KAT

I was standing looking at myself in the mirror in my bedroom at Lorelai's parents' home, perplexed as always at the ever-changing shape and size of my abdomen, when someone knocked on the door. I opened it and found Madeline, Emily's newest housekeeper.

"Your grandmother would like to know if you want a coffee, cider, or any other beverage in your room before you come down to breakfast. She would also like to know if you need anything since breakfast is usually served at 8 and it's almost 9"
"Oh. I can definitely get my own coffee! Don't worry. Will you tell her a clothing dilemma is what's been holding me up? All I have is this sleep shirt and the dress I wore last night and I didn't want to come down in that"
"Of course," Madeline said and started to shut the door.

"Oh... would you also mind asking her if I can get something from her closet? If you mind, don't worry, it's totally fine," I asked

"I don't mind at all. I'll be back up shortly to let you know."
"Seriously, thank you so much."

When Madeline came back with Emily's blessing, she showed me to Emily and Richard's room and left me in the closet. I had a white button down shirt of Richard's draped over one arm and was in the process of going through Emily's sweater vests to locate a cream one when Emily came in.

"Katalina. Honestly. Did you really believe I would tell you that you would not be allowed to borrow something from my wardrobe? That would be ludicrous. More ludicrous than me sending Madeline to tell you as much when I could come up and help you look myself." Emily paused, "What exactly are you looking for?"
"Oh, I think I just found it." I said while taking down a cream cable knit sweater vest. I put it across my other arm, draped over the button-down, and my hand went to my stomach.

My hand was still there when I turned around for the first time since Emily had entered. Her face went white as her eyes went directly to my hand. The response wasn't something I was expecting after what she'd said to me the day in the kitchen. Fortunately Madeline reappeared and told Emily there was someone at the door for her.

"I'll see you in the dining room for breakfast after you change," Emily said without making eye contact, "I had them hold off when you didn't come downstairs." And with that Emily left.

EMILY

Last night at the party I all but forgot about Katalina's current circumstance. I know that seems silly, but she was dressed impeccably and no one commented or asked. In my circle? If anyone had suspected anything? You'd have heard the whispers. There were whispers last night, but about Sissy being tipsy and kissing a man who was not her husband. Whispers about Rory's outburst as well. The only whispers about Katalina were about the fact her mother was not present... and that singing could be added to the ever-growing list of things that girl is capable of. I don't think anyone thought she would be winning a Grammy award or starring on Broadway, but it was clear my friends found her voice pleasant.

As a result of the mental break from the reality of becoming a great-grandmother in the New Year it took me by surprise when Katalina turned around. It was as though Lorelai were standing in my closet. Now Katalina and Lorelai are not identical strangers by any means beyond the color of their hair. Katalina has higher cheekbones and a more prominent nose. However? Seeing her bump still brought me back to when Lorelai was pregnant with Rory. Oversized sweaters and sweatshirts were popular at the time, so the first time I saw her without one on? When I saw the reality? I will just say it is one thing to know your teenage daughter is pregnant. It is quite another to witness the physical changes. Seeing Kataline reminded me of past failings. I don't mean Lorelai's; despite what I am sure she'd like to tell people. I mean my own failings. I drove my own daughter away. I am not going to do that with Katalina.

Needless to say, I was thankful when Madeline told me someone was at the door. I knew I wasn't going to be able to remain my composure so the ability to exit was welcome. Despite my attempts at halting them, tears began to flow. I stopped before going down the stairs to pull myself together. I was not entirely successful, unfortunately. When I made it to the foyer, I saw Sookie.

"You may not remember me-"
"Sookie! Of course I remember you. The DAR ladies still rave about those crab cakes you make. Heaven."
"It's the mayonnaise. When you make the mayonnaise from scratch it really helps achieve the right balance. Also making sure you don't mix too much. Though I am not here to give you crab cake tips. I am here on behalf of Lorelai to give you a bag of things for Kat along with some shakes, and some instructions."
"Instructions?" I asked wondering what on earth they could be, "Why am I not surprised my daughter does not trust me to take care of Katalina?"
"The instructions aren't from Lorelai, they're from Kat's doctor."
"Alright then. Now then, what are these instructions?"
"She wrote everything down, but with the shakes Kat has to have one every day. She didn't have one yesterday, so I made an extra one. Lorelai said not to worry about it, but just document what she does eat. I think that goes for everything. Her meal plan got changed again."

"Another increase?" I asked, despite already knowing the answer.

Sookie nodded

"and you have to log it all. It all has to be in front of someone. Meals, snacks, shakes. Whoever is with her has to write it on the log and sign it."
"Do you have the log?"
"Yes, it's in with the instructions. Lorelai said to tell you if she doesn't eat it all, don't press it, just document it. If you have a kitchen scale and could weigh her plate before and after to log how many grams of the food she ate, that's what they want... but you can just eyeball it too."

"I am sure there is a kitchen scale somewhere. If you follow me I can show you where to put the shakes and I can give you something for my daughter." I said while walking towards the kitchen.

Once inside the kitchen I noticed our chef was not in there, so I began to look in the cabinets.

"Now what exactly does a kitchen scale look like?"

"Sometimes they're flat. Sometimes they're like a bowl. Usually they're stainless steel, though sometimes not. Sometimes they have what looks like a gauge on the front with a needle – but unless your chef loves a vintage look, it's probably going to be digital. The two I have at the Dragonfly are on the counters, but the one at my own home I keep in a cabinet."

