Title: What You Get
Disclaimer: Nope. Still not mine. But that's not to say that I'm not trying.
Chapter: Questions
Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this chapter, and as always: I'm constantly looking for feedback, whether it be negative, positive, critical or neutral I want to hear it. Thanks!
Three years later:
Lorelai and Rory walk up to the front step tightly bundled in coats and scarves and knock on the door. The town looks just like a picture off of a post card, blanketed in snow and sparkling, as if thousands of tiny diamonds littered the ground illuminated by the setting sun. It's the day after the first snow of the season.
Everything is magical when it snows. Lorelai looks back on the last three years of her life, remembering all of the great things snow has brought them. Rory's first steps happened when it snowed; little foot over little foot padding across the shed floor to Lorelai who promptly picked up her daughter and spun her around causing Rory to giggle. The next day Luke made a cake and they all celebrated Rory's move towards mobility. It had been snowing when Mia announced the Lorelai would be taking over the position of assistant manager at the inn, meaning that aside from better hours, she'd be receiving more money. And, the greatest of all, it was snowing the day that William came back from the hospital with the all clear: His cancer was gone.
William had gotten sick a year and a half after Lorelai had moved to Stars Hollow. Lung cancer. But, they'd caught it early, and he'd begun treatment immediately. It was a long, slow climb back up. Everyone was worried, but they kept their spirits high for Rory, who barely left William's side unless she needed to sleep or eat while he was in the hospital. It's been over a year and a half since William was given the all clear and things couldn't be better.
Luke opens the door and smiles at them, ushering them inside. They hang their coats up in the hall. Rory goes running into the living room and jumps on top of William, who is reading the paper. He smiles down at her. "Well hello there Rory. How are you today?" She giggles and sits up straight. "I'm doing very well thank you William, and yourself?" He grins at her and begins to tickle her. She shrieks and giggles trying to get away. Lorelai and Luke watch the interaction from the hallway, smiles on their faces. They're both so grateful that William is still there with them.
Rory and William have calmed down now, and are reading the paper together, Rory reading as much as she can, and William filling in the rest. "Dinner will be ready in a few." Luke says to Lorelai as they sit down on the couch. "Good because I'm famished." Rory's head peeks out from behind the paper. "Me too!" She quickly disappears back behind the paper. Luke just shakes his head and Lorelai giggles. "So, if I remember correctly, you have your day off tomorrow. What are you planning on doing?" Rory's head pokes back out from behind the paper. "We're going shopping. Mommy says that we're gonna go to the mall and then to the food court!" Her head disappears yet again. Luke looks skeptically over at Lorelai. "The food court. You've got her excited about eating at the food court?" "What can I say. She's a true Gilmore, and nothing excites a Gilmore more than food, except for coffee perhaps." Luke Sighs. He knows that he'll never win this battle, not to say that he hasn't tried, but she can always tell. If he even puts a millimeter of decaf in her coffee she can taste it.
The timer on the oven dings, alerting the room to the fact that it's dinner time. Luke and Lorelai get up and go into the kitchen to set the table and take the dinner out of the oven. William takes Rory to the bathroom to help her wash her hands. "Hey Will. Can I ask you a question?" William smiles down at Rory. He'd do anything for this little girl. "Of course sweetheart. What would you like to know?" She's silent for a moment, as though summoning her courage. "Well, there's this thing at pre-school on Wednesday called bring your daddy day, and I just. I wanted to know. Where's my daddy? I know that he's off being a big business man somewhere. But I don't know where. Where's my daddy?" William has no idea how to respond. He wonders for a moment why Rory didn't just ask Lorelai, but then it occurs to him that maybe she didn't want her mother to know about bring your daddy day. That she didn't want her mommy to feel bad because Rory can't bring her daddy anyway. His heart aches for this little girl. He can't help wanting to kill that man for leaving these two girls. He sighs. "I think this is a question for your mommy, not for me Ror. I'm sorry." She nods. "That's ok. I just thought I'd ask you." He smiles at her and picks her up, bringing her into the kitchen and setting her down in her usual spot.
The whole lot sits down and begins to eat. Rory sits quietly, barely touching her food. Lorelai and Luke exchange confused looks. "Hey Ror, is there something wrong with your food? 'Cause I can make you something else if you'd like." Luke asks her concernedly. "Oh. No thank you. I'm ok." Lorelai looks over at William questioning him with her eyes. William turns to Rory. "Sweetie. Are you alright?" She looks up at William and shakes her head no. Tears begin to form in her eyes and she quickly tries to wipe them away with her hands, but Lorelai is quicker. She's at Rory's side in an instant, picking her up and wrapping her in a hug. "Sweetie what's wrong?" Rory picks her head up off of Lorelai's shoulder and looks her in the eyes. "Where's my daddy?" Lorelai blinks a few times, trying to digest this question. "I've told you sweetie, he's a big business man." Rory shakes her head. "I know what he is. But I want to know where he is. And why he never calls. And why he won't be there on bring your daddy day at pre-school on Wednesday. Sara's daddy's coming, and so is Lane's. Why he doesn't love me?" She dissolves into tears on Lorelai's shoulder.
Lorelai looks helplessly at Luke and William. She knew that these questions were coming. Rory's the smartest little girl she's ever met. She knew that she couldn't keep her in the dark about her father forever. But now that she needs to tell her, she's not ready. How do you tell a four year old that her father ran out on them when they were born? How can you explain that daddy doesn't call because he doesn't care? How do you explain, that even you don't know where he is, or what he's doing? Tears begin to form in Lorelai's eyes as well. She's at a loss for words.
Luke gets up from his chair and walks over to the girls. Rory looks up at him through teary eyes. He smiles at her. "How about I come with you. I know I'm not your dad, but I'd be willing to come so you don't feel left out." Rory looks a little apprehensive so Luke goes on: "I'll even let you make me a macaroni necklace." She begins to smile. "And I'll bring cookies." Sold. Rory's face breaks into a tear-stained grin and she throws her arms around Luke, who takes her from Lorelai who looks relived. Rory begins to talk a mile a minute about what they'll do and what she'll show him when they get there. Lorelai sits down and puts her head in her hands. Luke may have fixed the problem temporarily, but she knows that sometime soon, Rory will want to know the answers to her questions, and Lorelai's not sure how to answer them. William puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It'll be ok." Lorelai smiles sadly. "He's an idiot for not wanting to know her Lorelai." She looks up at Rory and Luke, who's totally wrapped up in what Rory is saying. "Yeah. He really is."
