[karana]

Chapter 12: Oh William!

“Hi.” Rory smiled at them, while they were still staring and she was still standing outside. William was the next to snap out of his daze and wiggled out of Luke´s arms, walked to the door and pushed it shut.
“Let´s go back to bed.” He said and pulled on his mother´s hand.
“William!” Luke exclaimed and opened the door again.
“What a nice welcome, little brother.” Rory said sarcastically. William glared at her.
“Go away!” He yelled then and wanted to push the door closed again, but Rory was faster and held it open from the outside. William tried with all he had to close it again, but it wasn´t working. Finally Lorelai pulled him back and scooped him in her arms, and held him close.
“God, what´s his problem?” Rory exclaimed angrily and stepped inside.
“Hey Dad, hi mom.” She greeted them, gave Luke a short hug, and then tried to to do the same with Lorelai, but William pushed her away .
“What are you doing here?” Lorelai finally asked and one could hear that she was angry. Angry because of the call days ago, angry because of the interruption of her time with Luke, angry because she feared that Rory´s appearance would put a damper on her relationship with William again.
“Well, I came back from London this morning and wanted to see you, but the house was empty, so I asked Sookie and she told me that you came here. You could have said something, I would have come along in the first place. I really could use a holiday.” Rory explained and walked past them into the living room. Luke and Lorelai shared a look and followed her.
“Make her go away.” William whispered in his mother´s ear while they walked into the living room and Lorelai just placed a kiss on his cheek to calm him. Rory was sitting on the couch already.
“God, I am exhausted, the flight was a nightmare. There was this guy sitting next to me and he kept snoring the whole time; I couldn´t sleep. The food was disgusting and the coffee... gah, worst coffee I have ever had. And I was flying first class, imagine! Next time I will chose another airline. So I am tired, hungry, and in desperate need of some coffee.” Rory babbled and looked expectantly at Luke.
“Give me William, I will change him and put him to bed.” Luke said to Lorelai and she could tell that he was seconds from exploding.
“Nooo, I wanna stay with mommy! I am not tired!” William started to cry, because he was dead tired. Lorelai handed William to Luke and kissed him again.
“I will be right there.” She told them and turned to Rory. When Luke and William were out of sight she asked again.
“What are you doing here?”
“Are you mad at me?” Rory asked surprised.
“Rory!” Lorelai yelled.
“Logan and I broke up. For good this time.” She said and looked down at her hands, tears in her eyes.
“Well, that´s what I figured, but why are you here?” Lorelai shot back and Rory was surprised by her harsh tone.
“Why I am here? Because I am sad and desperate and need my best friend.” Rory started to cry.
“Lane is your best friend.” Lorelai said softer.
“But it´s late and I couldn´t wake her up, so I took another flight here.”
“To wake your three little siblings up, because that´s not that bad.”
“What is your problem?” Rory yelled.
“My problem? Do you remember what happened five days ago? You remember that I called you while I was sitting at the airport wanting to fly over to London.”
“Why didn´t you?”
“Why I ...? God, I don´t believe this! Because you were drunk on the phone and told me not to come, because you and Logan made up again. You weren´t interested in anything that happened here and hung up on me, basically telling me that you don´t need me as long as everything is fine with Logan. And I told you that I am fed up with it, that you are old enough to deal with your problems on your own, because I have enough problems of my own at the moment, which doesn´t bother you in any way. And now you´re barging in here, ruining my time with Luke, waking up William, suggesting that Luke should cook you dinner and make you coffee at eleven thirty at night, while I should wallow with you. The world doesn´t evolve around you, Rory. We have three little kids upstairs, whom I neglected during the last year and they need me.” Lorelai yelled.
“It´s not my fault that you neglected your kids! And I don´t think it´s too much to expect my mother to be there for me when I break up with my boyfriend!” Rory yelled back.
“No, it´s not too much as long as it isn´t a weekly happening!” Lorelai shot back and Rory was stunned for some seconds, tears still on her face.
“So you want me to leave?” She asked shocked.
