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Chapter One
A New Town
"Next stop, Stars Hollow," the bus driver said through his microphone. "Stars Hollow, next stop. There'll be about a fifteen-minute layover."
In the back of the bus a teen-aged girl began to gather her few belongings √ a small suitcase, a diaper bag, and her year-old daughter.
As the bus began to wind its way through the small town, she looked out of the window, wondering if the images she had in her head would match the reality. She had never been here before, but so many times while riding with her parents she would see the road sign indicating the turn-off to Stars Hollow.
She was fascinated with the name of the town, it sounded so romantic. So many times she had wished her mother or father, whichever one was driving, would have made the turn onto the two-laned road and driven through it. But they always had somewhere else they had to be. And they were always in a hurry.
A few times she had asked if they could make the detour and go through Stars Hollow, but she was told there was nothing to see because it was a nothing little town, not worth the time nor the gasoline. But she vowed that someday she would go, maybe just to visit, and maybe even to live there.
As the bus approached the bus station, she looked through the window on the other side of the bus and saw light coming from a hardware store. But she smiled when she looked out of her window saw the gazebo in the town square. Any town that had such a quaint, and such a beautiful little building, HAD to be a wonderful place to live!
As she got off the bus, a few stray drops of cold rain hit her in the face. Clouds had moved in, and it would be raining before too long. And it was later than she wanted it to be, it was after seven. The bus ride from Hartford took longer than she expected, and it would be dark in less than an hour.
As she held the sleeping baby close to her, she walked slowly toward the gazebo. She had to go to it. And she had to climb up the stairs and sit on the bench, for no reason other than it was there.
As she sat down, she looked around at all the small shops surrounding the square. Just about everything was closed -- a small coffee shop with a sign that read "Weston's" over the front door, an antique shop, some kind of dance studio, and a grocery store.
"Doo-zes," she said as she sounded it out, "What a funny name."
Farther down she could hear the clanging of someone working on a car.
She put the strap of the diaper bag over her shoulder and picked up the suitcase with her free hand and left the gazebo, holding her baby even closer to her, hoping to keep the rain off her. The few rain drops had turned into a light drizzle. She walked in the direction of the small garage where the car noises were coming from.
When she passed by, she couldn't help but notice that the mechanic was a woman. She didn't know why, but she loved that. Everything here was so different from Hartford, but so appealing. Where else but in a small town would the coffee shop and grocery store be closed, but a hardware store and an auto repair shop be open?
The woman mechanic looked up at her as she passed by, then went back to work. Then she looked up again.
"Hey."
"Hey," she answered back.
"You looking for somebody?"
"No. I just got off the bus. Is there a hotel here? Maybe someplace I could get a room for the night?"
"Nah, no hotel. But the Independence Inn's about fifteen minutes from here. Mia's probably got some empty rooms. This time of year they usually don't fill up until the weekend."
"Okay. Thank you."
"It's kinda pricey. You got money?"
"Some. I should have enough."
"Then you better get going," the mechanic said as the light sprinkle got a little heavier. "Going to be raining pretty hard before long."
"I appreciate the information."
"No problem. You tell Mia Gypsy sent you. She still owes me for fixing the inn's van. Maybe she'll cut you some slack on the room."
"I will. Thank you again."
By the time she got to the front steps of the inn, a steady rain was coming down. Her hair was thoroughly drenched and plastered to her head. The rain was beginning to soak into her clothes, but she tried to make sure her daughter was as dry and as warm as possible as she held her against her breast.
Before she went in, she looked through the window. There didn't seem to be anyone there. But after a few seconds a pleasant looking woman walked in from another room and went behind the check-in desk and began writing something. The phone rang and she picked it up. Her voice was muffled, but her face showed some concern during the short conversation. After she hung up, she yelled to someone out of sight that someone else had called in sick and that it was a good thing that it was the middle of the week.
The baby in her arms began to stir, so taking a deep breath, she opened the front door and walked in.
The woman behind the desk appeared to be in her early 40s. She looked up when the door opened and watched as the wet, bedraggled teenager approached.
"May I help you?"
"Gypsy sent me. She said you might have a room I could rent."
"Oh, she did? Are you two friends?"
"No. I just got into town. But she said you might not charge me as much since you owe her for fixing your van."
Mia smiled at this girl's unexpected honesty, but something made her uneasy.
"How old are you?"
"I'm seventeen. But I'll be eighteen in a few months."
"Do your parents know where you are?"
"I left them a note. They know I'm gone, just not where."
"What's your name?" Mia asked.
"Lorelai."
"Lorelai what?"
"Just Lorelai."
"And your baby?"
"She's Lorelai, too. I named her after myself. I figured it fathers could name sons after themselves, why couldn't I?"
When Mia didn't respond, Lorelai continued, "So, do you have a room or don't you?"
"I do, but I'm not so sure I should rent one to you. You're a runaway, and a minor, and I could get in serious trouble if I let you stay here, knowing that."
"Oh, okay," Lorelai said, with disappointment in her voice. "I understand."
Lorelai turned around and walked back to the door to leave. Just as she opened it, thunder crashed as if it were a sign for the rain to begin pouring down. The noise scared little Lorelai and she began to cry.
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