Chapter 33

(Brand New Chapter!)

Luke dropped Shelby off at Rachel's house.

Before he left, he asked for a minute to talk to her after Rachel suggested Shelby take her stuff upstairs, including the gifts she got from Nicole and her parents. Once the kid was out of earshot, Luke brought up what happened at Nicole's, to Rachel's attention as a head's up. He figured Shelby most likely wouldn't say anything herself, but thought it would be best to let Rachel know, trying just as hard to keep the communication open to repay the favor since she had been great at doing it.

Hearing Nicole had also gotten Shelby the new Reba CD didn't really phase Rachel, pointing out it meant they both knew what Shelby liked. Though, Rachel would have preferred not to get the same present, but it wasn't the end of the world as it seemed to have been for Shelby. Still, Rachel thanked Luke for letting her know, and shared she had already watched some of the tapes and how difficult it was seeing their daughter go through what she had to endure during the first five years of her life. She, too, felt the guilt Luke had felt watching Shelby's first birthday and how they should have been throwing her a first birthday. The guilt was even heavier on Rachel, knowing it was her decision that caused this, in the first place.

"Though, I do admit," Rachel pointed out, "throwing a one-year-old a party, in general, seems like a waste of time to me when the kid's not even gonna remember it, anyway."

Luke, not fond of social gatherings, himself, had to agree. "I think it's more for the adults, especially those scrapbooking moms, than the kid."

Rachel snickered at Luke's distaste for the normal domestic family life. In fact, it was contagious enough to get a smile out of him.

Shelby ended up staying over at her mom, through the entire weekend, not coming back until Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, the Christmas brunch with Nicole's parents turned out better than the one with Roger's family. His mom and stepdad were the ones who were great and, unlike Nicole's parents, were not expecting Shelby to consider them her step grandparents. Already being a blended family, they knew what it must feel like for a kid to suddenly have all these new people join their family. Just because they were Rachel's in-laws does not mean they were a part of Shelby's family and wanted to earn that right if that was what Shelby wanted. There wasn't any gushing or over affection either, keeping a firm boundary. That, and how warm and welcome they were, earned them "brownie points" in Shelby's book.

However, Roger's little brother, Jacob, was a whole other story. Rachel already wasn't a fan of the guy to begin with, and if being honest, Jacob could make Jess look like a choir boy, if he wanted, and did not earn any "brownie points" from Shelby. Every family has that one uncle who has an opinion and/or joke, most of the time, crude, for everything, and Jacob was one of those uncles. He constantly teased the kid on "the cat got her tongue" and at one point, held her in a playful headlock until she cried and Roger had to tell his brother off.

To get Shelby away from his brother, Roger had taken her upstairs and shown Shelby his old childhood room, which led to her bringing home a box of old toys he let her have, she showed to Luke. It was toys he hadn't seen since his own childhood, including one of those Etch A Sketch things that amazingly still worked. The screen was a little blurry, but he could still faintly see what Shelby was "drawing."

"So, Christmas wasn't all bad?" he asked her afterwards.

Shelby shook her head. "It was good."

Luke smiled for her. "I'm glad to hear it." He then suggested they finally have their little Christmas celebration, which excited the kid.

He fixed a small Christmas dinner for just the two of them and even made his homemade kid-friendly eggnog Shelby loved.

Afterwards, Shelby went to grab her gift for her dad, bringing it over for him to open first.

Luke tore off the generic cartoon elves wrapping paper to find a used Billy Bass singing fish.

"I found it at a yard sale somebody was having and though' you migh' get a kick out of it," she shrugged and leaned over to press the small red button underneath the rubber fish.

The fish suddenly came to life, raising its head to sing, Don't Worry, Be Happy. Luke's head flinched, catching him off guard. It was weird but made him laugh out loud.

"I love it," he said. "Thanks, kiddo." Not something he would have brought for himself, though. Luke pulled the kid in with one arm to hug her, kissing the side of her forehead. "This is going on the wall for sure."

