June 2000
Part IV- A morning
Rory turns over and is instantly awake, the sun streaming in through the curtains. Her mother is still asleep, facing her, her mouth a little open and drool seeping on to the pillowcase.
She carefully maneuvers herself off the bed and grabs her camera off of the side table. She takes the flash off and aims it at her mother, pressing the capture button rapidly, biting back her laughter. Man, she can see her mother's face when she gets these developed.
She laughs silently to herself as she sets the camera down and goes downstairs, not surprised to find April up and watching cartoons and Luke is out on the back deck, painting on sealant.
She gets some cereal and joins April in the living room.
"Good morning, kid."
"Good morning," April says absently.
"What are you watching?"
"Transformers."
Rory watches Optimus Prime and Megatron go head to head.
"You like this? Robots fighting each other?"
April lifts a shoulder in a classic nonchalant Luke move. "Not really, but me and Jess watch this every morning."
Rory stirs her spoon in her cereal, wondering about this Jess person. Over the past four days she's heard mention of him, past by his room, caught a fleeting glimpse of him once when she got up for a glass of water and he was leaving. She knows that, according to Luke, he's a hardworking, well-read, loner smartass.
"So, you and Jess watch Transformers every morning?" she asks, setting up the groundwork for investigative questions.
"Yep. And in the afternoons, when he has the time, we watch The Wild Thornberrys. I like that show. He does a really good Donnie," April answers, screwing up her face as Optimus transforms into a bus.
"Why isn't Jess here to watch Transformers with you?"
"He works for Daddy and at the library so he doesn't get to watch cartoons. Finally," she picks up the remote and switches the channel in time for the opening credits of Batman Beyond.
Rory finishes her cereal as the two of them watch the new Batman fight some crime and Rory leaves April to get more cereal and investigate the mystery of Jess from another, less distracted source.
"Hey, Luke," she greets him, stepping out onto the back deck. Looking up at the sky she can see that's going to be a cloudy day.
"Hey yourself. Your mom up yet?" he smiles, dropping the paintbrush in the can.
"No, she's still asleep. It must be a really good one," she says as she eats a spoonful of Fruit Loops.
"Why, is she drooling?" he asks, walking over the painted spots and looking up to the sky.
"Yeah. I won't ask."
"I wouldn't tell you anyway."
They grin and Luke starts packing away the cans of sealant.
"So where would Jess be on a day like today?" Rory asks lightly, hoping he wouldn't read too much into the question.
"Well," Luke rubs the back of his neck, "Jess would be at the diner, being a grumpier version of me, if you can believe that. After that, he likes to take the boat out to "warm her up". As long as he doesn't drown himself, I'm fine with it."
Rory drops her spoon in the bowl. "He can sail?"
"Yeah. He read the books, took a course, now he thinks he can whip my ass in a race. I let him indulge in whatever fantasies he wants if it keeps him from moping around."
He pounds shut the cans and lays them on a folded piece of tarp where the grill sat on the grass.
In her mind she sees a tall manboy, his black hair flapping in the breeze, his white shirt brilliant against the blue backdrop of sky and water, a long muscular barefoot leg propped up on a rail. His khaki shorts are frayed and he is leaning against the wheel, gently turning it one way. He is close enough for her to put a hand on his shoulder, and she does, but he doesn't turn around. His flesh is hard, like stone, and Rory suddenly realizes that he is a statue.
"Rory!"
She shakes her head and nearly drops her bowl. "Huh? Wuh?"
Luke is standing in the yard, waving his arms. "Are you here? I was telling you that we'll probably go out today, show you guys the Sound."
"Today? Sailing? I thought we were going into Fremont?" She doesn't want to go sailing, not after that vision.
Luke gives her an odd look. "Okay, we'll hold off on the sailing. Maybe tomorrow. Or we can go see the boat tonight."
"Yeah, that sounds good," Rory nods. The glass doors slide back and April sticks her head out.
"Daddy? Lorelai's awake and talking about lack of service and inhospitable conditions. She said that Motel Shafterson has a better variety of no coffee and still no coffee. She also said that I look like a really good pastry."
Luke leaves and a few seconds later Rory can hear him trying to explain, for the sixth time, how to make the coffee.
"But Luke, it's too early for me to press buttons."
"I think you're pressing mine just fine."
"Coffee doesn't come out of you."
"Why don't you drink some orange juice?"
"What?! Are you mad? I do not function on nutritious. I function on caffeine. Don't you know what Folgers says?"
"No, I don't know what a mass producer of poison says, but I'm sure you'll enlighten me."
"'The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup'!"
There's a pause.
"April, thank you for starting the coffee machine. You've saved us all from the beast."
"April, my angelic spring, my burst of pure goodness! You and me, we can topple Folgers, we can build an empire of coffee!"
Rory leans against the glass door, drinking her fruity-flavored milk, listening to morning.