This of course not considering the real wedding that had already taken place last night. But it was all very hush-hush as Emily would've never forgiven Lorelai if she found out. But Rory could tell Jess had been a little disappointed that he hadn't been included, even if he would never admit to it.

The dance was classical - a waltz to 'Reflecting Light', but perfect in its own way, making it painfully clear to Rory how she missed having something like her mom and Luke had. She barely remembered what something like that had felt like. The ache for being with someone like that, unconditionally, all in, was allconsuming. Especially now.

"Thanks," Rory replied, swirling the glass of champagne she'd been holding, but not drinking, in her hand. She'd taken a small, demonstrative, sip, but frankly even if she could probably have had just that small glass, the sparkling liquid just didn't taste right to her. It was her body's way of saying what she should and shouldn't be consuming. "You too," Rory added, still struggling to come out of her thoughts.

Rory placed her glass on the nearest table, aiming to conveniently forget it there.

Just that morning, she'd told her mother that she was pregnant. The realization hadn't quite sunk in with her either yet. But telling Lorelai had made things much more real already. Rory still didn't know what she was going to do, not about any of it. But there had been no question about telling Lorelai - they told each other everything.

"Not much in a partying mood?" Jess commented.

"I guess I'm just a little tired," Rory replied  with a weak sigh. She was always tired these days. It was a convenient excuse - she had stayed up until 8 AM after all, getting maybe only 4 hours of sleep this morning. But nevertheless she didn't aim to ditch the party, not for a few hours at least - it was too important.

"You know I'd be happy to have one of the guys at Truncheon read over your chapters if you want, though knowing you I doubt there's much to critique," Jess suggested. After hearing how happy Rory had been about her first three chapters, he'd been genuinely happy for her. He liked seeing her like that.

And he couldn't deny that Luke's words from the day before had stuck with him too - So then you're over that, right?

"Yeah, and next you'll tell me they'll publish it," Rory replied, dubiously. She knew how the business worked, she also knew how difficult it was to get past the receptionist's desk, or rather their inbox at most publishing houses with a book. She had never much liked accepting favors - it didn't even matter if it wasn't someone with the last name Huntzberger offering it, it felt just as cheap.