Lorelai started walking over to her Jeep. She could see her breath in the 5 a.m. chilliness that was Stars Hollow, Connecticut, in the fall. She was desperate, and figured she'd drive into town and try to pick up something—anything, anywhere, hell, she'd take anyone-- to fix the shed.
She aimlessly patrolled the empty streets of Peach and Plum and Orange until she was circling the gazebo. Then, she realized that above Luke's Diner, or Duke's, she thought, with a chuckle, was a sign for "William's Hardware." Lorelai stopped the Jeep and got out. If the sign was there, someone at some point must have had some experience with sheds that needed fixing, right? She sure hoped so.
As Lorelai stepped out, she heard footsteps from behind the store. Someone was obviously up. At this early? It was disgusting. Yet, she was happy she wasn't the only one up. She waited as they approached, and she saw the diner owner himself. Luke looked surprised, as he placed her. "Hello?" he asked, curiously. "Um, we don't open for a while…"
"Yeah, I know, but you see, I saw your sign for William's Hardware, and I thought that maybe you knew something about fixing sheds because you see my daughter and I, the one you met, Rory, we live in this sort of shed on the inn, the Independence Inn, not a creepy 'oh, gross, cardboard box' shed, it's our home, but, yeah it broke—"
Luke cut the high-speed ramblings of a surprisingly awake Lorelai off. She was younger than him, he assumed, and he was right. At 24, Lorelai wasn't much older than a college student, and she looked like one, especially in her pajamas. Not that he had been doing this diner thing so long himself. And he'd picked up quite a bit about hardware from his dad, by working in the shop so many years. Yeah, he'd help this Lorelai out a bit.
He sighed, and smiled. "Let me get my toolbox." He headed inside.
Lorelai looked relieved. "Thank you so much. I just hate to see my little girl all freezing and such, and I'd hate to make the Inn fix it for me. I won't ask you for anything else again, just this once."
He just grinned, well-naturedly. "It's not a problem, really. I was up already. I don't mind fixing things here and there, my dad would be proud. It's not everyday I get to perform an act of… chivalry." He chuckled.
Lorelai pointed to her Jeep. "Here, hop in," she said, still happy she'd be fixing this problem so immediately.
Luke slid into the passenger seat, and Lorelai headed towards the shed, her personal damsel-in-distress.
The drive was a little awkward; she didn't know him or what to say to him. Instead she kept thanking and apologizing every few seconds, to which he just smiled and nodded. Thankfully the ride was short as was the walk over Inn property to the shed.
He looked at it, "You live in there? It's small." Lorelai shrugged, "It's fine. One day it might be nice to own a house, but I'm saving."
He just nodded, "Yeah. So what's wrong."
She pointed inside as she opened the door, "A window broke. It's freezing. Hold on, I'm gonna see if Rory is awake." She crept quietly inside and soon Luke could hear quiet voices, one definitely belonging to the girl who fell in front of the diner sounding very sleepy.
Inside the shed a very cold and sleepy Rory asked her mother, "What's going on? It's so cold and you weren't home when I woke up."
Lorelai smiled while hugging her daughter, "It's okay. I got some help, someone to fix the window. Just don't worry about it. Get warmer, sweetheart. Don't want you to get sick."
She motioned for Luke to walk inside and turned on the lone light, moving it closer to the broken window so he could see better. Rory turned towards her mother, "It's that guy from the diner. Why is he here?"
Lorelai smiled, "He's here to help us. Shh, sweetie. Go back to sleep."
Lorelai watched as the young guy went to work. Brows furrowed concentrated on the window. She didn't know what he was doing but it looked like he knew what to do. She didn't know what to do she felt useless. There was nothing to offer him, she had no food or drinks in the shed.
After about an hour he turned around, "So, it's all done!"
Lorelai smiled in happiness, "Really? Duke, you're the best. Umm, what would you like for payment?" She hadn't really thought about it, but she had to give him something, right?
He stared. "Umm, payment? I don't know. You don't have to give me anything?"
Lorelai became desperate, "But I dragged you away from your home at 5 in the morning to fix a window that technically could have waited to be fixed later, I barely know you and already have you doing big favors..."
Luke interrupted, "I really don't mind doing work, my dad helped anyone who asked all the time, he would have helped you too. But if you really want to do something, you can stop calling me 'Duke'."
At that, Lorelai smiled, "Well...I don't know. That is a pretty big payment." She grinned, "Yes, fine Duke, I will stop calling you that."
They shared a small smile until he said, "Well, I have to go. I should have already opened."
