Richard did give Elsie a snow globe from his trip to Germany and then Emily had Elsie put post-it notes on things she wanted that they'll give her in their wills. It gave Elsie a brief moment of fear with the idea that her grandparents dying, but she went around putting post-it notes on things that she wanted.

Richard even gave her a smile as she put a post-it note on his desk, "It is a fine Georgian piece."

Elsie imagined having the desk in a Victorian styled house. She always wanted a Victoria house, even a Queen Anne house as well. She liked the architecture style and the way it seemed to have character. It stood out unlike the plain homes that started to look the same. She just had dreams of living in a Victorian home with a dog and maybe a cat.

Pepper asked, "What's going on for your sixteen birthday?"

"My grandmother is having a party at the house," Elsie said. "Skye's going to have an after-party at her home."

Pepper nodded, "Are you going to get the Womb-Sharer a present?"

"No," Elsie replied. "She and the Birth-Giver never sent me a present for my birthday, so why should I give her a present?"

"Just to be the bigger person," Pepper replied. "To show that you're nicer than the bitch who yelled at you in front of your whole class."

Elsie bit her bottom lip before saying, "I'll think about it." She didn't want to, just to be petty. She knew that Rory and Lorelai haven't gotten her a birthday present, so why should she buy Rory a present?

She knew that Christopher's gift will be coming the day before so she can open it when he called her in the middle of the night to read the Eloise books to her. He wanted to hear her reaction because he couldn't see it, so hearing it was the closest thing that he'll get to witnessing. 

After school, Eloise looked around shops for a present for Rory because she might as well buy the Womb-Sharer a present for their birthday to show that she was the 'bigger person' as Pepper said.

She looked around, trying to figure out what it was that Rory even liked. All Elsie knew was that Rory read books, which was fine, but the problem was trying to figure out what books that Rory hadn't read yet. So, she decided to forgo the whole book idea and went for something cheap instead, something she wouldn't be too offended over if Rory threw it away.

So, Elsie got Rory a silver dangly bracelet.

On Friday night, Richard was busy with work, so he couldn't come down and eat 'til the matter got settled. So it was just Rory, Lorelai, and Emily at the dinner table.

"Tomorrow our lawyer, Joseph Stanford, is coming by," Emily said.

Lorelai groaned, "Crazy Sissy's dad."

"That's terrible," Emily stated. "Sissy was a good friend of yours."

Elsie eyed Lorelai at that. Sure, Elsie had some friendships that ended badly, but she would never say a bad word about them.

"Mom, Sissy talked to her stuffed animals and they answered her," Lorelai replied.

"Just a vivid imagination," Elsie stated.

"Let's just start a new topic," Rory cut in.

"Not possible!" exclaimed Emily.

"She said a new topic, Mom," Lorelai stated.

"Everything's a joke," Emily said. "Everyone's a punch line."

"Okay, I'm sorry," Lorelai replied.

"My daughter – Henny Youngman," Emily said.

Richard walked in, "Sorry for that; a little trouble with our China office." He stopped and kissed the top of Elsie's head, before continuing over to his spot at the table. "Well, what did I miss?"

"I was being impossible and then I turned into a Jewish comedian," Lorelai told him.

"Ah, well, continue," Richard replied, taking his glasses off.

"Thank you," Emily said. "Where was I?"

"Joseph Stanford is coming over tomorrow," Elsie told her.

"Yes, thank you," Emily said. "So, Rory, your grandfather and I thought it might be nice after dinner for you to go around the house and pick out what you'd like us to leave you in our wills. Elsie already picked out what she wanted."

Lorelai rolled her eyes slightly at the mention of their favorite grandchild.

"Elsie took a look at the desk in my office," Richard said.

"It was a really fine looking Georgian piece," Elsie stated. "How can I resist?"

Lorelai asked, "Why don't I ever bring a tape recorder to these dinners?"

"Oh, well, anything you want to leave me is fine," Rory replied.

"Nonsense," Emily said. "You should have what you like. So look around when you see something you like, stick a post-it on it."

