AN - Thanks guys, I wanted to do Christmas because it is a family moment but they can't all be sweet and as with everything it's those on the outside who can upend the applecart with our family. Though glad you liked the bit about the tarts :). Anwyas as for April and Anna read on ;) AS every all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are appreciated and always welcome, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. x
Chapter 10 – Them's the breaks Part 1
Lorelai ran her hands across the sheets. Slowly she peeled open her eyes, the bed beside her was empty; just as it had been every morning for three days. Luke had risen early to disappear out of the house in an attempt to deal with his rage. When she and April had sat down and explained why April was not going to see her Mom he had silently taken it in, but Lorelai had known he was fuming. Surrounded by the younger kids he had not been able express his anger and he had turned it inwards on himself. None of them had been able to raise a smile from him and even his ability to produce a monosyllable could be called into question. April had returned back to college with as much fear about Luke's reaction as she had over the fact that she was only months away from graduation. Lorelai was playing peace maker in a world where there was too much peace. She wanted Luke to explode, wanted him to yell because the tip-toeing around was worse. But, he didn't like going off when the younger kids were around, and at the moment they were all around, all the time.
She pushed her way out of the bed and seized her robe. It was cool, the cold outside biting through the windows even though the windows had good energy efficiency ratings. The heat would not come on for a few hours. On the landing she checked for signs of life but all she could hear was the gentle sounds of the kids asleep. Slowly she crossed to the window seat at the front of the house. In the moonlit yard she could see that Luke's truck was gone. Pressing her lips together in a mixture of annoyance and resignation she made her way down through the house and into the kitchen. Luke had laid out all of the necessary requirements, the plates and spoons, the selection of cereal. It all looked perfect except for the fact that he would not be here. She understood his anger, she could not wrap her head around why Anna would be with and defend someone who had spoken to April in that manner or who held those views, but he couldn't just retreat into it, his retreat was just as damaging as the hateful words.
She moved towards the living room and picked up the house phone. Her fingers skipped across the keys as she dialled the familiar number. Pressing the handset against her ear she settled into the couch and waited. The phone rang six times, then seven. When it reached ten she gave a hiss of annoyance and closed the call. She tried again, this time dialling his cell phone number. It seemed like a fruitless exercise. Luke barely remembered to charge his cell phone and only really used it to keep in contact with April and for emergencies. At times it was endearingly old fashioned. Today when he wouldn't answer it, she knew she would find it annoying. As expected the voicemail kicked in, she left one even though she was sure he wouldn't pick it up. With an air of frustration she threw the handset onto the seat beside her and reached for the remote. She should go back to bed but she felt crabby. Crabbiness called for something silly on TV, a desperate housewives of somewhere where horrible people did horrible things to each other. Or a refurbish your house thing. Scrolling through the dregs of infomercials that plagued early morning TV she fell across a show about Tiny Houses and settled back into the couch to watch as the designers tried to design a tiny house around a full sized kayak. Ten minutes in, she heard the soft padding of feet on the stairs and looked over her shoulder. "Hey Little Man."
Sam peered round the door frame at her. "Hi Mommy"
"Was the tv too loud?"
"No," Sam shook his head. "Daddy woked me when he drived away." Sam took two steps into the living room.
Lorelai studied her son, his shoulders were tense and his hands were clenched. In his fossil pyjamas he looked unbearably cute. She inclined her head and he scampered around the sofa. Sam was a much more careful child then his older sisters and he paused to choose how best to sit, instead of just jumping onto the couch. When he sat down Lorelai cuddled him into her side. "Did you try to sleep?"
"Yes," Sam nodded, curling his form around her and pulling her into the tightest of hugs. "But I couldn't. So I laid there trying until I heared the TV." After a short pause he added. "Daddy is sad and mad."
"Yeah," Lorelai rubbed his shoulder, "but he's not mad with any of you."
"Someone said something mean about April," Sam muttered sagely. He gave a soft, little, barely there sigh. "Why would anyone be mean about April? She's really nice and really smart," he gave a soft shake of his head. "She's my favourite sister," he tensed slightly as if surprised at saying it. Slowly, he timidly turned his head to look at Lorelai.
"Your secret is safe with me," Lorelai winked at him. "Because she talks about dinosaurs?"
"Yes, she lets me talk, she listens." Sam nodded earnestly. "The others get bored." He frowned as if unable to understand how someone wouldn't find dinosaurs endlessly fascinating. "Can you make Daddy happy Mommy?"
