Gilmore Handbook Rule 13
Movie nights are bonding nights.
"I love your poodle skirt, Mom!" Rory gushed, putting on her blush.
Lorelai spun around. "It was really easy to make. And I look adorable!"
"That you do. Which Pink Lady are you supposed to be, anyway?"
Lorelai shrugged. "I like Frenchy, and I love Rizzo, but you know, I think I'm just going to be generic tonight."
"Generic is the new specific," Rory teased, putting gel into her curly ponytail.
"Hey! Let's be really fifties, and head to the diner and sit at the counter and order a root beer float!" Lorelai gushed. "We can even annoy Luke in the process!"
Rory wiped her hand. "What are we waiting for?" she asked, running down the stairs.
"Hey, at least you had saddle shoes already… Mommy still has to break hers in!" Lorelai called from the top of the stairs. "And don't scuff 'em, because Headmaster Charleston might banish you to detention!"
"I'll guard them with my life," Rory replied, tying her shoes.
Lorelai walked downstairs and linked arms with Rory. "To the diner!" she said, opening the door.
As they entered the empty diner, Luke gave them a confused look. "What's with the getup?" he asked. "We're almost closed, you two are dressed up… is there a sock hop you're late for?"
Rory sat down at the counter. "It's 'Grease' night tonight. Mom and I are dressing up for this one. Only the most special ones require costumes."
"And this is supposed to be considered as fun?" Luke asked, wiping down the counter.
Lorelai nodded. "Has anyone ever told you that you look strikingly similar to Elvis Presley?" she asked.
"No, and I don't think they should. Are you taking medication for your delusions?" Luke questioned.
Rory held up her hand. "No fighting on Grease night… although I could see Luke as a Doody or a Danny… definitely not a Kenickie, though," she said.
"No way are you roping me into this one," Luke said. "I'm watching the baseball game tonight, and I am perfectly content with that."
Lorelai pouted. "Well, at least get us burgers, extra cheese, and two root beer floats, please? You're our first stop before we sing our little hearts out with Danny, Sandy and the gang."
Luke wrote down their order. "Somehow I never saw you two as fans of something so… mainstream."
Rory gasped. "We were born to hand jive, baby!" she said, defending their interest in 'Grease'.
Lorelai tilted her head. "Well, see, I just like the music, especially when John Travolta gets on top of the car and does that thing…"
"Stop right there," Luke insisted.
Rory giggled. "Oh, so he's seen the movie!"
"In high school, yes," Luke replied. "I'm going to make your food."
Lorelai put her chin in her hands. "You sure you don't want to come with us?"
"The Red Sox are playing against the Yankees tonight, to decide who wins the series. I don't think so," he said.
Lorelai scrunched up her nose. She wasn't listening anyway, she was opening and closing her hand with Luke's words, like a hand puppet. "Tell me more, tell me more, like does he have a car?" Lorelai added sarcastically. She got no answer, just an eye roll. "Fine, suit yourself. Movie nights are bonding nights… you're missing out."
"Missing out?" he grunted.
Rory looked at Luke with her puppy dog eyes. "Please, Luke?"
Luke shook his head. "I don't do stuff like that."
"Fine," Rory sighed. "You're missing out, you know that."
"I can manage, and I've already been informed that I'm missing out."
Lorelai and Rory finished their meal and headed back to the house to watch the movie. They assumed their usual places on the couch and the usual amounts of junk food were sitting on the table. When they popped in the movie, they sang along to the opening credits.
"You know, I don't understand what the appeal of Kenickie is to the girls. I mean, he's tall, yes, he can reach high shelves in the house or in the grocery store, but he's not very good-looking," Lorelai contemplated, grabbing a slice of pizza.
Rory shrugged. "Beats me. Personally, I like to believe that Danny is the main focus of the movie, so therefore, Kenickie's attractiveness or lack thereof is rather unimportant."
"But still, Kenickie's the one doing half the flirting and making out and stuff like that. Come on, now, he's supposed to be just as much of a Romeo as Danny," Lorelai protested.
"Are we seriously having a debate about Kenickie versus Danny?"
Lorelai shook her head. "No, it's more of a general wondering. And you know, I had a principal in high school who looked just like that guy. Rather creepy if you ask me."
"The resemblance, or the guy himself?"
Lorelai scrunched up her nose. "Ah, both. Oh, shhhh!" she said, pointing to the TV, ready to sing along to the first song of the movie.
"I've always wanted to know who's version of summer was real. I mean, looking at it, it seems like Sandy's is real, but what if there was some hidden 'Grease' scandal? Then what?" Rory questioned as Lorelai sang.
"I don't know. Just take it for what it is, and then we'll mock it slightly as we go," Lorelai decided.
