A/N: So, this is a good chapter I think. (I hope everyone else thinks so too.) It is setting some major groundwork for future chapters and what I've decided to do. Please review and let me know what you think! I love hearing, no matter what!

Disclaimer: I don't own GG.

-----------------------------

November 24, 1988

Happy Thanksgiving Maddie!

I've so got this whole working holiday thing down. It actually was a great day. I mean really, really amazing. I'm getting ahead of myself though. This whole week really has been incredible. So much has happened; I'm not sure where to start.

I guess it would be good to start at the beginning huh?

Holiday weeks are always the busiest here. Lots of people traveling, visiting family, and enjoying the comfort of a small Inn in the heart of Connecticut keeps us busy and on our toes. It makes the days go by faster though and that is never a bad thing. Anyways, so I knew that Mia would be gone this week. Or at least, that is what I thought.

Apparently a change of plans though kept her here with the family flying in to celebrate here. Mia was so excited when I saw her on Monday. Jacob would be coming home from his freshman year of college, John was driving in with his fiancé from South Carolina and even Mia's sister Janice would be joining them.

Monday morning Mia asked me to make sure that they had rooms prepped for John and Kelli since they would be staying there and Janice, plus we had a rather large family coming in for the holiday as well that needed some extra attention. And Mia asked me to handle it, ME! I was so thrilled; to be in charge of set up for a large party is a great responsibility. It lifted my spirits that she thought of me enough to handle it.

I wanted to make sure that I proved to her I could and that she had made the right decision so I threw myself into prep. I spent hours on Monday making sure that all twelve rooms were perfect in every degree, right down to the folds on the towels and the placement of the pillow mints.

Everything had to be perfect.

The Holstons' (the large family party) started showing up around four that afternoon, in just about perfect timing. Now, I was exhausted, completely, but overly exhilarated at the same time. It is so strange for me to get so excited about cleaning and prepping a dozen rooms, but I was. By six I was able to take Rory and go home. I pretty much collapsed into bed right away, but it didn't faze me.

The next morning is when it really started turning my way. When I got to sign into work this morning, the desk clerk Patrick told me that Mia wanted to talk to me. I can't lie and say I wasn't nervous, because I was terrified. I had already told her that I would keep Rory with me today; she likes to help me with making the beds.

I have a weird child, I know that.

But anyways, so I went to talk to Mia, and Patrick took Rory to get some breakfast from Jenkins. I couldn't help but be nervous. I mean, come on Maddie, you would have too, right? Seriously. Just the day before I had been given this huge responsibility, that I thought I had done well with, really, and then my boss wants to see me first thing the next day. I was ready to pass out.

I knocked on the door of her office before I had a chance to flake out.

"Come in," Mia called to me through the closed door and I took a deep breath before pushing it open. My heart nearly stopped when I saw Michael Holston sitting in one of the chairs opposite Mia. "Lorelai dear, good morning. This is Michael Holston, Mr. Holston this is Lorelai Gilmore."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Gilmore," Mr. Holston replied warmly and I was able to begin breathing again. "You have done such a wonderful job making us feel welcome."

I nodded, with a half smile, not sure I would be able to get any words out. Mia took over the silence.

"Lorelai have a seat," she commanded and I quickly did so. "Mr. Holston wanted to thank you for the work you did yesterday to make sure their rooms were ready and they were settled."

"I was just doing my job," I answered before I actually knew what I was saying.

"Nonsense," he exclaimed, "you were there yesterday making sure everything was just right. My family and I are very grateful and would like to thank you properly."

I looked between him and Mia questioningly, wondering what was about to happen. I wasn't even sure I could guess in the slightest.

"For your dedication to our holiday and all your hard work please accept this bonus from myself and my family," Mr. Holston continued, handing me a plain white envelope. "With the service you provide here I guarantee that I will be visiting again and recommending you to all of my acquaintances."

I didn't catch the last part very well as I was staring solely at the envelope in my hand all thoughts meshed together in nothingness. Before I knew it I was alone with Mia and she was just smiling.

"Have you opened it yet?" she asked and I just shook my head. "You might want to while you are sitting." I mutely nodded as I tore into the envelope, my hands shaking. I pulled out cash. Lots of it. Quickly flipping through it I realized there was easily five hundred dollars in twenty dollar bills now sitting in my hand. "Mr. Holston was very adamant about your diligence."

"This is too much," I mumbled, "I can't take all of this."

"Of course you can," Mia argued. "He gave it to you. He's requested your service for the rest of the time they are here as well."

"I don't know what to say," I stammered. "I…"

"You deserve this Lorelai," Mia assured me. "Actually you deserve more."

"More?" I asked, "What do you mean?"

"I'm offering you a promotion," Mia stated simply, "I want you to be the head maid. You'll oversee the other maids, take and handle complaints, and oversee our staffing."

Speechless.

There were literally no words in my head. I didn't know what to say. I honestly thought I was dreaming.

"You can't be serious," I cried after a second, "I'm too young. There are plenty of others who are more qualified and older and…"

"I want you to have the job," Mia interrupted. "You are my hardest worker and always willing to take extra jobs if I need you too. I want you for this. It comes with extra work yes, but it also comes with quite a substantial pay raise. Think about it."

"Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't be offering it if I wasn't."

"I'll take it! Thank you Mia!"

I couldn't believe what I was saying. I was now the head maid, in charge. Holy shit.

