A/N: Okay, first of all, I am so, so, so sorry for the late update. Guys, I feel so guilty. Seriously. Please forgive me. Second, karen elizabeth has given me an idea. If you want to leave your name in your review, I'll try to work you into the story. My first reviewer-based character (Karen, the principal)is dedicated to karen elizabeth for being my very first reviewer. I'm gonna love you forever for that. And lastly, in this chapter and possibly a few upcoming ones, I'm going to have Rory sounding out words. I'm sorry if I can't spell the letters right. I try to spell out the sounds, which is crazy hard, but I think you all will know what I mean. So sorry for confusion, sorry for my late update and I love you, karen elizabeth.
Lessons.
[Cut To: Luke's Diner, LORELAI and RORY are sitting at a table]
Luke: (bringing their order)Here.
Rory: Thank you.
Lorelai: And thank you very much for coming to the festival with us, Duke.
Luke: I still don't know why I did it.
Lorelai: Didn't you have fun?
Luke: Oh, yeah. It was fun when Kirk spilled his soda all over me, and it was great when Patty made me stand in the middle of the gazebo so all her ballerinas could dance around me.
Lorelai: You were such a good May pole.
Luke: Why would they even have a May pole? It's July!
Lorelai: I really don't think there are any legal constrictions on when a town can or cannot dance around a May pole.
Luke: Well, there should be.
Lorelai: Uh-huh. You get right on that.
Luke: Do you want a salad?
Lorelai: (looking down at her burger)Um, no. I think I'm covered.
Luke: You've been coming in here for days, and you've never once gotton anything healthy.
Lorelai: Not a big fan of 'healthy.'
Luke: You're going to kill yourself.
Lorelai: I will not.
Luke: You're going to kill her.
Rory: (looking up from eating her cheeseburger, with her mouth full)What?
Lorelai: Don't listen to him, sweetie. Duke's crazy.
Luke: Red meat, soda, coffee.
Lorelai: (singing)These are a few of my favorite things! When the mean man says I'm dying and it makes me sad, I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad!
Luke: Bye. (he walks away, LORELAI laughs)
[Cut To: Independence Inn, room 18, LORELAI is cleaning and RORY is writing in her book]
Rory: I'm done!
Lorelai: With what?
Rory: (jumping up and down)My book! My book! I'm done!
Lorelai: Uh, yay!
Rory: (after a pause)I wanna read.
Lorelai: You will. When you're older.
Rory: But everyone knows how to read except me!
Lorelai: That's not true.
Rory: I want to read.
Lorelai: You'll learn at school, honey. I can't teach you.
Rory: It won't be hard, I already know the sounds. (she makes the sounds for the letters)A, B, C, D, E-
Lorelai: Okay! Okay! I'll work on it. Happy?
Rory: Yes. Thank you.
Lorelai: You're welcome.
[Cut To: Independence Inn, night, LORELAI is at the table writing on Independence Inn stationary]
[Cut To: Independence Inn, morning, LORELAI and RORY are in bed, LORELAI wakes up]
Lorelai: (mumbling)Curtains! God, where are the curtains? Rory? Wake up.
Rory: (rolling over)No.
Lorelai: (laughing)Yeah. Come on.
Rory: (waking up)Hi.
Lorelai: Hey. Get up.
Rory: Are we going to Luke's?
Lorelai: No, we aren't. We can go to Doose's and get some milk, though.
Rory: Okay.
[Cut To: Doose's Market, RORY is getting milk]
Taylor: Hello.
Rory: Um, hi.
Taylor: What are you doing?
Rory: (turning around to face him)Getting milk.
Taylor: And are you planning on paying for that milk?
Rory: Mommy will.
Taylor: Oh, really? Because I don't see her anywhere around here. Maybe you were just going to take that milk and walk out.
Rory: No.
Taylor: Are you sure?
Rory: Yes.
Taylor: Because people who steal are bad, bad people. Terrible people.
Rory: (getting scared)Okay.
Taylor: And everyone hates people who steal.
