❝𝚃𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚎, 𝚍𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚖𝚎?
𝙸 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚜𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍
𝙱𝚢 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝙸 𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍
𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎,
𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎,
𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚝 𝚖𝚎
𝙼𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝙸'𝚖 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚑𝚢,
𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚜𝚘 𝚜𝚒𝚌𝚔,
𝙸 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚎𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜.
𝙰 𝚙𝚒𝚎𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍 (𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗'𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚍)
𝙸𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚗𝚞𝚖𝚋 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 (𝚂𝚕𝚒𝚙𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎).❞
𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝙳𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚎 – 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚍

When Rosanna Gilmore woke up on Monday, she dreaded going to school. She didn't want to see him but she had too. It was a small school after all and she would eventually run into him, which she didn't want, but it was inevitable.

She couldn't hide from him for very long because if she tried, he would seek her out just to see her cry over him. 

Him being her ex-boyfriend, Brad. He just recently broke up with her on Friday and it was already Monday. 

Rosanna rolled over in, trying to be careful not to kick her brown-and-white male ragdoll kitten off her bed. She had to be careful not to squish her female kitten, Macchiato with her body, because Macchiato loved cuddling with someone.

Rosanna had gotten Macchiato on Saturday. She had seen a sign on a cage saying that Macchiato (the cat didn't have a name) saying that Macchiato had been returned for the third time because she wanted to snuggle at night and cried at the closed bedroom door. So Rosanna had picked Macchiato because there wasn't going to be a fourth return.

Then the next day, after enjoying being snuggled at night by a cat, Rosanna figured that Macchiato would get lonely and got Mocha (he didn't have a given name either) so Macchiato wasn't alone while everyone was gone all day.

"Roxie, get up," Rory said, barging into Rosanna's room.

Mocha hissed at the rude awaking. 

Macchiato continued to blissfully sleep, something that Rosanna really wanted to do, because she wanted to avoid seeing him.

Rosanna covered her head with her pillow. 

Rory grabbed the pillow from Rosanna, "Get up, Roxie. We're supposed to meet Mom at Luke's."

"Always," Rosanna replied, trying to grab her pillow back, but Rory held it out of reach.

"You need to get up," Rory said.

"I don't want to," Rosanna replied. She really didn't want to see her ex.

"You need to," Rory said. "School is important."

Of course that was what Rory wanted her to do. Rory hadn't had her heart broken yet. 

Their mother, Lorelai, had made Rosanna wallow; she cried, put things that Brad had given her in a box, ate pizza, watched movies while eating absurd amounts of ice cream all while in her pajamas.

"Roxie," Rory said.

"I'm up," Rosanna replied. She didn't want to but she had to. 

Rory left the room so Rosanna could change out of her pajamas.

It took a bit for Rosanna to figure out what to wear.

A blue-and-white striped long sleeve shirt, some jeans, and black converse shoes, along with her favorite blue button bracelet.

The thing was, she didn't normally like wearing long sleeve shirts or jeans or leggings, but it was something that Brad forced her to wear.

He forced her to wear them because it was something to hide the hair curler burns he left on her arms and legs, because he hated it when other guys looked at her, because she showed 'too much skin'. So, he used his mother's hair curler to burn her to get her to cover up. 

There were three burn scars on the insides of both arms. Two burn scars on both of her thighs. He would press the hair curler on her skin for five minutes, permanently burning her. Sometimes he even pulled the scabs off slowly just to inflict maximum pain and suffering, all the while smirking at her and calling her a 'stupid bitch.'

Sure, he pressed it elsewhere, but he wanted to make sure she didn't 'reveal skin to other men'.

Then he got mad at Rosanna for covering up because he liked seeing her in skirts and tee-shirts, even though he was the one who burned her with a hair curler to shame her.

"I'm coming," Rosanna replied, hurriedly pulling on some kind of slightly oversized knit button down hoodie thing. She saw it in a store and just had to have it because it looked cozy.

It was cozy actually, especially when she buttoned it up. She liked how the sleeves went over hands and she liked to playfully smack her sister with her sleeves.

