This Is Me | Gilmore Girls

Part 12: November Nothings to December

November 2000

Luke's Diner, Stars Hollow

Lilith sat at Luke's diner eating her French toast. It was a rare morning where she didn't have to get to school early as the morning meet was cancelled. As her hand reaches for the maple syrup she hears Luke. "What are you doing? Don't you have enough of that sugar death on your plate?"

"Luke, you're sounding like Mrs. Kim again. Is there something I need to know?" His nose scrunches in that way it does and she smirks. "Luke 0 Lily 1. As in one won cause I'm number 1."

"Yeah. Yeah. Whatever kid."

"So glad you agree." The power walk happening outside the window catches her attention. "Warning! Warning! Doose is coming and he looks like a man on a mission. Luke where are your decorations?" She says the last bit just as Mr. Doose opens the door with a sarcastic smile only Luke sees as she looks at him situated behind the counter.

"Yes, exactly my question! You should be setting an example for young Riley here not going out of the way to diminish what little town spirit she has.

"Hey, I so have spirit! I'm a cheerleader." Lilith says cutting in.

"Now, every other store in town has fall decorations."

"What am I invisible?" She asks herself as she's ignored.

"Well, hurrah for the mob mentality." Lilith pouts as she listens to the two men start bickering and grabs the syrup to drown the last bits of her cinnamon-y goodness in despite already being smothered in the stuff.

"Big G. Little O. Go! Go! Luke, go! " She cheers him on in his town rebellion as her aunt and cousin walk in looking at her in confusion as some of the diners laugh.

"We're talking a few streamers and a paper turkey. How is it gonna hurt to have a paper turkey?"

"No turkeys, no squash, no pumpkins. Nothing colored orange."

"Like I'm not even here." She mumbles to herself before grabbing her bag to leave. It's right after she walks out the door she remembers one thing that might work and turns around. "Hey Luke, Mr. Doose I have an idea that might work and make you both happy." Luke looks at her in exasperation as Mr. Doose turns around slightly interested. "Luke do you still have those dark brown wicker baskets?"

"Why?"

"You could set them up on the tables and have the cloth napkins mom got you with the golden leaves on them inside along with the table condiments. Plus, it takes up less table space which means people might order more. You also have the matching plates she got you for the restaurant that matches. While not so in your face to the point of annoyance, there are still touches of Autumn and this way they come out of the box. Think you two can agree on that?"

"I don't have time to hand wash-"

"Dishwasher safe, Luke. Mom made sure of it for everything she got you for the restaurant."

"Fine but that's it. Now get your damn pilgrims off my counter Taylor."

~~*~~

She could smell it as she laid in bed, cool watery freshness. It brought tears to her eyes as she remembered her dad from this life and the memories of sitting on his lap wrapped up in a blanket and her mom brought out hot cocoa before snuggling up to them with his arm wrapping around her shoulder. She wished she could have experienced it herself. She wished it wasn't just memories but the true experience of having parents who were happy and loving and actually cared. Maybe she didn't have that but as she wiped the tear that slid down her cheek away she acknowledged that she at least had the memory which some didn't. She had already gone 18 years without the love of her parents and now she had 15 of the very love she was once denied, she wouldn't take it for granted.