The Forgotten Gilmore

Chapter Fifty-Two: Letters of Fate

The sun peeked through the curtains of the Gilmore house, casting a warm glow over the living room as Alessia Gilmore sat on the couch, her legs tucked beneath her. It was a quiet Saturday morning, and the usual lively banter between her and her mom, Lorelai, had been replaced by a tense silence. They both knew what today was—the day the college acceptance letters would arrive.

Alessia tried to distract herself with anything she could find: a cup of coffee, a magazine, even watching reruns of old TV shows. But nothing could take her mind off the looming arrival of the mail.

Lorelai walked into the room, holding two mugs of coffee. She handed one to Alessia and sat down beside her, her face a mixture of anticipation and calm. "You know, the more you stare at the door, the slower the mail will come."

Alessia tore her gaze away from the door and gave her mom a small, nervous smile. "I'm not staring."

"Uh-huh," Lorelai teased, taking a sip of her coffee. "So, are we ready for this? You know, in case we have to perform the traditional Gilmore mailbox dance?"

Alessia chuckled, feeling a little of the tension melt away. "I'm ready. I think."

"Good. Because if we don't get the letters today, I have a backup plan involving a heist, some ninja skills, and maybe a bit of bribery."

"Always prepared," Alessia said, shaking her head. Before she could say anything else, Rory walked in from the kitchen, holding a third mug of coffee.

"You guys are doing the mailbox stakeout without me?" Rory asked, her tone mock-serious.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Lorelai replied, patting the spot on the couch next to her. "Come join the madness."

Rory sat down, handing Alessia the mug she was holding. "You look like you could use some extra caffeine."

"Thanks," Alessia said, accepting the mug with a grateful smile. "I'm going to need it."

As the three of them sat together, the room filled with an air of nervous anticipation. They chatted about nothing in particular, trying to distract each other from the wait. But the conversation kept circling back to the topic of colleges—what ifs, maybes, and worst-case scenarios.

Suddenly, the sound of a car pulling up outside made them freeze.

Lorelai raised an eyebrow. "Is it...?"

"It's him!" Alessia jumped up from the couch, her heart racing. "The mailman's here!"

The three of them rushed to the door, nearly tripping over each other in their hurry. As they flung it open, they saw the mailman walking up the steps, a bundle of envelopes in his hand. He gave them a friendly nod as he approached.

"Morning, ladies," he said, holding out the stack of mail.

"Morning!" Lorelai and Rory chimed in unison, while Alessia stood there, her eyes fixed on the letters in his hand.

Alessia reached out to take the stack, her fingers trembling slightly. She quickly flipped through the envelopes, searching for anything that stood out—anything that might contain the news she'd been waiting for.

"Anything?" Rory asked, her voice a mix of hope and anxiety.

Alessia paused, her eyes catching on two large envelopes nestled in the middle of the stack. "There's something," she whispered, pulling them out carefully.

Lorelai and Rory leaned in, their breath held as they saw the return addresses: one from Alessia's top choice, and another from Rory's.

"Well, this is it," Lorelai said softly, her eyes darting between the two girls. "Are you ready?"

Alessia and Rory exchanged a glance, both of them nodding as they tore open their envelopes simultaneously. The seconds stretched out like hours as they unfolded the letters, scanning the contents with bated breath.

Rory was the first to react. Her eyes widened as she read the letter, her face going from hopeful to horrified. Her hands began to shake uncontrollably. "I didn't get into Harvard... I didn't get in! How is that even possible?! Who in the world deserves to go to Harvard more than me?!"

Lorelai's face fell, and she quickly pulled Rory into a tight embrace. "Oh, sweetie..."

Rory's voice was frantic, her panic evident. "I've worked my whole life for this! I've done everything right! It was supposed to be Harvard. How can I not get in?"

Lorelai tried to comfort her daughter, her own distress clear. "It's okay, Rory. I'm so sorry. I know how much this meant to you."

As Rory sobbed into her mom's shoulder, Alessia stood off to the side, clutching her own letter. She had read the words "Congratulations! We are pleased to offer you admission to Harvard University," feeling a mix of joy and awkwardness at the moment.

Lorelai, still holding Rory close, finally noticed Alessia's silence and glanced over. She saw the letter in Alessia's hand, noticing the familiar Harvard insignia. With visible reluctance, she managed a strained smile. "Congratulations, Alessia. That's incredible."

Alessia looked at her mom, her face flushed with a mix of pride and discomfort. "Thanks, Mom."

Lorelai's attention was clearly focused on Rory, who was still crying. "We'll get through this, Rory. You have so many great options, and we'll figure it out."

Alessia felt the sting of being overshadowed, even in what should have been a moment of personal triumph. She knew how deeply Rory's rejection hurt and felt like a secondary consideration in the chaos.

Lorelai, determined to keep the mood as positive as possible despite the situation, tried to shift focus. "Okay, so... what now? Do we celebrate? Cry? Maybe both?"

"Both sounds good," Rory said with a choked laugh, wiping at her eyes. "Definitely both."

As they spent the next hour navigating a whirlwind of emotions, Alessia quietly took her place in the background, while Lorelai focused on comforting Rory. It was clear that Rory's disappointment had overshadowed Alessia's achievement, and though the day had not gone as planned, they would face it together, just like they always had.