"Christopher is her father," the words fly out of Lorelai's mouth before she has a chance to process them.
"I assume you are referring to her flightiness?"
"I love my daughter, but part of that she gets from him. She has always had a safety net. She has always been able to come home, or come to you when things got too hard. This is different. She is having a baby, she can't do that anymore."
"What are you saying?"
"What if she gets a job offer to go to Paris, or Omaha, and it is a good career move?"
"You're afraid that she will pick up, and leave you behind? Are you telling me that you are afraid that she is going to pack her bags, and take your grandchild with her?"
"Part of me is," Lorelai allows her vulnerability to shine through.
"She is an adult she can go wherever she pleases."
"I'm sorry," Lorelai begins.
"For what?"
"If I ever made you feel this way. This is awful."
"There is the other side of the coin, too," Emily points out.
Lorelai furrows her brow, "What do you mean?"
"What if she takes a job in Paris, or Omaha, and decides to leave without the baby? What if she packs her bags, and leaves the baby with you?"
"She wouldn't do that," Lorelai argues.
"What if she feels like she isn't capable of being a single parent?"
"You were just saying how capable she is."
"Does she know how capable she is? She certainly hasn't demonstrated in recent history that she does."
"You have a point there."
"Lorelai I still don't understand why you're here. These are conversations that you should be having with her."
"I am terrified that she is going to say she has decided to move away. I mean what kind of career prospects does she have in Stars Hollow?"
"You made it work," Emily reminds her.
"Different situation, different generation."
"Your blood runs through her veins, doesn't it?"
"Yes."
"Then she has what it takes."
Lorelai falls silent. She stares at her mother, and she can't help but smile. For once in her life her mother has managed to say something helpful. Emily looks happy, and well-rested.
"Mom I think it was good that you move to Nantucket."
"So I couldn't insist on weekly dinners?"
Lorelai shakes her head, "You seem different. You seem relaxed, and happy."
"I am," Emily grins. She studies her daughter, closely.
"Good."
"Are you doing something different with your skin care regimen?" Emily inquires.
"No, why?"
"Your skin just seems very radiant today."
"Maybe it is the Nantucket air," Lorelai suggests.
"Yes, maybe it is," Emily nods.
The entire drive home Emily's comment rattles around in Lorelai's brain. She shoves it aside, as she gets off the freeway, and turns towards Stars Hollow. Her growling stomach leads her directly to Luke's. She orders the usual, and steals a table in the middle of the diner. She looks up, and finds Rory bouncing towards her.
"You seem chipper this morning," Lorelai observes.
Rory takes a seat, and grabs a fry of Lorelai's plate. Between bites she continues, "You are never going to guess what happened."
"You got a job in Omaha?"
Rory furrows her brow, "No. Why would I take a job in Omaha?"
"Never mind. What were you saying?"
"You know how I have been writing pieces for the Courant, while trying to revamp the Stars Hollow Gazette?"
"Yes," Lorelai confirms.
"It has finally paid off," Rory reveals.
"By paying the bills?"
"I have a very important meeting tomorrow," Rory announces.
"With who?"
"The devil himself."
"You're going to Georgia?" Lorelai quips.
"Because the Devil went down to Georgia? No."
"I have no clue who you mean."
"Mitchum Huntzberger."
"Why would he want to meet you?"
"Taylor, and I are meeting him tomorrow."
"Why?" Lorelai repeats.
"He wants to buy the Stars Hollow Gazette," Rory informs her.
"Huh?"
"It is a long story, but I will fill you in more tomorrow."
"Not to call you girl interrupted, or anything, but have you lost your mind?"
"I know it sounds crazy."
"It is beyond crazy. You have become certifiable."
"Thank you for your support."
"Not to change the subject, or anything, but do you think my skin looks radiant, today?"
"Why are you asking?"
"Someone else said it did."
Rory shrugs, "Sure, I guess."
"I am serious."
Rory stops, and scrutinizes her mother's face for quite some time, "It looks radiant. Why are you being so weird about it?"
Lorelai shrugs, "It is just an odd comment to make."
"I agree, but why is it relevant?"
"It's not. I was just trying to change the subject, because I cannot waste another moment of my time discussing the devil himself."
"What do you mean?" Rory furrows her brow.
"Before the Huntzberger's you were a bright capable girl, who was going to grab the world by the balls."
"I'm not sure that I ever put it that way."
"I raised a confident, slightly neurotic daughter. He told you weren't good enough. You were never the same after that. You let him get in your head. I think that you started to believe that you weren't good enough. Do you really think that his opinion has changed?"
"I'm not good enough. I didn't have it."
"If that was true you should have worked harder," her voice grows louder, "You didn't. You just rolled over, and gave up!"
"Shh!" Rory looks around, to find people staring at them.
"Don't shh, me. If people don't like it they can go somewhere else to eat," she argues.
From behind the counter Luke shoots Rory a look. She gives him an acknowledging nod, and grabs her mother by the elbow, leading her outside.