Having a group video call before bed was one of the many rules of the Honey Blues. They'd table all their worries, talk them out, gossip about a boy, or just call to say goodnight.
That night was no exception.
The topic of discussion? The blond new guy.
"So, Daphne, did you talk to your daddy?" asked Merrily, who sat in front of her vanity, prepping her skin for bed.
"What did he say?" she probed further, eyes closed, as she delicately patted moisturizer into her skin.
"Who is he? Where is he coming from? Which family is he staying with? How long is he planning to stay here?"
While Merrily was busy with her skin and questions, Daphne and Lorelai had already finished their facial routines and lay lazily in bed, ready for sleep to take over.
"Is he single? Oh, that doesn't matter—as long as he's not married, he's free territory."
"My gosh, calm down, Merry," Daphne giggled. "You're gonna choke on all those questions."
Lorelai nodded in agreement.
"You first. Did you ask the sheriff?" Daphne shifted the question to her.
After realizing there was a new guy in town, they knew there were only two people in Cloakwood who'd have full information on any newcomer.
They were Sheriff Brandon Pollock—father of Merrily Pollock—and Mayor Joe Harper—father of Daphne and Robert Harper.
Merrily rolled her eyes, closed the lid of her moisturizer, and stood up. "All he said was this—and I quote—'Merrily Pollock, I don't want you anywhere near that young man'. End of quote." She sighed.
"He didn't even wait to hear who I was talking about. It's like he was certain of who I was talking about without me giving him any details. Ugh!" she groaned, sinking into her bed.
"That's funny, that's the same thing my daddy told me," Daphne said.
"Really?"
"Yeah. He said he'd literally skin me alive if he ever saw me hanging around him. And the only thing I heard from Robby is that he's twenty-four."
"Well, this makes it more interesting. What could make both our daddies so against him?"
"Maybe he's a criminal," Lorelai, who had been quiet since the beginning of the call, finally gave her opinion.
"That would make sense," Daphne said.
Hearing that, Lorelai's eyes lit up. She sat up in bed and said, "Maybe he's a serial killer!"
Merrily scoffed. "Lori, have you ever seen such a good-looking serial killer before?"
Lorelai shrugged and sank back into bed. "I wouldn't know; I've never met one before. But who's to say a handsome young man can't be a serial killer?"
Merrily frowned at those words because although Lorelai could be a little dumb most times, she sometimes had a knack for saying truths that no one wanted to hear.
"Well said, Lori. We shouldn't judge a book by its cover—"
"He can't be a serial killer!" Merrily yelled, her eyes and nostrils opening wide. "He can't waste his good looks like that."
She couldn't begin to imagine such a handsome face as that of a bloody murderer. It would be too hard to picture—it just made no sense.
"I don't know Merry," Lorelai clicked her tongue. "If I were facing a serial killer holding a knife to my throat, I'd prefer he was a handsome one…"
Merrily's eyes narrowed at Lorelai on her screen, silently glaring daggers at her friend as if she wished to rip her mouth off.
Seeing this, Lorelai pushed her lips between her teeth and, using her fingers, she zipped her mouth shut.
"Well, the fact that both our daddies have adamantly instructed us to stay away from him means he definitely has a record, but from his looks, it probably isn't anything serious," Daphne said, trying to calm Merrily's growing fury.
Merrily let out a soft sigh and nodded. "Yeah. Maybe a minor speeding ticket with that beautiful motorcycle of his."
Again Lorelai's eyes lit up. "Ooh, yeah! Maybe he hit someone and ran off."
"Lorelai!" Merrily yelled, like she was Lorelai's mother.
"Oops," the girl smiled back sheepishly, dragging her bed cover over her head.
"Whatever, I don't care what our daddies say. I'm into him and I'm gonna have him," she said with determination, only to pause as something struck her.
"Oh wait—before I put a ring on him—do any of you girls, you know… have a thing for him? Like a strong, powerful, serious thing?"
Another rule to avoid conflict of interest among them, was to never fight over a boy. If all three of them had a thing for the same guy, they'd either all give up on him or let the one with the strongest interest have him.
"Well." Daphne clicked her tongue. "He is good-looking. And tall and dreamy and so, so lovable. But nah, I don't think I have a serious, serious thing for him." She shrugged.
"Okay." Merrily nodded in satisfaction. "Lori? You?"
She pushed her head out from under the covers and said, "Oh, oh, well…" she blushed. "I do like him, but I-I'm still not over my crush on Robby." Her face became even redder as she mentioned his name, much to Daphne's disgust.
"Oh, come on, Lori! Give up on my brother and move on like Merry, would you?!" Daphne cried out.
"It's disgusting that you're into that idiot!" Just the thought of her best friend with her older brother sent shudders down her spine—and back up.
"Don't call him that!" Lorelai retorted. "He's tall, dark, and handsome. He's got the bluest eyes—"
"Your eyes are blue," Daphne cried, but Lorelai was lost in her own world.
"—he's kind, he's sweet, he's got the most precious smile. Oh, and he tells me I'm cute!" She squealed and kicked the air like she had lost her mind.
"Lori, every guy—not only in Cloakwood, but in the entire Rivendale—thinks you're cute!"
"Well they think it, but they only ever say I'm sexy. Only Robby calls me cute. And to top it all off, he's a cop! He looks so good in uniform!"
Merrily chuckled, watching her friends. "Oh leave her be, Daphne, you can't quench the fire of a girl in love."
"Ugh. Robby, yuck."
"So it's settled. Blond new guy is mine!"
"Yep!" Lorelai and Daphne thundered.
"We're gonna make sure of that," Daphne said in a definite tone.
"Yeah," Merrily nodded. "We just have to first figure out his name, address, and everything else about where, when, and how to meet him again."
"Oh, didn't I tell you?"
"What?"
"He'll be going to Raggswood starting tomorrow."
"..."
"MOMMA! DADDY! I've changed my mind! I'm starting school tomorrow!"