Author's Note:
I wrote in the comments regarding the detail mentioned in this chapter about Shelby being held back, but it's getting buried. At the end of the day, this is a fictional story about fictional characters regardless how schools does it in real life.
It was an anxious week and a half for Luke. He bought a twin bed and set it up, rearranging the furniture around. He asked Madison what kind of bed set to get for Shelby; if she had a favorite color or thing. At the moment, the kid was really into the Anime show, Pokemon, in which Luke had no idea what that was. One day, during one of his breaks he caught it on TV and decided to watch it.
"Basically, this kid throws this ball and these creatures come out that can breathe water, fire, whatever, and this yellow rabbit thing shoots lightning and there are these bad guys who want to steal the rabbit and the other creatures. Oh, and did I mention they like to 'battle' each other?" Luke was telling Lorelai and Rory, that night after their weekly dinner with Lorelai's parents.
"Sounds like Looney Tunes on steroids." Lorelai looked over at Rory.
"I think I've seen some of the boys playing the game at Stars Hollow high," Rory pointed out.
"Yeah, her mentor, the one that got Shelby into it, gave her a copy for Christmas and spends a lot of time playing it and knows how, at that."
"So, she's a smartie, huh?" Lorelai smirked up at him.
He shrugged, "I guess. Her caseworker says she struggles with some subjects. She's already in kindergarten but won't come out to do any work. Shelby's looking at being held back if she doesn't start participating in class."
"I didn't know you could be held back in kindergarten," said Rory.
"Apparently you can."
The day had finally arrived when Luke got the phone call to set up the first visit. No one had still not told Shelby. In fact, the three of them were going to lunch and Madison planned on dropping the news then. So he was going to be present when Shelby found out. Knowing that made the guy even more nervous, wondering what kind of reaction the kid will have.
He opened the diner for a few hours the morning of, to serve breakfast before setting out on the drive back to Providence. Lorelai reminded him of the plan with the hat suggestion, so Luke made sure he had it on him.
Madison gave him directions to the restaurant where they were meeting. He arrived there first and waited for them. At first, Luke waited inside the truck but he was so nervous and anxious, Luke ended up getting out and pacing up and down the sidewalk until he saw Madison's car pull into the parking lot. She parked a few spaces away and slid out, stepping a few feet back to open the door to the backseat.
Luke watched from where he was standing with his hands in his pockets. It didn't seem like Shelby was getting out. A few minutes went by before he finally went over. "Everything alright?"
Madison stood up, placing a hand on the top of the door frame. "Shelby won't come out," she explained.
"Can I try?"
"Be my guest." She stepped away to let Luke take her place. He slid in between the cars, looking into the backseat. Shelby was balled up on the seat, holding the yellow rabbit-looking thing in her arms. She was the most precious thing Luke had ever laid eyes on.
Squatting beside the car, Luke spoke to her. "Uh, hi." He could see the little girl's body tense up at seeing a stranger. "My name's Luke. Shelby, right?"
Shelby said nothing. She just eyed him, cautiously.
Remembering the hat, Luke pulled it from his coat pocket, shaking it out. "I, uh... I have this hat, here. It's really special. It lets the wearer be invisible and whenever you feel like being seen you can just take it off. Want to give it a try?" He held the hat out to her. There was no way this was going to work. The kid wasn't really going to fall for it. Was she?
Luke and Madison waited there for a moment as Shelby looked at the hat.
To both their surprise, the little girl reached out and took the hat from him, placing it on her head. Luke had neglected to shift the plastic strap in the back so it fit her head. It fell over her eyes which worked out, perfectly.
He stood up, moving to the other side of the door.
After another minute when the adults looked in other directions, pretending like the kid wasn't there, Shelby scooted over to the edge of the seat and slid out of the car and onto the cold, wet asphalt.
Madison looked at Luke, impressed.
"It was a friend's idea, actually. She thought of it when I told her Shelby was shy."
"Well, it seems to have worked," she couldn't help smile as they made their way up to the restaurant.
