The Simpler Life

24

Chapter 24

The scent of popcorn mingled with the rich, savory aroma of fettuccine Alfredo and freshly baked garlic bread in Rory's living room. The coffee table was cluttered with colorful plates piled high with pasta, Jess's homemade sauce glistening under the light of a white drum ceiling lamp. Jess swirled his wine in a tall water glass, a stand-in for proper stemware. Rory had never thought to buy wineglasses for herself. Why would she, when her evenings were more about sparkling water and baby books than entertaining? Tonight, however, her apartment felt different. For the first time the space felt truly small and packed. And the chatter of friends, the scrape of forks on plates, and the delicious crunch of garlic bread made the space feel warm and lived-in, a reprieve from the baby gear stacked in the corner. For a few hours, Rory let herself forget the overwhelming unknowns of motherhood and just savor the moment. Besides, Jess had insisted on cooking as a thank-you to Rory for helping him out at Liz's house over the past month.

"I'm telling you, Get Out is the movie of the moment," Lane insisted, waving the remote. "It's Jordan Peele, so it's scary and brilliant."

"I heard it's an allegory," Jess said from his corner of the couch, where he was nursing his second glass of wine. "Satirical, like old-school Rod Serling." It was his first real night off for him, too, since he'd moved to Stars Hollow, Doula having been invited for a sleepover at a friend's house.

Zack squinted at Jess. "Who's Rod Serling?"

"Twilight Zone guy," Brian muttered, poking at a Kalamata olive with a toothpick.

Lane rolled her eyes. "Honestly, it's amazing I married you." She clicked on the movie, silencing Zack's protests. "This one's non-negotiable."

As the opening scenes unfolded, Rory glanced around the room. The warm chatter, the clink of glasses, the sound of friends arguing over the artichoke heart—it all made her feel almost normal. Almost. She shifted her position on the couch, trying to get comfortable and ignore the pile of baby gear crowding the corner of the room by the television.

By the time the movie got going, the group had already fallen into a rhythm of banter, pausing occasionally to laugh or groan at the screen.

"So, the moral of the story," Zack said, gesturing dramatically with a piece of garlic bread, "never date someone who invites you to meet their parents in the middle of nowhere. Red flag."

Lane snorted, "Zack, your parents live in the middle of nowhere."

"Yeah," Brian chimed in, "and technically, so do you now."

Zack frowned, considering.

"Okay, but at least we don't have secret cult meetings in the church basement. I think."

Jess raised an eyebrow, his wineglass poised, "That's exactly what someone with a secret cult in their neighborhood basement would say."

Rory, trying to suppress a laugh, waved him off - "Alright, settle down, Manson Family."

She leaned back, savoring the lively chatter.

"Can we talk about how every one of these so-called 'perfect' neighbors looks like they stepped out of an ad for Stepford Real Estate?" Lane nodded emphatically.

"Oh, totally. 'Now with more creepy smiles per square foot.'" Jess chuckled.

"There's always a creepy smile quota. It's in the Homeowner's Association bylaws." Rory shook her head, grinning as she grabbed a piece of garlic bread. The talk meandered from the movie to their own neighbors, sparking a hilarious debate about whether Stars Hollow would even notice a sinister cult, given the town's natural eccentricity.