Thursday, May 24, 1984
Lorelai opened the front door to the Gilmore house, exhausted from the day.
Ring, ring.
She could hear the newest maid answer the call. A moment later, she appeared in the entryway, stopping Lorelai from heading upstairs. "Miss Gilmore, you have a phone call."
"Thank you, Samantha."
Lorelai walked to the kitchen and picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey Lor, it's me."
"Chris!"
"How are things at school?"
Sighing, Lorelai leaned against the counter. "Just as you'd expect. Destiny is having a field day with my pregnancy. Although I was quick to remind her that you were willing to sleep with me and she had yet to score with as hot a guy as you."
Christopher chuckled. "Nicely played."
"So what school did you end up in?"
"I'm being sent to Groton. My first day is Monday."
"Groton? That's almost two hours away!"
"Yeah. Seems my parents want to put distance between us."
"I'd say." Silence filled the line. "When will I see you again?"
"I don't know, Lor. My parents have the maid packing my belongings as we speak. I think they plan to drive up tomorrow so I have the weekend to get familiar with the campus."
"Chris?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm going to miss you."
"Yeah, me too. But I'll call as often as I can. I want to know how the baby is doing."
"Make sure you do. I don't want to lose touch with you."
"You won't. You're forever stuck with me, Lor."
°°°°°°
Tuesday, September 4, 1984
The summer months went quickly, with Lorelai keeping to herself. Her parents decided it would be best to not send her to school for her junior year, since she was seven months pregnant when classes resumed. Instead, they hired a tutor to come in Monday through Friday for a couple hours in the morning to help keep her in line with her studies.
Christopher kept his word and called Lorelai often. The problem was, though, that the calls didn't feel the same as time went on, especially once the new school year started. It was obvious that Christopher was building a life at Groton and making friends, leading him to disconnect from Lorelai and the baby.
That was fine. Lorelai had a feeling that very thing would happen so she had slowly begun erecting a wall to protect her heart. She decided she would be a single mother and would raise the baby on her own.
She didn't need Christopher.
°°°°°°
That afternoon, Christopher called.
"How are things?" he asked.
"Fine."
"That's good."
"How's Groton?"
"It's okay. I've adapted. I have friends. I'm trying to redeem myself to my parents for the mistakes I've made."
Lorelai felt as though she'd been slapped. "Wow. Pretty bold statement, don't you think?"
"What?"
"You're trying to redeem yourself after all of your mistakes. Meaning me and the baby. We're your biggest mistakes."
"No, Lor, that's not what I said or meant. Stop putting words in my mouth."
"It's fine, Chris. Once I told you I was pregnant, I could tell things changed between us."
"Of course things changed! We were having a baby at sixteen!"
"Your parents never liked me. And their feelings toward me got even colder once news of the baby came out."
"Yeah, as if your parents love me right now, Lor."
"They're a heck of a lot more accepting of you than your parents are of me."
"Are you actually defending your parents?"
"So what if I am, Chris? All things considered, my parents have been great these last few months."
Christopher audibly blew a deep breath out. "Wow. I never thought I'd see the day you went to bat for your parents. The same parents you said were oppressive and manipulative."
"That may be true and they aren't jumping for joy but they've accepted the fact that I'm having a baby. Where have your parents been, Chris? When was the last time they stopped by to check on me or ask if they can help buy things for the baby?"
"Did you really expect them to?"
"No, I didn't. And that's what makes it even sadder. They'll probably never care about our daughter at all."
"They don't care about their son—what made you think they'd care about the child he fathered at sixteen?"
Lorelai balled her fist. "I had hoped they'd decide to be adults and do right by this child since they clearly failed their son."
"Oh, failed their son or failed with their son? I can read between the lines, too, Lor."
"You're going to play the martyr now?"
"Why not? You are!"
"You know what, Chris? You go back to your life at Groton. You graduate and go to Europe just as you planned. I'll stay here and raise your daughter."
Lorelai moved the phone away from her ear to hang up, then decided to add something else.
"Don't forget we exist, Christopher."
