Insert Picture Here (Part 5)
A/N: I had a huge author note here, but I decided to send it on the next train to hell and let you all use your imagination with this story. I trust you. Anyway, thank you to all of the people that have supported this story thus far (I love my reviewers so much!): Holly Gilmore, Lilianna28, coffeeobsessed, bluedancer, starblaze, Mandy, Dot, ILoveJess, Coolio02, Monique, Tali, Heidi, Ashley, Alexis Leigh Mariano, Lisa T, Noa Jeo, crazy-dreams, sidney, and bibleboymary4ever.
Special thanks to Elise (Angeleyez) who keeps me awake, writing, and healthy. She also reviews. Thanks.
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"Ah, Lorelai, there you are." Mia dropped her pen and walked over to the door where Lorelai was desperately trying to remove grass from the bottom of her shoe.
"Oh, hey Mia. Sorry I'm late; I stopped to talk to Rory for a bit." Lorelai apologetically looked up from the clods of dirt collecting in the entrance.
"Don't worry about it. Will you follow me to my office?"
"Of course."
Lorelai trailed Mia feeling slightly awkward. The cause of this meeting remained unknown and Lorelai was superior in height, despite being younger.
Upon entering the large office, Mia gestured to a mahogany armchair.
"Feel free to take a seat. Would you like something to drink? Coffee?" Mia had already turned her body toward the loudly percolating machine.
Settling into the chair, Lorelai replied, "Sure, that would be great." Mia nodded and proceeded to pour the black liquid into a navy blue mug.
After visiting so many times, the office became a source of consistent comfort. Lorelai could always count on the lingering smell of antique roses muddled with the essence of brewing coffee. Vanilla-scented smoke ringlets floated around, even though her boss swore she never used candles.
"I'm out of cream, but would you care for some sugar?"
"That'd be nice."
"How many?"
"Three."
"Three?"
"Three please."
Mia raised her eyebrows, but said nothing. She poured in the packets of sugar and handed the steaming mug to Lorelai before sitting in her own chair across the desk.
"Thank you."
"So, how have you been? How is Rory?" Mia reached up, retrieved a pencil from her hair, and began to aimlessly doodle on a post-it cube.
"Rory's great; she's been busy with schoolwork. Studying hard. Um, she's having fun though. Me? Well, I'm…" Lorelai chuckled slightly. "I'm good. I've been looking into buying a house and I'm waiting for realtor responses.
"That's great!" Mia's voice bubbled with enthusiasm. "I'll miss the questions about people living in my tool shed, though."
Lorelai solemnly nodded, though her eyes twinkled with sarcasm. "It will be a day of mourning for sure."
After a few moments of relaxed silence, Lorelai could see that Mia was looking at her in an odd way. Her eyes had clouded and taken on a melancholy personality. Her head was tilted, but only slightly, and her lips were pursed in a curious manner, but …only slightly.
"So … Mia? This meeting?" Lorelai shifted uncomfortably.
Snapping out of her stupor, Mia began to twirl the pencil in her hand while speaking.
"Oh, of course. The meeting. I brought you here because I needed to tell you something important. What is said here today…well, it very well may change your life as well as mine."
"That's always a good way to start a conversation." Lorelai twirled her hair nervously.
Ignoring Lorelai's comment, Mia took in a deep breath. "I'm moving to Santa Barbara." She then released the breath as a dragon would release tongues of fire.
Lorelai's hands collapsed into her lap with a loud thump and her face tightened with concern. "What? H-how? More importantly, why?"
Mia sighed like she had been carrying this news for quite some time. "It's complicated. It'll be time for me to retire soon, you know. Despite what people say, love for your career is never eternal." Mia half-heartedly laughed. "I've always wanted to travel the country. Now would be my chance. Stars Hollow is too small for someone like me. Someone who has big dreams of traveling, that is."
"Oh. Well, uh, life is waiting?" Lorelai tossed out flippantly. "What do you want me to say? I mean, what are you doi –…what?" Lorelai softened her voice. "I'm so confused. What about the inn? Who's going to run it?"
