Time After Time - A Gilmore Girls Fanfic #1

Chapter 13

Rory met the new day with renewed spirit. Last night's events had jumpstarted the part of her that had lain dormant all these years, the part of her that still wished and dreamed, and she woke up rearing to go. Before her mother had even come downstairs, Rory was already showered, dressed, and making a healthy breakfast.

"Coffee, coffee, coffee," Lorelai chanted as soon as she entered the kitchen.

"Morning to you too, Sunshine," Rory said from where she sat the kitchen table. She stared down at the bowl in front of her, contemplating its goopy contents, before finally lifting a spoonful up to her mouth. The lack of taste almost made her gag. "I know this is supposed to be oatmeal, but why does it taste like the color beige?"

Lorelai walked over and handed her the Nutella jar. "One or two spoonfuls. Trust me."

Rory, desperate for her tastebuds to live again, swirled a spoonful of Nutella into the oatmeal before trying another bite.

"Eh?" Lorelai asked with a smile. "What did I tell ya?"

"Not bad."

"And it's got hazelnuts, so there's one of your food groups."

"I don't think it works like that," Rory said, taking another bite.

"Course it does. It's science." Lorelai yawned as she sat down at the table with her mug of coffee. "So why are you up so early today?"

"I'm getting my life in order."

Her mother's eyebrows rose.

Rory consulted her notebook. "First item on the agenda: Go to Hartford and get license renewed."

"You mean you've been driving around with an expired license?"

Rory ducked her head, avoiding her mother's shocked gaze. "Two: Buy a car."

"What kind?"

"I haven't decided."

"You mean you haven't already created a spreadsheet, comparing all the cars based on mileage, trunk size, and cost?" Lorelai asked.

Rory pulled out a printed sheet from under the notebook. "I have. I just haven't made up my mind yet," she said. "Item three: Find place to live. Four: Sign up for grad school."

At that, Lorelai's eyes grew wide. "Grad school? What? When did this happen?"

"Last night. I couldn't turn off my brain to sleep. I just laid in my bed and thought about my life, about where I am and where I'm headed. And to be honest, I don't know where that is. For the first time in my life, I feel rudderless. Aimless. As I was laying there, my thoughts kept drifting back to Grandpa, during that low time in his life when he was forced to retire from his company," Rory said, feeling a wistful smile touch her lips. "He didn't let that get him down. He got back up and built a new company to rival the old. That was Richard Gilmore, you know? Whenever life knocked him down, he always got back up."

"Yes, he did," Lorelai said with a wavery smile.

"I like to think that he handed that tenacity down to his daughter. And, hopefully, to his granddaughter."

"There's not even a question."

Rory nodded. "So I'm not going to let this get me down. I've decided where I want to go—back to school to get my masters."

"Plus, school, right?" Lorelai asked with a knowing smile.

Rory shrugged, even as the thought of returning to school thrilled her. "I am kind of looking forward to going back to school. The books, the classrooms, the school supplies," she said. "It'll be fun."