❝AH, DAD'S DATING❞
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⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ chapter fifty-eight,
Gilmore Girls — Season Three

𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟑𝐫𝐝, 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟑

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[ LUCY'S POV ]

𝐃𝐀𝐃 𝐈𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆.

While I'm eighteen-years-old, and fully aware that my dad has dated in the past, it's still strange to see him date, especially when he's at the exact same restaurant as me and Tristan. Yep, that really fancy restaurant that Tristan has been dying to bring me to also has my dad and his date, Nicole── also known as, Taylor's lawyer.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad my dad is finally getting out there, but I have an odd, unsure feeling about this woman. When I was a kid, Dad was in a relationship with Anna and Rachel, but he's never really been a dating kind of guy.

He's a commitment junkie, and I'm his overly protective eighteen-year-old daughter.

When I was younger, I met the women he was with because I wanted to meet them, but I'm not too sure about Nicole, and I don't know why. Me and Tristan are seated on the other side of the restaurant, far away from Dad and Nicole, but close enough that I can see them clearly.

I keep peering past the menu to sneak glances in their direction, and every time I look over at them, they're laughing. Yes, my dad is funny, but like Jess said the other day, he's not this funny so it's obvious this redheaded woman likes him.

Tristan waves a hand in front of my face. "Blue." I snap my head towards him, smiling like I haven't been glaring at my dad and his date.

"Uh, I'm gonna order..." I look at the menu, and I say the first thing that my eyes catch onto. "...uh, the lobster."

"You hate seafood."

I make a strange noise, but I try to pass it off as a laugh. "W-What, no. I──" I sigh, placing my menu down. "Yeah, I do." Tristan looks at me, a smile tugging on his lips, and I roll my eyes at his amused face. "What?"

"Look, I love you, but you're..." He pauses, obviously trying to find the right words. "...acting a little mad. You knew your dad was going on a date. Why is this a big deal?"

"Because he's over there," I whisper like he can hear me, but he's too far away, and there's about twenty tables separating us. "Seriously, out of all the restaurants in Connecticut, how did he end up here?"

"Well, I may have..." I raise a brow, and Tristan shrugs. "I may have mentioned this place to him."

"What? When?" It's very rare that I leave Tristan and my dad alone for longer than two minutes, so I don't know when they could've had a conversation.

"The other day when I came over to invite you on this exact date." I continue to look at him, still confused because I don't remember leaving him and my dad for that long. "You were laughing at Jess because he was taking Dean's order for the construction crew?"

I snort a laugh. "Oh, yeah. That was funny."

Dean came in to order for the entire construction crew outside, and poor Jess had to take the order. Dean ordered a lot of food, and he made Jess repeat the entire order several times before Jess submitted it. I stood in the back, laughing when I could've totally helped.

It's obvious Dean hates Jess, and perhaps I should care, but I really don't. If they want to fight, I'll stand in the sidelines and clap for── "Hey, if Jess and Dean got into a fight, who would win?"

"Seriously? Babe, you can't──" Tristan sighs, and I grin. "Probably Dean."

"What?" I scoff. "Have you met Jess? He's like a scrappy rat." I laugh at my own comment because I don't think anybody has ever described Jess like that. "People in my family can be violent if they need to be."

"Yeah, I don't doubt that." Tristan lifts his drink, taking a long sip.

"Uh, what is that supposed to mean?"

"Well..." He peers over his shoulder to look at Dad and Nicole on the other side of the restaurant. "For one, you look like you want to unleash a lobster on that woman."

I sink back into my chair, arms crossed. "Well, I just..." I shrug. "...I don't know, have a bad feeling."

"Has your dad not dated before?"

I shake my head. "Not really," I admit. "He's a commitment junkie. He's only ever been in relationships, he's never..." I shudder. "...dated."

"Really?"

"I'm sorry, not all of us want to go on loads of dates," I comment, and Tristan scoffs. "Some of us are looking for the serious thing, you know?"

He touches my hand. "Yes, Blue. I know."

I intertwine my fingers with his, offering him my sweetest smile. Tristan Dugray has a way of just catching your attention, and making you forget about everything around you, I can't explain it. He's some sort of magician, I swear to God.

