Chapter 48
Luke wasn't sure whether to give Shelby a head's up about the letter coming for her, especially when no one knew what it was about, and he didn't want to get the kid all excited for a letter that could end up bad news. He couldn't help be curious about the letter, though.
With Shelby spending a lot of time outside the diner, practicing with her basketball, Jess found a hobby to keep him busy as well in a girl named Shane. Whenever he had the girl over, Jess told Shelby the apartment was off limits to kids so she couldn't go up there without the say so from him. With how distracted the kid can get by playing her Nintendo, if she was already up there, playing, Jess would squeeze in a minute or two of making out without the kid noticing. Seriously, a herd of elephants could charge right through and Shelby would never know by how far in she gets into her video games.
Most of that week, though, Shelby spent it playing outside in front of the diner, running back and forth, pretending to shoot baskets and guard the ball from imaginary players. Now and then, when Luke would look outside to check on her, he'd see her talking to Lorelai, who had been walking by, showing off the moves Shelby was learning. Luke would quickly look away if he and Lorelai suddenly made eye contact, and continue serving the customers.
The letter ended up arriving on Thursday. Luke called Shelby inside, telling Caesar he was going upstairs. Thankfully, Jess was downstairs, so they didn't walk in on anyone. On the way up, he informed Shelby; she received a letter in the mail from Bailey's parents. That caught the kid off guard to hear from someone close to her very first best friend.
Luke sat down in the armchair in front of the TV, letting Shelby climb into his lap. Once they were situated and comfortable. He tore open the envelope. Luke read the letter out loud.
Dear Shelby,
We have heard so much about you whenever Bailey called or visited home. You sound like a sweet and adorable little girl who had gone through so much in your short life. I hope you can forgive us for not getting in touch with you sooner. You see, it was very hard on us, it took a whole two years before we could go through our daughter's things. When we realized there was still someone who loved Bailey still in the dark, we felt terrible and hoped you didn't come to hate her for not keeping in touch with you as she promised, especially when that girl always kept promises she made. Just know, Bailey never stopped being your friend and mentor. She adored you, little one. She always had good things to say about you. It pains us to have to inform you of this terrible...
Luke had to stop reading when his eyes saw ahead what was written. His heart just about sank.
"Why did you 'top?" Shelby asked, with her puzzled look.
Kissing the side of her head, Luke squeezed her, tight before forcing himself to continue. Shelby had the right to know.
It pains us to have to inform you of this terrible tragedy. Bailey had a safe trip to California and landed safely. But once she got there, Luke paused to take a deep breath. A drunk driver had come out of nowhere and hit her side of the rental car. Thankfully, they informed us it was instant and Bailey felt no pain. We are very sorry for not getting in touch, sooner. We didn't mean any harm. It was hard on all of us. Bailey's room had been left alone with the door closed, and neither my husband nor I could go in there until just recently. Just know, Shelby, I'm sure this entire time Bailey has been looking down and watching over you from heaven. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, little one. We hope you found someone just as loving as Bailey was, if not more.
Sincerely,
Dave and Joyce Anderson
P.S. This was her most favorite belonging, so we figured you should have it.
Luke felt something thicker than a piece of paper inside the envelope. Looking inside, he dropped it into Shelby's hands. It was a copy of Pokemon Blue, the equivalent game to Shelby's copy of Pokemon Red.
"You okay, kiddo?"
Shelby was staring at the blue colored Gameboy game in her hand, not saying anything. Finally, after a moment, she asked, "Bailey died?"
"I'm afraid so, Shell," he answered. "That's why she never kept in touch with you." Luke saw a tear escape from her right eye. "I'm so sorry, kiddo." Shelby slowly dropped her head against him and quickly buried her face. Just like when Jess left, he could hear her muffled cries and roughly but gently rubbed her arm, holding his head to hers. At least it wasn't Bailey's doing and the young woman didn't abandon her as they thought she did, so Luke could instantly forgive his daughter's mentor.
Jess came up at that point, asking if he could take a lunch break, stopping when he saw Shelby was upset. When he asked what happened, Luke held the letter out to him, letting Jess come over and read it for himself.
When he looked up, he said, "Guess that is a darn good explanation." They looked down at a broken-hearted Shelby, who was still bawling her eyes out. Neither one knew what to say or what to do.
"I'm sorry, Scout," Jess managed to say after a minute. Suddenly, the young man was ambushed when the kid leaped off her dad's lap and tackled him, wrapping her arms around him. Jess held a hand to her head, not sure what to do next. "Wanna go to our spot?"
Luke saw her head nod against his legs.
"You mind?" Jess checked with him.
He nodded, letting the kids go.