"Okay, you two have officially hit a new level of weird that even I marvel at," Lorelai stated.

"You can pick out things too, you know," Emily told her.

"Oh, well, now its way less creepy," Lorelai said.

Yeah, because she's getting things.

"Did you hear that, Richard? Apparently we're creepy," Emily stated.

"Yes, well, live and learn," Richard stated.

Suzie came in with a tray with pudding and passed them out.

Rory said, "Oh, cool!"

"What's that?" asked Lorelai.

"It's dessert," Emily replied.

"It's pudding," Lorelai said.

Emily asked, "Well, if you knew what it was, why did you ask?"

"You don't like pudding," Lorelai countered.

"Yes, but you like pudding," Emily replied.

"Oh, I love pudding," Lorelai stated. "I worship it. I have a bowl up on the mantel at home with the Virgin Mary, a glass of wine, and a dollar bill next to it."

Once again, Elsie didn't understand her mother's humor.

"I've never had a pudding from a crystal bowl before," Rory replied.

Emily asked, "You like the bowl?"

Rory nodded.

"You should put a post-it note on it when you get done eating," Elsie told her.

Emily nodded in agreement.

At midnight on the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Elsie sat on the couch with her Eloise books and Christopher's birthday present that Emily had given her to open when he called. On a coaster, she had a mug of hot chocolate to drink while she waited. She was bundled up in a light blue fleece blanket.

The phone rang and Elsie answered it.

"Gilmore residence, Elsie is speaking," Elsie stated.

"Happy sixteenth birthday, Elsie."

It was Christopher.

"Thanks, Dad," Elsie replied.

Christopher asked, "Do you have the books?"

"Yeah, I even have your present next to me," Elsie said. "I just need to open it."

"I'll wait," Christopher stated.

Elsie set the phone aside and took out a box cutter to open the box. Once the box got opened, she squealed in delight when she found a Fabergé egg with a stand.

"It's beautiful," Elsie said.

"It'll be more beautiful if you open the egg," Christopher stated.

Elsie was confused and nestled the phone between her ear and shoulder, as she tugged on the egg. To her surprise, the egg opened and she took out a small version of the decorative egg that was on a gold chain. She was going to wear it in the morning with her Chilton uniform, since it would match the blazer.

She gasped because it was pretty. "Dad, they're beautiful."

"Look through the box some more," Christopher told her.

Elsie looked through the box and found a similar egg necklace, but it was light blue. She smiled, thinking it would go good with her birthday dress. "They're so beautiful, Dad."

"I know," Christopher responded. "I saw them and thought of you. I wasn't sure which one to get, so I got them both. Did you open it too?"

Elsie looked at the necklace and opened it. There was a heart right in the middle of it, with a diamond on one side.

Elsie asked, "Why a heart?"

"That's because you already own my heart," Christopher said. "You can carry it with you since I'm not there."

"You big sap," Elsie said.

"I'm only a sap for you, Elsie," Christopher joked.

Once Elsie set aside her gifts, she picked up a book, "Okay, I'm ready to read along."

Elsie proudly showed off her necklace to her friends before school. She had made herself coffee to get through the day. She liked Suzie's coffee, but it wasn't strong enough in Elsie's opinion. She needed her 'death wish' coffee. Emily had given her a beaded bracelet that simply said Sweet 16 on it.

"It looks nice on you," Cassian said to her.

"Thanks," Elsie said. She remembered Maria's words about Anthony telling Cassian to ask some girl out. Sure, the other girls thought that Cassian was going to ask Elsie out, but she couldn't be sure if there was another girl that he had his eye on, so she tried not to get to hurt over the idea that Cassian liked someone else. She had to be happy for her friend if he got a girlfriend. Elsie figured that the girl Cassian liked must've been beautiful.

"So, I'm going to your place for the after-party," Elsie told Skye.

"I can't stay out to late," Pepper said. "Poppy has a concert thing that I have to go to." Poppy was in orchestra and played the clarinet.

