Part 4 – Who's the Adult?
It had been two weeks since Lorelai had called him from Paris. Two weeks since he'd heard her crying down the phone to him. Two weeks since she'd abruptly hung up on him after he'd told her he loved her and he'd not had so much as a phone call back since.
He knew she'd been home for a week. He'd seen her standing in the shadows watching him, but she'd never moved from her position. By the time he'd got up the courage to go to her she'd gone. He had no idea if she knew he'd seen her or not. Despite the town gossips keeping things about Lorelai quiet around him he wasn't stupid or deaf. He'd heard them talking about her then suddenly stop as he walked by.
He also knew he could easily walk over to her house to see her, but he was stubborn, this was her turn. If she wanted to talk to him, she was damn well going to have to come and find him this time.
So he'd waited. He'd kept the diner open slightly longer then normal or took longer cleaning up. He was never too late since April was always upstairs waiting for him to close so they could watch TV, play a game, waiting for him to help her with her homework or latest science project. After the fifth day of no word from her he'd closed up early and taken April and her friend out for dinner to her favourite restaurant which helped to take his mind off Lorelai if only for a few hours.
By Saturday evening, he was annoyed and upset that she hadn't even tried to call him. She obviously had no interest in seeing him he reasoned. So he hauled himself up in his apartment with April and had taken to playing Jenga. April, with her smaller and steadier hands, had easily won the first round. Luke not wanting to be beaten had offered her the best out of three. She had happily taken up the challenge promising to 'so beat him'.
Luke had managed to get back into the game winning the second round and laughed when April had insisted that he was supposed to teach her that it was the taking part that counted not the winning. Luke's only response as he set up the game again was 'rubbish you should always go into any game wanting to win and whoever said otherwise obviously never won anything in their lives.'
April had definitely inherited his competitive streak, Luke realised as he watched her concentrating hard on which piece to remove next. She pulled out her piece and placed it on top of the stack and waited for Luke to make his move before talking.
"So I heard this piece of gossip while I was in town earlier, and I don't know if I should tell you or not."
"Does it concern me?" Luke asked pushing a piece out.
"Kind of, I mean it's not about you as such, but it's probably something you'd be interested in." Luke nodded putting his piece on top and waited for April to continue. Except she kept quiet while she took her move being careful not to jog the tower. April waited timing her words carefully.
"It's about Lorelai and her trip," April said. Luke pulled at a piece and stopped as he stared at April.
"What about her trip." He asked before continuing removing the piece from the tower.
"Well Miss Patty and Babette were talking earlier and they are convinced something happened while Lorelai was away." Luke put his piece on top
"What do they think happened?" Luke asked as April yet again kept quiet while she took her turn and waited for Luke to start his before speaking.
"They think Lorelai and Chris broke up," April said bluntly. She stared at Luke gauging his reaction to her comment. Luke's hand made an involuntary spasm making the tower wobble slightly. Luke froze while the tower stabilised before continuing to pull out the piece and finish his turn.
"Why do they think that?"
"Well according to the grapevine she came back from Paris alone and has been spending most of her time at the Dragonfly. Plus Chris has mysteriously stopped calling." April said as if she was in a suspicious murder mystery film then took her turn.
"That means nothing, maybe he's still in Paris."
"Then why isn't she with him?"
"Because she has to work and he doesn't." Luke had no idea if Chris worked or not, but he presumed he didn't since he had all the money someone had left him.
"But if he has all this money why does she have to work?"
"Because Lorelai has always worked, and the Dragonfly is her dream. I couldn't imagine her ever giving it up."
"She doesn't have to give it up, she can get someone else in to run it while she's away, and it's your turn by the way." April shrugged prompting Luke to move. This time he was more careful in case April said something that was obviously designed to put him off his game.
"And anyway, how does Miss Patty know that Chris has stopped calling?" Luke reasoned.
"Power lines." April said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Luke suddenly remembered Babbette's conversation with him at the test run regarding Miss Patty's ability to listen in on other peoples calls. Did Miss Patty know about Lorelai's call to him while she was in Paris? No, there was no way she would have been up at five listening in … Unless she could record the calls …
"So if they have broken up what does that have to do with me?" Luke asked.
April took her turn. Even if inside he knew why other people would think that he would be interested, he had always tried to keep that part of his life private from April. As far as she knew it just hadn't worked out and they had amicably broken up. He had never gone into any details with her.
Luke made a move as April timed her blow to perfection.
