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Cynthia and Paul Krumwaltz, Gracie's parents, were in Hartford sitting a table with 2 couples that seemed to be having as dreaful a time as they were. One of the ladies seemed to think that this was the same function that she had gone to earlier this week. Her husband kept trying to tell her that it wasn't but she just wouldn't here of it. The other couple talked to the Krumwaltz. Cynthia knew the wife very well. She was in the DAR with her. As well as many other committees. Her name is... Emily Gilmore.
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Lorelai and Rory decided that after they were done with the work that had to be done at the Independance Inn. Gracie had decided to go to her room and get all situated. Lorelai had given her one of the best rooms in the Inn. Whenever Gracie came she got her own room and her parents stayed in another room, on the other side of the hotel. It was her parents request and Lorelai had to make sure that they got what they wanted.

Lorelai and Rory were almost done their work when Gracie came walking down the hall. She had changed into more comfortable clothes. She had been wearing a frilly pink skirt with a white tank top but now she was wearing jeans that accented her skinny figure quite nicely. Lorelai saw her walking towards the dining room.

"Gracie, where are you going?"

"To the dining room to get something to eat. I'll see you later then."

"Wait," Lorelai said as Gracie started walking again, "Why don't you come to Luke's with us? You haven't seen him in awhile and I don't want you eating alone."

"Sure. I haven't seen him in over a year! Count me in."

Gracie helped Lorelai and Rory finish up their work. Gracie knew that this would be one of the only time that she got to be with Lorelai and Rory alone while she was here. Her parents always seemed to be with her when she was talking to Lorelai or Rory. Coincidence, I think not.

Lorelai, Rory and Gracie walked into Luke's diner. Luke loooked up from the couter when he heard the bell ring above the door. He smiled when he saw who was walking through the door.

"Gracie," Luke exclaimed as he walked over to her.

"Luke!." Gracie said as she ran over to Luke.

"You've grown so much! I could hardly recognize you!"

"Well you haven't changed one bit."

"Oh. Thanks Gracie," Luke said sarcasticly."

"Anytime."

"You guys can just sit anywhere today. The diner's been pretty empty."

"Let's sit here," Rory said pointing to a table near the door.

Lorelai, Rory and Gracie all sat down and Luke came up to take their orders.

"I'll have a cheesburger, no onions but double tomatoes. And order or chilli fries, a slice of boysenberry pie and the biggest cup of coffee you have," Lorelai said.

"Okay. But I'm only giving you a normal sized cup of coffee," Luke replied.

"And I'll have a cheeseburger. A large order of fries. A slice of apple pie and a normal sized cup of coffee."

"Okay. And for you Gracie?"

"I'll have a cheeseburger. No onions or mustard. Fries, a donut and a glass of orange juice."

"Coming right up," Luke said as he walked into the kitched to make their food.

"So Gracie. Rory tells me that you're going to Brantford Prep."

"Yes. The schools okay. But the rooms we have to sleep in are disgusting. You'd think that my mother designed every room. The uniforms aren't that great either."

"Oh I can imagine your mom designing every room. She doesn't have the best sense of what's cool. That's all I can say," Rory said. As she said this she remembered one time when Gracie's mother had come into the Inn wearing a hidious fur coat that looked like it could fit 3 of her.

"No she doesn't. Not at all," Gracie said.

"So anything else new?"

"No. But have you noticed that everyone in the DAR has only one daughter and no other children. I just realized that when I went to the last DAR meeting with my mother. It's crazy! You'd think that the fathers would want a boy or just another child. But no they just can't bring themselves to have another one." Gracie ranted.

"My gosh, you're sounding more like Lorelai then you did a year ago," Luke said carrying the plates of food out to them.

"Ya well. What can I say." Gracie said.

"Not much," Rory said.

Gracie responded to that my throwing a fry at her.

"These are going to be a fun few days," Lorelai said to Luke.

When they got back from dinner Lorelai still had some work to do so Rory went home to do her homework and Gracie stayed and helped Lorelai. Half of that was because she had nothing else to do and the other half was that she wanted to spend time with Lorelai.

"Where do these papers go," Gracie asked Lorelai as she held up some important looking papers.

"Over there by the phone. So you haven't told me yet. What's it like being 13? You're finally able to go to all of the DAR meetings and other functions with your parents."

"It stinks! I have to go to all of the meetings and all of their functions that I hate going to. They make me sit through hours of speeches and ceremonies. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself most of the time. And my mothers friends daughters act just as snotty as the mothers do. Let me tell you that right now"

"I remember all the days of having to go to functions with my parents. It stunk. Having to sit throw the most boring speeches and then the speaker is expecting you to talk about it with them."

"Exactly."

Lorelai and Gracie both worked in a comfortable quiet. It wasn't completely silent because they were at an Inn but it was still peaceful.

"Lorelai, please don't make me stay here my myself. I don't like having to sleep her by myself. Please." Gracie said. Looking as though she was going to cry.

Lorelai could relate to this. All of the times of having to stay home while her parents went out of town. Or all of the times that her and her parents were in a hotel and she was in a room on the other side of the hotel as her parents. Sometimes it wasn't even the same floor.

She didn't know what to do. Was she supposed to just let Gracie stay here and she would go home? Or was Lorelai supposed to stay with her? Was she supposed to ask Gracie to come home with her?

It wasn't like she didn't know Gracie. Lorelai had known Gracie her whle life. She had watched her grow up into a beautiful teenager. She probably knew Gracie better then her parents did.

"Here. Why don't I call Rory and she could come here and we could have a slumber party. Since tomorrows Saturday we could do that. How does that sound?"

"It sounds really good. Thanks Lorelai." Gracie said. Gracie embraced Lorelai in a hug. Lorelai noticed then how right this felt.

"You're welcome, sweety. It's no problem."

"Love you" Gracie said. She didn't know if that was the right thing to say then but she felt that she had to say it.

"I love you too, kid. You have no idea." Lorelai whispered the last part.

Gracie couldn't believe how safe she felt in Lorelai's arms. It was safer then she had ever felt in her whole life.

Cynthia and Paul Krumwaltz talked to the Gilmore's the rest of the night. Cynthia explained to Emily how Gracie was staying at a lovely Inn in Stars Hollow.

"Really," Emily exclaimed, "My daughter lives there. She works at the Independance Inn. She's the manager."

"That's where Gracie's staying. Is that the daughter that got pregnant at 16," Cynthia asked.

"Yes it is. I only have one daughter."

"Oh I see." Cynthia said.

"You're letting your daughter stay there alone." Emily asked.

"Yes. The manager said that she'd watch Gracie for me. We've been going there all of Gracie's life. I trust them," Cynthia said.

"Where are you going to meet her there?"

"Well we were tomorrow but it turns out that we might have to meet her on Monday."

"Oh."

"Do you think it's safe letting her stay there."

"I think that it's more then safe."

"Thanks Emily."
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