"I'm trying beautiful boy," Lorelai rubbed his arm.
"I don't like it when he's sad," Sam muttered quietly before his eyes fell on the TV. "Mommy there is a boat in the house!"
"I know," Lorelai looked towards the tv. "In a house smaller then this room."
"Woah!" Sam whispered in awe.
Before he had a chance to say anything else the phone began to ring and he bounced excitedly grabbing the handset beside him. "Daddy?"
"Probably, Mommy left him a message," Lorelai took the phone from Sam and pressed connect. "Hi."
"Lorelai?"
"Dad?" Lorelai sat up in surprise. She had been so expecting the call to be from Luke she hadn't even entertained the idea that it could be someone else. Her momentary confusion gave way to panic. "Dad it's four in the morning, are you OK?"
"I'm fine Lorelai."
Lorelai glanced at Sam beside her, the little boy staring at the phone with raised eyebrows. In the background at her father's end she could hear noise; the sounds of somewhere busy. "Dad where are you?"
"We're at the emergency room. Your Mother took a fall last night coming out of the Symphony." Richard sounded tired. "She's broken her arm."
"Oh My God!" Lorelai sat forward. She looked at Sam who had followed her, leaning forward nervously, his little face twisted in concern. "Is she OK? I mean beyond the broken bone…"
"She's in pain," Richard answered diplomatically after a short pause. "She's being put in a cast."
"Do you need me to do anything?" Lorelai asked sitting back and patting her lap. Sam crawled onto her lap and cuddled into her.
"Could you or Luke come and collect me from the hospital? I left the car in a parking lot as we came in the ambulance and now we have to get home and…" Richard began and then gave a little sigh. "I know we could take a cab but I'm not sure your mother would take another 'indignity'. It's in one of two lots. In all the hubbub I can't remember which and I really don't have the energy to negotiate with a taxi driver who doesn't speak English."
Lorelai paused for a moment. It was four in the morning, too early to call anyone to come and watch the kids. Luke should be here to help her. Her annoyance rose. "He's at a delivery right now Dad. As soon as he gets back one of us will be up. We'll be as quick as we can. I promise."
"Thank you Lorelai. It's St Francis ER."
"Ok Dad." Before she had a chance to say goodbye Richard ended the phonecall and Lorelai stared at the handset.
"Granma ok?" Sam asked from her lap.
"She's broken her arm," Lorelai cuddled him. "Little Man, I need you to do something for me." She quickly dialled the number for the diner and handed him the phone. "Keep this ringing. When Daddy picks up. Come get me. I have to get dressed. I will be two minutes." He crawled off her lap, obediently listening to the constant ringing of a call waiting to connect. Lorelai scrambled across to the kitchen and pulled open the laundry room door room. The room was really no more than a large cupboard, and once you had the washer and dryer there was barely enough room to do more than stand in front of them. Despite it's size the room was always packed full with half loads waiting for full loads of a particular colour. She rifled through a pile of blue and found a pair of jeans and then in the red pile a red T-shirt. Dancing into the jeans she heard Sam's feet on the kitchen tile.
"Mommy?"
"Yes Baby boy?" Lorelai poked her head out of the laundry cupboard struggling to pull her jeans over her hips while clutching the t-shirt in front of her. "Is it Daddy?"
"Yup," Sam held out the phone. "He's grumpy."
"Thank you Little Man." Lorelai took the phone and pressed it to her ear. Luke got as far as saying the first syllable of her name before she interrupted him. "My Mom has broken her arm. My parents are in hospital in Hartford. One of us needs to go get my Dad so he can get the car. Either get home now or get to St Francis. Which is it?" There was a pause at the end of the phone and she heard the sigh from Luke that told her he was feeling ashamed at his own anger. "Luke?"
"I'll come home."
xXx
Despite that she had been told she didn't need to, Lorelai followed her parents back to their house just to be sure. Her Dad looked shell-shocked, while her mother was in an off-with-their-head mood. Both of them were exhausted. They just looked like they needed a little looking after, even if the looking after involved taking the brunt of her mother's pain induced wrath just so that it gave her Dad a chance to regroup. When she parked, Emily was busy waving Richard away, preventing him from helping her. "Dad. Why don't you go on in and get the lights turned on." Lorelai suggested keeping a distance that meant she could step in at any time to offer assistance but that Emily didn't feel crowded.
