"It's Right There, parts 61 – 62"
. . .
Part 61. . .
When they had finished greeting the guests, Lorelai turned to Luke and smiled at him. "That wasn't so bad, huh?"
"If you consider saying the phrase 'thank you' four thousand times in a row as not bad, then I guess not," Luke said.
Lorelai leaned toward him and said, "It's just preparation for the honeymoon and all the 'thank you's' that you'll be muttering amid the throes of passion." She closed her eyes and quietly panted, "Oh Lorelai, unh, thank you, oh God, oh yeah, thank you –"
Luke's faced reddened with embarrassment as he clamped a hand over her mouth. "Will you knock that off?" he hissed, looking around nervously.
Lorelai giggled as she pushed his hand away. "Relax, no one heard me."
"Yeah, well. . ." Luke pressed his forehead against hers. "I think you might be calling out a few thank you's yourself."
Lorelai smirked. "I bet I will."
Luke wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her up against his body. "Hey?"
"Yeah?" Lorelai draped her arms over his shoulders and twirled her fingers through his hair.
He brought his lips to her ear and whispered, "You look amazing."
Lorelai smiled. "So do you."
He pulled back slightly and glanced down at her dress. "I still can't get over that dress. It's just. . ."
"Nice?" Lorelai supplied.
Luke nodded as he ran his thumb over the embroidered detail on the bodice. "Very."
Rory and Sookie walked up to them, followed by the photographers. "Hey, you two," Sookie said. "They wanna get some pictures by the chuppah. Some of you guys alone, some of you with the wedding party, stuff like that."
"Okay," Lorelai said.
"Uh, I'll go get the guys," Luke said.
"Okay," Lorelai replied. As he walked away, the rest of them started walking toward the chuppah.
Sookie pointed to Lorelai's hand. "You can switch your ring back now, honey."
Lorelai glanced down at her hands. "Oh, right." She moved her engagement ring back to her left hand, slipping it on after her wedding band. She held them out at arm's length and smiled. "Aw, they look good together."
Sookie handed Lorelai her bouquet. "Yes, they do. Now, let's get these pictures done so I can go inside and make sure the servers aren't screwing up the food."
"Everything's already made, Sookie," Lorelai reminded her. "They just have to put the food onto the plates."
"Yes, but the presentation of the food is just as important as the actual taste of the food," Sookie said with an exasperated sigh. "You know that. I've explained it to you hundreds of times."
Lorelai nodded and patted Sookie on the shoulder. "I know. We'll try to hurry." She glanced past her and smiled. "Look, here are the guys. Okay, let's get this these pictures done before Sookie has a breakdown." Luke, Jess, and John walked up to them, and the photography session began.
. . .
When they were finished, the wedding party headed into the house to relax for a few minutes before the first dance. The wedding guests stayed out front, some of them sitting down at their tables, some of them standing around the yard mingling.
Sookie went into the kitchen to help with the food while the rest of them lounged around the living room talking. Lorelai and Luke were sitting next to each other on the couch with Lorelai's head resting against his shoulder.
"I need coffee," Lorelai whined. "Who wants to go get it for me? I'll give you everything I own. . .which, because I'm now married to Luke, includes a lovely diner for all your restauranting needs, so the deal's pretty good for whoever takes it."
"Uh, sorry to disappoint you, but you don't automatically own the diner now," Luke informed her.
Lorelai gasped and sat up straight. "What? So this entire year – the whole 'me pretending to fall in love with you and agreeing to marry you' act that I put on with the sole intention of becoming an owner of the diner was for nothing?"
"Yup."
Her eyes widened and she clutched her chest. "And now I'm stuck with you for a husband?"
"Looks that way."
Lorelai frowned. "Wow. That sucks."
Luke shrugged. "Sorry."
"Tsk." Lorelai slumped back against him. "Someone. . .coffee. . .soon. . ."
Rory stood up and started walking toward the kitchen. "I'll go get it."
"Thank you. Hurry!" Lorelai urged.
Rory returned a minute later with a mug of coffee and handed it to Lorelai.
