Lorelai stuffed another egg role into her mouth.
"Lorelai, if you eat one more egg role, I honestly believe you'll become Chinese." Joan teased.
"Well, I guess we'll never know, cause I just ate the last one." Lorelai held up the empty box.
"Want to help do dishes?" Joan asked as she gathered up all the empty containers from the table.
"Sure." Lorelai replied.
The girls opened the trash and threw the containers inside. Lorelai shut the lid. "That has to be the best way to do dishes, ever."
"I agree." Joan replied as she wiped off the table. "Maybe you were right about the ordering out every night; however, I think we should at least have a home cooked meal every few nights. It would be healthier. Plus, I can make sure I don't get rusty with my cooking skills."
"I'll never be domestic." Lorelai replied as she headed into the living room.
Joan came into the living room behind her. "And why do you say that?"
"Cooking, cleaning, being the perfect wife and mother … you know pearls around my neck and my hair flipped out… that's not me."
"Hmm. I bet you're not a June Cleaver fan." Joan smirked as she sat down on the couch beside Lorelai.
"Hey, it works for some people." Lorelai replied. "I'm just not one of them. Besides, it's not 1957 anymore."
"True…" Joan replied. "Can't argue with the bustling changes of society."
"Hey, Joan…" Lorelai's sudden change in tone signaled that she was about to change the subject to something much more serious. "I know I've only been here for a week, but it's been the best week of my life."
A gigantic smile streaked across Joan's face. "Same here, kiddo."
"I was kind of afraid at first."
"Afraid of what?" Joan positioned herself on the couch to where her and Lorelai were face to face.
"That it wouldn't work out. Maybe you would change your mind and decide you didn't want me anymore. Or that my dad would try to take me back."
"Lorelai, you don't have to worry about any of that."
"I know that now." Lorelai smiled. "If the rest of my life is anything like this past week has been, then I know I'll be the luckiest person in the world. I've been given a chance to start completely over. A new school, a new home, a new life."
"Aw, sweetheart, it's so wonderful to hear you say that."
Lorelai smiled, this conversation was going really well. She decided now would be the best time to say exactly what was on her mind. "Today at school, I was talking to Sookie about my schedule. I called you Joan. I didn't want Sookie to find out about my life yet, you know with you and then my adoptive parents, so I kind of brushed it off like I called you by your first name."
"So, Sookie thinks you just have this awesomely hip mother who allows you call her both mom and by her first name?" Joan asked, just to make sure she understood.
"Exactly." Lorelai said relieved that she had got the point across. "It's not that I'm embarrassed or anything, I'm honestly not… I just didn't know how you feel about it."
"About?"
"Well, calling you Joan or..." Lorelai couldn't finish. The word just couldn't come out of her mouth.
"Mom?" Joan finished the sentence for her. Lorelai nodded her head. "Lorelai, you can call me anything that you want." Joan's voice was sincere and warm. "I know that you've known me as Joan for 14 years. I don't expect you to think of me as anyone else, unless you want to."
"I'd like to call you mom." Lorelai replied softly. "But it feels so strange. I've not called anyone mom in three years. But I don't just see you as Joan anymore. You are my mother, so technically the word mom couldn't be used more correctly. But then I think of the mother I knew for eleven years, and it doesn't seem right. It's just really confusing."
"Hey, give it some time." Joan smiled. "You'll realize what feels right soon. And whatever you choose, I'll be happy."
Lorelai sighed. "I guess so."
Joan grabbed a pillow and placed it on her lap. "Come on." She patted the pillow. "Let's watch some tv." Lorelai stretched out across the couch, and laid her head on the pillow. "Maybe Leave It To Beaver is on." Joan teased, as she turned on the television set.
"I think Nick at Night in general would suffice." Lorelai yawned.
Joan took the quilt off the back of the couch and spread it over Lorelai. Lorelai smiled as she felt Joan's hand gently begin to play with her hair. These were the moments that she was the most thankful for Joan.
The next day at school Lorelai noticed that no one had forgotten about her. As she walked up the pathway to the doors, dozens of eyes fell upon her and refused to look away.
"Hey." Sookie greeted with her usual cheeriness.
"Hey." Lorelai replied. "Am I imagining this, or is everyone staring at me?"
"Everyone is definitely staring." Sookie confirmed. "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but there's a rumor going around that Luke likes you."
"What?" Lorelai asked, trying to keep her voice under control and show no significant signs of emotion.
Sookie became giddy. "Well, apparently he told a couple of guys on the track team that he's into you!" Sookie shook her head. "Do you know how many girls are going to envy you now?"
"Sookie, you really shouldn't pay so much attention to gossip." Lorelai replied. "Not everything you hear is true."
Suddenly, Lorelai felt a hand touch her shoulder. "Hey." A male voice replied.
Lorelai turned around right as she reached the steps to the school doors. "Hi." Lorelai replied mostly from shock as she saw Luke standing in front of her.
Luke looked around and also noticed everyone was staring. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Uh, sure." Lorelai handed Sookie her books. "I'll be right back." Lorelai replied to Sookie. Sookie smiled and winked back at Lorelai.
Luke and Lorelai walked over to the side of the school building, but still not far enough to escape the curious eyes of the Stars Hollow teens.
Luke stuck his hands in his pocket. "Look, Lorelai, I think you're a really nice girl. And very pretty too." He quickly added.
"Thanks." Lorelai replied, her face obviously becoming red.
Luke looked away for a minute. "But, I just don't want you to get the wrong idea, you know?"
"Wrong idea?"
"About us… me." Luke stammered. "What I'm trying to say is… well, you're a freshman. I'm a junior. It'd just never work out. You're still a kid."
"What are you talking about?" Lorelai asked, although she pretty much had the picture together by now.
"We can always be friends." Luke smiled. "And who knows, maybe in a couple of years…"
"Are you trying to tell me that you'll never go out with me?" Lorelai asked, her voice quick and sharp.
"Well, not never." Luke replied. "You know, just not now."
Lorelai let out a small laugh. "What gave you the idea that I wanted to go out with you?"
Luke's face turned red. Embarrassment was quickly overcoming him. "Well, come on, it's obvious."
"Really?" Lorelai asked. "Well, that's a quite perception you have."
"Look, I don't know why you're getting upset. I'd totally go out with you in a couple of years. You should be considering this an honor."
"An honor? You really think you're something, don't you?" Lorelai folded her arms. "You assume that I'm going to be head over heals in love with you, just because you're some big shot on campus? Because you can run fast?" One of Lorelai's eyebrows raised. "It's probably a good thing that you can run fast, Luke Danes, you'll be needing all that extra speed to outrun future alimony and child support collectors." She finished smoothly.
A loud burst of "Ohhhh!" flew across the school grounds. Obviously, Lorelai's reply had been heard by more than just Luke.
"Hey!" Luke said in defense.
"How dare you try to make me feel unworthy to you." Lorelai continued. "You're a real jerk."
She quickly turned and walked back to a stunned Sookie. She grabbed her books and walked straight up the steps, not taking a second glance in Luke's direction. Laughter began to break out around the campus. Luke lowered his head and stomped away. That was the first time Luke Danes had ever been knocked of his pedestal.