She grabbed her messenger bag and left her room.

Sure she would've brushed her reddish-brown hair, but since her hair was naturally curly, she couldn't brush it, because if she did, it would frizz in an awful way.

Once, in middle school, some girls told her that she should brush her hair, and Rosanna did. She went to school with her hair frizzy and told those girls, "I brushed my hair. Thanks for the tip." Those girls never talked to her again.

She ended up talking to a curly-haired expert who gave her tips to properly care for her hair.

Rosanna met Rory down at the bottom of the stairs.

"Don't worry," Rory told her. "I left the cats some food."

"Thanks," Rosanna replied as they took off to go to Luke's.

When they got inside the diner, Rory said to Lorelai, "Hey, it's freezing."

Lorelai asked, "Oh, what do you need? Hot tea? Coffee?"

Rory said, "Lip gloss."

"More sleep," Rosanna said at the same time as Rory spoke.

"Well, I can't help you with more sleep, but I do have—" Lorelai pulled out a makeup bag from inside her bag, "This. I have vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and toasted marshmallow."

"I'll take the strawberry," Rosanna said, taking the makeup bag.

"Anything in there not resembling a breakfast cereal?" asked Rory.

"Yes," replied Lorelai, taking out another makeup bag. "It has no smell but it changes colors with your mood."

"God, RuPaul doesn't need this much makeup," Rory replied.

"Wow, you're crabby," Lorelai said.

"I'm sorry," Rory said. "It took a while to get Roxie up, I lost my Macy Gray CD, and I need caffeine."

"Ooh, I have your CD," Lorelai said, taking out a CD.

"Thief," Rory replied.

Rosanna said, "It's like your purse is a TARDIS. What else do you have in there?"

Lorelai said, "I will get you both some coffee." She picked up two coffee cups and went back to the counter where Luke was standing.

A creepy older guy came over to them, "Hey."

Rosanna narrowed her eyes at the guy, but Rory clearly saw no problem because she said, "Hi."

"You know, I was just passing through and I wanted to know where to get a souvenir," the guy said.

"You can get one at Doose's Market," Rory said.

"Where is that at?" asked the guy.

Rosanna asked, "How do you not know where it's at?"

"I've never been here before," the guy replied.

Lorelai came up to them holding two mugs of coffee, "Oh, you have, too."

The guy looked at Lorelai, "Oh, hi."

"Oh, hi," Lorelai said. "You really like my table, don't you?"

"I was just, uh..." the guy started.

"Getting to know my daughters?"

The guy seemed surprised, "Your—"

"Are you my new daddy?" asked Rory.

"Are you going to have tea parties with us and dress up like a princess?" asked Rosanna with fake excitement.

The guy said, "Wow. You do not look old enough to have a daughter. No, I mean it." He looked at Rory and Rosanna, "And you two do not look like daughters."

Rosanna tilted her head slightly at the guy. Was that supposed to be a compliment?

"That's possibly very sweet of you," Lorelai replied. "Thanks."

The guy said, "So daughters. You know, I am traveling with a friend—"

"They're fifteen," Lorelai interrupted.

"Bye," the guy replied.

"Drive safe," Lorelai said as the guy and his friend left the diner together.

Rory and Lorelai giggled over that.

"I didn't find it all that funny," Rosanna replied.

"Oh, Roxie," Lorelai started. "That wouldn't happen to two good kids like you and Rory."

Yeah, but being a 'good kid' didn't stop Brad from hurting Rosanna in many ways.

Luke's daughter, Luna, came over to their table. Luna was biracial, being half-white from Luke, and half-Chinese from Luna's mother. Luna's mother and Luke had split ways, but Luke had sole custody of Luna. Luna's mother lived in Hartford, owning her own Chinese restaurant.

Luna was also Rosanna's best friend – as in Luna was Rosanna's only friend, since their mutual friends left after Hurricane Brad came into Rosanna's life. Luna was the only one that had clung onto Rosanna. 

Brad didn't like Luna for that reason, thinking Luna was a 'bad influence' on Rosanna.

