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For the next couple days, Luke stayed busy. Lorelai came in for coffee every morning, but he was unable to talk to her and get an update on Rory. She seemed fine when he babysat her, but he knew the girl still had to deal with the rash that was still on her skin. Letting another onslaught of customers inside, Luke again prepared for a hectic day.
Around ten the next morning, Luke embraced the quiet of the diner until the door opened causing the familiar bell to go off. Sighing, Luke turned the stove burner off and went behind the counter. Seeing Lorelai was sitting at the counter with her purse blocking valuable space, the diner owner almost said something.
"Lore–"
The brunette looked up with a sad expression. Curious, Luke asked, "You okay?"
Lorelai groaned and put her head on the counter.
"Coffee?" She asked not looking up from the counter top. Luke nodded as he poured a cup.
"Rough night?" He questioned. Looking up, Lorelai asked, "Do you know how many hours a koala sleeps for?"
"What?"
"Because, I do. It's eighteen hours. During the day. And, you know what they are? Nocturnal! Just like someone else I know whose mother just so happens to work for an entire day the next day and also takes a night shift to work in her missing hours and due to low staff," Lorelai rambled before she gave her friend a small smile in gratitude for the coffee cup in front of her. Drinking the beverage, Lorelai hummed in contentment.
"You, sir, are the kindest man I know."
Luke merely rolled his eyes before he went to the kitchen to check on his food. Placing eggs and toast on two plates, the man took the plates to the counter. He watched as the woman drank more of her coffee and then handed him her cup. Seeing the plates in Luke's hands, Lorelai looked around wondering where everyone else was. Hearing one plate being placed in front of her, Lorelai cocked her head.
"Eat," Luke demanded as he took the woman's still proffered mug. As she began to eat her meal, Lorelai had to smile at the man's generosity.
"How is Rory?" Luke questioned as he slid Lorelai's mug back to her.
"Still asleep," The young mother replied taking a sip of her replenished coffee. Putting the drink down, she added, "I had to keep her from scratching last night. Usually the oven mitts and calamine help, but she subconsciously scratched last night. I almost tied her hands together, but for some reason reading about koalas puts people right to sleep."
Concerned, Luke asked, "You can't ask Mia to let you take a night shift another day?"
Shaking her head, Lorelai replied, "I can't. One of our other worker's kid came down with chicken pox, and I offered to take her place. I swear I had flashbacks to when I first moved here last night. Rory had an ear infection a little after she was a year old and all I could do to quiet her was sing. I'm pretty sure there we cats joining in the background. I stayed up all night with her and then went to work the next day. I think I did that for an entire week, actually."
"Well, if you need anything, I'm here," Luke awkwardly offered. He was not sure if he actually wanted to babysit, but Rory was a good kid.
"Thanks," The brunette replied softly thankful to have another friend in town. Finishing off her food, Lorelai looked at the clock, downed her coffee, and reached for her purse.
"Forget it," Luke stated just as another customer came in. Sensing a rebuttal being formed by his friend, the diner owner explained, "You deserve a little pick me up today."
"Dirty," Lorelai automatically replied causing Luke to raise an eyebrow. Shaking her head, the woman amended, "The dishes. I could wash them."
"Go to work," Luke replied picking up the plates. Lorelai mock saluted the man before heading toward the door. Turning back around, the woman pulled a paper out of her purse.
"Rory wanted me to give this to you," The mother stated handing the man the paper. She saw the tiniest of smiles from her friend before heading out of the diner and toward the inn. Luke opened the paper to find some sort of drawing with both Lorelai and Rory's writing. Shaking his head, Luke took the picture up to his apartment and placed it by the phone. Seeing the picture from a few days ago beside the phone as well, Luke made a mental note to buy a couple refrigerator magnets. There was no way he was going to hang the pictures on his wall.
Two weeks later, Lorelai dropped an excited, poxless Rory off at Miss Patty's for her first dance lesson. Signing her up, Lorelai sat with the other moms before becoming thoroughly bored. She loved her daughter, but the other mother's constant yammering about how good their child was was getting on her nerves. Quietly, the mother slipped out of the studio.
"Hey," Luke said coming out of the back room and spotting Lorelai sitting at the diner. He was unaccustomed to seeing her after a school day without Rory. Smiling, Lorelai answered in kind and added, "Rory is at Miss Patty's, so I thought I'd stay here."
Giving a look of understanding, Luke waited for his friend to call out her need for coffee. Soon enough, she did.
"How much have you had?" The owner asked wondering if he could relegate the amount of caffeine the woman poured into her body.
"Just the two cups at breakfast," Lorelai replied remembering the daily meal in the inn's kitchen. Realizing he did not believe her, the twenty year old added, "Plus the one cup before I picked Rory up."
Seeing her friend walk away, the brunette tried to schmooze him.
"Yours is better," She told him. Rolling his eyes, the man grabbed the mug he officially set aside for her and filled the cup. With a coy smile, Lorelai took a sip of her favorite beverage and thanked him.
"Yeah, well it earns me money," Luke answered fully satisfied with the shocked expression he received from his friend.
An hour later, the man took the order of a middle aged couple at his diner when heard the faint jingle of the bell above the door.
"I'm back!" A healthy and excited four year old dressed in a leotard and tights underneath a fall jacket called out excitedly as she ran up to Luke and hugged him. Shocked by the added weight of the child attached to his leg, the man forgot he was taking an order. He smiled at her slightly before waving to Lorelai.
"Hey, go sit with your mom, okay? I'll be over there in a minute."
Rory nodded happy to be back at the diner.
"How old is she?" The middle aged woman in front of him asked.
"Four," Luke answered automatically.
"I remember when our kids were that age. They grow up fast," The woman added looking at her husband for confirmation. Her husband merely smiled adding, "I bet she'll give you a run for your money."
"Yeah," Luke answered dismissively before asking what the woman and her husband wanted to eat. Sending the order to Caesar, Luke walked over to the girls' table.
"I get to start school tomorrow!" The four year old excitedly told Luke as he took down their orders. Nodding, the owner replied, "I'm glad. Is it standard to keep kids out a couple weeks after they have the chicken pox?"
Lorelai nodded adding, "It's contagious until all her blisters are gone. Which means Rory can officially go to school tomorrow."
"Good!" Luke answered before handing the order to Caesar. When the man left, Lorelai looked at her daughter knowing she needed to iron out the last details of the four year old's fifth birthday party. She had the food covered as well as the music, but knew she lacked a few guests that her daughter would most likely want. Asking her about it, Rory asked, "Can Luke come to my party?"
Stunned, Lorelai sat mute for a moment before she answered that the child would have to ask Luke. Nodding, the four year old sat at the table patiently waiting for the flannel wearing diner owner.
"Will you come to my birthday party?" Rory asked with a smile when he came back with their drinks. Looking over at Lorelai, Luke wondered if she put her daughter up to this. The woman merely shrugged. Swallowing, the man wondered how he was now under the spell of a four year old. He figured it was the eyes. Not wanting to disappoint the girl, Luke folded under the stare. Smiling, Rory launched herself onto Luke for the second time that day.
"Thank- you!" She beamed. Still unaccustomed to the hugging, Luke merely stood awkwardly as he noticed Babette and Maury walk inside. Noticing his discomfort, Lorelai asked her daughter to sit in her chair so Luke could wait on other customers. Sitting back down, Rory smiled triumphantly excited about her party.
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