Life and Death

By blackbirdfree


Chapter Two

Rory waved good-bye to Henry as he put the car away in the garage. She entered her home at Hartford with a pleasant expression on her face. It was a good day. Though her bookbag was already heavy with homework, she was happy that she made new friends at Chilton. This year looked like it had some promise.

However, Rory's good mood was ruined when she saw the newest Gilmore maid scurrying toward to her as Rory stood in the foyer.

"I can take your coat and bookbag upstairs to your room, Ms. Gilmore," said the new maid named Penelope.

"No, that's all right, Penelope," said Rory. "I can do it myself."

"No. I'm afraid not. Mrs. Gilmore insists that you go to the drawing room right away. You have a guest."

Rory shrugged off her coat and handed her coat and her bookbag to Penelope.

"Who's here?" asked Rory.

Rory heard a familiar voice. Whoever it was spoke very loudly and very quickly.

"It's your mother," said Penelope in a serious tone-of-voice.

Rory sighed. "Of course it is," she said.


Rory walked to the drink cart to pour herself a glass of ginger-ale. Then, she turned around to face her mother. "Hi, Mom," said Rory.

Lorelai Gilmore looked exactly like she always did. She looked windswept. Her dark brown hair fell loose around her shoulders. There was a small stress wrinkle between her eyebrows.

Her mother hated Hartford. She hated her grandmother. She hated her grandfather. Sometimes Rory wondered if Lorelai hated her, too.

"Hi, kid," said Lorelai.

Rory sighed. She walked over the settee to sit down.

"I heard it was your first day at Chilton," said Lorelai in an up-beat tone-of-voice.

Rory rolled-her-eyes. "Yes."

Emily cleared her throat. "Your mother has some good news," she said.

"Oh?" said Rory. She sipped her drink slowly. "It's not even Christmas yet. What's going on?"

If Lorelai was offended by that remark, she didn't show it. She continued on.

"I moved," she said.

"Oh? Where? California again? You said you liked the good weather there when you moved there a few years ago."

Lorelai frowned. "No. I moved closer to Hartford. I moved to a nice little town nearby. The town is named Stars Hollow."

Rory remembered that the new face at Chilton also lived in Stars Hollow. "Well, isn't that swell," said Rory sarcastically.

Lorelai's frown turned into a scowl. Emily sighed.

Rory continued to sip her ginger-ale.


"So, your mom's back," said Francie on the telephone. Rory wasn't happy to see her mother like some people may have thought she would be. When Lorelai was around, there were always more complications. There were more arguments. There were more uncomfortable Friday night dinners. All-in-all, Rory wasn't too happy to see her.

"Yes, she's back," answered Rory. "At least for the foreseeable future. She never visits long. But she did say she was going to live in this town named Stars Hollow. She wants me to visit her often."

"Well, that's good," said Francie. "You can get to know her more. You can have a better relationship with her."

"That's true," said Rory. "The real question is… do I want to."