Title: A Match Made in Heaven (FKA Luke and Lorelai 4-Eva)
Part One: Rachel's Back
Author: Gluglug
Spoiler Warning/Timing: Third Season, post-Haunted Leg
Rating: PG (for language)
Summary: Rachel returns to play cupid between our favorite java junkie and her supplier.
Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls and all characters are property of The Dubba Dubba Dubba WB, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Amy Sherman- Palladino. They don't belong to me, just borrowing.
A/N: I originally posted this in script format, but decided to revise and beef it up with a narrative format. The basic story and dialogue is the same.
Just like any other morning in Stars Hollow, Lorelai entered Luke's diner and walked up to the counter for her morning coffee. Lorelai didn't realize it at the time, but this day was going to anything but normal. As usual, Luke looked up as she entered, nodded at her and poured a cup of coffee, but his face looked more dour than usual.
"You don't look like your usual chipper self."
"Rachel's back."
"Good morning to you too! What do you mean she's back- when did she get here?"
"Last night. I think she's found more ways to torture me."
"Wow, I thought after last time, she was out of your life for good."
"Well, technically she is. She's engaged. To a photographer she met on assignment. Apparently they fell in love while trying to get the best shot."
"Luke, I'm sorry."
"I'm not - I'm actually relieved. Now I can stop thinking about how I screwed up our relationship and she can be happy. Maybe I can move on with my life."
Lorelai nodded. "Closure's a good thing. But why did she come all the way here to tell you? Doesn't she own a phone?"
Luke's frowned deepened. "She said she had some "unfinished business" to attend to, whatever that means."
Lorelai got excited. "Ooh, intrigue! Wait, I can be Nancy Drew and you can be the Hardy boy played by Shaun Cassidy! Let's solve the mystery of Luke's ex and her chamber of secrets!"
"That sounds more Harry Potter than Hardy Boys. What, you didn't like Parker Stevenson? I heard he gave Kirstie Alley the big one."
Lorelai sounded even more immature than usual. "Gross! Anyway, Shaun was way cuter!"
"I preferred Parker myself."
"Whatever floats your boat, Luke."
"Go drink your coffee and I'll make you an egg white omelet with spinach."
Lorelai pouted. "Spinach, bad, cholesterol, good."
Luke knew he was wasting his breath but couldn't resist lecturing Lorelai about her health, maybe one day he'd finally get through to her. "No, you need to take better care of yourself. I don't want you getting sick again, sneezing all over the diner. Don't argue with me. Try it - you might actually like having a healthy breakfast."
Lorelai whined. "Whatever happened to pleasing the customer?"
Luke shot her a "don't mess with me" look. "You'll be pleased. Now go sit at a table and I'll get your omelet." He turned his back and walked to the kitchen. Lorelai stuck her tongue out at him.
"I saw that!"
Later that day around lunchtime, Rachel entered the diner looking for her ex-boyfriend. He was at his usual place, behind the counter.
"Hi Diner man. Can I schedule some quality time with you later? I want to talk to you."
Luke was wiping down the counter and looked up warily. "Hi Rachel. I'm working."
"Please? I need to talk to you and don't tell me you're too busy. I mean you can only wipe a counter so many times. I only need a half an hour of your precious time, ok?"
Luke sighed, knowing he couldn't avoid her forever. "OK, I'm taking my dinner break upstairs at 5:30. Do you want to come by then?"
"Perfect."
"So can you give me a hint?"
"I think you know."
"That's what I was afraid of."
"There's nothing to fear but fear itself. I'll see you later."
Later that afternoon Lorelai sat in the kitchen at the Inn, ignoring Sookie's chatter about the month's menus. For some reason, she couldn't get Luke out of her head. His coffee, the never ending array of flannel shirts, the ever-present backwards baseball cap. His intense gaze, the way he's always around when she needed him, how much she missed him during their fight, and oh yeah, and the dream where she was pregnant with his twins. She'd dismissed it as Sherry envy, but maybe Rory was right? That she was..
Sookie noticed her reverie. "Lorelai, what do you think of an all tofu menu?"
Lorelai was still in Luke-land. "Sure, whatever you want."
"Whoa. What's up? You haven't heard anything I've said. What are you daydreaming about?"
Lorelai sighed. "Luke."
Sookie raised her eyebrows. "Really, is it that good?"