Rory: Uh-huh. (she tries to look around for LORELAI)
Taylor: Do you want people to hate you? Is that what you want?
John: Taylor!
Taylor: Dad?
John: What are you doing to this poor girl?
Taylor: (lowering his voice slightly)It's that new girl-Lorelai's-daughter. She was trying to steal from us!
John: (to RORY)How old are you, honey?
Rory: Three.
John: (to TAYLOR)She is three years old, Taylor! What is wrong with you?
Taylor: Dad, she-
John: (to RORY)What are you buying?
Rory: Milk.
John: (reaching in and pulling out a gallon)Here you go.
Rory: We need small bottles.
John: Oh, okay. (he gets a new one)Let's go find your mom, hmm? (they walk, with TAYLOR following, through the aisles until they find LORELAI by the soup)
Rory: Mommy! (she runs to LORELAI, who picks her up, RORY starts to cry)
Lorelai: Hey, hun. What? What's wrong? (she sees TAYLOR and JOHN)Why is she crying?
John: Lorelai, is it?
Lorelai: Why the hell is my daughter crying?
John: My son here seemed to be unable to fight the urge to be a jerk. I'm so sorry.
Lorelai: (to TAYLOR)What did you do to her?
Taylor: I-I didn't know that you were here. I thought she was...
John: Tell her, Taylor. Tell her how stupid you were.
Taylor: I thought she was trying to steal.
John: Again, I'm sorry. You're purchases are free, of course.
Lorelai: Well, thank you-
John: John.
Lorelai: -John. And Taylor?
Taylor: Yes?
Lorelai: Don't ever come near my kid again.
Taylor: I don't think-
Lorelai: I'm gonna kill you, Taylor. I'm gonna kill you.
John: Get in line.
Lorelai: Bye, John. (LORELAI and RORY leave)
[Cut To: Independence Inn, potting shed, LORELAI is holding RORY on the bed, she's fallen asleep from crying]
Lorelai: (bouncing her a little to wake her up)Rory?
Rory: Mommy.
Lorelai: Hey, babe, you okay?
Rory: Yeah.
Lorelai: Did they hurt you?
Rory: He said I was stealing.
Lorelai: I know, honey.
Rory: I wasn't.
Lorelai: I know.
Rory: He said everyone would hate me.
Lorelai: (moving RORY so that they are looking into each other's eyes)No one hates you. No one will ever hate you. They're using all their hate up on Taylor. (RORY laughs a little)I promise, okay? I promise no one'll ever, ever hate you.
Rory: Okay.
Lorelai: Did they hurt you?
Rory: No.
Lorelai: I'm sorry I left you alone. It's my fault.
Rory: It's okay.
Lorelai: No, it's not. I won't leave you alone again. (checking her watch)We have to go.
Rory: Okay.
Lorelai: I've got a surprise for you!
Rory: What? What?
Lorelai: (going over to the table)I stayed up a good deal of last night making this and I really hope you like it. (she hands her the book she made)
Rory: What is it?
Lorelai: You said you wanted to learn to read, so I made this. It's to help you.
Rory: (looking through it)What do I do?
Lorelai: It says a letter, and then you just make the sound and soon you'll be able to read it.
Rory: Really?
Lorelai: Well, I don't know. But I think it might.
Rory: (hugging her)Thank you, Mommy!
Lorelai: You're welcome, babe. Come on, we gotta go.
[Cut To: Independence Inn, room 21, LORELAI is cleaning and RORY is looking at her book]
Rory: Aah. Ta. (faster)Aah. Ta. Aah. Ta. (faster)Aah. Ta. Aah. Ta. Aah. Ta.
Lorelai: Honey, honey. Okay, slow down. Say it slow.
Rory: Aaaaaah. Taaaaa.
Lorelai: No, it's not- (she stops cleaning)-it's not that slow. It's just...not fast.
Rory: Aaahtaa.
Lorelai: "T" makes the sound t, not ta.
Rory: Aaaht.