Mia leaned an elbow on the desk and pointed her pencil directly at Lorelai. She smiled suggestively. "You are."
Lorelai's eyes widened in surprise and her mouth opened and closed; gaping like a goldfish.
"That is, if you want to." Mia nonchalantly leaned back into the chair.
"That. I mean, this is…I'd love to." Even though it was broad daylight, Lorelai's face was incandescent.
"Are you sure? I don't want to baby you. You're not sixteen anymore, Lorelai, but this is a big responsibility. I chose you because you've been assistant manager for several years now and I think you can handle this. But if you can't…"
"I can. Really, I can." Lorelai's pleading eyes met Mia's anxious ones. "I want this. I'll run the inn for you while you're gone. I can do this."
Mia crossed her arms and proudly proclaimed, "Well, I'd say that you've grown up quite a bit these past few years, Lorelai Gilmore." She paused, waiting for a non-existent reaction. "Anyway. So it's settled. First, we'll have to…"
Mia noticed that Lorelai wasn't listening to a word she was saying. Laughing to herself, Mia gently placed a contract and a pen in front of Lorelai. "Just sign here."
Lorelai picked up the pen and looked to Mia for a sign of reassurance. When Mia nodded, Lorelai began to move the pen in the familiar way that formed her signature. When finished, she dropped the pen onto the desk and beamed with satisfaction.
They spent approximately forty-five minutes in the office discussing the particulars of Lorelai's new responsibility as well as Mia's plans for Santa Barbara. As they were exiting the office, Mia nearly collided with a well-dressed businessman.
"Oh, Mr. Gerard, I am so sorry." Mia placed her hand on his arm apologetically.
In a thick French accent, the man replied, "My mistake, pardon me. Feel free to just call me Michel." He was warily eyeing Lorelai.
"Oh! It's terribly rude of me not to introduce the two of you. Lorelai, this is Michel Gerard. He'll be the assistant manager. Michel, this is Lorelai Gilmore. She'll be the new executive manager…actually, she already is." Michel made some kind of noise, but both women chose to pretend it was never heard. Michel and Lorelai shook hands and exchanged a forced smile.
Though, as most people know, first impressions aren't everything.
As time passed, Michel and Lorelai formed a reluctant friendship, if not at least an understanding. Michel overcame his bitterness towards Lorelai's higher status and began to focus on fulfilling his own position instead. Lorelai's irritating impressions of his French accent mellowed and the waters began to calm. They shared a fair amount of verbal exchanges, but most were in jest and secretly they enjoyed having someone to yell at once in a while.
Noticing the nearly tangible discomfort between the two, Mia quickly ended the introduction and whisked Lorelai away to the kitchen.
Lorelai had never been to the kitchen before and she was swept into a glorious whirlwind of sights and smells. The aroma of cinnamon muffins wafted through the room and clashed with the pungency of hard bleach. Rays of sunlight bounced from a stainless steel omelet pan to the smooth, silver refrigerator.
Standing over a cutting board and chopping furiously, was an animated woman with auburn hair. She turned the bell peppers from side to side, attempting to perfect the cut. Every so often, she would lift her head and yell out frantic corrections to those cooking near her. Mia walked over and gently tapped her shoulder.
The woman jumped. "Martin! How many times do I have to explain it to you! It's sugar, water, and…" She turned around and noticed Mia and Lorelai blinking at her. Dusting her hands on her apron apologetically, she retrogressed. "Oh, hello Mia."
"Greetings, Sookie. I have someone I'd like you to meet."
"Really? Who?" Sookie said excitedly.
Mia pulled Lorelai forward. "This is Lorelai Gilmore. She is the new executive manager." Turning to Lorelai, she said, "Lorelai, this is Sookie St. James, our resident executive chef."
"The word executive slips right off the tongue, doesn't it?" Lorelai grinned as she shook Sookie's hand.
"I'm sure you'll be a lovely manager, Lorelai." Sookie nodded.
Lorelai waved off the compliment with her hand. "I hope so. I have a lot to live up to." She winked at Mia.
