Lorelai and Eliza met for lunch later that week as they'd planned.
Actually, Eliza proposed they meet at the gazebo and decide what they were
in the mood for there.
When Lorelai got to the gazebo, Eliza was waiting, smiling into the sunshine that softly lit the square. She expected them to make a quick decision and run off, so she was a bit surprised when Eliza caught her arm and asked to sit for a minute.
"Sure," she furrowed her brows.
The younger woman looked slightly apologetic. "Lorelai, I've been thinking. I thought I was totally cool with coming back here, but I'm starting to realize I'm not completely secure. And I think that's why I was doing that "push-pull" thing with you guys at the diner the other night, and I am sorry for being so evasive and weird," she sighed. "And, like I said, I know small towns are full of gossip. And not only do I make a good target right now, but I've given you lots of time to aim."
Lorelai looked a bit guilty as Eliza looked penetratingly at her.
"I read people really well, but I don't read minds. So I know you've been 'researching' me, but I don't know what you know about me now, and that's kind of making me particularly anxious. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I think you're really cool and God knows I'd adore having a girlfriend like you here, and I both want you to be able to ask me what you want to know about me, and also feel secure in knowing I'm not a part of your gossip mill. Does that make any sense?"
Lorelai looked at her with admiration. "Yeah, and I think I can do that."
"Good. That's all the 'serious stuff' I needed to do today," Eliza said as she stood. Then, she cut her eyes in what Lorelai was learning was a characteristic way. "I've noticed Taylor's been a bit.scarce.since I've been here. What do you say we go to Doose's and then to my place to make lunch?"
Lorelai smiled conspiratorily, if with some reservations over getting into this strange father-daughter thing, and they headed to Doose's.
*******************************
Lorelai giggled as Eliza set a bag of groceries down to wipe a tear from her laughing eyes and fool with the lock on the door.
"I don't know that I've ever seen anything so funny as Taylor trying to hide in his store while still serving customers," Lorelai commented.
"Yeah, he's kind of a big man to duck under the counter every time I caught his eye. At least he got his exercise today," Eliza concurred, opening the door with a flourish and rescuing the bag from the floor.
They stepped into a large living room with enormous windows. At the end of the room that had tiled flooring, there was an assortment of furniture in various states of disrepair, papers, fabrics, and paints. The rest contained bookshelves between the windows, and a sofa and a few chairs arranged conversationally around a tea table. The room opened on the kitchen, where Eliza and Lorelai headed.
Eliza started pulling vegetables out of a bag and washing them. She started some noodles boiling and asked Lorelai to cut some vegetables while she took care of others.
"Okay, Eliza. I know Taylor's your father and that you and your mom left when you were very young. But I don't know much else. So, what exactly do you want out of being here?"
Eliza pursed her lips. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I mean, I was being honest about taking a break from my PhD program and everything. And I'm excited about teaching. But as far as Taylor's concerned.it just became important to me to know who he was. I guess I can't pull too many pranks to discomfit him, because he won't let me get to know him at all if I do. But," she hesitated. "He is just so anal, and loves control so much, I don't know that I'll be able to help it. I guess I'll just have to wing it. That's always worked for me before."
Lorelai felt like she'd only scratched the surface of Eliza's thinking, but decided not to push it. After all, the girl had already admitted to some insecurities; it was better to let her get comfortable before trying to get deep confidences out of her. So they had a nice lunch, and Lorelai made a mental note to tell Luke how healthy she had been. No meat, and no caffeine. But surprisingly good.
*******************************
Eliza sat at the counter at Luke's. She'd been there reading for a while when Jess came downstairs and began work. On his arrival, she began thoughtfully staring at him.
After a bit, he said, "Can I do something for you, Miss Green?"
She smiled sarcastically and said, "You'll learn never to give me an opening like that. Yes, Mr. Mariano, you can do something for me. Please, never call me Miss Green outside of school."
"Okay," and Jess moved to continue his work.
"Jess," she stopped him. "I have a theory about teaching."
"Oh," he said disinterestedly.