I look back to the menu, choosing to focus on something else rather than my dad and his date. "I'll get carbonara."

Tristan flashes his signature smile. "Good choice, Luce." He takes my menu, and he waves over to a waiter who is already making their way towards our table.

Once he's ordered our food, my eyes snatch onto my dad again. I can't help it, but I feel this annoying need to just check what's going on. From the looks of it, it's going well, but I can't be too sure. What could they possibly be talking about?

"Blue." I snap my eyes back to Tristan, smiling innocently again.

"So you told my dad about this place?"

"He was reading that book..." I laugh again, remembering the book Jess and I made fun of when we discovered what he was reading. "The──"

"Hidden Romantic Gems of the Restaurant World," I recall, trying to hold back another laugh that threatens to leave my mouth. "Yep, I remember the book. What about it?"

"Well, he asked if I knew any restaurants he could take Nicole to rather than reading the book," Tristan continues, and I nod, finding it slightly amusing that my dad asked my boyfriend restaurant advice. "So I gave him a few suggestions. How was I supposed to know he'd pick this exact restaurant?"

I shrug. "Well, he probably picked the cheaper option of the ones you listed."

"Well, I did recommend a drive-thru but he didn't find that funny."

I pout. "Aw, I love our drive-thru dates."

Every month, Tristan takes me on a date to any drive-thru takeaway of my choice. We're going to Burger King at the end of the month. If a restaurant has a drive-thru, we eat it in the car. While we could go into the restaurant, we never do because there's something about eating it in the car that is so special to me. Yes, I know how ridiculous that sounds, but it's sweet.

It's our thing, and I enjoy going through a drive-thru and eating in the car once a month with him.

"Oh, also, he told me not to tell you that he talked to me, but..." Tristan inhales. "...I can't lie to you."

I smile, satisfied, and I pat my hand against his. "No, you can't."

   While Tristan and I have a looming conversation about college in the future, I've followed through with his promise to live in the moment. Yes, we're going to have discuss the possibility of him going to Oxford if he gets in, but until then, I'm treasuring every tiny moment with him because, well, I'm sort of in love with him, you know?

   All it takes is one smile off this boy and I'm done for.

   "Sorry I'm distracted, I just──"

   "Don't worry 'bout it," he interrupts. "If I saw my parents on a date, well, I'd be surprised and mortified." I chuckle, but then I imagine his parents on a date, and my laughter quickly dies. "You're picturing them, aren't you?"

   I nod, grossed out. "Your parents don't..." I shrug. "...suit one another."

   "Yeah, I know." He takes another sip of his drink. "But I wouldn't be here without them, so that's a bonus, no?" I slap his hand playfully. "Come on, me and Lisa are the greatest things to come out of their relationship."

   "Yes, I know," I deadpan.

   "Do you keep looking at your dad to see if he and Nicole suit one another?" he asks, and now that he's said it, I think I am looking at them to see if they fit one another.

   I nod, a little shameful. "I guess, and I can safely say that they don't."

   "Oh, yeah?" Tristan peers over his shoulder, and I tug at his hand, insisting he faces me so Dad doesn't catch him looking despite us being so far away from them. "I don't know, they seem to be having a good time."

   "Yeah, but I just don't have a good feeling."

   "Well, did your dad have a good feeling about me?" he asks, and I give him a puzzled look.

   "Uh, not really, but that's because you're dating his one and only child── his pride and joy," I joke, and Tristan scoffs.

   "Well, now he likes me... I think." He does, but he'd never admit it. "So, maybe you should give Nicole a chance." I understand where he's coming from, but I'm stubborn, and sure that she just isn't the woman for my dad. However, he's allowed to date whoever he wants, and if he's not looking for anything serious, he should date Nicole and I should stop getting involved.

   But then again, I've always been a little too involved in my dad's relationships so I shake my head. "Hmm. No."

   "Lucy."

   "Tristan," I say in the same mocking tone.

   He opens his mouth to speak, but the waiter steps over, offering us our plates of food and a lobster. I pin Tristan with a stern but amused look. "What?"

   "It's a lobster, babe." He pats a hand over mine. "You said you wanted one, right?"

   I roll my eyes, still grinning like a damn fool as I jab my fork into my carbonara.

