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Luke looks around them at the yard.
Luke: Did you get somebody to mow the lawn while you're gone?
Lorelai: Oh shoot. I knew I was going to forget about something.
Luke: I'll mow it for you while you're gone that way you don't waste money on some company.
Lorelai (smiles at him): Thank you Luke. Well I need to get inside and into bed. Rory and I have to be up by seven-tomorrow morning.
Luke: You up at seven? I would love to see that.
Lorelai smacks him on the shoulder.
Luke: Well I guess I'll leave and let you get some sleep.
Lorelai: Ok.
She steps forward and hugs Luke. He puts his arms around her and they stand there for a few minutes just hugging each other. Finally, Lorelai pulls back and steps away from him.
Lorelai: Goodnight Luke.
Luke: Goodnight Lorelai. Have fun and be safe. I'll see you in a few months.
Lorelai: Yeah, I'll see you in a couple of months. Bye Luke.
Luke: Bye Lorelai.
She turns around and goes back inside. He gets in his truck and drives away. Though neither of them knows it, they are both secretly hoping that the next few months go by fast.
Chapter 11: Coming Home
Two months later… it is seven o'clock in the morning European time and Lorelai and Rory are both packing up last minute items before they have to check out of the hotel they are staying in. Their flight leaves in two hours at 9:00 in the morning. They are supposed to be at the airport in thirty minutes so they are rushing around like crazy trying to make sure they leave nothing behind.
Lorelai: Rory, has the bathroom been checked?
Rory: No, I'll go look and see if we left anything in there.
Lorelai: All right. While you're looking through the bathroom, I'll look through the dressers and make sure they're completely empty.
Rory: Ok.
Rory goes into the bathroom as Lorelai starts to look through the dressers. A few minutes later, Rory comes out of the bathroom.
Rory: All clear.
Lorelai: Good, so are the dressers.
Rory: Cool. I think we got everything.
Lorelai: Yep and it's a good thing to because we need to check out like now.
Rory: Ok.
They both grab their luggage from the floor and head down to the lobby to turn in their keys.
After turning in their keys, they head outside and hail a cab to take them to the airport.
They get to the airport a few minutes before they needed to be there. They get their luggage from the trunk of the cab. Lorelai pays the cab driver and then she and Rory go into the airport.
Lorelai: Ok. We need to figure out where our luggage needs to go.
Rory: Ok. (She looks at the signs around her.) That sign says people who are boarding a plane bound for America need to get into the line to figure out which belt their luggage needs to go on.
Lorelai: Ok. I am so glad that one of us can read French.
Rory laughs.
Rory: You and me both, otherwise we would be so screwed.
Lorelai and Rory laugh.
Lorelai: Sad, but so very true. Ok let's get in line.
The two walk over and get into the line. After waiting about fifteen minutes, they're waited on and their luggage is put on the belt that will go to their plane.
They then walk through the airport to the gate where they will board their plane. They find two empty seats and sit down.
Lorelai: What time is it?
Rory looks at her watch.
Rory: It's 8:15. We probably have about thirty minutes before they allow people to board the plane.
Lorelai: Ok.
She looks around and spots a coffee shop across the terminal waiting area.
Lorelai: Hey, do you want some coffee?
Rory: Sure.
Lorelai: Ok. How about I go get us some and you stay here with our carry-on bags?
Rory: All right.
Lorelai: I'll be back.
She walks off toward the coffee shop, and Rory is left with the bags by her feet. She grabs Lorelai's bag from the floor and sticks it on the chair to save Lorelai's seat when she spots people eyeing the chair. A few minutes later, Lorelai returns with two large coffees and a brown bag in her hands. She hands Rory one of the coffees then sits beside her after removing her bag from the seat.
Rory: Thanks. What's in there? (She points to the brown bag in Lorelai's left hand.)
Lorelai: Oh. It's some doughnuts. Would you like one?
Rory: Sure. (Lorelai reaches into the bag and hands Rory a doughnut and then grabs one for herself.)
