Title:
Miss Me?
Author: DaxisSteele
Rating: PG
Summary: Senior year, One bus, two enemies, 14 hours together.
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. Characters do
not belong to the author.
Chapter Eight: They'll Never Take My Freedom
"We had yet another head to head about not marrying your father." She sighed heavily and slumped into her seat.
"Why is she so dead set on bringing that up?"
"Because sweetie, as much as she likes to pretend it isn’t for your benefit, most of her thrills come from her status at DAR."
"She doesn’t pretend very well." Rory shook her head and massaged her temples. "I’m sorry mom, if it wasn’t for me we wouldn’t have to do this every week."
"It’s not your fault kid. You weren’t expecting blackmail to be involved." Lorelei smiled and turned back to the road. She pulled quietly in front of the hardware store and turned off the engine. "Go find Bible Boy, I’ll put in our orders."
"Cheer up Mom, Luke is going to give us coffee." She forced a chuckle and headed into the empty diner. "Luke, please if you like me at all coffee without the lecture." Luke poked his head out of the kitchen and studied her. She was hunched over at the counter with her head buried in her hands. Quietly he filled a mug and set it in front of her.
"That bad?"
"Full frontal assault." She sighed and looked up at him with misty eyes shattering his heart. He leaned on the counter in front of her. "I don’t know how much more of this I can take."
"I can help you with tuition you know. You don’t have to go through this."
"Will you ban me from coffee?"
"Nah, just make you cut down a little." She laughed and rested her forehead against his.
"It wouldn’t be that bad you know. I can handle my mother, but she started in on Rory tonight and poof, it was me at sixteen all over again. I worked to hard to keep her from going through that to throw it all away now. She’s already planning their wedding."
"That’s it. You’re not going back there. I will help you with the rest of the tuition." Luke nodded curtly and topped off her cup.
"You can’t afford that."
"Yes I can, it’s only one more semester." He took her hand in his. "Please Lorelei, let me help you. I don’t want to see them hurt her the way they hurt you."
"One condition."
"What?"
"You let me pay you back."
"When you can afford to."
"Why are you so good to me Luke?"
"Luke, coffee and make it a big cup, please!" Rory came in dragging Tristan behind her.
"Sure thing kid." Tristan grinned when the two adults pulled away suddenly. He wondered how long it would take for those two to get together. They moved to the table by the window and waited for their food. Rory was surprised when Luke joined them as well.
"I thought you hated this kind of stuff." She pointed to his burger.
"I have my moments."
"So, is it always that bad, or was it a special occasion." Tristan mumbled before taking a huge bite of his burger.
"It’s getting steadily worse." Rory sighed and chugged her coffee. Without asking permission she stood and grabbed the pot off the machine. "More?" She held the pot up to Lorelei and waited for her nod. Crashing back down into her seat. "Can’t wait for next weeks exciting installment."
"We’re not going back."
"You always say that." Rory chuckled.
"I mean it this time." There was no childish glint in her eyes and Rory grew worried. "Mom, you know she’ll threaten tuition."
"It’s taken care of. This semester was already paid and I have enough for next semester." She reached out and took her trembling daughters hand. "I’m not letting you go through what I went through. Not from your own flesh and blood." She looked apologetically at Tristan. "I wish I could do the same for you."
"It’s okay, Lorelei. You get used to it after awhile." She nodded sadly in agreement.
"So what are the plans for the evening?" A tiny flair of mischief made it’s way back into her eyes. "A freedom party perhaps?"
"We don’t have time to plan that big of a throw down tonight Mom. Maybe tomorrow, start at noon and roll into Sunday. Maybe Kirk can get arrested again."
"You are so my daughter." Lorelei beamed at Rory.
"That wild?"
"Mom’s parties are epic."
"Insane is more like it." Luke grumbled.
"Oh admit it you love them. That is until every one comes stumbling drunk into the diner the next morning asking for strawberry milkshakes, but you know you love it!" Lorelei felt a jolt of excitement. "All right everyone. Tonight will be spent planning the be all and end all of parties in the Gilmore House. Luke, you’ve got coffee and the alcohol, Rory, call Sookie about the food, Tristan, you spread the word. I’ve got the entertainment! This is going to be bigger than the New Years bash last year."
"Lord help us." Luke shook his at her antics.
"What happened at the New Years Party?" Tristan studied Rory curiously as she tried not to laugh.
"Half the town got arrested for streaking the police station." Rory burst out laughing at the memory.
"Don’t forget about the fight between Taylor and Kirk over the importance of lawn gnomes in the earth day celebration." Lorelei squeaked.
"The idiots started a snowball fight that sent three people to the hospital." Luke chuckled despite himself.
"Was this before or after streaking?" Tristan was impressed.
"Before. That’s how mom came up with the streaking. One of the town cops drove out and broke it up when the ambulance was called."
"Somehow, she and Rory managed to get out of their jail cell while the rest of us sat in a tiny little cell wrapped in prison blankets." Luke glared at Lorelei.
"I can’t help that we’re cuter."
"Wait, you all streaked?" Tristan gawked at Rory.
"I told you her parties are epic."
"I am so there." He chuckled.
"I can’t believe you are doing this." Luke stood and cleared the table. "And I can’t believe I’m going to help. I thought four times a year was bad."
"How often does this happen?"
"New Years, July 4th, Mom’s birthday and my birthday."
"Definitely going to have to stick around then. I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on this Gilmore tradition."
"Put a sock in it Bible Boy, you are just hoping to see my daughter running down the street scantly clad." Lorelei frowned.
"Well, yeah." He laughed. "How am I supposed to spread the word, I don’t even know anyone here."
Rory just laughed. "This is Stars Hollow Tristan. All you have to do is walk across the street and tell that man in the market that we’re having a Freedom Bash Lorelei style and it will be all over the town in three minutes."
"Wow. Better that the Hartford grapevine."
"Just as reliable too." Lorelei rolled her eyes. "Come jungens! We’ve got planning to do. Must hit the basement for props and toys."
"You’re kidding right? We have things growing down there."
"Non sense! Move along little ones." She gestured toward the door. "I’ll meet you at the house. Now move."
"Bring coffee." Rory yelled over her shoulder as they walked over to the market.
"Luke!"
"What?" He stuck his head out of the kitchen.
"You want to come play in our basement?"
"No, I’m scared of your basement."
"It’s not that bad." He just raised a brow. "Okay so maybe it is. But you’ll be there tomorrow morning right? Christian can handle everything here."
"I still don’t trust that kid." He walked over and started to wipe down the counter.
"Oh come on, you know once noon rolls around everyone will be at our place anyway." He sighed heavily.
"Fine. I’ll be there around nine." He held up a finger before she could say anything. "With coffee." She reached across the counter and dragged him over for a quick kiss.
"Thanks Luke." She turned and sprinted out the door to her car.
"I’ll never understand that woman." He smiled and went back to wiping down the counter. Tomorrow would definitely be another one for the Stars Hollow history books.