Lorelai realized what Sookie meant and snapped out of her reverie. "Get your mind out of the gutter!" She paused. "It's just that Rachel's back for a brief visit. She's getting married, but she also came here for another reason, some "unfinished business." I'm worried about Luke, I hope she's not here to mess with his head."
Sookie looked at her best friend quizzically. "Maybe you're preoccupied for another reason?"
"What reason? Oh Sookie, no. Please don't give me another "Luke has the hots for me and wants to father my children" speech!"
"I never said he wanted to father your children."
"Whatever. I'm just dying to know what's going on with Rachel."
"Why don't you go and find out? I mean we're not getting any work done with you obsessing."
"I am obsessing, aren't I? Ok, you can handle the menu without me? You weren't really serious about the tofu, right?" Lorelai got up from the table and headed for the kitchen door.
"Right. See you later."
Luke sat down to eat dinner in his apartment, a yummy plate of steamed tofu, brown rice and broccoli. He looked up when he heard Rachel knock on the door.
"Hey Luke."
"Hey, Rachel. I'm just sitting down to eat. Do you want some? I made plenty."
"No thanks. I'm kind of off the veggie thing. I don't know how you can eat that stuff all the time. You know a burger once in a while won't kill ya."
"So I've heard. Did you come all the way here to pick on my dietary habits? Or are you gonna tell me why you're really here?"
"So how's Lorelai?"
Luke grumbled to himself, here it comes. "She's fine."
Rachel crossed her arms in front of her. "I'll bet you never told her, did you? I've been gone over a year and you're still 'just friends'."
"You don't know what the hell you're talking about, as usual."
"So you're not just friends?"
"We're friends. Anyway, you have no idea what I've been through the past year...with Jess' arrival and everything."
"So tell me."
Luke started to spill his guts in spite of himself. Rachel always had a way of drawing the truth out of him. "Well, Jess liked Rory and Lorelai didn't approve of them hanging out. Jess was flunking school and I asked Rory to tutor him. During the session, they went for a drive and got into an accident. Nothing serious, thank God. But Lorelai blamed me and practically bit my head off for letting Jess get close to her daughter. We didn't talk for weeks."
"But you're talking again?"
"We're back on track. Yes."
"And where is this train heading? Backwards or forwards? Is she seeing anyone?"
"Not that I'm aware of." He continued his confessional, hoping Rachel would get off his back. "But she had her heart broken not too long ago. She and Rory's father were about to reconcile but his ex-girlfriend got pregnant. He's going to stay with his ex and raise the kid. Lorelai was devastated. Now isn't the time.."
"Sounds like "As Stars Hollow Turns"..But Luke, it seems it's never the right time."
Luke sighed. "Well, any time I've tried to get serious with her, we're interrupted. I figure it's fate's way of telling me to leave it alone."
At that moment, Lorelai came upstairs to find out the latest on the Rachel intrigue. She was about to knock when she heard Rachel's voice.
"Well that's why I'm here, to give fate a little push, to get you and Lorelai together."
Luke looked up from his plate, not sure what he just heard. "Huh? Why is this so important to you?"
"Because I want you to be happy. The woman you love is within your reach and you need a little push."
Lorelai's ears burned and her heart pounded. She couldn't believe what she was hearing!
"And why is my happiness such a concern of yours?"
"Because I found true love and I want you to find it, too. Luke, in spite of your faults, you're a great guy and deserve your happiness. You and Lorelai are a match made in heaven."
"I don't think she sees it that way."
Rachel was getting frustrated. "How do you know? Have you ever bothered to really find out?"
"I already know the answer."
"You are so damn stubborn. That's one of your faults, Luke."
"Nice for my self-esteem."
"Sorry, I'm just saying you need to ask her how she feels about you. And if you don't, I will."
Luke's voice rose in anger. "You can't do that - it's none of your damn business!"
"Perhaps not. But if there's a slim chance that she doesn't love you, you need to move on with your life. Don't waste it pining away. But if she does love you, imagine how happy you'd be."
"Happiness is overrated. And If I decide to pine, isn't that MY choice?"
"Yeah, a really stupid one, you're a hopeless case, Luke. I'm leaving!" Rachel turned on her heel, headed for the door and slammed it shut behind her.
To avoid seeing Rachel, Lorelai hid in the hall closet, still in shock.
Luke was still shouting. "Yeah, get the hell out of here!" He sat alone with his half-eaten dinner, he had lost his appetite. He muttered to himself, "I can't believe the nerve of that woman, coming here to meddle in my life."
