Finally where we should be

Beware the fine print

Rory has never expected so eagerly to receive a message from Paris. The young Gilmore was holding her breath until the email alert popped on her phone. It was time to see Logan's terms for the custody arrangements.

Two weeks ago, Paris presented an initial proposal that Rory approved. Then the document was submitted to Logan and his lawyer. Paris had finally gotten a reply two days before, with a few adjustments. After reading it all carefully, she was ready to share the details and give some legal advice:

Everything Huntzberger is asking is pretty reasonable, Rory. That's not only my honest opinion as a lawyer, but also as a mother. I'll list the requests below, one by one, so you can check for yourself - don't worry, I stripped down all the legal nonsense for you. Call me in case you have any doubts.

Rory scrolled down the email and ran her eyes through the list. Everything seemed okay until she read the last topic. It was something she wasn't prepared for. Segue, a sick feeling started to grow in the pit of her stomach. Trying to shake it off, the young Gilmore looked away from the phone to process the new information.

The girl got so worked up by the message, she realized she completely forgot the world around her. As Rory focused again on her surroundings, she was surprised to see a familiar road. One she hasn't been down in years.

"Weren't we supposed to be on our way to Hartford?" Rory asked her mother and designated driver. "The ultrasound appointment is in one hour and Logan's waiting... What are we doing in the old Independence Inn premises?"

"Business," Lorelai responded behind the wheels. "As a big shot entrepreneur, I'm going full Jerry Maguire after promising partners. I'm seriously about to yell 'Show me the money'".

"Okay, Tom Cruise." Rory chuckled, loosening up a little. "Before you send copies of your big manifesto to the whole town, could you explain what kind of business partners? After the fire, I never got to know what was done with the place. The last thing you told me was when Taylor alone shut down a Walmart investment."

"And I still haven't decided how I feel about the situation. I'd have a blast making a scene at Doose's, criticizing the prices and threatening to go to the competition... On the other hand, it would be so hard to see that beautiful property giving place to a generic supermarket chain, you know?"

"Yeah. Especially a place that was such a part of your lives..." Rory gave her mother a sweet smile, as memories of her childhood suddenly rushed her mind. "I think this means Taylor gets brownie points for dodging the Walmart bullet, huh?"

"I guess you're right... At least, the alternative preserved the landscape. Tom and some secret investor bought half of the original property a few years ago for a new housing development project. It is gorgeous and they managed to keep the same Stars Hollow's vibe. No wonder the townhouses were sold out quickly."

"Wow! Stars Hollow's been upgraded to a bigger snow globe. I'd never guess that. The sign with the official population countdown's been stuck on 9.973 people for years"

"We have to keep up appearances, hon. But I'm pretty sure we are over ten thousand citizens now and dealing with some real big city problems. Oh, the price of progress," Lorelai sighed, feigning disappointment. "Anyways, the other half of the land, the one near the lake, was sold last year. It's now a perfect venue for weddings, birthdays, business parties... I believe there will be many visitors coming to town in the future and if they need a place to stay..."

"You want to assure The Dragonfly is on the top of the list. Gotcha!" The girl clicked her tongue. "But why the sudden urgence?"

"Taylor mentioned the owner is in the house today," Lorelai raised her eyebrows. "I know it is a small detour. But I'm just going to introduce myself, hand the brochure about my humble inn and invite the guy to a lovely meal in our restaurant. I promise it will take just a minute," Lorelai claimed, parking the jeep near a festive building by the lake.