Parents.
[Cut To: Doose's Market, LORELAI and RORY are walking to the register with a full basket]
Rory: I thought you said we couldn't afford this much?
Lorelai: Well, John said that we can buy it now but pay for it later. That's what an account means.
Rory: Oh, okay.
Lorelai: (reaching the counter)Hey, John.
John: Hi Lorelai. (to RORY)Hi Rory.
Rory: Hi.
John: Did you find that second job?
Lorelai: Uh, no, not yet. It's no big deal.
John: Well, I still hope you find one.
Lorelai: Thanks.
John: Okay, so I'll just put this on your account?
Lorelai: Yup.
John: All done. Bye.
Lorelai: Bye. (walks towards the door, but it opens and KAREN walks in)
Karen: Lorelai.
Lorelai: Karen.
Karen: (to RORY)How are you, Rory?
Rory: Good.
Karen: Good. (to LORELAI)So, what school did you decide on?
Lorelai: What?
Karen: For Rory's preschool?
Lorelai: (as she moves aside so that they don't block the door)Um...yours?
Karen: Oh.
Lorelai: Is there...is there a problem?
Karen: Oh, well, you didn't turn in your paperwork, so I just assumed...
Lorelai: No, um, incorrect assumption. (she laughs nervously, then neither says anything)Is it too late? Was there a due date?
Karen: Yes, there is. The eleventh.
Lorelai: Uh, sorry, I don't really have a calendar...when's that?
Karen: Tomorrow.
Lorelai: To...tomorrow? Seriously?
Karen: Didn't I tell you that?
Lorelai: Ha...no.
Karen: I didn't? Oh, Lorelai, I'm so sorry.
Lorelai: No...no, it's-
Karen: It must have just slipped my mind, I feel so horrible.
Lorelai: It's okay. Really. I can go home and get it.
Karen: Are you sure?
Lorelai: Yeah, it's no problem. At all.
Karen: Really?
Lorelai: I promise, Karen. It's fine. It's fine.
[Cut To: Luke's Diner, LORELAI and RORY are at the counter]
Lorelai: ...and it's not fine!
Luke: (while he serves other customers)Why not?
Lorelai: Because! I don't want to go back there! I just left what? A week ago?
Luke: A little more.
Lorelai: And now I'm supposed to go back? And...and talk to them? After all of this?
Luke: Yes.
Lorelai: Duke, come on. How is that taking my side?
Luke: I am taking your side. But Lorelai, this is your kid. You do what you have to do.
Lorelai: Uh.
Luke: She needs school, doesn't she?
Rory: Yes.
Luke: And to go to school you need this stuff, right?
Rory: Yes.
Luke: And if Rory can figure it out then you can, too, right?
Lorelai: (groaning)Yes.
[Cut To: Independence Inn, room 22, LORELAI is cleaning and RORY is in a chair reading]
Lorelai: Honey, don't you want to put that book away? You've been reading it non-stop.
Rory: No.
Lorelai: It's probably not good to look at it so much. You should be playing or...watching tv.
Rory: (turning to look at LORELAI)I don't want to.
Lorelai: You don't want to go to the park?
Rory: No.
Lorelai: I'll come with you.
Rory: No.
Lorelai: C'mon. Do it for me? Please?
Rory: (sighing)Okay.
Lorelai: You really like that sighing thing, huh? (RORY smiles)
[Cut To: Stars Hollow Park, RORY and LORELAI are on the swings]
Rory: Are we going to move again?
Lorelai: I don't think we should get into this again.
Rory: I just want to know if we have to leave.
Lorelai: Yeah, we probably have to leave. But maybe I can talk to Mia.
Rory: Tell her we don't want to leave.
Lorelai: I will. (after a pause)You wanna play tag?
Rory: You're it! (she takes off running)
Lorelai: I'm gonna get you! (she runs after RORY)
(time lapse. LORELAI and RORY are on a bench, tired)
Lorelai: How long were we out there?
Rory: Two...three minutes?
Lorelai: Feels like longer.
Rory: Definitely.
Lorelai: So, running?
Rory: We should never do it again.
Lorelai: Amen.
Fran: (walking up to them)Hi, girls.
Lorelai: (uncomfortably)Oh, uh, hi Fran.
Fran: Are you...on a break?