Luke and Luna never liked Brad – apparently with good reason. They didn't know him that well, but Rosanna knew the real him.

Luna asked, "What do you want to order?"

"Biscuits and gravy with a side of bacon," Rosanna said.

"I already knew that," Luna replied. "You always order the same thing."

"Fine," Rosanne replied. "I'll get the strawberry crêpes with a side of hashbrowns."

"Good choice," Luna told her.

"Ooh, I'll take that too, but with a side of bacon," Rory said.

"I'll get the pancakes with a side of pancakes," Lorelai told Luna.

After breakfast, Lorelai went to the Inn and Rory went home to put on a sweater, while Rosanna stayed around for Luna's morning shift to finish so they could go to school together.

"Okay, we have a test for math," Luna said. "And a test for history as well."

"Yeah," Rosanna said. "We're reading the final chapters for Huckleberry Finn and writing an essay for it."

Luna groaned, "I can't believe we had to reread Huckleberry Finn since we read that in middle school."

"I know," Rosanna said, stopping to look in her messenger bag. "I think I left my copy of that book at home, can I borrow yours?"

"Sure," Luna said. She looked at the advertisement board behind her, "Hey, let's go to that Teen Hayride together."

"Sure," Rosanna said. She knew it was for distraction.

They continued on to the school but Rosanna stopped when she spotted him currently making out with a girl right in front of the steps in sight for everyone to see – for Rosanna to see.

However, Rosanna was so jealous of the girl that Brad was making out with that she feel like she could vomit up cartoon-green puke over it. 

Luna put one arm around Rosanna's shoulders and led her up the steps right by some guy in a leather jacket who was leaning against the pillar. When Luna got to Rosanna's locker, Rosanna stared at the locker door. 

It felt like yesterday when Brad had said into her neck, "That was the moment I knew you were the one for me, Rosie." The jealous feeling was replaced with tears of sadness because she had to pull herself together – she was tired of crying in public places because of him. 

Rosanna asked, "Do you think he ever loved me?"

"No," Luna said bluntly. "Clearly not if he moved onto Becky Jacobson two days after he dumped you after eight months of dating."

Rosanne figured that. Had he been lying, because it was impossible to have more than one 'one', so what the hell was her? It was probably one of the many questions that she had about Brad that probably wouldn't be answered.

Rosanna knew she should warn Becky, but knowing Brad as well as she did, Brad would make her out to be some jealous harpy, hellbent on breaking them up by spreading lies about him.

Maybe Brad would love Becky the way that he apparently couldn't love Rosanna.

The thing was, if he asked Rosanna to take him back, she probably would.

The worst thing was that if she could go back in time with the knowledge that she knew about him now, she would probably still go out with him.

After school on Tuesday, Rory went to Lane's and Rosanna went home after checking in at the bakery to see if Fran needed any help. After Fran said no, Rosanne went home, trying to avoid running into Brad, expecting him to pop out of somewhere so he can make out with Becky in Rosanna's line of sight. 

Thankfully that didn't happen, so Rosanna put in a movie to watch while she did her homework. Well, she tried to focus on her homework, but all she could do was see Brad kissing her.

She had met Brad backstage at Stars Hollow High. She had played Ophelia in Hamlet. She wanted to be Gertrude, because she had been Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. She had wanted to play Rosaline but the drama teacher had said she had this 'tragic' look to her and she would've made a perfect Ophelia and Juliet. So, the drama teacher had to make her play Ophelia.

After the play was done, Rosanna stayed behind to help make sure everything was tidy before leaving the school. On her way down the stairs, Rosanna bumped into Brad.

"Hey," Brad had said with a smile that made Rosanna's breath hitch.

"Hi," Rosanna said.

"You were really good up there on that stage," Brad had told her. "I couldn't take my eyes off of you."

"Oh, thanks," Rosanna said. "You were good up there too." She almost cringed at how stupid that was because Brad wasn't a part of the theater group.

Brad laughed at that, like he found it humorous.

The thing was, now that Rosanna thought about it, at that moment, did he actually think she dumb and he laughed at how stupid she was?