Luke didn't look at his daughter, completely. He did steal a look, out of the corner of his eye, making sure she didn't trip or run into something. Shelby was holding the brim of the hat in her fingers, watching her feet and stealing a look from underneath whenever they stopped.
The hostess showed them to a booth.
Luke sat across from the girls with Shelby by the window. When she was given a kid's menu with crayons, she started coloring in the picture of the restaurant's mascot. Luke tried to see if Shelby had gotten anything from Rachel, too. It was hard to tell when the kid had a shield and technically, he wasn't supposed to be looking at her until she removed the hat which he told Madison. It also meant they couldn't tell Shelby the news until she was ready.
Their server took a drink order first. Madison ordered Shelby an orange juice since she knew that was her favorite while she ordered a raspberry iced tea, and Luke ordered a Coke.
"I hope your friend's hat trick helps more," she told Luke as they looked over the menus. "I mean, she's out of the car and all, and that's great. I'm gonna need to know what she wants to eat."
Luke got an idea of his own. "Yeah," he said, raising his voice a tad, to make sure Shelby heard. "I wonder what Shelby wants to eat, too," and mouthed to follow his lead.
They glanced over where Shelby had stopped coloring. She was just sitting there holding the crayon until finally circling something on the side of the menu before Shelby continued her coloring.
Luke turned his head, trying to see what she had circled. He couldn't tell from his angle. Leaning over a little, Luke checked again. "Looks like she wants a cheeseburger," he said, sitting back in his seat.
"You're doing pretty well," Madison complimented.
Luke thanked her.
When the server returned, they ordered their meals.
The first visit ended up being just between Luke and Madison. Not once did Shelby remove the hat and ended up letting the kid take the hat with her.
On the second visit, they went to a park where Shelby spent the entire time on the swing. Luke paced around the picnic table, now and then, stealing looks over at his daughter.
Madison had not counted on dragging out the news either. During the fifth visit, she told Luke she had mentioned this to Shelby's therapist, who also liked Lorelai's hat trick and thought it was a good idea. It had gotten the kid to not hide behind furniture and Shelby was even sitting at her table, in class, and at least tempting her work. Her teacher couldn't help though until she was comfortable with removing the hat and being "seen."
"Told ya it'll work," said Lorelai when he told her a week after the first visit.
"Not yet," he pointed out, "at least not completely."
"Just give it some time. I'm sure Shelby will come around, eventually," she assured him.
Luke let out a breath of air. The two of them were coming from one of the town meetings. "I hope so. Tomorrow's our first visit with just the two of us since Madison can't keep doing it at this rate."
"How do you feel about that?" Lorelai asked, walking beside him with her arms folded, lightly.
"I don't know. I'm hoping with just the two of us, it'll make things easier on her." Luke was watching the ground as he walked.
"Has she snuck even one peek at you since you gave her the hat?"
"Here and there. I just hope she won't be too scared to come with me. I don't want to make her come if she's scared of me."
Lorelai smiled at the guy, "Who could be scared of a big ol' teddy bear like you?"
"A little kid who's shy and has probably moved about a hundred times in five years, to live with more strangers."
"You're exaggerating," she told him.
"Yes," he replied, "unfortunately not by much."
"Why did they move her so much?"
He shrugged. "Either it was time to move her, or Shelby lashed out at them. Madison had to move her once when an older foster brother decided it would be fun to trap her in a closet and not let her out. Didn't even have a working light inside."
Lorelai stared at him. "You're kidding."
Luke shook his head. "Terrified her so much, she had an accident right then and there. Now, she won't sleep with the light off. Got her a nightlight to plug beside her bed."
"That poor kid," she shook her head, in disbelief.
"I know I'm gonna have my work cut out for me. Whatever it takes I'll be there for my kid. Maybe I'll buy Shelby that Barbie." He smirked at her, which Lorelai returned, remembering the conversation they had, last December.
