April was on her bike heading home from school. She was excited to tell Lorelai that her essay titled Female Leads in Film Over the Years had gotten an A+. She waved to the townsfolk as she made her way through the town square, she was surprised how much they all had embraced her as one of their own in such a short amount of time. It had been about six months since the night Anna tried to leave town with her and then got into the accident. Sometimes April felt like it was just yesterday and other times it felt like ten years ago.

April was almost at the Old Twickham house that is now affectionately known as Casa Gilmore-Danes, when suddenly a platinum blonde woman stepped off the curb directly in her path. April slammed on the brakes and narrowly missed the woman.

"Geez Lady, maybe you should look both ways before you step onto the road!" April was exasperated.

"I'm so sorry, Sweetheart."

April's eyes turned as big as saucers, her mouth fell open, "Mom?"

"Hey Kid." Anna smiled.

"What are you doing here? Where have you been? Why didn't you come back after rehab? How could you just leave me? You don't think I'm moving to New Mexico now, do you? Does Dad know you're here? Why did you dye your hair?"

"I'm sorry it took me so long to come back. Well, honestly I did come back a few times, actually. But you guys looked so happy, YOU finally had the family you always dreamed of, even with a new baby brother. And then there was your life with me, just a single Mom who couldn't always afford everything."

"No! Don't do that! You know I loved my life with you."

Anna laughed, "That's why you went looking for a new family?"
"I just wanted to know who my Dad was! I'm certainly not the first kid who wanted to know both of their parents! And if you were honest with me from day one, I wouldn't have had to do it alone, behind your back."

The two of them were yelling in the street and were gaining an audience.

"April?" Liz called from down the street. She was out for a walk and noticed her niece. She made her way over to see what was happening. "Are you okay Sweetie?"

"She's fine!" Anna demanded.

"Anna? What the hell are you doing here?" Liz snapped.

"She's my kid," Anna said, "Or have you forgotten?"

"Have you?!" Liz snarked, "When was the last time you've spoken with her? And now you're accosting her on the street."

"She's MY kid! I can talk to her wherever and whenever I WANT!"

Just then both Luke and Lorelai came running, Lorelai from the house and Luke from the Diner. Word had reached them that Anna and April were fighting in the street.

"It's NOT about whenever or wherever YOU want," Liz shouted, "It's about when and where SHE needs you! You just bailed!"

"What the hell is going on here?" Luke hollered.

At this point April was in tears, she grabbed Luke and cried into his chest.

"Oh Big Brother, thank god you're here. I was walking to Weston's and saw them yelling at each other. Can you believe she was yelling at April for being happy with you guys?"

"Thanks for helping, Liz. Can you take April to the house? I want to talk to Anna."

"Sure thing," Liz wrapped an arm around April's shoulders and led her away.

"April, you don't have to leave," Anna cried.

"I want to!" April shot back.

Luke gave his classic half wave to Liz and mouthed Thank You. Then he locked eyes with his wife trying to convey that he had no idea what to do.

"Okay, let's all take a breath," Lorelai said. "Why don't we find somewhere private so we can talk."

"Let's go to the Diner. We can get some coffee or tea and talk in the apartment," Luke suggested.

Anna huffed and followed them.

Hours later Luke and Lorelai returned to their home with food. Liz and TJ were there playing with Josh, April was in her room.

"I think she might have fallen asleep," Liz said. "I sat with her for a while and let her vent and rant and cry. Then she wanted some space."

"Yeah, and Josh and I have been playing with the Playdough barber shop. This kid is a hoot!" TJ added.

"Thanks you guys, I know it was short notice, we really appreciate it." Luke said sincerely.

"Hey, we're family!" TJ reminded him, "We'll always have your back. Lizzie said that crazy woman was yelling at April in the street. April is the nicest kid ever, how do you yell at her?"

Luke half smiled, "Thanks TJ"

"Plus, you guys can pay us back for the babysitting hours when our kid is born."

"What?" Luke and Lorelai said in unison.

"TJ!" Liz exclaimed

"Oh Geez, I forgot it was a secret."

"Congratulations!" Lorelai said as she hugged her sister-in-law.

Luke also hugged Liz and shook TJ's hand.

"So what happened with Mom?" April asked from the doorway.

The adults were shocked and turned to see her.

"Hey TJ, let's give them some privacy," Liz urged. Then she turned to Lorelai, "Do you want us to take Joshie with us? We can take him to the park for a little bit, give him dinner and then bring him back after we eat."

"That would be great," Lorelai answered, "The diaper bag is fully stocked and by the door."

"Hey Joshie! Let's go to the park!" TJ hollered

"Yay!" Josh shouted excitedly as he crawled over to TJ.

Liz gathered the boys and hurried out of the house.

Lorelai set the kitchen table and started putting out the food that Luke had brought from the Diner.

Luke smiled at his daughter, "Come and sit."

Reluctantly April flopped in a chair and crossed her arms, "What?"

"Don't be mad at me kid," Luke almost begged.

"It's not that I'm mad at you. I'm mad at her! Who leaves their kid? Without any warning? I thought she was dead and then this? She's mad at me because I'm happy!"

Luke and Lorelai looked at eachother, both feeling helpless. Neither of them knew what to say.

Just then Rory entered the room. "Hey, could I chat with my little sis alone for a minute? April, you wanna skip dinner and get some Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate ice cream?"

April looked at Luke, "Is that okay?"

"Yeah, of course. Go ahead."

April and Rory were sitting on the back porch of the Dragonfly eating their ice cream.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do or how to feel, so don't worry about that. I just wanted you to be able to say whatever you wanted. Plus with how my father was when I was growing up, even how he is now, I think I'm the best to understand how you feel. I'm sure Jess would talk to you too. But just know, if you want to be with her, if you want to live with her part time again, I get it. Mom and Luke will understand. We all just want you to feel safe and happy."

Tears were streaming down April's face, "She hurt me so badly, I don't know how I can trust her again. But she's my Mom and I do love her, I did love the life we had before, for the most part. If she really did stop drinking then life with her could be really good."

"So, maybe you should hear her out. We're always going to be here, you know the Gilmore-Danes crew isn't going anywhere."

"I just can't move out on Josh, he's only known a life with me living with him."

Rory took a few deep breaths and then looked April dead in the eyes, "I'm going to tell you something I haven't even told my Mom yet. I need you to swear you won't say anything to anyone." She then held out her pinky finger.

April wrapped her pinky with Rory's, "I swear!"

"After I graduate, I'm thinking of moving to London."

"Forever?" April gasped.

"At least for a year, maybe more. But no, likely not forever. But April, even if I was there for the rest of my life, I would still feel that you're my sister. We will video chat, email, call, text, and of course I will visit a ton. If you choose to be with your Mom part time you will be way closer to Josh than I will. And trust me, I've seen you with him, a little time away is not going to affect your relationship."

April had a few tears streaming down her cheeks, "Now it feels like we're both leaving him."

"Oh kid, he'll be fine!" Rory put her arm around April's shoulders. "Now listen to me, I grew up in a house all alone with Mom and I felt so loved! Josh will have Mom and Luke so already he is the luckiest kid ever!"

"That's true," April agreed.

"I think you just need to take a beat, think about what YOU want. Don't feel guilty if you want to give your Mom a chance. And don't feel guilty if you are not ready to talk to her yet. This is about YOU, we will support whatever you want. There's no wrong answer here, Okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, Rory. You're the best."

"You're not too bad yourself!"

The sisters hugged, finished their ice cream, made a quick Pro Con list and then headed back to the house to check in with the parents.