Snapshots from Venice
Lorelai and Luke walked hand in hand in the Piazza San Marco as Rory explored the inside of the Basilica San Marco, the early morning sun already warm, the plaza bustling with activity. Lorelai looked over at Luke and said, "You can go inside, Hon. Look around with Rory."
Luke shook his head and said, "I'll stay with you." He stopped and looked at her his eyes probing hers. "You okay now?" he asked as he brushed a curl behind her ear.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she assured him. "It was just the smell, you know. The candle wax, or probably that obnoxious lady's perfume. What did she do bathe in that stuff?" Lorelai asked with a grimace.
"It was pretty strong," Luke agreed. He nodded to a bench and asked, "You wanna sit?"
Lorelai shrugged and said, "I can park myself here if you want to go back in," as she lowered herself to the seat.
"I'm fine," Luke said as he sat next to her and hooked his arm behind her protectively.
"Luke, you should go look around," Lorelai insisted.
"It's just an old church, Lorelai," Luke said shaking his head.
"It's a beautiful, historical, old church that people come from all over the world to see. Luke, this is your vacation too. I want you to do things, see things," she said earnestly.
Luke smiled at her and said, "I'm seeing the only thing I came to Venice to see."
"When are you ever going to get this chance again?" she asked. "Do you plan on coming back to Venice someday?" she asked.
Luke sighed and said, "Lorelai, just so we're clear, Venice is nice. Very interesting, very old, and very romantic, but I never, ever would have come here if you weren't here. I came to see you and Rory, and seeing Venice, or any other place in the world for that matter, is just a nice side benefit."
"I don't want you to leave here feeling gypped," Lorelai said softly.
Luke threw his head back and laughed. "Are you kidding me? After what you told me yesterday? We could never see anything but that airport and Venice would still be my second favorite place in the world," he said with a smirk.
"Second?" she asked.
Luke shrugged and said, "Home, then here, then St. John," he listed.
"Wow, edged out the honeymoon," Lorelai said with a slow nod.
Luke laughed and squeezed her shoulders. "Sweetheart," he said with a smirk, "As much as I loved our week of," he glanced around and dropped his voice, "nakedness, it pales in comparison. It was great, but we've," he dropped his voice again, "made love, thousands of times before and since. This was the first time you've ever told me that we were going to have a kid."
Lorelai grinned and asked, "Thousands of times? Was I asleep?"
Luke shrugged and said, "I may have exaggerated a bit, but you get my meaning."
"I do," Lorelai said as she settled back against his arm.
"It is beautiful," Luke said as he watched the people milling around the square. "Except for the pigeons," he added with a grimace.
"Yeah," Lorelai said. She pressed her head to his neck and said, "It is romantic."
Luke looked at her out of the corner of his eye and said, "So tonight, we take a gondola ride?"
"Yeah," Lorelai said with a smile. "And we kiss beneath the Bridge of Sighs at sunset."
"Yeah?" Luke asked.
"That way we will be in love for all eternity," Lorelai said. "Didn't you ever see A Little Romance?" she asked.
Luke smirked and asked, "What do you think?"
"Lawrence Olivier?" she prodded. "The two teenagers who run away to Venice to kiss under the bridge at sunset?" she asked.
Luke just shook his head and said, "I get your point, though."
Rory approached them and said, "You have to go in. It's so gorgeous."
Lorelai shook her head and said, "I can't, it makes me nauseous."
Rory dropped to the bench and said, "Poor Preggo." She looked over at Luke and said, "You go in, I'll stay here with the human oven."
Lorelai grinned at her daughter and said, "Hey, Luke owns a bakery, and he put a bun in my oven."
Luke stood up and said, "On that note, I think I will go look around," as he shoved his hands into his pockets.
"We'll be right here," Lorelai told him.
As Luke walked away Lorelai said, "He's so cute."
"And dreamy, right?" Rory said with a smirk.
Lorelai laughed and said, "Right. He's so damn proud of himself. He's about to burst into song."
Rory smiled and said, "How can you tell?"
"I can tell," Lorelai said with a nod. "He's being all protective and manly."
"When isn't he?" Rory asked with a laugh.
"True, but this is different. I can't explain it," she said with a contented sigh. She squeezed Rory's arm and said, "We're going on our gondola ride tonight, at sunset."
"Yay!" Rory said with a grin. "Are you guys gonna kiss under the bridge?" she asked. "Like in that movie?"