Lorelai: Why did you put my bag on the seat? Did people want to sit here?
Rory: Yep, that's why I took the bag and put it on the chair so nobody could sit down. Aren't you glad I'm considerate of you and not making you sit on the floor or stand?
Lorelai: Yes. Thank you.
Just then the announcement comes over the intercom that their flight is about to begin boarding passengers.
Lorelai and Rory finish the last of their doughnuts and coffee and throw their trash away in the nearby trashcan.
They grab their bags and get in line to prepare for boarding. A few minutes later, they are in the airplane putting the bags in the overhead compartments. They sit in their seats and prepare themselves for the long flight home.
Fourteen hours later, Lorelai and Rory walk out of the airplane and to the luggage claim to get their luggage. After getting their luggage, they go to the bus terminal to wait for a bus to take them to Stars Hollow. After about ten minutes, a bus arrives for passengers going to Hartford and the surrounding towns. They climb onto the bus along with the other passengers and find seats. After about forty minutes, the bus driver announces over the intercom it is approaching its' first stop in Stars Hollow. A couple of stops later, Lorelai and Rory get off the bus at the corner of their street and walk down the street to their house.
Rory (Catches sight of their house): Oh my God! It's good to be back home.
Lorelai: You can say that again.
When they reach their yard, Lorelai and Rory go over to their mailbox to check on the mail. Lorelai sees Babette come out of her house with a small box in her hands.
Babette: Hey girls! You're back!
Lorelai: Yes, we're back. We just got here. Have you got mail for us?
Babette: Oh yeah. Hey Rory, when I was getting the mail for you two yesterday, I saw something from Yale. It said important. (She hands Rory an envelope from the box and then hands the box to Lorelai.
Rory: Thanks Babette.
Lorelai: Thank you Babette. We both appreciated your help while we were gone.
Babette: No need to thank me doll. I was glad to help. I'll leave you two alone and let you get some sleep. Goodnight dolls.
Lorelai and Rory: Goodnight Babette.
Both girls' head up the front steps and Lorelai unlocks the door. They go inside and both smile at the familiar things surrounding them.
They drop their bags on the floor and drop onto the couch. After sitting in silence for a few minutes, Rory yawns and stretches her arms over her head.
Rory: I'm going to bed. Goodnight mom.
Lorelai: Goodnight Sweets.
Rory kisses Lorelai's cheek and goes to her bedroom taking the envelope from Yale with her. Lorelai stays on the couch thinking of Luke and finally being able to see him again.
Rory (startling Lorelai by yelling): Oh no, they can't be serious!
Lorelai: Rory?
Rory comes running out of her room and into the living room. Lorelai stands up when she sees Rory come out of her room.
Lorelai: What's going on? (A few seconds pass.) Rory? What's wrong?
Rory (looks up from the letter in her hand to her mom): They can't be serious! This has got to be a joke.
Lorelai (confused): Huh?
Rory looks at her mom and sees the confused look on her face.
Rory: Oh sorry. They messed up on the dates. Yale messed up on the dates. Instead of orientation being a week from this Saturday and classes starting 2 weeks from tomorrow, orientation is this Saturday and classes start a week from tomorrow.
Lorelai: You've got to be kidding me! Are you serious?
Rory: As a heart attack, see for yourself.
She hands the letter to Lorelai who quickly reads through the letter. After she is done reading, she gives an annoyed sigh and shakes her head in disgust.
Lorelai: This letter is dated three days ago. They couldn't have informed us before now?
Rory: Apparently not. I guess this messes up our plans of watching movies all week.
Lorelai: Uh yeah. We may be able to watch a few movies at night, but other than that, it looks like all were going to be doing is buying stuff for you for school.
Rory: Yep.
Lorelai: We both need to get to bed. We have a lot of stuff to do tomorrow.
Rory: Ok. Goodnight mom.
Lorelai: Goodnight Babe.
Rory goes back into her room and Lorelai heads upstairs to her room. Both girls get ready for bed, thinking about everything they would need to do before the coming Saturday.
TBC