Lorelai: No, I'm done for the day.
Rory: Except for turn down.
Lorelai: Yes, except for turndown.
Fran: (letting out a breath and sitting down)Oh, thank goodness. I thought maybe Mia had gone through with all that firing nonsense. I'm glad she forgot about it.
Lorelai: Oh, no, she didn't. I just don't have anywhere else to go yet, so...
Fran: You're not really going to leave, are you?
Lorelai: Yes.
Fran: Oh, Lorelai.
Lorelai: (to RORY)Honey, go play on the swings, okay? I'll be there in a little while.
Rory: Okay. (she runs toward the swings)
Fran: Why did she need to leave?
Lorelai: She sees me yelling enough. And she's smart. I don't want her to know and remember that I'm yelling at then hate me.
Fran: I'm sure she won't-
Lorelai: Did Mia ask you to do this?
Fran: Do what?
Lorelai: Because this is between me and her.
Fran: Lorelai, I don't-
Lorelai: Are you supposed to convince me that this is the right thing? That it's not so bad? You don't know my parents and you don't know what it was like. I came here to get rid of that. I am making my own decisions, my own choices. And I am not going to be blackmailed into calling the parents that made me run away!
Fran: I know that you don't want to hear this, but you'll miss them. When you don't have them anymore, you'll really wish that you'd have gotten to know them better.
Lorelai: Wow, you guys have almost a word-for-word argument, huh? That's exactly what Mia told me.
Fran: Well of course it's on her mind.
Lorelai: And I appreciate that she's thinking of us, but I don't need her help in this area.
Fran: That's not what I meant, although she does care about you, we all do. I meant because of her mother.
Lorelai: Why, is she as terrible as mine?
Fran: She died, Lorelai.
Lorelai: What?
Fran: Mia's mother died last Wednesday. I thought she'd have told you.
Lorelai: No, she didn't. That explains so much. Why she's been so adamant about it.
Fran: She misses her. They were close. She doesn't want you to regret your relationship.
Lorelai: Oh, I feel so badly for her. (checking her watch)I should get back. Maybe I'll have time to talk to her before turndown. (she stands up)
Fran: Oh, okay. I guess I'll see you later, then?
Lorelai: Sure. (calling to RORY)Rory! Come on, we have to go! (RORY comes over and they leave)
[Cut To: Independence Inn, LORELAI and RORY walk in the lobby and over to MIA at the counter]
Lorelai: Hi, Mia?
Mia: (happy that LORELAI is talking to her again)Lorelai! Hello!
Lorelai: Hi, um, can we talk?
Mia: Yes, of course. (to ALECK)Would you mind watching the desk for a moment?
Aleck: Sure. (MIA reaches under the counter and pulls out an envelope, then leads LORELAI and RORY to a couch)
Lorelai: Maybe this is the kind of conversation we should be having in a more private area?
Mia: I could get an empty room.
Lorelai: Okay. (MIA goes back to the counter and picks a set of keys off of the wall)
[Cut To: Independence Inn, room 14, LORELAI and MIA sit down in chairs opposite each other at a table and Rory sits on the bed]
Lorelai: (to RORY)Oh, no, honey, don't mess up the bed. Sit on the floor.
Mia: It's fine. (to RORY)Don't worry about it. (RORY sits back down on the bed)So, what is it that was so important we had to relocate?
Lorelai: I saw Fran today. Just now, actually. (MIA looks at her expectantly)She...she told me about your mom.
Mia: (looking down, referring to her mother)Bless her soul.
Lorelai: Mia, I didn't know that that was why...all of this...I had no idea.
Mia: Well how could you? I didn't tell you.
Lorelai: I'm so, so sorry for your loss.
Mia: Thank you. She's a wonderful woman. (starting to cry)Was. She was a wonderful woman. I can't get used to saying that. Four days ago she was alive.
Lorelai: (gently)How did she...?
Mia: Heart attack. She was only sixty-five.
Lorelai: (moving her chair closer to MIA's)I'm so-
Mia: She used to tell us kids that she'd live to be a hundred. After my father died, we were all so shaken. She wanted to give us a promise that we could hold on to. That we'd never be alone. I believed that story for too long. I took her for granted.
Lorelai: I'm sure you didn't.