"Yep," Lorelai said happily. She glanced at her daughter and said, "I plan on kissing both of you."
Rory nodded and said, "As long as you leave the sloppy ones for him."
"Damn, I was planning on slipping you some tongue," Lorelai said with a smirk.
"You're sick," Rory said shaking her head.
"You're the one who went there in the first place!" Lorelai accused.
"Was not!" Rory said indignantly.
"Were too!" Lorelai shot back.
Rory laughed and said, "Hey, what was the deal with that lady's perfume?"
"I know! Just like Aunt Totsy," Lorelai said shaking her head sadly as Rory shuddered.
Inside the church, Luke looked around with only mild interest at the gorgeous mosaics, gilt ceilings and priceless treasures. He wandered slowly, letting himself drift along with the gaggle of fellow tourists as they gawked and pointed out details to one another. Luke's eyes focused on the altar. He stopped in his tracks, letting the crowd file around him as he offered up a simple prayer. "Thank you," he whispered, his lips barely moving. "I'll do my best," he promised. He glanced around self consciously to see if anyone had heard him and then turned, walking against the flow of the crowd to get back to the doors, and back to his girls.
L&L
"Grazie," Rory said with a huge smile as the gondolier helped her out of the boat. "Molto buono," she told him.
The gondolier smiled in return and said, "Grazie, signorina."
"Bello, fabulouso, terriffico," Lorelai said gesturing broadly as he helped her step ashore.
"Terriffico?" Rory asked.
"He knows what I mean," Lorelai said as she watched Luke pay the man and add a generous tip. The gondolier smiled at Luke and fired off a rapid spate of Italian. Luke shrugged helplessly and said, "I'm sorry."
The gondolier leaned closer to Luke and whispered conspiratorially, "Lucky man. Two beautiful women on your arm, eh?"
"Oh," Luke said as he struggled to keep the arrogant smile from his face. He pointed to Lorelai and said, "La signora." He glanced at Rory and said, "How do you say step-daughter?"
Rory laughed and said, "La figlia, I think."
"Ah," the gondolier said with a smile. "Lucky," he point pointing to Luke's chest. "Fortunado, con le sue due bella donnas."
Luke smiled at the man and said, "Si, very lucky," as he climbed from the gondola.
"Grazie!" Lorelai called again as they made their way along the Grand Canal. She slipped an arm around each of them and asked, "That was fun, wasn't it?"
Rory nodded and said, "He had a very good voice."
Luke smiled and admitted, "It was nice. I just wish you hadn't badgered him into O Solo Mio," he grumbled at Lorelai.
"Please, I had to," she said with a laugh. "Hey, let's sit at one of the cafes, listen to the music, and watch the people go by," Lorelai suggested.
"Sounds good," Luke said as they entered the piazza. "Over there?" he asked, gesturing to a cluster of small tables on the sidewalk in front of a café.
"Looks good," Rory said. "I'd like some dessert. Cannoli!"
"You planning on whacking someone?" Lorelai asked, giving Rory's waist a squeeze.
"I plan on snarfing some," Rory answered with a grin.
"How can you eat again?" Luke groaned.
Rory blinked and said, "You know perfectly well that dessert is not eating."
"What was I thinking?" Luke asked dryly as he ushered them to an open table.
"Oh man," Lorelai said wistfully as she eyed the tiny espresso cups on the next table.
"Latte," Luke said sternly.
"Here it would be a caffe e latte," Rory said with a nod. "Latte would just be a glass of milk."
Luke smiled at Lorelai encouragingly and said, "Latte."
"Caffe e latte," she negotiated.
"Water," he retaliated.
"Please?" she said with a pout.
Luke sighed and said, "One, very small one."
"You are a beautiful human being," Lorelai said with a bright smile.
They ordered, and watched the parade of people dance past them, commenting on some, making up life stories for others. When their drinks and desserts arrived, Rory dug into her cannoli with relish. "So, have you digested it all?" she asked Luke with an understanding smile.
"It's soaking in," he said as he sipped his tea, eying Lorelai's tiramisu with distaste.
"Have you moved past shock into excitement yet?" she teased.
Luke quirked an eyebrow at her and asked, "Can't you tell?" Which made Lorelai giggle.
"So, girl or boy? Another Lorelai or another Luke?" Rory asked him.
