Rory and Lola sat next to each other across their mother at another Friday night dinner, the only difference was that the twins grandfather, Richard Gilmore, was not sitting across from their grandmother on the other side of the table. "So where'd you say Dad was?" Lorelai asked after she swallowed her food.
"Away on business." Emily stated before taking a sip of her wine. "Location's top secret?" Lola asked playfully, sending a wink towards her mother who grinned at her oldest. "Oh, Germany." The twins grandmother stated, Lola cursed in her head, she knew her mother, so she knew the woman couldn't resist a comment like "Germany. Is Dad's firm insuring nazi's now?" Yup, there it was.
"Your father doesn't know any nazi's." Emily scolded seriously, looking at her only child in confusion. "I know, Mom. I was just --" Lorelai tried to explain while her mother gave her a stern look. "What?" Emily asked narrowing her eyes at the mother of two who looked flustered. "Joking. She was joking." Rory jumped in to defend her mother while her sister watched everything with an amused smiled.
"Oh. Hard to tell." Emily said glancing at the twins before taking another sip, Lola laughed softly, shaking her head before taking a sip of her sweet tea, a new staple at the house after realizing how much the older twin drank it at nights instead of coffee.
"Yeah, well." Lorelai shrugged off her mothers comment, an action she was keenly used to. "Oh, I'm afraid I have some bad news. Claudia died." Emily said changing the subject quickly, Lola frowned despite having no clue who Claudia was, anything involving death was upsetting. "Who?" Lorelai asked in confusion, like her daughter she didn't know who that was either. "Claudia. Your cousin Claudia." Emily continued, Lorelai just stared at her mother, still having no clue who she was talking about. "Claudia."
"I'm hearing the name, Mom. I have no idea who that is." Lorelai protested with a soft head shake. "Claudia's your cousin, for all intents and purposes." Emily explained, Lorelai perked up, glancing at the twins. "Oh, now we're getting to it." Lorelai stated sarcastically, although her mother didn't notice.
"She was your father's grandmother's sister's girl. So to you, that would make her --" Both Lorelai and Lola raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Nothing?" Lorelai answered, because there was no other explanation for the relation for them. "Regardless the funeral's on Thursday. I thought we'd all go together." Emily explained, the twins shared a confused look with one another.
"Ooh, whoa. Two problems. Impossible to get away from the inn Thursday. Two, I've never met this woman." Lorelai shot down quickly making her oldest wince. Here was the start of a quick argument that would end just as quickly. "You most certainly have." Emily protested just as quickly, never one to back down from an argument.
"When?" Lorelai questioned, the twins set down their forks watching the two woman like they were watching a ping pong game. "Several times." Emily shot back, Lola began eating again knowing that the two could go at it for a while. "I'll take one." Lorelai offered pleasantly staring at her mother in confusion.
" We went to her house in Groton to see the first moon landing. She'd just gotten a new Philco." Emily explained pointing her glass in her daughters direction. "I have no memory of this whatsoever." Lorelai protested shaking her head at her mother. "Lola, Rory, correct me if I'm wrong, but men have walked on the moon regardless of whether your mother remembers it or not." Emily asked turning to her granddaughters who shared another amused look with each other.
"That's the rumor." The twins nodded at the same tie, Lorelai sent her daughters a fake glare. "I know men have walked on the moon. I just don't know Claudia." The twins mother continued her disapproval. "So you're not going?" Emily asked despite already knowing the answer. "Not this time." Lorelai agreed mildly, just happy for the entire thing to be done.
"I don't think Claudia's planning to die a second time." Emily stated blandly, the twins bit own on their lips to stop from laughing at their grandmothers words. "Mom, I couldn't go if I wanted to." Lorelai stated turning back to her food.
"Fine. Oh wait -- Rudolph Gottfried." Emily said randomly confusing the other three. "Another cousin?" Lola asked tilting her head to the side. "No, a nazi that we knew. I'd forgotten. We stayed with him once in Munich. Nice old man. Interesting stories." The oldest of the four said shocking her family, Rory's jaw even dropped at the information.
"Mom you socialized with a nazi? That's despicable! That's heinous!" Lorelai exclaimed in horror, Lola watched as her grandmother smiled softly at her daughter.
"No, dear, that was a joke."
Rory and Lola couldn't hold in their laughter this time despite the scolding look their mother sent them.
(Fun Fact... this entire scene only took a minute and 40 seconds and this was worth over 800 words. I shocked myself with this information.)
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The twins walked into the kitchen, Lola from her room upstairs and Rory from her room next to the kitchen, Lorelai was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee listening to loud music that was coming from Rory's room. "Hey. I have an idea for a new reality show. How about everyone just looks out their freakin' kitchen window for a change?" Lorelai snapped once she noticed her daughters. Lola blinked rapidly at her mothers tone.
