Arielle
By: Alyson Tierney
Disclaimer: I do not own Lorelai or Rory Gilmore, or any other character associated with Gilmore Girls the way it is seen on television. Those characters and other related things and ideas belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB Network. However, I do own Alicia and Arielle, since I made them up.
Author's Note: This story idea is taken from the book "Baby" by Patricia MacLachlan, so I'd like to thank her for the terrific story idea, and I hope I did it justice in this story. It takes place this Christmas, and is an idea I've been working on for awhile. I hope you like this, and have a very good holiday season. The next chapter will be available next year (in a few days teehee), but if you guys want to check out my story "Gunshots and Secrets" you can access it on my profile. Have a good New Year and thank you for all your reviews!
CHAPTER FOUR
"So, did you have a good day, babe?" Lorelai asked, as she carried a pizza box down their street towards their house. After Lane and Alicia had watched a movie and decorated the tree with them, it had gotten dark, so the girls had gone home. Lorelai and Rory had decided to make a quick stop at Pete's Pizza and were now walking home in a light snowfall.
"I did. It was nice to not have to think about finals and school and homework. I'm done! I still haven't wrapped my mind around the fact that I'm done for four weeks." Rory smiled, and fished a piece of pizza out of the box and took a bite, "Mmm, warm and toasty."
Lorelai laughed, "You can't wait thirty seconds for us to get home?" she asked.
"Come on, falling snow, walking together, eating pizza, is that not heaven or what?" Rory asked, taking another huge bite.
"Good point." Lorelai unwound her arm from her daughter's and took a piece herself, 'Wow, that smells good," she said, taking a bite.
"Anything that doesn't smell like dust, detergent, or stale coffee is good with me." Rory grinned when Lorelai looked at her with her brows arched.
"What do you want to watch when we get home?" Lorelai asked.
"Anything but something school-related." Rory said, "Hey, what's that?" she asked as they walked up the lawn towards their house. Rory could see something on the porch near the door that hadn't been there earlier. It looked like a large basket or something covered with a yellow and pink blanket, "Someone dropping off food because they think we have bad nutrition habits?"
"Rory…that's not food." Lorelai rushed up the steps, and kneeled down next to the basket-sized lump, and lifted the blanket. Cuddled inside in a small snowsuit, shielded against the cold by the blanket, was a baby.
"The stork came?" Rory asked, aghast.
Lorelai replaced the blanket over the baby's infant seat, and handed her daughter the pizza box, "Who would leave a baby with us? We can barely feed ourselves!" she exclaimed, unlocking the door, and hurrying inside with the bundle, Rory following her mom.
"Who does it belong to?" Rory asked, as her mom placed the infant seat on the coffee table
. Lorelai lifted the blanket again, and traced her finger along the baby's nose and lips and sighed, "I don't recognize this little one, but there are quite a few new mothers in Stars Hollow."
The baby opened its eyes, and looked around the room in wonder, and then fixed its gaze on Lorelai. "Hi, little one! Hi!" Lorelai cooed, and undid the straps on the infant seat, and lifted the baby up, "Should we get you out of this hot snowsuit?" Rory watched as her mom laid the baby on the couch gently and undid the zipper. She pulled the snowsuit off to reveal a pink ruffled jumper over a yellow long-sleeved shirt. The jumper was adorned with flowers and bunnies. The baby scrunched up her face, and her blue eyes widened. "Hi, little one." Lorelai said, stroking the baby's tummy, "Are you lost?"
Rory kneeled down next to the couch, and let the baby grab one of her fingers, "How old is she?" Rory asked.
"Based on visual assessment—4, maybe 5 months." Lorelai said, "I wonder who she belongs to. Is there anything else in the seat?" she asked Rory.
Rory wiggled her finger out of the baby's grasp, and she began to whimper. "Oh! Lorelai exclaimed, and placed her own finger in the baby's palm. The baby smiled, and gripped it, and started kicking her legs, "Wow, an active little girl."
Rory searched through the baby seat, and found a small bag with a few toys and a note inside, "There's a letter!" she exclaimed.
"What does it say?" Lorelai asked, now trying to prevent the baby from rolling herself right off the couch. She finally picked the baby up, and sat the baby in her lap, supporting her back with her own body. The baby smiled at Rory and stuck her thumb in her mouth.
Rory smiled at the little girl and then scanned the note, and read,
Dear Lorelai and Rory,
This is Arielle. She is almost five months old, and she is a delight. I can't take care of her right now; I need to sort out my life. I was only nineteen when she was born, and had to give up college for her. I will be back for her someday, so please don't turn her in. I love her.
"Arielle, huh?" Lorelai looked down at Arielle and stroked the baby's bright red hair, "She's adorable."
Rory peeked into the baby's smiling face, "Hi, Arielle! Hi, Ari!" The baby gurgled at the sound of her name, "Is the mom coming back, or did she abandon her?"
"She'll come back. Arielle's mother will come back." Lorelai said, with absolute certainty, "She'll come back." Lorelai got a faraway look in her eye as she continued stroking the baby's head.