"Is this on the record? Am I being interviewed?" he asked with a laugh.
Rory grinned and said, "Enquiring minds want to know."
"Honestly, I don't care," Luke said with a shrug.
Lorelai snorted and Rory said, "Aw come on."
"Really, I don't," Luke insisted.
"You don't want a Luke Junior?" Rory asked leaning toward him.
"No," he said emphatically.
"He's already nixed Lucas," Lorelai informed her daughter as she sucked custard from her fingertip.
"Personally, I think I'd like to have a little brother," Rory said thoughtfully.
Lorelai blinked in surprise and asked, "Really?"
Rory shrugged and said, "Sure, why not? I think it would be fun to have a little boy around. It would even up the odds for Luke," she pointed out.
"You two will have killed me by the time he's big enough to do me any good," Luke grumbled into his tea cup.
"I know nothing about little boys," Lorelai said with a frown. "What if it is a boy? What do you do with a boy?" she asked Luke.
Luke shrugged and asked, "How should I know?"
"Weren't you one?" Lorelai asked pointedly.
Luke smiled and said, "A long time ago."
"I wouldn't know where to begin," Lorelai said worriedly.
"Well, at first I think they're pretty much alike," Luke said with a chuckle. "Maybe by the time you've had him for a year or two, you'll figure it out," he teased.
"Some help you'll be," Lorelai grumbled as she polished off her dessert.
Rory cocked her head and said, "Are you gonna be one of those traditional dads who won't change diapers, or do you plan to be in the trenches?"
"Well, Ms Walters, I hadn't given it much thought in the whole twenty four hours I've been aware of my impending fatherhood," Luke answered primly. "I would have to say, though, that I think I'd be pretty hands on," he concluded with a nod. "Does that answer you question, or do you have a follow up?" he asked politely.
"I think that answer will suffice," Rory said with a cheeky smile.
"She's gonna be a hell of a reporter," Luke said to Lorelai as he gestured to Rory.
"Oh yeah, she'll get it out of you," Lorelai said with a nod.
"She's also sitting right here," Rory said dryly. "Am I not allowed to be curious? I mean, I know you guys have been talking about it for a while now, but Luke and I have never talked about it," she pointed out.
"True," Luke said shifting a little uncomfortably. Finally, his eyes met Rory's as he asked, "What else do you want to know?"
"I don't know, I was just curious," she said with an innocent shrug. "So, no Lucas, huh?" she asked. "I have to say, no more Lorelais in this generation," she said eying her mother sternly.
"Depends on how much Demerol they give me," Lorelai said with a grin.
"You could name him or her after your parents. Yours or Luke's or both," Rory suggested. "What was your mom's name?" she asked Luke.
Luke frowned and asked, "Why can't the kid just have their own name? I wasn't named after anyone," he pointed out.
Lorelai blinked and said, "I guess I always assumed you were named for your Uncle Louie."
Luke snorted and said, "Man, you really want me to be cursed, don't you?"
"I don't know, I kind of like being named after Mom. I can be pretty confusing, though," Rory admitted.
"I just think I'd like it if this baby had their own name. Their own identity, I guess," Luke said holding his palms up helplessly.
Lorelai nodded and said, "So we start from scratch, huh?"
"I like Daniel for a boy," Rory suggested.
"Dan Danes?" Luke asked with raised eyebrows.
"On second thought," Rory murmured.
"Yeah," Luke laughed as he looked at their bill. "Kind of early for this now, anyway," he said as he tried to do the exchange rates in his head. He dropped some notes on the table and said, "Let's walk back to the hotel."
"I'm tired," Lorelai whined.
"It's six blocks and you just had a latte and some dessert. Surely you can muster up the energy," he cajoled.
"I'm trying to conserve for shopping," she said as she rose from the table.
"You'll make it," Luke said with a smirk. "It'll be good for the baby," he added.
Lorelai looked at Rory and grumbled, "I shouldn't have told him. Now he has a trump card."
"You were swept up in the moment. You lost your head," Rory said sympathetically.
L&L
Two days later, Lorelai stood on the Via Condotti in Rome clutching her Ferragamo carrier bag to her chest and saying softly, "I love you, I love you, I love you!"
"Me, or your new shoes?" Luke asked dryly.
"Both," Lorelai said with a grin. "I can't believe you bought these for me," she said excitedly.
"I can't believe I did either," Luke grumbled.
