For once, her wish came true. The atmosphere in her parents’ house was not tense as it always was. It was actually rather pleasant. The front door was ajar and as Rory opened it to walk in with her luggage in tow, she realized that there was a party going on.

There were a whole lot of people in the house, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. She looked around but could not find a familiar face. Clearly, they were friends of her parents and some other younger folk that she had no idea about. Rory could never have imagined that her parents had such an active social life.

The house was as perfect as it had always been, thanks to her mother’s dictatorial rule. Rory sheepishly walked through the crowd of people, realizing that she was probably the worst-dressed person in the room. I’ll just find one of the family, let them know I’m here and go lock myself upstairs. Rory was in no mood for socializing.

“Look who’s here.” A high-pitched, condescending voice greeted her.

“Hello Tara.” Rory grew stern.

“They weren’t expecting you to arrive until the day before the wedding. I wasn’t even sure if you’d turn up.” Her sister Tara let out a sarcastic grunt.

“No. Yes... I mean, of course, I would’ve come.” The same old uncomfortable feeling of inadequacy reared its ugly head again.

“I’m sure Mom and Dad will be relieved that they’ve been able to pry Her Highness away from her castle in Montcove,” Tara chuckled. Rory stayed silent. She knew it was her sister’s way to provoke her.

“You could’ve at least put on some decent clothes for the party.” Tara eyed her from head to toe. “You look like shit.”

“Thanks, Tara. Thank you very much,” Rory said sarcastically. Such a punchable face she has, Rory thought. She heard footsteps coming in their direction.

“Tara, darling, I can’t open this bottle of wine, will you help…” Her mother became still as a statue upon seeing Rory there. Rory smiled, genuinely, as the shock on her mother’s face amused her.

“Hello, Rory. We weren’t expecting you so soon.” Mary Loughlin’s voice was cold and her demeanor firm.

“Yes, yes. Look, I’m not here to invade your party. I’ll be upstairs.”

“There’s a party going on in your parents’ house and you can’t be bothered to attend it? What will our guests think?” Her mother did a great job of getting offended, as always.

“Mother. I don’t think any of them know who I am.”

“They would, if you’d bother to visit us and check up on your poor parents once in a while.” Two minutes in this house and I am already on the dart board.

“Yes, Rory. Why don’t you visit them more often? What is so precious up there on that little island of yours that you can’t leave it for a few days?”

Rory knew that Tara was playing games, so she left the question unanswered.

“Go upstairs and get changed. You look ridiculous. And come straight down for dinner. I won’t have you in the house and not socialize with our guests,” Mary Loughlin said firmly. What does she think I am, twelve years old?

“Mom. I took a flight and I’ve had a hectic day. I don’t have the energy for this. I am going to go get some rest.” Rory started up the stairs to her old bedroom.

“Rory, don’t you dare walk out on… Rory!” Her mother’s voice disappeared as Rory shut the bedroom door behind her. She knew that she’d have hell to pay in the morning, but for now she just wanted to be alone.

Her old bedroom was full of stuff. Stuff her parents had acquired over the years and some of the supplies for the wedding. It took her ten minutes of cleaning up before she could make up space to lie on the bed. What a day this has been… and this shit still isn’t over.

Rory closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Lizzy was somewhere out in the city, getting manipulated by Mickey. Her mother was angry at her. There were debts to be paid and she had no idea where her life was going.

The first thought that came into Rory’s mind upon waking the next morning was of Lizzy. She’d worried herself to sleep and had woken up with even more anxiety. She checked Mickey’s Instagram, but there were no updates there either. Even if I buy the star map and show up at his house, it’s unlikely he’ll see me.

The only option was to call the band’s office again and ask for Don. He was pretty much her only hope. But before that, Rory decided to send Lizzy a message telling her that she had come to LA to get her.

Rory mentioned how worried both Lizzy’s mom and she herself were. She typed out her parents’ home address and pleaded with Lizzy to come meet her there. Lizzy knew that Rory rarely let her feelings show, and after reading this heartfelt message, Lizzy perhaps would come to her senses. At least, that’s what Rory was hoping.

Rory was thankful that she woke up really early, before anyone else did, because it allowed her to make a quick breakfast for herself. She was famished since she didn’t eat dinner the previous night. She planned to eat a quick meal, then figure out how she could spend most of the day out of the house, away from her folks. Maybe I can call some old friends. But they have their own lives and probably won’t have time to hang out with me.

Just as Rory finished breakfast and was about to clean the table, she heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

“You’re up early,” her mother said as if she didn’t think Rory was capable of such a thing. She was followed by her father, who as always looked deathly serious.

Rory often wondered whatever happened to the dad who was so much fun to hang out with when she was a little girl. Over the years her mother had changed Bill Loughlin drastically and made him just like herself. At least he doesn’t make stinging remarks.

“Hello, Rory.”

“Hey, Dad.”

“Had a good flight?”

“Yes, Dad.”

“Good. Let’s have some breakfast.”

“Thanks, Dad, but I already ate.” She smiled at him. His face remained serious, his eyes looking at her from above his reading glasses.

