Glitter Years

Help Wanted

Lorelai, Anna, and Rory are walking past the gazebo toward Luke's. "What?" Anna hissed, tired of feeling her mom stare.

"Are you tilting?" She continued to stare with her head turned sideways.

"This again." She sighs.

"Mom, leave her alone." Rory scolds.

"I think you're tilting." Lorelai insisted.

"I think you're tilting your head." She had been pestering her about the weight of the cast since she got it.

"Do you wanna hold onto my purse, it might even you out?" She held out the item.

"You want the cripple to hold your things." Anna glares.

"I'm gonna get a pen and put it on top of your head and see if it rolls off." She dug in her purse.

"You are making this painful. Not the broken wrist, but you." Anna points an accusing finger at her.

"It's a sprain," She playful rolled her eyes, before pulling out a piece of paper. "Will this make you feel better?"

"What is that?" She eyes it.

"I got the recipe for the Risotto from the maid." She held it out.

"The one from last week. Give me. Give me." She cheers as she grabs it.

"Good. . .now, can I put a pen on top of your head?" She went back to digging through her purse.

"I will bite our hand." She snapped her teeth together.

"Ah... I'll risk it." She giggled, reaching over. Anna hurried away.

"Forget the pen," Rory gets in between them. "Are you ready to face Luke?"

"Yes, I need to apologize. Luke didn't deserve me blaming everything on him. I know Luke wouldn't throw him out. I just didn't want to believe he would do that to me." Anna had heard all the versions of Jess's departure. In every story, even the wild ones of Jess killing someone in the car accident, Luke gave him a choice. Her dad confirms that he heard it from Luke himself when she asked him.

"I'm sure Luke's not mad at you." Rory gave her mother a look to say he might be mad at you, to which Loralei ignored. They reach Luke's Diner and there is a crowd out front.

"Hey, is there a line?" Lorelai asked Kirk.

"Closed." He answers.

"What?" Anna narrows her eyes.

"It's closed." He clarified.

"Luke's closed?" Lorelai couldn't believe it.

"Luke's is never closed." Rory stared at the side of her mother's face.

"He opens on every holiday, his birthday, even when he is sick, he has Caesar or I running it." She felt guilty.

"Are you sure it's closed?" Loralei asked.

"Well, first I read the sign and then I tried the door in case it was some sort of elaborate ruse," Kirk told them.

"Designed to keep only you out?" Lorelai didn't think Luke would pull a prank.

"There's precedent." He nods.

"Well, Luke's gone fishing. I think that's great." Lorelai read the sign.

"It is?" Anna asked.

"Yes. He works hard, he needed a break, he took it. I think it's good, healthy." She looks at Kirk for support.