Lorelai smiled and said, "You were powerless to resist the ankle strap."
Luke smiled and said, "It was more the toe thing."
"Ah, my hubby is a sucker for the peek a boo toe," Lorelai said as she took his hand and they strolled through the crowded street.
"Kind of a one-two punch," Luke admitted.
"Oh look! Armani. Let's go in," she said tugging on his hand.
"You said you wanted to shoe shop. We shoe shopped," Luke pointed out as he resisted.
"We still have thirty minutes before we meet Rory. Come on," she said as she tugged him toward the door.
Twenty minutes later, they emerged with Luke grumbling, "It's silk."
"It's a silk knit," Lorelai corrected.
"I don't wear silk," Luke groused.
"You'll wear this," Lorelai said as she started walking toward the Spanish Steps to meet Rory.
"When am I ever going to wear a silk sweater?" he asked. "Lorelai, I think we might be getting a little swept up here," he said as he pulled on her hand to get her to slow down.
"What do you mean?" she asked distractedly as she wove her way through the crowded sidewalk.
"I own a diner in a teeny tiny town. You own an inn in the same tiny town. We are not people who wear silk sweaters and shoes that cost more than a mortgage payment," he said pulling her to a stop. "Is that who you want to be?" he asked worriedly. "Is that who you want me to be?"
Lorelai stared up at him in shock. "No!" she said shaking her head vehemently.
"I mean, we're not always going to travel like this, are we?" he asked. "Hop on a plane, go to the islands, go to Europe, stay in fancy hotels," he said waving his hand. "I mean, I am happy for you to have the shoes. I want you to have what you want, but do you really want this kind of stuff?" he asked worriedly.
Lorelai shook her head and said, "No. I was just trying them on for fun. You're the one who said 'get the shiny black ones'," she pointed out.
"I know," Luke said as peopled bumped into them on all sides. He moved to shield Lorelai from the passersby and asked, "This is just for today, right?" He took her hand and said earnestly, "I like my life. I like our life. That's the life I want our kid to have."
"Me too," she insisted.
Luke nodded and said, "Okay. So we're on the same page here? This was just a little vacation madness, right?" he asked, searching her eyes.
"Right," she answered firmly.
Luke nodded once and glanced at the ground. He gave her a small smile and said, "The shoes are really sexy."
"Yeah, well, I feel the same way about this sweater," she said jiggling the bag in front of his eyes. "My hot, ripped Burger Boy in this tight sweater," she teased.
Luke rolled his eyes and said, "Come on, we're gonna be late meeting Rory."
"You're the one who freaked," Lorelai grumbled as she trotted after him.
L&L
"Oh my God, smell it," Rory said as she held the satchel up to Lorelai's nose.
"I know," Lorelai said breathing deeply. "Fine Italian leather," she said in a deep sexy voice.
Luke smirked and asked, "Is that the one?"
"We really don't need to do this," Rory protested, her eyes caressing the bag lovingly.
"Everyone else got treats, you need one too," Lorelai pointed out.
Luke shrugged and said, "At least yours is practical. You can use it at Yale."
"It is beautiful," Rory said biting her lip. She glanced at Luke and said, "Feel this. It's like buttah!"
"Thanks, but I'm not into petting bags," Luke said dryly.
"So soft," Lorelai cooed. She picked the bag up and held it up to Luke's face. "Smell it," she commanded.
Luke backed away and asked, "Why do you always do that?"
Lorelai laughed and said, "Because I want you to play too."
Rory looked at Luke and said, "If you're sure…"
Luke rolled his eyes and said, "Just give me the bag," as he held out his hand.
Lorelai quickly placed the bag in his outstretched palm. As Luke went to pay for the bag she whispered to Rory, "Way to play up the whole 'you don't have to do this' bit."
Rory shook her head and said, "You're horrible." She turned to her mother and asked, "So where are you having your anniversary dinner?"
"The concierge recommended a place. Not fancy. Just cozy and romantic," Lorelai said with a grin.
Rory nodded and said, "I'll wear my headphones to bed."
Lorelai gasped and said, "We have not been bad!"
"No, you haven't," Rory agreed.
"I thought Luke was going to have a stroke when he realized that we were all going to share that room in Rome," Lorelai said with a laugh.
"He was so cute in his sweatpants and t-shirt with the covers pulled up to his chin," Rory said with a grin.
