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 continue to be 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! A special Happy Birthday wish to Tickledpink22 AKA Katie, and my big sister, Amber. Both of you have a great one!
CHAPTER EIGHT
Rory, Lane, and Alicia headed down the darkening street towards Luke's Diner. They'd arrived back in Stars Hollow not a half hour ago, and Zach and Brian, Lane's roommates and band mates, had immediately turned on the TV and sat back to watch some incredibly lame action movie. The girls made a quick change in their plans to sit around in Lane's room talking and having pizza, and decided to head for Luke's instead. Lane's band had played very well, and they were hoping they would get called back soon, or someone else would hear about them, and they'd soon be known all over Connecticut.
The bell dinged overhead as the girls entered Luke's. Luke was behind the counter, refilling coffees for a few customers, but otherwise the diner was empty except for Lorelai and Sookie at a table by the side window with Davey and Arielle. Both babies were looking up in wide-eyed wonder at a man in a Santa suit leaning over the table.
"That's Santa, Davey." Sookie said, "Can you say Santa?"
Her 13-month-old son smiled shyly, "An-ta!" Davey crowed, and Lorelai and Sookie both smiled.
"Ho ho ho!" Santa said, and Rory immediately recognized the voice as Kirk's. She smiled as Arielle tentatively reached out to Kirk, but then pulled her hand back. Then Arielle breathed in deeply, looking past Kirk to the doorway. She let out a distressed gurgle and reached her hand out towards Rory and her friends.
Lorelai, Sookie, and Kirk turned towards the girls. "Hey, babe, girls. Want a burger?" Lorelai asked.
"Definetely. Hi, Davey!" Rory said, as she came nearer to the group. Lane followed her, and Alicia brought up the rear a little slower. Arielle began to whine incessantly, grunting and reaching out towards Rory and her friends.
"Are you hungry, Arielle?" Rory asked, kneeling down in front of the baby. She offered her hands to the baby, but Arielle pushed them away and started to whimper sadly.
"She just ate." Lorelai said, trying to comfort Arielle, but the stubborn child wouldn't heed Lorelai's soothing touches. She started to cry, a cry Rory and Lorelai had never heard before. She arched her back and wailed like a fire engine.
"Um, Santa hears the reindeer calling. I'd better go." Kirk said, making his escape.
Davey's "Ba-ba An-ta!" could hardly be heard over Arielle's wails. Rory began checking her diaper and seeing if her outfit was on too tight, but Lorelai seemed to know exactly what Arielle was crying about, and Rory and Alicia caught on, too. Finally Alicia got down on her knees next to Rory and ran her hand over the child's head. Arielle's cries quieted to whimpers, and Alicia took Arielle from Lorelai, rubbing her back soothingly. Arielle's demeanor quickly changed from distressed baby to excited baby, as she looked up at Alicia's face and greeted the young woman with a few happy coos.
Alicia looked down at the child, and murmured a few soothing words, and kissed the baby's head. Arielle snuggled into Alicia unlike she'd snuggled into anyone else and cooed happily. Her tiny hand clutched Alicia's blouse, and her other held Alicia's finger to her chest. Rory looked from Alicia to Arielle, and could see a resemblance. Both had reddish hair, bright blue eyes, the same nose, and similar lip and cheek curves. Yep, Alicia's her mommy. Why hasn't she said something? Rory looked at her mom, who almost looked sad and wistful as she pulled her daughter to her and stroked her cheek tenderly.
"Hey Luke!" Lorelai called, "Three more burgers over here!"
Luke smiled, "You got it!" He headed into the kitchen to give the order to Caesar. He brought them their burgers and they ate and talked, Alicia holding Arielle the whole time. Davey got fussy after awhile, so Sookie took him home to put him to bed.
Alicia stood up too, "I've got to go, I have an interview in the morning." She took one long look at Arielle, and handed her back to Lorelai, turning and walking towards the door.
Arielle began to whimper again, as Rory turned towards the door, "Hey, Lissi?" she called. Alicia turned around to look at Rory, and Rory looked her best friend in the eye, "Check in with me tomorrow, okay?"
Alicia nodded, "Okay." She said, taking a fleeting glance at Arielle before she headed out the door. As both Lorelai and Rory could have predicted, Arielle let out a strangled cry. Letting out a few anguished sobs first, she then burst into full-blown tears.
"Oh, Arielle." Lorelai turned to Rory, "Let's get her back to our house. Maybe some of her own toys will comfort her."
Rory stood, "Okay, good idea. Bye, Lane!" she called out, as Lane had gone behind the counter to get a few hours of work in before closing.
"Bye!" Lane called back.
"Bye, Luke!" Lorelai called out.
"Bye, Lorelai. Bye, Rory. Good luck with Arielle." Luke called back.
As Lorelai and Rory headed out the door, Rory looked at her mom, who was murmuring soothing words to Arielle, trying to calm the screaming baby, "Alicia is her mom." Rory said, with absolute certainty.
"Without a doubt." Lorelai agreed, "I just hope Alicia gets up the nerve to say something. I love taking care of Arielle, but I miss alone time with my daughter."
Rory stopped a moment and smiled, "Really? I miss alone time with you, too."
Lorelai made a sad little face and pulled Rory closer, kissing her cheeks, "Well, let's get home and get this little one settled, and maybe we can get a movie in."
Rory smiled, "Okay." She slung an arm around her mom, and leaned in, as her mom tried to quiet Arielle as they walked. Rory sighed; at least she had the knowledge now that it wasn't only her who longed for it to just be the two of them. Both of them loved babies, and definitely wanted a few in their lives, but they wanted 9 months to get used to the idea first. Having a baby pop out of the woodwork was a lot of work.