"Okay, do you have your books?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes." Rory replied.

"And your pencils?"

"Yep."

"Your lunch?"

"Check." Rory held up the lunch box.

"Well, what do you need me for?" Lorelai asked. "Have a good first day sweetheart." Lorelai gave her daughter a hug and kiss. "Remember to tell the bus driver to drop you off at the Independence Inn."

"I will." Rory replied as she ran out the door in order to catch the bus.

Lorelai watched her daughter until the school bus took her completely out of Lorelai's sight. She picked up the phone and grabbed the landlord's number from the table.

"Hello, Mr. Hampton?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes."

"This is Lorelai Gilmore, your new tenant."

"Ah, yes, Lorelai." The voice replied cheerfully. "Glad you called. I suppose you'll be wanting the keys for all the doors?"

"Yes, sir." Lorelai replied. "That would be very helpful."

"Yes, I suppose it would. I can also go over some rules and regulations with you. What would be a good time for you?"

Lorelai thought for a moment. "Well, I work at an inn from 9:00 to 4:00. I could meet you sometime after that."

"Or I could come by for lunch at the inn and we could discuss everything over some food."

Lorelai smiled. "Oh, well, I only get a thirty minute lunch break."

"That's plenty of time." Mr. Hampton remarked. "It's a very simple process."

"Well, alright." Lorelai gave in. "My lunch begins at 12:30."

"Okay, 12:30 sounds perfect. What inn exactly do you work at, Lorelai?"

"Independence." Lorelai confirmed.

"Alright. I'll see you then. Good bye."

"Good bye." repeated Lorelai.

Lorelai had just finishing making all the beds in the rooms when she noticed that it was nearly 12:30. "Mia, I'm taking lunch." Lorelai announced as she walked by the main desk.

"Okay, dear." Mia replied distantly as she continued to read through a huge stack of papers.

Lorelai removed her apron and walked into the kitchen. "Hi." Lorelai greeted.

"Hello." The woman smiled.

"I'm Lorelai." she extended her hand.

"Sookie."

"Nice to meet you Sookie."

"Same here." The woman was quickly throwing carrots into a pot and turning chicken in a near by pan. She moved all around the kitchen furiously.

"Wow, you're multi-talented." Lorelai noted.

"Big dinner tonight." Sookie replied shortly.

"Oh, I see." Lorelai replied. "Okay, well I hope that all goes well for you."

As Sookie was about to turn around and reply to Lorelai, she tripped and knocked over the pain of chicken.

"Oh!" Lorelai exclaimed. She quickly ran over and assisted Sookie to her feet. "Are you okay?" Lorelai asked seriously concerned.

"I'm fine." Sookie brightly replied. "Happens all the time." She gazed around the floor at her chicken. "Well, I guess I'd better put on another pan of chicken."

"Isn't there someone here to help you?" Lorelai asked.

"Oh, yeah, but I don't trust them. They don't speak English very well."

"Ms. Gilmore." A little man in a suite called. "There is someone here to see you."

Lorelai laughed a little a the funny accent. She turned to see the tiny man standing in the doorway. "Thank you." She replied with a smile.

Lorelai exited the kitchen and walked into the lobby of the inn. She froze in her tracks once she saw Carven, the man from the park, standing by the front desk.

"Lorelai." he cheerfully greeted. "It's good to see you again."