"Yes, good idea," Richard blustered and stumbled off to the front door.
"I am not a spectator sport," Emily hissed as she caught Lorelai's eye after another failed attempt to get out of the car under her own steam.
Lorelai gave a slight shrug and looked at the ground knowing from experience that Emily needed to be in control, especially as she was feeling so vulnerable. Beside a broken ulna Emily had some bruising on her legs and had a sprained hip flexor caused by her legs effectively doing the splits on the icy ground. It was all fixable and nothing too serious in the grand scheme of things. Nothing required surgery and it would all heal on its own. The young doctor however had taken his life in his hands by stating that Emily's age meant healing may take a while. At least his take down had happened in an ER where he could receive suitable treatment.
Finally, after a few pained grunts Emily cleared her throat. "Lorelai?"
"Sure Mom," Lorelai stepped closer, not making her Mom actually have to ask for help. "Do you want me to pull or just be a lever?"
"Just stand there," Emily took Lorelai's proffered hand and used it to stand up. She wobbled uncertainly for a few seconds. "These shoes are ridiculous."
"They're hospital slippers Mom," Lorelai stepped to one side and allowed Emily to reposition herself. "All hospital clothes are ridiculous. But five minutes and we can have you in your own and you'll feel better."
"I want to take a bath, wash the awful stench of the ER off me. Why they don't keep drunks and addicts away from people who are actually sick or hurt I don't know," Emily shook her head in disgust.
"Ok Mom," Lorelai mumbled, letting Emily have her rant as they slowly made their way across the driveway to the house.
"You'll have to help," Emily muttered as they entered the house.
"Help with what?" Lorelai across at her, waiting for Emily to let go of her. "Getting you upstairs?"
"With the bath," Emily informed her, releasing her grip and attempting to remove her coat.
"I can run it for you," Lorelai guessed the maid hadn't arrived as it was not yet 6am.
"And help me undress and re…"
"Undress?" Lorelai cut Emily off in surprise.
"Well I can hardly undo my clothes on my own," Emily gestured to her arm encased in a sling and plaster.
"But…but," Lorelai blinked rapidly, struggling to think of a suitable response which would mean she would not anger her Mom nor actually have to see her naked.
"I'm not pleased about it either. But if you just undo everything I will be fine. I can't rely on your father for this. The state he's in he will be all fingers and thumbs and probably cause me more damage." Emily scowled and slowly began to hobble towards the stairs. "Lorelai."
"Um…Right." She followed Emily and then paused behind her. "Can I keep my eyes closed? Because, no offense Mom, but I really don't want to see you naked. Ever. In a million years. It's a total poke my eye out moment. Not that I mean you will poke my eye out," she gestured vaguely at Emily's chest. "Like I would need to bleach…"
"I am in no mood for your babbling Lorelai," Emily cut her off. She paused to take a breath. "These stairs are ridiculous."
"Well this is a castle and a castle has a lot of stairs," Lorelai offered Emily her arm. Emily waved her off and began to climb the treads slowly again. "You need any help other than the bath Mom?"
Emily didn't respond for a few moments instead just continuing her trudge up the stairs. Once she reached the top she paused and cast Lorelai a sideways look. "Just prep the maid to look after your father, he's exhausted and stressed, a bad combination and I don't have the energy to be the caregiver."
"What does that mean?" Lorelai raised her eyebrows curiously.
"I manage him," Emily attempted to shrug, the action ending in a wince and a hiss of pain. "I look after him. Arrange everything for him. It's my job," Emily paused for a moment. "I just…
"Would like a few days' vacation," Lorelai spoke quickly. "I think that's allowed. Though if you want a vacation there are less drastic ways then breaking your arm."
xXx
At lunchtime, she finally managed to make it home. Having helped Emily with her bath and got her into bed she had then had to deal with her fretting father, who despite being an accomplished man had been so out of sorts hadn't even been able to make a cup of tea. When the maid had arrived, she had explained what had happened and warned of her parent's moods. The middle-aged woman had smiled, nodded and had produced a tub of vaporub from her purse. Her father had been sent to bed like a small child and he had obeyed without complaint. At only 12 o'clock she was already exhausted and her cell phone battery, having spent the morning in communication with Rory and April, was hovering in the red, something which struck her as poetic with how she was feeling.
She entered the house and was immediately met with the sound of Babette's cackle. She looked into the kitchen, the four children were sat around the table with quartered sandwiches on plates in front of them and Babette and Morey stood at the kitchen counter wafting baking trays over some misshapen looking cupcakes.