Rory came into the house and Rosanna watched as Rory went to her room.

Brad's sister had come up to them then. Brad's sister was a part of the tech crew, "Brad, it's time to go. Mom and Dad are getting pizza."

For a moment, Rosanna had felt disappointed because she wanted to continue being around Brad, who's eyes stayed on Rosanna the entire time.

"Sure," Brad had replied.

"Hey, the movie that you put on is over," Rory said, interrupting the memory Rosanna was having. Rory had changed into a regular shirt and red jacket.

"Oh, I didn't pay attention," Rosanna replied, which was true. She forgot what movie she even put on.

"Well, I guess you need a break," Rory said looking at the piles of homework Rosanna had scattered around her on the coffee table.

"Yeah, I do," Rosanna said, sure that she hadn't even done anything. She'll just finish it in her room later.

Rory helped Rosanna pack up her homework and then they were on their way to the Inn. 

When they got there, they headed to the kitchen where Lorelai and Sookie were giggling over something. It was a little weird.

Rory called out, "Mom?"

Lorelai and Sookie stopped their happy giggling.

"You both look happy," Rosanna pointed out. They were smiling widely, "It's a bit unsettling."

Rory spoke to Rosanna, "She probably did something slutty."

"I'm not that happy," Lorelai replied, still smiling widely. She and Sookie giggled.

Rosanna asked, "Then why are you smiling like that?"

Lorelai handed over a paper bag to Rory, "Here."

Rory took the gift bag, "What's going on? Does Roxie get a gift too?"

Lorelai thought it was unfair if one twin gets a gift and the other doesn't. It's why, whenever Lorelai got flowers to give to Rosanna from another job well done at the theater, she got Rory some flowers too.

"It's not a gift," Lorelai told her, looking apologetic at Rosanna. She looked back at Rory, "Open it."

Rory reached in the bag and took out a plaid skirt, "I'm gonna be in a Britney Spears video?"

Rosanna looked at the skirt, "It's too long for a Britney Spears video. You might be starring in Braveheart instead."

Sookie said, "You're going to Chilton!" Lorelai nudged her, "Oh, sorry."

Rory asked, "Mom?"

"You did it, babe," Lorelai said, "You got in."

Rory asked, "How did this happen? You didn't...with the principal, did you?"

"No, honey, that was a joke," Lorelai clarified. "They have an open spot. You're gonna start on Monday."

Rory seemed to be in disbelief, "Really?"

"Really," replied Lorelai.

Rory said, "I don't believe this! Oh my God, I'm going to Chilton!"

"Yeah," Lorelai replied, giving Rory a hug.

Rory told the chef, "Sookie, I'm going to Chilton!"

She and Rory hugged as well.

"I'll make cookies. Protestants love oatmeal," Sookie said.

Rory turned to Rosanna, "Roxie, I got accepted into Chilton."

"I've heard," Rosanne replied dryly, but gave Rory a hug. It was going to be weird not having Rory there. It was like they entered the world together, went to the same school together, but now? They were going to separate schools, they weren't even going to graduate from the same high school together, but at different ones. It was going to be weird.

"I have to call Lane," Rory said, heading for the kitchen door, but stopped and went to hug Lorelai again, "I love you."

Lorelai said, "I love you." Rory took off. "One of my girls' going to Chilton."

"Yeah," Sookie said. "Rory's going to Chilton!"

Lorelai and Rosanna left together, but Rosanna went home instead.

It felt like she had received two gut punches in one day: Brad moved on from her and Rory was going to a different school.

She couldn't even muster up the happiness for Rory. Maybe she was a bad person who deserved what Brad did to her.

The next day on Wednesday, while Rosanna watched a movie on the couch, Rory paraded around the house in her new Chilton skirt. Rory stopped in Rosanna's line of sight, "How do I look?"

Rosanna looked at the skirt, "It's too short. You gotta cover up your ankles. You don't want to give the prep school boys the wrong impression because they'll be coming at you like it's mating season."

"Oh, you're no help," Rory said, with a grin.