"She's still in love with you." April deadpanned staring directly at Luke while he sent the whole game flying across the table.
"Yes! I win, I win, I win!" April beamed with joy as Luke recovered from her earlier comment.
Luke looked at her un-amused by her cheating ways to put him off, but he was also curious as to what she knew. He let her have a few minutes of joy at beating him while he picked up the pieces that had fallen across the floor.
"I think you're right dad, it is the winning that counts," April laughed.
She couldn't help but notice his reactions whenever the topic of Lorelai came up. She was well aware that Luke always thought he was hiding his feelings well, but there were times when he let a sign slip that he still missed her.
Whilst he had never actually discussed Lorelai with her, she had found out certain information regarding her father and his ex-fiancée, due mostly to her own curiosity on the subject. At the time it had not been to try and reconcile the pair but since the opportunity had arisen who was she to question it. It was obvious to her that Luke still felt something for Lorelai and if the town gossip was to be believed, it appeared so did she for him.
"You know she's been really busy since she's been back," April began as she helped Luke pack up the game. "According to Patty the Inn's is booked full for parties in the run up to Christmas. It's a wonder Lorelai's even had time to breathe."
Luke was avoiding looking at her, but she knew he was listening to every word she said.
"She's had her hair done and she's got some new clothes. Patty reckons she looks a million dollars which is funny since she's no longer with Chris. So she must be out to impress someone else…."
"Enough April," Luke said gently as he put the last few pieces away and closed up the box. "I don't know what sort of point you're trying to make here…."
"I'm trying to tell you that you should go and see her."
"Why? If they have broken up, that has nothing to do with me." He knew that lying to April wasn't right, but neither was talking to a thirteen year old girl about his relationship with another woman.
"You can't be that dumb." April said bluntly, then instantly regretted it as Luke glared at her. "Sorry," she added quickly. "Look, I know you miss her. I may be only thirteen, but I'm not stupid. You know she's been home and you knew it before anyone else in this town. And don't say you didn't, because I know you've been down in the diner later since the night she got back. I just think you should stop waiting for her to come to you and you should go and see her."
"What makes you think I'm waiting for her to come to see me? How do you know I haven't been downstairs because I want a few minutes peace before coming up here to you?" Luke returned even though he knew April could see straight though him. She shook her head at him.
"Because living with you these last few months has been quite revealing really, and this town is very good when it comes to gossip. Patty has really enjoyed re-telling the story of your friendship with Lorelai and your subsequent relationship … and its downfall…." April faded out.
"You know you shouldn't listen to everything Miss Patty and the town gossip's say, they don't know everything about Lorelai and me."
"That's not what Patty thinks, and hey if you won't tell me anything then I have to go to other sources for my information."
"April!" Luke stood staring at his daughter. He was stunned. She had actively sort out information regarding his relationship with Lorelai, and god only knows what rumours Miss Patty had filled her head with.
"What! Every time someone, including me, mentions anything about Lorelai you changed the subject quicker then you can flip a pancake."
"You ever think that maybe I didn't want to talk about it?"
"Of course why do you think I went and asked someone else," April said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world for her to do.
Luke threw his hands up in the air, nothing in his private life was sacred anymore, not even from his daughter.
"So are you going?"
"Going where?"
"To see Lorelai?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm telling you to go! I'm pretty sure she'll be at the Dragonfly. Everyone say's she's been spending most of her evenings there and only coming home to sleep…"
"I'm am not going to see Lorelai tonight"
"Why not?"
"Because for starters I have you to look after, I can't leave you here on your own…"
"Sure you can, I'm not two. I know how to use a knife and not to turn the gas on. Not that either event could be related." April stretched and gave a fake yawn. "Plus I'm really tired so I'm going to go to bed now."
Luke turned away from her. He was not going to have his daughter tell him what to do. He was the parent. He was supposed to tell her what to do. He walked round the corner to his bed and decided to ignore her hoping she would give up once she realised he was no longer interested in the conversation. He laid on the bed in silence, he hadn't heard April move nor had she spoken to him since he'd walked away. Maybe he was winning this battle.
"Hey Lorelai it's April," Luke heard as he sat up in bed. "I'm good thanks how are you? ... Great so I was just calling because my dad is as stubborn as a mule and won't come and see you, so I thought maybe you could come over and see him?"
Luke shot across the room and grabbed April's phone from her hand staring at the screen that had no number dialled.
"That was not funny," he told her firmly.
"No, but next time I will call her for real if you don't go and see her. Tonight!" She told him in a similar tone to his.