He sighed. But maybe Rachel was right. He didn't want to spend his life wondering what if.
Once Rachel left the building, Lorelai slipped out of the closet. She considered knocking on Luke's door but thought better of it. Still in a daze from what she has overheard, she descended the stairs and left the diner. She decided to pick up Chinese food and bring it home to Rory, she'd help her figure it out.
A few minutes later at the China Doll restaurant, Lorelai waited for her takeout dinner. Rachel walked by and spied Lorelei, entered the restaurant and stood on line behind her.
"Lorelai - Good to see you!"
Loreali spun around and saw the person she least wanted to talk to at that moment. She forced a smile. "Rachel! I heard you were back. Luke told me you're getting married. Congratulations!"
"Yup, I found the right guy, finally."
"Good for you."
Rachel wasted no time in getting to the point. "Hey, what about you? Found the right one?"
In spite of herself, Lorelai found herself spilling her guts to Rachel. "Me? Hell no. I mean, I was engaged to a really wonderful guy, Max, but it didn't work out. And I just had this huge blowup with Rory's dad because his ex-girlfriend is pregnant and..hey, why I am I telling you this?"
Rachel smirked at her. "I'm a good listener. Hey, have you ever thought about Luke? You know, dating him?"
"Luke and I are friends." Lorelai was growing tired of the familiar refrain and started to doubt it herself, considering what she had just overheard.
"I know it's none of my business, but I think there's a VERY good chance that you and Luke could be more than friends. That's all I'm saying."
"Rachel, you're right. It IS none of your business." Lorelai sighed. "But you know, you're not the first person I've heard this from. I've always dismissed it but I'm starting to think that this theory has legs.not Tina Turner's legs but legs nonetheless."
"Huh? Well, anyway think about it and if you decide that Luke is what you want, please tell him."
"I'll think about it. Rachel, aren't you going to order some food? They have yummy dumplings."
"No, I'm leaving soon. Say good-bye to Luke for me, ok?"
"Sure. Good to see you, Rachel." Lorelai watched her leave the restaurant. She was amazed at her gall, but somehow didn't resent her interference as much as she thought she would. Her take-out dinner was ready, so she handed the woman behind the counter a twenty dollar bill, got her change and left.
Lorelai drove home, anxious to talk to Rory and eat her dinner, she was starving. Rory was waiting at the door for her, still dressed in her Chilton uniform.
"Hi Mom, how was your day?"
Lorelai frowned. "Weird."
"What do you mean weird? Give me the food - Me and my po' chillin are hungry!"
Rory and Lorelai went into the kitchen. Rory took the food out of the bag and put it on two plates. They took their chopsticks and began to dig in.
"Well, it started this morning at the diner. Luke told me that Rachel's back in town."
Rory's blue eyes widened. "Really? Why?"
"Well, she told Luke she's engaged. While he wasn't too upset, he was concerned because she told him she had some unfinished business to take care of."
"What does that mean?"
"Oh, it gets better. Anyway, all day, for some reason I can't get Luke out of my head. So, after work I go to his place. I'm about to knock and hear Luke and Rachel arguing about ME! Rachel was trying to get Luke to tell me he's in love with me and that if he wasn't going to, she was!"
"She's got some nerve, that Rachel."
"Yeah, exactly. And then I went to the China Doll to pick up this delectable feast and guess who shows up?"
"Rachel?"
"Bingo! You win the prize - a half eaten jelly donut and stale coffee!"
"Gross! You keep the prize. So what did she say?"
"In a nutshell? She said I should think about dating Luke and if I want him I should tell him."
Rory decided to ask her mother the big question. They were nothing if not honest with each other, most of the time. "Well, DO you want him?"
"That, my friend, is the $64,000 question! You know, I'm starting to think so, but I'm kind of scared. I mean, Luke's friendship is one of the few things in this world that I can count on. I almost lost him when we were fighting and I'd be afraid to lose him if it didn't work out. Plus, I don't want to put you through the ringer like I did with Max, and then your dad."
"Don't worry about me Mom, I'm ok with this. Luke is a great guy and it's obvious that he's got more than a little crush on you. I don't know why you've always dismissed it whenever someone brings it up. Why don't you go talk to him?"
"Ah, my wise child. I'm gonna go talk to him, we have to figure this out. She looked at her half eaten plate. "Well, after I finish the lo mein and dumplings."