Lorelai: (she starts cleaning again)Yes, yes. Do that.
Rory: Aaaht. Aht. Aht?
Lorelai: Close.
Rory: Aht. Aht. Aht. At?
Lorelai: Uh-huh.
Rory: At? At?
Lorelai: Yeah, that's it.
Rory: I read it! I read it! I read it! (jumping up and down)Mommy!
Lorelai: Yeah?
Rory: I read it!
Lorelai: What?
Rory: I read it! I read 'at!'
Lorelai: Yay! (she hugs RORY)Oh, hun. That's so great. You did it!
Rory: I'm gonna read more! (she sits back down)Aww. Nuh. Aww. Nuh. (faster)Aww. Nuh. Aww. Nuh. Aww. Nuh.
Lorelai: Oh, God.
[Cut To: Luke's Diner, LORELAI and RORY are sitting at the counter]
Rory: Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph.
Lorelai: Duke, I need coffee! (she looks around but he doesn't come)Duke? Duke? (she goes behind the counter and pours herself coffee)
Luke: (coming in from the back)What?
Lorelai: Duke, where were you?
Rory: Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph.
Luke: What are you doing behind my counter?
Lorelai: Getting coffee.
Luke: Why?
Rory: Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph.
Lorelai: 'Cause you weren't here.
Luke: It's my counter.
Lorelai: I know.
Luke: You're behind my counter.
Lorelai: (coming around the side)Well, I'm leaving.
Rory: Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph.
Luke: It's 'up.'
Rory: Up!
Lorelai: Don't tell her!
Luke: Why not?
Lorelai: Because she's suppossed to be reading it, duh!
Luke: She's three.
Lorelai: So?
Luke: So, three year olds can't read.
Lorelai: Mine can. (after a pause)Well, sort of.
Luke: No, she's three.
Lorelai: Oh, well, if his highness Sir Duke says that she can't read, then I guess she can't. You tell her, though, she might be a little dissappointed.
Luke: She can really read?
Lorelai: (shrugging) She can do the sounds and stuff.
Luke: That's not how you teach 'em to read.
Lorelai: Well, I don't know how, so this was my best effort. Until you spoiled it, that is.
Luke: How did you turn my being mad because you went behind my counter into my feeling guilty because I spoke to your kid?
Lorelai: Talent?
Luke: (to RORY)Can you read?
Rory: Meh. Ey. Meh. Ey. Meh. Ey. Meh. Ey. Meh. Ey. Meh. Ey.
Lorelai: She doesn't really have a handle on it yet.
Luke: Yeah, I can see that. (to RORY)Say the first one slow.
Lorelai: Oh, tried that.
Rory: Mmmmm. Ey. Mmmmm. Ey. Mmmmm. Ey. My! My!
Lorelai: How'd you do that?
Luke: I just did.
Lorelai: But I said that. I said 'Do it slow.'
Luke: So did I.
Lorelai: But...but...
Luke: (to himself)I just taught a kid to read.
Lorelai: No! I did! I taught her!
Luke: (doing it only because it makes LORELAI upset)I am so smart. I am smarter than anyone else here. Her own mother couldn't teach her, but I did.
Lorelai: No! It was me! Watch! Do it, Rory.
Rory: Uh. Ne. Uh. Ne.
Lorelai: (looking up at LUKE, mocking him)No, do it slowly.
Rory: Uuuuuuuh. Neeeeee.
Luke: How 'bout you just do the first word slow?
Rory: Uuuuuuuh. Ne. Uuuuuuuh. Ne. Uuuuuuuh. Ne. Un?
Lorelai: No. Close.
Rory: Uuuuuuuh. Ne. On?
Lorelai: Yes, that's it! I did it! (RORY looks at her)I mean you did it. You did it, honey. (she gives LUKE a proud smile)
Luke: You didn't do it. (he walks away and delivers food)
Lorelai: Yes, I did.
Luke: No.
Lorelai: Yes!
Luke: No.
Lorelai: I did, too!
Luke: You did not.
