Rory waited impatiently at the door, waiting for her mother, or someone, to answer.  Her hand was still resting nicely in Jess’ when she heard her mother call out.  “Come in.”  Immediately, Rory’s thoughts transgressed back to happier times when she and her mother would sit on the couch for hours at end and call to the visitors in this manner.

            And so instead of moving, Rory stayed rooted to the ground.  She felt a gentle nudge on her shoulder from Jess.  She hadn’t realized that they had been so close that their shoulders were touching.  It felt so nice, and Rory used this as an excuse not to move.  For if she didn’t move, she and Jess could remain this way, she tried to justify her actions but knew it was all in vain.  Jess would make her move eventually.  It was inevitable, she would move. 

            Rory carefully placed her hand on the door handle and twisted to reveal her house, just as it had been.  The coat she had forgotten in her expeditious departure a year ago was still resting on a hook.  It was almost sad, but Rory felt unusually gratified by the gesture.   

            “Sookie, is that you?” Lorelai called out from the living room and at the sound of her voice, Rory lost control of herself and began to weep.  More like bawl.  She walked, with Jess in tow, to the entrance to the living room and saw her mother sitting on the couch, leaning up against Luke.  Were they together now?

            “Oh my God.  Rory.”  Lorelai stated in shock from her place on the couch.  She didn’t know whether or not to cry or smile or get up or leave.  Or just hug her daughter that she hadn’t seen or heard from for a year.

            Rory, who had stationed herself at the doorway, finally became proactive and made a move to communicate.  “Mom, Luke.”  She spoke through sobs and nodded her head numbly in their direction.  It wasn’t a big move, but it was something.  More than what she had done for a year.  Rory had to admit that she was a little peeved that her mother had not gotten up to hug her or something, but then again, she really couldn’t blame her.  There was no excuse for Rory’s strange behavior and flight.

            And it wasn’t until moments later that Rory had realized that her mother was crying too.  Rory hadn’t meant to hurt her.  Jess had been right about her selfishness.  To desert a mother and family and friends was unacceptable.

            “Mom, I’m so sorry.”  Rory cried out quietly as she ran to Lorelai’s arms that had been outstretched just seconds before.  Immediately Rory felt the comfort and warmth that she only felt when she was in her mother’s arms.  And Jess’ arms.  Did I feel that way with Jack? She hadn’t, only she thought she had.

            “Oh, Rory, you’re home.  I don’t know whether to yell at you for running away or never let you go because I love you so much.”  Lorelai talked into Rory’s ear.  She was just delighted to be able to smell Rory again, as weird as that was.  The coat she had left behind had lost the scent months ago, much to Lorelai’s displeasure.

            Luke, sensing a mother/daughter heart-to-heart conversation was in the works, quietly got up from his seat on the couch and met Jess at the door.

            “Let’s leave them alone for a while.”  Luke faintly spoke to Jess and watched Jess retreat from the room into the kitchen.  Luke decided to make some coffee, hoping Lorelai would pick the habit up again now that Rory was back.  And he was intent on hearing the details of Jess’ persuasion. 

            “How’d you do it?”  Luke asked once out of the living room, and out of the girls’ earshot. 

            “What do you mean?”  Jess asked in his usual manner as he sat down at the table.

            “What do you mean ‘what do I mean’?  I mean how the hell did you get her to come back here?”  Luke asked incredulously.

            “Oh.”  Jess affirmed and paused for a moment.  “It wasn’t easy.  I wore her down.”

            “Yeah?”  Luke looked up from his dealings with the coffee pot.

            “She almost didn’t come.  She definitely didn’t look pleased to see me show up at her class.”  Jess laughed slightly.

            “Class?”

            “Yeah, she’s a lit professor.  I walked into her class on Hemmingway and threw in a bit of my own irony.  Caught her off guard, to say the least.”  Jess smirked at the shocked expression on Luke’s face.

            “I cannot believe you did that.”

            “It was very audacious of me.” Jess smugly replied, and then sighed.  The realization hit him that he brought her back home. And now with her here, even though the two had talked things over, he would want her just as he had wanted her back then.  It would be hard.  Very hard.  Especially since they had agreed on being friends. 

            “And it worked.”

            “It did indeed.”

            “Is she staying?”  Luke finally asked what he had been dying to know.

            Jess dropped his head to his hands and rubbed his temples.  This absolutely killed Luke and he quickly grew impatient.  Finally, Jess raised his head.  “I don’t know.”

            “Took you that long to say ‘I don’t know’?” Luke asked.  Damnit, Jess was supposed to find out these things.  “Did you ask?”

            “Of course I asked.  But she didn’t give a definitive answer.  I didn’t want to press her.”