Part One: Rachel's Back
Author: Gluglug
Spoiler Warning/Timing: Third Season, post-Haunted Leg
Rating: PG (for language)
Summary: Rachel returns to play cupid between our favorite java junkie and her supplier.
Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls and all characters are property of The Dubba Dubba Dubba WB, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Amy Sherman- Palladino. They don't belong to me, just borrowing.
A/N: I originally posted this in script format, but decided to revise and beef it up with a narrative format. The basic story and dialogue is the same.
Just like any other morning in Stars Hollow, Lorelai entered Luke's diner and walked up to the counter for her morning coffee. Lorelai didn't realize it at the time, but this day was going to anything but normal. As usual, Luke looked up as she entered, nodded at her and poured a cup of coffee, but his face looked more dour than usual.
"You don't look like your usual chipper self."
"Rachel's back."
"Good morning to you too! What do you mean she's back- when did she get here?"
"Last night. I think she's found more ways to torture me."
"Wow, I thought after last time, she was out of your life for good."
"Well, technically she is. She's engaged. To a photographer she met on assignment. Apparently they fell in love while trying to get the best shot."
"Luke, I'm sorry."
"I'm not - I'm actually relieved. Now I can stop thinking about how I screwed up our relationship and she can be happy. Maybe I can move on with my life."
Lorelai nodded. "Closure's a good thing. But why did she come all the way here to tell you? Doesn't she own a phone?"
Luke's frowned deepened. "She said she had some "unfinished business" to attend to, whatever that means."
Lorelai got excited. "Ooh, intrigue! Wait, I can be Nancy Drew and you can be the Hardy boy played by Shaun Cassidy! Let's solve the mystery of Luke's ex and her chamber of secrets!"
"That sounds more Harry Potter than Hardy Boys. What, you didn't like Parker Stevenson? I heard he gave Kirstie Alley the big one."
Lorelai sounded even more immature than usual. "Gross! Anyway, Shaun was way cuter!"
"I preferred Parker myself."
"Whatever floats your boat, Luke."
"Go drink your coffee and I'll make you an egg white omelet with spinach."
Lorelai pouted. "Spinach, bad, cholesterol, good."
Luke knew he was wasting his breath but couldn't resist lecturing Lorelai about her health, maybe one day he'd finally get through to her. "No, you need to take better care of yourself. I don't want you getting sick again, sneezing all over the diner. Don't argue with me. Try it - you might actually like having a healthy breakfast."
Lorelai whined. "Whatever happened to pleasing the customer?"
Luke shot her a "don't mess with me" look. "You'll be pleased. Now go sit at a table and I'll get your omelet." He turned his back and walked to the kitchen. Lorelai stuck her tongue out at him.
"I saw that!"
Later that day around lunchtime, Rachel entered the diner looking for her ex-boyfriend. He was at his usual place, behind the counter.
"Hi Diner man. Can I schedule some quality time with you later? I want to talk to you."
Luke was wiping down the counter and looked up warily. "Hi Rachel. I'm working."
"Please? I need to talk to you and don't tell me you're too busy. I mean you can only wipe a counter so many times. I only need a half an hour of your precious time, ok?"
Luke sighed, knowing he couldn't avoid her forever. "OK, I'm taking my dinner break upstairs at 5:30. Do you want to come by then?"
"Perfect."
"So can you give me a hint?"
"I think you know."
"That's what I was afraid of."
"There's nothing to fear but fear itself. I'll see you later."
Later that afternoon Lorelai sat in the kitchen at the Inn, ignoring Sookie's chatter about the month's menus. For some reason, she couldn't get Luke out of her head. His coffee, the never ending array of flannel shirts, the ever-present backwards baseball cap. His intense gaze, the way he's always around when she needed him, how much she missed him during their fight, and oh yeah, and the dream where she was pregnant with his twins. She'd dismissed it as Sherry envy, but maybe Rory was right? That she was..
Sookie noticed her reverie. "Lorelai, what do you think of an all tofu menu?"
Lorelai was still in Luke-land. "Sure, whatever you want."
"Whoa. What's up? You haven't heard anything I've said. What are you daydreaming about?"
Lorelai sighed. "Luke."
Sookie raised her eyebrows. "Really, is it that good?"
