Chapter 8: There Goes My Life

Luke frowned as he fiddled with the light switch one more time. Behind him, April tapped her foot, only mildly annoyed but trying not to show it.

"Dad, stop it..."

"I'm just trying to make sure it's up to code!" Luke answered back. Finding nothing, he gave it a final tap. "It's fine. Can't even tell." He threw an arm over her shoulder. "Come on. Your mother's waiting in the car."

"Second mother," April corrected.

"You know who I meant!" Luke laughed.

April was about to start her first semester at MIT. In the years since, she had followed Rory's lead and asked Lorelai in a heartfelt request to adopt her. Lorelai had tearfully and readily agreed. Rory was living in D.C. now, 27 years old and working as a columnist. She had driven up to help April move in.

Lorelai and Rory were just slamming the back trunk shut - an easier task with the space all empty - and turned as Luke and April walked up.

"Hey!" Lorelai objected as her husband sashayed right past and unlatched the trunk again. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure we didn't forget anything," Luke growled. "Now say goodbye to your daughter."

Rory and April fiercely hugged.

"Enjoy it all! College is a great time in your life. Let everybody know that my sissy is a genius like me!" Rory urged.

"A pretty sissy," April embellished, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I've perfected the hair flip!"

"Ooh, speaking of flips, wear the flippy skirt to every party!" Lorelai advised.

"There will be no parties!" Luke snapped, his voice muffled as he called from inside the trunk. "And no drinking until you're of age! And no dating!"

Lorelai pinched her thumb and forefinger together, giving April permission to do a little drinking. "Just make sure it's above board."

"Dating is never above board!" Luke bellowed, still stubbornly in the trunk.

"Hi, I'm your wife, and I married you because you knew how to give a gal a good time," Lorelai waved a hand in her husband's face.

"Yeah, Dad," April rolled her eyes. "And she was talking about drinking, not dating. I'll be too busy to date! I already had my first kiss when I was twelve." She slapped a hand over her mouth in horror, but too late. "Why did I say that?"

There was a THUD and a roar of pain as Luke hit his head on the ceiling of the Jeep. "You what?" When nothing was forthcoming, he growled, "April Elizabeth...!"

April turned back to her sister. "And you make sure to give that future fiance of yours a squeeze for me. When are you telling Daddy?"

"Soon," Rory smiled. "Besides, I'll do the Rory pout. You how easy Dad is when he's in his sappy mode."

"My what?" Luke poked his head out of the trunk, sending his daughters into peals of giggles. He climbed out and slammed the back door to the Jeep Wrangler shut. "You're good to go."

Final hugs were exchanged, Lorelai holding on a little longer until Luke had to gently extract her. "My baby..."

Father and daughter regarded each other. Luke tried to start, stopped and cleared his throat. "I, uh... I'll always be here for you."

April and Luke fiercely embraced, before the new freshman bounded up the stairs to her dorms, turning around to give her family one final wave. Lorelai was not even bothering to hide the tears anymore, and Luke was just watching with a sad smile, as he thought:

There goes my life... there goes my future. My everything. I love you. Baby, goodbye...