"Yeah. See, I think boys-men-are inherently unteachable."
He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Then why do you try?"
"Well, actually, I know you're going to be shocked by this admission, but that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I know you just got on, but can you take a break?"
He thought about it a second before she said, "Or else I'll enforce the detentions you've earned by skipping my class." Luke overheard this last, and she enlisted his aid. "Luke, you don't mind if Jess and I do some schoolwork, do you?" She motioned Jess to a corner table while removing a book from her purse.
"See Jess," she said unconcernedly to his sullen face, "I think boys dislike authority, except those that they impose upon themselves. So I've got a deal for you. You're required by law to attend my class, which you will do." Her firmness brooked no opposition. "However, I think you're bright, so I'd like the opportunity to convince you that being in my class is an ethical thing to do. As such, I will teach you to educate yourself."
The look in his eyes declared he was pretty confident he could take care of that himself.
"You're a good reader, Jess. But your reading, however good, is still limited. Mine's limited, and I have several years' head start and no image to maintain." He looked away, wavering. "Look, I'm young, and I will make mistakes in attempting to interact with you. But I think you have great potential. Unfortunately, you've been trying to convince a lot of people you didn't have any for a while, and now.your college prospects aren't nearly as strong as they could be. If you and I work really hard together, they might be significantly enhanced. Especially since I know people at a few nearby universities."
She suddenly thought of something. "I'm sorry, I'm projecting. I assumed you'd want to go to a good school, out of pride, out of wanting Rory to be proud of you, out of having a thirst to learn and knowing that good schools are where the good teachers lurk, and good teachers are the ones who can tell you which ideas are worth pursuing. What do you want?"
Jess was overwhelmed at this point. He had no idea how to respond, so he shrugged noncommittally.
"Okay, I've started off too fast. How about this-"she pushed the book at him "-read this. There is only one rule: you can only ask me questions about it. I'm not accepting ranting, half-thought-out rebuttals from an underachieving yet intellectually snobby seventeen-year-old of something that has informed Western thought for 2500 years."
She went to the counter to pay for her tea as Jess turned over the copy of Plato's Republic in his hands.
When Lorelai got to the gazebo, Eliza was waiting, smiling into the sunshine that softly lit the square. She expected them to make a quick decision and run off, so she was a bit surprised when Eliza caught her arm and asked to sit for a minute.
"Sure," she furrowed her brows.
The younger woman looked slightly apologetic. "Lorelai, I've been thinking. I thought I was totally cool with coming back here, but I'm starting to realize I'm not completely secure. And I think that's why I was doing that "push-pull" thing with you guys at the diner the other night, and I am sorry for being so evasive and weird," she sighed. "And, like I said, I know small towns are full of gossip. And not only do I make a good target right now, but I've given you lots of time to aim."
Lorelai looked a bit guilty as Eliza looked penetratingly at her.
"I read people really well, but I don't read minds. So I know you've been 'researching' me, but I don't know what you know about me now, and that's kind of making me particularly anxious. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I think you're really cool and God knows I'd adore having a girlfriend like you here, and I both want you to be able to ask me what you want to know about me, and also feel secure in knowing I'm not a part of your gossip mill. Does that make any sense?"
Lorelai looked at her with admiration. "Yeah, and I think I can do that."
"Good. That's all the 'serious stuff' I needed to do today," Eliza said as she stood. Then, she cut her eyes in what Lorelai was learning was a characteristic way. "I've noticed Taylor's been a bit.scarce.since I've been here. What do you say we go to Doose's and then to my place to make lunch?"
Lorelai smiled conspiratorily, if with some reservations over getting into this strange father-daughter thing, and they headed to Doose's.
*******************************
Lorelai giggled as Eliza set a bag of groceries down to wipe a tear from her laughing eyes and fool with the lock on the door.
"I don't know that I've ever seen anything so funny as Taylor trying to hide in his store while still serving customers," Lorelai commented.
"Yeah, he's kind of a big man to duck under the counter every time I caught his eye. At least he got his exercise today," Eliza concurred, opening the door with a flourish and rescuing the bag from the floor.