"Mommy," Sam noticed her first.
The kids all turned to look at her, and immediately descended into a shouting match as they fought for attention. Lorelai held up her hand. "Grandma is OK, she has a broken arm," she raised her eyebrows as Willow started to sniff and walked over and hugged her. "It's OK Honey Bunch she's fine. Just not very happy."
"Does she have a cast?" Kitty asked beside them, comfortingly patting Willow's shoulder.
"She does."
"Maybe we can draw on it," Kitty suggested going back to her sandwiches. "Mommy wouldn't be home if she wasn't OK Willow," the child pointed out knowingly. "Mommy we made cupcakes with Auntie Babette and Uncle Morey."
"So I see," Lorelai moved over to the counter to greet her former neighbours. "Hi guys, thanks for doing this."
"No problem at all doll face. So your Mom's OK?" Babette greeted her with a wide smile as she continued to flap the baking tray.
"She's fine, tired, in pain, but she'll be OK." Lorelai frowned as she took in the baking trays, "What are you doing?"
"The cupcakes are too warm so the icing slides off, so were cooling them down so that they can eat them. Luke had to get to work," Babette reeled off, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You want to go see him? We can stay with the kids longer."
Lorelai folded her arms and shifted her weight from one hip to another. "Actually, that would be great." She turned back to the kids. "Beautiful ones, Mommy needs to pop out for a little bit longer, be good for Babette and Morey," she moved to kiss them each in turn. "Make sure you save me one of those yummy cupcakes OK?"
"Ok Mommy," The children reeled off obediently.
She bent down to kiss Sam on the forehead and his arms looped up around her neck. "Make Daddy OK Mommy," Sam whispered in her ear. He lowered himself down but before letting go gave her a wet mayonnaise tinged kiss.
Lorelai straightened up and nodded to him. "See you later," she waved as she scurried out of the kitchen and back out into the cold January day. Striding down the steps, she walked straight past her minivan and marched down the driveway. She was that curious mix of tired and angry, one screaming at her to chill out, the other making her want to scream.
Despite the snow that filled the shortcut to town behind the Dragonfly, she made it into the centre of town in only fifteen minutes. The town was in a state of chaos as the Christmas decorations were being taken down and the winter festival and Founders Day signs were going up. Negotiating the mountain of papier-mâché stars that sat on a tarpaulin to be hung she stomped across the street and into the diner. Ceser was stood at the till making change for a customer and he looked up with an over dramatic flinch. Evidently, her bad mood had made its way to her face. Without even saying anything the rapidly shrinking young man pointed towards the storage area and like a whirlwind she moved through the diner and into the back.
"You called Babette and Morey!" She almost yelled as she marched into the room. Luke gave a start and nearly dropped the box he was carrying. "You couldn't even stay with our kids for a few hours. I am so sick of this mood. My Mom is hurt, you're just hiding, and what's worse they all know it. You woke Sam up and he's worried for you. A four-year-old shouldn't be worried. He should be happy and playing and instead he's up in the middle of the night worrying about his Daddy. This has to stop Luke, you have to snap out of this mood, or you have to do something or just… something because…because I can't deal with Moody Grumpy Luke right now. I get that you are mad. I am mad but either put up or shut up" she gave a curt nod, her eyes glowering at him.
Luke blinked, his head rolling back slightly as he absorbed her tirade. After a moment he set the box down on the table in the middle of the room. "Is Emily OK?"
"Yes," Lorelai folded her arms across her chest and began to bounce her weight on her left hip. She was tired of Luke's behaviour. She wanted him to do something, either snap out of this mood or speak to Anna. That the kids were picking up on it, that the kids knew why he was upset worried her. "She broke her arm and sprained her hip but she's going to be fine."
"Good," Luke matched her stance of folding his arm. "I'm sorry I had to leave the kids with the Dells. I had deliveries that I have to pay for and I'm the only one who can. I was going to go home as soon as Arielle came in to help Ceser."
"Arielle?" Lorelai looked surprised at the sound of her weekend assistant managers' name. "My Arielle? From the Dragonfly?"
"Yeah," Luke nodded softly. "I needed someone else, you said she needed money so I asked her if she wanted shifts." He gave a soft smile. "She's my new Lane."
"She was mine first," Lorelai pouted. "You were going home?"
"As soon as I could, but Joey was late." He nodded at the boxes. "I should really find a new guy."