"Ooh. She's cranky this morning." Lola muttered under her breath heading to get a cup of coffee before they left for school. "Let's just say the world has a formidable opponent." Lorelai grumbled to her oldest as Rory glanced around, her eyebrows furrowed. "Wait -- shouldn't you be baking?" Rory questioned, pointing at their mother, an apple in her hand, making her twin freeze. "That's a scary thought." Lola mumbled under her breath.
Sookie and Lola did the baking for the family, they rarely let Rory and Lorelai do anything except hand them ingredients. "I don't know. Shouldn't you be knitting?" The mother two shot back quickly, Lola smiled softly, she wouldn't trade her family for anything.
"Mom! The Chilton bake sale is today!" Rory exclaimed, Lola turned to her mother narrowing her eyes. "I know. I got it covered." Lorelai promised her youngest. "They expect the things to be homemade." Lola offered, moving to stand beside her twin, actually concerned now. "I know." The oldest of the three agreed calmly, giving her daughters a look.
"By someone other than Dolly Madison." Rory continued on in frustration. "I said I have it covered." Lorelai defended herself from the twins disbelieving looks as she stood up. " All of the parents pitch in so this is really really important. You know that, right?" The oldest twin explained softly running a hand through her hair, she did not want to cause her mother anymore stress.
"No, I didn't know that. In that case I don't have it covered. I have it covered! Get your stuff and hit the stereo -- we're late." Lorelai ordered moving to fill up her travel mug, Lola chugged the rest of her coffee placing the mug in the sink and giving it a quick rinse. "It's not me." Rory said softly moving past her mother to open her bedroom door. The three Gilmore's watched as Lane danced to the blaring music, Lola giggled at her best friend.
"Where does your mother think you are?" Lorelai asked over the music making the Korean girl stop dancing and turn off the music. "Oh, on a park bench contemplating the reunification of the two Koreas." Lane explained calmly, Lola giggled once again, leaning on her twin who sent her a soft smile.
"Not here, skanking to Rancid?" Lorelai questioned raising an eyebrow at the girl who shook her head quickly. "Wouldn't be included." Lane denied her hands on her hips, Lorelai gave the three a sarcastic smile. "School!"
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Lola closed her locker jumping as she saw Tristan standing there. "Make a noise." The brunette hissed making the boy smile softly at the startled girl. "So did your mom make anything for the bake sale?" The blonde asked taking Lola's backpack and throwing it over his shoulder to carry it for her.
"My mom who could burn water? No, but Sookie defiantly did." Lola asked blushing softly at Tristan's confused head tilt. "Who's Sookie?" Tristan asked, Lola grinned grabbing his hand and dragging him behind her.
Looking around the courtyard, Lola squealed seeing the familiar woman. "Sookie!" Lola called continuing to pull the taller male behind her. "Lola!" The woman called out pulling her into a hug. "I knew mom would have you do this... Why do I smell smoke?" Lola pulled back narrowing her blue eyes at the woman. "Never mind that. Who is this?" Sookie said looking up at the teen.
"Tristan DuGray ma'am." Tristan introduced himself nervously holding out a hand. "I'm Sookie. I work with the twins mom." The cook greets shaking Tristan's hand. "Hey babe." Lorelai greeted walking over to her oldest and giving her a side hug. "Mom meet Tristan, Tristan meet my mom." Lola said nervously, sending a stern look to her mother.
"Call me Lorelai." The woman said softly making the man blink rapidly. "You're Lorelai?" Tristan asked making the mother and daughter smile in amusement. "Yes I am." The mother of two nodded watching as the information processed in his head. "But so are Lola and Rory." The blonde mumbled to himself in confusion.
"I'm going to take him to get something to drink before his head explodes." Lola said playfully snatching two cookies off of the table before dragging Tristan away. "They're adorable." Sookie cooed watching as the shorter girl guide the blonde to a bench where she shoved a cookie into his hands and scurrying off to find something to drink.
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Lola, Rory, and Lane were walking down the street together, the twins still in their uniforms. "Philadelphia." Lane said quickly in response to the question that Lola had asked. "Philadelphia? If you could live in any city in the world you'd pick Philadelphia?" Lola questioned the twins mutual best friend in disbelief.
"M. Night Shymalan lives there." Lane defended herself making the twins share a confused look over her head. "Who?" Rory asked looking at the shorter girl. "The guy who directed 'The Sixth Sense.'" Lane told the twins, Lola nodded but was still confused as she reached up to fiddle with her necklace from Tristan. "But what would you do there?" Lola asked, wrapping an arm around Lane, leaning on her a little making the girl laugh softly.
"Hang out with M. Night Shymalan." Lane said firmly, Lola looked down at the girl in disbelief before laughing out loud, throwing her head back in pure joy, missing the soft looks both Rory and Lane sent her. Lola was normally a stern protective girl, but since Chilton and meeting Tristan, she's loosened up, even laughing freely and happily in public. "OK, cross 'guidance counselor' off your list of potential career choices." Rory ordered their best friend who nodded in false seriousness.
The three stopped as they noticed Babette and Morey walking down the street with Cinnamon in his stroller. " Lie still, baby doll, we're almost home." Babette softly ordered the cat as they approached the trio. " Hey Babette." Rory greeted the older couple while Lola crouched down, softly running her hand over the cats head as the couple continued walking, the older twin frowned in concern.