“What? Your mother’s cooking is not good enough for you so you had to cook your own breakfast?” Mary Loughlin chided.

“It’s not like that, Mom.”

“Then what is it? I’m going to make all of this breakfast for whom?”

“Give it to Tara when she wakes up.”

“Tara’s not here. Why would she stay here? She is a grown-up with a real job. Why would she stay with her parents?”

Rory knew that this was a jibe at her. In no time, her stress levels had reached code red already. Fuck. I wish I had money to stay in a hotel.

“You’re going to eat this breakfast with us. At least for some time, pretend that you have a family and act your part.” With that parting shot, her mother’s attention went back to cooking. Her dad stayed silent, firmly engrossed in the newspaper.

Rory pretended to look at the phone, but she was desperately trying to control her emotions. She never understood why her mother had to be so mean to her at all times. Why? Because she thinks I am a failure? Does it make her look bad in her social circles?

At the same time, Rory knew how crucial it was for her to maintain calm. Upon waking up that morning she had decided that she would ask her father for financial help right away and be done with it. She did not want to feel anxious throughout this trip, constantly wondering whether her father would agree or not.

Just as she was about to start a conversation with her father about her financial situation, her mother interrupted.

“Bill, we have a lot of running to do today. So you better be ready by ten. Tara is busy and we’ll have to get it all done by ourselves.” Her mom, ordering people around as always.

“Will she be around later?” her dad asked.

“Will who be around later?” The kitchen door opened and there she was. Tara entered, wearing a smart business suit dressed to the nines, grinning like she had just conquered the world. Next to her, Rory felt inadequate in her sweatpants. Stop it Rory. Stop it.

“Hello, darling.” Bill’s face lit up as he kissed his favorite daughter on the cheek. “This is a surprise.”

“Well, I thought I’ll drop in quickly and see my favorite sister,” she smiled. Mary Loughlin gave Rory a knowing look, as if to say “learn something from your sister.”

“C’mon, darling. Sit down. I’ll get a plate for you,” her mother told Tara.

“No, Ma. I don’t have time for that, besides I want to fit in the wedding dress. If I keep eating that delicious food you make, that’s not gonna happen.” Tara laughed and her parents joined in wholeheartedly.

“All right, dear,” her mother replied sweetly.

“And Rory. Seems like you have made quite a name for yourself in the one day that you have been back here.” The mischievous looks on Tara’s face made Rory nervous. She wanted to stay silent but was also curious to know what Rory was talking about.

“What do you mean?”

“Here, take a look.” Tara handed Bill Loughlin her iPad. His face went dour as he stared at it and then he silently passed it to his wife who had the same reaction. The tense atmosphere that she was used to in this house was back with full force, and the fact that Tara was smirking told Rory that something was up.

“What did we do wrong here?” her mother sighed, pushing the iPad away from her. Rory quickly picked it up, and once she saw what was on the screen, she was mortified. Her heart raced, her pulse grew uneven, and she wanted to die in that moment.

Fan Faints After Failing to Chase Rock Stars, was the headline of the article on the celebrity gossip website that Tara had opened up on her iPad. Right under that, was a picture of Rory, passed out on the sidewalk. There was another picture of a man, the Uber driver, checking on her with the paparazzi laughing in the background.

“Aren’t you a little old to be chasing celebrities? Is that the real reason why you came here early? Where did I go wrong with you?” Her mother was hysterical. Her father was grinding his teeth and Rory could tell that he was very upset. She felt like she was twelve again.

“Rory, if you were so desperate to meet celebrities then you could have just asked me. I know a lot of people who work in the business. You didn’t have to go around making an utter fool of yourself and embarrassing the family.” Great. Now Tara is scolding me.

“Rory, this is really shameful. Why do you do such things?” her dad finally said. Rory closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was angry at the paparazzi, angry at those who had put her pictures up on the internet, angry at the fact that she had ever run into that damn band, and angry at Lizzy for being so naive.

Most of all she was angry at her family. They didn’t understand her at all. For the most part, they didn’t give a damn about her, and now they were getting upset because they were afraid that someone in their church might see a picture of their daughter. All they have ever worried about is their social standing and how they appear to other people. Couldn’t they at least ask me for my side of the story?

“Let her be, Bill. She doesn’t care about us enough to even bother explaining this. She’s not a teenager anymore and there’s nothing we should expect from her. C’mon, Bill, we have a lot to do today.” Her mother walked away with her father in tow, faint sounds of mumbling and complaining erupting from her mouth.

“You can always sue them. But I guess you don’t have enough money to hire a lawyer,” her sister smirked. “If you’re planning to chase any other celebrities today, please let me know. I’ll look out for the pictures tomorrow,” Tara remarked, then laughed that evil laugh of hers and made a quick exit.

Rory just stared at the wall. Blank, numb, and totally out of place was how she felt. She wanted to break all the expensive crockery in that kitchen. Turn the refrigerator over and destroy this perfect little kitchen that her mother had painstakingly built.

She wanted to get away. Run away as far from this house as possible and never return. But she couldn’t. Her muscles refused to obey the directions of her mind. Rory cursed herself for coming here. She longed for the quaint house in Montcove that seemed so far away.