Lorelai realized what Sookie meant and snapped out of her reverie. "Get your mind out of the gutter!" She paused. "It's just that Rachel's back for a brief visit. She's getting married, but she also came here for another reason, some "unfinished business." I'm worried about Luke, I hope she's not here to mess with his head."
Sookie looked at her best friend quizzically. "Maybe you're preoccupied for another reason?"
"What reason? Oh Sookie, no. Please don't give me another "Luke has the hots for me and wants to father my children" speech!"
"I never said he wanted to father your children."
"Whatever. I'm just dying to know what's going on with Rachel."
"Why don't you go and find out? I mean we're not getting any work done with you obsessing."
"I am obsessing, aren't I? Ok, you can handle the menu without me? You weren't really serious about the tofu, right?" Lorelai got up from the table and headed for the kitchen door.
"Right. See you later."
Luke sat down to eat dinner in his apartment, a yummy plate of steamed tofu, brown rice and broccoli. He looked up when he heard Rachel knock on the door.
"Hey Luke."
"Hey, Rachel. I'm just sitting down to eat. Do you want some? I made plenty."
"No thanks. I'm kind of off the veggie thing. I don't know how you can eat that stuff all the time. You know a burger once in a while won't kill ya."
"So I've heard. Did you come all the way here to pick on my dietary habits? Or are you gonna tell me why you're really here?"
"So how's Lorelai?"
Luke grumbled to himself, here it comes. "She's fine."
Rachel crossed her arms in front of her. "I'll bet you never told her, did you? I've been gone over a year and you're still 'just friends'."
"You don't know what the hell you're talking about, as usual."
"So you're not just friends?"
"We're friends. Anyway, you have no idea what I've been through the past year...with Jess' arrival and everything."
"So tell me."
Luke started to spill his guts in spite of himself. Rachel always had a way of drawing the truth out of him. "Well, Jess liked Rory and Lorelai didn't approve of them hanging out. Jess was flunking school and I asked Rory to tutor him. During the session, they went for a drive and got into an accident. Nothing serious, thank God. But Lorelai blamed me and practically bit my head off for letting Jess get close to her daughter. We didn't talk for weeks."
"But you're talking again?"
"We're back on track. Yes."
"And where is this train heading? Backwards or forwards? Is she seeing anyone?"
"Not that I'm aware of." He continued his confessional, hoping Rachel would get off his back. "But she had her heart broken not too long ago. She and Rory's father were about to reconcile but his ex-girlfriend got pregnant. He's going to stay with his ex and raise the kid. Lorelai was devastated. Now isn't the time.."
"Sounds like "As Stars Hollow Turns"..But Luke, it seems it's never the right time."
Luke sighed. "Well, any time I've tried to get serious with her, we're interrupted. I figure it's fate's way of telling me to leave it alone."
At that moment, Lorelai came upstairs to find out the latest on the Rachel intrigue. She was about to knock when she heard Rachel's voice.
"Well that's why I'm here, to give fate a little push, to get you and Lorelai together."
Luke looked up from his plate, not sure what he just heard. "Huh? Why is this so important to you?"
"Because I want you to be happy. The woman you love is within your reach and you need a little push."
Lorelai's ears burned and her heart pounded. She couldn't believe what she was hearing!
"And why is my happiness such a concern of yours?"
"Because I found true love and I want you to find it, too. Luke, in spite of your faults, you're a great guy and deserve your happiness. You and Lorelai are a match made in heaven."
"I don't think she sees it that way."
Rachel was getting frustrated. "How do you know? Have you ever bothered to really find out?"
"I already know the answer."
"You are so damn stubborn. That's one of your faults, Luke."
"Nice for my self-esteem."
"Sorry, I'm just saying you need to ask her how she feels about you. And if you don't, I will."
Luke's voice rose in anger. "You can't do that - it's none of your damn business!"
"Perhaps not. But if there's a slim chance that she doesn't love you, you need to move on with your life. Don't waste it pining away. But if she does love you, imagine how happy you'd be."
"Happiness is overrated. And If I decide to pine, isn't that MY choice?"
"Yeah, a really stupid one, you're a hopeless case, Luke. I'm leaving!" Rachel turned on her heel, headed for the door and slammed it shut behind her.
To avoid seeing Rachel, Lorelai hid in the hall closet, still in shock.
Luke was still shouting. "Yeah, get the hell out of here!" He sat alone with his half-eaten dinner, he had lost his appetite. He muttered to himself, "I can't believe the nerve of that woman, coming here to meddle in my life."
