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Chapter 4

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Lorelai sat near the back of the bus so she didn't have to talk to anyone she might have known. Not that that was very likely, seeing as hardly anyone she knew from Hartford caught a bus. They either drove themselves or they had personal drivers.

But Lorelai would rather catch the bus. You got to see things, and hear things that you wouldn't normally get to see or hear. And, besides, it was 1000 times cheaper than driving or being driven.

She sat in her seat and stared out the window. Rory, being a baby still, slept. Lorelai wished she could sleep too, but someone had to keep and eye out for this Stars Hollow place.

She glanced down at her watch. Her mother would probably be just coming in from her hair appointment about now. She'd be walking up the stairs to her bedroom so she could get changed into some hideous dress or another for some stupid fundraiser or another.

Her dad would probably just be leaving his office. Climbing into his black Jag and hitting the road. He'd be grumpy because he was getting dragged out to yet another event that Emily was involved with, when he would rather be sitting at home working or reading.

She was going to miss Quincy M.C. tonight. She hoped that she would be able to find a nice place to crash for the night - or any place to crash for the night. Hell, she'd sleep in a dumpster if it were warm enough.

But that dumpster wouldn't be good enough for Rory.

Rory, who was going to have everything she ever wanted. Love. Friendship. Rory was going to graduate High School and go to college and be whatever it was she wanted to be. If she wanted to be a circus clown, then Rory was going to be a circus clown. If she wanted to be a brain surgeon, then brain surgery she would perform.

Whatever the wish, it would be granted to the best of Lorelai's ability. Rory had given her a reason to leave that Hartford life early and Lorelai was going to spend the rest of her life making it up to her.

She sighed and glanced out the window again. The bus was beginning to slow down. "Next stop, Stars Hollow," announced the driver. Lorelai bit her lip and got ready to stand. She gazed out the window at the pretty little town, with its square and shops and people out strolling around. She instantly fell in love with the gazebo, and couldn't wait to walk around out there with her baby.

She smiled as the bus pulled to a stop. The driver climbed out before her and helped her with Rory's stroller and all their bags.

"Will you be alright, miss?" he asked.

Lorelai nodded. "Yeah. If you could just point me in the direction of a café or something, I'll be fine."

He nodded and pointed to a little café at the corner of the next block, next to a hardware store. "It's actually a bakery, but they serve pretty decent coffee."

"Thanks." she smiled and loaded the stroller up with their bags again and headed off in the direction of the café.

It didn't take long to get there. The town was pretty small, and as she pushed the stroller along, Lorelai realized that everyone seemed to know everyone. People were always saying hello to each other and smiling.

She noticed some were pointing and laughing at a couple of males running rings around the gazebo, yelling.

"It wasn't me! I swear, Taylor! It was Luke! I'm not strong enough." yelled the first one. A kid of about 12.

"That's a lie, Kirk Gleason, and you know it. Just you wait until I tell your mother about this! Oh, you will never be allowed to ride that bike again!" yelled the second. An older man in his mid to late thirties.

"But I didn't do it!" the first one yelled again. "Ah!" he screamed when he realized the second guy had stopped running after him, and was now standing ten feet in front of him.

The kid dodged left and ran up the gazebo stairs, and down the other side, before waving his hands above his head wildly and screaming, "I didn't do it!" at the top of his lungs.

Lorelai shook her head and chuckled. She moved back behind the stroller and pushed it the final few meters to the door to the café and spun it around so she could back in.

"Ah, sugar, I'll get it." came a raspy voice from behind her.

She turned her head and smiled gratefully. "Oh, thank you."

The short, round woman dodged in front of her and pushed the door open. "There ya go, sugar. Wow, what a pretty little thing. Younger sister?"

Lorelai shifted her gaze to what the woman was looking at. She shook her head with a small smile. "No, she's my daughter."

The woman looked up at her. The shock that most people wore when they found out she was a mother only registered for a second, before a smile broke out. "Ah, sugar." she said, shaking her head. "What are you doing in little old Stars Hollow? Why aren't you living with your parents?"

Lorelai smiled softly. "Long story. And I don't want to bore you with it. It's… Rory and I are better off here."

The woman nodded understandingly, though Lorelai doubted she really did understand. The effort was enough though.

"I'm Babbette, by the way." the woman said, sticking her hand out.

Lorelai smiled. "Lorelai. This is Rory," she added, pointing to the sleeping lump in the stroller.

"It was nice to meet ya. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask. I live just down there." She pointed to a random street. "Just look for the gnomes."

Lorelai chuckled and nodded. "Thanks, Babbette." she said softly as the woman turned and headed out of the store. Lorelai sighed and looked around for a table. She quickly found one and sunk into the seat.

"What can I get you dear?" asked a kind voice.

"Um, a coffee, a choc chip muffin and a milk, please."

"Is this your daughter?" asked the women.

Lorelai nodded and braced herself for the judgment that was sure to come. It didn't. "Oh she's beautiful. Would she like a cookie?"

Lorelai looked down at the little baby that had just woken up. "Yeah, she would. And can I also get directions to the Independence Inn, please?"