Mia: When we were younger, every time we were sick, she's stay home with us. She'd let the other kids stay home from school and we'd all have a little party. Just the four of us.
Lorelai: You have two siblings?
Mia: A brother, Luke. And my sister Carrie. Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Lorelai: No, just me.
Mia: I love them to death. They're both flying in for the funeral.
Lorelai: When is it?
Mia: Tomorrow afternoon. Because Mom loved Mondays. The only person in the world I've ever met who loved Mondays. She said they were a new start. So we wanted it to be on Monday.
Lorelai: That's sweet.
Mia: Thank you. Look at me, I must be a mess.
Lorelai: Oh, no, Mia, you look fine. You look like an angel's smiling down on you.
Mia: (smiling through her tears)Thank you. She always was an angel. She just didn't have her wings yet.
Lorelai: I'm sure she was.
Mia: I just wish I'd spent more time with her, been around more. Told her I loved her.
Lorelai: I'm sure she knew.
Mia: Yes, well. That's why I think it's important that you and your mother...
Lorelai: We don't have to talk about this now.
Mia: No, something positive should come out of all this. And that would be you calling your mother.
Lorelai: You don't understand what it was like.
Mia: Please? Won't you call her for me? For my mother's memory?
Lorelai: (knowing she can't say no)Okay.
Mia: Really?
Lorelai: Yeah.
Mia: That's great, really. Thank you.
Lorelai: Uh-huh.
Mia: Well, despite what you say, I'm sure I need to clean up. I'll just use the restroom in here, and you can get to doing turndown?
Lorelai: Sure, okay.
Mia: (getting up to go into the bathroom)Oh, and here. (she hands LORELAI the envelope she got earlier)
Lorelai: What's this?
Mia: You asked if you could be paid earlier?
Lorelai: Oh, right, of course.
Mia: I'm sorry, I really should have given it to you yesterday.
Lorelai: No problem. I'll see you later tonight, I guess.
Mia: Goodbye.
Rory: Bye.
[Cut To: Main Street, LORELAI and RORY are walking]
Rory: Why are we going to Luke's again?
Lorelai: Because you were really good at the inn, with Mia. I'm glad I've got such a good kid.
Rory: So we're gonna call Gramma and Granpa?
Lorelai: Yeah. We have to, now.
[Cut To: Luke's Diner, LORELAI and RORY walk in and over to a table]
Luke: Oh, hey. How'd it go?
Lorelai: As good as can be expected. She was pretty upset.
Luke: Well, of course. She hasn't talked to you in a while.
Lorelai: Yeah. (after a pause)Wait, how did you even know?
Luke: What do you mean?
Lorelai: How did you know about my talk with Mia?
Luke: Mia? I meant the one with your parents. For the school stuff.
Lorelai: (shocked)Oh, my God. Oh my God, I totally forgot.
Luke: You forgot?
Lorelai: I was at the park, and I saw Fran and then I went to talk to Mia...
Luke: So you don't have it?
Lorelai: (panicking)No!
Luke: Don't you have to have it tomorrow?
Lorelai: Not helping, Duke! (getting up)Can you watch Rory?
Rory: What?
Luke: What?
Lorelai: Can you watch her so I can go?
Luke: I can't...I can't watch kids. You don't even know me. What if I'm a serial killer?
Lorelai: You're not!
Luke: I can't take her. I'm meeting my uncle.
Lorelai: Bring her with you! She loves uncles!
Rory: What?
Luke: I'm pretty sure you don't want her around Louie.
Lorelai: Louie's your uncle?
Luke: Yeah.
Lorelai: Blow him off! (LUKE looks at her)I know, I know. I'm just desperate.
Luke: Why don't you just take her?
Lorelai: Because I'm kinda hoping to (whispering)sneak in unnoticed, you know?
Luke: Why?
Lorelai: I don't want to talk to my mom!
Luke: I'm really sorry, Lorelai. But I have to go see Louie, he's moving away tomorrow.
Lorelai: No, I know. It was so inappropriate for me to even ask. (sighing)So I guess I'm taking her.
Luke: Sorry.
Lorelai: No, no. Okay. (to RORY)Let's go.
Rory: No food?
Lorelai: Nope. I'll get you your you're-a-really-good-girl meal tomorrow.
Rory: (excited)So we're going to go see Gramma and Granpa?
Lorelai: I hope not.