She spotted Rory who was looking disgruntled. There had been an invite that Emily sent out for them. She remembered what it said:

On the morning of October eighth, at four-o-three and four-twenty in the morning, Emily and Richard Gilmore were blessed with perfect baby twin granddaughters Lorelai Leigh and Eloise Christina.

The rest she didn't care about because it would've been the same since seventh grade.

Elsie was still sore about Rory embarrassing her in front of her class. Sure she could let it go, but it still stung, especially knowing that Rory had confirmed that her mother picked Rory over Elsie. Like Elsie never crossed Lorelai's mind, like she was an afterthought. Considering that not even Sookie knew Lorelai had another daughter, which said a lot about what Lorelai thought of Elsie.

The bell rang and Elsie headed for Mr. Medina's classroom. Rory was there at the door.

Elsie took the small jewelry box out of her bag and held it out towards Rory, "Here, happy birthday."

Elsie was sure that was the first thing she had said to Rory in a few weeks.

Rory took the box and looked at her, "Thanks?"

"Happy birthday, Elsie," Dugray said to the girl. He used a really strange flirtatious tone.

Elsie replied, "Thanks?"

Rory rolled her eyes and went in the classroom while Cassian gave Dugray a narrowed-eye look. Dugray made a face and went back in the classroom.

Emily asked, "What about pearls?"

Lorelai repeated, "Pearls?"

"A double string of pearls with a cashmere sweater set," Emily said. "I got Elsie that two years and she loved it."

Lorelai said, "Mom, Rory's a young girl. Think of something young."

Emily thought about what she got Elsie and asked, "A Mont Blanc pen?"

Lorelai said, "To put on her desk at the law firm?"

"She needs to write and Elsie uses her Mont Blanc pens at school," Emily replied.

"Well, not with a two hundred dollar pen, she doesn't," Lorelai replied. "Oh, hey look. These day planners are adorable. You could get her one of those funky erasers with a mermaid on it. She'll love that."

Emily didn't see why Rory would love a mermaid eraser. Unless this was one of her jokes, "Please be serious. We're shopping for Rory and Elsie."

"No, Mom, I'm shopping for Rory. You're shopping for your granddaughter, Eloise, who's apparently Barbara Hutton," Lorelai stated.

Emily said, "Well, okay, but what are you going to get Elsie? I already got Elsie her present and I want to get Rory something as nice as what I got her."

"I know you want to get Rory something nice, but you're not listening to me," Lorelai countered.

"You wanted me to get Rory a Filofax and a mermaid eraser," Emily said. "And you haven't even considered getting your other daughter a present either, even though Elsie told me that she got Rory a present."

"I gave you one suggestion," Lorelai replied.

"Oh, yes, and there was a t-shirt with a Farrah Fawcett Face," Emily replied.

"A hero too many who aspire to the perfect feather fluff," Lorelai said.

Skye, Vivian, and Pepper swung around at five-thirty after Elsie showered, so she can go get a mani pedi and to get her hair done, while Emily got the house ready.

"I heard that Ms. Rossi and Mr. Dumont are dating," Skye said. She was getting her blue locks touched up while Elsie got her hair put in ringlets.

Vivian asked, "Isn't Ms. Rossi dating someone?"

"Maybe," Pepper replied. "I saw his car in her driveway."

"I thought he was dating someone too," Skye said.

"They're dating each other, but they're not dating other people," Elsie stated. "Maria told me that at my grandmother's tea party last week. I also heard that Kelsey's parents sold their summer home and their lake house because the company was failing."

Pepper grimaced, "Oof."

Skye asked, "Have you heard the rumors that went down at Kelsey's lake house?"

Elsie asked, "What rumors?"

Skye started, "That the neighbors were swingers and since they had alcohol, the parties that Kelsey hosted had moved on to the swingers' house because they had alcohol and well, one thing led to another..."

Elsie gasped at that.

"Ew," Vivian stated, disgusted. "That's gross. Aren't there adults at those swinger parties and they saw nothing wrong messing around with a bunch of seventeen-year-olds?"