"Oh," Lorelai bounced her weight again.
"Sam's been up?" Luke asked gently slowly loosening his arms and self-consciously scratching his brow.
"Yes. He wants me to make you happy."
"Jeez. Lorelai you know it's nothing to do with you guys," Luke shook his head.
"I kno…"
"I mean, why would you guys think that? You all love April but just how can Anna be with somebody like that, who thinks that about April. I just don't get it. And you know that what she told us is only the tip of the iceberg. That moron is…"
"Hun," Lorelai held her hands out. "I know, but I am not the one that needs to be told, and we" she gestured as a way to indicate the children, "are not the ones who need to have this taken out of. You either need to let it go or say something to Anna."
"Yeah," Luke slumped back onto the table, his shoulders dipping low in defeat. "I just can't think how to keep my cool with her."
"You don't need to keep your cool with her. You don't have to worry about custody agreements or any of that anymore. April isn't a child, she's an adult who can make her own decisions. All you need to worry about is supporting our daughter and you have every right to call Anna out on this," Lorelai took a step towards him. "He sounds like a jackass."
"The new guy, yeah he does," Luke nodded his head. "So how should I…"
"Friday," Lorelai stated with a definite nod. "I agreed with Mom that we would do Friday Afternoon tea as the twins are still off and she is going to be wiped with her meds. Call Anna and set it up for Friday while we are there and then after you can come get whipped by Mom or cuddled by the kids. You may even tempt Sam away from his Grandpa."
"Yeah," Luke nodded once more. Tiredly he held out his hand to her and when she took it he pulled her into his side. "Sorry."
"It's OK." Lorelai rested her chin on his shoulder. "You do better than I do with telling off"
"I don't tell you off," Luke tenderly rubbed her back.
"No, you do the staring at me tiredly thing, then I pout." Lorelai shrugged and cuddled into him. As his frame began to soften, she let out a shuddering sigh. "My parents are old. I know they are but it struck me this morning just how old they are. How one little thing just throws them out. They are just one step away from being frail."
"They aren't that old. They are just set in their ways," Luke offered conciliatorily but the way he held his breath Lorelai could tell he was only saying it to be positive. "Emily just needs to eat dessert and watch were she steps. Richard just needs to not eat dessert and pay more attention to your Mom."
"Sure, that's all they need to do," Lorelai sighed and kissed his shoulder. "These ticking clocks are getting louder."
"I know."
xXx
On Friday having been dropped off by Lorelai on her way to her parents' house Luke stood in the building entranceway of Anna's new apartment. It was a modern complex, a much higher step up the rental ladder then where she had been before. He folded his arms, tucking his glove free hands beside his torso, frustrated at being made to wait. Anna had answered him on the intercom but had told him to wait downstairs and now he presumed that he was waiting for her to come down. The air was bitterly cold, too cold to snow, and he could feel the end of his nose beginning to go numb. Finally after what seemed like an eternity Anna appeared out of the glass doors.
"Hi," he greeted her gruffly, not making a move to see what she did. Anna looked more polished then the last time he had seen her, as if her hair had been done in an expensive salon and not with home hair dye and Supercuts. She smiled weakly but didn't say anything instead waving him to walk down the sidewalk towards a Starbucks. "Why do we have to go…"
"Jez doesn't like strangers in his apartment," Anna cut him off and opened the door to the store to go through. She just about held the door open for him and walked towards the counter. "Are you going to get anything?"
Luke glanced at the board and gagged on the air in his throat. He was seriously undercharging for his coffee! "No thanks, how exactly am I a stranger?"
"You are a stranger to him," Anna told him in a clipped tone as they waited to be served.
"I'm not meeting him, I'm meeting you." Luke pointed out but was prevented from saying anything else as it was Anna's turn to order. Instead he made do with trying to keep a straight face and not gag at the order that Anna placed.
"It's his home Luke. I have to respect that," Anna pointed out once she had paid and they moved along the conveyer belt system to the end.
"I guess. What about him respecting our daughter?" Luke shot at her. The young woman who was also waiting for her drink glanced up from her phone in surprise, moments later her eyes crashed back down to her cell phone but Luke could tell they now at least had one interested party in their conversation.
"April really was just being sensitive about what he said. He didn't mean what is said the way she took it. It's all just got out of proportion," Anna reasoned nervously fiddling with her leather purse.
