"I hope so," Lorelai sighed. She was never just a mother, it was more like losing her best friend.
"You know, I probably understand your side more than you think. But I have Rory's back and I can't force her to do things differently than she thinks is right - but as someone who hasn't really ever had a mother, that can be called that at least, and has given up that possibility altogether, I wouldn't do what she is doing if I was her. I am no expert but I think you two could use family therapy, I know that's not something you probably like hearing, but I think there needs to be mediation," Celeste explained. This was probably a lot more than she was entitled to say, but she said it nonetheless, having thought a lot about this. She didn't know all of their history, but she felt that none of what Rory or the guys had told her had seemed unfixable. She couldn't feel what Rory felt, but she also knew Rory had issues beyond her mother - perhaps once those improved, her relationship with her would too. Above all she believed that they just needed to try to understand each other, give each-other time, and as a bystander she didn't feel particularly empowered to interfere in other ways than she was doing now.
"I would do that you know, I've tried that with my own mother and while not entirely successfully, with her there'd be no question," Lorelai said.
"Hey, you guys are up already!" Doula jumped into the nursery, T.J and Liz heading downstairs behind her, along with morning greetings.
"Well good morning!" Celeste greeted her, adding, "we were just unpacking some stuff." They really hadn't gotten very far with the baby stuff, just a few items now placed in a pile.
"Can I help?" Doula offered excitedly.
It was then that Jess emerged from the bedroom and headed downstairs as well, simply nodding towards the the three.
"I'll just go downstairs to help the guys with breakfast," Lorelaid added, her mood clearly having not improved, just saying anything to excuse herself.
Celeste showed Doula a couple of cute items she'd gotten for Evie, unpacking a few more things, before she went to change and Doula headed down for breakfast. Celeste felt bad for Lorelai, she could see that she really did mean well - she almost felt like suggesting to her that if she ever needed to talk, she could just call her. But for now, she just let it be.
While Celeste felt like she didn't want to go through the same motions as she'd been almost forced to do with Logan, she did want the day she married Jess to feel special. Hence, she'd decided that she wanted a dress that felt really like her - it didn't have to be flashy, princessy or expensive, but she wanted it to feel right. And as she seemed to be in search of two dresses now, and not really wanting to go store to store in her conditions, she made herself an appointment and asked Rory to come with her. In a way she was giving Rory a break from her usual life as well, enjoying her time with her as well.
"So what were you thinking?" Rory asked as they browsed their evening gown selection.
Rory had already, within the first five minutes, found herself a gala gown - a greyish-blue trumpet dress, with half-sleeves. The dress' chest and back were laced, enabling her to wear a proper bra underneath, which she didn't want to be without these days. Now she just needed to try it on, but since it was a fairly similar model that she'd worn before, she was fairly sure it'd work for her.
"I think this might work," Celeste held up a dark blue gently fitted maternity dress with a glittery top. It wasn't anything that special, this was not where she wanted to place her money on that day. But surely, for one night, the dress would do. The upside to her changed hair color was that the auburn worked well against some fresh colors, hence the blue, which she usually rarely wore.
They both went to try on the dresses, struggling a little with the sizes, but that's what the appointment was for, for having assistance at hand.
"That was easier than I thought," Rory noted as she emerged from the changing room, having her dress taken to the register.
"Well I'm not done. I need to get something more," she said.
"More parties coming up?" Rory inquired, browsing the shoes the shop offered. Nothing quite to her taste, but she had some neutral black ones that surely would work.
"Actually...I need a wedding dress," Celeste replied humbly, feeling slightly apologetic for not having told her sooner, as she pushed her hair behind her ears.
"You mean...?" Rory exclaimed, squealing with excitement, hugging her. "You're mean, you know that!" sheadded.
"Nobody really knows, we're doing this 'your' style," Celeste explained.
"That is a popular style," Rory commented, smilingly. "But thank you for telling me, I'm so happy for you guys," she added, squeezing her around her shoulder.
Celeste fished out her ring that was almost tucked into her bra as it hung at the chain around her neck, to show her.
"You know, I saw the chain on you on Thanksgiving and thought it was a little weird how it hung low like it had something heavy on it, and I wondered why you'd keep it inside your dress. Well now I know," Rory explained, feeling a little amused of have noticed it. "But it's really pretty," she added.
"He had it handmade. God - I really love it," Celeste said. She really loved what the ring meant.
"Well alright, let's get you that dress then!" Rory encouraged her.
Celeste tried a few different models - sticking to full length but narrower dresses - the City Hall hardly was the place for real gowns, not that she would've wanted one the second time around. She couldn't help feeling some flashback to the year before, hating that it was shadowing these new memories.
"You okay in there?" Rory asked as she'd been quiet for a while.
"Yeah, just got thinking about last year, you know," Celeste shared, getting the next dress off the hanger to try on.
"Yeah, just imagine how different things could've been right now, and thank god, they're not," Rory sighed. There was little more she could say to make her feel better.
"You're right. Zip me up?" Celeste asked, opening the door.
"How about this?" Celeste sighed, as she turned around, showing Rory an elegant silk chiffon dress with a sheer V-neck and cap-sleeves. It flowed on her body just right, not too simple but elegant enough.
"Looks great, you feel like this could be it?" Rory asked.
"I really think it is...," she replied, glancing at herself in the mirror. It was a lot simpler than the last dress she'd worn, yet very high quality and comfortable, fitting her belly easily. "Yeah, this is it," she confirmed after a few minutes.
"Do you want us to come to the wedding?" Rory asked as they were paying. She knew it wasn't really her place to ask, rather hers to invite, but she had a feeling she wouldn't really dare to ask, knowing how busy she was and how it was not that easy to always get away from Finny.
"We were first thinking that it'd just be us two, but now... honestly... I think it would be kind of nice if you two came. And I am not just saying this because you asked or to be polite. I really do feel like the way we've all grown to each other is pretty significant too, and I would've never met him if it wasn't for you guys," Celeste explained, hugging Rory, as she could already feel herself getting teary-eyed.
"Hey, this is no time for tears - you just got yourself a wedding dress, the real one - the one that matters. You just tell me when and we'll be there," Rory assured.