"Honestly, Richard… You baby that girl far too much." Emily protested. "She's going to turn out spoiled, you know."

Richard sighed. "Emily, it's just a trip to the circus."

"Sure, a trip to the circus today… tomorrow it will be a pony or a new car." Emily rolled her eyes.

"I wish you would reconsider." Richard said while putting on his jacket. "I'm sure you'd have a good time with us."

"Richard, I find nothing about being in a large tent with smelly animals a good time."

Richard nodded his head. "No, I suppose you wouldn't. Lorelai, are you ready?"

Lorelai came galloping down the stairs. "Yes, sir." She exclaimed. Lorelai's eyes met her mother's. "Are you coming too, Mommy?"

"No, dear." Emily replied. "I'll see you when you get back."

"Come along, Lorelai. We don't want to be late." Richard extended his hand to the small girl. Lorelai placed her tiny hand into the larger one. She glanced back at her mother one last time before leaving.

In the car, Richard had turned on one of his favorite radio stations. Lorelai was sitting quietly in the passenger seat pondering over her mother.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Lorelai?" Richard asked continuing to tap his hand to the music.

"Why does Mommy never want to have any fun?"

Richard reached over and turned volume down on the car radio. "Your mother wants to have fun, Lorelai. Sometimes parents get caught up in important, busy things and they don't have time to have fun."

"But you work all the time." Lorelai concluded. "And you make time to have fun."

"Well, I'm different than your mother." Richard remarked. "She's a very proper woman. Very respectable and very strict. You have a wonderful mother, Lorelai. Don't you ever forget it."

"I just wish she would play with me." Lorelai bit her bottom lip. "I've been thinking…Can we have another baby?"

Richard was taken aback by his daughter's spur of the moment question. "Where on earth did you get an idea like that?"

"If we had another baby, I'd have someone to play with." Lorelai's bright blue eyes opened widely. "I'd take care of it, Daddy. I promise."

"Sweetheart, I'm sure you would." Richard agreed. "But did you ever stop to think that by the time the baby was old enough to play with you, you'll be concerned about different things?"

"Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know. Boys. Cars. Hopefully, college." Richard replied.

"I'm going to Harvard…" Lorelai said raising her chin in the air. "I heard Mommy tell aunt Elizabeth that I was."

Richard chuckled. "Well, we'll keep our fingers crossed."

"So, we can't have a baby?" Lorelai asked, still thinking about the initial question.

"I'm afraid not." Richard answered. "But don't worry, before you know it, you and your mother will have a multitude of things to do together."

Lorelai leaned back in the seat. Maybe her father was right. Maybe her mother didn't like to play games, but perhaps they could do other things. Lorelai decided to let it be, and enjoy the rest of the day with her father.

Later that evening, Richard brought home a very exhausted ten year old girl. He carried her up the stairs and to her room. As he was leaving, he bumped into his wife.

"Oh, Richard, for heaven's sake!" Emily replied in a high whisper. "I thought you were a burglar."

Richard smirked. "And you were coming out to defend yourself?"

"I was coming to see if it was a burglar." Emily replied. "It's nearly 10:30. Why are you so late?"

"We had a wonderful time today Emily." Richard said as he walked into their bedroom. "After the circus, Lorelai and I went to the park. There was a carnival in town, can you believe it? A carnival and a circus on the same day. Lorelai didn't know what to think." Richard smiled as he sat down on the bed. "She's exhausted, the poor child."

"You shouldn't have stayed out so late." Emily scolded. "I was getting very worried."

"I know. I would have called, but I never found the time." Richard changed into his pajama's. "Next time, I'll be sure to let you know that we'll be arriving home late."

"Well, while you and Lorelai were out living the high life, I've dealt with massive issues today. The bathroom toilet clogged this afternoon and I had to call a plumber. It cost nearly 100 dollars just to unclog it. Honestly, you'd think he was performing a surgical procedure. Then, Lorelai's school called today."

"Good news, I hope." Richard interjected as he crawled beneath the bed covers.

"Neither good nor bad. Just strange." Emily answered. "Her grades are fine. Her behavior is acceptable. But she doesn't associate with any of the other children." Emily replied. "The teacher says that she'll sit by herself during recess and read a book, or draw."

"There's nothing strange about being a bit reserved." Richard said as he positioned himself comfortably. "Lorelai appreciates the finer things such as reading and drawing."

"She should make more friends." Emily proclaimed. "And it's time for her to grow out of her tom boyish stage. She's a young lady now, and it's time for her to act like one."

"Emily, darling, I really think you're over reacting."

"Actually, Richard darling, I believe I've been under reacting. Things have got to change around here."

Richard inhaled deeply. "We'll talk about it tomorrow. For now, let's get some rest."