When Luke eventually got back downstairs, John, the Asian guy that worked for him, asked why Shelby seemed upset. He explained to John about the letter and finally receiving closure with knowing what happened to Bailey. Miss Patty, Babette, and Taylor overheard from where they were sitting, offering their condolences, which Luke thanked them.
Later, in the middle of the night, Shelby ended up wandering over to his bed and climbing in beside him.
"Dad," she said, softly.
"Hm?" he replied, tiredly.
"Jess said a drunk driver is someone who drinks a lo' of beer and drives a car. Is ta' true?"
"Yeah, kiddo, it is, and it isn't good to mix those two things. People can get really hurt."
"Like, Bailey." The way Shelby said it broke his heart.
Turning onto his side, Luke wrapped an arm around her. "At least she didn't feel any pain." He was trying to sound positive, but how does one sound positive when the person who looked out for his kid before he could, was taken away from her.
"Never do ta', Daddy." He could make out Shelby shaking her head in the dark.
"I promise, kiddo. I would never get behind a wheel, drunk. I don't even drink that much, anyway. At least, not after you came along."
"Ta' good," she said and gave Pikachu a squeeze in her arms. Of course she would have that toy. After all, Bailey was the one who gave her the toy. Luke ended up letting Shelby sleep with him the rest of the night, reassuring her the first chance he got, they would go visit wherever Bailey was laid to rest.
The next day, since things were slow for the diner, Shelby set up her new dinosaurs on one of the tables and played with them. She didn't even want to go to the summer carnival when the twins came by with their family. Ethan and Alan couldn't believe how much bad things happened to their best friend and assured her they would win Shelby a prize to cheer her up, breaking into a sibling dispute on who was going to win the best prize.
When it got dark, Luke asked if she'd like to help, otherwise asked if Shelby could move her dinosaurs over to the counter so he could use the table she was sitting at. Shelby volunteered to help, serving the food to the customers, fetching condiments, restocking napkins, wiping down the tables after the customers were gone, along with sweeping and mopping the floor when needed. Then when Luke closed, she helped him clean and pack everything up for tomorrow. Even though he switched the sign on the door to close, guess he should have locked it since someone still came in, ignoring the sign.
"We're closed," he stated, monotone. After the week he and Shelby gone through, Luke really did not want to converse with someone he was still in a fight with. Shelby at least hurried over and hugged Lorelai around the legs, holding on, tight. The kid hadn't seen her since before the letter.
"I know," she replied, once she lifted Shelby to hold her. It seemed like Lorelai wasn't having a very good day either. "Look, I didn't come here to make up or try to get you to forgive me or talk." He heard her sigh under her breath. Shelby linked her arms around the woman's neck, holding her head on Lorelai's shoulder. "I wouldn't even have come here at all, but I had a really crappy night, and I really, really need a cup of coffee."
"I had a crappy day, yesterday, too," Shelby told her.
"Shelby, don't repeat that word," Luke scolded, firm but calmly, without looking up. "Go finish filling the napkins."
Lorelai set Shelby back on her feet and let her go finish her task she was supposed to be working on. Lorelai then headed over to the counter, suggesting for Luke to pretend it wasn't her. "I'm Mimi, a new customer. I've never been in here before." Lorelai set her things down on a stool and grabbed the coffeepot he left on the counter, along with an empty mug that was there, drying. "I was just walking down the street, and I spotted this place. 'Ooh, hey, nice place.' And I came in." She moved to the other end of the counter from where Luke was standing, "Now Mimi is going to pour herself a cup of coffee and sit over here way far away from you. And she promises just as soon as she's done, she will rinse out her own cup and leave." Lorelai poured some coffee before setting the pot on the counter. It made Shelby giggle over where she was sitting on her legs, restocking the napkins which was a plus in Luke's book. The kid needed a laugh.
Things were quiet for a moment while everyone did their own thing. Of course, it didn't last long. Lorelai broke the silence once more after another sigh.
"This is the second time I let myself do this."
Luke looked elsewhere, sighing under his breath. Figures she couldn't last long keeping quiet. But he decided to be a nice guy and ask, "Do what?"
"Think I finally found it."
"Found what?" he pressed on in reluctance.
"Love, comfort, safety," she finally said.
Luke nodded once, "Ah."
"I mean, first with Max, which, of course, I screwed up."
Shelby spoke up at that point, asking, "Who's Max?" It was a realization the kid never known Lorelai dated the guy. The first time it was before Luke brought Shelby home, then Max didn't return in Lorelai's life until after she left with Rachel to Ireland, and Max was gone by the time she returned, and neither Luke nor Lorelai mentioned it to her. So, Shelby never even knew Lorelai had gotten engaged. She quickly explained to her who Max was.
"Oh," she replied in her usual, causal monotone whenever Shelby used that word and continued stuffing napkins.
