Luke took the light on in the living room to think that they were home. He knocked on the door, stepping back and looking at his toolbox in his hand. Ever since hearing about the break in, he planned to come over and install new locks and deadbolts.
He heard the door unlock, and looked up.
"Lorel…"
She quieted him, putting a finger on her lips, and, after looking behind her to the living room, stepped outside and shut the door behind her, pulling her sweater tight around her and pulling her sleeves down over her hands.
"I just got her to sleep." She said, "Oh, Luke, I forgot to call you and tell you we were back." She sent him a sad look. "It's been so crazy…"
He just nodded, knowing she would have called if she would have remembered. Then he held up his tookbox and said, "I just came by to put some new locks on."
"Luke." She whispered, "What would I do without you?"
He didn't want her to think about that question. He didn't want her to think about living without him. So he distracted her by asking, "How is she?"
Lorelai walked over to the steps and sat down, and, of course, Luke followed. She just sat there, her elbows on her knees, her head in her hands. "Luke, I didn't think about how hard it must have been for her when I was gone." She just shook her head, "She was so hurt that I left her."
Luke wanted to tell her that it wasn't her fault. That she had no choice. That in no world would Lorelai voluntarily give up her daughter. But she knows that already.
"She really was lost the first few weeks she was home." Luke said, remembering the many times the little girl had fled to him just needing to be with someone.
Lorelai watched his face, and then asked, "How bad was it?" Then she said, "She said something about surgeries? Was she in a lot of pain? What happened?" Now she was crying, "I can' believe I did this."
Luke put his hand on the small of her back, just to comfort her. "Lorelai you know that this wasn't your fault. You know you wouldn't have left her if you didn't think it would keep her safe…"
"But in trying to keep her safe, I've just hurt her even more. And now…" She choked through tears, "Now she hates me."
Her head fell into his lap. And he just stroked her hair as she laid there and cried. "She doesn't hate you, Lorelai. I promise she doesn't. She's just hurt."
She sat up. "And she is in so deep with the drugs, smoking, drinking." She sounded so defeated. "I don't know what I'm going to do." She looked up at him, and said, "I had to literally pull her out of that house. Like, grab her arm, pull her down the stairs, drag her out of the house. All the time she was yelling at me."
Rory? How? How much different could she really be? "Is there anything I can do?"
"I don't even know what I'm supposed to do. We got home and screamed at each other. Then she fell asleep on the couch. And now…" She turned to the house, "I have to talk with my lawyer tomorrow to discuss the trial."
"Your lawyer?" He asked, "I thought you fired your dad's lawyer?"
She nodded, "Mia's husband, Greg, is a lawyer. And he's going to take my case."
A small smile came to his face. "You went to see Mia."
She nodded. "It was just what I needed."
"Of course it was." He said, "She's your real mother figure."
She wiped the tears away from her face, and said, "I wish I knew what I was supposed to do with Rory."
He just stood up, and said, "Just love her. It's worked before. It will work again."
Then he looked down at his toolbox and said, "What do you want me to do? Do you want me to put a new lock on it? Or?"
She looked up at him, stood to her feet, and said, "Babette had Morey came over and put a new deadbolt on."
This town sure could be a little bit annoying at times – actually, a whole lot annoying – but the people – they meant well.
"She left me a note on the door. It was sweet."
He didn't have an excuse to stay. But he wanted to. He didn't want to leave them alone. He didn't want to leave Lorelai here without protection. But most of all, he didn't want to leave her because it hurt him every time he had to say goodbye.
"Coffee and donuts tomorrow at the diner?" He asked her, and saw a smile come to her face. "I'll save the sprinkles?"
She just nodded. And he could see her eyes twinkle. And they were standing so close together. So close.
"Goodnight Luke." She said.
"Goodnight Lorelai."
