Gilmore Girls: More in the Life

Chapter 89

       

Luke fought inner demons for two days, consumed with fear at becoming a father again. Only this time, he would be around for every part, from conception onward.

Standing behind the counter at the diner, he moved around effortlessly, not having to think to accomplish the tasks at hand. Customer needs to order? Done. Food needs delivered? Taken care of. Coffee cups need refilled? Check. All the while, Luke's mind churned over the knowledge that life as he knew it was quickly coming to an end.

The door opened. Looking up, it took a minute for Luke to realize that Emily had entered.

"Emily. I didn't know you were coming today. I thought you were heading back tomorrow after Rory and the baby get released."

"That was the plan but I figured another day of baby holding wouldn't hurt. I'm just going to take my bag upstairs and head to the hospital."

Luke nodded, turning to customers who had signaled for his attention. He didn't see Emily eye him closely for a moment before she moved to the stairs and made her way to her apartment.

*****

Once inside, Emily smiled as contentment filled her soul. As much as she loved Nantucket, she had to admit that she really enjoyed this apartment. It was another place that was all hers, Emily Gilmore's. While she never would entirely adjust to live without Richard, she knew that she had to forge new paths in order to find any happiness.

Emily just had no idea that doing so would equate to this space above Luke's Diner being a home of sorts for her.

With it being such, it gave Emily more time to quietly observe the ins and outs of her daughter and son-in-law's lives. For instance, just now, she knew that something was eating at Luke and part of her suspected that it had to do with the twins.

Fearing the worst, Emily quickly went back downstairs, her eyes searching for Luke. She spotted him coming out of the back storage room with a few grocery items. Without a word, she approached him, removed the items and placed them on the counter, and pointed upstairs.

"What is it Emily?" Luke had no idea what was going on, evidence of such playing across his face.

"Upstairs. Now." Emily gave no room for debate.

"Is something wrong? Did you find a mouse or something?"

Emily shook her head. "No, I didn't— wait, should I be watching for mice? Do I need to call an exterminator?"

In spite of himself, Luke chuckled. "No, you shouldn't be looking for any. I just wasn't sure what was going on."

Pointing upstairs once more, Emily repeated herself. "Upstairs. Now."

Luke did as he was ordered, moving up the stairs and into Emily's apartment. Stepping several feet inside the door, he turned around to face his mother-in-law. "What's this about, Emily?"

"Spill it."

Luke remained silent, though his continued confusion was clear.

"Luke, I've been fortunate to get to know you better in recent months. I've been able to discern when you're happy and when you're not. And right now, you're not. So spill it. Tell me what is bothering you."

"Oh, Emily, it's nothing. I'm just busy with running the diner."

Emily wasn't buying the garbage Luke was selling. "Nice try. You're not leaving until you tell me what is really bothering you."

Luke's sigh was audible, his chest puffing out as if he were trying to deflect Emily's demand. Several uncomfortable moments passed silently, leading her to wonder if she'd have to club him to knock some sense into his caveman head. She was about to say that very thing aloud when Luke spoke up.

"What if I fail them? What if I can't be the father I want to be to them? What if Lorelai needs someone more capable than me?"

Emily laughed, which was obviously not the response Luke expected.

"Of course you're going to fail at some point. You're going to wish for do overs and fight with Lorelai about her needs, your needs, the twins' needs. But those things will all be temporary. Luke, what you're about to embark on is not going to be easy. There will be days you want to walk away and never return. But you have to look at the bigger picture. Think of the day Gabby smiles at you for the first time or when Eli says he loves you. Imagine sending them to preschool, then blinking and be watching them graduate high school and the million memories in between. Every single day won't be perfect or memorable but you will always have something to hold onto when the going gets tough. You are going to be fine, Luke. I promise."

Luke stood motionless, absorbing what Emily had said before quietly asking, "But what if I can't do it?"

Emily's tone turned cold. "Are you considering leaving my daughter and your unborn children, Luke Danes?"

She expected an immediate denial but it didn't come.

*****

April couldn't shake the customer she had helped at the store when her mother was out earlier in the week. Something in her gaze seemed familiar, jogged déjà vu, but she couldn't quite place it.

At first, she would randomly think about how she could have come into contact with that woman before. But every time, she came up blank. She tried describing the woman to Anna but without seeing her, Anna said she had no way to know if the woman was familiar to her as well.

Sitting on the patio of a small coffee shop in Litchfield, April was sipping chamomile tea while reading a short story of her favorite author's. She detected movement behind her but she didn't bother to turn. Her attention was engrossed in the world the author's words were creating and she didn't want to emerge just yet.

Thirty minutes later, the end of the book came, causing April to quietly think about the text. She loved participating in debates and movements to combat issues close to her heart. Reading, however, was always a favorite. She could escape the day-to-day pressures and live within the written word as often as she wanted.

Smiling, April stood and grabbed her cup to dispose of. She stopped dead in her tracks when she realized the elusive customer was seated at a table a mere twenty feet from her.

Realizing there was no time like the present to figure this out, April weaved through the tables and approached the woman. Quietly, she leaned toward her. "Excuse me, I don't mean to bother you but you shopped at my mother's store earlier in the week. You stuck with me because I feel like I should know you but I can't place you. Have we met?"

The woman smiled but shook her head. "No, we haven't met before."

April frowned. "I really thought we had to have crossed paths at some point because something about you is so familiar to me."

The woman's next words shocked April.

"I suppose that would be because we're sisters."