Luke stood up and went over to remove a framed picture of a fish he had above his desk, for some reason, and hung the singing bass in its place, asking for Shelby's opinion.

"Perfect," she replied with a thumb's up.

While he was over on his side of the apartment, Luke pulled his gift for Shelby out of the closet and brought it over to set on the table, moving his plate from dinner out of the way. Though he wrapped it, one could already tell he had wrapped his guitar.

Shelby's puzzled expression appeared. "I though' you already gave me your guitar?" she asked, ripping the matching wrapping paper she had used, off.

"I did, but I wanted to customise it for ya," he said with a shrug.

With the wrapping paper off, Shelby stared at it. "It looks the same to me."

Luke lifted the guitar and flipped it over, setting it back down. "Look again," he told her.

Shelby moved her head closer to the body of the guitar where he had an inscription engraved for her: To my little buddy. Music is your gift, and so this guitar rightfully belongs to you. I am so proud to see you blossom into the young lady you are becoming. Love, Dad.

She read it out loud, needing his help with a couple words before lifting her head towards him again.

"I wanted to make it more special for ya," he explained, rubbing an affectionate hand along her lower back, "then just saying, 'here ya go. It's yours now.'"

Shelby stared at him for a moment before suddenly throwing her arms around him. Out of all the cool stuff she got for Christmas that year, this was her most favorite. What made it a bonus was the fact it came from her favorite person in the entire world. Hearing that definitely made his day.

For New Year's, Nicole invited Luke to an adult's only party, which meant finding somewhere for his little buddy to go.

Rachel also had plans that were adults only, so Shelby couldn't just go back to her mom's. Thankfully, to their joy, Lorelai offered to let the kid come stay at her house and celebrate the new year with her and Rory, who was still home from Yale for the holidays. It also ended up being a blessing in the fact it would be the last time the kid would see Lorelai for a very long time.

With the holidays behind them and they entered a new year, it meant new possibilities for Luke and Shelby.

Shelby returned to school the first Monday of January, but only for a week because Nicole felt it was time to move things forward since the last couple of months had gone so well, including the holidays.

During dinner, Nicole brought up the idea of moving in together.

Luke nearly choked on his chicken and had to quickly wash it down with his drink. "What?"

"I want to move forward and try living together," she repeated.

He was finding it hard to wrap his mind around the idea. "Who?"

"Us," she answered. "And, Shelby, of course."

Luke froze, unable to respond. Nothing was coming to mind except, "Are-are you sure?"

"I've given it some thought, and yes. I'm willing to try and see if we can be a family. What do you think?"

"Uhh…" Luke stared back at the woman. "So, you want to move to Stars Hollow?"

"Well, I was thinking more along the lines of finding somewhere between Stars Hollow and New York since I would have to commute between my office and Connecticut," she said. "And I know you have the diner."

Wait, so he would have to uproot himself and Shelby? To a whole other town?

"I've already looked into it, and found Litchfield is about in the midpoint, and the schools there are highly excelling."

"Schools?" he questioned. "But, with the diner, Shelby can still go to the same school, she'll just come with me in the morning."

"I know, but if she goes to school there, I can pick her up and help her with her homework," Nicole said, making a valid point.

"But, what about her friends? Plus, she's already halfway through the school year," Luke also pointed out.

Nicole shrugged. "I just figured it would be easier this way. Normally, schools want kids to go, in the same county they live in. I even found this charter school who focuses on helping kids who struggle in school, Shelby might benefit from. Smaller class sizes, they have an emphasis on the arts and music. Shelby likes music and the arts, right?"

Luke fidgeted nervously in his seat. "I guess, yeah." He still wasn't sure.

"We can try it, and if it's not a good fit, then Shelby can return to her old school next year," she said with another shrug. "Isn't that how you do things, like sports, with her? Have her try it, and if she doesn't like it, finish out the season and she doesn't have to do it again?"

Nicole had him cornered. "Yeah," he admitted.

"Well then, we can try this, and if it doesn't work out," Nicole wiped around her mouth with her napkin, "at least we tried, right?"