Rory nodded. "Done."
Luke shook his head. "You seriously confuse me with the movies you watch. You'll watch something so obscure one minute, but mainstream the next. What, do you watch for the movie reviews and go to the bad ones on purpose?"
"Well, we find a variety of things amusing, so, it's more of a mishmash of movie tastes, brought together here, in the Gilmore home. We just hear about movies and see them. No preconceived good or bad thoughts," Rory explained.
"And seriously, Luke, you watch 'Star Wars', who says that's not cheesy?"
Luke shook his head. "They're classic movies, Lorelai."
"So are 'The Godfather' and 'Casablanca'," Lorelai pointed out.
"And I argue because?" Luke questioned.
"I wouldn't be talking, mister," Lorelai teased, "I seem to recall a romantic movie night you planned for me."
Lorelai and Luke were walking hand in hand through the town, and Lorelai hated having no idea what was going on. She was slightly confused, and entirely clueless, and she didn't like that feeling at all.
"Now, Luke, you know I hate secrets," Lorelai warned, shaking her finger at him as though he were being scolded.
He shrugged. "Then you're going to hate tonight. It's our first anniversary of being a couple again, Lorelai, and I certainly think the occasion calls for a little secrecy."
"Well, just make sure I get to try out your Invisibility Cloak when you're done. I want to go and torture a few select people, or just Kirk," Lorelai said, giggling at the thought of frightening Kirk in the middle of the night.
"I'll see what I can do," Luke said, shutting the door to the Crap Shack behind him.
The walk wasn't a long one, although Lorelai's incessant questions like 'Are we there yet?' and 'Is it bigger than a breadbox?' made the journey seem endless. When Lorelai and Luke reached their destination, Lorelai was surprised to be at the movies.
"We got all dressed up, and there was all this secrecy, just over the Black, White, and Red?" Lorelai whined.
Luke ignored her comment, knowing Lorelai wouldn't care so much in a little while. He took her hand and walked into the BWR. Kirk was there to greet them.
"Luke, Lorelai, we've been expecting you. Your popcorn is being popped, and loaded with extra salt and butter, as requested. We have Mallomars here behind the counter if you'd like them, and the Icee machine is up and running. Have you chosen your movie?"
Lorelai turned to Luke, smiling. "Am I correct in my presumption that we have this theater to ourselves?"
Luke nodded. "And since this is your night, you have a choice of 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' or 'The Godfather'. And take as long as you need to choose."
"Very tough decision. Do you go with the oompa-loompas, or the mob? This is a tough decision. Let's go with Willy Wonka," Lorelai decided.
Kirk nodded. "Excellent choice. You may choose any seat you'd like, and we will bring your food over in just a moment. Enjoy your night."
"Well, isn't this nice? Maybe you should keep things from me more often," Lorelai whispered.
They chose their seats, ate the food, and attempted to get through the movie without Lorelai commenting on it. Part of her wanted to mock it, but another part wanted to just enjoy the moment. So, she did a little of both.
"I've always contemplated the choice of makeup for this scene," Lorelai started. "I mean, really, what makes them look like that, and not like Munchkins from Oz? And you know what?"
Luke interrupted her with a kiss. She pulled back and giggled. "I'm trying to watch the movie," she teased.
"Good thing you've seen it before, then," Luke shot back, leaning in for another kiss.
Lorelai pulled back again. "Maybe I chose it because I want to watch it again," she whispered.
Luke reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. He opened it up and handed it to Lorelai. "Lorelai, will you marry me?" he asked.
She looked back at Luke, stunned. "Luke…"
"I love you, Lorelai. I love everything about you. You're beautiful, you're a great mom, and contrary to popular belief, I think your movie commentaries and your… coffee obsession is… part of you, and I don't ever want to watch another movie without someone whispering random thoughts next to me."
Lorelai beamed, and sighed. "Yes, I will marry you, Luke," she said, leaning in to kiss him.
Luke pulled away this time, slipping the ring onto her finger. "I thought you wanted to watch the movie."
Lorelai wiped away a tear and shook her head. "Like I can come up with good side anecdotes now. And besides," she said, pulling him closer, "I've seen it already."
Rory sighed. "I still stand by my position that Luke is a big softie."
"Yes, and he's MY big softie," Lorelai teased, wrapping her arm around Luke.
"The world's biggest softie, ladies and gentlemen, right here," Rory teased.
Lorelai sighed. "So we've given you lots of rules now. How many can you remember?"
"If 'Run for your life while you still can' was a rule, I'd remember it better," Luke muttered.
Lorelai giggled, putting her head on Luke's shoulder. "You know I'm so fascinating, you wouldn't be able to survive without me," she teased.
"Never," Luke replied, taking the book and turning the page.