"Michael, please don't argue with me," Astrid sighed, "I'll be back the day before tomorrow, and I trust you can handle Cassian while I'm away."
Astrid nodded several times, and closed her cell phone. She drove the rental car out of Hartford, through Woodbury, and into Stars Hollow.
"What a delightful little town," Astrid peered over the wheel, "And yet there aren't any traffic lights, and the small town vibe is quite becoming."
Astrid's peacock-feather earrings swung as she came to a sudden stop, and she watched a placid faced man hold up his hand, wearing a parking officer uniform, lead an elderly woman across the street.
"There, there, Mrs Cassini," said Kirk, a series of fumbles with his toy baton and dropped it, and Mrs Cassini wrested free of his grasp and managed quite fine across the street. "You can go. Citizen! Please drive on. We're very busy here."
Astrid drove forth, glancing in the rear view mirror as she chuckled. "Busy, indeed."
She came to a stop outside a diner. She got out of her car and the bell jangled above the door as she entered and took a seat at the counter. The proprietor, wearing a flannel shirt with jeans and a backwards baseball cap, was angrily thumbing through his notepad with a pencil, and then the door opened once more.
"Luke," came an elderly man, in a comfortable sweater and pressed pants, "If you'll just listen - "
"What's there to talk about?" Luke turned to Astrid, "How can I help you?"
Astrid perused the menu, "This looks good - "
"Luke," Taylor stressed, "It's not just me. It's the whole community. If you don't budge, I'm afraid we'll have to bring it up with the town selectman."
Luke turned from Astrid, "The town selectman - is you!"
Astrid glanced between Luke and Taylor, fiddling with her the cabochon necklace Su Yi had gifted her.
"Now, Luke - "
Astrid rose. "I'd better rush - "
"Now, look!" Luke spread his arms. "That's a customer! Are you going to - "
The door rang as Astrid stepped out and squinted to put on her sunglasses.
She crossed the road, onto Elm Street and saw a house with a sign out front.
"Kim's Antiques," Astrid eyed the chairs spilling out onto the lawn, "I must think about buying some pieces - and this is such a wholesome town - I'm sure Cassian would love it here - though Michael would never like such a place."
Astrid entered and found herself in a maze of wooden furniture.
"I feel as though the Minotaur might be creeping around any avenue… "
She caught sight of a burnished antique desk, lifting a paperweight and jumped as a woman appeared out of nowhere, the paperweight thudded onto the floor, and Astrid took a breath.
"You startled me - "
"You break, you buy," Mrs Kim sized Astrid up, "Are you going to buy?"
"That's my fault," Astrid bent down, "This is a lovely desk - "
"It is handmade," Mrs Kim clasped her hands in front of her and nodded slightly, "George Washington himself."
Astrid paused. "George Washington made this?"
"What, do I look like a fool?" Mrs Kim tutted, and karate chopped the air, "This is good desk, you buy from me you get three letters of recommendation."
"It is a lovely desk - and whoever it was made by - "
"You call me a liar?" Mrs Kim leaned in, "This is no joke. You buy from Kim's Antiques, you receive the best. We only serve customers who want to buy - you want to buy, no?"
"I - "
"Only if you want to buy can you shop here, do you want to buy?"
Astrid smiled and backed away slowly, Mrs Kim watched her the whole while, and Mrs Kim nodded when Astrid left the store.
"We appreciate your business!"
Astrid fanned herself as she walked out onto the street. She caught sight of a barn-like structure, and an amply lady chain smoking directed little girls in ballerina dresses.
"Excuse me," Astrid shielded her eyes, "Do you know where I might find an inn?"
"Oh, honey," Patty smiled, "I love your outfit. You look like a movie star!"
Astrid blushed. "Oh, thank you, but it's nothing really."
"You'll want to try the Independence Inn, lovely place," Patty smiled, and gave directions, "You know, I was like you in the back of the day. I'm sure you have many admirers."
Astrid smiled and headed for her car, feeling Patty's eyes on the back of her.
She got into her car and drove into a lovely wooded area where the columns and spread lawn of an inn with a sign confirming her guess and she drove up the graveled pathway.
"What a lovely place," Astrid slung her luggage, and took it with her, "I'm sure this place would do well to have horses - this is just the opposite of that hotel my parents bought - if I remember correctly, not that one, not that one, but it was the Calthorpe, if my memory times it correctly."
Astrid walked up the steps, and saw at the counter a well dressed man whose expression brightened to see her walk in the door.
"Madam," Michel kissed her hand, "Might I say, you louk fabulous."
"Oh, thank you," Astrid blushed, "I know this is rather sudden, but I was hoping to venture a reservation."
"Of - course!" Michel clapped his hands, flipped through the pages of the ledger, "Ah! Yes. We have a room upstairs available for you. Might I have the bell-man take your luggage?"
"Oh, I'm fine," Astrid smiled.
She went upstairs with her room key and saw the wallpaper, the fireplace, the canopied bed and the little soap in the dish.
She retrieved her cell phone and dialed Michael.
"Is he in a meeting?" Astrid's fingers were almost in her mouth, and she imagined biting on them as she forced her hand underneath her legs. "No - no, thank you. I'll call back."
Astrid hung up, and rose to pull open the window. She closed her eyes and breathed in the air.
"Oh, but fall never feels like this - and I wish I could stay here - I wish I could be free."
She shut the window, and felt as stifled as if she were in a bell jar, and heard all the movement and murmurings throughout the hotel that were not unlike the scattered thoughts of her own mind, climbing towards a resolution that she needed to be stronger within herself to make a final decision.