He took in a deep breath and let it out.

So they did.

The hardest part, admittedly, was informing Shelby of their plans.

Shelby was willing to move in with Nicole, of course. What she did not like was having to move to a completely different county and another new school, something she was no stranger to. Luke at least tried to make this sound like a good thing for her, and for them, encouraging her to give this a try. If it doesn't work out, she can always return to Stars Hollow Elementary next year.

Shelby reluctantly agreed to try; understanding Stars Hollow was kind of far from New York for Nicole to have to drive there every day.

So, that weekend, they met Nicole in Litchfield, and spent most of the day searching for a place big enough for the three of them. Like he did before, while he and Shelby were searching for an apartment with Jess, Luke brought his measuring tape and banged on pipes. Only this time, he had a little more help. Shelby still stood back and casually walked around the places with her hands shoved in the pockets of her winter jacket. Whenever they asked for the kid's input, she would just shrug. Luke swore the kid was turning more and more into a miniature version of her cousin by the minute.

Eventually, Luke and Nicole settled on a townhouse, with three bedrooms and a small den downstairs Nicole could use as a home office. It also had a small backyard Shelby could use with a small patch of cement that could fit one of those basketball stands.

Come the following Monday, Shelby didn't go back to Stars Hollow Elementary school. Instead, Luke went back to request her transcripts so he could get her enrolled at the new school. Thankfully, it only took a few days while also moving into the new house.

If things couldn't become even more stressful on the kid, Nicole also had to drop the sudden news about her feelings regarding Gexie and not being comfortable living with a tiny lizard in the house, especially when it involved bugs.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but you're gonna have to find a new home for it," she told the little girl.

The look that appeared on Shelby's face when Nicole broke the news shattered Luke's heart. He tried to plead his little buddy's case and persuade Nicole to change her mind, but Nicole couldn't warm up to the idea of living with a lizard and by association, bugs. To their joy and relief, especially Shelby's, Rachel did not mind Gexie, and offered to let the little gecko come live at their house. Roger even reassured he would make sure to take care of Gexie during the week when Shelby wasn't there. In retrospect, it would be more beneficial for Gexie, since he and Rachel knew a lot more about nature and critters than Luke did.

When Rachel learned of them moving to Litchfield and Shelby switching schools, she too wasn't so sure, either. But not having any custody rights, including things such as education, which was reminded by Nicole, she had no input, whatsoever, and reluctantly had to go along with it, even after Shelby brought it up during the therapy session with Lauren. If anything, Lauren said this was one of those lessons for Rachel, to remind her when life was not in her control.

"I told Shelby, if all these new changes become too much for her, she can always come over to our house," Rachel was telling Luke after she dropped Shelby off at the diner following the session.

Luke thanked her, appreciating how much of a help she and Roger had been over the last few weeks while they moved to Litchfield. Though, Rachel was becoming less of a fan of Nicole at this point.

She shrugged. "I just want to make things right with our daughter and do what I can to help her through this transition. I do find it odd of you to agree to all this."

"What do you mean?" he asked, knowing this woman knew him somewhat well.

"I have argued with you until I was blue in the face to leave this place with me while we were dating. To run away with me, and you stubbornly told me, no."

"You wanted me to leave everything behind, including my father's business," he pointed out. "At least Nicole was willing to compromise."

"Compromise?" Rachel stared back at him. "What compromise? She moved our daughter to a new school and almost made her get rid of her little friend. How is that, compromising?"

"Everything worked out in the end, though," he nervously replied with a shrug. "You took Gexie, and this way, Shelby can get extra help with school."

She pointed a hand towards herself, "But, I said I would help her with school, Luke."

"Yeah, on the weekends, and at least her class will have less students, and she won't have a terrifying teacher, anymore." Luke was trying desperately to come up with every positive excuse to make what he had agreed to, right. But, deep down, even he wasn't too sure about all this and what he was putting their daughter through. In fact, there was something telling him to pull the plug on all of this and let Shelby return to her old school, but something was holding him back from doing this and told himself this could be a good thing.