[Cut To: Doose's Market, LORELAI and RORY are walking to the register with a full basket]
Rory: I thought you said we couldn't afford this much?
Lorelai: Well, John said that we can buy it now but pay for it later. That's what an account means.
Rory: Oh, okay.
Lorelai: (reaching the counter)Hey, John.
John: Hi Lorelai. (to RORY)Hi Rory.
Rory: Hi.
John: Did you find that second job?
Lorelai: Uh, no, not yet. It's no big deal.
John: Well, I still hope you find one.
Lorelai: Thanks.
John: Okay, so I'll just put this on your account?
Lorelai: Yup.
John: All done. Bye.
Lorelai: Bye. (walks towards the door, but it opens and KAREN walks in)
Karen: Lorelai.
Lorelai: Karen.
Karen: (to RORY)How are you, Rory?
Rory: Good.
Karen: Good. (to LORELAI)So, what school did you decide on?
Lorelai: What?
Karen: For Rory's preschool?
Lorelai: (as she moves aside so that they don't block the door)Um...yours?
Karen: Oh.
Lorelai: Is there...is there a problem?
Karen: Oh, well, you didn't turn in your paperwork, so I just assumed...
Lorelai: No, um, incorrect assumption. (she laughs nervously, then neither says anything)Is it too late? Was there a due date?
Karen: Yes, there is. The eleventh.
Lorelai: Uh, sorry, I don't really have a calendar...when's that?
Karen: Tomorrow.
Lorelai: To...tomorrow? Seriously?
Karen: Didn't I tell you that?
Lorelai: Ha...no.
Karen: I didn't? Oh, Lorelai, I'm so sorry.
Lorelai: No...no, it's-
Karen: It must have just slipped my mind, I feel so horrible.
Lorelai: It's okay. Really. I can go home and get it.
Karen: Are you sure?
Lorelai: Yeah, it's no problem. At all.
Karen: Really?
Lorelai: I promise, Karen. It's fine. It's fine.
[Cut To: Luke's Diner, LORELAI and RORY are at the counter]
Lorelai: ...and it's not fine!
Luke: (while he serves other customers)Why not?
Lorelai: Because! I don't want to go back there! I just left what? A week ago?
Luke: A little more.
Lorelai: And now I'm supposed to go back? And...and talk to them? After all of this?
Luke: Yes.
Lorelai: Duke, come on. How is that taking my side?
Luke: I am taking your side. But Lorelai, this is your kid. You do what you have to do.
Lorelai: Uh.
Luke: She needs school, doesn't she?
Rory: Yes.
Luke: And to go to school you need this stuff, right?
Rory: Yes.
Luke: And if Rory can figure it out then you can, too, right?
Lorelai: (groaning)Yes.
[Cut To: Independence Inn, room 22, LORELAI is cleaning and RORY is in a chair reading]
Lorelai: Honey, don't you want to put that book away? You've been reading it non-stop.
Rory: No.
Lorelai: It's probably not good to look at it so much. You should be playing or...watching tv.
Rory: (turning to look at LORELAI)I don't want to.
Lorelai: You don't want to go to the park?
Rory: No.
Lorelai: I'll come with you.
Rory: No.
Lorelai: C'mon. Do it for me? Please?
Rory: (sighing)Okay.
Lorelai: You really like that sighing thing, huh? (RORY smiles)
[Cut To: Stars Hollow Park, RORY and LORELAI are on the swings]
Rory: Are we going to move again?
Lorelai: I don't think we should get into this again.
Rory: I just want to know if we have to leave.
Lorelai: Yeah, we probably have to leave. But maybe I can talk to Mia.
Rory: Tell her we don't want to leave.
Lorelai: I will. (after a pause)You wanna play tag?
Rory: You're it! (she takes off running)
Lorelai: I'm gonna get you! (she runs after RORY)
(time lapse. LORELAI and RORY are on a bench, tired)
Lorelai: How long were we out there?
Rory: Two...three minutes?
Lorelai: Feels like longer.
Rory: Definitely.
Lorelai: So, running?
Rory: We should never do it again.
Lorelai: Amen.
Fran: (walking up to them)Hi, girls.
Lorelai: (uncomfortably)Oh, uh, hi Fran.
Fran: Are you...on a break?
Lorelai: No, I'm done for the day.
