Champagne Problems | Gilmore Girls

DINNER THEATRE

Lorelai, Rory and Dean arrived at the Gilmore House on Friday night promptly at 7. Lorelai did not personally have high hopes for this evening, but she wasn't sharing that with Rory or Dean, because she didn't want to upset Rory or scare Dean. Besides, maybe she was wrong and the dinner would be ok. Anything was possible.
"Well, hello there!" Emily said, answering the door. She turned to Dean, a polite smile on her face. "Hello."
"Grandma, you remember Dean, right?" Rory introduced as they came inside.
"Yes, of course," Emily said politely. "Nice to see you again."
Lorelai let a little sigh of relief. Ok, her mother was playing nice. This was good.
"Thanks," Dean said politely. "Uh, your house is great. It's huge. I've never seen a house this huge before."
"Well thank you," Emily said dryly. "So few people bother to notice the hugeness of the house anymore."

As far as remarks went that was pretty tame for Emily, so Lorelai decided to let it go. However, she knew she needed to come to Dean's aid before anything else could be said, so she jumped in. "Mom, it was so nice of you to tell Rory to invite a friend tonight, seeing as this is her night." She praised, mostly to remind her mother that this night was about Rory. Well, and Serena, but Lorelai did not doubt that her mother would be nice to Logan. "That was really nice of you."
"It was my pleasure," Emily said and then turned to them. "Well, don't just stand there. We have a celebration to attend. Come in, come in."
"Serena's not here yet?" Lorelai asked as they settled in the living room
"Obviously not," Emily said dryly. "I'm sure she'll be here soon. What would everyone like to drink?"
"I'll have a white wine and Dean'll have a beer," Lorelai said mischievously.
Dean's eyes widened. "What?!"
"Corona, right?" Lorelai teased.
"No, I don't want a beer!" Dean exclaimed. "I don't drink beer. I'll have water or soda or anything. Or nothing. Not beer. Never beer. Beer is... Beer is bad."
Lorelai had to bite back laughter. She felt bad for putting him on the spot, but she was hoping to ease the tension and make Emily a little sympathetic.
"Relax Dean, that's just Lorelai's little sense of humour," Emily assured him, Lorelai's plot seeming to work. "You're very cruel."
Lorelai smirked. "Well, yes, it helps keep me young."
"Soda Dean?" Emily asked after a moment.
"Yes please," he said gratefully.
"Rory?"
"Oh, I'll have a beer," Rory said with a straight face causing Lorelai to burst out laughing. To her surprise, her mother did as well. "I'm sorry Dean," Rory apologised, "they're not laughing at you."
"Oh, wait, I think I was," Lorelai admitted.
"Me too, a little," Emily said with a smile. Her demeanour was warm though and Lorelai thought her little joke had worked at breaking the ice and putting Dean at ease. Maybe this dinner wouldn't be as painful as she thought.
Just then her father entered. "Oh, Richard, there you are," Emily greeted as she handed everyone their drink. "Come join us."

"Grandpa, hi!" Rory said, getting up. "This is Dean. Dean, this is my Grandpa."

There was so much hope on Rory's face as she introduced them. She loved Richard so much; she thought he hung the moon. They had gotten so close this last year and Christopher was barely involved in her life, so Richard filled that void Lorelai knew how much it meant to Rory that he approve of her boyfriend, so she held her breath.
Dean got up as well. "Hi."
"Hello," Richard said coldly.
Dean held out his hand. "It's nice to meet..."
Richard ignored his hand and turned to Emily. "Does everyone have drinks?"
Lorelai watched the scene, fighting back the desire to cringe. This was not going to go the way Rory hoped. Not at all.
Just then the doorbell rang. Emily leapt up.
"That must be Serena," She said eagerly.
A moment later, she returned, accompanied by Serena and two young men. One Lorelai recognized as Colin, meaning the other was Logan. She had known Logan was coming, but she hadn't realized Colin was as well. She wondered if there was any particular reason he had ended up tagging along.
Richard walked over to greet them. "Colin, Logan, how nice to see you both again." He said warmly, making his attitude towards Dean even more obvious.
"Logan, Colin, this is my mother Lorelai, my sister Rory and Rory's boyfriend Dean," Serena introduced, "Mom, Rory, Dean, I'd like you to meet my friends Logan and Colin."
"Nice to see you again, Miss Gilmore," Colin said politely.
"Call me Lorelai," Lorelai told him with a smile.
Logan also issued a polite greeting and then they all sat down. Lorelai noted with interest, that Colin positioned himself between Logan and Serena.
"Can I get you a drink?" Richard offered once the trio was settled.
"Soda, please," Serena said and Logan and Colin echoed her.
Lorelai looked from Rory and Dean to Serena and her companions and took a big sip of wine. This was going to be an interesting night. That was for sure.