Misadventures At The Mall

A/N: Here's chapter four, hope you enjoy! If not, feel free to tell me anyway. Really, any form of reviewing that proves that you have read and thought at all about this story would be nice. I haven't gotten many reviews on this story (and I'm not going to beg for reviews because I hate it when people do that), and I am beginning to question whether or not it is worth it to finish.

ALSO...Thanks to Dusk Reaper for the beta!!!

Disclaimer: You know, there's a funny story relating to this. You see, my great aunt's cousin by marriage twice removed had a friend whose daughter... heh, no just kidding. Don't own.

I was half way to the gazebo when I heard someone call my name. I recognized my mother's voice and turned around, stopping when I noticed she was out of breath from running. My mother, the athlete.

When she caught up with me she grabbed my arm roughly and pulled me into the gazebo. She propped me up against one of the benches and plopped down beside me.

"Talk, now," she said. "What was that back there? Who are you, Frank Abagnale Jr.? If so I better go back and make sure the check didn't bounce."

Sometimes I really hated it when my mother was sarcastic, but the look on her face was rather worried, so I decided I had better pacify her with an answer. I really didn't want to talk about the feelings I may or may not have for the town bad boy, so I made up a story.

"It was nothing," I said. "I just felt really queasy all of a sudden. I thought I was gonna throw up. I'm fine now, though."

This didn't help to calm my mother. Lorelai could go from zero to panic attack in less than three seconds.

"Are you alright, honey? Are you coming down with something?"

"No!" I said. "Really, I'm fine!"

Lorelai calmed at this, but the lines of worry were still etched into her face.

"Well, I know the perfect cure for an upset stomach," she said. "A fabulous, all expenses paid trip to…the mall!"

I instantly felt better. After all, what could be more fun than an afternoon looking at horribly overpriced merchandise with your best friend?

"Ooh, okay!" I said excitedly. "What's the occasion?"

"What?" said Lorelai, looking slightly put out. "Can't a mother do something nice for her daughter once in a while?"

"It's been known to happen," I said, still eyeing my mother suspiciously. I knew my mother well enough to know that she probably had an ulterior motive.

"Alright, alright," she said, bubbling over with excitement and switching back into best friend mode. I knew she would cave. The Gilmores themselves aren't even immune to the Gilmore Girl pout.

"If you must know, I have a date tonight, and I need a new outfit." I perked up. My mother hardly ever went on dates, and if anyone deserved to be happy and have fun, it was Lorelai.

"So," she continued, "I just figured it would be fun, you know, give us something to do, but if you don't want to or if you're not feeling up to it we don't have to…"

She paused, mistaking my happy look for an apprehensive one.

"No, no!" I said. "It'll be fun!"

I only hoped that this date went better than her last one. She had gone out with a guy named Brent who lived in Hartford, and had come home in tears. Apparently, he had been hung up on someone else, and kept comparing her with my mother. On top of all that, he had gotten her drunk and then attempted to make a pass at her as she was getting out of the car. The slime ball.

We headed home to change, and then got in the car. The drive to the mall was a happy one for my mother, and an embarrassing one for me. Lorelai had found the Rod Stewart tape that I had been hiding under the seat, and was proceeding to play it at a very loud volume and mock me relentlessly. What can I say? Guilty pleasure. Jeez.

The mall wasn't very busy. It was empty enough that we were able to ride the down escalators up and not get yelled at.

As we passed the sports department, we nearly ran into a very battered (and surprised) Kirk. He was carrying a package that looked suspiciously like it contained a baseball bat and had a white piece of gauze strapped over his left eye with surgical tape.

I gasped.

"Oh, my god, Kirk, what happened?" I asked, putting my hand over my mouth and glancing at my mother, who was desperately trying to look serious and failing miserably.

Kirk took his purchase from the plastic bag (it was a baseball bat) and waved it menacingly at us.

"I don't want to talk about it," he exclaimed tearfully. "I need to get home. My mother is going to help me change the bandages."

We respectfully backed off a few feet (what were we supposed to do, it was common sense to back away from a crazy person holding a potential weapon) and let Kirk pass.

I turned back to my mother, who was now having a full-blown laugh attack.

"It's not funny!" I said. "Why are you laughing? What happened to Kirk?"

My mother paused to wipe her streaming eyes and take a deep breath before she managed to speak.

"Ba…Babette…" she choked out, before collapsing onto the nearest bench and giggling uncontrollably again.