He watched Rachel shake her head towards the floor as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

When he enrolled Shelby in the new school, he also informed the school, her mom would pull her out of class every other Wednesday and made sure to include Rachel as someone who could pick Shelby up, while filling out the paperwork.

Being a special kind of school, this school required the students to wear uniforms. Shelby was given a few yellow polo shirts to wear, but they had to go buy several pairs of khaki pants to go with them. Shelby could also keep wearing her basketball shoes and keep her Harry Potter messenger bag, at least. She wasn't fond of not being able to wear what she wanted.

Like her first day back in kindergarten, she was hesitant to leave Luke's side and Luke was still hesitant to leave her there. This time, Nicole had been with them, who encouraged Shelby to go in and join her new class. Unfortunately, hats were completely forbidden, especially backwards, which the school saw as gang-related. Luke actually got a few stares from everyone in the office, himself. Nicole had caught on and quietly suggested he remove his hat while they were there.

The three of them slowly settled into their new home, as well.

Nicole hired someone to hang all the paintings and pictures she owned, and Luke made some shelves for nick-knacks and books and stuff, including for Shelby's room.

Even though Luke had to decline Robert's offer to install the internet for his apartment, Robert tried to offer his services for the new place. Nicole wanted to hire a professional installer, as well, despite Robert stating he was a very successful contractor/interior decorator. It prompted her to ask Luke if the guy was gay, not knowing many male interior decorators and the fact he was single by choice. Robert had even offered his business card for them when Luke and Nicole were deciding on paint colors. Unfortunately, Nicole knew someone she preferred their quality over anyone else. Luke felt inclined to apologize to Robert.

Robert only shrugged. "I work with a lot of snobby rich folk, so I'm used to it," he reassured.

"You do?" Luke asked with interest.

"Yeah, I'm very sought after over in Rhode Island. I do want to move my business over here in Connecticut, though."

"If you're already successful there, why move here?" Luke asked of him.

"To be closer to my sister and niece," he answered. "Unfortunately, with our family's current feud, our parents want me to stay in Rhode Island since travel is getting hard on our mom. It's already a hassle with our brother and his family being in Tennessee."

"I can imagine," Luke stated with sympathy.

Kirk interrupted, asking for the time for the hundredth time. Luke tried to ignore him and told Robert not to answer him, either, since the guy knows already.

"Is he your little brother?" Robert asked.

"Thank God, no," Luke replied while shuffling through paint samples.

"By the way you two were talking, it just seemed like you two were brothers," he explained. "Or maybe that's just me and my older brothers." Robert smirked.

The sound of the bell above the door rang. The sound of a bell was something Luke has come to hate over the past few days since one of the townspeople, Stan's funeral, whose wish was to resurrect the bells. It was one of those very few reasons Shelby was glad to be living somewhere else, now. The bells were nice at first when she came back on the weekends to see everyone, but during the second weekend, hearing them on the hour started making her head hurt badly and she spent the previous weekend with her mom.

Kirk tried asking Lorelai, who had walked in and sat at the counter with him. Luke also told her not to tell him.

Robert introduced himself to Lorelai while Luke and Kirk argued. Lorelai was bummed to learn he was a professional contractor and interior decorator all in one, which made him chuckle.

"Well, some time down the line, if you ever need to spruce the place up, you can always give me a call," he offered, handing Lorelai one of his business cards. Robert then turned to Luke, to let him know he had to get going and reassured him there were no hard feelings regarding Nicole wanting to go with another painter.

Luke swallowed nervously at Robert mentioning it while Lorelai was sitting there, which prompted her to ask after he left. He nervously picked up the paint samples Luke had laid out on the counter and told her he was doing some painting, receiving a fun tease about collecting and trading them among his friends. To his horror, she asked what he was painting.

He suddenly looked at her. Still nervous, Luke answered, "Our apartment."