            “Press. With the Gilmore women, you always press.” Luke stressed, completely seriously.

            “She’s delicate.  I couldn’t.”  Luke gave an understanding nod.  With Lorelai at least, you always press.  He would know because for the past few months, he and Lorelai had been dating.  After a couple of minutes of silence, Luke had another question.

            “Does she know?”  He asked and this time Jess didn’t need clarification. 

            “Yeah, I told her and we talked about it.  We’re good.  We’re friends.”  But Jess said ‘friends’ in a slightly sarcastic manner.

            “It’s killing you, isn’t it?” Luke inquired knowingly.  It had been the same with Lorelai, but everything had worked out.

            “Yep.”  Jess candidly admitted.  One smile from her at a time.  She was killing him.

---

            Twenty minutes later, Rory still lay in her mother’s loving grasp. And she decided right there and then that she wasn’t going back to California.  There was no way she was leaving something this good once again.

            “Mom?”  Rory quietly asked.

            “Yeah sweets?”

            “Maybe we should talk.” Rory admitted and Lorelai loosened her arms from around Rory’s back. 

            “Yeah, that might be a good idea.”  She paused for a moment and then continued.  “I know you may be confused about what you saw back there.  Me and Luke.  So I just want be the first to tell you that Luke and I are now a couple.”  This wasn’t exactly the type of talking that Rory had meant, but it was good just the same.  And Luke and Lorelai, finally together?  This was phenomenal.

            “You’re serious?  When did this happen?”

            “A few months ago.  It’s great.  One day, we were friends and then bam, he was helping me fix the roof and we get together.”

            “Mom, this is great.” Rory was thrilled.  At least her mother had someone to keep her company all those months.

            “I know.  And he is such a good kisser.”  Lorelai divulged and giggled like a schoolgirl.  Rory sighed when she realized that this was exactly the way they used to talk.  Were things really that easy?  Could she be acclimated so quickly?  Probably not.

            “Mom, maybe we should talk about, um, my going away.”  She didn’t mean to put a damper on the good times.

            “I’ll tell ya what.  Let’s not.” Lorelai said perfectly seriously.

            “What?” Rory asked, thoroughly confused.  How could they not talk about it?

            “I just don’t want to dwell on it.  You are back now, and you seem to be okay.  But if you’re not okay, then we can talk.”

            “Well, I’m doing much better now.  And I’ve realized that home is where the heart is.”

            “Hun, it took you a cross country trip to figure that out?  You could have just watched that movie with Natalie Portman.  Instead, I don’t get to drink coffee for a year? Unfair.”  Lorelai joked, just wholly desperate for things to return to normal.  She knew Rory never meant to hurt her intentionally. 

            “But in return, you got Luke…Love is better than a stupid drink.” Rory pointed out.  By now, she was content allowing things to regress on their own.  As long as her mother seemed all right with it, which she did.  And that was the curious thing because Lorelai was known to hold a grudge.  Everything must have really changed, just hopefully not too much. 

            “That is true young Lorelai.  But rule number one for the UCLA, Universal Coffee Lover’s Associaton, never call it the ‘s’ word.”  Lorelai couldn’t help but smile when she thought of Luke, and her feelings were transparent, as Rory easily saw her mother’s pleasure.  “And you got Jess…” Lorelai continued smiling as she looked across the room in contemplation. 

            “No I didn’t.”  Rory protested.  I gave up Jess, and now I think I have regrets…

            “Oh, my bad.  You will get Jess.” Lorleia chuckled.

            “Why do you say that?” Rory was suddenly very interested.

            “Because you totally passed my ‘I love Jess’ test.  When I said you’d get together, I could just see they way you perked up and that twinkle in your eye suddenly got particularly bright.” 

Lorelai could just tell that Rory still harbored feelings for Jess. Way back before Jack came into the picture, Lorelai was sure that Jess and Rory were destined to be together.  She also knew about the picnic Jess had planned for Rory.  In the beginning, she may not have been Jess’ number one fan, but as time wore on, she had come to realize that the brooding young hoodlum had grown quite mature and comfortable with himself.  He was famous writer and he had his life together.  She would be happy to have him as a son-in-law.  But even though she knew that Jess still had loving feelings for Rory and Rory most definitely wanted to be more than friends, it would take a lot of planning and convincing to finally bring them together.  Unless of course something had happened in California…but you never count your chickens before the eggs hatch. 

            “I do not love Jess.”  Rory denied the obvious.  But she was blatantly in love.

            “Whatever you say, kiddo.  Whatever you say…” Lorelai said in a comforting tone that was lucidly condescending in nature.  She wrapped her arm around Rory’s shoulder and pulled her close into her body, savoring the contact.  This was good.  Very, very good.  And she was never letting Rory go again. 