He sighed. But maybe Rachel was right. He didn't want to spend his life wondering what if.
Once Rachel left the building, Lorelai slipped out of the closet. She considered knocking on Luke's door but thought better of it. Still in a daze from what she has overheard, she descended the stairs and left the diner. She decided to pick up Chinese food and bring it home to Rory, she'd help her figure it out.
A few minutes later at the China Doll restaurant, Lorelai waited for her takeout dinner. Rachel walked by and spied Lorelei, entered the restaurant and stood on line behind her.
"Lorelai - Good to see you!"
Loreali spun around and saw the person she least wanted to talk to at that moment. She forced a smile. "Rachel! I heard you were back. Luke told me you're getting married. Congratulations!"
"Yup, I found the right guy, finally."
"Good for you."
Rachel wasted no time in getting to the point. "Hey, what about you? Found the right one?"
In spite of herself, Lorelai found herself spilling her guts to Rachel. "Me? Hell no. I mean, I was engaged to a really wonderful guy, Max, but it didn't work out. And I just had this huge blowup with Rory's dad because his ex-girlfriend is pregnant and..hey, why I am I telling you this?"
Rachel smirked at her. "I'm a good listener. Hey, have you ever thought about Luke? You know, dating him?"
"Luke and I are friends." Lorelai was growing tired of the familiar refrain and started to doubt it herself, considering what she had just overheard.
"I know it's none of my business, but I think there's a VERY good chance that you and Luke could be more than friends. That's all I'm saying."
"Rachel, you're right. It IS none of your business." Lorelai sighed. "But you know, you're not the first person I've heard this from. I've always dismissed it but I'm starting to think that this theory has legs.not Tina Turner's legs but legs nonetheless."
"Huh? Well, anyway think about it and if you decide that Luke is what you want, please tell him."
"I'll think about it. Rachel, aren't you going to order some food? They have yummy dumplings."
"No, I'm leaving soon. Say good-bye to Luke for me, ok?"
"Sure. Good to see you, Rachel." Lorelai watched her leave the restaurant. She was amazed at her gall, but somehow didn't resent her interference as much as she thought she would. Her take-out dinner was ready, so she handed the woman behind the counter a twenty dollar bill, got her change and left.
Lorelai drove home, anxious to talk to Rory and eat her dinner, she was starving. Rory was waiting at the door for her, still dressed in her Chilton uniform.
"Hi Mom, how was your day?"
Lorelai frowned. "Weird."
"What do you mean weird? Give me the food - Me and my po' chillin are hungry!"
Rory and Lorelai went into the kitchen. Rory took the food out of the bag and put it on two plates. They took their chopsticks and began to dig in.
"Well, it started this morning at the diner. Luke told me that Rachel's back in town."
Rory's blue eyes widened. "Really? Why?"
"Well, she told Luke she's engaged. While he wasn't too upset, he was concerned because she told him she had some unfinished business to take care of."
"What does that mean?"
"Oh, it gets better. Anyway, all day, for some reason I can't get Luke out of my head. So, after work I go to his place. I'm about to knock and hear Luke and Rachel arguing about ME! Rachel was trying to get Luke to tell me he's in love with me and that if he wasn't going to, she was!"
"She's got some nerve, that Rachel."
"Yeah, exactly. And then I went to the China Doll to pick up this delectable feast and guess who shows up?"
"Rachel?"
"Bingo! You win the prize - a half eaten jelly donut and stale coffee!"
"Gross! You keep the prize. So what did she say?"
"In a nutshell? She said I should think about dating Luke and if I want him I should tell him."
Rory decided to ask her mother the big question. They were nothing if not honest with each other, most of the time. "Well, DO you want him?"
"That, my friend, is the $64,000 question! You know, I'm starting to think so, but I'm kind of scared. I mean, Luke's friendship is one of the few things in this world that I can count on. I almost lost him when we were fighting and I'd be afraid to lose him if it didn't work out. Plus, I don't want to put you through the ringer like I did with Max, and then your dad."
"Don't worry about me Mom, I'm ok with this. Luke is a great guy and it's obvious that he's got more than a little crush on you. I don't know why you've always dismissed it whenever someone brings it up. Why don't you go talk to him?"
"Ah, my wise child. I'm gonna go talk to him, we have to figure this out. She looked at her half eaten plate. "Well, after I finish the lo mein and dumplings."