Lorelai: Yes, I did!
Luke: Nope.
Lorelai: Duke! Duke, come back here!
A/N #2: I really don't know how long it takes children to learn how to read, so please forgive her learning so fast. Also, in the beginning, when Lorelai was singing, the tune was the song from 'The Sound of Music,' which I have no right to.
Lessons.
[Cut To: Luke's Diner, LORELAI and RORY are sitting at a table]
Luke: (bringing their order)Here.
Rory: Thank you.
Lorelai: And thank you very much for coming to the festival with us, Duke.
Luke: I still don't know why I did it.
Lorelai: Didn't you have fun?
Luke: Oh, yeah. It was fun when Kirk spilled his soda all over me, and it was great when Patty made me stand in the middle of the gazebo so all her ballerinas could dance around me.
Lorelai: You were such a good May pole.
Luke: Why would they even have a May pole? It's July!
Lorelai: I really don't think there are any legal constrictions on when a town can or cannot dance around a May pole.
Luke: Well, there should be.
Lorelai: Uh-huh. You get right on that.
Luke: Do you want a salad?
Lorelai: (looking down at her burger)Um, no. I think I'm covered.
Luke: You've been coming in here for days, and you've never once gotton anything healthy.
Lorelai: Not a big fan of 'healthy.'
Luke: You're going to kill yourself.
Lorelai: I will not.
Luke: You're going to kill her.
Rory: (looking up from eating her cheeseburger, with her mouth full)What?
Lorelai: Don't listen to him, sweetie. Duke's crazy.
Luke: Red meat, soda, coffee.
Lorelai: (singing)These are a few of my favorite things! When the mean man says I'm dying and it makes me sad, I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad!
Luke: Bye. (he walks away, LORELAI laughs)
[Cut To: Independence Inn, room 18, LORELAI is cleaning and RORY is writing in her book]
Rory: I'm done!
Lorelai: With what?
Rory: (jumping up and down)My book! My book! I'm done!
Lorelai: Uh, yay!
Rory: (after a pause)I wanna read.
Lorelai: You will. When you're older.
Rory: But everyone knows how to read except me!
Lorelai: That's not true.
Rory: I want to read.
Lorelai: You'll learn at school, honey. I can't teach you.
Rory: It won't be hard, I already know the sounds. (she makes the sounds for the letters)A, B, C, D, E-
Lorelai: Okay! Okay! I'll work on it. Happy?
Rory: Yes. Thank you.
Lorelai: You're welcome.
[Cut To: Independence Inn, night, LORELAI is at the table writing on Independence Inn stationary]
[Cut To: Independence Inn, morning, LORELAI and RORY are in bed, LORELAI wakes up]
Lorelai: (mumbling)Curtains! God, where are the curtains? Rory? Wake up.
Rory: (rolling over)No.
Lorelai: (laughing)Yeah. Come on.
Rory: (waking up)Hi.
Lorelai: Hey. Get up.
Rory: Are we going to Luke's?
Lorelai: No, we aren't. We can go to Doose's and get some milk, though.
Rory: Okay.
[Cut To: Doose's Market, RORY is getting milk]
Taylor: Hello.
Rory: Um, hi.
Taylor: What are you doing?
Rory: (turning around to face him)Getting milk.
Taylor: And are you planning on paying for that milk?
Rory: Mommy will.
Taylor: Oh, really? Because I don't see her anywhere around here. Maybe you were just going to take that milk and walk out.
Rory: No.
Taylor: Are you sure?
Rory: Yes.
Taylor: Because people who steal are bad, bad people. Terrible people.
Rory: (getting scared)Okay.
Taylor: And everyone hates people who steal.
Rory: Uh-huh. (she tries to look around for LORELAI)
Taylor: Do you want people to hate you? Is that what you want?
John: Taylor!
Taylor: Dad?
John: What are you doing to this poor girl?
Taylor: (lowering his voice slightly)It's that new girl-Lorelai's-daughter. She was trying to steal from us!