The next day, Luke got to pick Shelby up from school. When he saw her lined up on the fence with her class, Luke called out, "I wonder where Shelby is?" Catching her, sneaking a peek from under the hat, she stood up straight and wandered over, stopping when Shelby saw his feet. Luke opened the door and let her climb in, spotting her before shutting the door. Hurrying back around to his side, Luke slid in under the wheel, fastening his seatbelt, and started the truck.
Since it was the end of the school day, the parking lot was packed. It took a while before Luke was able to leave.
"Seriously, how long does it take to pick up your kid and then drive forward?" he questioned under his breath. When the line stopped moving once again, Luke slouched in his seat, annoyed. Stealing a glance at his daughter, Luke looked to see what she was doing.
Shelby was holding her foot on the edge of the seat, picking at a loose thread on her sock.
Reaching towards the radio, he switched it on. Some little kid was singing even though Luke had it on a country station. He was about to switch stations when Shelby suddenly cried out, "No." Luke was caught off guard and looked over at her, who had pulled the hat down more so that it covered her whole face. Not saying a word, he turned the song up so they could hear it, better.
As the song played, Luke realized it was about a kid about to meet his father for the first time. He glanced over at Shelby. Below the hat, Luke could see her jaw move in the same motions to the words and realized she was silently singing along. At that point, things were getting harder for Luke to keep quiet.
After what seemed like ages, Luke was finally able to leave the parking lot and drive on the main street. He headed for the nearest ice cream eatery, keeping an eye out for one. Once a Dairy Queen was spotted, Luke pulled in and parked. Luke slid out and let Shelby slide out on his side. Only, she froze when Shelby sat on the edge of the seat and looked down. Since she was wearing the hat, he couldn't ask if she wanted help. So Luke had to wait, hoping she would remove the hat.
Five minutes went by before the hat moved.
Luke perked up from where he was staring at the ground.
Shelby had finally removed the hat and gave him, a pitiful look.
He couldn't help smile. "Want a hand, down?"
She nodded.
Luke stood up from where he was leaning on his open door and held his hands out to her. Shelby reached out for him, letting Luke lift her and set Shelby down on her feet, moving so he could shut the door.
Shelby set the hat back on her head.
"Where did Shelby go?" he shrugged, pretending to have lost her. "I don't see her anywhere." Her head pointed up towards him. "I was gonna get her some ice cream but if I can't find her then I guess we can't get any."
Slowly but surely, Shelby removed the hat.
"There you are," Luke teased the kid and kneeled to her level. "How about it? Want some ice cream?"
There was a hesitance before her head nodded up and down.
The two of them headed inside where Luke read off the menu for her, pausing between each item, the second time around. Shelby shook her head until he said what she wanted, choosing a strawberry ice cream cone.
Luke pulled down the tailgate and lifted Shelby to sit on it. He sat next to her, a Blizzard in his own hand. "Is it good?" he asked her.
Shelby nodded. She took another lick.
They sat in silence, eating their ice cream while Luke thought of something to say or ask. What kinds of things does one talk about with a five-year-old?
"How's school? Do you like it?"
She looked up at him and shook her head.
"How come? Kids being mean?"
Another shake.
"School's hard for you?"
That time, she nodded again.
"Well, maybe you should let the teacher help you so you can get better at it," he suggested. "Madison says, you're doing a little bit better, this past week," Luke paused to take a cold bite, "I bet you can get even better if you had help."
Shelby stared at her ice cream.
"Just a suggestion. You can take all the time you need. Okay?"
After they finished their ice cream, Luke shut the tailgate and slid back inside the truck. On the way back to her foster home, he asked Shelby, "Hey, you ever been fishing?"
Shelby hadn't put the hat back on so that seemed like a good sign. She shook her head, no.
"I'm going this weekend. If Madison says it's okay, wanna come?"
She just shrugged. When Shelby realized what was playing on the radio, her focus went to that. It was the same boy, different song. It didn't even sound like the boy had hit puberty yet. This one was about praying to be heard, ending with a boy tossing a pistol into a river. Shelby sang along to this one as well. Luke guessed she liked the singer.
"You like this kid?"
Shelby nodded.
