Part 21 – Four makes a family.
"I'm not going," April announced, as she stormed into the diner, the blinds rattling as the door closed.
Luke looked up from behind the counter watching his daughter's tantrum. At least it was the late afternoon lull so there weren't many customers disturbed by her outburst.
"Hi Dad, how was you vacation? Great April, we had a wonderful time, thanks for asking. How are you?" Luke said aloud.
"I'm not going and she can't make me," April grumbled determined. She slouched herself into the stool by the cash register opposite Luke, ignoring his previous comment.
"Who can't make you go where?" Luke asked intently. Obviously April had more pressing issues then how his honeymoon went.
"Mom. She wants us to go visit Grandma in New Mexico, for the whole summer! Doesn't she realise I have a life, that just maybe I might have plans? No, she's decided we're going and I don't get a say!" April ranted.
Luke stared at her confused, this was the first he'd heard about this trip. Certainly he'd been away for ten days, but this seemed like all the plans had been made. He shook his head trying to hide his annoyance. How was it that he had to clear every detail with Anna when he had April, yet she didn't give him the same courtesy? She just made the plans without even telling him.
"Dad you have to do something," April begged. What Luke was supposed to do he had no idea.
"Sweetie, you know your mom, if she's already made her mind up, then there's not much I can do about it."
"You could say something to her… I know tell her I can stay with you."
Luke knew the look on April's face meant she was forming a plan.
"I highly doubt your mom would let you spend the summer here with me if she wants you with her. You know it might not be as bad as you think..."
"You are kidding me right? Six weeks in the desert, where I know no one my own age."
"You'll make friends," Luke reasoned.
"How? It's not like I'll be going to school or clubs to make any friends. I'll be stuck playing cards, or board games with Grandma. I'll come back brain dead. She doesn't even have the internet!"
"Tragic," Luke deadpanned, despite knowing how much time April spent chatting to her friends on the internet.
"Just talk to her, please. She'll listen to you."
"I'm sure it won't be that bad. I'll talk to your mom, maybe I can get her to send you home a week or two early, but I make no promises."
"When you drop me home tonight?" April beamed with a mixture of excitement and impatience.
"We'll see," Luke told her. Whether or not Anna would listen to him would remain to be seen.
Lorelai sat on the sofa in her parents house awaiting Rory's arrival. She had called earlier saying she would be late, but had good news that she would share once she arrived. It could only mean one thing, and Lorelai's heart was sinking.
In her head she was preparing herself for the worst. She was waiting for Rory to walk in saying she would be leaving any day for a job somewhere on the other side of the world. She knew there was a chance that it wasn't quite as bad as she was making out, but if she prepared for the worse, then she could be pleasantly surprised if it wasn't.
Even as Emily made drinks while they waited for Richard to join them, Lorelai was giving her next to no attention. Unfortunately for Lorelai, it didn't go un-noticed.
"Lorelai!" Emily called, holding a glass towards her. Distracted, Lorelai shook her head bringing her back to reality, then took the glass with a smile.
"Are you listening to anything I've been saying?" Emily asked annoyed.
"Of course," she lied, taking a sip of her martini.
"Then what was I talking about?" Emily questioned, knowing that Lorelai had no idea.
"The DAR?" Lorelai shrugged hopeful.
"I was talking about the home owners association," Emily confirmed.
"Well I was close."
Luckily the doorbell rang before Emily had a chance to reprimand her further for her lack of attention. Rory practically bounced into the room as she greeted Emily.
"Hi Grandma, sorry I'm late," Rory beamed.
She sounded like she'd just run a marathon not walked from the driveway. Lorelai eyed her daughter suspiciously and moved up the sofa further so Rory could take her place next to her, but Rory had too much energy to sit down.
"Where is Grandpa?"
"He's in his study," Emily told her un-amused. "Greta could you get Mr Gilmore…"
"Don't worry, I'll get him, I'll be quicker," Rory butted in.
"Rory." Emily sounded appalled, but Rory had already taken off in the direction of the study. Lorelai just shrugged as Emily looked at her wondering how she raised her daughter.
