For the rest of the day both Lorelai and Luke wore a smile. No matter how many guests complained about their vicious coffee machines that were in their rooms, or the amount of times Kirk complained that there were too many poppy seeds on his roll, they both smiled.

For Luke this was abnormal behaviour and everyone that entered the diner that day noticed. (All except Kirk that is, he was too busy counting up to 132 seeds and picking the rest off. Luke may have been smiling today, but there was no way that he would give Kirk a fourth roll.) Miss Patty and Babbette especially. They sat at their table in the middle of the diner, where you can 'accidentally over hear' all the conversations going on at the other tables perfectly, and observed Luke all morning. Of course when he was near-by they would pretend to be gossiping about someone else. Then when he was safely out of earshot they would resume speculating about what (or who) could have put him in such a good mood. They finally agreed that they'd have to do a lot more snooping before they could know for sure. Finally they went their separate ways, determined to solve the mystery. Luke was just happy to have the table back.

For Lorelai, however, a smile was not such a rare occurrence so not everyone noticed the difference. Michael did though, but then when Lorelai began explaining why she was so happy, he couldn't get away fast enough. So when the morning lull set in, Lorelai wondered into the kitchen to find someone willing to listen to her. Sookie gladly accepted the role.

They spoke and squealed for about half an hour before Lorelai realised the time. She said goodbye to Sookie and lingered in the lobby longer than she should have, her excuse being that she wanted to say goodbye to Michael (who was with a guest). Finally ten minutes later she unwillingly left the comfort of the Independence Inn to go shopping with her mother.

Lorelai had been dreading this trip since it had been agreed upon. Agreed, no. Since Emily had demanded that Lorelai come shopping for a dress to wear to the charity ball. A charity ball that Lorelai didn't remember saying that she'd go to. (But as Emily Gilmore says: "Just because you can't remember the different engagements that you have agreed to go to, doesn't mean you don't have to attend them.) She was here now anyway. And now as she pulled up at the predetermined meeting destination she didn't feel so bad about this. Shopping with her mother, that is. She still wasn't looking forward to it, but no one except Satan himself looked forward to a meeting of any kind with her mother. And yet, she wasn't dreading it either. Maybe Luke had cast a spell on her. That was the only reason she could think of to explain why she wasn't totally petrified about this afternoon. The last time she'd gone shopping with her mother she'd felt like a helpless child who was being dragged around the shopping centre by an evil, controlling witch. The only thing that had changed in the two moths between those two trips was Luke.

Just thinking about Luke made her mind drift. She must have been day dreaming for at least five minutes when she was shocked out of her thoughts by her mother tapping on the window of the car.

"Gah!!" Lorelai screeched, shocked. She undid her belt, opened the door and slid out of the car, bringing her bag with her.

"Are you trying to scare me to death, mother, because if you are then congrats. You nearly did, just then."

"Oh, Lorelai, I wish you wouldn't exaggerate so much." Emily sighed. She began walking towards the entrance to the shopping mall, with Lorelai following behind her, dragging her heels.

"Keep up Lorelai!"

They'd been shopping for an hour and Emily had brought up every other thing that she'd glanced at – even if she didn't need any of it. Lorelai on the other hand had seen hundreds of things that she needed, but she couldn't have afforded any of it. She felt like she was being tortured, being shown so many things that she wanted to be able to by for herself and Rory, but not being able to take any of them home. (An. I am currently broke. I know how it feels.)

"Lorelai stop sulking!" Emily sighed. "We did come here for you, after all." She pointed out, manoeuvring herself between the different display racks and people to get to yet another hideous dress. She held it up in the air, looking for Lorelai's opinion. Lorelai shuddered, and Emily noticed this.

It had been like this all afternoon, (when Emily hadn't been too busy buying novelty cufflinks for Richard.) Emily would pick out a dress that she considered to be perfect for the charity ball, but just caused Lorelai to laugh or pull a shocked face, that wasn't always a mock one.

"Okay then, you pick a dress. I give up." Emily said, holding up her arms in the air, signalling defeat. Lorelai didn't know whether to be glad that she'd finally worn down her mother and somehow won, or worried because she'd now have to hear her mothers views on each and every one of her choices.

Ring Ring

'Saved by the phone.' She thought as she excused herself and moved to what she considered to be a safe distance away from her mother. She read the caller ID and her heart skipped a beat and that smile from before the shopping trip returned once again. 'Luke's' She flicked open the phone and unconsciously put on a sickly sweet voice anyone has ever heard, ever.

"Hi" She said in a majorly cheery voice.

"Hey Lorelai, it's me, Luke. I just wanted to know what you were doing tomorrow night." Luke said in the same nervous voice he'd been using this morning.

"Um…" Lorelai pretended to consider it, she didn't want to seem that desperate. "Yeah, I think I'm free…why? What are you planning?"

"It's a surprise."

"Oh," Lorelai pouted, "I don't like surprises, please tell me. I'll act surprised I swear."

"No chance." He laughed.

"Fine then." She gave up.

"Um… good. I'll see you tomorrow then, for breakfast?"

"Yeah, and tonight. You know, for dinner." She smiled.

"Goodbye Lorelai."

"Bye." She hung up with a renewed faith in the world. 'Not everyone is as bad as Emily Gilmore.' She thought about what she could wear tomorrow night, while walking back to where she'd left her mother.

'More shopping. Great!'

In the end Lorelai did find a dress. And shoes. She and Emily even had a civil conversation or two after Lorelai had spoken to Luke. 'He defiantly has got magical powers.' The two weren't going to be best buddies anytime soon, but Lorelai had left feeling just a little bit better.

She told Rory about her day as they made their way back from the diner that night. They'd eaten at the counter, Lorelai's idea, so that they could speak to Luke at the same time. Rory had sat eating quietly for most of the time as she watched her mother and Luke. She'd not seen Lorelai so happy in a long time. This thought caused Rory to smile too.