"I know," Skye replied with a shudder.

"Some people just have no morals," Elsie said with a shake of her head.

"Please don't shake your head, dear," the hairdresser told Elsie.

"Oh, sorry," Elsie replied.

After that was done, Vivian and Skye got their dresses, make up, and Elsie's birthday presents, before going upstairs to Elsie's room to get ready there.

Skye asked, "Are you nervous?"

Elsie asked, "For what?"

"The Womb-Sharer being here," Skye said. "You're sharing your party with her for once."

"I wouldn't exactly call it a party," Elsie said, getting dressed in her bathroom. "The real one is going to be at Skye's and she's not going because she's a goody-two-shoes. I doubt that she misses her curfew by one minute."

She emerged from the bathroom, wearing her party dress.

She applied eye liner, lip gloss, and some eye shadow, before putting on her light blue Fabergé egg necklace. Pepper sprayed Elsie with some vanilla scented body spray and smiled at her.

After strapping her Mary-Jane shoes on, she heard the doorbell ring. It was go-time.

They went downstairs where Emily and Richard were.

"You look wonderful, girls," Emily said to the teens.

"You do too, Grandmother," Elsie replied. Vivian, Skye, and Pepper said their thanks as they went around Richard's business associates as they headed for the library.

A few handed Elsie some envelopes with cash in them, wishing her a happy birthday.

"I'm only here for you," Paris said, coming up to her. "You know that, right?"

"Thanks," Elsie replied.

Paris asked, "Do you think Rory's going to have another tantrum?"

"I give her ten minutes before having another one," Elsie replied. "How long do you have before taking off since your Social Event Quota has been filled?"

"About one hour," Paris replied.

"If you leave before that, I won't hold it against you," Elsie stated. She knew that Paris's parents were big on her going to social events for a certain amount of time before she can go home. In a way, Elsie didn't blame her for high-tailing it after an hour or thirty minutes. Sometimes social events can be boring as hell.

"Thanks, but I need to be here for an hour," Paris grumbled, stalking off. 

Elsie spotted Catalina and went to her, "I got more dirt on Kelsey."

"Tell me," Catalina replied eagerly.

"I heard that at Kelsey's lake house, there were orgies with the swingers next door," Elsie whispered to her.

Catalina's eyes widened, "Damn."

"I know," Elsie replied.

Rory came into the library, looking like a deer in headlights. Dugray went to go bother her.

It was funny, that Dugray would flirt with Elsie to get a rise out of Rory, who clearly wasn't biting.

Elsie went around, thanking the guests for coming and reminding them that there was an after-party at Skye's house. She got a few compliments about her dress from a few girls.

Anthony and Cassian were in a corner. Cassian wore a plain black button down shirt thbat was rolled up at the elbows and plain black jeans.

Cassian smiled at her, "Hey, hey, hey, Birthday Girl."

"Hey, hey, hey, Gift Giver," Elsie joked, holding out her hand for a gift.

"Someone's a Greedy Birthday Girl," Cassian stated, handing her a blue gift bag.

"Someone's not a happy birthday girl," Anthony said, watching Rory storm out of the library.

"The sour of sweet sixteen," Cassian muttered.

Elsie almost sighed, "We're supposed to do the speech together." She went to find Rory.

Lorelai and Emily were together.

"Oh, there you two are," Emily said. "I think it's time that you both said a few words to your guests."

Rory asked, "What?"

"Just a little speech to say thank you and tell everyone how it feels to be one year older," Emily said.

Lorelai started, "Mom, I don't think Rory wants—"

"Rory is one of the hostesses, Lorelai," Emily interrupted. "This is also Rory's responsibility."

"I am not the hostess! Eloise is," Rory stated.

"Hey, honey, hold on..." Lorelai said to Rory.

"This is Eloise's party and these are her guests and I don't have anything to say to them, so she can give the speech," Rory snapped.

"Rory," Emily said, offended.

