Rory rolled over, and fell right off of the couch. "Owww." She said, still groggy as she sat up. She scrunched her face up as she wondered how she woke up on the floor of the living room. Falling asleep on the couch was a bad idea. She thought, as she remembered falling in complete exhaustion onto the couch the night before.
As she stood up, she winced in pain and thought. More than one reason not to fall asleep on the couch. "Mom?" She called out as she walked to the kitchen to find her coffee.
"Upstairs, honey."
She looked at the empty coffee pot. And the empty tin can beside her. And she just called. "Mom!"
"I know there's no coffee. We're going to Luke's."
Funny how she knew exactly what I was asking her. She smiled to herself.
"But the pre-Luke's walk?" She yelled, but was startled as her mother walked into the kitchen just as she yelled at her.
Her mother just smiled down at her, a patronizing smile. "It's ok. I realized that I really can make it all the way to Luke's. just gives me an excuse to have extra cups there."
Rory just shook her head. And said, "Not ok."
Her mother was dressed up nicely, an adorable pair of business pants, and her super adorable grey vest that made even college students at Yale check her mother out as she walked past. Using as little words as she could manage, Rory asked, "Why dressed nice?"
"Meeting lawyer. Ten am." Her mother was mocking her. And of course, she continued. "Need coffee. Leave now. Go Luke's. Or die."
Rory rolled her eyes, smiled, and went to get her coat on.
She heard her mother walk up behind her, and said, "Honey, you're still in your pajamas."
A few minutes later they were both walking all the way to Lukes – something that seemed so hard and impossible to Rory without coffee. Her head was pounding. She didn't know if it was from the lack of coffee or something else. She supposed something else. But she thought maybe the coffee would help.
They finally arrived at Luke's to be greeted by so many loud people.
"Rory! Honey!" Miss Patty exclaimed. "It's so good to see you!"
And Babette, "Dollface, you look so much smarter!"
And Kirk. "I have a cat named Kirk."
Rory gave hugs to both of the women and said, "Good for you, Kirk."
Then she followed her mother to an open table, and laid her head on the table. "I need coffee." She said, but it sounded like "I mursh yatzee." From where she had faceplanted into the table.
"Well, I seem to have two cups of coffee waiting right here." Luke's voice hit her ears. She looked up, and grabbed the cup out of his hands, and started sipping. "Careful its.."
"HOT." Rory exclaimed, her mouth on fire.
Her mom smiled at her, "Of course, that's how coffee should be." The turned to Luke, "And do you have the…"
"Donuts."
"With sprinkles?"
Luke set down a plate full of donuts with so many sprinkles that both Rory and her mother squealed in delight.
Luke just grinned at Rory. "Well, I guess you're back and welcomed right into the craziness."
Rory rolled her eyes and said, "If only you knew."
Her mother, her mouth full of donut, said, "She's mad because we're out of coffee."
Now it was Luke's turn to roll his eyes. "She gets that from YOU." And he gestured to her mother with the coffee pot.
"Hey don't point that thing at me." Then added with a dirty smile on her face that was covered in sprinkles and frosting, "Unless you're going to use it."
Luke just walked away.
"No, I mean it. I need more coffee." She said, donut crumbs flying through the air. When he didn't turn around, she turned back to Rory, and said, "I don't think we should leave him a tip today."
Rory just stared at her mother, her deadpan face on. "Mom. You just spit donut crumbs at him. I think he gets double tip today."
Luke said from behind the counter, "Or triple. Some crumbs got into the coffee pot and I have to make a whole new pot."
Rory watched her mother send him a fake snarl, then turn back to her and said, "So, what are your plans for the day?"
Now it was Rory's turn to have food in her mouth. But she didn't let that stop her from saying, "I don't know. I wasn't exactly planning to be here right now."
She could tell that her mother was searching her face for signs of resentment. But Rory didn't want to get into anything right now. So she just said, "But probably will try and catch up on some reading. Maybe go see Lane."
Her mother started breathing again. And said, "Well, I have a meeting today at ten, then thought we could hang out? Maybe go shopping? Then a movie later?"
The thought of hanging out with her mother all day was so burdensome. And that really was hard for Rory to accept, because that had never been a problem before. But she couldn't exactly get away – or say she had plans. Because she didn't. So she just nodded, and said, "Sure, sounds fine to me."
They sat there, rather awkwardly, not really having anything to talk about. Rory had never been so thankful for Kirk before in her life.
"Um. Luke. I think there's a bug in my toast."
Luke didn't look up from the counter. "Take it out then."
Kirk just looked at his plate. And said, "I don't want to touch it."
Luke rolled his eyes. And said, "Well, do you want a new piece?"
Kirt just shook his head. "That would be a waste." Then he picked up the piece of toast and took a bite. And then another. Until his mouth was full of the entire piece.
Both Rory and her mother looked at each other and shuddered.
"Kirk, why did you just eat that?" Luke asked. Everyone in the diner was looking.
Once Kirk swallowed the bread, he said, "I wasn't sure if it was a bug or just a piece of the oats. And I didn't want to take the chance of passing up a perfectly good piece of toast."
Luke just blinked a couple of times. And then started, "But if there was a chance that it was a bug… and you ate it…" He didn't finish, knowing it wouldn't matter anyway.
Rory looked at her mother, and her mother looked at her, and they tried so hard not to laugh. They bit their tongues, kicked each other under the table. But it was to no avail. And they busted out laughing – crumbs going everywhere. And the whole diner was looking at them.
And Luke said, "A whole new pot of coffee because of crumbs."
And they laughed harder