"He wouldn't even let me touch his foot with mine," Lorelai laughed.
"Well, he is very reserved," Rory said with mock seriousness.
"Very proper," Lorelai agreed with equal gravity.
"Very sweet," Rory said with a grin.
"He spoils us," Lorelai said with a nod.
Rory sighed and said, "Ain't love grand?"
"Yes, it is," Lorelai agreed.
L&L
Lorelai rolled over to find Luke watching her sleep. "Hey," she whispered, pushing the hair from her eyes.
"Hi," he whispered back. "How are you?" he asked, running his hand over her stomach.
Lorelai stretched and said, "Wonderful. And you?"
"Feeling pretty great," he said with a nod.
Loreali kissed him sweetly and then snuggled against him, her hand rubbing his chest. "Last day," she whispered sadly.
"Don't think about it yet," he said gruffly.
Lorelai nodded and said, "Well, it's your day. You pick what we do," she told him.
Luke laughed and said, "If you let me do that, we won't leave this room."
Lorelai nodded and said, "That could be arranged."
Luke shook his head and said, "Rory."
"Will understand," Lorelai finished firmly. "You want to stay in bed today. We stay in bed. You want to go out and see stuff, we go out," she said with a nod.
"Yeah, right. Hey Rory, your Mom and I are gonna stay in and do it today. Can you make yourself scarce?" he mocked.
Lorelai giggled and said, "I'll give you a hundred dollars to say that to her."
"No way," Luke guffawed.
"So what do you want to do then?" she asked.
"I want to spend the day with the two of you, have a great dinner, make love to you all night and then I'll get on the damn plane," he said softly.
Lorelai lifted her head and smiled up at him. "All night, huh?" she asked.
Luke smirked and said, "I want to be sure I'll sleep on the plane."
"Good plan," she said with a nod. "Well, what would you like to see today?" she asked.
Luke paused for a moment and then said, "If it's really my choice, I want to go see that boatyard. You know, the place where they build the gondolas," he said with a nod.
Lorelai nodded and said, "Wow, my husband wants to take me and our daughter out trolling the docks."
"You may was well earn your keep," Luke said with a smirk.
"True," Lorelai said softly. "Okay, boatyard it is. That area near there is supposed to be really pretty actually. We'll have to look it up," she said with a nod.
"You think Rory's up?" he asked.
Lorelai glanced at the clock and said, "Probably."
"How about we order a big room service breakfast and then we hit the town," Luke said as he rubbed her arm.
"Sounds good. You want me to order you some granola?" she smirked.
"Omelet, please," he said as he got up to head for the bathroom.
"Rory help! There's a naked man in my room," she teased.
"Not for long," Luke said as he scooped his pants from the floor and disappeared into the bathroom.
"Damn," she laughed as he shut the door.
L&L
"I have to go," he whispered as he reluctantly tried to pull away from her.
Lorelai held tight to his arms. "I want to go with you," she said for the billionth time in the thirty minutes since he woke her.
Luke shook his head and said, "Please. This is too hard as it is. Stay here," he said pleadingly.
Lorelai clutched the sheet to her chest and said, "I can't stand it."
Luke's eyes searched hers desperately as he said, "I know, but I want to think of you here, warm and rumpled in this bed. I hate the thought of walking away from you in the same spot where you told me…" he said choking up a little. "I love you, Lorelai. Say goodbye to Rory for me," he said softly, but firmly.
"She's going to be mad," Lorelai warned.
"I know," Luke said softly. "But if you guys come to the airport, I might not get on that plane. I have to go home," he whispered raggedly, pressing his forehead to hers.
"I know," she answered softly.
Luke stood and walked over to his suitcase. He had packed last night and tossed his last minute items into his bag as Lorelai slept this morning. He looked down at her and whispered, "You promised to come home to me."
"I will. We will," she corrected.
"Wait," he said as he released his suitcase and rushed back over to her. He tugged on the sheet until it pooled in her lap and bent down. "Bye, Baby. See you at home," he said, pressing his lips to her stomach. Lorelai tried to choke back a sob as she pressed her fingers tightly to her lips. Luke looked up and pulled her hand away so he could kiss her one more time. He smiled sadly and said, "Come home."
Lorelai nodded, pressing her lips together tightly. Luke pulled his suitcase to the bed room door and turned to give her a half wave as he opened it and stepped quickly through without looking back again. "I will," she whispered to the closed door.
