"Anna..." Lorelai whispered, then gasped "Oh no," as Paul Anka broke free.
"Oh my," Kirk added from the doorway, "Luke's having his moment."
-----
Anna Nardini was at best, a conflicted woman. For thirteen years, she'd kept a secret. Only she knew the name of the father of her child. For thirteen years, she rationalized that her former lover's quirks were the reason she'd denied her daughter the love of a father. For thirteen years, she held the bitterness of what really was just an ordinary breakup against the man who had fathered her child. For thirteen years, she held her breath and hoped she wouldn't run into him, that she wouldn't run into a mutual acquaintance who would detect a resemblance.
For thirteen years, her luck held up. But there was one thing she hadn't bargained for, hadn't expected: the tenaciousness that was genetically inherent to father and daughter.
For twelve years, she had lied to her daughter. "Dada," an infant April vocalized. "Mama, Mama," Anna coached her to say instead. "Who's my daddy?" a three-year-old April asked, looking adorable peeking over her little glasses." And the questions did not stop there; they only escalated through the years. "Why does Freddy have a daddy?" "Why don't I have a dad?" "If I don't have a dad, how was I made?" "Mom, did you use a turkey baster?" "Mom, did I grow in a test tube?" "Who's my father, Mom?" "Why didn't he love me?"
And in the thirteenth year after she first started the lie, the stars aligned to provide her daughter with the mental and physical gifts to conduct a search on her own. When the science teacher called her to inform her about her daughter's science fair project, she didn't want to believe it. Not only had April done her research, she'd hit the nail on the head. Anna had gone to the science fair that evening, and staying in the background, observed as the man she once loved was punched in the gut by her daughter's revelation.
And then, nothing. She breathed a sigh of relief. She'd heard he'd married a lawyer, and was worried that he'd use his legal connections to bring the wrath of every father's rights movement in the country down upon her. In spite of herself, she smiled--because she knew he could and would go on a major rant on the subject. She knew that sentiment, and the law, would be on his side. But nothing happened.
Then suddenly, on a snowy evening in January, the phone rang. She knew as soon as he spoke that he was going to want contact. So, she invited him to the home they had once playfully frequented, taking care to make sure her, no their, daughter would be out on a school activity, so they could talk. And he was true to form. Initially, only wanting to know if he could fix things financially. That was Luke, Mr. Fix-it. And a few days later, he adamantly demanded visitation. A relationship. A presence in their lives.
Anna felt the control she'd had for thirteen years slip away, quickly, quickly, quickly. When he tried to change an arrangement he'd made, she came down on him hard, hoping that would scare him away. It didn't. Since then, he'd been letter-perfect. She had him. He was even following her demands that he not embroil April in any dating or personal relationship he may have been involved in. And when she quizzed April after April came home from her visits to his diner, it appeared that he was holding true to his promise.
In short, Luke had passed the test.
So Anna was surprised to find the diner dark when she arrived a few minutes early for April's pickup. Anna had started to enjoy the evenings without April; she could meet a friend, maybe even go out for a date. This night had ended earlier than planned and so she decided to swing by the diner and actually enter the place and talk to Luke. When she saw that it was dark, she was confused. Luke had promised to tell her if they left the premises. She circled the square and then saw April, sitting on the lawn outside Miss Patty's Studio. Ah, Miss Patty. Still in business after all these years…
April appeared to be alone, although the building seemed full of people. Suddenly, a man, a woman and a dog came rushing out of the building and…were the two adults making out? Anger arose within her as she clearly saw that the man had to be Luke. She parked her car across the street, got out and ran over towards April, Luke, and the woman.
"Why is my kid loitering outside this building?" Was that really her: unflappable, cool Anna Nardini, shrieking at Luke and some woman?
At the sound of her voice, the couple separated. It was Luke! He turned toward April and said something to her. The woman stood there, eyes wide, staring at her as the dog suddenly took off.
The dog ran towards April, who giggled and patted the ground next to where she was seated. But the dog kept running past April, who got up and started chasing after him.
"Luke, what's his name?" she turned her head to shout back at her father.
"Paul Anka!" the woman yelled. "Paul Anka, come back!"
'Well, fly me to the moon,' Anna thought. 'Who the hell names a dog Paul Anka?'
-----
'So this is Anna,' Lorelai thought, watching her as she watched April chase after Paul Anka. For a brief moment, she actually wished that Emily were here; Emily would know the proper etiquette for this sort of situation. Because it's really common to be caught kissing the man who fathered a child (but didn't know for thirteen years) with the woman who just spooked your dog.
Lorelai squared her shoulders, and subconsciously channeled both her mother and her paternal grandmother. She was the reigning Lorelai, after all, and needed to do Gran proud.
So, ever both her mother's daughter and a Gilmore in this type of situation, Lorelai extended her hand, plastered a smile on her face, and said, "Hi, I'm Lorelai Gilmore. Paul Anka's not gonna run far. Everything scares him."
"Yeah, yeah, hi," Anna responded, perfunctorily shaking her hand.
Unfortunately, both Anna and Lorelai suffered from that disease endemic to many women: the sizing up of other women. For a second, they silently engaged in that activity, each comparing body parts, hair, teeth, shoes, clothing. But Lorelai was tired, exhausted from her unexpected inquisition in front of the town. And Anna's heart rate was still elevated from the momentary panic she felt when she'd found the diner unoccupied. Each only had time to wonder what they had in common.
Introducing Luke Danes, common denominator.
Paul Anka had turned and was still running, April still chasing him. They were getting awfully close to the street. Even a street without a lot of traffic in a town like Stars Hollow when most residents are at a town meeting can be dangerous. But Paul Anka turned once more, and Luke and Anna took off, each shouting April's name. Luke stepped on the leash and brought Paul Anka to a halt.
Relieved that Paul Anka was safe, and that April would be OK, Lorelai was irritated to see that Kirk had joined her.
"So, you guys still eloping tomorrow? Because I'm a paralegal and can prepare all the necessary documents…"
"Shut up, Kirk," Lorelai spat out, and headed for home.
-
Next: Lorelai waits for Luke to finish up his baby mamma business, and come home with Paul Anka,