"Oh, God bless you, child," Lorelai said. She took a long sip and moaned happily. "Ahhh, wow, I needed that."
A few minutes later, the DJ walked into the house. "Okay, you guys just about ready?"
Lorelai looked up at him from the couch. "Mmhmm." She patted Luke on the knee. "Ready?"
"Yup."
"Sookie!" Lorelai called toward the kitchen. "Come on!"
Sookie walked out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "I'm ready."
Lorelai finished the last of her coffee and set the mug on the coffee table, then the bridal party lined up by the door. The DJ stood at the doorway and explained, "Okay, I'm gonna introduce the bridal party first and they'll walk out, and then everyone will stand, and I'll introduce the bride and groom, and then we'll start the first dance."
"Sounds good," Lorelai said with a nod.
Sookie turned around to look at Lorelai. "All the Way?"
Lorelai smiled and nodded. "You know it. It's our song."
The DJ walked out of the house, and a few seconds later, they heard him call for everyone's attention. He introduced the bridal party, and the four of them walked out into the front yard.
The front door closed, leaving Lorelai and Luke standing in the entryway. She smiled up at him. "Hey."
"Hi." Luke kissed her gently on the lips, then pulled back, glanced around, and asked, "Wait, are we the only people in the house right now?"
Lorelai nodded. "I think so. Besides a few servers in the kitchen."
Luke turned to her with a sly smirk. He put his hands on her shoulders and pressed her up against the front door as he kissed her deeply. It wasn't like the sweet, tame, 'there are people watching us' kiss that they shared right after their vows. It was an intense, needy, 'we're finally alone' kiss that was brimming with passion.
A soft moan escaped her throat as she felt his tongue parting her lips, and she opened her mouth to welcome it in. Her hands slid up the outside of his suit and grabbed onto his lapel, pulling him closer to her as the soft dueling of their tongues continued.
When he finally pulled back from her, he leaned his forehead against hers and smiled. She brought her hands up to his face and used her thumbs to wipe off the lipstick from his lips. "Wanna skip the rest of the wedding and just go to a motel?" Lorelai asked.
"Yeah."
"Okay, let's go."
They smiled at each other and kissed again, then got back into position to walk out the door. When they heard the DJ ask the guests to stand, Lorelai said, "Okay, let's start walking out."
Luke pulled open the door and Lorelai linked her arm through his. They stepped onto the porch and stood there for a second as the DJ announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to formerly introduce to you. . .Mr. and Mrs. Lucas Danes!"
As the crowd applauded, Lorelai and Luke smiled at each other and walked down the porch steps, across the yard, and over to the dance floor under the tent. One of the cameramen was aiming a video camera at them while the other snapped some pictures with the regular camera.
"The newlyweds will now lead us in the first dance of the evening," the DJ announced.
As the familiar Sinatra tune started playing from the speakers, Lorelai and Luke started dancing. The guests watched them dance alone for a minute before other couples started joining them on the dance floor.
A smiling Lorelai rested her chin on Luke's shoulder as she glanced at the other couples immediately surrounding her. She kissed Luke on the cheek before she pulled back to look at him. "This is nice, huh?"
Luke nodded. "Yeah, this is nice."
"This time last year, would you have ever imagined that we'd be where we are right now – here, dancing at our wedding?" Lorelai asked.
Luke shook his head. "Not in a million years."
"Me either," Lorelai said. "A lot can happen in a year."
"Yup."
She stared into his eyes as she stroked his sideburns. "I remember the first time I saw that look."
"What look?"
"The look you have in your eyes right now," Lorelai said. "The one that made me realize that you cared about me. . .that's the look that started it all."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. I'm glad it's still there."
Luke kissed her on the cheek. "It's always gonna be there."
Lorelai smiled. "Good, because otherwise this whole wedding thing probably would've been a waste of money." She rested her chin back against his shoulder as they danced the rest of the song.
When it was over, they sat down at the head table with the rest of the bridal party. As they began eating the salads, Lorelai nudged Rory with her elbow. "Hey. . . did you see that nice pile of presents?"
Rory smiled and glanced over at the gift table near Babette's porch. "Yes, I did. When are you gonna open them?"