"Rory, I'm expecting a call," Richard told her, as Rory pulled him by his arm into the living room.
"This won't take a few minutes. I promise."
"Hi Dad." Lorelai gave a half hearted smile as Richard sat down next to Emily on the sofa opposite her.
"Hello Lorelai, how's married life treating you?"
"It's good thanks."
The three quickly turned their attention to Rory, still standing and looking as if she was about to burst.
"Mom, Grandma, Grandpa, I have a job!" Rory beamed excitedly.
"Rory, that's wonderful news," Richard smiled.
"Yes, Congratulations."
"Where?" Lorelai asked, even though she wasn't sure she was ready to hear the answer.
"Here," Rory confirmed
"Here?" Emily asked confused.
"You're my parent's new maid? Seriously, that's a bit of a step down from your dream job as a reporter."
"No! Here as in Hartford," Rory said, un-amused by her mothers sarcasm. "I'm going to work for the Hartford Chronicle."
Lorelai was so stunned she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Rory was staying. She had a job so close to home. She wasn't leaving for months on end like Lorelai thought she would. She didn't know whether to laugh, cry or hug her daughter till she couldn't breath,
"How?" Lorelai finally managed.
"Well, you know the guy who runs the website that I've posted a few articles on, he was having a party last week and he invited me to attend. When I was there I got chatting to the editor of the Chronicle, and at the time I didn't really think much of it, but he must have read the work I posted.
So, he called me yesterday and asked if I had time to come by and meet him today. I did this morning and he told me about their graduate program. Each year the paper takes on ten graduate students and you get to spend six months in a department of the paper learning all the ins and outs of writing that field and getting to submit articles. After six months you move to another department and learn all there is to know of that one.
It runs for three years, but at after the first year you can apply for any permanent position at the paper if you want or you continue round the departments. It turns out that someone's dropped out so he's offered it to me, even though I never applied, cause I didn't know about it."
Rory finally took a breath, clearly excited about her new challenge.
"Naturally I accepted straightaway. The pay's crap cause you're still learning, but it's better then nothing and I can live at home to save some money. If that's okay with you mom?"'
Relief washed over Lorelai. Rory was staying. She wasn't going to work half way around the world. She wanted to live at home with her and Luke. A smile crept across Lorelai's face as she felt the months of worry drift away.
"That's more then okay with me," Lorelai confirmed. "So when do you start?"
"Oh that's the best part, I don't start till September, so I still get the summer to do whatever I want." Finally, Rory sat down next to Lorelai and let Lorelai pull her into a hug.
Although the possibility that Rory would leave was still there, for now at least it was still just that, and Lorelai was happy to put off what seemed the inevitable.
"Well I think this calls for a celebration," Richard announced.
"I agree. I think this definitely calls for some champagne."
Emily smiled proudly as she watched her daughter and granddaughter's excitement.
April desperately wanted Luke to say something to Anna about the trip to New Mexico. Only Luke didn't know how to bring it up without getting her back up. He didn't want to fight with her, especially after last time. Whilst Anna had made some improvements with regards to how she treated his and April's relationship, Luke still was not convinced that it was for April's best interests or just so Anna could pacify her daughter for the time being.
April had spent the day coming up with things for him to say and ways he could approach Anna. In the end he decided that it was best if April stayed in her room while he spoke to Anna alone. At least that way Anna wouldn't feel like they were ganging up on her.
As decided, once inside the house April took off up the stairs while Luke stayed to talk to Anna. One look at Anna and he knew that she knew what he wanted to talk about.
"So April told me about going to New Mexico for the summer," Luke said, following Anna into the kitchen.
"There's a surprise. I bet she told you how thrilled she is about going too."
"She doesn't want to go," Luke told her simply.
"Well neither do I, but I don't have any choice."
"I know, and I get where you're coming from, but I don't think forcing April to go is going to help…"
"Luke, I appreciate what you're saying, but April and I are going. I'm sure once she get's there she'll find things to do and end up have a great time."
