"Good morning Mrs. Danes." Luke smiled as Lorelai entered the kitchen in her robe, Bangles T-shirt and light blue pajama bottoms with rainbow cloud pattern on it. She'd come barreling down the stairs as though both of her legs were Thor's hammer.

Inaudible groaning escaped Lorelai's mouth. Lue only caught "too early," "hate this," and "Mr. Sunshine." As Lorelai plopped herself in her chair and he placed eggs, bacon, buckwheat pancakes with dark chocolate chips and orange slices in front of her.

"It's already 9am. It's not that early."

"Luke, for 20 years, you've kept me in coffee. For years before that I was already an addict. If I was one cup shy of at least 3 cups in the morning, I wouldn't make it to lunch without reenacting the kill scene from Final Destination 2. Now, I'm 23 weeks along and haven't had coffee since I don't remember when. It's a miracle that I have left the paradise that is my bed at all. The whole second trimester energy jolt everyone talks about is a freaking lie. I'd like to be sunshine and rainbows as my pants indicate but I need time and all my Sephora products to paint a smile on for the day."

"Not Final Destination 1?"

"No one says Final Destination 1, babe. It's Just the first one or Final Destination. And 2 was the only sequel in which I liked how it went better than the others."

"Alright, well I will let you be grumpy. I'm proud of you for doing this today. Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?"

"Luke, the last time we tried to pick out a vehicle together it didn't happen. We do not agree on the manner in which a car should be selected. Even the last few weeks of looking online has caused some heated discussions. I'll call you and let you know when the deed is done," Lorelai said acting as though it was her agreeing to commit murder.

"Fair point; can't you at least take Rory?"

"She has something to do today. She won't tell me what, either. I can't understand how she has energy at 31 weeks. Damn kids. Gypsy's going to come though. She'll haggle for me and everything."

"Fine. I have to go to work. I'll see you later crazy lady." He kissed her and then was out the door.

oOo

Rory met Lucy and Olivia downstairs at the diner. Rory had suggested the house but the women wanted to see the Luke's that they hadn't gotten too all those years ago when they died their hair to look dangerously close to a Powerpuff Girls themed girl band.

They were sitting at a table drinking coffee with a young black woman with gorgeous almond-shaped eyes, curly hair to her shoulders, and a perfect smile. She looked like she came straight from a CoverGirl ad with her flawless skin. Rory was a little jealous. Her skin was greasy and patchy from pregnancy and she had stretch marks for the first time in her life… and not all of them were on her bump. Some were on her back and sides and she hated it despite the fact that she looked absolutely beautiful in her maternity clothes. She made her way over to the table and Lucy saw her first.

"Rory! Oh my God, you look stunning! And like you swallowed a disco ball, but that's okay because maybe the baby will come out with sparkles." She wrapped the pregnant woman in a hug and Olivia quickly joined to sandwich her in.

"Thanks. I think. I've missed you so much! I feel awful that when we do get together it's because I need a favor," Rory said sheepishly.

"Oh think nothing of it," Olivia replied. "You can repay me by letting me paper machet your bump for a sculpture I'm working on!" she gleaned.

"Sure," Rory agreed. She was grateful they were there.

"Oh where are my manners?" Lucy changed the subject. "Rory Gilmore, I would like you to meet Rosalyn Lue Love," she guided them over to the table and the woman stood up making Rory realize she was very tall- at least 6 foot.

"Hello," Rory shook her hand. "Thank you for doing this! I know you don't know me but I looked up your work when Lucy and Olivia referred me to you and it's just so beautiful. I cried. Although, I cry a lot these days. Yesterday, it was because I couldn't tie my own shoe. Had to bring them down and ask Luke to help me. But while my crying barometer is off, I still can appreciate great art and you… are amazing." She laughed. "Oh my, I'm rambling again. I have a penchant for that."

"Glad to see you haven't changed," Olivia marveled.

"It's nice to meet you too Rory. Olivia and Lucy told me great things about you. I'm also really excited to do this. It'll be a good one for the portfolio. Maybe not something to cry at unless you're pregnant though," she smiled.

"Mind if we sit and finish this amazing coffee before we go?" Lucy asked.

"Oh, no that's great. Taking the stairs down makes me a little winded anyhow. I'm glad you like it."

They sat and conversed about how good the coffee was and caught up with each other's lives as though not much time had passed.

oOo

Lorelai had managed to charm the salesman at the dealership to use their company golf cart to tow her and Gypsy around the lot instead of having to walk in her condition.

