Luke has 2 children, Rory (15) and Megan (11), with Rachel. The two have been broken up for around 5 years, and Rachel works as a photographer, travelling often, and returning to Stars Hollow when she can, where she now has a studio apartment. Lorelai has no children, she lives in Stars Hollow, visiting the diner frequently, and is a good friend to the Danes family, meeting them after Rachel has left. Jess exists and will come into the story. Rachel has rich, estranged parents, and Rory will still go to Chilton.
...
"Megan, hurry up, we're gonna be late" Rory shouted to her sister.
"Hang on, I can't find Mom's poster…ah-hah, got it".
Megan threw her schoolbag over her shoulder as she raced through the apartment clutching the big 'Welcome Home' poster she had made for her Mom the night before. She headed downstairs, closely followed by her older sister, who quickly scanned the room for any forgotten textbooks, homework sheets or items of clothing before she left.
"Dad, you need to blue tack this to the door before we get back, ok? Look, I drew us all, there's you making us burgers, and that's a giant chocolate cake you made too." Megan slid her poster across the counter and grinned up at her Dad.
"Hmm, yeah, great subtle hint there Megs, looks like you forgot the big bowls of salad I was gonna prepare."
"Dad!" Megan looked at him wide-eyed, panicking that Luke might have forgotten about their Mom's traditional first night back in Stars Hollow meal.
"Relax ok, Dad's joking" Rory reassured as she steered her sister towards the door, so they could head to school.
"Youre mean!" Megan glared up at her Dad.
Luke just smiled back at his youngest daughter. "School time kid, you better get going before your sister has a meltdown about being late."
The two girls left the diner and headed across the square to Stars Hollow Elementary School, where Megan was in fifth grade.
"Hey, you know Mom's not really 'coming home' right? I mean, its only a visit, and this isn't really her home" Rory carefully asked her sister.
Megan looked sideways towards her sister. "Well it kind of is though. We live here, and she used to live with us in the apartment, and she grew up in Hartford which is super close, and its not like somewhere else is her home, she's always moving about. Remember that picture she sent us last month of the hut in Argentina she's been staying in. I bet you that Stars Hollow is more of her home than that place."
Both of the girls had a point. Rachel, their Mom, had left Stars Hollow 5 years earlier, when Rory was 10 and Megan was about to turn six. Things between the parents had been tense for a while, and Rachel had decided she should return to her job as a photographer, travelling around the world to document different cultures, working on assignments for various magazines. She dropped by to visit the girls whenever possible, sometimes staying for a week or two, but often she was able to stay for longer, while she did editing work before heading off on a new assignment.
When their Mom had left, it had been made clear to the girls that their parents were splitting up, although in the six years that had passed their Dad hadn't dated anyone, and as far as their knew, neither had their Mom. The girls, especially Megan, found it hard not to hope that one day their parents would get back together. Rory however, remembering more of the arguments that had occurred when they were still a family all living above the diner together, tried her best to discourage Megan from getting her hopes up about any of this.
"Well, just remember, she's only here for 10 days this time, she's coming to my Chilton interview, and your dance show, and then she's got to get back to her hut" Rory reminded her sister.
"Oh man, I'm so excited for Mom to see the dance show! Did you know I've got an actual solo this year?" Megan jumped up and down as she remembered one of the reasons for their Moms visit.
"Hmm, really? You didn't mention it", Rory looked at her sister in mock seriousness.
Megan rolled her eyes at her sister. "Oh ha-ha, you're nearly as funny as Dad".
As they reached the Elementary school Rory said to goodbye to her sister, and headed down the street to Stars Hollow High.
...
Lorelai realised that Luke had become totally distracted from her description of the latest hilarious towel related incident she'd suffered earlier that day, at the Independence Inn where she worked. She followed his smiling gaze out of the diner window and across to the town square. She saw Rachel and Rory as they headed towards the diner, with Megan dancing ahead, spinning around every so often to shout something back to the pair.
Lorelai turned back to the counter, as Luke broke his gaze and looked back at her.
"So anyway, next time someone offers to shape a towel into a swan for you, just say no!" Lorelai grinned awkwardly as she tried to cut her story short. "Well, I better go, my business class starts soon, thanks for the coffee", she said hurriedly, as she gathered up her things and left the diner.
Luke watched her stop and chat briefly as she was intercepted by the girls, before dashing to her car.
...
"You're sure you're ok with me staying here Luke? It's just I wasn't expecting to be back yet, so I'd rented out my place till the end of next month" Rachel asked as she stood in the living area of her former apartment. Even when the four of them and all lived together, their home had been Luke's Dads old office and storage rooms above what was now Luke's Diner. It was small, but it still worked for them all, the girls each had their own small room, as did Luke, with a small open plan kitchen/dining/living area in the middle.
"Of course we don't. I'm gonna share with Rory, and I tidied my room especially for you! Come look, you can see my new dance certificates too!" Megan grabbed her Mom's hand and pulled her towards her room.
"Exactly. Anything that gets Megan to tidy her room without a huge amount of whining is good with me" Luke murmured, and smiled as Rachel turned around and caught his gaze.