�Mom, he�s a 60-plus-year-old man. He�s my grandpa. He�s not a candy cane guy. He�s a navy tie guy.� Rory Gilmore said, grabbing the navy blue formal tie.
�Rory�� Lorelai pleaded, �It�s so cute.�
�So get it for Luke or something. Grandpa does not need a candy cane tie.� Rory said, firmly.
�Luke? Since when does Luke wear ties?� Lorelai asked, shocked.
Rory laughed at the look on her mother�s face. She loved Christmas shopping with her mom. They would take an entire day and just shop for everyone, besides each other of course. They always brought each other�s gifts in private. Rory had already brought her mom�s present. She�d found it in a little shop in New Haven, near the Yale campus.
Rory moved away down the aisle, looking at some nice men�s socks. Maybe she could find something to match the tie. She looked up after a few moments, seeing her mom over the clothes. Lorelai had snuck down a few aisles and was now looking at a pair of women�s designer jeans. Rory chuckled, Lorelai herself probably wanted them. Rory was sure they weren�t meant for anyone.
Lorelai looked up at her daughter, and smiled. I made that girl. Lorelai thought to herself. Rory smiled back and motioned that she was going to check the next aisle over. Lorelai nodded her head, thoughts of her teenage pregnancy going through her head. She�d been only 16 when Rory was born. The first few years had been tough, but she was now in the process of opening her own inn, and Rory was a freshman at Yale University.
Lorelai snorted as she noticed a pair of purple jeans with pink feathers. The things you find in Stars Hollow. She smiled to herself, and then called out, �Hey, Rory! Look what I found!� she looked back up, but didn�t see Rory. She headed down to where Rory had motioned to, but Rory wasn�t there, �Rory!� she called, �Honey, where are you?� She searched the next few aisles calling out, �Rory? Rory?�
Lorelai began to get scared, �Rory, if you�re hiding this isn�t funny! Rory!�
�Is there a problem, ma�am?� a nice-looking guy with a store uniform on asked her.
�I can�t find my daughter.� Lorelai said, frantically, �She went down that aisle to look at something, and when I followed not even a minute later, she wasn�t there.�
�What�s her name?� the man asked, taking a walkie talkie off of his belt.
�Rory. Rory Gilmore.� Lorelai said, her mind going a mile a minute.
�Hair and eye color?� the man asked.
�Brown hair, blue eyes.� Lorelai said it without a moment�s hesitation.
�Age?�
�Nineteen in October.� Lorelai said, and the man was noticeably shocked. Lorelai understood that; she didn�t look like she could have a child any older than ten.
�Okay.� he put his walkie-talkie to his mouth, �Check the exits, missing person. Nineteen-year-old female, brown hair, blue eyes. Name Rory Gilmore.� Lorelai heard someone talk on the other end, and then the man looked at her, �We�ve got the exits blocked. Come with me, please.�
�Airpwane, mama! Airpwane!� Two-year-old Rory demanded of her mother, holding her arms up to Lorelai.
�Sweetie, Mommy can only do the airplane for you a certain number of times a day.� Lorelai explained to her daughter.
Rory�s lower lip poked out, and she said in a mournful voice, �Pwease?�
Lorelai grinned, �How can Mommy say no to that? Okay, darling, up we go.� Lorelai picked up her daughter and swung her around, and Rory giggled delightedly. She kissed the top of Rory�s head and set her back down.
�Fank oo, Mama.� Rory said, in her sweetest voice.
�You�re welcome, darling.� Lorelai said.