GLORY DAYS | Luke Danes

EPISODE TWO: The Lorelai's First Day at Chilton

Lucy Delaney tossed in bed, the faint sound of an alarm clock barely registering in her half-awake state. The sound of a car horn from the street below jolted her awake. She sat up suddenly, eyes wide with panic.

"Crap," she muttered, realizing she had overslept.

She threw off the covers, stumbled to her suitcase, and rifled through it for something—anything—decent to wear. Finally, she settled on a simple outfit and rushed out of the motel room, hoping the day wouldn't continue on this disastrous note.

---

As Lucy walked through town, she noticed how lively it was, even at this early hour. She passed by Miss Patty's dance studio, where the girls were already practicing with batons, their movements sharp and precise. Miss Patty was instructing them with her usual flair, her voice carrying over the street noise.

Lucy made her way through the town square, the familiar sights and sounds greeting her like old friends. As she approached Luke's Diner, she saw Lorelai Gilmore rushing out of the diner, juggling a coffee and what looked like dry cleaning.

Lorelai glanced at Lucy and gave her a quick, breathless smile. "Good morning!" she called out before hurrying away, her cowboy boots clacking against the pavement.

Lucy watched her go, raising an eyebrow at Lorelai's outfit—tiny tie-dyed top, Daisy Mae shorts, and cowboy boots. It was a bold look, to say the least. Although, not one that Lucy would wear unless there was a gun pressed against her head.

---

Lucy walked into the diner, the familiar chime of the doorbell ringing as she stepped inside. The place was buzzing with the morning crowd, and Luke was behind the counter, fixing what looked like a toaster.

"Hey, Luke," Lucy greeted as she slid into a stool at the counter.

"Morning, Lucy," Luke replied without looking up. "No coffee. How about some herbal tea?"

Lucy chuckled. "Please tell me you're kidding."

Luke smirked and grabbed the coffee pot. "For here or to go?"

"To go, please," Lucy said, watching as he poured her a cup. "So uh, Lorelai been watching many country westerns recently?"

Luke shook his head, his expression a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Rory started Chilton today, and apparently, all of Lorelai's good clothes were at the cleaners."

Lucy nodded, understanding the chaotic energy that came with big moments like that. "Sounds like quite the morning."

"You have no idea," Luke muttered, handing her the coffee.

Lucy took the cup and smiled. "Thanks, Luke. I'll see you later."

---

Lucy spent the rest of the morning exploring the town, her thoughts wandering back to the conversation she'd had with Luke. It was clear there was something between him and Lorelai, though Lucy wasn't sure what it was. She shook her head, pushing the thoughts aside. It wasn't her business.

As she passed Miss Patty's dance studio, she saw the woman herself standing outside, her voice carrying over the sound of the morning traffic.

"Now that's how you should've dressed this morning, Missy!" Miss Patty called out, waving at Lorelai as she walked by.

Lorelai shot Miss Patty a look and hurried on, clearly not in the mood for a chat.

Lucy chuckled to herself and continued on her way, her mind now preoccupied with thoughts of her own writing. She had a deadline coming up, and she needed to focus.

---

The grand, imposing façade of Chilton loomed in front of Lucy as she stood on the sidewalk, gazing up at it. She had driven out to Hartford to get a feel for the place Rory would be attending, her curiosity piqued by the earlier conversation with Luke.

She had just begun to turn away when she spotted Lorelai and Emily Gilmore walking out of the school, bickering quietly. Lorelai looked mortified, while Emily seemed as composed as ever.

"I cannot believe you showed up dressed like that, Lorelai," Emily chided, her voice carrying across the parking lot.

"Mom, I overslept, okay? Not the end of the world," Lorelai replied, her frustration evident.

Lucy watched them for a moment before turning away, feeling a pang of sympathy for Lorelai. She knew all too well how difficult it could be to navigate the expectations of family, especially when you didn't quite fit the mold.

---

Back at Luke's, Lucy sat at the counter, her notepad open in front of her as she tried to focus on her writing. The diner was quieter now, most of the morning crowd having dispersed.

As she wrote, she couldn't help but overhear the conversation between Luke and Lorelai, who had just walked in.

"I had to pick up Rory from Chilton," Lorelai said, sighing as she took a seat at the counter.

Luke handed her a cup of coffee. "How'd it go?"

Lorelai groaned. "It was... a disaster. Rory's day was even worse than mine."

Luke gave her a sympathetic look. "Kids at those fancy schools can be tough."

"Yeah, well, Rory's tougher," Lorelai replied, determination in her voice. Lucy smiled to herself, admiring Lorelai's fierce protectiveness over her daughter. 

As Lorelai left the diner, Lucy glanced up at Luke. "She's got her hands full, huh?"

Luke nodded. "Always does. But she'll be fine. She's stronger than she looks."

Lucy sipped her coffee, feeling a sense of camaraderie with Lorelai, even though they'd barely exchanged more than a few words. Maybe there was something about Stars Hollow that brought people together, made them feel less alone.

---

As the day came to a close, Lucy found herself back in the town square, the evening lights casting a warm glow over the town. She spotted Lorelai and Rory walking together, their heads bent close as they talked quietly.

Lucy couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could see the bond between them—strong, unbreakable, despite the challenges they faced.

For a moment, Lucy felt a pang of envy. She had never had that kind of relationship with her own parents, and she wondered what it would have been like if she had.

Shaking off the thought, Lucy turned and headed back to her motel. Tomorrow would be another day, and she had a story to write—one that was beginning to take shape in her mind, inspired by the lives of the people she was slowly getting to know in Stars Hollow.

As she walked, she couldn't help but feel that maybe, just maybe, she was exactly where she was meant to be.