“Yes...no... you can stay. We can talk about this tomorrow, when we have both calmed down. But all the rooms are taken, we will have to think of something tomorrow, for tonight the couch has to do it. I will bring you a blanket and a pillow.” Lorelai said hugged her briefly and placed a kiss on her forehead.
She walked back upstairs and into William’s room. The boy was ranting about something and Luke tried to calm him.
“Hey Will, isn´t it a little late for a speech to the world?” She tried to joke.
“Why is she here? I want her to leave!” William said upset.
“She broke up with Logan again and needs some time with her family.” Lorelai told William, who snorted angrily.
“William she is your sister and when she needs us, she is welcome any time.” Luke said.
“We will discuss this tomorrow, okay honey? Together with your sisters, and then we will decide what to do, okay?” Lorelai asked him and kissed him on the forehead.
“But you will still teach me how to swim?” He asked.
“I will still teach you how to swim. And now sleep.” Lorelai smiled.
“Good night, mommy. Good night, daddy” William yawned, satisfied with her answer for the moment.
“Good night honey. Kiss.” Lorelai said and gave him a good night kiss, as did Luke and together they walked into their bedroom.
“Vacation with a wallowing young woman, sounds like fun.” Luke scoffed and let himself fall onto the bed.
“I can´t throw her out.” Lorelai sighed.
“I know. That wouldn´t be fair.” Luke agreed.
“But she has to integrate herself this time. I won´t throw all our plans out the window, just because she decided to show up like that.” Lorelai said.
“Well, our first plan already flew out the window.” He said with raised eyebrows.
“I know and I hate it. Couldn´t she show up in the morning? I feel... I don´t know... I don’t think I´ve ever been this sexually frustrated, at least I can´t remember. I mean here we are in a beautiful house, with a huge bed and a whirlpool and we have to live in celibate because every night something different happens. The kids are asleep, now would have been the perfect opportunity, but now my crazy 26 year old daughter is wandering through the house, probably watching TV until early in the morning. That reminds me, I still have to bring her a blanket and a pillow.” Lorelai groaned and stood up. She took the items out of the dresser and walked downstairs. She placed the things on the couch and found Rory in the kitchen.
“I left a pillow and a blanket on the couch for you.” She told her and also took a cup and filled it with coffee.
“Thank you.” Rory said and played with the mug in her hand.
“You know, it´s not that I don´t want you here. It´s just that it complicates a lot of things again, especially with Will.” Lorelai told her.
“What´s wrong with him? Why does he want me to leave again?” Rory asked clearly hurt.
“I treated him really badly over the last year and he basically had to disappear and step back every time you showed up. It´s not really your fault, because I was the one acting so stupid, but he really, well... hates you and everything that has to do with you at the moment.” Lorelai admitted.
“Why didn´t you tell me?”
“I told you on the phone five days ago.”
“Could we just forget that call happened, because I don´t remember it at all and I am sorry for that. What happened with Will?”
“He rejected me completely. When I wanted to fly to you he freaked out, kicked me, and yelled at me that he hated me. He didn´t let me touch him anymore. Later I found him crying, he thought I wouldn´t come back from London, because I hate him and would only love you. He is so jealous, Rory. I just started to get his trust back and since the pool thing happened he really clung to me. I am scared that with you here, he will freeze me out again.”
“Oh mom,” Rory said and hugged her.
“That´s why you and Luke were so angry about me showing up here. I can leave again.” Rory offered and pulled back.
“No, stay. I can´t neglect Will because of you, but I can´t throw you out because of him either. We will have to find another solution. And we weren´t angry really about you showing up here. Your timing was just a little off.” Lorelai said and smiled in a way, that Rory knew what she was talking about.
“Oh my god, did I interrupt you, having...” Rory said blushing.
“No, not really. We weren´t ... doing it, more like... looking forward to it, because since we have been here, we haven´t had a chance at all, because first the twins were sick, then William had nightmares because he nearly drowned, well and now... you are here.” Lorelai explained and sighed.
