Epilogue
Epilogue
Author's Note: This is finally the end.
Disclaimer: The author of this story (me) does not own the respective characters. She intends no copyright infringement.
I'm ninety-nine for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are.
-Five for Fighting "100 Years"
Jess pulls out the chair for Rory. Somehow, she's made him a gentleman. She's had enough time to grind down his imperfections, as today is their fifty-second wedding anniversary. She wanted to go to Luke's to celebrate and there was no way to dissuade her.
She smiles her thanks.
Their oldest, Lorelai the fourth-though everyone calls her Lori-takes their orders. She relays them to her husband who took over Luke's when neither Richard nor Will wanted it.
The remaining clan files in. Doula, a Doula, who married Davey Bellville, farmer, and their grown kids: Lizzie at twenty-six a doctor, Adam at twenty-five an engineer, and Bobby at twenty-four a navy SEAL.
Richard, a teacher, and his wife Martha Bellville, a chef, and their adopted kids: Alena-four from Russia; and Mei-li, three from China.
Will, a banker, and his wife, Chelsea, and their twins Kelsey, a lawyer, and Madison, a interior designer, aged twenty-four.
His and Rory's kids: Lori, who runs the Dragonfly, and her husband, Steve Van Gerbig, who runs the diner; Lucas, who took over the bookstore, and his wife, Tina, who now runs the soda shop.
The grandkids: Lorelai the fifth (Lee), a business major who's helping her mom, and her husband Wesley, a reporter; Jeremy, the sheriff, and his fiancée Jennifer, a paramedic; and Megan, currently studying anthropology at Yale, from Lori and Steve; Maya, a nurse, and her husband, a firefighter, from Lukey and Tina.
The great-grandkids: Baby Lorelai (Lor) from Lee and Adam from Maia.
April and Lily come with their partners and kids.
It's a nice little party, for this group. They are a nice mix of personalities, but most of the Mariano kids and grandkids hate parties. The great-grandkids are too young to care, but they seem to cry more when there's a big group of people.
Rory is probably missing her grandparents and mom. Jess misses his parents and Luke who Rory probably also misses.
TJ was the first to die in a freak Renaissance Faire accident involving jousters. Sasha passed next of ovarian cancer. Richard did not survive his second heart attack and Emily committed suicide soon after; she'd never lived alone and Richard had promised she could be first.
Liz died of liver failure just after Doula passed her training. Luke passed in his sleep, probably of a heart attack or multi-system failure. Lorelai lived for two more years before she developed colon cancer and died.
Soon, Jess thinks, it will be either him or Rory dying. Zach died last spring and Lane is sick now. Matt and Chris both passed years ago. Paris is only holding on to beat Rory and Doyle died a few years after his marriage to Paris in a car accident.
Rory smiles at him across the table as the kids bring out a cake. He hopes he gets to go first.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed my little story. Please review and tell me what you thought.
ladybug1115