John: (to RORY)How old are you, honey?
Rory: Three.
John: (to TAYLOR)She is three years old, Taylor! What is wrong with you?
Taylor: Dad, she-
John: (to RORY)What are you buying?
Rory: Milk.
John: (reaching in and pulling out a gallon)Here you go.
Rory: We need small bottles.
John: Oh, okay. (he gets a new one)Let's go find your mom, hmm? (they walk, with TAYLOR following, through the aisles until they find LORELAI by the soup)
Rory: Mommy! (she runs to LORELAI, who picks her up, RORY starts to cry)
Lorelai: Hey, hun. What? What's wrong? (she sees TAYLOR and JOHN)Why is she crying?
John: Lorelai, is it?
Lorelai: Why the hell is my daughter crying?
John: My son here seemed to be unable to fight the urge to be a jerk. I'm so sorry.
Lorelai: (to TAYLOR)What did you do to her?
Taylor: I-I didn't know that you were here. I thought she was...
John: Tell her, Taylor. Tell her how stupid you were.
Taylor: I thought she was trying to steal.
John: Again, I'm sorry. You're purchases are free, of course.
Lorelai: Well, thank you-
John: John.
Lorelai: -John. And Taylor?
Taylor: Yes?
Lorelai: Don't ever come near my kid again.
Taylor: I don't think-
Lorelai: I'm gonna kill you, Taylor. I'm gonna kill you.
John: Get in line.
Lorelai: Bye, John. (LORELAI and RORY leave)
[Cut To: Independence Inn, potting shed, LORELAI is holding RORY on the bed, she's fallen asleep from crying]
Lorelai: (bouncing her a little to wake her up)Rory?
Rory: Mommy.
Lorelai: Hey, babe, you okay?
Rory: Yeah.
Lorelai: Did they hurt you?
Rory: He said I was stealing.
Lorelai: I know, honey.
Rory: I wasn't.
Lorelai: I know.
Rory: He said everyone would hate me.
Lorelai: (moving RORY so that they are looking into each other's eyes)No one hates you. No one will ever hate you. They're using all their hate up on Taylor. (RORY laughs a little)I promise, okay? I promise no one'll ever, ever hate you.
Rory: Okay.
Lorelai: Did they hurt you?
Rory: No.
Lorelai: I'm sorry I left you alone. It's my fault.
Rory: It's okay.
Lorelai: No, it's not. I won't leave you alone again. (checking her watch)We have to go.
Rory: Okay.
Lorelai: I've got a surprise for you!
Rory: What? What?
Lorelai: (going over to the table)I stayed up a good deal of last night making this and I really hope you like it. (she hands her the book she made)
Rory: What is it?
Lorelai: You said you wanted to learn to read, so I made this. It's to help you.
Rory: (looking through it)What do I do?
Lorelai: It says a letter, and then you just make the sound and soon you'll be able to read it.
Rory: Really?
Lorelai: Well, I don't know. But I think it might.
Rory: (hugging her)Thank you, Mommy!
Lorelai: You're welcome, babe. Come on, we gotta go.
[Cut To: Independence Inn, room 21, LORELAI is cleaning and RORY is looking at her book]
Rory: Aah. Ta. (faster)Aah. Ta. Aah. Ta. (faster)Aah. Ta. Aah. Ta. Aah. Ta.
Lorelai: Honey, honey. Okay, slow down. Say it slow.
Rory: Aaaaaah. Taaaaa.
Lorelai: No, it's not- (she stops cleaning)-it's not that slow. It's just...not fast.
Rory: Aaahtaa.
Lorelai: "T" makes the sound t, not ta.
Rory: Aaaht.
Lorelai: (she starts cleaning again)Yes, yes. Do that.
Rory: Aaaht. Aht. Aht?
Lorelai: Close.
Rory: Aht. Aht. Aht. At?
Lorelai: Uh-huh.
Rory: At? At?
Lorelai: Yeah, that's it.
Rory: I read it! I read it! I read it! (jumping up and down)Mommy!