“What Will nearly drowned? But he is okay now, isn´t he?” Rory asked shocked.
“Yes, don´t worry. We were all just scared afterwards. He fell into the pool head first, but I was on it and I pulled him out not that long after he fell in. He is scared now, that´s it and Luke and I were upset. Speaking of which, I think I will go to sleep now. Good night Rory.” Lorelai said and kissed her on the cheek.
“Night mom and tell Luke I’m really sorry!” Rory said.
“I better not, otherwise he will never be able to look you in the eye again.” Lorelai laughed and left the kitchen.
Upstairs in the bedroom Luke was already asleep and all she could do was lay her head on his chest. She gave him a last kiss and then drifted off to sleep.
Rory awoke the next morning when something poked her in the cheek. She opened her eyes and came face to face with the twins, their faces were millimeters away from her own and they were looking at her curiously.
“What are you doing here Rory?” Sara asked her and poked her in the cheek again with her index finger.
“I was sleeping.” Rory mumbled. Laila meanwhile crawled on top of her and sat down on her stomach.
“Laila, what are you doing? Get off of me!” Rory complained, which only caused them to giggle, while Sara sat down beside her sister.
“We wanna watch TV and you are blocking the couch.” Laila said in a duh-tone.
“What time is it?” Rory asked and rubbed her eyes.
“There is a six and then a two and an eight.” Sara told her.
“It´s six thirty in the morning and you are waking me up?” Rory groaned and let herself fall back on her pillow.
“Mommy said that when we are up before they are up we should be quiet, watch TV, and wait till daddy makes breakfast.” Sara told her.
“Because we are not allowed to leave the house, go into the kitchen, or William’s room, or mommy and daddy´s room while they are sleeping.” Laila completed.
“Why don´t you read something and leave me alone?” Rory whined.
“Because we can´t read, Rory. We can write our name, but we can´t read. And Barney is on right now!” Sara smiled and the next thing Rory heard was Barney, the dinosaur´s voice, singing about numbers.
“I know that!” Sara yelled excitedly and started to sing along with him; Laila joined her.
“Urgh!” Rory said and pulled the pillow over her face and ears, while the twins still sat on top of her.
Luke came down the stairs nearly three hours later and laughed out loud when he saw the picture in the living room. Rory lay on her back, her head lying on the right side, facing the TV. A pillow was covering the other half of her face. Laila´s head lay on that pillow, while she lay on top of Rory and Sara used Laila´s back as a pillow. All three were asleep and on TV, the power rangers were fighting.
“I thought they stopped that crap.” Luke muttered when he saw them fighting the evil in their colorful costumes. He shut off the TV and took Sara off of Laila, placed her on the end of the couch where Rory´s feet were and covered her with the blanket. He readjusted Laila, so that she was lying on Rory´s shoulder and not on her face anymore, and put her feet also under the blanket.
Then he went into the kitchen and started making breakfast. William was the next to come down and he helped Luke by putting the plates on the table.
Lorelai came into the kitchen just when the coffee was ready, with Laila and Sara on her arms.
“Look what I found in the living room.” She grinned, handed them to Luke, who kissed them and sat them down on the chairs.
“Is Rory coming, too?” Luke asked her and gave her a kiss.
“She is still asleep.” Lorelai said.
“Will, could you go and wake up Rory and tell her breakfast is ready.” Luke said without thinking about it.
“Okay.” the boy shrugged and Lorelai looked at him suspiciously. William walked out of the kitchen and after nearly a minute they heard Rory screaming and Will ran into the kitchen and hid behind his father´s legs.
“Have you lost your mind?” Rory yelled when she burst through the kitchen door, her face and hair dripping wet.
“Breakfast.” was all William said.
“What happened?” Luke asked confused and looked down at William.
“He splashed a whole glass of ice-cold water on my face!” Rory said upset, took a towel and dried her face. Sara was the first who started to giggle, followed by Laila.
“Oh William!” was all Lorelai said before she burst out in laughter.
TBC?