Rory removed the necklace. "I'm afraid to wear it… what if I lose it?"

"You could lose it just as easily off your neck as on it." Lorelai replied.

"That's true, but for now I think I'll just keep it in the box." Rory reached for the small golden box in Lorelai's hand.

Lorelai moved her hand out of Rory's reach. "Can I have the box?" Lorelai asked.

"What? Why?"

"It's a really nice box."

"Mom, that box goes with the necklace."

"Well, it's fair this way you get the necklace and I get the pretty box it came in."

Rory sighed. "Fine, keep the box. I'll use one of my other jewelry boxes when they get here from London."

"Thanks babe." Lorelai smiled. "I'll see you in a couple of hours."

"Bye."

Lorelai opened the box again and read the engraving. Could this be the same Joan as her mother? Lorelai left the desk in search of Mia.

"Mia." Lorelai called as she walked into the main office.

"Yes?" Mia replied, still gazing down at some papers.

"May I come in?"

"Of course, Lorelai." Mia now gave Lorelai her complete attention.

Lorelai slowly walked in with the box in her hands. "Uh, Mia… I know this is going to sound crazy, but…"

"You want to know about the engraving?" Mia interrupted.

"Yes…" Lorelai said her eyes focused directly on the older woman. "I do."

"I knew you'd make the connection." Mia smiled. "Sit down, Lorelai."

Lorelai slowly sank into a chair. "You knew my mother?" She asked.

"I did." Mia grinned. "She was such a wonderful person."

"How is that possible?" Lorelai replied. "My mother is from East Hartford. She was only sixteen when I was born."

"She never told you about her life before you were born…?" Mia asked.

Lorelai shook her head no.

"Your mother and I were best of friends for thirteen years. She lived on the farm next to us, and we had grown up together. When she turned fourteen, her father moved them to East Hartford. We wrote several letters to each other and planned many different visits, but the visits never worked out. Connecticut was just too far away. As time went by, Joan's family prospered while mine stayed poor back on the farm. On Joan's 15th birthday I sent her a card and a box of hard candy. It was the most I could afford. On my 16th birthday she sent me that beautiful necklace… I'll never forget how wonderful it felt to see it for the first time."

"My mother never said anything Ohio." Lorelai replied distantly, trying to process the new information.

Mia sighed and continued on with her story. "For her 16th birthday I had planned on sending her a necklace as well. I had saved up all of my money for six months and had just enough to buy her a pretty one I saw at a jewelry shop. I hadn't heard from Joan in a few weeks, which was odd, but I figured she had been busy. I remember it very vividly that day." Mia paused. "I came home and checked the mail, and I had a letter from her. She told me that she was pregnant and that her parents had not taken well to the news. She also said that they tried to force her to marry her boyfriend at the time, and they both refused. She said she wasn't sure what was going to happen, but she wasn't going to let anyone harm her baby."

Tears had formed in both Lorelai and Mia's eyes.

"I sent her my present, but it was returned a couple of weeks later. I'm guessing she never got it. I never heard from Joan again… A few years later, when my parents passed away I came to Connecticut in hopes of finding her. It took many years, but I finally discovered she had came to Stars hollow. By the time I made it here, however, I was too late. I heard about the accident and that you had left town with a child of your own. So, I decided to just make here my new home, and started a business of my own…"

"Why did she never tell me any of this?" Lorelai asked, as she wiped at her eyes.

"How much did she tell you?" Mia asked.

"Just that her parents didn't approve so she left…" Lorelai said softly. "I never thought to question it. I was just so… so happy to be with her after Emily died." Lorelai sobbed for a few seconds. She quickly looked up at Mia. "Mia, do you know who my father is?"

Mia nodded her head. "Joan sent a picture of them together with the last letter I received." Joan opened her desk drawer and pulled out the old envelop. She handed it to Lorelai.

Lorelai stared at the picture for a long period time. Silently, the tears fell onto the old photograph. She turned the photo over and read the names. "Joan Addison and Anthony Stevenson."

"My mother told me his name was Anthony…" Lorelai replied.

"He's a banker, in Hartford." Mia said. "I've talked with him once, when I was in search of your mother."

Lorelai swallowed heavily. "What did he say about me?" Lorelai asked.

"That he had never seen you." Mia said remorsefully.

"Did he ever try?" Lorelai asked her voice becoming heavy with emotions.

Mia shook her head. "No… he said not getting married and leaving the situation behind was the best thing he could have done."

Lorelai sniffled. "He's just like Christopher."

"Who?" Mia asked.

"Christopher… Rory's father." Lorelai clarified. "Oh, Mia… it's like there's a curse on our family."

"Lorelai, no…" Mia replied sternly. "Don't ever say such a thing. Your family is special… your heritage is very, very important. That's why I gave Rory the necklace. She wanted to come back to her roots and she deserves to know where she came from."

"I've not spoken much about Joan… or Emily and Richard. It's always been easier to just keep it simple for Rory." Lorelai cleared her throat.

"You're going to have to trust her now, Lorelai. Don't keep things from her any longer. She's all you have in this world. She is your true flesh and blood. She is your family. I know you're concerned about protecting her, but it's time that she knew."

Lorelai's crying had ceased. "You're right, Mia… I have a lot to explain to Rory. About everyone…"

"You can leave work early today, if you'd like." Mia suggested.

"Thank you… I think I will." Lorelai slowly stood from the chair. "Good bye, Mia. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome." Mia smiled.