"He told her to be normal, and that people of 'her kind' were attention seeking. And that is just the bit she was willing to tell me and Lorelai about. I think her reaction is fine. She's asexual not Martian. What exactly is 'her kind' beyond being our daughter." Luke folded his arms glancing to the left where the barista seemed to have slowed down in her work but also give a soft nod as if she agreed with him.
"He didn't mean it like that," Anna scoffed looking around nervously. "April took it the wrong way."
"How was she supposed to take it?" Luke challenged, clenching his fists and trying to keep his temper in check. "And why are you defending him over April. That is the bit that she is most upset about. That you would be with someone who thinks like that. It's not like he's been around for a long time. Less than a year Anna. Why are you siding with him over April" he cleared his throat conscious that the coffee shop which had been very loud when they came in seemed to have dropped a few decibels. He glanced to his left, a young man with a far too long beard and a man bun working on a laptop had removed his earbud on one side to listen more clearly. "Anna can we please just go back to your apartment to discuss this. We have an audience," he gestured towards the people who were badly disguising that they were listening.
"I don't want you in my apartment."
At the sound of a clipped London accent Luke turned to find a tall, well-built man in an impeccable suit standing at the counter nonchalantly placing an order. Luke raised his eyebrows in surprise, this man was attractive even he could see that. The type of guy you saw in tv shows or modelling aftershave or high-end brands. He was not what Luke had been expecting at all. Luke wasn't even sure what he was expecting give that April had not provided him with any description at all but he had stereotyped a backwards homophobe. This man did not look like that. Whatever that was. Luke cleared his throat and pulled himself together. He was in the right here, this man, Jez, with his good-looking appearance and healthy bank balance was not going to push him over like he clearly had with Anna. In this moment Luke was the better man. Cordially he held out his hand. "Luke Danes, April's father. I want to have a conversation with Anna in private about what was said and how we can get past it. April is really upset and she doesn't want to speak to Anna because of what was said and I don't think that's right."
"It's ridiculous," Jez gave the barista a charming smile and turned to face Luke. "She's victimising her mother because she is being overly sensitive, demonising our relationship because she isn't getting her way. Just because she engages in abnormal behaviour doesn't mean that I have to accept it."
"What?" Luke blinked in surprise, he glanced first at Anna and then at those spectators who had given up all pretence of not listening and were now actively ogling. "Her what?"
xXx
Lorelai looked up from the book she was reading with Grace as the doorbell to her parent's house rang. The Friday afternoon tea was going well. The maid had put on a delicious spread of cakes and sandwiches and Richard, at least, was back to his normal self. Emily was still clearly in pain but had turned on her hostess mode, and did genuinely seem to be enjoying the kids fawning over her, though she had drawn the line at letting the children draw on her cast. Lorelai turned her head as she heard Luke's voice followed by the surprised maid and then a third voice that she didn't know.
"Mommy," Sam stood up from his place. "A police neenaw car."
"A what?" Lorelai stood up and stared at the window, there was the strobing lights of a police car filtering through the glass from the driveway. "Kids stay here."
"Lorelai what is going on?" Emily asked peering up at her.
"I don't know. Kids stay with your Grandma," Lorelai pivoted towards the door and trotted towards it. Luke was stood just inside the door with a wad of bloodstained tissue pressed against his nose. "Luke, Oh My God!"
Luke lowered the tissue to reveal his blood stained lower face and his swollen nose. "I'm fine."
"You're bleeding," Lorelai rushed over, grimacing as a dribble of blood began to trickle out of Luke's left nostril. "What happened?"
Luke mumbled something unintelligible and pressed the tissue back to his nose.
Lorelai looked towards the police office for answers. "What happened to my husband?"
"There was an altercation. The man who assaulted…"
"Assaulted?" Lorelai looked back at Luke in horror. "What the…you were just going to talk to Anna, how did…Did her boyfriend hit you?"
"Yeah," Luke gave a shrug that barely disguised his annoyance and disgust. "He was a jackass and was spouting off this stuff about April's being abnormal and I just had to get out of there otherwise I would have hit him. But he was closer to the door so he thought I was going to hit him so he hit me first. Clean right hook." He pulled the tissue away from his face and studied it.
"Your husband does not want to press charges, and has refused medical attention." The police office added.
"Why?" Lorelai looked at Luke imploringly, both in response to the why Luke wasn't pressing charges and why when he was still bleeding and possibly had a broken nose did he not want to see a doctor.