Rory: Except for turn down.
Lorelai: Yes, except for turndown.
Fran: (letting out a breath and sitting down)Oh, thank goodness. I thought maybe Mia had gone through with all that firing nonsense. I'm glad she forgot about it.
Lorelai: Oh, no, she didn't. I just don't have anywhere else to go yet, so...
Fran: You're not really going to leave, are you?
Lorelai: Yes.
Fran: Oh, Lorelai.
Lorelai: (to RORY)Honey, go play on the swings, okay? I'll be there in a little while.
Rory: Okay. (she runs toward the swings)
Fran: Why did she need to leave?
Lorelai: She sees me yelling enough. And she's smart. I don't want her to know and remember that I'm yelling at then hate me.
Fran: I'm sure she won't-
Lorelai: Did Mia ask you to do this?
Fran: Do what?
Lorelai: Because this is between me and her.
Fran: Lorelai, I don't-
Lorelai: Are you supposed to convince me that this is the right thing? That it's not so bad? You don't know my parents and you don't know what it was like. I came here to get rid of that. I am making my own decisions, my own choices. And I am not going to be blackmailed into calling the parents that made me run away!
Fran: I know that you don't want to hear this, but you'll miss them. When you don't have them anymore, you'll really wish that you'd have gotten to know them better.
Lorelai: Wow, you guys have almost a word-for-word argument, huh? That's exactly what Mia told me.
Fran: Well of course it's on her mind.
Lorelai: And I appreciate that she's thinking of us, but I don't need her help in this area.
Fran: That's not what I meant, although she does care about you, we all do. I meant because of her mother.
Lorelai: Why, is she as terrible as mine?
Fran: She died, Lorelai.
Lorelai: What?
Fran: Mia's mother died last Wednesday. I thought she'd have told you.
Lorelai: No, she didn't. That explains so much. Why she's been so adamant about it.
Fran: She misses her. They were close. She doesn't want you to regret your relationship.
Lorelai: Oh, I feel so badly for her. (checking her watch)I should get back. Maybe I'll have time to talk to her before turndown. (she stands up)
Fran: Oh, okay. I guess I'll see you later, then?
Lorelai: Sure. (calling to RORY)Rory! Come on, we have to go! (RORY comes over and they leave)
[Cut To: Independence Inn, LORELAI and RORY walk in the lobby and over to MIA at the counter]
Lorelai: Hi, Mia?
Mia: (happy that LORELAI is talking to her again)Lorelai! Hello!
Lorelai: Hi, um, can we talk?
Mia: Yes, of course. (to ALECK)Would you mind watching the desk for a moment?
Aleck: Sure. (MIA reaches under the counter and pulls out an envelope, then leads LORELAI and RORY to a couch)
Lorelai: Maybe this is the kind of conversation we should be having in a more private area?
Mia: I could get an empty room.
Lorelai: Okay. (MIA goes back to the counter and picks a set of keys off of the wall)
[Cut To: Independence Inn, room 14, LORELAI and MIA sit down in chairs opposite each other at a table and Rory sits on the bed]
Lorelai: (to RORY)Oh, no, honey, don't mess up the bed. Sit on the floor.
Mia: It's fine. (to RORY)Don't worry about it. (RORY sits back down on the bed)So, what is it that was so important we had to relocate?
Lorelai: I saw Fran today. Just now, actually. (MIA looks at her expectantly)She...she told me about your mom.
Mia: (looking down, referring to her mother)Bless her soul.
Lorelai: Mia, I didn't know that that was why...all of this...I had no idea.
Mia: Well how could you? I didn't tell you.
Lorelai: I'm so, so sorry for your loss.
Mia: Thank you. She's a wonderful woman. (starting to cry)Was. She was a wonderful woman. I can't get used to saying that. Four days ago she was alive.
Lorelai: (gently)How did she...?
Mia: Heart attack. She was only sixty-five.
Lorelai: (moving her chair closer to MIA's)I'm so-
Mia: She used to tell us kids that she'd live to be a hundred. After my father died, we were all so shaken. She wanted to give us a promise that we could hold on to. That we'd never be alone. I believed that story for too long. I took her for granted.
Lorelai: I'm sure you didn't.
Mia: When we were younger, every time we were sick, she's stay home with us. She'd let the other kids stay home from school and we'd all have a little party. Just the four of us.
