Before Rory: A Gilmore Girls Prequel

Chapter 17

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Wednesday, May 23, 1990

Lorelai sat at the small table in her makeshift kitchen, working on the banner for the baby shower. The door to the apartment stood open, both to allow fresh air into the small dwelling and to listen for Rory, who was playing outside.

As she made and cut letters and shapes for the banner, Lorelai took a deep breath and smiled. She was proud of the way the banner was turning out and knew that Mia would be pleased. The simple letters spelling "Sweet Baby Girl" were adorned from beautifully hand-decorated paper, then adhered to burlap and strung together with twine. The other décor she had chosen for the shower copied these designs.

Rory's laughs floated on the breeze and into the room, causing Lorelai to chuckle quietly. When the laughter didn't stop, she slid her chair back and moved through the doorway to find what had her little girl in stitches.

Lorelai found Rory laying in the grass, petting a rabbit who was eating leaves from a small head of cabbage. Glancing around, she spotted footprints in the garden that Sookie planted in late April after the final frost had come and gone.

"Rory, why did you get into the garden? Sookie is going to kick your behind."

"The rabbit was hungry. I could tell he didn't like grass, so I wanted to give him something better to eat."

Smiling, Lorelai put a hand on her hip. "So, you chose a head of cabbage that wasn't even fully grown? You couldn't pick something delicious, like chocolate or garlic bread?"

Rory giggled. "Mom, rabbits can't eat chocolate or garlic bread. They eat vegetables, like carrots. I couldn't find any so I picked cabbage."

Footsteps alerted the arrival of someone. Rory turned and grinned into the face of Mia. "Look, Mia! I have a rabbit!"

"I see that. I also see that Sookie's cabbage somehow made its way out of the garden and into his belly." A mock stern look filled the inn owner's face. "Sookie is going to kick your behind if she finds you in your garden."

Giggling again, Rory glanced at Lorelai. "Mom said the same thing."

Mia smiled. "Great minds think alike." She stood for a moment longer, eyes lingering on Rory, before turning them to Lorelai. "I was just popping by before I left to see if you've made progress on the banner."

Nodding, Lorelai gestured to the door. "I have. It's in here if you want to see it."

The two moved back into the potter's shed, where Lorelai pointed to the banner she'd crafted. "Oh honey, it's divine! Lyla is going to love it. I'll bet she will probably put it in the baby's room after the shower. You're doing such a great job."

Beaming under the praise, Lorelai fought back a smile. "Thank you, Mia."

"I don't just mean with the decorations. I also mean with Rory. She is such a smart child and to see how you love her and foster her abilities astounds me. Especially after the way you've described your own childhood."

A frown touched Lorelai's lips. "My parents set a great example of what not to do."

"I am very proud of all you have done. You may look around and think you don't have a lot. But you do in the ways that matter."

On her way out to the door, Mia reached out and rubbed Lorelai's arm but said nothing else.

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Flashback: Sunday, November 26, 1972

Lorelai stood in her bedroom, dressed in pajamas, her body plastered to the wall. Her eyes were locked on a cage that sat atop a small table with a bunny inside, whom she promptly named Murray. She jumped as he moved toward his water dispenser.