Part 2
A Learning Process
The Relationship Begins
"Hun, I'm home!" Lorelai yelled as she walked into the house.

"Hmm?" Rory half-asked from her seat in front of her computer.

"I just thought you might like to know I'm back from Luke's."

"Oh, you were there?"

"Yup."

"How much did you hear?"

"The assignment, the problem, the question- all the good stuff."

"Okay, because I really don't have the time to explain it- I only have a month to write the entire report! And it just struck me that I know nothing about Luke! He knows some of the most intimate details of my life and I don't even know his middle name!"

"Hmm. I see the predicament. Well, this should come in handy." She said, handing over the coffee. "And I'm sure Luke will be more than willing to help."

"Hmm…good point. Thanks Mom!", and with that, Rory was out the door.

Luke

What was I thinking? There's no way I can even come close to being a father to Rory. I care about Lorelai and Rory, but I just don't think Rory's really willing to just forget Christopher, that jerk, too busy…

"Oh, hi Rory, imagine seeing you again so soon."


"Hey Luke. Well, you see, a problem occurred to me as I was starting my paper."
"You already started your paper?"

"Yeah, at Chilton they expect us to use every single second of prep time. So anyways, the problem."

"Right. The problem."

"Well, I realized that, while you know some of my most intimate secrets," he gave her a questioning look "Okay, then, that while you've known me all my life and know almost every little detail about me, I know very little about you."

"You know plenty about me, Rory. There really isn't that much to know."

"You're Luke, the coffee guy, "see, you're just the coffee guy "But you have excellent potential to become Luke, superdad." Superdad. That can't be good.

"So what exactly is the difference?"

"One serves coffee, the other serves coffee, beats up ex-boyfriends, and tells humorous anecdotes from his past."

"Well, I'm two for three, that's pretty good, isn't it?"

"Yes! That means the transformation can be made in the next month!"

"Okay, how exactly do we go about this 'transformation'?"

"Well, I had an idea. I was thinking that maybe I could help out in here during the dinner rush and on weekends for a while. You know, serve, bus, anything. And then, when it's not so busy, we can talk, and I can, if necessary, force the anecdotes out."

"Won't that take away from your homework time?"

"Luke, you forget, this is homework."

"Oh yeah. Well, I don't know if the diner can afford…"

"I don't want to be paid."

"So basically you're helping out so I'll let you hang out here more."

"Don't forget the anecdotes."

"Of course not." This can't be good, but… "Okay, sure, whatever. When do you want to start?"

"Hmm…it's only four…just enough time for you to teach me how things go around here before dinner."

"Rory, you've practically grown up here."

"And yet I've never seen the back…" she said, up on tiptoes, peeking toward the kitchen.

"The last time a Gilmore Girl was back there…"

Rory pouted, silently begging.

Wow, Lorelai has really taught her well.

"Okay, but don't touch anything."

"Isn't that a little impractical?"

"I don't care how impractical it is, just don't touch anything."

"Okeedokey, Pops."

His glare caused her to look away, guiltily.

"You are truly your mother's daughter."