Lorelai: You have two siblings?
Mia: A brother, Luke. And my sister Carrie. Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Lorelai: No, just me.
Mia: I love them to death. They're both flying in for the funeral.
Lorelai: When is it?
Mia: Tomorrow afternoon. Because Mom loved Mondays. The only person in the world I've ever met who loved Mondays. She said they were a new start. So we wanted it to be on Monday.
Lorelai: That's sweet.
Mia: Thank you. Look at me, I must be a mess.
Lorelai: Oh, no, Mia, you look fine. You look like an angel's smiling down on you.
Mia: (smiling through her tears)Thank you. She always was an angel. She just didn't have her wings yet.
Lorelai: I'm sure she was.
Mia: I just wish I'd spent more time with her, been around more. Told her I loved her.
Lorelai: I'm sure she knew.
Mia: Yes, well. That's why I think it's important that you and your mother...
Lorelai: We don't have to talk about this now.
Mia: No, something positive should come out of all this. And that would be you calling your mother.
Lorelai: You don't understand what it was like.
Mia: Please? Won't you call her for me? For my mother's memory?
Lorelai: (knowing she can't say no)Okay.
Mia: Really?
Lorelai: Yeah.
Mia: That's great, really. Thank you.
Lorelai: Uh-huh.
Mia: Well, despite what you say, I'm sure I need to clean up. I'll just use the restroom in here, and you can get to doing turndown?
Lorelai: Sure, okay.
Mia: (getting up to go into the bathroom)Oh, and here. (she hands LORELAI the envelope she got earlier)
Lorelai: What's this?
Mia: You asked if you could be paid earlier?
Lorelai: Oh, right, of course.
Mia: I'm sorry, I really should have given it to you yesterday.
Lorelai: No problem. I'll see you later tonight, I guess.
Mia: Goodbye.
Rory: Bye.
[Cut To: Main Street, LORELAI and RORY are walking]
Rory: Why are we going to Luke's again?
Lorelai: Because you were really good at the inn, with Mia. I'm glad I've got such a good kid.
Rory: So we're gonna call Gramma and Granpa?
Lorelai: Yeah. We have to, now.
[Cut To: Luke's Diner, LORELAI and RORY walk in and over to a table]
Luke: Oh, hey. How'd it go?
Lorelai: As good as can be expected. She was pretty upset.
Luke: Well, of course. She hasn't talked to you in a while.
Lorelai: Yeah. (after a pause)Wait, how did you even know?
Luke: What do you mean?
Lorelai: How did you know about my talk with Mia?
Luke: Mia? I meant the one with your parents. For the school stuff.
Lorelai: (shocked)Oh, my God. Oh my God, I totally forgot.
Luke: You forgot?
Lorelai: I was at the park, and I saw Fran and then I went to talk to Mia...
Luke: So you don't have it?
Lorelai: (panicking)No!
Luke: Don't you have to have it tomorrow?
Lorelai: Not helping, Duke! (getting up)Can you watch Rory?
Rory: What?
Luke: What?
Lorelai: Can you watch her so I can go?
Luke: I can't...I can't watch kids. You don't even know me. What if I'm a serial killer?
Lorelai: You're not!
Luke: I can't take her. I'm meeting my uncle.
Lorelai: Bring her with you! She loves uncles!
Rory: What?
Luke: I'm pretty sure you don't want her around Louie.
Lorelai: Louie's your uncle?
Luke: Yeah.
Lorelai: Blow him off! (LUKE looks at her)I know, I know. I'm just desperate.
Luke: Why don't you just take her?
Lorelai: Because I'm kinda hoping to (whispering)sneak in unnoticed, you know?
Luke: Why?
Lorelai: I don't want to talk to my mom!
Luke: I'm really sorry, Lorelai. But I have to go see Louie, he's moving away tomorrow.
Lorelai: No, I know. It was so inappropriate for me to even ask. (sighing)So I guess I'm taking her.
Luke: Sorry.
Lorelai: No, no. Okay. (to RORY)Let's go.
Rory: No food?
Lorelai: Nope. I'll get you your you're-a-really-good-girl meal tomorrow.
Rory: (excited)So we're going to go see Gramma and Granpa?
Lorelai: I hope not.
