Lorelai was packing the suitcase on her bed. She had decided a few weeks ago that she and her siblings needed one last core memory together before she moved out. And that it needed to happen soon before she couldn't travel far anymore. She of course had approved the trip with her dad and requested the time off from work. She was taking the two of them to myrtle beach for a week. Being that it was summertime it was perfect since they were off school anyways.
Aaron stuck his head into her room. "How's it coming?" He asked
"Almost ready. The other two are raring to go I take it?" She said
Aaron chuckled "Yes. They are excited."
"Good," Lorelai said with a smile.
Aaron came into the room all the way and handed her an envelope. "Their passports, insurance cards, and all the medical information you will need in an emergency." He told her
Lorelai smiled and nodded "Thanks." she took it and slipped it into her backpack.
"And I will remind you I expect a call every night." He said
Lorelai nodded. "Of course." She put a hand on her stomach and smiled big. "Oh my gosh. I think the baby is moving."
Aaron smiled. "Well, that will start happening."
"Wow." Lorelai said, "That feels unreal."
Aaron nodded. "When Hailey felt Jack kick for the first time she said it made it feel more real for her."
Lorelai nodded. "I wish I could share this experience with her."
Aaron hugged her tight.
Lorelai hugged him back and smiled. "But right now, the focus is on making sure those two have the best week of their lives."
"Go on. And just enjoy your time together," Aaron said. "Are you seeing your uncle while you are there?"
Lorelai closed up her suitcase and her backpack and took them both to the door where the other two were waiting. "No. They are in Florida this week." She said
Aaron nodded.
"You two have everything you need right?" She asked
"Yes." They both said
Aaron helped them pack Lorelai's car.
"Reminder you two Lorelai is in charge behave," Aaron told the younger two
"Yes, dad," Jack said.
"Of course," Rachel said with a smile.
The three of them got into the car and did up their seatbelts. Lorelai handed Rachel her phone. "You are in charge of the music. But keep it appropriate." Lorelai told her.
Rachel smiled and took the phone. Aaron waved to them as he watched them drive away. It was going to be a weird week without any of them there. It had been a very long time since he had the house to himself.
Lorelai started the seven-hour drive to South Carolina. They stopped a couple of times to use the bathroom and get some food. Lorelai was feeling great the last couple of weeks. The morning sickness was finally over and she was starting to feel the baby moving it was boosting her mood. They had left at ten that morning and got to their hotel by six that evening. Lorelai got them checked into their room and they all unpacked the truck of the car and got settled into the hotel room before they went down to the restaurant in the hotel to get dinner. They were all tired and hungry and that didn't make for a happy Jack.
Once they ate they all felt better and headed back up to the room. Lorelai sent Jack to shower first to get ready to wind down for the night. Once they were all ready for bed Lorelai called her dad on speaker. She had texted him when they arrived to let him know they got there safe but was obliging the request for a call every night. Once they were done with the call they all got settled into bed and Lorelai put a movie on TV for them to watch and by the end, they were all asleep.
They were up the next morning fairly early and ready to head out to the beach. They went downstairs for a quick breakfast before heading back to the room and getting their beachwear on. Lorelai made sure they were all covered in sunscreen. She ignored Jack's whines and just made sure he was covered as well as ensuring she and Rachel were covered too. They grabbed their towels and headed to the beach. Lorelai had rented an umbrella and set it up in a place that made it easy to watch the water.
Once their area was set up Rachel and Jack ran to the water. Lorelai followed them a few minutes later and joined them in swimming and splashing water at each other.
Rachel got distracted when an attractive young woman swam past them. Lorelai smiled when she noticed.
Jack splashed Rachel bringing her attention back to them. After they swam for a while Jack wanted to build sandcastles. Lorelai got out of the water with him and went and sat on their towels and let him start building. Rachel came and joined them shortly after, but her attention was still on the other woman.
"You know. You could just go talk to her?" Lorelai offered. "She seems to be here with a group of girls, not a partner."
"But I mean I don't even know…" She started
"You don't know anything about her sure. But you know how you get to know people?" Lorelai asked with a smirk.
"But this is our trip together," Rachel said.
"Don't worry about that right now. Just go talk to her. Make a new friend." Lorelai said
Rachel smiled and shook her head. "No."
"Okay." Lorelai wasn't about to pressure her.
The two of them started to help Jack build his sandcastles.
Around one Lorelai's stomach started to growl.
Rachel looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "I think the baby might be needing some food."
