Somewhere Over the Rainbow

2024
Lexi: Age 13
Jake: Age 7
Joe: Age 34

In the past seven years, Lexi has been enrolled in piano lessons and loves to play. She has a recital every year and keeps on progressing. She is now in the eighth grade at Stars Hollow Middle School and starting to notice boys as more than just friends.

Jake is now in first grade at Stars Hollow Elementary. He really looks up to his older sister. Before he started school he would stay with his father at work, watching him as a photographer. When he was five years old he picked up a digital camera when Joe’s back was turned and took a picture of Lucky playing in leaves. It was photography genius. Needless to say, he has inherited his mother’s genes.

Joe has continued with his photography business in Stars Hollow. He is very well known in the town and the entire family is loved by everyone. Whenever someone needs a photographer they know who to go to. Popular with weddings, birthdays, and proms, he has made a better living for his family than he thought he would seven years ago. He dated two different women since being in Stars Hollow but he couldn’t commit. He doesn’t think he will ever find someone else to be his wife and a mother to his children. Joe is perfectly happy with the life he is living.

Nick and Lana now have healthy seven year old twins; Andrew James Jonas and Katherine Melissa Jonas. Nick knew how uncomfortable his brother would have been having a niece named after his dead wife so they chose Melissa as her middle name. Now 32 years old, he has stopped with his music career and is a stay at home Dad while Lana continues to work at Herrmann Publishing.

Kevin and Lauren, both 36 have three children now. Brody has just turned nine years old, Jessica is four, and little Anthony is fourteen months old. Kevin still works as a producer at Hollywood Records and Lauren still writes for her uncle.

Frankie Jonas is now 23 years old and a college senior. His major is education. He aspires to be a middle school teacher alongside his girlfriend of two years, Carly Davies. Their future plans are still cloudy but they hope to stay together after graduation.

Denise and Kevin Sr. decided to move back to Texas when Frankie started college. It’s hard having their children spread across the country but they visit them all as often as they can. The entire family gets together at Joe’s house in New York for Christmas since it’s the perfect atmosphere.

Joe’s in-laws, Clark and Marie visit his family every other month. They became very close with their son-in-law after their daughters’ death and adore their grandchildren.

Luke and Madeline married in 2020. Madeline still teaches at the elementary school and is Jake’s teacher. Luke still runs the diner successfully. Chloe just recently turned 25 and is a college graduate. She has started work at the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) and helps out children who may need foster homes.

****

March 4, 2024

“Dad!” I called down the stairs as I ran down them while putting my hair up in a ponytail. “Hey squirt.” I said, ruffling Jake’s hair. “Dad?”

“Kitchen!” he called back and I jumped over Lucky into the kitchen, skidding to a stop in front of Dad at the sink. “Geez, where’s the fire?” he asked.

“Question.”

“Answer.”

“Can I go to a birthday party on Saturday?”

“For who?” he asked, packing up Jake’s lunch.

“Gabby.”

“Gabby?”

“Dad…” I whined. “Gabby, my best friend, Gabby. Gabby, who you’ve known since I was six, Gabby. Gabby, who sleeps over once a month, Gabby!”

“Oh, that Gabby.” He said with a smile. I totally knew he was just playing dumb… he’s always trying to get me mad. “Where is it?”

“The bowling alley.”

“Will there be drinking at this party?”

“Of soda.”

“Drugs?”

“Dad! Of course not!”

“Boys?”

“Well duh… I am thirteen.” I said, rolling my eyes. “You act as if I’ve never spoken to a boy before.”

“Because you haven’t.”

“Dad. You’re a boy. Jake’s a boy. Luke’s a boy… need I go on?”

“I meant a boy outside of the family.”

“Dad I have plenty of boyfriends.” He nearly choked on his orange juice.

“What?”

“You know what I mean! Don’t be such a drama queen!”

“You rhymed!” Jake called from the living room.

“So can I go?” I asked, completely ignoring my younger brother.

“Yes you can go. What time?”

“Two o’clock.”

“Alright, should I pick you up or is Gabby’s Mom going to bring you home?”

“How about I just call you when the time comes Dad?”

“Alright. Your recitals at seven, right?”

“Yeah but be there by six thirty.”

“I always am. Front row. With the video camera.” He said grinning at me.

“Do you really have to tape everything Dad?”

“Of course I do Ally-Baby. I don’t want to miss anything. Okay, you don’t want to be late for school.” He said, taking out his wallet and handing me five bucks. I opened the door just as the bus honked.

“Bye Dad!” I called, holding the door open for Jake.

****

“So my Dad was totally grilling me about the party.” I said to Gabby at lunch.

“He would.” She said, laughing.

“He’s like… is there going to be drinking? Drugs? Boys? And I just rolled my eyes. He’s such a…”

“Dad?” she asked.

“Yes!” I said laughing.

“Hey Lexi.”

“Oh, hey Bobby,” I said, blushing. “You going to Gabby’s party Saturday?” I asked, nodding my head to Gabby who smiled.

“Yeah, definitely.” he said smiling. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Cool.” I said.

“Well, I’ll see you later. Have a good lunch.”

“See ya.”

“Bye.” Gabby said.

After Bobby got out of hearing distance Gabby and I turned to each other laughing. I put my head in my hands as I laughed; sure my face had turned red.