Lorelai turned forward again. Eventually, the rest of what was on her mind continued to spill out. "Then with Christopher, which, of course, all the elements of the universe got together to screw up."
"Yep. It's tough when the universe is against ya," Luke replied. He lifted his head from what he was doing as he added, "that's like taking on the Manhattan Garbage Union."
"I always thought if he could just get it together, grow up, maybe we could do it. Maybe we could really be a family in the stupid, traditional, Dan Quayle, Golden Retriever, grow old together, wear matching jogging suits kind of way." Lorelai took in a deep sigh, letting it out as she stared into her coffee. "And then he did get it together. He became that guy." She glanced over at Luke and slightly shook her head, before slowly looking forward again. Suddenly, she choked out, "And he gets to be that guy with her."
Luke fidgeted over on his side, trying hard not to break. It was hard seeing someone break down right in front of him, especially since becoming a dad. He stared up at the ceiling. Why did she have to do this when this stuff made him weak and a softy?
"Chris is gonna have a baby with his girlfriend," she continued, in between sniffles. "He's gonna marry her." Lorelai forced out a laugh. "He's gonna be there for her while she's pregnant and he's gonna be there for her while their child grows up, and he's gonna be there for her while she does..." She sniffed in, glancing between her coffee and the ceiling, "whatever it is she does."
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Shelby step off her chair and was making her way over to the counter.
"And I am in exactly the same place," she sniffed in again, "that I was in before."
Luke was now rocking back and forth, trying to think of what to say. "Is that so bad? I mean, you got Rory." He reached over for his notepad and pencil.
"Yes, I do."
He noticed Shelby climb up onto the stool beside her. "You got friends. You got a house, a job," Luke continued. "And apparently, an iron stomach." Before climbing up, Shelby pushed the stool closer so she could give Lorelai another hug.
Lorelai held a hand to the kid's arm wrapped around in front of her "No, it's not so bad," she admitted. "I'm lucky. I know. I just..." Tears had completely drenched both sides of her face. "I feel like..." Lorelai let out another breath of air. "I'm never gonna have it. The whole package, you know?" She looked over at him for a moment and looked forward once more. "That person, that couple life, and I swear," she let out another sigh, "I hate admitting it because I fancy myself Wonder Woman, but... I really want it. The whole package."
Shelby lifted her head, letting Lorelai go, and looked directly at her. In the most serious, adorable voice, she told her, "you can be a par' of our package if you wan'."
Luke froze, holding his notepad up in front of him as he stared at nothing in particular. Lorelai letting out a chuckle through her tears made him finally look over again.
She sniffed in, unable to not smile at the kid's adorable innocence. "Thanks, sweetheart." Lorelai wrapped an arm around her and gave Shelby a loving hug. During this time, Luke grabbed her a donut. He had to call Shelby's attention and motion with his head as he gave a quick whistle to move her hand she was holding on the counter before sliding the donut down to Lorelai.
"You'll get it," he assured her.
Lorelai stared at the donut. "How do you know?"
Luke shook his elbow out of the arm holding his notepad. "I know."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know, okay? I know. Now, eat your donut." He returned to his notepad.
"I'm really not all that hungry," she told him.
"Well, take it with you. You will be later." Luke noticed her stand and move over to where she left her purse, taking her wallet out. "Forget it. First-time customers are on the house. Mimi, was it?"
Lorelai smiled at him. "Yeah."
Leaning on the counter, he returned the smile as he told her, "Come again, Mimi."
"Thanks. I will," she assured him. Lorelai sniffed in one last time as she looked around the diner. "Seems like a very nice place. Cute kid you have there." She then turned and headed for the exit, wiping away the tears.
After "Mimi" left, Shelby looked over at her dad. "She seems like a very nice lady, Dad," she gave a continuous nod, playing along with the whole "Mimi" thing.
Luke couldn't help, smile. "Yeah, I think you're right, Shell."
"I like her. I hope Mimi comes back."
"Me too, kiddo." Luke was watching as Lorelai got into her jeep and drove in the direction of her house.
Shelby changed the subject. "Can I have a donu'?" she asked, grabbing his attention again.
He nodded over at the table she was sitting at, "You can once you finish with the napkins," he motioned over there with his notepad. Shelby climbed down from her stool and went back over to the table to finish.
Things seemed to turn around even more when Shelby came downstairs the next morning to find both Lorelai and Rory sitting there, waiting for their breakfast. She dashed right over and hugged Rory first, who commented on the Michael Jordan look as Shelby was in her uniform, all ready for her game.
"Shelby's playing basketball now," Lorelai told her as Luke brought their breakfast over.
"Oh, yeah, Dean mentioned something about that," the older girl nodded and turned back to the younger one. "He said you've been getting better each time, too."
She nodded. "Are you coming to my game today?"
"Sure," Rory told her.