Lorelai: Yeah?
Rory: I read it!
Lorelai: What?
Rory: I read it! I read 'at!'
Lorelai: Yay! (she hugs RORY)Oh, hun. That's so great. You did it!
Rory: I'm gonna read more! (she sits back down)Aww. Nuh. Aww. Nuh. (faster)Aww. Nuh. Aww. Nuh. Aww. Nuh.
Lorelai: Oh, God.
[Cut To: Luke's Diner, LORELAI and RORY are sitting at the counter]
Rory: Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph.
Lorelai: Duke, I need coffee! (she looks around but he doesn't come)Duke? Duke? (she goes behind the counter and pours herself coffee)
Luke: (coming in from the back)What?
Lorelai: Duke, where were you?
Rory: Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph.
Luke: What are you doing behind my counter?
Lorelai: Getting coffee.
Luke: Why?
Rory: Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph.
Lorelai: 'Cause you weren't here.
Luke: It's my counter.
Lorelai: I know.
Luke: You're behind my counter.
Lorelai: (coming around the side)Well, I'm leaving.
Rory: Uh. Ph. Uh. Ph.
Luke: It's 'up.'
Rory: Up!
Lorelai: Don't tell her!
Luke: Why not?
Lorelai: Because she's suppossed to be reading it, duh!
Luke: She's three.
Lorelai: So?
Luke: So, three year olds can't read.
Lorelai: Mine can. (after a pause)Well, sort of.
Luke: No, she's three.
Lorelai: Oh, well, if his highness Sir Duke says that she can't read, then I guess she can't. You tell her, though, she might be a little dissappointed.
Luke: She can really read?
Lorelai: (shrugging) She can do the sounds and stuff.
Luke: That's not how you teach 'em to read.
Lorelai: Well, I don't know how, so this was my best effort. Until you spoiled it, that is.
Luke: How did you turn my being mad because you went behind my counter into my feeling guilty because I spoke to your kid?
Lorelai: Talent?
Luke: (to RORY)Can you read?
Rory: Meh. Ey. Meh. Ey. Meh. Ey. Meh. Ey. Meh. Ey. Meh. Ey.
Lorelai: She doesn't really have a handle on it yet.
Luke: Yeah, I can see that. (to RORY)Say the first one slow.
Lorelai: Oh, tried that.
Rory: Mmmmm. Ey. Mmmmm. Ey. Mmmmm. Ey. My! My!
Lorelai: How'd you do that?
Luke: I just did.
Lorelai: But I said that. I said 'Do it slow.'
Luke: So did I.
Lorelai: But...but...
Luke: (to himself)I just taught a kid to read.
Lorelai: No! I did! I taught her!
Luke: (doing it only because it makes LORELAI upset)I am so smart. I am smarter than anyone else here. Her own mother couldn't teach her, but I did.
Lorelai: No! It was me! Watch! Do it, Rory.
Rory: Uh. Ne. Uh. Ne.
Lorelai: (looking up at LUKE, mocking him)No, do it slowly.
Rory: Uuuuuuuh. Neeeeee.
Luke: How 'bout you just do the first word slow?
Rory: Uuuuuuuh. Ne. Uuuuuuuh. Ne. Uuuuuuuh. Ne. Un?
Lorelai: No. Close.
Rory: Uuuuuuuh. Ne. On?
Lorelai: Yes, that's it! I did it! (RORY looks at her)I mean you did it. You did it, honey. (she gives LUKE a proud smile)
Luke: You didn't do it. (he walks away and delivers food)
Lorelai: Yes, I did.
Luke: No.
Lorelai: Yes!
Luke: No.
Lorelai: I did, too!
Luke: You did not.
Lorelai: Yes, I did!
Luke: Nope.
Lorelai: Duke! Duke, come back here!
A/N #2: I really don't know how long it takes children to learn how to read, so please forgive her learning so fast. Also, in the beginning, when Lorelai was singing, the tune was the song from 'The Sound of Music,' which I have no right to.
