The Games People Play

11. Happily Ever After?
The next morning at Luke's....
The diner was over-run by Rory and her friends who joined two tables together so they could all sit down. Rory and Jess approached the counter.

"Hi Luke, where's my mom?" Rory asked, "she said to meet her here."

"She's still sleeping," Luke explained.

"In your bed," added Jess.

"Jess don't you have work to do?" Luke said to his nephew.

"But I'm a paying customer today Uncle Luke! Well, almost. Tristan is shouting us all breakfast."

"That's very generous of him but there won't be any breakfast unless someone helps me cook it."

"I'll do it," Lorelai emerged wearing her skirt from last night teamed with a flannel shirt of Luke's. She was greeted with hoots and whistles.

Lorelai curtsied, "morning all," she walked up to Luke and gave him a soft kiss, "morning you... so where do I start?"

"You're serious about helping cook?" he asked.

"Yep, just give me some coffee to get started."

"No offense mom, but I'm not eating anything you cook," said Rory.

"Just because I've never cooked before doesn't mean I'm no good!" Lorelai protested.

"Yeah well I'm not taking any chances. I don't want you to poison anyone," Luke sat her down on a stool, "Jess get in the kitchen."

"You trust him more than me?" Lorelai mock-complained, "where's the love?"

"You know where the love is," Luke whispered in her ear. He gave set a cup of coffee in front of her.

Lorelai nearly fainted, "you're offering me coffee?"

"Yeah, it's sort of a special occasion, but don't get used to it."

Rory sat next to Lorelai while Jess followed Luke into the kitchen.

"Hey honey, how are you?" her mother asked.

"I'm really good," Rory smiled, looking over at Tristan, "you?"

Lorelai beamed, "yep, I'm really good too. You okay about me and Luke?"

"I am ecstatically happy for the two of you. But what's with the tribute to his fashion?" she asked of the flannel shirt.

Lorelai blushed, "you really want to know? You're gonna regret it."

"I'll take my chances, I'm curious now."

"Okay," Lorelai lowered her voice, "the buttons on my shirt may have, uh, somehow ripped off."

"Okay, WAAAAY too much info there!" Rory covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Can't say I didn't warn you!" Lorelai called as Rory rejoined her friends.

Lorelai was sitting at the counter talking to Luke when Sookie and Jackson came in.

"Hi-" Jackson began greeting them, but Sookie interrupted him.

"Oh my god, you had sex! I can tell by the goofy looks on your faces!" she exclaimed.

"Shhh," Luke shushed her and looked nervously around the room, "announce it to the whole town why don't you."

"Why not?" Sookie asked defensively, "you're not ashamed of her are you?"

"Of course not, it's just that, well, you know how nuts this town gets," Luke explained.

Lorelai was a little behind on the conversation, "you can tell that just by looking at us?" she asked Sookie, "hey, keep an eye on Rory will you," Lorelai gestured to the table across the room, where Rory's fingers were entwined with Tristan's, Lane and Henry were sitting under the table, out of sight of Mrs Kim who'd just walked past the diner, and Paris was arguing with Jess about the way her eggs were cooked.

Lorelai sighed happily, "A Kodak moment."

She her cup out for a coffee refill, but Luke shook his head so Lorelai stood up to help herself. Luke held the pot above his head while Lorelai tried to climb up his arm to reach it.

Sookie leaned back against Jackson and he put an arm around her shoulder.

"Now that's a Kodak moment," she pronounced.
..

AN: HI. I was considering ending the story here, with everybody happy! ( What do you all think?