The blinds tinkled as Lorelai threw open the diner door and bounded over to the counter with a grin. After the months of unpleasantness, loneliness, her ill-chosen marriage to Christopher, things were getting back to normal. Rory was still gone, would be gone for a while, but even so… She loved being back at Luke's, loved being back with Luke, loved how her life was finally seeming to come together. Hell, on summer days like this, a part of her even looked forward to seeing her mother for Friday Night Dinner, especially considering how pleasantly they'd been getting along as of late. Well, maybe that one was a bit of a stretch… but still…

"Hey, you," she called, banging on the counter to get Luke's attention as he went over an order with Ceasar, "Need coffee now! Getting the brew shakes! Gonna die!"

"Yeah, cuz' this black death won't kill you," he retorted, rolling his eyes as he made his way over and poured her a cup.

"Um, yeah, I'm just gonna assume that means I love you," Lorelai grinned, taking a sip and sighing.

"So, you have your parents' thing tonight?" Luke asked.

"Yup. It's Friday, isn't it? Why do you ask?"

Luke shrugged. "No reason."

"Okay, then." Lorelai eyed him suspiciously.

"Actually, I was wondering…" he started.

"No can do," she replied, cutting him off. "You know my mother. Unless I've l developed some sort of flesh eating virus that would render her criticisms of me useless, I don't get off the hook anymore. She doesn't have Rory to praise so she needs me to torment. Sorry."

"Very appealing," he smirked, "but I actually wanted to know if maybe your parents would mind it if I joined you tonight."

"Wha—" she asked, "Why in God's name would you want to have dinner with my parents? Don't you remember the last time? It was like one of those Saw movies. I half expected my mother to wheel out a creepy little marzipan clown puppet on a tricycle for dessert!"

He rolled his eyes. "It wasn't that bad. I just thought that since we're back together and working on things, it's important that we let them know we're serious this time. That we don't intend to screw it up again. Besides, after the… unpleasantness this past year, I don't think they'll try and interfere anymore. Besides, I bet it would mean a lot to your mother if she felt included in your life like this."

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "I thought you hot guys were supposed to be dumb."

He grinned. "I thought you brunettes were supposed to be demure."

"I'll call them now."

"Wait," Luke stopped her, and pointed to the NO CELL PHONES sign.

"You suck," she replied, "but that's why I love you."

Smirking, she rose and walked behind the curtain behind the counter to dial her mother's familiar number, secretly praying she'd get the answering machine, cursing herself silently as she heard it pick up and her mother's voice on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mom," Lorelai replied.

"Lorelai?"

"No, it's Ted Williams. They just unfroze me," she deadpanned, and immediately began muttering to herself. "Wow, I don't even know why I know that. I must be spending too much time with Luke."

"Lorelai…" Emily sighed, growing impatient.

"Sorry. Anyway, I was just calling about tonight. I wanted to know—"

Emily cut her off.

"Oh no, Lorelai. You're not cancelling this late," she began, her voice tightening in growing anger. "It's just not right. I thought we were getting along much better. I've tried to be less critical, and God knows how much I've bitten my tongue on that one, and still you insist on putting everything in your life before your family. What is it? Did that Kirk fellow crash another car into one of your local businesses? Are you having trouble planning annual 'Third Sunday of the Month Festival'? Hmm?"

"Actually, Mother," Lorelai replied through gritted teeth, willing her annoyance away, "I was going to say that I was looking forward to dinner tonight and I wanted to know if there would be room for a fourth?"

"A fourth?" Emily questioned, confused. "Rory's not home yet, is she?"

"Um, no she's not," Lorelai replied, squeezing her eyes shut for the inevitable passive aggressive firestorm that was sure to follow, "I was actually talking about Luke."

"Luke?"

Emily's tone was hard to decipher.

"Um, yes?"

Suddenly, Emily surprised her.

"Well, of course there's room," she answered saccharinely. "Your father and I would love to have Luke for dinner. We haven't seen him since Rory's party."

Lorelai was dubious. "What's the catch, Gilmore?"

She could almost hear Emily roll her eyes through the phone.

"Honestly, there's no catch, Lorelai. My God you're paranoid."

"But—"

"But what? I think it would be…appropriate to have Luke for dinner, considering he's back in your life."

"We're talking about the same Luke, right, Mom?" Lorelai asked incredulously. "You know, dark hair, diner guy, backwards ballcap? Not like, the Star Wars guy or the one from General Hospital or anything like that, you know?"

"Of course I know Luke. And like I said before, we'd be happy to have him this evening. All I ask is that you make sure he doesn't wear any of that dreadful flannel he loves so much. It's really not appropriate evening attire. And maybe you can see if he owns a jacket that isn't military surplus."

"Mom—" Lorelai began again.

"Goodbye, Lorelai. Remember, we'll expect you at 7 sharp."

With that, she hung up, and Lorelai was left sputtering into the now-quiet phone as Luke snuck up behind her and slipped his hands around her waist.

"Everything alright?" he asked, kissing her lightly on the neck. "Am I on for dinner at your parents?"

"No."

"No?"

"Yeah, no," Lorelai said smiling, "'Cause, apparently, they've been body-snatched. But the Pod People who are now wearing their skin would be happy to have you."