"Lorelai, your system for picking a car is absolutely insane. I get why Luke didn't want to come with you," Gypsy groaned.

"He was willing to come. I just realized I'd like my children to have their parents together and this would surely end us."

"Of course it would, you're insane lady. Just because you don't like the color of the model you see, you won't select it even when poor Derek here tells you he has 3 others EXACTLY the same."

"Well I'd need to see the other colors and sit in it to know, which is what we're doing right Derek?"

"Yes ma'am," the 20 something young man tried to sound chipper but she was even exhausting him with her decision. He wasn't even their first salesman. Adam, an older gentleman had to leave after several hours because his shift was well past over. They were there so long that the place bought them lunch- again with Lorelai's marvelous persuasion. She was glad her charm worked even with her bump.

Finally it was 5:30 and Gypsy had cursed Lorelai in both English and Spanish and was thinking of leaving her when she saw it. It was an amethyst grey 2017 Hyundai Tucson. It was a 5 seater with enough space for her new brood. She was absolutely against minivans and giant SUVs like the one she had to lug her mother in after eye surgery so this was a reasonable and spacious compromise. She could just imagine her family in the car and she knew.

"This is the one."

"Finally!" Gypsy proclaimed. "It's a perfectly good car. It's brand new so it won't need fixing by me for a while which is good for you because I might need to take a long vacation after this. And when I come back, we may still need to evaluate our friendship, Lorelai."

"Oh, Gypsy. I'm sorry," Lorelai batted her eyes at her friend and made a sorrowful pout that she could see diffused some of the woman's anger. "It's over now though. Get out your giant barcode scanner Derek."

The young man tried not to betray his relief that the ordeal was over, but Lorelai could see it in his eyes as his expression changed to pleasure at completing the sale. That quickly faded when at Derek's desk and Lorelai and Gypsy haggled down to his manager's absolute lowest price.

They made it through financing and grabbed dinner in Hartford as Lorelai's apology to Gypsy. It was 8:30 when she finally made it home.

oOo

"Luke" Lorelai called, "are you in home yet?"

She was surprised to her a much more soprano and also familiar voice. "Mom!" Rory stood at the top of the stairs. "I'm not coming down because it'll take me 10 minutes to get down and another 15 to get back up after I stop and rest at the landing for another 30-40 minutes."

"Rory? What's goin' on kid?"

"I have a surprise for you in the nursery. But call Luke first. I want to show you together!"

Lorelai did as told and 15 minutes later Luke's green truck pulled up. He first inspected the new mini-SUV he assumed was Lorelai's and was actually impressed with it. Then he made his way inside.

"Hey babe, Rory's here. She says she has a surprise. She wouldn't let me go up there but she's in the nursery. Let's go." Lorelai grabbed his hand and excitedly led Luke up the stairs at her fastest possible pace.

"Slow down, it's not safe, Lorelai," Luke chided but obliged in following her.

They opened the door to the Nursery and Rory stood up from the dark stained rocking chair Lorelai purchased from Mrs. Kim. It was the only piece they had bought so far because Tom had only finished his work on the kitchen and upstairs expansion a few days prior. "Surprise!" Rory said with her arms agape.

On a feature wall was a hand painted mural. It was the perfect mixture of Luke and Lorelai which also made it perfect for a boy and a girl. It had a movie reel across the top and extending in a wave across three walls. It wasn't traditional black though, it was made in bold rainbow colors from red to Purple. There were actual pictures of Luke, Lorelai, April and Rory blown up and trimmed to fit inside as though playing back the memories of their lives. On the fourth wall were illustrations that could be directly from a children's story book. There was an Inn, a Diner, a woman and her daughter going into the diner from the Inn, then coming out with a man in a plaid shirt and blue baseball cap. There was a wedding and then a picture of two babies being held by mom while plaid man and daughter looked down at her at the bottom it said "To be continued…"

"I had Lucy, Olivia and their friend Rosalyn do this for you guys. Rosalyn's a children's book author and illustrator that Lucy and Olivia met at an art gallery ages ago. If you don't like it, Tom said he can paint over it. I know I can't afford to deck out a nursery like you did for me, but I wanted to do something for you. I just wanted to show you how much I appreciate you both.

Lorelai was in tears and Luke was beaming. "It's perfect. Thank you." They all hugged in the room that would soon be filled with many more tears… mostly from the babies.