"What did Babette do, mom?" I asked in the strictest voice I could manage. I had to admit I was a little nervous to hear what Babette's retaliation for the death of Pierpont was.

"This morning in the diner…. after you had left…She…she shook his soda before he opened it! And it sprayed right in his eye!"

"Oh, my God!" I said for the second time in five minutes. "Stop laughing! That's awful! Is Kirk gonna be okay?"

"Um…I don't know," said Lorelai. "I think so." The look on her face suddenly turned from amused to horrified. "Oh, my God, I'm a horrible person! What if he goes blind? And I was laughing! Why did you let me keep laughing, Rory?"

I just sighed and shook my head at my mother's ridiculous antics. I grabbed her elbow and pulled her back to the escalator.

"Come on," I said. "We need to get you some coffee."

As we were walking toward to food court, we passed a ritzy jewelry store. My mother paused outside with her head cocked to one side and her hand up, motioning for me to stop.

"What is it?" I asked, confused.

"Shh," said Lorelai.

"But–"

"Shhh! Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" I asked, perplexed.

"That voice!"

Okay, I admit that now I was seriously worried about my mother. I mean, I always knew she was crazy, but if she was hearing voices…well that was bad. I considered stopping a random person and asking them for help, or calling 911. Maybe I should call Kirk back. He knew a lot of good therapists.

"Mom, I really think we need to get some coffee into your system, or something, because you're really starting to scare me."

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm fine."

She was still standing there as though listening for something. I sighed, exasperated.

"Mom, I'm serious. Either you tell me what the heck you're talking about, or I'm checking you into the loony bin."

Lorelai turned to me and widened her eyes into a heartbreakingly adorable expression.

"Why must you be so mean to Mommy? I'm telling you, I'm not crazy! I just happened to hear the voice of Richard Gilmore coming out of that jewelry store."

"Who?"

"You know, tall, with a mustache, may or may not work for the secret service–"

"Oh cut it out," I said. "Why would Grandpa be at the mall? And more importantly, why would he be at the mall in a jewelry store?"

My mother looked at me. "Oh, I'm sure he has his reasons," she said mysteriously.

"Well," I started. "We could stand here and guess about what Grandpa may or may not be doing inside a jewelry store, or we could go in and actually find out."

Lorelai grinned. "Oohh, good idea! At least now I know that rich snobby school of yours is paying off!"

I rolled my eyes and started inside the store.

I walked around the counter and almost bumped into a man that was most certainly my grandfather.

"Lorelai, Rory! This is a pleasant surprise! What brings you here?"

"Well, Dad, we could ask you the same question."

"Oh, I was just doing a little shopping," he said evasively.

"We can see that," said my mother. "Any reason for this sudden need to shop?"

Grandpa cleared his throat, embarrassed.

"Well you see," he started nervously. "It is mine and Emily's fortieth anniversary this Thursday. And I have no idea what to get her for a gift."

He paused, and then his face brightened. "Oh!" he said. "You girls like to shop, yes?"

"Yes," I said slowly, not sure where he was going with this.

"You could pick something out for Emily!" he exclaimed, clearly excited at this new prospect.

"Um, well, you see Dad-" Lorelai started, before she was cut off by Grandpa.

"It's perfect! Then I can go to the club like I had originally planned!" Now Grandpa seemed to be talking to himself more than us.

"Here, here," he said, hurriedly pulling out his wallet. He shoved a few hundreds into my mother's hands while we both watched wordlessly. "That should cover it."

"Grandpa–"

"Dad–"

He bent down and kissed us each on the cheek. Then he straightened up and said in a light voice, "Get her something nice, but not too fancy. Thank you so much for this!"

He then proceeded to practically run out of the store, only stopping once to call behind him, "Oh! I almost forgot! I'll see both of you ladies on Friday for the anniversary dinner! Have a lovely afternoon!"

I stared incredulously at the door my grandfather had just exited.

My mother grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the jewelry store, a fake smile pasted on her face.

"So," she said. "How about that coffee?"

Lorelai spent the rest of the evening debating whether or not to get Grandma a joke gift or a serious one, and I spent it trying to ignore the fact that every time I saw a dark haired boy in a black jacket it felt as though an invisible hand was squeezing my heart.

A/N: Okay, okay, I know there isn't any LIT interaction in this chapter, but I promise you if you're patient, you will be rewarded! Now, reward me for being so good and updating so quickly by leaving me a review!