"I already told you. You have to cover your ankles," Rosanna replied. "Those boys will get the wrong idea."

Rory elected to ignore that and went outside. 

After being outside for a moment, Rory and Lorelai came back inside the living room.

Rory was saying, "I can't believe tomorrow's my last day at Stars Hollow High."

"I know," replied Lorelai.

Rory said, "Today I was so excited I dressed for gym."

Lorelai said, "You're kidding!"

"And I played volleyball," Rory added.

Lorelai said, "With other people?"

"Yup and she almost hit me in the face with the volleyball," Rosanna added as Rory stood on a stool to get her skirt hemmed.

"Roxie, I apologized for that and I bought some ice cream," Rory said. "And I learned that all this time I was avoiding group sports?"

Lorelai asked, "Yeah?"

"Was very smart because I suck at them," Rory said.

Lorelai started to pin up the skirt, "Well, yeah, you got that from me."

Sookie came in from the kitchen, "Where's your pâté?"

"At Zsa Zsa Gabor's house," Lorelai replied.

"Which means that we don't have any," Rosanna replied.

"Right," Sookie said. "I'm going to the store because you have nothing besides some questionable looking doughnuts."

"Those are mine," Rosanna defended.

"Right," replied Sookie. "You feel like duck?"

"Ooh, if it's made with chicken, absolutely," Lorelai said.

"'ll be back," Sookie said.

"Bye," Lorelai said and Sookie left the house. She spoke to Rory, "All right. This will give you an idea. Go see how you like it."

Rosanna looked at the skirt length, "Still too short. You should've covered the ankles."

"Roxie, drop the ankle thing," Rory said. She went to leave, but stopped and said, "I love being a private school girl." She went to her room.

Lorelai smiled after Rory but looked at some pictures on the mantle.

Rosanna looked at her, "Mom? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Lorelai replied.

Rosanna had a feeling that it was a lie and wondered if she got her ability to lie from Lorelai. 

When evening fell on Thursday, Rosanna got ready for the hayride, putting on her favorite blue button bracelet, then a striped long sleeve shirt, and lastly some jeans, then putting on her oversized sweater.

While Rosanna was applying some candy apple lip gloss when Lorelai walked in, looking a bit sheepish. "Oh, hey, tomorrow night we're having dinner with the grandparents."

Rosanna was confused, because they normally had dinner with Emily and Richard on holidays where the banks were closed.

Rosanna was confused, "Why are we having dinner with them tomorrow night?"

"It's just dinner," Lorelai replied.

"I get that, but we usually have dinner with them on certain holidays. There's no holiday in September that would warrant dinner with them," Rosanna replied, confused.

"It's just dinner, Rosanna," Lorelai replied a little harshly.

Rosanna flinched, thinking, Please don't me. Please don't hit me. She managed to say, "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Lorelai replied. "I didn't mean to raise my voice at you."

"It's okay," Rosanna replied, taking her messenger bag and leaving her room. 

She grabbed a thermos that was filled with hot chocolate to drink on the hayride because it was going to be cold before heading on over to the meeting place where the hayride was at. She knew that Luna was bringing a quilt her mother had made for her.

When Rosanna had gotten home from the hayride, it was clear that Rory and Lorelai had an agreement of some sort.

It lasted all the way through Friday and now, as they stood on the porch in front of Emily and Richard's home, it was clear that Lorelai and Rory were still in their argumentative mood.

Rosanna stood in between them, messing with the edge of her skirt.

Rory asked, "So, do we go in or do we just stand here reenacting The Little Match Girl?"

Lorelai had to speak over Rosanna's head, "Okay, look, I know you and me are having a thing here and I know you hate me but I need you to be civil, at least through dinner and then on the way home you can pull a Menendez. Deal?"

"Please leave out that scenario," Rosanna replied.

"Fine," replied Rory.

Lorelai rang the doorbell and Emily opened the door.

"Hi, Grandma," Rory and Rosanna said in unison.

Emily replied, "Well, you're right on time."

Lorelai stated, "Yeah, yeah, no traffic at all."