°°°°°°
Saturday, September 8, 1984
As the baby's arrival neared, Lorelai found herself imagining the life she wanted to provide for her child, wanting nothing more than to move away where she could work and raise her daughter without the confines of the Gilmore's world.
She wasn't naïve enough to think that she would be able to provide this life right away. No, Lorelai knew she would have to stay with her parents for a while as she plotted her ultimate getaway. She just wasn't sure where to begin.
Late one Sunday morning, Emily knocked on Lorelai's door.
"Come in." Lorelai was laying on her bed, putting a new tape into her Walkman.
"Lorelai, I left today's paper on the dining room table. There are ads for a couple local baby stores that I'd like you to look through and pick the things you want. You're due in about four weeks and I want to have time to hire workmen to put everything together."
"Okay, Mom. I'll be down in a few minutes."
Emily cast a glance at Lorelai, noting her stomach had grown substantially in recent weeks. "My, you're really getting big, aren't you?"
"Thanks for that, Mom. I love being called fat."
"I said no such thing. You're pregnant, Lorelai. Getting big is part of the territory."
Lorelai faked surprise. "I'm pregnant? That must be why I have swollen ankles."
"There is no need to be rude. I merely meant that the baby will be here soon."
"I'm well aware." Lorelai struggled to get to a standing position and began moving toward the bedroom door. "I'll go look at those ads now."
A half hour later, Lorelai had perused all of the flyers Emily wanted her to see. She circled the items she liked best. After showing her mother, she sat back down at the table, not ready to walk back upstairs.
Bored, she picked up the newspaper and absently flipped through the pages. None of the articles held her attention for more than a couple sentences. She glanced through the ads people placed for yard sales or personals. Her eyes fell on the help wanted section and she found herself reading the various listings.
One particular ad jumped out at her. "Seeking entry-level maid for established Stars Hollow inn. Experience not necessary, will train right person. Applications available at the Independence Inn. Contact Mia Bass with questions."
Lorelai felt her heart skip a beat.
Stars Hollow was about a half hour from Hartford. She had heard of it but knew very little about the town. It was close enough to escape to but far enough away that she didn't think her parents would come after her. They may try to get her to come back at first but Lorelai had a feeling it wouldn't take long for them to see that, one she was gone, she wasn't coming back.
Plans began to take root in Lorelai's mind.
°°°°°°
Sunday, September 9, 1984
At dinner the next evening, Lorelai was lost in her thoughts when she realized Emily was trying to get her attention.
"I'm sorry, Mom. My mind was elsewhere."
"I see that. I was asking if you'd talked to Christopher lately."
Lorelai finished a bite of roast chicken before answering. "I talked to him last week. Why?"
"Your father received an interesting phone call from Straub this afternoon. It seems that Christopher got kicked out of Groton on Wednesday for punching another student. They're having to move him to St. Sebastian's."
"I bet this time it wasn't about me."
Emily smirked. "Well you'd be wrong. That's why Straub called. Apparently, Christopher was so upset after your call that he lashed out at his roommate."
"But how is that my fault? And why are you smirking?"
"Straub said you told Christopher that you're going to raise his daughter on your own."
Lorelai was still confused. "I didn't exactly say it like that but, yes, that was the implication. But that still doesn't explain why you're smirking."
"I'm smirking, as you say, because your father stood up to Straub. He said that, up until that very phone call, neither he nor Francine even bothered to check in on how their grandchild was doing. That we had decided against a baby shower to save embarrassment for their family so that meant all of the baby-related expenses had fallen to us to cover. He told Straub that, while we understood the stigma of a teenage pregnancy was following you around like a sore thumb, their son had a hand in the creation of this child, as well, and that we were greatly disappointed in how they've chosen to cut off all contact with us until they felt you had wronged them again." Emily picked up her wine glass and took a drink, clearly more for dramatic effect than thirst.
Lorelai laughed. "I see the reason for the smirk now." She hesitated for the briefest of moments, then turned to her father. "Dad, thank you for defending me."
Richard harumphed. "Lorelai, this is hardly something to thank me for. Had you not gotten pregnant, we wouldn't be in this situation to begin with."
"Richard!" Emily chided.
