The Secret

Chapter 14

Several more weeks passed and Rory found herself in Stars Hollow again. This time, it wasn't just for a party, though that was part of it. It was also for a true Gilmore girls weekend complete with copious amounts of junk food, a movie marathon, and breakfast at Luke's. Things still hadn't completely righted themselves with her mother, so when Lorelai invited her to spend the weekend with her in Stars Hollow, Rory hadn't even thought about it.

Luke would be spending the weekend above the diner to give the two girls time to bond and Logan expressed his happiness at the progress that was being made. So, early on a Saturday morning at the beginning of March, Rory found herself driving to Stars Hollow to meet her mother for a Luke's date before the quintessential Stars Hollow day. She pulled into the driveway of the Crap Shack and smiled. Nothing had changed, though she felt like she had in the time she had been gone.

Nervous and unsure how to announce her presence, Rory knocked on the door once she mounted the porch. Lorelai opened and gasped. "What is this? My own daughter, the fruit of my loins, the bearer of my genes didn't just walk into the house? What is this world that we have come to?!"

Rory laughed and hugged her mom, savoring the feeling. "I'm sorry. I wasn't sure if you were home or how I needed to go about entering the house."

Lorelai grimaced as they parted. "I guess that's fair. I did kick you out, after all."

Lorelai stepped back and Rory stepped into the house for the first time since the beginning of November. It smelled and looked just like she remembered, albeit, possibly a little cleaner than before. Lorelai noticed her looking around. "Yeah, I'm sure you're noticing that things might look a little cleaner?"

Rory nodded her agreement and Lorelai continued. "Luke has insisted that we downsize. It got so bad that he threatened to completely throw old VHS tapes with Felicity on them out if I didn't agree."

Rory mock gasped. "How could he suggest such sacrilege?!"

"I know! I mean, he doesn't understand the importance of those old VHS's to me. They represent a time in our lives where our only enjoyment came from watching those over and over and over again."

Rory tsked. "Will he ever learn?"

"I doubt it. But, he is trying. Doesn't help me though. I've gotten rid of so many old clothes, unused junk, and a plethora of other things."

Lorelai continued to talk as she and Rory made their way into the living room and sat on the couch. "I mean, yeah, most of that stuff wasn't necessary for my day to day life. But, come on, it was a total crutch for me. It doesn't matter that I hadn't used half of it in years. What matters is that I knew it was there and I could totally use it no matter what."

Rory laughed and agreed with her mom. It was these moments that she had missed the most. While she had grown closer to her grandmother and she and Logan bantered with each other, it was nothing like bantering with her mother. They got each other in a way that no one else could.

"So, kid, what do you say we make our way to Luke's? I we leave now, we should get there by 10."

Rory gasped. "Mom, it's only 8. There's no way it'll take 2 hours for us to walk there."

Lorelai scoffed. "Oh, young Padawan, you doubt the ways of Stars Hollow. You'll have no doubt sparked interest when you drove through town. Then, you forget that Babette and Patty are the two biggest gossips. Between the two of them, everyone in town will know that you're back and will most likely be lurking, waiting for you so they can bombard you. Who cares that you were just here a few weeks ago? You're the town sweetheart and still the editor of the Gazette, which you'll have to tell me how you accomplished working there without coming in. They'll want to see you."