They walked inside and Emily took their coats, though she gave Rosanna's oversized button down sweater a strange look. Emily said, "I can't tell you what a treat it is to have you girls here."

Lorelai replied, "Oh, well, we're excited, too."

Even Rosanna could tell that Lorelai wasn't excited to be there.

Emily noticed Lorelai's to-go cup of coffee. "Is that a collector's cup or can I throw it away for you?"

Lorelai realized she was still holding it, "Oh." She made to throw it away in the nearby wastebasket, but Emily stopped her.

"In the kitchen, please," Emily told her. To Rory she spoke, "So, I want to hear all about Chilton." She looked at Rosanna, "And I want to hear all about your new hair care regime. Those curls of yours are absolutely stunning."

Rory said, "Well, I haven't actually started yet."

"Well, I just talked to a curly hair expert two weeks ago," Rosanna told Emily as she led them into the living room.

Richard was reading a newspaper.

"Richard, look who's here," Emily said.

Richard looked up from his newspaper and removed his reading glasses, "Rory, Roxie. You're both tall."

Rory replied, "I guess."

Richard asked, "Well, what's your height?"

Rory said, "5'7."

"5'9," Rosanna replied.

"That's tall," Richard replied. "They're tall."

Lorelai came into the living room. She greeted, "Hi, Dad."

"Lorelai, your daughters' tall," Richard told her.

"Oh, I know. It's freakish. Rory and I are thinking of having Roxie studied at M.I.T as long as Rory goes with her," Lorelai joked.

Richard clearly didn't get the joke, "Ah." He returned to reading his paper.

Emily walked over with a tray that had champagne flutes on it, "Champagne, anyone?"

Lorelai took a champagne flute, "Oh, that's fancy."

Rory and Roxie each took one.

Emily said, "Well, it's not every day that I have my girls here for dinner on a day the banks are open. A toast – to Rory and Roxie entering Chilton and an exciting new phase in their lives."

Rosanna was confused, because she didn't get into Chilton. She didn't apply since there was one opening and she wanted Rory to get it.

"Here, here," Richard said.

They drank their champagne.

"Mmm," Emily said. "Well, let's sit everyone." Rosanna sat next to Richard on the couch, while Rory sat on the other side of Rosanna, leaving her in the middle. "This is just wonderful. An education is the most important thing in the world, next to family."

"And pie," Lorelai joked. Everyone gave her strange looks, "Joke, joke."

"Ah," Emily replied, clearly not getting how it was a joke. She and Lorelai awkwardly drank their champagne in unison.

Richard handed over a section of the newspaper to Rosanna. She took it, noticing that it was the crossword section. Richard then handed over a pen to Rosanna.

"Thanks," Rosanna replied, delighted.

"Here," Richard said, handing another section of his newspaper to Rosanna. "Pass this to Rory."

Rosanna passed the section off to Rory, who took it confused. Rosanna looked at her crossword.

"Hey, Mom, Lorelai started. "What did you mean when you said Roxie was entering Chilton? She didn't apply because she didn't want to ruin Rory's chance of getting in."

"I talked to Bitty, Headmaster Charleston's wife, and she pulled some strings and Roxie is going into Chilton too," Emily explained. "I just thought it was cruel to leave Roxie behind in the public school system while Rory's off getting a great education."

"Mom..." Lorelai started.

"It's okay," Roxie replied. She was glad to get away from Brad and the heart-pounding fear she felt every time she turned a corner in the school. "I might even enjoy it. I won't know if I don't try."

Emily smiled smugly.

"Okay," replied Lorelai.

When it was dinner time, they went to the dining room.

Emily asked, "Rory, how do you like the lamb?"

"It's good," replied Rory.

"How about you, Roxie?" asked Emily.

Rosanna said, "I like this dressing that they used."

"Too dry?" asked Emily.

"No, it's perfect," replied Rory.

"It's fine," Rosanna added.

"Potatoes could use a little salt, though," Lorelai said.

Emily took offense to that, "Excuse me?"