"Have any of his music?"
She shook her head.
When Luke pulled up to the foster home, he walked her inside and said good-bye. He wasn't expecting the hug but when Shelby hugged him around the legs Luke couldn't help smile, touching a hand to her head.
Madison ended up giving the okay to take Shelby fishing. Closing the diner for the weekend, Luke packed up his truck, drove up to Providence to pick her up, and drove up to a lake.
He showed her how to bait her hook and cast it out on the water. While they waited, Luke thought up more things to ask. The questions were limited considering he had to stick to yes or no questions, finding out she liked country music like he did, watching cartoons, and playing her handheld Gameboy Color. Also, dirt. She loved playing in dirt or sand as she kept digging at the dirt with her heel.
With the fish not biting and running short on what to ask, Luke finally decided to say something. "So how would you feel if you came to live with me?" He looked from the lake, down at Shelby. Luke waited to see what she would do. She looked down at the hat in her lap and placed it on her head, over her eyes. Quickly, looking away, Luke silently beat himself over asking too soon. It seemed like things may have taken a step backward.
Half an hour went by before the hat was removed again and Luke caught Shelby nodding her head.
"Are you...saying yes to coming to live with me?"
She continued nodding, finally looking at him. Luke had noticed the only thing the kid had gotten from her mother was her dimples. Everything else was pure Luke.
"Can I tell you something special?"
Shelby shrugged.
Luke dropped his gaze at the ground, holding the fishing pole in both hands. He tried to find the right words. The guy was never any good at this kind of thing. He couldn't even tell Lorelai he liked her. How was he supposed to tell his daughter he was her father?
"Uhhh..." He tried to look at Shelby, then turned back to the ground. Luke did that a couple of times, confusing the poor kid. Finally, she stood up and reached a hand up. Shelby removed his hat and replaced it with the one Luke gave to her, pulling it down over his eyes before sitting back down. He lifted it to ask, "you want me to be invisible?"
Shelby nodded.
Luke smiled and pulled the hat back down, looking at the ground again. "You remember that song on the radio you wanted me not to turn off?" He looked back at her.
She thought about it before nodding her head.
Taking a deep breath, Luke asked, "How would you feel if you ever met your dad?"
Shelby shrugged her shoulders, holding them up for a long time.
"Would that make you happy?"
Shelby looked down, drawing in the dirt with her foot. Eventually, she nodded.
"You'd want to meet him?"
She continued nodding.
"How would you feel if I told you, you already have?"
That lifted her head, looking at him, in confusion.
"Madison and I did some special testing and learned that...I'm your dad. Is that okay?" Luke waited to see her response. Shelby was staring at him for a good long while. Finally, she pointed to herself.
Luke nodded and wrapped an arm around her, being gentle, and taking things slow. When Shelby didn't reject the gesture, he pulled her in for a one-handed hug. "I just want you to know, I didn't know you were born. If I did I would have been there for you. I know now and will be there for you from here on out. Okay?" He rubbed her upper arm, up and down, holding the fishing pole in the other hand.
Shelby stared up at him and wrapped an arm around his waist. Their father/daughter moment was interrupted by a tug on Shelby's fishing pole, tugging it out of her hand. Luke jumped forward onto a knee, grabbing it before the pole went into the lake, reeling the fish in. Holding the reel tight in one hand, Luke pulled his daughter in.
"This is your fish, kiddo. You gotta help reel him in," he told her. Both of them held onto the fishing pole as Luke held Shelby's hand on the reel's handle. Luke was doing most of the pulling though. The fish put up quite a fight but the Daneses wouldn't give in. Not that easily. They tugged and tugged until the fish leaped out of the water. Luke gave the fishing pole one quick pull and reached out to catch it. "Awright! You caught your first fish, Shelby."
A smile appeared on her face, showing off more of her dimples. Luke even caught a hint of teeth showing.
He told her she could look away while he gutted the fish, to fry up over the campfire for dinner. Luke also showed Shelby how to make a campfire. Father and daughter spent the rest of the weekend, bonding together.