"Nonsense. You'll be fine." Mia hit Lorelai on the shoulder with affection. "Anyway, Lorelai, this concludes our meeting. I've got some paperwork and bills to take care of and I'll let you get acquainted with your new position."
"Yes, he and I are going to be good pals after a while. I'll see you later Mia. Thanks for everything." Lorelai weighted the end of her sentence with sincerity.
"You're very welcome. I'm at the desk if you need me." Mia waved goodbye to Sookie and left through the giant kitchen door.
Lorelai did the same and was two inches from the threshold when she heard Sookie's chipper voice.
"Hey Lorelai?"
Turning slightly, she said, "Yeah?"
Sookie spoke hesitantly. "Whenever you want coffee or something, I'll be happy to get it for you. Or if you know, you need someone to talk to about whatever, I usually stay pretty late…"
Lorelai moved so that she faced Sookie and said graciously, "Thank you. I'll be sure and take advantage of that."
Relieved, the chef replied, "Good. I'll see you around then."
"So you will." Lorelai flashed another smile and returned to the lobby.
Lorelai took Sookie up on her coffee offer and little cocoa beans became the positive catalyst in their lives. There were no two women as pleasantly scattered. Sookie would babble about her crush on Jackson Melville, 'the produce man', while Lorelai would express her animosity towards her parents. Several times, Lorelai ended up on Sookie's porch with a tear stained and crumpled tissue in hand. In turn, Lorelai was always prepared with open arms and a woolen blanket to cry on. Kindness and generosity have the power to change a person's life…but apparently, so does coffee.
Later, Lorelai returned home to where Rory was anticipating her arrival. She hurriedly kicked off her heels and rubbed the soles of her feet before walking into the central area of the shed. Pride and Prejudice was lying in Rory's lap, The History of Connecticut clearly forgotten.
"Hey Mom."
"Hey babe, what's up?"
"Not much, I'm reading. Here's your mail." Rory leaned over a cushion, grabbed the pile of envelopes and colored advertisements, and handed it to Lorelai.
"Oh, thanks." Lorelai began skimming through the stack. She yanked out the unnecessary material and mindlessly threw it into the trash bin at her feet.
Her rapid flipping halted momentarily. Lorelai prayed as she hastily sliced open an envelope with her fingernail. Shakily, her fingers pulled out the paper inside and managed to unfold it. As she read the content, her free hand covered her mouth and her eyes grew watery. She sniffed and Rory looked up from her reading.
"Mom?"
Lorelai was speechless at the moment, therefore causing Rory to rise from the couch. She went and stood next to her mother.
"Mom?"
Lowering the paper from her face, a clearly emotional Lorelai said, "Rory, we're going to have a house. A real house."
Rory smiled and wrapped her arms around her mother's shoulders, knowing this was a milestone in the history of Gilmores. Still hugging her daughter, Lorelai placed the paper and envelope onto a nearby table. After a sentimental moment had passed, Lorelai backed away, resting her hands on Rory's forearms.
"We should celebrate."
"We should."
"We should go club-hopping. Maybe we could rent a limo and drive through Hartford with our heads sticking out of the top like they did in Vegas Vacation…minus the window closing on us."
"Or we could go to Luke's and get coffee."
"Are you saying that you don't want to release your wild side?"
Rory laughed. "No, I'm just suggesting something that would be possible in reality."
"Is there really a difference between fantasy and reality? Anyway, sounds good. Luke's it is."
As they dawdled across the lawn in front of the shed, Rory appeared thoughtful. She trailed her mother, but stopped anyway. Lorelai noticed that Rory wasn't following and backtracked to where her daughter was standing.
"Rory?"
The beginning of twilight had begun to paint the area surrounding the inn. The few lights that had been left on inside the shed glowed peacefully against the backdrop of subtle oranges and purples. A lone goose honked in the backdrop, echoing across the property.
Rory's eyes danced with excitement even though her voice remained calm. "We're going to have a house."
Lorelai linked her arm with Rory's. "Yes we are."
So, that was that. They were getting a new house…but not a new home. Often, people wish to differentiate between a 'house' and a 'home'.
The answer is quite simple. Home is where the heart is.