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𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐘, 𝐃𝐀𝐃 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐍𝐎 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐀 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈 𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐀𝐒 𝐇𝐈𝐌 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐄. I arrived home before he did because, of course, my curfew is a whole hour before his because I'm still living under his roof despite now technically being an adult.

Jess is working because Dad made him so I could go on my date, and he could go on his. Because I'm kind though, I offered to work tomorrow night so he can take out Rory. Also, if all goes well with Dad and Nicole, I assume he'll be taking her on many dates in the future── leaving me and Jess to handle the diner alone.

Don't get me wrong, we work pretty well together. We mutually agree to many things such as him taking the trash out at the end of the night while I wipe down the counters. But the town has witnessed many bickering matches between the two of us whenever we're forced to work together.

Actually, we haven't worked together in some time. Whenever I have to work at the diner, he's working his other job at Walmart. Now that I think about it, he's been working at Walmart quite a bit.

   I shrug that realisation and my jacket off, throwing it onto the counter. I step away, moving around the counter to pour myself a cup of coffee. "It's nearly eleven o'clock and you're drinking coffee," Jess states.

   I take a sip of coffee, scrunching my face up in disgust. "Oh, my God." I put my cup down. "What the hell is this?"

   "What?"

   I glare at Jess. "Do you know to make coffee?"

   "For normal people, yeah. For you, no." He snatches the cup from me, moving to the kitchen to dump it into the sink.

   I eye the coffee machine, tempted to make a new batch but it's closing time, and I'd just have to clean it after so I decide to steal another mug and pour myself the watery, weak coffee Jess made.

   He steps into the diner to find me drinking from a new mug, and I smile innocently. "You dumped my old cup."

   "You just said it was gross."

   "Yeah, but I need coffee, so..." I step past him, moving to sit down at the counter. "But seriously, I'm teaching you how to make real coffee."

   "Luce, not everybody likes it as strong as you." Perhaps that's true, but nobody should be subjected to drink this weaker crap either.

   "Slow night?" I ask, moving past the coffee debate because I am correct in how I drink coffee. It should be strong because it's supposed to keep you awake. This crap Jess made is too similar to tea, meaning I'm going to sleep like a freaking baby tonight which might──

   Actually, sleep sounds pretty good. I should probably thank him, but I ain't doing that.

   He nods, wiping a cloth across the counter. "Just Kirk all night long." I peer over at Kirk who is sitting on the other end of the counter, eating a burger. "I can't shut the kitchen down until he leaves."

   "Well, it's Friday night. He has nothing better to do than sit here all night long."

   Jess mutters something under his breath── something that sounds like a curse word, and I quirk a smile. "Uh, how was the date?" Jess asks, lifting my coffee cup up to wipe at the counter underneath.

"Was good, and then Dad arrived." Jess' eyes widen, but he looks amused.

"Luke took Nicole there?"

I nod. "Yep," I confirm. "He and Nicole were on the other side of the restaurant. Every time I looked over, she was laughing."

"Okay, he's not that funny."

"It was..." I shudder. "...odd seeing him date. He's not a big dater, that's all."

"Well, as somebody who has watched their mother date man after man, you'll get used to it." I frown, not wanting to get used to my dad dating. He's in his late thirties, has a kid who is about to go off to college, so I'm amusing he'll want to settle down soon. Liz── Jess' mother── isn't like my dad, and it saddens me that Jess has spent his entire life watching his mother go from man to man.

Since Jess moved here, he's barely uttered a word about his mother. I don't even know if they've spoken, but I can't say I'm surprised. Liz Danes isn't exactly a good mother, but I'd never say that to her.

I continue to drink my coffee, letting the gross liquid trickle down my throat. "Seriously, this might be the most disgusting coffee I've ever drank, and I've had coffee from Al's Pancake World." And that was vile.

"All you do is complain, Luce." He snatches the mug from me, and I don't protest.

The door to the diner swings open, and I hear the familiar voice of my father. I spin in my chair, turning to face him and Nicole. She's still laughing. She must really like my dad, and upon realising that, I still don't know how I feel about her.

   "He's not that funny," Jess mutters, and I chuckle, watching as Nicole and Dad sit down at one of the nearest tables.

   "Jess, coffee over here." Dad waves.