"I'm fine, and I don't want to make it worse for April," Luke muttered thickly from behind the tissue. "Thank you for the lift officer, I apologise for the trouble caused."
"It's OK. We'll be in contact if we do need to file anything." The office gave a bob of his head and turned away.
"Luke, this man hit you why wouldn't you…" Lorelai began but Luke silenced her by holding up his hand.
"It will make it worse for Apr…"
"Daddy!"
Lorelai turned to find Willow stood by the ferns, her blue eyes wide with horror. "Daddy you're hurt!" the little girl rushed towards him. "Oh Daddy!"
"I'm OK Wills," Luke caught her with one arm. "I just need a fresh tissue," he glanced at the maid who nodded in understanding and turned away.
"Daddy you should sit down. Grandma has to sit because she's hurt, you should sit too." Willow took his free hand and started to help Luke towards the living room. Lorelai followed in confusion, a step behind trying to figure out what exactly was going on. "How did you get hurt Daddy?"
"I had a misunderstanding with someone," Luke told the child diplomatically as Willow ushered him into the seat.
"Didn't you go to see Anna?" Richard asked curiously, his arm comfortingly going around Sam's shoulder as the little boy let out a little cry of alarm.
"I did, her boyfriend," Luke shrugged. "I'm OK Grace," he added.
Lorelai moved to her youngest and scooped the almost in tears child into her arms. "It's ok Shortcake, Daddy is OK."
"April's Mommy's boyfriend hit you," Kitty summarised, her blue eyes narrowed and she looked from Lorelai to Luke and back again. "Why?"
"He said some mean things about April and Daddy got angry so he tried to leave," Lorelai explained as best she could.
"So he hit you?" Kitty scowled her eyes focused intently on Luke.
"Yes," Luke nodded, wincing with the movement.
Lorelai looked down at him and placed her hand on his shoulder trying to offer him comfort.
"What did he say mean about April?" Willow asked softly, her eyes as wide as Kitty's was narrow.
Lorelai sighed and glanced at the floor. "Do you remember that we told you that sometimes people can be mean to other people who are different."
"He was mean because April likes girls," Kitty cut to the centre of the argument. "What a crock of shit!"
"Kitty!" Lorelai gasped, surprised at the language though the sentiment was spot on.
"Katherine Charlotte Danes. You do not use that language. Where did you hear that?" Emily chastised the child.
"Sorry," Kitty looked mildly apologetic. "Bootsy and Mr Doose said it at the ice hockey game, but it is?"
"It is, but you don't say it," Lorelai moved over to Kitty and sat down beside her. Grace twisted round and curled into her and Kitty slumped back in the chair folding her arms over her chest in disgust. "Just because grown ups say it doesn't mean you can."
"I'm not mad about that. I'm mad about this man hitting Daddy when he's the one who should be hit," Kitty sat up, raising and lowering her folded arms for emphasis. "Hobophonia is wrong."
"How do you know about Homophobia?" Richard asked quietly, using the time while the maid had appeared with the first aid kit to distract the children.
"It's on the question board at schoo,l" Willow interjected as she took a wad of cotton from the first aid kit, moved to her water glass, dunked the cotton in the water and moved back to tenderly begin to wash Luke's face. "If we have a question we can put it in the box and Miss Kuschner will answer it. All hate is bad," the child sighed as she continued to clean her father's face. "It is our job as humans to be as kind and considerate to others as possible. We might not agree with how people live but if they are not hurting anyone we should not hurt them. The only thing we should be intolerant off is intolerance," she nodded her head firmly.
"Yep," Kitty nodded in agreement. "We're good humans people," she pointed to herself and Willow
"Yes you are," Lorelai agreed, tenderly smoothing her hand across Kitty's hair.
"I don't understand why Anna would be with someone who thinks like that," Emily shook her head "He's obviously rich or…"
"Or?" Lorelai looked at Emily, her eyebrows quirking upwards as she realised what her mother had alluded to, she stifled a grin despite her concern over Luke "Oh."
"Yes," Emily agreed blushing slightly and looking down at her arm. Emily self-consciously cleared her throat "He sounds awful, regardless. As Willow said, you may not like the way someone conducts their life but you should not actively seek to hurt them. Splitting up a mother and daughter like this," she shook her head and glanced sideways at Lorelai her thought trailing off. "How are you going to tell April?"
Lorelai shook her head, completely at a loss to what should happen next. "I don't know Mom. We'll figure it out."