"Well, Emily, it's true. None of this would even be an issue right now had Lorelai not gotten pregnant." Richard stood, buttoning his suit coat as he did. "I'm sorry. This whole thing is distasteful. My having to defend my pregnant sixteen-year-old's honor to the parents of the boy who impregnated her." He shook his head. "Please excuse me. I'm no longer hungry."
Lorelai sat silently with her head bowed.
Several moments passed before Emily spoke. "Lorelai, you have to know how hard this is for your father and me. Please don't hold his words against him."
Eyes narrowed, Lorelai looked at her mother. "'Don't hold his words against him'? Really, Mom? You're going to defend what he said? Don't you think I know how hard this is? Don't you think I understand how my actions have affected you and Dad? Trust me, I know. The last month of my sophomore year was filled with snide comments from fellow students who made it clear that their parents now looked down on the Gilmore's because their only child had done something scandalous by getting pregnant." Pausing for a breath, Lorelai went on. "I know what I did was wrong. I know that my choices have caused damage to your precious reputation. But none of it was done on purpose. I never intended to get pregnant at this young of an age, Mom. As I've been told over and over these last seven months, it's all a mistake." She spat the last words as she abruptly stood and moved to the staircase.
"Oh, Lorelai, don't be a victim."
Lorelai turned back toward her mother as she climbed the first step. "Why not, Mom? After all, you've set such a great example for me."
With that, Lorelai went to her bedroom and climbed onto her bed, waiting for the tears to come. But they didn't.
The scene at dinner only cemented in her mind the need to get out of this house.
°°°°°°
Friday, September 14, 1984
None of the Gilmore's addressed the elephant in the room in the days after the blow up at dinner. All seemed to think better of the spiteful words that were spoken in anger and try to move on without having to admit what they said was wrong.
Lorelai figured this was the best course of action, though, because she still needed her parents to help with the baby. The coming weeks would be a flurry of activity as the workmen would be by the following day to assemble the furniture. Emily had planned another shopping trip with Lorelai for that afternoon to purchase the other necessities, such as clothing and a car seat.
As she sat on her bed, she began looking around. The walls seemed to grow closer every day. No matter how hard it would be, Lorelai was as good as out once she could put her plans into action.
By Rory's first birthday, she was determined to be out from under her parents' roof.
°°°°°°
"Oh Lorelai, look at this!" Emily held up a floral print dress in one of Hartford's high-end department stores. "We have to get this for the baby," she said as she placed it in the basket.
Wrinkling her nose, Lorelai reached for the dress. "I suppose the baby can start her list of my transgressions right away."
Emily shook her head and she blew out a deep breath. "Fine, Lorelai, we don't have to get it." She placed the dress back on the rack. "So, I was wondering—have you thought of any baby names yet?"
"I have. But nothing sounds right yet."
"What names have you considered?"
"Susanna. Annette. Vicki. Debbie. Ya know, the Bangles."
"Oh please. You're not naming your child after a woman in a band, Lorelai."
"Why not? I can name her anything I want."
"Have you asked Christopher for any input?" Emily asked quietly.
"No."
"Do you plan to ask—"
Determined, Lorelai shook her head. "No."
"Why not?"
"If he doesn't want to be a part of the baby's life, he isn't getting a vote in what her name should be."
Weighing Lorelai's words, Emily nodded. "Makes sense to me."
Taken aback, Lorelai reached out and felt Emily's forehead.
"What are you doing?" Emily demanded.
"Checking to see if you're running a fever."
Emily cocked her head to the side. "Funny. Is it that unusual that I agree with you?"
Lorelai thought for a moment. "Yes, Mom, it is."
Rolling her eyes, Emily moved on to another rack of baby clothes. "What about this sleeper? It would keep the baby warm."
"Sure, that's cute." She watched her mother put the sleeper in the basket with the many other selections.
Enough clothing was bought to last through the baby's first year. After checking out, Emily took Lorelai to another store to find a car seat and stroller. At the end of the day, they were both tired but happy.
Lorelai couldn't help but feel guilty at all her mother was doing when she was planning her big exit. Logically, she knew she couldn't provide all the baby's needs right away so it made sense to let things continue as they have been. Once she was on her own, though, it would be a struggle to meet Rory's needs.