Chapter 26

Lorelai is now four months pregnant and it's around Christmas time. Everything is going good with the Gilmores.

"Rory, my love, are you home?" Lorelai called as she entered her house.

"I'm in here." Rory called.

"Hey Hon, how was your day?"

"It was good, and since you guys were out of the house all day, I studied a lot."

"So you're saying that it's my fault and Lucy's fault that you don't study."

Rory thought about that. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Whatever you say. Hey, do you wanna go to the mall tomorrow and buy baby stuff with me, Luke, and Lucy?"

"Sure. Which mall are you going to?"

"We persuaded Luke to drive to Manhattan. He wanted to go to Hartford. We might stay there for the weekend 'cause Lucy doesn't have school on Monday and neither do you."

"Alrighty then, that's the plan."

"Yup. That's the plan."

The Next Day…

"Mom, it's time to get up." Lucy whispered.

Lorelai groaned.

"Come on Mom. We're going to Manhattan today to shop for Christmas and the baby."

"Lucy, Sweetie, Mommy's tired." Lorelai said groggily, not opening her eyes.

"So am I Mom, but we have to get up. Luke said we're leaving at 7:00 sharp."

"No." Lorelai whined.

"Fine, I'm going to get Rory."

"Good." Lorelai said going back to sleep as Lucy left the room.

"Mom, it's time to get up." Rory said coming back in the room followed by Lucy. Rory opened the curtains and let the sun pour in, and yanked Lorelai's covers off.

"Hey!" Lorelai cried opening her eyes. "Ow, my eyes, it burns!"

"Oh stop complaining. It's time to get up Mom."

"Can I at least have a cup of coffee?"

"Nope, come on, get up. Let's go finish getting our stuff, Luc."

"Okey dokey." Lucy said following Rory out of the room.

"I've got mean children!" Lorelai called out.

"Yes you do." Rory said.

"Are you guys ready?" Luke said as he finished taking the last of the bags and putting it in the truck.

"I am, but Mom and Lucy are arguing over whose handbag is whose." Rory said.

"Don't you remember Mom? I got that one for my birthday from Jessica." Lucy said, arguing with Lorelai as they both put their shoes on.

"No, Jessica gave you the green one with the black lines on it." Lorelai said.

"No she didn't and I would know."

"Why are you guys arguing?" Luke asked.

"Luke, can you tell my mother that the handbag is mine." Lucy said.

"It isn't yours because I bought it in Hartford a few months ago." Lorelai said.

"How about we leave the handbag, so that way you two get nothing." Luck said.

Lorelai and Lucy looked at each other.

"Is he allowed to do that?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know." Lorelai said.

Rory looked at her watch. "It's 6:50, guys, we have to go soon." Rory walked over to her mother and pregnant sister. "Thank you." She said as she took the handbag out of Lucy's hand.

"Is she allowed to do that?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know." Lorelai said.

"Okay, now that we have that settled, does anyone have to go to the bathroom before we leave, because it's a long ride. I don't want to have to stop every 5 minutes because someone has to go to the bathroom." Luke said looking at Lorelai.

"That was only one time." Lorelai said.

"I didn't say it was you."

"No but you looked at me."

"You're crazy."

"I know." Lorelai said smiling.

"Can we go now?" Lucy said impatiently.

"You said that Luke said 7:00 sharp. It is now," Lorelai said looking at her watch. "6:56, we have 4 minutes."

"Fine, I'm going to sit in the truck then."

"No way, it's too cold."

"Fine."

"How about we talk?"

"For 4 minutes?" Rory said.

"Yeah."

"Okay, while you talk, I'm going to go warm up the truck." Luke said going back outside.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know just talk." Lorelai said.

"We have a long time to 'just talk' on the way to Manhattan. I'm sure we'll cover every single topic there is to talk about knowing you."

"Hey!"

"She's right Mom."

"Fine."

"Okay, it's time to go guys." Luke said coming back inside.

"Finally." Lucy said.

"Zip up your jacket Luc." Lorelai said.

"Let's go." Luke said.

And with that they left.

"I love Manhattan. It's so loud and pretty at night, and it also has great shopping." Lucy said as the four of them brought their stuff up to their hotel room.

"What's so great about loudness? It's annoying." Luke said.

"Is not."

"Is too."

"The conversation is over now." Lorelai said.

"This is a nice room." Rory said as they stepped into the hotel room.

"Yeah." Lucy said. She went over to the window. "Check out the view, you can see everything from here."

"It's nice." Rory said.

"I'm hungry." Lorelai said out of nowhere.

"When are you ever not?" Luke said.

Lorelai slapped him on the arm playfully. "What's there to eat around here?"

"Can we go to Staten Island?" Lucy asked.

"Like on a boat?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah, but you don't have to go on."

"I don't do boats."

"Oh come on Mom, please?" Lucy said with a pout.

"I've taught you too well. What do you think Luke?"

"What is there in Staten Island?" Luke asked.

"Staten Island Mall." Lucy said.

"Did you do research or something Luc?" Rory asked.

"No. Melissa went to Staten Island and she did a report on it."

"Oh. Well then can we go to Staten Island Luke?"

"If we don't have to go on a boat, I'll go." Lorelai said.

"Fine, but let's get something to eat downstairs first." Luke said.

"Yay, let's go." Lucy said.

"First let's figure out the sleeping arrangement." Lorelai said.

"Isn't it obvious?" Luke said.

"What?"

"There are two beds, one for the both of us and one for Rory and Lucy."

"Perfect."

"No!" Rory and Lucy shouted in unison.

"Why not?" Luke asked.

"Because when we went to Harvard, Lucy kept kicking me." Rory said.

"No, you kicked me." Lucy said.

"Did not."

"Did too."

"How about you guys share the bed and you put pillows between you so you forget the other is there."

"Fine." Rory and Lucy grumbled.

"Good, now we can go."

"Thank you."

"Finally we're here." Lorelai said.

"Half an hour isn't that long Lorelai." Luke said as they drove into the parking lot.

"With three people inside you, it's very long, and I'm also hungry and I have to go to the bathroom."

"We just ate a little while ago."

"What does it matter, I'm still hungry."

"You guys are already like a married couple." Rory said getting out of the car.

"No kidding." Lorelai said.

"Where to first?" Lucy said.

"Food Court." Lorelai said.

"Food Court it is, after can we go to T-Mobile?"

"What do you need in T-Mobile, you already have a phone?" Rory said.

"I just want to see something."

"Fine." Luke said. "Now let's go to the Food Court quickly."

Staten Island Mall – Food Court

"What do you want to eat Lorelai?" Luke asked.

"Hmm. I'm craving tacos, so Taco Bell." Lorelai said looking around at all the food places. "My feet hurt. I'm going to find a place to sit. You guys can order for me, wait no, Rory can order for me, 'cause she won't get me healthy stuff."

"Fine." Rory said.

"You're weird Mom." Lucy said. "I'm going with Rory."

"Okay, c'mon." Rory said and the two of them left.

Rory and Lucy were standing in line.

"What do you think Mom wants?" Lucy asked.

"She said she was craving tacos, so we can get her two tacos with lettuce and cheese and juice." Rory said.

"Okay."

"Hi may I take your order?"

"Jess." Rory said surprised.

"Hi Rory, Lucy."