"Excuse me," Rory said, taking off again.

Lorelai seemed stunned, "What was that all about?"

"Lorelai, your daughter has no manners whatsoever, unlike my Elsie who has manners," Emily said. "You should be ashamed of yourself." She looked lovingly at Elsie, before putting her around the teen's shoulders and leading her back to the library.

"Okay, how did this become my fault?" Elsie heard Lorelai say to no one.

After Elsie gave the brief speech and hanging around a little longer, the teens started trickling out to head on over to Skye's house because the blonde girl waited for her, so Elsie went up to her room to change and also look at Cassian's gift.

She got changed and went downstairs with Skye following.

"Grandmother, I'll be staying at Skye's house tonight, so there'll be no need to pick me up," Elsie said.

Rory came up to Emily. She handed Elsie a small box, "Here. Happy birthday." 

Elsie took the box and noticed that Rory was wearing the silver dangly bracelet that she had gotten Rory. Rory looked at Emily, "Grandma, can I talk to you for a sec?"

Elsie and Skye left the house together so Skye can drive to her.

While Skye drove, Elsie opened the lid and took out a bracelet. It matched her locket.

It  was oddly pretty in a way.

She put it on because it was the first birthday present she had gotten from Rory. Maybe she should apologize for telling Rory that they were not sisters.

When they arrived at the manor that Skye lived in, they put their arms around each other, before walking in the through the door together.

"The birthday girl has arrived!" Skye announced, which pretty much went unheard with the music and drunken shenanigans. A guy was already shirtless and Pepper was already rolling passed out people, searching for money.

Elsie went to get a drink, because she might as well. She went to stand next to Vivian who was looking bored. Vivian wasn't a fan of parties and she didn't drink because of her Judaism. So Elsie leaned against the wall and took a drink of spiked punch.

"Happy birthday," Vivian told her.

"Thanks," Elsie replied. "Rory did freak out again."

Vivian narrowed her eyes and Elsie frowned, trying to figure out if she said something wrong. Elsie spotted Summer flirting with Cassian, who seemed amused and seemed like he was enjoying it a little. Summer was pretty, Elsie will give her that.

Vivian stalked off and Elsie went outside to sit on the bench in the gazebo.

It was very pretty and she decided that she would like to have something like it in her home. Maybe get a Victorian house and have one in the backyard.

Then she remembered Summer and Cassian.

Summer wasn't exactly in the top three percent, but she could be if someone got knocked down a grade. Summer did lead the tennis team to the championship and is a lawyer major. She was also a debutante, so in a way she would be perfect for him.

Elsie guessed that Summer was maybe the girl that Cassian liked and wanted to ask out. Happy birthday to her...

The sour of sweet sixteen, Cassian had said.

She downed her spiked punch and set the plastic cup aside. She tried not to cry, which was stupid, because she would still be friends with Cassian, even though he would be dating Summer. She would move on, she knew that. She heard someone come up to her and felt the person sit down on the bench.

"What's wrong, Elle Belle?"

It was Cassian.

"Nothing," Elsie replied. "I just don't feel sixteen."

It was too intimiate, considering that there were fairy lights around the gazebo.

Cassian asked, "And that's what upset you?"

Elsie really didn't feel like telling him that he was the one who upset her because that'll sound mean. She asked, "Shouldn't you be with Summer?"

"Why would I?" asked Cassian.

Elsie asked, "Wasn't she flirting with you?"

"I don't qualify telling a story about how her best friend, Austin, once got so drunk he really had to pee but couldn't find his dick, as flirting," Cassian replied. "Also, Vivian came up to chew us out, so that was fun."

Elsie felt guilty at that, because Vivian was just repaying the favor of when she went to put a stop to Kayla flirting with Anthony. And Vivian assumed that Summer was flirting with Cassian, just like what Elsie did.

Richard used to say, 'Never assume, Elsie, because when you do, you make an ass out of you and me.'

So, Elsie and Vivian made asses out of themselves.

"Oh," Elsie replied. "She's pretty though. Kind of looks like me and Rory, though."

