Bon Voyages and New Beginnings

Chapter 2

The next morning, 5:30 AM

Lorelai woke up the next morning to the sound of her purple fuzzy alarm clock. It seemed to mock her as it served as a reminder that, in a few hours, Rory would be leaving to work on the Obama campaign trail. It didn't help that she thought that she had all summer to prepare herself for Rory leaving. They were supposed to spend the summer hitting the road and riding all the roller coasters they could until they were sick. Now her little girl was leaving.

It wasn't like when she had left for Yale. She wasn't going to be just a couple hours away. She was going to be gone for months on end as she took the journalism world by storm. Then after the campaign trail was over, who knew what would happen? For all Lorelai knew, she would have already gotten a head start on being a foreign correspondent and hopping from one place to the next.

She was insanely proud of Rory and how far she had come. She didn't know a kid who deserved this as much as Rory. Although she was slightly impartial what with Rory being her offspring and all.

Rory's impending departure took over any other thoughts she might have had as she took a shower. She then went back to her room to get dressed. She finally decided on a short sleeve purple v neck t shirt, jeans, sneakers, and the necklace that Luke had given her the other night. She had yet to tell Rory about her and Luke's kiss the other night. Right now she just wanted to focus on Rory and partially because she didn't want the whole town to find out about them until she and Luke had a chance to talk about their relationship.

Lorelai made her way down the stairs only to find Rory already up, showered, and ready to go.

"Ugh I don't know how you are my child what with this insane sense of punctuality you have acquired."

"I guess some people are just lucky. Can you get my other bags out of my room?"

"Sure sweets. Ugh how much stuff did you pack?" Lorelai asked as she brought the rest of her bags out to the living room. She dropped the bags on the couch once she saw Rory struggling to zip her suitcase up.

"Oh honey let me help you with that."

"No I got it."

"Oh no I got it."

"I know how to work a zipper Mom," Rory stated in an annoyed tone.

"Okay that's it huh?"

"Yup."

"Got everything?" Lorelai asked as she gave the room a quick once over to make sure that they hadn't forgotten anything.

"I think so."

"Oh what about this?" Lorelai asked, picking up a blue sweater that was on the couch.

"That's for the plane."

"Oh what about these?" she asked as she picked up a pair of Rory's old sunglasses.

"Um those are old and kind of broken. I have new ones."

Lorelai put the sunglasses down at this remark. She realized there was no more putting off her departure. She glanced at Rory and couldn't help but well up.

"I just feel like I need more time."

"I know."

"I just really feel ambushed you know? I mean I thought I had so much more time, I thought that I had all summer to impart my wisdom about work, life, and your future. And I just feel like I had something to tell you oh! On the bus make sure to you choose a good seat, you know? Because people are creatures of habit and the seat you pick in the beginning could be your seat for the rest of the year you know? Get a window seat honey because there's so much to see and you might want to sit in the back of the bus because people there tend to be more chatty and friendly and I don't know what it is about the front of the bus you know but people up there tend to be more bossy and uptight. It's just been that way since first grade. And honey I know what you're going to say but don't wear shorts. Ok? No matter how hot it is. It's not professional and all that heat and those sticky vinyl seats it'll be like pulling off a giant band aid off your thigh every time you stand up. Don't be too shy. Don't be too forward, but don't be too shy because you make a lovely first impression but you really grow on people too."