"I don't have to be at the inn until later so I've got time to come see ya, play." Lorelai also assured her.
Shelby's face lit up with excitement, thanking them. She sat down at their table when Luke asked what Shelby wanted for breakfast. After they ate, the Gilmores left with them for Shelby's game. Rory seemed surprised when she found out Jess was going.
The Tigers were playing the Power Rangers again. Unlike the last time, Shelby was getting in there and going for the ball. She even attempted to score as everyone cheered her on.
"Go, Shelby!" Rory called out as her mom cheered the kid on, loudly. She got quiet when Jess called out, reminding Shelby to not let any of the other kids push her around when one did.
Shelby side-stepped around the kid, bouncing the ball. The blond-haired kid maneuvered around her as she moved with him. Once he was close enough to his hoop, the kid tried to shoot the ball. Shelby made to block it but missed. The throw was too short anyway, and one of Shelby's teammates caught it, taking the ball back down to their side.
Jess continued to yell out reminders. Finally, Rory turned to Luke, leaning around her mom, commenting on the turnaround the guy seemed to have in a whisper. Luke told her about Shelby having her cousin wrapped around her finger, somehow. He received an impressed look.
Lorelai grabbed their attention. "Shelby's got the ball!"
Both he and Rory looked over to see Shelby dribbling the ball, trying to move away from a kid who was trying to block her. Finally, she shoved passed him and tossed the ball up. The ball went right through the hoop, scoring a couple points for the Tigers. Applause erupted from Shelby's cheering section. Shortly after, Kirk blew his whistle, signaling for halftime.
Shelby hustled over to where they were sitting, taking the water bottle from Luke. He also told her to wipe the sweat from her face with a towel they brought.
"You're doing awesome, sweetheart," Lorelai praised.
"Tank you," she replied, taking a breath between drinks. Once Shelby had her fill, she passed both the water bottle and towel back to her dad before returning to her team.
As before, the teams switched sides. Now the Tigers were on the side where Luke and the rest sat. Dean waved over at Rory, who waved back. Jess watched the scene play out but said nothing.
The second half of the game started at the center line when Kirk tossed the ball up into the air, dashing out of the way as the kids lunged for it. The Power Rangers took the ball first, taking it down to their side where they scored. The ball was checked in while everyone hurried to the other side of the court.
"Be ready, Tigers!" the coach called out, reminding the boys and Shelby to get into their ready positions.
Shelby lowered her upper body a little while holding her arms out, rising to move closer to the hoop. She watched the ball soar towards the hoop, bouncing off the rim and tried to get the rebound, but one of the Power Rangers knocked it out of her reach. One of the other Power Rangers grabbed it and took it back to their side. Shelby ran after her, guarding the other girl.
"Shelby seems to really have the hang of basketball now," Lorelai pointed out, impressed.
"Oh, yeah," Luke nodded. "The kid's been practicing all summer. Even more so than playing her video games. Can't complain about that," he shrugged.
"Sports seems to be her thing, huh?"
"Well, that and among other things," he said.
Lorelai changed the subject. "Hey, listen, I heard what happened a month or so ago with Rachel. Shelby said she still hadn't come back yet or called."
Luke shrugged, "That's Rachel for ya. Hoping she would have changed, but I guess old habits can't be beat. I'm just surprised she lasted this long."
"That's crazy she would just leave like that and not even call. I thought we finally gotten through to her."
"Me too. Though she did call on Shelby's birthday to wish her a happy birthday, but we weren't home." He continued watching his daughter's game, glancing over at Lorelai for a brief second. Luke really wasn't up for talking about it, and he sure did not want to tell Lorelai what he had done. Things were silent for a while.
"I told Shelby if there was anything she needed, not to hesitate to ask." She offered. "I know it must be hard on her as it is."
"After what happened Thursday, I'm sure Shelby appreciates it."
"Why? What happened Thursday?" Lorelai asked. He told her about the letter and finding out what happened with her mentor. "At least she's finally getting closure." She looked back at the game, following where Shelby was moving around with her eyes. "Poor kid. She must have the weight of a grown-up on her shoulders."
"Yeah," he barely muttered out loud, watching Shelby, as well. Hearing a statement such as that got to him a little.
"I did notice the other day, Shelby's starting to outgrow her clothes," she commented. "Since I missed her birthday, would you mind if I took her shopping next Tuesday? I got the day off, anyway." Lorelai shrugged.
Luke finally looked at her, fully. "Uh, yeah, sure. I'm sure Shelby'll like that."
Lorelai smiled. "Then it's settled. I will pick her up when we come for breakfast."
"And I will let her know," he added, returning the smile. The two returned to watching the game.
In the end, the Tigers ended up winning the game this time.
A perfect end to a distressing week. Well, that and having the Gilmores, back.