"Haven't noticed," Cassian replied with a shrug. "So, what happened? What made you sad on your birthday?"

"Nothing," Elsie replied. "Don't worry about it."

"Come on, something upset you. I want to make sure my friend is okay," Cassian said.

"I don't know," Elsie replied. "I've been told that one of Maria's birds overheard Anthony telling you to ask someone out already. So, Summer..."

"I don't want her," Cassian replied. "I want someone else."

Elsie wasn't drunk enough for this conversation, so she got up, "I need another drink."

Cassian grabbed her hand, "I think we really need to talk."

Elsie almost flinched and sat down, "Okay. Rory gave me this bracelet. I think she felt obligated to because I got her something."

"Oh, it's nice," Cassian replied.

"Thanks for this bracelet though," Elsie replied, looking at the sapphire bracelet he got her.

"You're welcome," Cassian said.

Elsie asked, "Did you hear what really was going down at Kelsey's lake house?"

"Yeah, two girls argued with each other about it," Cassian replied.

"Her parents had to sell their summer house too," Elsie replied.

"That sucks. I think I would be upset if my parents sold their summer house – this is not what I meant when I said we need to have a talk," Cassian said, sounding frustrated.

"Okay," Elsie replied. "What do you want to talk about?"

Cassian asked, "First, what really upset you?"

Elsie looked at Cassian who seemed concerned.

So, Elsie made the stupidest decision of her life. She put one hand on his cheek and leaned in, kissing him. She pulled away and it looked like his eyes were so wide, that it looked like they were going to pop out of his skull.

She got up deciding that she really needed a drink...or twelve...or twenty.

He grabbed her wrist this time and she turned to look at him, to see that he gotten up. Before she can even say anything, he was kissing her this time.

She wrapped her arms around his neck.

It was the best birthday ever.

At Chilton there was a college fair going on, which at least didn't involve the school uniforms. So, Elsie got a Yale brochure, a Cornell University brochure, and one for Rice University in Texas. It was good to keep her options open, even though she was set on Yale.

She stayed to the side, while her friends and her sort-of boyfriend (they never really said what they are to each other but they've been kissing a lot more regularly) looked at colleges.

"What are you doing here?"

That was Paris.

Rory seemed confused, "There's a college fair going on." She had a Harvard brochure, although Elsie noticed that Rory was wearing the silver dangly bracelet that Elsie had gotten for her.

"No, I mean, what are you doing here?" asked Paris.

"I'm getting a new brochure," Rory replied.

Paris asked, "Why?"

"Because they're not selling pizza," Rory replied. She seemed to realize that the both of them wanted to go to Harvard. "Oh no."

"You can't," Paris replied.

Rory asked, "You're applying to Harvard?"

"Yes," Paris answered.

"No!" replied Rory.

"Ten generations of Gellers have gone to Harvard. I have to go to Harvard," Paris told Rory.

"I can't believe this," Rory stated.

"You can go somewhere else," Paris said. "Go to Brandeis. Brandeis is nice. Right Elsie?"

"I heard good things about it," Elsie replied. "I think Rory would like it."

"I've only ever wanted to go to Harvard. That's it. Nowhere else," Rory said. She seemed to think it over, "It's a big school."

"I guess," Paris replied.

"We'll probably never see each other," Rory replied.

Paris asked, "You think?"

Rory sighed, "And if we do, we duck."

Elsie spotted Cassian who was looking through some brochures and went to him, "What did you get?"

"I don't know. Louisiana seems nice," Cassian replied.

That gave Elsie a pang of fear and sadness because they weren't going to be together for very long. Sure there were two years and they have long-distance but long-distance didn't seem like it would work, due to time and travel and other things. Cassian would find a girl that he would end up liking more because the girl is right there. Maybe Elsie would find a guy.

So, she'll make the most of those two years.

"Yeah, Louisiana is nice." Elsie replied, "Mardi Gras."

"Hey, it's just an option. I can go to Yale with you," Cassian told her.