"I'm glad," Mia said smiling. "I couldn't have anyone better. Now, I'll have the paperwork filed today and you'll see the raise on your next paycheck. The announcement will be maid to the rest of the staff today as well and tomorrow you start your new position."

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. Your work will far outweigh any words."

"Thank you Mia," I gushed.

Can you believe it Maddie? I'm the new head maid of the Independence Inn AND I got a five hundred dollar bonus. There are no words for the extent of happiness I've been in over the last few days.

You wanna know what is even crazier?

That is only the tip of the iceberg. So much more has happened. I've got to keep going. So, the promotion happened on Tuesday, two days ago, and the rest of the day was a breeze. The announcement was made and Jenkins prepared a congratulatory dinner for Rory and me. We even got ice cream sundaes.

I was flying.

Hell, I still am.

Okay, so Wednesday my new position actually started and honestly it wasn't much different than before, only now I had to make sure that the other nineteen maids on staff were doing what they were suppose to be.

Understand this, I'm twenty years old, the youngest of the maids here and I'm 'in charge' of the rest of them now. I was nervous at first that some of the ladies would be upset about my promotion. I was wrong. That eased my mind. Everyone seemed to welcome my new position and things ran really smoothly.

Now, this is where it gets really exciting. I'm just bursting at the seams here to tell you honestly. This week has been one magically week. Ah, I really need to explain before I go all cookoo. So, Wednesday afternoon, I'm finishing something up, I really don't remember now, and I was in the lobby and I saw him.

The man who helped me at the bus stop the night I left my parents' house.

I'm not crazy! (That made me feel good. He-he, dirty I know.)

There he was, standing in the middle of the lobby, carrying something resembling a wooden turkey, and he was talking to Mia. (I'm assuming I didn't do a good job describing him when I tried to see if she knew him because they seemed friendly, almost like they knew each other.)

I had to make a move.

"Excuse me Mia," I boldly interrupted, crossing my fingers she wouldn't' be upset, "I have a question for you."

"Of course Lorelai," Mia said to me.

"Why Mia, who is this remarkable young lady?" the man asked and I looked directly into his eyes. They were the same warm shade of blue they had been on that night so many years ago and it was all I could do to not throw my arms around his neck in thanks.

"William this is Lorelai Gilmore, she has been working here for a few years," Mia introduced me and I nodded shyly. "She just recently accepted a promotion to be my head of the service department. Lorelai this is an old friend William Danes."

"Congratulations Miss Gilmore," William said.

"Please call me Lorelai," I insisted. "Actually, Mr. Danes, we've met before."

"We have?" he asked, looking at me curiously and Mia shot me the same look.

"You probably don't remember," I went on to explain, "but it was at the Hartford bus station about three and a half years ago."

"You had a baby," William mentioned, "and an armful of bags."

"Yup," I confirmed. "I always wanted to meet and say thank you. You have no idea how much your help meant to me that night Mr. Danes."

"What a small world," William chuckled. "I had no idea you were coming here. Oh and please call me William."

"I didn't at the time either to be honest," I explained. "I just needed to get away. Your help though, I dunno, it just lifted my spirits."

"I'm honored you think so," William said, "Mia, this girl is a delight."

"She is," Mia agreed, "Lorelai why don't you join William and me for lunch. You can take your break now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes of course," Mia exclaimed.

"Please join us," William added, "I'd love to get to know you a bit better."

"Well okay then," I agreed. "I just want to let Karen know where I'll be in case Rory needs me."

"Your daughter?" William asked me and I nodded. "She can join us as well if you'd like."

"She should be napping right now," I explained glancing at the clock. "If she's not I'll bring her."

"Sounds good," Mia said, "we'll be in the dining room."

Rory had been napping so it was just me that had lunch with Mia and William and can I just say he is just as amazing as I thought he would be. Mia apologized later for not putting things together as to the mystery helper that night. It's not a big deal though, I understand. It's hard.

William runs a hardware store in town and made me promise to bring Rory by sometime soon. I think I will. I learned a lot about him yesterday. His wife passed away ten years ago to cancer, leaving him with a thirteen year old son and an eleven year old daughter. Liz, his daughter, is just a year older than me and has a son herself Rory's age and Luke, his son is away at college right now. I can't remember where though. He'll be graduating in the spring with a degree in business management, I wonder if he plans on running the hardware store after his father? I could tell William was proud of him though, his eyes sparkled when he talked about him.

Liz seems to be more of a heartbreak for him, getting pregnant and married so young and then to have Jess' father (that is her son's name) leave her only a few months after Jess was born. I can tell it's been hard for him.

I can't wait to meet Liz. She seems like a cool girl, someone I would be able to get along with nicely. And if Jess and Rory became friends, well, that would be even better. Rory needs some good friends and according to William, Jess is a smarty pants too. Liz is supposed to be bringing Jess around in a couple weeks; I hope I get to meet her while she's here.

I had Thanksgiving dinner with Mia and her family today. It was nice. I didn't stay too long, but Rory loved the attention. Mia is going to make a spectacular grandmother to John and Jacob's kids. They are very lucky indeed.

I love the holidays, even now Maddie. Christmas season is now coming upon us. I can't wait for snow and decorations and everything winter! But for now I'm going to retire for the night. I've got a lot of work to do tomorrow.

-----------------------------

A/N: So you know now. Are you guys happy? I am. It really was a toss up for me, whether to follow the story line or pick a new one. Picking a new one just gives me more liberty to play with the characters how I want. I hope you guys liked this chapter. Let me know what you though please. I'm begging. I'm a review junkie and in desperate need of a fix!