The Maine Event

Chapter 5

Rory had been on the phone with Lorelai, who had kept blabbering the entire car ride to Catherine's place - roughly a 20 minute ride. Now she sat in her car at Catherine's driveway that already contained three vehicles, in front of a medium-sized white classic antique cape where the GPS had led her to, Lorelai still talking about the menu Luke had planned for the evening and how Liz and her family were arriving any minute, having already covered the recent elaborate wedding she'd organized at the Dragonfly. Rory was already getting a little anxious, not wanting to keep her host waiting.

"Mom, I really have to go, I'm going to be late," Rory finally said, giving up on gentle nudges she'd been throwing at her unsuccessfully for the past ten minutes already. That, however, opened a whole other can of worms.

"Where are you going to be late exactly? I thought you were just going to be writing tonight?" Lorelai asked suddenly. Not only was Rory not coming home for Thanksgiving, now she was choosing to spend it with someone else.

"I got invited to dinner last minute, she's just a friend," Rory replied shortly, not wanting to really start explaining to Lorelai that she was staying at a house that came with a housekeeper. That would've simply raised more questions than was necessary. And she knew Lorelai was a little sceptical of her whole Maine venture to begin with.

"Oh," she replied a little disappointedly, almost sounding jealous.

"Enjoy Thanksgiving, mom! Say 'hi' to Luke and the others for me," she added in singsong, already unbuckling her seatbelt and getting ready to step out of her car.

"I will, bye kid," she added, finally letting her go. From the distance there was little she could do to force her hand, to make her talk. She could feel something was off ever since she'd left for Maine, like she was keeping something from her - and Rory felt she knew too.

"I thought that was you," Catherine already greeted from the doorway, wearing an olive green shirt-dress and a lovely pair of ginkgo leaf earrings.

"Hi, sorry I'm late, my mom didn't want to let me go," Rory apologized.

"Oh that's fine," she said, inviting her in.

The interior of the house was painted in bold darker shades of green and burgundy, accented by white trims and wood paneling, most of the furniture reminding her of the Gilmore mansion but this contained slightly lighter tones and some more modern touches.

"It's a lovely place," Rory noted. '

The place was a little fancier than she had expected, but she scolded herself for that assumption. There was no reason to presume that just because she worked as a housekeeper for the Hunzberger's, well Rothchild's to be exact, they were poorly off, especially considering that Catherine wasn't living here alone. Her knowledge of Catherine was patchy to say the least, having been fairly preoccupied with her own issues. But this evening was a good way to change that, and she certainly promised herself to try. It was a little like coming out of her shell again. Trying new things, meeting new people.

"Thank you, would you like a drink?" Catherine offered, after Rory had hung up her coat and had her follow her to the kitchen.

"Sure, I guess I could have a glass of wine," Rory said, considering she still needed to drive back later.

"White or red?" she asked.

"White," Rory replied, already eyeing what she had poured out for herself so they wouldn't have to open another bottle just for her sake.

"Is there anything I can help you with in the kitchen?" Rory offered politely, secretly hoping she wouldn't, not wanting to embarrass herself with her lack of culinary skills.