Before Rory Gilmore had left to go on her first job as a reporter, Lorelai Gilmore, her mother who was also sixteen years her senior, had brought her aside.
"Mom," Rory said. "I'm going to be fine."
Lorelai gave her daughter a hug. "I'm going to miss you," she told her.
"But we'll talk on the phone everyday," Rory reminded her.
"It's not the same," Lorelai replied.
"No," Rory agreed and resisted a sigh. "It's not the same, but I will." She hugged her mother and glanced at the man who was leaning against her mother's jeep and who had insisted on making the drive with them. "So Luke?"
"The heart wants what it wants," Lorelai replied. "Apparently mine wants Luke." She let go of her daughter. "When you find someone who knows you like Luke knows me, Rory, you'll see what I'm talking about."
Rory nodded.
"You better go," Lorelai replied, "or they'll leave without you."
Rory hugged her mom one last time before running up on the bus.
Lorelai walked back to her jeep, and Luke folded her into his arms. "You and I both know that's not goodbye," he reminded her.
"I know," Lorelai replied as they watched the bus leave, "but it's still hard."