"Oh, you and Shelby are doing some sprucing up there?" she asked, happily.

"Um, no, me and Nicole, we're getting an apartment." During this entire time, Luke had yet to tell Lorelai they were moving and kept putting it off. Thankfully, Shelby was busy with transitioning to a new school and the therapy sessions with her mom, to even think of asking if he had told Lorelai or not. Though, the kid probably would soon when she starts missing her pal.

"Oh, th-that's great." It seemed like Lorelai wasn't expecting him to say he was moving, either. "When?"

"When, what?" Luke tried to deny, even though he knew what she meant.

"When are you getting an apartment?"

"Three weeks ago," he forced out.

Lorelai looked away in confusion. "Three weeks?" She turned back to ask, "you moved already?"

Luke nodded his head as he said, "Yes."

Lorelai suddenly became speechless. "Uh. Wow. So… Where is the apartment?"

Glancing away for a split second, Luke answered, "Litchfield." His heart was starting to race inside his chest as he tried to mask his anxiousness of finally telling Lorelai. He then had to book it away from there to go clear a nearby table.

Lorelai was trying to wrap her mind around the idea, herself. "You moved to Litchfield? What about Shelby?"

"Her, too," he nervously nodded his head as he pocketing the money left on the table in his shirt pocket.

Lorelai turned on her stool to follow him. "Three weeks ago, you and Shelby moved to Litchfield?"

"Yes," he continued to nervously nod his head.

"Litchfield is another county," she pointed out.

"Yes."

She spun some more on her stool to continue following him as Luke started clearing the dishes. "Wha… Three weeks ago you moved to another county?"

"Yes."

"Wha… Were you gonna mention this to me anytime soon?"

Luke took the dishes over to the kitchen window and placed them in the bin before returning behind the counter. He brushed his hands together. "Sure."

"When?"

"When it came up," he answered.

"When it came up?" she questioned.

"Yeah," he said it like it was no big deal.

"Okay, so if I hadn't asked for the next twenty or thirty years and I sent ya a nice fruit basket upstairs, you just never would have gotten it?"

"It's not that big a deal," he informed her, verbally that time.

"Okay," she shrugged off, now with some slight irritation in her tone.

"It's not like we tell each other everything," Luke then pointed out in defense.

"No," she shook her head, "of course we don't. I mean, I tore a pair of pantyhose and I didn't tell you about it. Oh, wait," she touched a finger to her chin in sarcasm, "I guess I just did."

Luke rolled his eyes as he looked away, shuffling on his feet. He turned back to say she knew now, in a passive aggressive tone. "Right?"

She was looking away as if hurt. "Yeah," she agreed. "Right." Lorelai tried to meet his gaze but couldn't.

"Look, nothing's changed," he assured her.

"Yeah, nothing's changed." She sounded more hurt by this point. "Except you don't live here!"

"So, what?" Luke argued.

"So? I don't even have your phone number," she said while shrugging her hands up in sudden panic.

"I'll give you my phone number," he tried to reassure her some more.

"I don't even know what you live in," she for some reason added. "An apartment? A trailer? A bat cave?"

"A townhouse."

Lorelai stared at him as if in disbelief. "A townhouse? Sure, because when I look at you, I see common driveway."

"It's fine," he tried to say, "you'll come over and see it, eventually."

"Will I? Will I come over?" she was now yelling at him. "Because me coming over implies we are friends."

Now Luke was staring at her in disbelief. "We are friends."

"No, we're not." Lorelai was now shaking, as if antsy. "We're not friends. Friends tell each other, at least the most basic things. Where you live, and when you move away. I thought we were friends." She suddenly stood up off the stool. "But I guess we're not." She grabbed her purse.

"Where are you going?" he questioned.

"I can't say," she said towards the floor.

He called after her right as the bells were ringing again.

Lorelai at least spun around at the door to quickly point out, "And what about Shelby, Luke? Have you ever thought about her in all this?" With that said, she then stormed from the diner in an angry rush.

Luke cursed out the bells as he stood there in frustration.