Lorelai checked the time. "Yup. I think we all do at this point."
She looked at Jack. "Hey, bud. Time to go get some food."
"But I'm having fun," Jack whined.
Lorelai smiled. "We can come back afterward."
The three of them went to a place on the beach and got some food. They ate their food.
Rachel locked eyes with someone in the restaurant as they were finishing eating and her eyes lit up. "Oh my gosh, that's Ericka."
Lorelai looked up. "From the foster home?"
"Yes," Rachel said
Ericka smiled and came over to them. She and Rachel hugged and then she turned to Lorelai and hugged her too.
"How are you, Ericka?" Lorelai asked
"I'm good." She said
"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked
"Here with my besties for a girl's trip before going to college," Ericka said
"What about you girls?" Ericka asked
"Well, I don't know if you heard Rachel and I got adopted by the same person. And I decided to take my two siblings. This is Jack by the way, Jack this is Ericka she was in the same foster home as Rachel and me. I decided to take these two for a final trip before I have a baby and move out." Lorelai said
"You're having a baby?!" Ericka asked
"Yes. In just a few months." Lorelai said with a smile.
"And is that an engagement ring?" Ericka asked
"It is. The father of my baby and I got engaged a few weeks ago." Lorelai said
"And he's one of the good guys," Rachel said.
"Good!" Ericka said. "You have a boyfriend?" she asked Rachel
"Um. No. No girlfriend." Rachel said
Ericka smiled. "That's what I get for assuming. Well, I'm sure you will find someone."
"Thanks," Rachel said.
"What about you? You have a partner?" Lorelai asked
"I have a boyfriend back home in Chicago. He's cool. But needed a break from him. Hence the girl's trip." Ericka said
"Yeah. Sometimes we just girl time." Lorelai said
"Well anyways I should get back to my group. Where are you staying?" Ericka asked
Lorelai told her what hotel.
Ericka told them what hotel they were at, and they exchanged numbers.
Lorelai noticed her group of friends looking over and she smirked.
"Well, I think Rachel had a connection with one of your friends." She said
"What?!" Ericka asked
"Lorelai!" Rachel said turning red
"Which one? Omg! Please tell me it's the redhead. She would love you! You are just her type." Ericka said
Rachel turned a brighter shade of red. Vowing to get her sister back for this.
"Well, isn't that convenient?" Lorelai said holding back a laugh.
"Oh please. Let me introduce you two!" Ericka pleaded with Rachel
Rachel took a breath. "Fine." She turned to her sister and narrowed her eyes. "I will get you back for this." Ericka pulled Rachel away from Lorelai and Jack.
Lorelai laughed.
Ericka dragged her over. "Everyone this is Rachel. She grew up in the same foster home as me."
Brooke looked at her a smiled. "Hey. I think I saw you on the beach."
"Yes. She saw you too." Ericka said. "You two should talk," Ericka said giving Brooke a look.
"Oh really?" Brooke asked smiling at Rachel.
"Rachel this is Brooke," Ericka said.
Brooke and Rachel shook hands. "Nice to meet you," Brooke said
"Same," Rachel said.
The two of them went outside and took a seat and started to talk and get to know each other. Lorelai could see them out the window and she smiled.
She looked over at Jack. "You're having fun?"
Jack nodded and smiled. "Can we go back to the beach please?" he asked
Lorelai smiled and nodded. She paid and the two of them went back. She put on a fresh layer of sunscreen on the two of them before letting him go back to his sandcastle village.
A couple came over with their daughter and son. Lorelai smiled at them and introduced herself and Jack.
"Our kids would love to help Jack build his sand village." One of the men said
Jack's eyes lit up and nodded. "Yes!" he said. Lorelai smiled. "He seems to like the idea."
The young couple set themselves up next to them.
"I'm Hunter and this is my husband Johnathan. Our kids are Callum and Lennox." Hunter said
"Just you and your brother on a family trip?" Johnathan asked
"Our sister is here too. She's just busy making a new friend." She said pointing her out. "Rachel, she's seventeen."
"Ooh. Looks like maybe more than a friend?" Hunter said
"Maybe," Lorelai said with a smile. "I'm about to move out and in with my fiancé and I thought I wanted to give them a few more core memories together before I start the next chapter."
"You three must be pretty close," Hunter said
"Very close," Lorelai said with a smile
"Your parents must be happy you three are so close," Hunter said.
"Yes. Um. Our dad is. Our mom would be too." Lorelai said with a smile looking at the three kids playing.