            The mother and daughter remained silent for a while and then Luke came into the room, stopping hesitantly at the door.

            “I hope I’m not interrupting, but we come bearing gifts.”  Luke and Jess were both holding cups of coffee, and the aroma was enlivening. 

            “Oooh, coffee. Gimme.”  Lorelai ordered as if she were nine.  Well, a nine year old addicted to caffeine, but nine nonetheless.  Luke obligingly handed her a cup of the brown delight and Jess handed Rory one too.  Lorelai downed hers even before Rory was able to take a sip.  Quick as a flash, Lorelai grabbed the cup from Rory’s hands.

            “Hey!  That’s mine.”  Rory accused but Lorelai just shrugged.

            “I have got to make up for lost time, sorry sweets.”  She quickly took a sip, but decided to savor this cup.

            “You suck.” Rory said.

            “You suck too.” Lorelai countered and stuck out her tongue.  Real mature.  But the Lorelais’ weren’t exactly known for that maturity. 

            Jess looked to Luke as the twosome continued a verbal dispute and rolled his eyes.  Luke offered a small guffaw at the nonsense, but inside, both Danes men were thanking their God that things between the Gilmore girls had transitioned so smoothly.  It could have been much worse that a light hearted game of steal the coffee.

---

            After a few hours of reminiscing and recounting, Luke declared that he had to go back to the diner to prepare for the dinner crowd.  Normally, Lorelai would not have gone with, but right now, she wanted to leave Jess and Rory alone for a while to see what indeed was brewing.  A deep love or a fizzled lust that left behind sorry pieces.  And although she wanted to spend some much overdue time with Rory, she knew that come Monday, Jess would probably be heading back to New York City for press parties and photo shoots.  This was their chance to be alone together, for what might be a long time. 

            “So, I guess you’ll be staying in your old room for a while then, right?”  Jess asked once he was alone with Rory on the living room couch.

            “Yeah, for awhile anyway.  I’m not sure whether or not I want to go back to New York.  I think I’m such a Stars Hollow type gal that I’m not suited for the big city life.”

            “I’m definitely not the ‘Stars Hollow type fellow’.” Jess joked.

            “City life suits you well.”

            “I certainly can’t live without all that pollution and chaos.”

            “Why should anyone have to?” Rory teased.  “And plus, everyone in the city smokes, so you fit in well.”

            Jess looked down to his hands and starting cracking his knuckles.  It had been his nervous habit since…

            “I actually quit smoking.” He admitted.  He had done it when he had realized that Rory was gone.  It had been Lorelai and her coffee.  Luke and his Jimmy Buffet.  And Jess and his smoking.

            “What?  You did?  Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

            “I don’t really like to talk about it, it brings on cravings.  But about a year ago, I guess.”

            “Oh, I’m sorry for bringing it up, but that’s good. I’m glad for you.  I remember when Jack would always smoke in the apartment, it would drive me nuts and…” Rory cut herself off from talking about Jack.  This was a new chapter in her life, one she hoped would be lived without too much interference from him.  In an attempt to change the subject… “When do you have to go back to New York?”

            “I actually am supposed to go back on Monday.”  He said and Rory calculated in her head.  Monday was just two days away.  That wasn’t much Jess time.

            “Oh.”  She replied, rather dejectedly.

            “Do you want me to stay?” Jess asked, thinking that if she only said ‘yes’ he would cancel all plans and stay.  It was ironic that the situation had been similar but in reverse those years ago when Rory had only wanted Jess to make a move, and she would have chosen him. 

            But no.

            “Oh, don’t.  I’ve already caused so much trouble for you.  Go back to New York. We can talk on the phone and stuff.”  Rory had wanted to ask him to stay, but that wasn’t fair.  He had a life waiting for him back in his home.   She hoped he couldn’t hear the despondency in her response.

            “I see.”  He said back, hurt by her refusal to inconvenience him, as unusual as that sounded. 

            Silence.

            “Are you going back to California?”  He asked out of the blue.

            “No.”

            At that moment, he felt a hundred pounds lift from his shoulders.  She was staying.

            And he was going back to New York.

            Damnit.

            “Good.”  He replied and she turned to face him.  Suddenly, she was overcome with the need to hug him, and he must have been feeling the same way, for they both went in for a tender hug.  She could feel his hand slowly massage her back in soothing circles.

            “Thank you.”  She whispered into his ear and it sent shivers down his spine.

            “No, thank you.”  He murmured back into her ear with reciprocal sensations.  And slowly, he moved his lips to her cheek and kissed it softly and swiftly.  Like an angel’s kiss.

            The kiss of an angel. 

Was it a sign from Jack?