They stepped into a large living room with enormous windows. At the end of the room that had tiled flooring, there was an assortment of furniture in various states of disrepair, papers, fabrics, and paints. The rest contained bookshelves between the windows, and a sofa and a few chairs arranged conversationally around a tea table. The room opened on the kitchen, where Eliza and Lorelai headed.
Eliza started pulling vegetables out of a bag and washing them. She started some noodles boiling and asked Lorelai to cut some vegetables while she took care of others.
"Okay, Eliza. I know Taylor's your father and that you and your mom left when you were very young. But I don't know much else. So, what exactly do you want out of being here?"
Eliza pursed her lips. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I mean, I was being honest about taking a break from my PhD program and everything. And I'm excited about teaching. But as far as Taylor's concerned.it just became important to me to know who he was. I guess I can't pull too many pranks to discomfit him, because he won't let me get to know him at all if I do. But," she hesitated. "He is just so anal, and loves control so much, I don't know that I'll be able to help it. I guess I'll just have to wing it. That's always worked for me before."
Lorelai felt like she'd only scratched the surface of Eliza's thinking, but decided not to push it. After all, the girl had already admitted to some insecurities; it was better to let her get comfortable before trying to get deep confidences out of her. So they had a nice lunch, and Lorelai made a mental note to tell Luke how healthy she had been. No meat, and no caffeine. But surprisingly good.
*******************************
Eliza sat at the counter at Luke's. She'd been there reading for a while when Jess came downstairs and began work. On his arrival, she began thoughtfully staring at him.
After a bit, he said, "Can I do something for you, Miss Green?"
She smiled sarcastically and said, "You'll learn never to give me an opening like that. Yes, Mr. Mariano, you can do something for me. Please, never call me Miss Green outside of school."
"Okay," and Jess moved to continue his work.
"Jess," she stopped him. "I have a theory about teaching."
"Oh," he said disinterestedly.
"Yeah. See, I think boys-men-are inherently unteachable."
He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Then why do you try?"
"Well, actually, I know you're going to be shocked by this admission, but that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I know you just got on, but can you take a break?"
He thought about it a second before she said, "Or else I'll enforce the detentions you've earned by skipping my class." Luke overheard this last, and she enlisted his aid. "Luke, you don't mind if Jess and I do some schoolwork, do you?" She motioned Jess to a corner table while removing a book from her purse.
"See Jess," she said unconcernedly to his sullen face, "I think boys dislike authority, except those that they impose upon themselves. So I've got a deal for you. You're required by law to attend my class, which you will do." Her firmness brooked no opposition. "However, I think you're bright, so I'd like the opportunity to convince you that being in my class is an ethical thing to do. As such, I will teach you to educate yourself."
The look in his eyes declared he was pretty confident he could take care of that himself.
"You're a good reader, Jess. But your reading, however good, is still limited. Mine's limited, and I have several years' head start and no image to maintain." He looked away, wavering. "Look, I'm young, and I will make mistakes in attempting to interact with you. But I think you have great potential. Unfortunately, you've been trying to convince a lot of people you didn't have any for a while, and now.your college prospects aren't nearly as strong as they could be. If you and I work really hard together, they might be significantly enhanced. Especially since I know people at a few nearby universities."
She suddenly thought of something. "I'm sorry, I'm projecting. I assumed you'd want to go to a good school, out of pride, out of wanting Rory to be proud of you, out of having a thirst to learn and knowing that good schools are where the good teachers lurk, and good teachers are the ones who can tell you which ideas are worth pursuing. What do you want?"
Jess was overwhelmed at this point. He had no idea how to respond, so he shrugged noncommittally.
"Okay, I've started off too fast. How about this-"she pushed the book at him "-read this. There is only one rule: you can only ask me questions about it. I'm not accepting ranting, half-thought-out rebuttals from an underachieving yet intellectually snobby seventeen-year-old of something that has informed Western thought for 2500 years."
She went to the counter to pay for her tea as Jess turned over the copy of Plato's Republic in his hands.