The bell above the door rings, and she looks up to find another patron entering the establishment. In fact it is a group of patrons entering the coffee shop. A group of young men all sporting Yale attire, which is less than shocking, since she is in New Haven. The last teenager make his way through the door is wearing a Columbia hoodie. Lorelai looks up, and briefly locks eyes with the teenager with bright blue eyes. She quickly looks away, feeling as if she has been Shanghai-d by her mother. The group files through the line quickly, and congregates at table halfway across the room. She shifts her glance to her watch, and decides that it is time to go. She gathers her trash, and scoots towards the edge of the bench. She looks up, and finds the teenager with the Columbia hoodie standing at the end of her table. He smirks at her.

"Nice t-shirt," he comments.

She shifts her glance to her t-shirt, "Before your time," she comments.

"I appreciate a good one hit wonder. I mean, what would the world do without I Ran?"

"That is a good question."

He takes a step back, "Obviously you are heading out. I won't take up any more of your time."

She grabs her refuse, and slides out of the booth as he turns to walk away.

"Thanks," she adds.

He pivots, and flashes her a smile, "Nate."

"Thanks, Nate," she races out of the coffee shop. She tosses her trash in the first bin, and makes a beeline for her Jeep.


She drives home in complete, and utter silence. She contemplates calling her mother, and cursing at her. She dials the diner.

"Can you meet me at home?" She questions, the voice on the other end of her mobile device as she enters Stars Hollow.

"Sure, what's up?"

"I just need to talk to you. Do you know where Rory is?"

"I haven't seen her yet, so I assume that she is still asleep."

"Okay."

By the time he has arrived home Rory is sitting at the kitchen table downing a cup of coffee. Lorelai sits next to her, but her cup of coffee is untouched. He stares at the two of them, simply waiting for an explanation. He looks at Lorelai, but she refutes eye contact. He shifts his glance to Rory, but she subtly shrugs, indicating that she knows nothing.

"Lorelai, what is going on?"

"Have a seat," she responds.

He furrows his brow, and waits for a further explanation.

"Sit," Lorelai says in a firmer tone. Luke pulls out a chair, and positions himself between the two girls.

"Why did you drag me out of bed?" Rory queries.

"I left a diner full of people," Luke adds.

Lorelai finally looks up at the two most important people in her life. She swallows hard, and decides that she has to tell the truth.

"Mom?" Rory looks at her expectantly.

"I need to tell the two of you something."

"Right now? It couldn't wait?" Luke growls.

"No. If I don't tell you now, I may never tell you," she admits.

"We're listening," Rory responds.

"I need the two of you to listening without interrupting," she adds.

"Okay," they agree in unison.

"And don't ask questions. You will want to ask questions, but don't. I can't answer them right now. I am not sure if I can ever answer them, and you just have to be okay with that, for now," she stipulates.

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine, and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life," Rory quotes.

Luke shoots her a look, "I don't think now is the right time for a Rocky reference."

Lorelai exhales realizing her daughter's Rocky quote is actually the perfect preface for what she needs to say.

"Whatever it is, just tell us," Rory implores.

"Are you sick?" Luke jumps down the rabbit hole.

"No."

"Is it the gambling debt?" Rory jokes.

She can't hold onto the secret for another second, "I have a son," she blurts out.

Their heads spin around like Linda Blair's in poltergeist. "What?" Rory responds.

"I don't understand," Luke admits.

"What do you mean, you have a son? That doesn't make the least bit of sense."

"Are you telling me that you went behind my back, and had Paris grow a test tube baby for you?"

"No," Lorelai shakes her head.

"You mean, figuratively," Rory suggests.

"I wish," she says under her breath.

"What do you mean you wish?" Luke responds.

"I think we misunderstood what you said," Rory adds.

"Maybe we misheard you," Luke agrees.

"I have a son," she repeats with a look of agony etched on her face.

"Since when?" The question falls from Rory's mouth before she can stop it.

"I…" Lorelai freezes.

"Why don't we know about this?" Luke struggles to understand.

"How could neither of us know anything about this? I think we would notice."

Without a single word Lorelai shoves her chair away from the table. She turns, and leaves the room. She climbs the stairs to her room. When she reaches the master bedroom she slams the door closed, leaving Luke and Rory at the table in a state of shock.

Luke turns to Rory as he literally scratches his head, "What just happened?"

"She said that she has a son," Rory recounts.

"What does she mean by that? Was she being literal?"

Rory shrugs, "I don't know."

"Did you know about this?"

"What does my face say?" Rory quips.

"You were genuinely surprised, so, no. This makes no sense."