"Where do you guys live?" Johnathan asked
"Virginia," She said "You?"
"Maryland," he said.
"Very nice. We're neighbors." Lorelai said with a smile
Rachel came back over, and Lorelai introduced her to the others who had joined them.
Rachel said hello and looked at her sister as she reapplied sunscreen. "Um. Brooke and I are going to go for a walk?"
Lorelai smiled and nodded. "You have your phone?"
Rachel held it up.
"Go. Have fun." Lorelai said.
Rachel ran off to catch up with her new friend.
"To be young and catch feelings," Hunter said
"Yup. And in a place like this. On summer vacation. So, cliché. And so perfect." Lorelai said
"How's your dad going to feel if she comes home with a new girlfriend?" Jonathan asked with a chuckle
"He'll be happy she's happy," Lorelai said with a smile. "He has always been good about that. She was allowed to start dating at sixteen so as long as she's being responsible he'll be okay with it."
The couple nodded and smiled.
The three of them watched as the sand city grew and grew. Lorelai took out her phone and took some pictures and sent them to her dad. Eventually, Rachel came back with her new friend, and they joined in helping with the building. Lorelai made sure to snap some pictures of Rachel and Brooke being cute for her to have. She didn't share those with her dad though.
She got a text.
Dad: "All wearing sunscreen I hope."
She shook her head and chuckled.
Lorelai: "Yes dad. Even the boy who whined about it has sunscreen on. Several times."
"Okay, you two," Johnathan said around 5. "We have to go get ready to go for dinner."
"Awe! Please nooo!" Lennox begged
"Sorry sweetie. We have a reservation. We have to go." Hunter said.
"Can you come back to the beach tomorrow?" Jack asked
"We were planning two. Are you?" Hunter asked
Lorelai smiled. "Yes. That was the plan."
They agreed they could hang out the next day.
The four of them left.
Brooke looked at Rachel. "I should probably get back to my group too. We are planning the amusement park tomorrow if you want to come?" She offered
Rachel looked at Lorelai who smiled and nodded. "Not an issue with me."
Rachel and she hugged and Brooke went off.
"Still angry with me?" Lorelai asked
Rachel chuckled. "Okay. No. She's so amazing."
Lorelai smiled. "Good!"
Rachel smiled. "I've liked people before, but she is just different."
Lorelai smiled and nodded.
"And she's going to UOV in September," Rachel said.
"Oh wow. So, this might be more than a summer fling?" Lorelai asked
"Maybe. I don't know. I just know I had fun today and I'm sure I will tomorrow too." Rachel said
Lorelai nodded. "Well, let's get food before the baby revolts." She smiled
The three of them went and got food.
"You, sure you're okay with me not hanging out with you two tomorrow?" Rachel asked
"Yes. Have fun with your friends." Lorelai said with a smile
They ate and Lorelai noticed Jack was falling asleep at the table. She paid the bill and took them back to the room and got Jack to bed. She and Rachel sat at the small table drinking tea they had brought back from the restaurant.
"So, what is Brooke going to study?" Lorelai asked
"Biology. She wants to be a pharmacist." Rachel said
"Very cool. She must be smart." Lorelai said
"She does seem so. Her parents are a doctor and a forensic scientist, so she comes from very smart people." Rachel said
"Wow. I know you're taking a year off and that's great, but do you have any ideas about what you want to do after?" Lorelai asked
"Honestly. No. I am taking a year off to write the book I have started…" Rachel said
"Oh wow. I didn't know that." Lorelai said
"No one does. I've kept it to myself." Rachel said
"Fiction?" Lorelai asked
"Autobiography," Rachel said
"Wow. That's amazing." Lorelai said
"I want to tell my story. Myself…" She said
Lorelai nodded. "I get it."
"You will be mentioned but I can leave out your name," Rachel said
"Nope. Go ahead and use it. The world knows my story already anyways." Lorelai said
Rachel nodded.
"The baby likes tea?" Rachel asked
"They are quiet right now. Was moving quite a bit today." Lorelai said
"When do I get to feel it?" Rachel asked
"It's small movements. You won't be able to yet. A week or two and you should be able to feel it too." Lorelai said
Rachel nodded and smiled. "How did Spencer feel not being able to keep an eye on you every day?"
Lorelai chuckled. "I've sent him a few pictures. Oh, we need to call dad."
She took out her phone and called him. She checked in Rachel talked to him, but they told him Jack was already asleep. That they had a long day in the sun.
They went to bed soon after that as well.