"Can you please just help me look?" I said hoping to end the drabble about what all a scale could and could not look like.
"Kitchen scale. Kitchen scale. If I were a – you have a very nice ice cream maker in here."
"I ordered one as a wedding gift years ago. Somehow they sent me one. I called the company thinking they hadn't sent the intended recipient theirs, but they'd actually somehow sent us both one and told me not to bother sending the second back. We've never used the thing."
"Well, while it's not the industrial one I have at the Inn, it's a very nice one for personal use. So you should use it if you ever eat gelato, yogurt, or ice cream, it will make it so much better than anything you could buy."
"I will let my chef know."

"A ha. Here we go. Looks like you have got yourself two kitchen scales, Emily. One bowl, one flat top. I'd use the flat top, weigh the plate before the food goes on, after the food is on, and after she's done eating."

"Alright then. Thank you. Now I have something for you to bring to Lorelai. She's always going on about those apple tarts. Since she's pregnant this year and this will allow me to know she's eating some fruits – I had a couple of extra trays made. They're not cooked. The caterer provided instructions for that. But there's two trays in the freezer, covered in foil. You're a trained chef, so I trust you will be able to ensure these are cooked per the instructions?"
"Yes ma'am."
"For heavens sake Sookie, call me Emily."

"I'll pull the trays out when I put Kat's shake in there. I will say, I have been dying to try those tarts for years."
"You want to try the apple tarts?"
"Lorelai swears they are the best she's ever had. I don't know how true it is, but Rory claims Lorelai's even sung songs about them."
"That's true all right, though I rather wish it weren't since she's regaled party guests on more than one occasion"

"Well, I want to know what the secret is. My nose and taste buds will figure it out."

"You'll be wise to take a couple of them off the tray before you give them to Lorelai then."
"I will take that advice."
"Now, about the shakes"

"They're going into the freezer now."

"Sookie!" Katalina exclaimed clearly excited at the sight of Lorelai's best friend. When I turned to look at my granddaughter, she was wearing my sweater vest over a white shirt of Richard's which hit her just above the knee. She'd paired it with the tights she'd been wearing last night. It actually was a rather nice look. "I thought I heard your voice. What are you doing here? Oh. I see the shakes. I should have known. At any rate, it's good to see you."

"I also brought you some clothes, though based on what Lorelai said, I thought you'd be wearing a fancy cocktail dress for breakfast."
"Thankfully, Emily allowed me to raid her and Richard's closet. Ignore my lack of shoes though, mine didn't work with this at all."
"I have shoes. Lorelai packed you an interesting assortment of ballet flats, Chanel combat boots, and unicorn house slippers"

"I don't own any unicorn house slippers."
"I think they're supposed to match the unicorn onesie that is in the bag too."
"What on earth is a unicorn onesie? Isn't that for an infant?" I asked envisioning a small snap crotch garment

"Oh, they make fleece onesies for adults now. Lorelai has one that has a hood that looks like a unicorn with a horn. It has a tail too."

"Lorelai can never ignore a chance to attempt to irritate or shock me, now can she?"
"So put it on." Katalina said.

"Why would I ever put that on?" I asked.

"Because then you're leaning into it. She's not getting her desired reaction. She won't have succeeded in irritating or shocking you. You will have shocked her."

I pondered this for a few moments.

"You know what. I will. Where did you put that bag Sookie?"

"I set it on the counter when I went to look for the scale." Sookie went and got the onesie, "Seriously though? Cause you know for Lorelai to know you wore it, you're sorta gonna have to let me take a photo."
"Alright then. Take a photo. In fact, Sookie you should tell Lorelai that I loved it so much I decided to put it on. Then we will have breakfast and I will wear it at the table so Katalina can take a photo to send to Lorelai later. Now obviously I will take this garish garment off as soon as we take the photo and then rejoin you ladies for breakfast, but a shot at the table will seal it. You will be joining us for breakfast I presume?"

"Why not."

"Very well."

LORELAI

Sookie called me on the way back from Hartford.

"I can't wait for Katalina to wear that unicorn onesie tonight. My mother is going to flip."

"I don't know... she seemed to really like it."
"Sookie? My mother, Mrs. Emily Gilmore? There's no way."
"She put it on Lorelai."
"I love you Sookie, but you're not a good liar."

"I swear to you, she invited me to breakfast and sat at the table wearing it. I mean she kept the hood down, but she was wearing it."

"Not a good liar Sook."
"I do have to tell you though, she looked like she'd been crying when she came to the door."
"That's weird. Any idea why?"
"No. Also, I think I finally solved our decade old mystery?"
"Was it Emily in the dining room with the candlestick?"
"It was Emily in the culinary shop buying the ice cream maker."
"No. Way. It was my mother who bought Max and I the ice cream maker?"

"Yep."
"How did you find that out Watson?"

"Pretty sure this makes me Sherlock and you Watson, but I was looking for a kitchen scale and the exact same one was in a kitchen cabinet. She said she'd ordered one years ago as a wedding gift and the company accidentally sent her and the intended recipient one."

"She never did tell me what she had gotten me."
"I know. So really I solved two mysteries. I am definitely now Sherlock, my dear Watson."

"I wonder why she was crying."
"NO idea."
"Was she really wearing that onesie?"
"I told you Lorelai. I saw it with my own two eyes."
"Did you get a photo?"
"No. But I saw Kat slip her phone out so I would guess she took one without your mom knowing."
"Maybe then I will believe it. There's just no way though that my mother actually liked it, let alone put it on."
"I guess we shall see if Kat was taking a photo after all."