“Oh. My. Gosh.” I said through my laughter.

“He likes you.” Gabby said.

“You think?”

“Oh yeah. He likes you.” she said smiling at me. I smiled and glanced over my shoulder at Bobby. He was sitting with the other boys and he turned his head and caught my eye and smiled. I blushed and turned back to Gabby, shaking my head.

****

“Hey! You did great!” Dad said, hugging me after the recital and handing me a bouquet of flowers. Jake clung to my legs as Dad waved the video camera in my face. “Wait until your Uncle Nick sees this.”

“When are we going to see them again? And everyone else? I feel like it’s been forever.” I said.

“Honey, it’s been two months.” He said laughing.

“Like I said, it’s been forever.”

“You’ll see them soon enough. You are graduating eighth grade this year so you know what that means.”

“Everyone comes here!” Jake cried, jumping up and down.

“Right.” Dad said. “So Lexi, do I need to take you shopping for a present for Gabby?”

“No thanks. I made something special for her.”

“Alright, well let’s get going. Luke said he’d save us some pie.”

“I want apple!” Jake shouted, climbing into the car and I laughed and rolled my eyes. God my family’s crazy.

****

Saturday, March 9, 2024
Gabby’s party

“Bobby has been looking at you all afternoon.” Gabby whispered to me while Mackenzie took her turn bowling. I casually glanced over my shoulder and sure enough saw Bobby’s gaze in our direction. “You should talk to him.”

“Are you sure? I don’t know what to say.”

“Just… be yourself. Oh… here he comes.”

“Hey Lexi, Birthday girl,” he said, smiling at us.

“Hey,” we replied in unison.

“So, who’s winning in this lane?”

“Mackenzie’s kicking butt.” I said, nodding toward the score board.

“And it’s time for me to make another pathetic shot.” Gabby said, standing up and winking at me. Bobby came around and took her spot.

“So, who’s losing?”

“That would be me.” I said laughing. “I suck at bowling.”

“So do I.” he said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, Pat’s kicking my butt.”

“We should have our own lane to bowl in.” I said laughing and looking as Gabby’s ball knocked over two pins. When I turned my attention back to Bobby he was looking right at me and smiling. “What?”

“Huh?” he asked, still looking.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked feeling a blush rise.

“Like what?”

“You look like my dog when my little brother’s holding a piece of bacon in front of her face. She’s so adorable yet so dumb.”

“So you think I’m adorable?” he asked, smirking.

“I… I never said that.” I stuttered.

“But you compared me to your dog and you said she’s adorable.”

“Yeah and I also said she’s dumb.”

“So… you think I’m dumb?”

“No… you’re actually really smart… just”

“I like you.” he blurted out.

“You… what?” I asked. Did he really just say that?

“Lexi… I like you. I was wondering… would you want to go see a movie with me sometime?” he asked and he actually looked like he was blushing.

“Yeah… sure.” I said smiling.

“Okay. Cool. I’ll call you. Good luck on your game.” He said, standing up.

“Thanks… you too.” I said. Then he leaned down and kissed me on the cheek.

****

Joe’s POV

Jake and I were watching a movie while Lexi was at her party. The phone rang and I left the movie playing and took Lucky off my lap so I could go answer.

“Hello?”

“Hey Dad.”

“Hey Ally-Baby. Is the party over?”

“Yeah. Mrs. Monroe said she’d bring me home. We’ll be there in fifteen.”

“Okay. Are you going to be hungry? I can heat up dinner.”

“No thanks. I filled up on pizza.”

“Alright. See you soon.”

“Bye.”

I went back out to the living room and plopped myself on the couch. Lucky instantly jumped back onto my lap and settled down. Even though she’s eight years old she still seems like a puppy sometimes. Sooner than I thought a car horn honked in the driveway and Lucky ran to the front door. I went and opened it. Lexi was climbing out of Gabby’s Mom’s car. I waved to Mrs. Monroe and smiled as Lexi climbed up the steps.

“Hey, did you have fun?”

“Yeah… it was great.” She said smiling as I shut the door.

“Jake and I are about to put another movie in. Want to join?”

“Actually Dad the party kind of tired me out. I think I’m just going to go up to bed.”

“Alright,” I said, leaning down and kissing her forehead. “Sweet dreams.”

“Love you Daddy.” She said and I smiled. She tries to act like a teenager but she’s still my baby girl. She climbed up the stairs and Lucky followed.

Twenty minutes later I had to go upstairs to grab something for Jake. On my way back down I passed Lexi’s room and I heard her whispering to Lucky. She had Lines, Vines, & Trying Times playing in the background and I silently laughed to myself.

“Lucky… I wish you could have been there. I felt so dumb.”

Why would she feel dumb at a birthday party?

“We were just talking and laughing and then he just… asked me out! Can you believe it Lucky? Geez… look at me. Thirteen years old and talking to my dog… but you’re the only one I’ve ever told all my secrets too aren’t you Lucky?”

I nearly dropped what I was holding. Someone asked her out. My baby girl got asked out. Dear lord Melissa you will not believe how much I wish you were here right now. I walked back downstairs in a daze. I put the new movie in for Jake and I and sat on the couch just… staring ahead of me. And so it begins.