"So, Grandpa, how's the insurance biz?" asked Rory, trying to avoid an inevitable fight that was evidently brewing.

"Oh, people die, we pay. People crash cars, we pay. People lose a foot, we pay," replied Richard.

Lorelai joked, "Well, at least you have your new slogan."

Richard asked, "And how are things at the motel?"

"The inn?" Lorelai said, "They're great."

Emily said, "Lorelai's the executive manager now. Isn't that wonderful?"

Richard said, "Speaking of which, Christopher called yesterday."

Lorelai said, "Speaking of which? How is that a speaking of which?"

Richard said, "He's doing very well in California. His Internet start-up goes public next month. This could mean big things for him." Richard spoke to Rory and Rosanna, "Very talented man, your father."

The only thing that Christopher was talented at was being a dead-beat. Sure, he called almost once a week, and sure he sent flowers once to Rosanna for her first ever play in elementary school and Rosanna was portraying a cloud. And he named Rosanna after the Toto song.

Lorelai flatly spoke, "They know."

Richard said, "He always was a smart one, that boy." He spoke to Rory and Roxie, "You two must take after him."

Lorelai said, "Speaking of which, I'm gonna get a Coke." She added, "Or a knife."

"Get me one," Rosanna replied.

"A Coke or knife?" asked Lorelai.

"Surprise me," Rosanna replied.

Lorelai stormed out of the room.

Rory started to get up, "I think I'm gonna go talk to her—"

"No, I'll go," Emily said. "You two stay and keep your grandfather company."

Emily went into the kitchen.

"Roxie had played Ophelia in the school's production of Hamlet, eight months ago," Rory told Richard.

Richard asked, "Really?"

"Yeah," Rory said.

"I wanted to be Gertrude, but the drama teacher said that I have this tragic look so she told me to play Ophelia," Rosanna explained.

Lorelai's and Emily's voices rose up from the kitchen, but Rosanna couldn't make out what was being said.

"It is true though," Richard told Rosanna. "You do look like a tragic Victorian lady."

Rosanna was confused, "Thanks?"

"I bet you were brilliant in the play," Richard said. "Probably outshone all your co-stars."

"She brought the entire audience to tears," Rory bragged.

"That's not true," Rosanna said. "We had an audience of like sixty."

"Rory, how about you?" Richard asked, "Anything exciting in your life?"

"No," Rory replied. "Roxie loaned me her new book though."

"Isn't that interesting?" Lorelai's voice rose up from the kitchen, "Because, as I remember, when Christopher got me pregnant, Dad didn't like him so much."

"Oh, well, please, you were sixteen," Emily replied. "What were we supposed to do – throw you a party? We were disappointed. The two of you had such bright futures."

Richard asked Rory, "What's the book about?"

"It's called Briar Rose by Jane Yolen," Rory said. "It's a Sleeping Beauty retelling, but it's set during the Holocaust."

Emily was saying, "That's right, far away from us." Lorelai must've replied. "You took those two girls and completely shut us out of your life."

Rory discussed the book so far to Richard.

"Well, I wasn't too proud to come here to you two begging for money for my kid's school, was I?" replied Lorelai.

Rory stopped in her discussion with Richard, obviously hearing that.

After that, dinner was basically over.

Lorelai had come in to tell them that it was time to say goodbye to grandma and grandpa, so the twins did, although Emily looked far too smug. So, when they got outside, Lorelai sighed and leaned against the wall.

Rory asked, "Mom?"

"Are you okay?" asked Rosanna.

"I'm okay," Lorelai said. "I just...do I look shorter? 'Cause I feel shorter."

That was how Rosanna always felt when Brad got done yelling at her about something or other.

Rory asked, "Hey, how 'bout I buy you a cup of coffee?"

"Oh, yeah. One of you drives, though, okay, 'cause I don't think my feet will reach the pedals," Lorelai told them.

Rosanna looked at Rory, "You drive. I don't like driving in the dark."

"And on highways too," Rory pointed out, taking the car keys from Lorelai.

Rosanna nodded, because it was true.