   "I wouldn't advise drinking it," I utter, but they don't hear me. Jess, on the other hand, hears me, but I just smile innocently.

   Jess ignores me, and moves towards their table, pouring them coffee. Dad looks over at me, tilting his head, signalling that I need to stand up and meet his date. I smile kindly, and I stand up, moving towards their table.

   "Uh, Nicole, this is my daughter, Lucy." I hold my hand out, shaking hers.

   She smiles. "I've heard a lot about you. It's nice to meet you." I stare at her for a long moment, nodding my head.

   Jess nudges me, urging me to speak. "Oh, yes. It's, uh, n-nice to meet you too."

   Jess exhales, placing the coffee jug down. "Did you have a good time?" he asks, and I let go of Nicole's hand, taking a step back.

   "Yeah, we had a really good time."

   "Okay, well..." Jess tugs on the sleeve of my jacket. "We are going to go out for about an hour."

   "We are?"

   Jess nods, and Dad looks at us strangely. "What are you talking about? It's eleven."

"I know." What the hell is going on? "We're just gonna go out for about an hour."

"Why?" I bite out, freeing my arm from Jess' grip.

"God, Luce, get the hint," he hisses, and I look from him to Dad and Nicole, still lost.

"Where are you going?" Dad asks.

"Out," Jess replies bluntly.

"Out where?"

"Out for about an hour."

We're just going around in circles, and I'm growing more and more agitated by the second. I don't want to go out anymore, I just want to go upstairs and go to──

It clicks in my head, and now I'm even more disgusted. "Oh, my God," I say out loud, and I whack a hand over my mouth.

   Dad looks over at me, concerned. "What?"

   Jess laughs. "Nothing, it's just clicked in her head." Jess slaps a hand on my shoulder, and I scowl at him, feeling as if I could be sick.

   Dad looks from me to Jess, realising what Jess is talking about. "Nicole, will you excuse me for a minute?"

   Me and Jess are dragged outside by Dad, and we're pushed down the street. We now stand at the window, and I'm ninety percent sure Kirk and Nicole are watching us, but Dad doesn't seem to care.

   He crosses his arms, glaring at Jess. "Now why the hell are you leaving?"

   "To give you some time with..." He looks to the window, pointing directly at Nicole, and Dad whacks him around the back of the head. "Hey!"

   "Nothing is happening, do you understand me?"

   Jess sighs. "Come on, I'm helping you out here. Put it off any longer, and you're on your way to being celibate for──"

   "Oh, my God!" I interrupt, shivering in disgust at this entire conversation.

   "Seriously, you probably haven't had any action since before Lucy was──"

   "Jess," I hiss.

   Jess scoffs, laughing at me. "Oh, don't act like a prude, Luce. Have you met you and Tristan?"

   I glared at him, smacking my hand against his arm. "Yeah, well you aren't exactly a goodie-goodie, Jess."

   "Rory and I haven't done anything, thank you."

   I scrunch my face up. "I'm not talking about you and Rory, I'm talking about you and Shane."

   "Oh, come on──"

   "She'd jump in the closet every time somebody breathed, and I know you aren't the easiest person to speak with, but come on."

   "That is none──"

   Dad grabs both of our arms. "Stop!" I don't know how this conversation turned into me and Jess yelling at one another, but it always seems to take that turn. "Get inside. Now!"

   Jess frees his arm, and he charges away with me following closely behind. He walks into the diner, skulking. "I guess we're not going out for about an hour."

   "Say goodnight, kids."

   Jess looks over at Dad. "I don't understand you, man."

   "My mystique is part of my charm."

   "You at least want us to take a walk around the block?" I push Jess away, muttering at him to move his freaking ass.

   "Go upstairs. Both of you."

   Jess shrugs, looking down at Nicole. "Sorry, we tried."

   "Do not involve me," I insist, pushing him towards the stairs so we can leave Dad and Nicole to say goodnight to one another.

   Tonight took an awfully odd turn, I'll just say that.

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authors note:

this chapter was very fun to write

i know lucy and jess aren't siblings, but they totally have the dynamic . . . dare i say they're probably my favourite duo to write ah

i know there's kinda been a lack of lucy & tristan but a lot of these next few chapters are about lucy and college and all that stuff

hope you liked this chapter