"Hey kids." Babette greeted quickly while the older Gilmore twin stood back up. Cinnamon let out a loud meow that didn't sound right. "Wow, that sounds bad." Lola commented moving to stand next to her twin, smoothing out her skirt. "Cinnamon's dyspeptic. So's Morey. Too many clams." The blonde woman explained, looking between the girls and the cat. "Bad clams." Morey stated calmly, but Lola could see the concern on his stoic face.
"This doesn't reflect well on Al's establishment." Babette commented making Lola's eyebrows furrow as she frowned at the woman. "You had clams at Al's?" Lane questioned the couple. "Al's Pancake World?" The twins asked at the same time in confusion, that sounded like a terrible idea from the start. "Yeah, well we had a coupon." Babette defended herself making the three hum as the couple finally left the trio of teens who continued to walk down the street.
Lane and Lola separated from Rory who headed towards Doosey's. "She's so going to see the boy." Lola teased playfully making them both laugh. Linking arms as they continued walking the street talking about whatever came to mind.
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Lola sat beside Morey on the small couch, her hand resting on his arm as they both stared down at the white sheet laying on the ground, covering Cinnamon's body. "Babette? Honey?" Lorelai called out, entering the house, followed by the younger twin who had been sent to get their mother. "Oh, Lorelai. Come in, come in. She's gone. Cinnamon's gone." Babette said sadly as Rory joined he twin in their attempt to comfort Morey. "I'm so sorry." Lorelai offered laying a hand on the shorter's shoulder.
"Is there anything we can do for you, Morey?" Lola asked, feeling helpless on how to help one of her favorite couples. "This is life, Twins, it breaks your heart." Morey said sadly, never looking away from the sheet. Lola and Rory shared a sad look, not sure what they could do for the two. Cinnamon was their baby, treating the cat how a mother would treat their children.
"She looked like she was sleeping. I thought she was asleep so I nudged her and she didn't wake. I gave her a push and she rolled off the couch and since I waxed the floor she went sh**t' across the room and then she knocked over the lamp and she still didn't move. I knew it was over. Oh, God, my baby." Babette explained, Lola bit down on her lip, looking away from the blonde.
"Tell me it wasn't the --" Morey started only to be cut off by his wife. "Oh, Morey, don't do this to yourself. He thinks it was the clams." Babette explained to the Gilmore's and vet who was still standing in the room. "She saw me eating them and she gave me that 'hey, man, what's up?' look and --" Morey continued on with his explanation, the vet gave the group a confused look.
"It wasn't the clams. Morey, in human years this cat was 260 years old." The vet explained softly, not wanting the man to blame himself. "That's a good, long life." Lola reassured the man, running her hand over his arm. "Listen, why don't you let me take her out to the van and then I'll get out of your way." The vet continued softly looking between the heartbroken couple. "Oh, no, stay. All of you, please stay. Cinnamon would want you here." Babette protested softly, glancing down at the sheet once again.
"We'll stay as long as you want." Rory promised, her twin and mother nodding their agreement. "I'll never eat clams again." Morey moaned sadly, the twins shared a sad look with one another. "Us either." Lola promised motioning between the two of them, the man gave the twins a soft look as Rory patted the mans arm.
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"God that was painful to watch." Lola teased playfully joining her twin on Babette's porch, laughing softly when Rory whacked her stomach before furrowing her eyebrows when she sees a familiar man on their porch. "Mom!" Lola called out getting the woman's attention so she would join her daughters on the porch. "Is that..." Rory trailed off as the woman joined the twins with a frown.
"Oh no." Lorelai groaned under her breath following her daughter's gaze towards the man. "That's Mr. Medina." Rory pointed out, Lola glanced at her mother then her teacher repeatedly. "Tonight's Thursday!" Lorelai moaned in despair looking at the male standing on their porch. "Well, are we in trouble? Did the school call or something?" Lola questioned although she had a feeling the man wasn't at their house for business, at least not school business.
"No, no you're great. Both of you. I -- um -- let me just come back in just one second." Lorelai protested, trying to calm her daughters and avoid the conversation she knew was coming. She began to walk away only for Rory to grab her arm and pull her back. "Wait -- what's going on?" Rory asked in confusion looking at their mother.
"Let me tell you in a minute." Lorelai pleaded with her youngest daughter. "Tell us now." Rory insisted staring at their mother confused. "Max is here --"
"Max?" Lola cut her mother off in her shock, she had her suspicions but she didn't think they were real. "Max is here to pick me up." Lorelai continued as if her oldest hadn't spoken at all. "Pick you up for -- oh." Rory said in shock pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm gonna go talk to him real quick and I'm gonna be right back." Lorelai promises squeezing her daughters arms before heading to their house.
"You okay?" Lola asked her twin after seeing her face fall while looking at their mother and teacher. Rory remained silent but nodded hesitatingly.