"No, it's fine," Elsie replied. "I don't want to force you into going somewhere you don't want to."

"And I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want," Cassian told her.

Before Elsie can kiss him, Rory came up to her. "Hey, Elsie, can I talk to you for a sec?"

Elsie didn't want to hear anything from the Womb-Sharer, but she guessed she should hear what Rory had to say.

Elsie asked, "What?"

"I'm sorry for snapping at you in Mr. Medina's class that day I got hit by the deer," Rory told her. "I shouldn't have said that you."

Elsie guessed that she should apologize for saying 'we're not sisters' to Rory as well. It'll probably ease up the guilt that she had been feeling. "I'm sorry for saying that we're not sisters to you as well.

Rory said, "In the evening, my mom and I are having a party at my house. I want you to be there. I already invited our grandparents, but it'll mean a lot to me if you show up."

Elsie didn't want to go to Stars Hollow. She didn't want to see the life that Lorelai and Rory had built up without her, "Sure..."

Rory smiled at her and walked away.

"At least you two are building a bridge," Cassian stated. "It's a start, which is always good."

In the evening, Elsie, Emily, and Richard got in the car to head to Stars Hollow. Elsie felt like something heavy had settled in her stomach. She didn't want to go to the town that Lorelai and Rory lived in. She didn't want to see the life that she could've been living if Lorelai didn't forget her. She didn't want to see the house that she could've been living in. 

So she read a book to distract herself, although she looked up every now and then, out of curiosity. The town did seem quaint and kind of picturesque. She even saw a gazebo that she wanted to dance with Cassian in. She wondered how it looked when it snowed. It must've been beautiful.

It was oddly quaint for small-town hickville.

They got to the house. It was surprisingly big enough to hold three people; Elsie was sure, but apparently it wasn't big enough to include her.

She had to push aside those bitter feelings and got out of the car with her grandparents. It sounded like there were people inside the house, so Elsie rang the doorbell, because she was sure that knocking wouldn't be heard, she was sure.

She wanted and then Emily rang the bell this time.

"Jeez, who the hell's ringing the bell? It's a party! Get your ass in here!"

That sounded like Lorelai.

Elsie looked at her grandparents and they walked in. It was awkward as hell standing in the entrance hall with people looking at them like they didn't belong there.

In a way, Elsie was sure that she didn't belong. She felt to overdressed, even though she wore the sweater that Lorelai had picked out for her, because Emily made her get a present for Elsie. She paired the sweater with a black pleated skirt and a scarf.

"Or asses I guess," Lorelai replied.

Rory came to them beaming, "Grandma! Grandpa! Elsie! I can't believe you're here." She hugged Emily first. "I'm so glad you came." Then she hugged Richard, "Hey, no tie?"

"I thought I'd mix it up a little," Richard said, once Rory released him from the hug.

She looked at Elsie and turned to Emily, "Grandma, look." She showed her a bracelet, "It goes with the one that Elsie gave me."

"Why they look lovely together," Emily replied.

"I want you to meet everyone," Rory said. She led them into the living room. There was a concerning lack of teenagers in the house. Actually, there was one – a Korean girl sitting on the floor. "Everyone, these are my grandparents and twin sister, Elsie."

"Hi," the crowd replied, though some looked shocked when they noticed the teen.

They seemed to stare at her, making Elsie feel even more uncomfortable because if not even Lorelai's best friend knew about Elsie, none of these adults would know about her.

"Hello," Richard greeted.

"Lorelai," Emily greeted.

"Emily, Dad, Elsie," Lorelai greeted back.

"Lorelai, you look well," Richard replied.

A woman in a loud blue flower shirt came up to them. "I'm Patricia LaCosta. We just love your daughter, granddaughter, and sister."

"Thank you," Emily replied.

To Richard, Patricia spoke, "My god, you're a tall specimen of a man. Must be all that good air in Hartford."

Did she just flirt with my grandfather? Elsie wondered.

Lorelai asked, "Mom, Dad, Elsie, can I get you a drink?"