Sunday evening, Luke took Shelby back to the foster home. This time, the good-bye ended up being emotional for the kid, who didn't want him to leave and refused to let go. He promised it was only for a little while and squeezed his daughter, tight.
Later, that night, Luke worked a late shift at the diner when Lorelai came in with her friend, Sookie, who was on her first date with Jackson. It was actually a double date. Lorelai was supposed to be with Jackson's cousin, Rune, but had decided to head over to talk to Luke instead. Jackson's cousin ended up storming out of the diner, leaving Jackson and Sookie alone.
"So, how was it?" Lorelai asked over a game of poker.
"It was great. Shelby had a lot of fun. Caught her first fish," he answered, humbly and proudly.
"That's great," she said. "Did you get the chance yet?"
"Yeah, I did."
Lorelai stared at him, wide-eyed. "And?"
"She accepted it." Luke smiled when he said it.
"That is so awesome, Luke. Congratulations."
"Any day now the paperwork should be finished and Shelby can finally come home." Both of them were shuffling through their cards, replacing the ones they didn't want.
"I am so happy for you both."
At that moment, Lane's mother had burst into the diner, yelling that she had tried calling and never got an answer and was searching for her daughter. Long story, short, Lorelai ended up running out after her.
Luke just watched her leave without another word.
A few days later, while working, Luke received the phone call he had been waiting for. Jumping into his truck, Luke drove up to Providence one last time, meeting Madison at a juvenile court building for a hearing. Luke sat in on the hearing. The judge was pleased with Shelby's progress in a short amount of time and the fact they had finally found somewhere permanent for her to live. Lorelai had even written a letter of recommendation on how much of a great father Luke would be.
At the end of the hearing, Luke was granted full custody of his daughter and was finally able to bring her home. Shelby was excited to hear it too, running to his open arms where Luke scooped her up. She still wasn't talking to him yet and still wore the hat around anyone else. Her dad was alright in her book at least.
Lorelai and Rory came into the diner, talking about Sookie and Jackson having their third date that evening. Rory got paged from her friend and hurried from the diner to call Lane, leaving Lorelai alone.
Luke came over with coffee, asking how everything went the other night. She assured him everything was fine in the dating world. "Glad I don't have to deal with that for a while," he added and offered her the coffee which he didn't need to ask in the first place.
"You know, I had a good time the other night."
"Oh, yeah, yeah," he replied. "Me, too."
"Good."
"In fact, you rushed out of here before..." Luke waved his hand as he tried to get the words out, "before I had the chance to, uh..."
"A chance to...?"
"Kick your ass in poker," he finally finished. Not the words he was trying to say, but something.
Lorelai forced a chuckle. "You wish." She looked away at the table.
"Burger?"
"Two, and fries."
Luke wrote the order down on his notepad. "Maybe we can do it again sometime."
"Oh, yeah," she waved her own hand, glancing away again. "Well, I...I would like that."
Rory returned, excited but just long enough to return Lorelai's phone and to let her know she was going over to stand across the street and yell at Lane.
Before Luke walked away to fill the order, he got Lorelai's attention, once more. "Hey. There's someone I'd like you to meet."
She gasped, already knowing who. "No way."
Luke turned and called Shelby over, who was pinned against the counter and hugging her yellow rabbit-looking thing. It was actually a mouse whose name was Pikachu, Shelby had informed him through sloppy, five-year-old handwriting.
She hurried over and hid behind his leg. When Shelby looked at Lorelai, she placed the hat on her head, letting it fall over her eyes.
"She's so beautiful, Luke. Congratulations, again," she told him.
He thanked her. When Luke turned to head for the kitchen, he almost tripped and fell over, catching himself in time. Surrounded by a room full of strangers, Shelby refused to leave her father's side. Luke tried to show frustration but looking at her, he could only smile. Peeling her off, he lifted Shelby onto his side and carried her over to the counter, setting her on the stool and asked if she wanted anything to eat.
Unknown to him, Lorelai watched them, smiling.