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—I hope you like this, and have a very good holiday season. The next chapter will be available soon, but if you guys want to check out my story "Gunshots and Secrets" you can access it on my profile.
I was very impressed with the number of you who took the time to review parts of the story and say what you liked and what could be changed. It's those reviewers that help a writer improve her work so it can be the best it can be. I thank you very much, each and every one of you. You rock! Keep reviewing!
CHAPTER SEVEN
Rory turned in her bed and opened her eyes, listening. She looked at the clock to see that it was early, just after eight. She frowned; usually she would hear Arielle much earlier than this. Wondering if maybe Lorelai and Arielle had gone out, she got out of bed slowly, yawning and stretching. Looking out the window, she saw that it had snowed again the night before. Last Christmas there had been no snow until Christmas Day, but the snow was now rapidly reaching a foot in height, and there were still three more days until Christmas. Rory smiled, she loved the days immediately before Christmas, because she and her mom would fill the house with memories and laughter. This year, the memories would include Arielle and possibly Alicia—if they could ever get her to talk to them. Alicia had been busy the past two days with trying to find a job and a permanent place to live, since she only was living in the apartment for two weeks before the owners got back from vacation.
Rory wandered into the kitchen, and noticed the pot Lorelai used to warm up Arielle's bottle was filled with lukewarm water. She smiled, and listened, hearing her mom's voice coming from upstairs. It sounded like Lorelai was singing. Rory crept up the stairs and eased open her mom's door. Lorelai was holding Arielle and singing to her, an empty bottle sitting on the bedside table. Arielle was gazing up at Lorelai's face, enthralled. Rory felt a twinge of longing, but was also comforted by her mom's voice. She felt a familiar vibe, like her mom had done exactly this when she was a baby. Rory smiled, and leaned her head against the doorframe, watching her mom and Arielle interact.
Lorelai seemed to sense her daughter, and looked up, a smile spread across her face, "Hey, sweetie." She looked at the clock and then at her daughter, "It's early! What are you doing up?"
"I don't know. It snowed last night; I must have inherited some of your 'Wake up! It snowed!' genes." Rory smiled and walked towards the bed, sitting next to her mom and leaning back against the pillows.
Lorelai scoffed, "Well, it's probably one of the better genes. Waking up early after a nighttime snowfall is one of the best things about winter."
"That, and building snowmen." Rory smiled as she remembered that she and her mom had always built at least one snowman or snowwoman a winter.
"This year's had better be stronger than last year's. Remember how it took a direct hit from the snow shovel?" Lorelai smiled, remembering.
"Poor Luke. All he wanted to do was something nice for you, and he ends up decapitating poor Jack Mc Frosty Flakes." Rory smiled, too, letting out a small giggle.
"And that crazy woman screaming for poor Jack's missing nose led all the neighbors to tease him about it for weeks." Lorelai smiled innocently.
"You never found the nose, and you said that the snow shovel had stolen it." Rory reminded her, to which Lorelai began giggling madly. Arielle let out a few happy coos to let Lorelai and Rory know she was still there. She made a face and let out a frustrated grunt.
"Uh-oh!" Lorelai said, "Fire one!"
Rory grimaced, "Poor Arielle." She watched as the infant grunted, and then relaxed and smiled. A distinctive and very unpleasant odor wafted up, and the infant chuckled. She patted her own stomach a few times and smiled.
"Oh, that's great, Ari. Use your cute baby charms to make me want to change your messy diaper. Good girl." Lorelai said, tickling the baby's tummy.
The phone rang then, causing Arielle to startle and begin to whimper. Lorelai carried her over to the changing mat she'd laid out on her dresser, while Rory went to get the phone. Who'd be calling this early? She wondered, as she lifted the receiver. "Hello?"
"Rory!" Lane's excited voice could be heard on the other line.
"Lane, its 8:30 in the morning. This better be good." Rory admonished her friend, yawning, as she listened to Arielle cooing across the room.
"We are playing at Copper Head!" Lane shrieked so loudly, Rory had to pull the phone away from her ear.
"Copper Head?" Rory asked, mystified.
"Only the most rocking-est dance club in Stanford. They want us to play for them!" Lane shrieked some more.
"Lane, that's great!" Rory switched her voice from her tired I-just-woke-up tone to excited my-best-friend-is-becoming-a-rock-star tone.
"You have to come! You and Alicia both!" Lane said, her voice sounding way too enthusiastic for 8:30 in the morning.
"I wouldn't miss it! Wait just a second…" Rory put her hand over the phone, "Mom…" she began.
"Have a good time, sweetie." Lorelai interrupted.
"You sure?" Rory asked.
"Yes! You're the young college girl on break from lots of stress. You go have fun!" Lorelai said, as she snapped up the buttons on Arielle's sleeper and ticked the baby, before picking her up.
"Thanks, Mom!" Rory smiled at her mother before turning back to the phone, "Lane? I'll see you in a little while?" she smiled, excited about seeing her friend play in a place that was outside of Stars Hollow.
"Yes, about ten?" Lane said, "We're still getting stuff together."
"Sounds good." Rory said her goodbyes and then turned to Lorelai, "She got a gig at some fancy club in Stanford." She explained.
"I heard." Lorelai grinned, and then snuggling Arielle in one arm, laid her other arm around her daughter's shoulders, and led her out of the room, "What do you say, Luke's fix before you go?"
"Absolutely." Rory grinned and followed her mother downstairs. She was a little disappointed that Lorelai wouldn't be able to come with, her mom loved seeing Lane play. She'd be sure to take pictures and tell her all about it, though. It was sure to be tons of fun.