In Anna language, that meant 'butt out Luke.' Only this time Luke wasn't going to give in so easily.
"You might be right, but see I was thinking maybe we could make a deal. If she spends three weeks in New Mexico then comes back here and spends the last three with me and her friends here, she might feel better about going."
Anna was shaking her head even before Luke had finished speaking.
"I'm sorry Luke I don't think so. April needs to learn she can't get her own way all the time. Just because I won't give in to her, doesn't mean she can run to you to get her own way."
"She didn't come running to me Anna. Sure she told me about the trip and how unhappy she is about going. I just wanted to give you another suggestion, to make things easier for April."
"Luke, I've made the decision okay. April is coming with me," Anna told him firmly.
"What is the point of her being miserable for six weeks Anna? I'm not telling you leave her with me for the whole summer, I'm asking you to compromise, for April. Three weeks there and three here is fair, and I'm sure April will be happier and better when she's with you."
Luke looked at her, showing he wasn't giving up. He wasn't asking for something outrageous, he was asking for what was fair.
"Luke…"
"Please mom!" April bounded down from the position on the stairs she'd been listening from.
"April!" Anna was slowly getting annoyed at being badgered about this subject.
Luke knew he wasn't getting very far fighting with Anna on his own, so as much as he wanted April to stay out of this and let him handle it, he was relieved to have April in front of him.
"Please, I promise if you let me come back here you will not hear one complaint from me the whole time. I'll do two weeks with you and four weeks here…"
"Three and Three is fair April," Luke told her. He didn't want Anna thinking he was a push over.
"Two and four please! Becky and Lauren are planning weekly sleepovers and the swim team are training for competitions. I can't miss this. I'll be the loser who missed out on everything that happened over the summer when I go back to school."
"You'll have plenty to tell them about New Mexico."
"But I won't be part of the inside jokes. I'll be standing there wondering what everyone is laughing at, because it's something that happened at a party or a sleepover. Please mom. I'll be a social outcast."
"April, enough. Stop being so dramatic."
"I'm not being dramatic. Don't you remember how hard it was to fit in at school? Well it's only gotten worse since then. People pick on you just for wearing the wrong trainers, so imagine what it's like if you end up talking to someone everyone's fallen out with over the summer."
"Enough!" Anna finally cracked as she rubbed her face. "Fine, you can spend the first two weeks with me then come back here for the rest."
"Really!" April jumped and hugged her mother. Luke was speechless as he watch April railroad her mother. He couldn't believe that he was worried about Anna thinking he was a push over, when she'd just given into Aprils demands. He would have stuck with the three weeks, but who was he to argue. He had got his daughter for four whole weeks.
"Just don't push your luck or I will change my mind."
"I promise, thank you so much. You won't regret this mom."
"Well I wouldn't want you to be the social outcast at the start of term," Anna said reluctantly.
Luke somehow managed to keep his smile hidden while he was inside with Anna, but the second he was in the safety of his truck he couldn't hide it any longer. He had April night and day for four weeks and no clearing his actions with Anna. As he started up the engine he couldn't wait to tell Lorelai.
"Rory got a job in Hartford, she starts in September and she's going to be living with us permanently." Lorelai almost shouted to an empty diner as she pushed the door so hard it rattled. Smiling the biggest smile she's seen on Luke's face he came out from the store room and met her in the middle of the diner.
"Anna's going to New Mexico for the summer so April is staying with us for four weeks," Luke returned.
Lorelai practically jumped into Luke's arms hugging him as tightly as she could. Still unable to believe that Rory wasn't going around the world, hearing April was staying with them also was the icing on the cake.
"So four weeks hey," she asked as she let go. "One whole month as a complete family," Lorelai said. She couldn't believe it was happening. They would have their new house and for a short time, they would have their family living in it.
"Think we can handle it?" Luke asked, unsure how he would cope living with three women.
"Definitely." Lorelai smiled as she pulled away from Luke and headed to the counter to find some paper, whilst asking Luke for a pen, so they could start planning their weeks.