"A coke," Elsie said.

"No, thank you," Emily said.

"Oh, no, Mom, you're going to need one and I have wine glass that say 'Holiday Inn' on them," Lorelai replied.

"Stoli on the rocks with a twist," Emily said.

"Right," Lorelai replied. She went into where Elsie presumed the kitchen was at.

"Let me introduce you to Lane," Rory told Elsie, dragging her over to where the only teen was at.

"Hi, I'm Lane," the Korean girl said.

"I'm Elsie," she replied. She accepted a slice of cake, "Nice to meet you."

"You're a lot prettier in person," Lane said. "I mean, Rory told me about you. I just never saw any pictures of you, so it was hard to try a form a mental picture of you."

"I heard Rory mention you a few times," Elsie said. At least Rory mentioned her.

Lane said, "Every time Rory mentioned you, I never thought you would wear combat boots with your skirt, though."

"Oh, I felt converse didn't go with my socks," Elsie said. She looked at the party-goers again, "Do you have any other friends besides adults?"

"There's Dean," Lane told her. It looked like Rory jokingly shoved Lane.

"Lane," Rory hissed at her in a whisper.

Elsie asked, "Whose Dean?"

"He works at Doose's Market," Lane told her. "Dean asks about her."

Elsie didn't want to assume again. So, she nodded and spotted Richard looking at the fireplace.

Lorelai came up to them and handed Elsie a can of coke.

"Thanks," Elsie replied, before Lorelai went to Richard.

She tried to ignore how people were looking over at her and whispering amongst each other. She asked Rory, "Where's the bathroom?" She didn't need to go, but she felt itchy, like people were expecting her to do something brazen, like take her bra off without taking her sweater off.

"I'll show you were the good bathroom is," Rory said.

Elsie was going to ask what constituted as a bad bathroom, then remembered that incident freshman year, when she went to a gas station to use the restroom only to find that it had been flooded, used and unused pads and tampons were stuck to the walls, someone smeared blood and feces all over the walls, there was a message written on the mirror in red that Elsie hoped was lipstick, and a chair that had one of its legs clogging the toilet. To make it worse, as if on cue, a poop shot out of the toilet. For some reason, the messed up restroom haunted her nightmares.

Rory and Elsie went to the stairs, where Lorelai was heading for the front door.

Rory asked, "Where are you going?"

"To get more ice," Lorelai told her. She gasped, "Oh my god! You're a vision! Sookie, we have ice!"

Sookie poked her head in the entrance, "Hallelujah."

Emily went to the entrance and Elsie followed, out of curiosity. Lorelai was hugging a man wearing a backwards ball cap.

Lorelai released Luke and turned around, "That's – oh, hi, Mom, Elsie. This is my friend, Luke." Luke stared at Elsie and then looked at Lorelai. "Luke, that's Eloise, my other...daughter. She's Rory's twin sister."

Luke looked shocked momentarily, "How are you two doing?"

"I'm doing fine," Elsie replied.

"Same, thank you," Emily said.

Rory came up, "Didn't you need to use the bathroom?"

Elsie nodded and followed Rory.

"That was Luke," Rory explained. "He owns the local diner. He has good hamburgers."

Elsie asked, "Is he dating Mother?"

"No," Rory replied, looking a little awkward. "Why?"

Because that was how I hug Cass, Elsie wanted to say. At least, she was sure that her friends would say that. "Just thought it was a little to friendly, but what do I know?"

"I'm going to go find Grandpa something to read," Rory replied.

"He reads the Wall Street Journal," Elsie told her.

"I don't think I have that, but I'll find something for him," Rory stated and took off.

Elsie hung out in the bathroom for a while.

This should've been her life, but it wasn't. She should've been here, but she wasn't. Being in Stars Hollow wasn't her life because it was Rory's. Lorelai made it clear that she didn't want Rory when she left Elsie behind.

Stars Hollow wasn't Elsie's life as much as Hartford wasn't Rory's. Maybe it was better that way.