Lorelai shrugged. "I don't know. They may have to wait until we get back from Vermont." She took a sip of champagne, then asked, "So, your plans are all set for the next few days, right?"
Rory nodded. "Yup. I'm going home with Dad and Sherry tonight, and then they're bringing me back on Wednesday night."
"Sounds good. And then we'll be back on Thursday."
"Yup, with lots of souvenirs for your favorite daughter," Rory added.
Lorelai smiled. "Right. I think that – "
She was interrupted by a clanging noise, and she turned to see what it was. She glanced at a nearby table and saw Miss Patty tapping her fork on her champagne glass. As several others joined in, Luke turned to Lorelai with a confused look. "Why the hell are they doing that?"
Lorelai smiled at him. "We're supposed to kiss when that happens."
Luke rolled his eyes. "You're kidding me."
"It's a wedding tradition," Lorelai said. Before he could protest, she leaned forward and pecked him on the lips, but the clanging didn't stop.
"Pathetic!" Miss Patty yelled.
"What kind of a kiss was that?" Babette yelled, banging louder on her glass. "Come on, put some feeling into it!" Other guests yelled similar things in agreement.
Lorelai shrugged at Luke. "They weren't satisfied with that kiss, hon."
"Too bad."
Lorelai put her hand on his arm. "Come on, it's our wedding day, it won't kill you to show a little affection here."
"No, I think it might," he replied.
Lorelai pouted and pressed her palms together. "Please? Pretty please?"
Luke rolled his eyes as the banging got even louder. "Is that the only thing that'll shut them up?"
"Yup."
He exhaled loudly and stood up. "All right, but this is the only time that banging is gonna work tonight, so don't even try it again," he announced to the crowd. He pulled Lorelai up from her seat and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her deeply. The crowd murmured their approval of this kiss, and the banging slowly dissipated.
As they broke apart, Lorelai smiled toward the audience. "How was that?"
Several people clapped, and Babette gave Luke a thumbs-up. "Much better, honey."
Luke and Lorelai sat back down, and Luke muttered, "Stupid people."
"And look at that – remarkably, you're still alive," Lorelai pointed out.
"Just barely," Luke huffed as he took a bite of his salad.
. . .
When they had finished their salads, Lorelai and Luke walked around to the tables to mingle with the guests as the main course was being served. As they reached Emily and Richard's table, they found Emily and Mrs. Kim in a conversation about furniture.
Lorelai sat down next to Richard, and Luke stood behind her. "How's it going, Dad?" Lorelai asked.
"Oh, just fine," Richard replied. He lowered his voice and said, "Don't tell your mother this, but I dare say that I kind of enjoy this casual type of outdoor wedding a tad more than those stuffy formal ones we always get roped into attending."
Lorelai smiled. "Your secret's safe with me."
"And dancing your first dance to Frank Sinatra – excellent choice," Richard said with a wink.
"We think so," Lorelai said with a nod.
As Mrs. Kim walked away, Emily turned to Lorelai and Luke. "Well, hello there, you two. How are you holding up?"
Luke nodded as Lorelai said, "Good, Mom. How's everything so far?"
"Fine, everything's just fine," Emily replied. "It appears that things are running smoothly."
"Yup, everything's going as we planned it," Lorelai said.
"Well, good, that's good," Emily said.
Lorelai stood up. "Okay, we're gonna go sit down and eat. We'll see you guys later."
"Yes, we'll see you soon," Emily said.
As Luke and Lorelai walked back to their table, Lorelai said, "Wow, your throat must be sore from all that talking."
"Well, I didn't know what to say," Luke said. "You're the one that's good at making small talk."
"Yes, and you're the one that's good at standing there for moral support," Lorelai said, patting him on the back. "It's a good system we've got."
"Yes, it is," Luke said. As they sat down at their table, he said, "Oh, I was thinking about maybe bringing a couple fishing poles to Vermont."
"For what?"
"To go fishing," Luke said. "John mentioned earlier that there are a lot of lakes up around that area to fish in."
Lorelai forced a smile. "Oh, well, remind me to thank him for that information later."
Luke shrugged. "Hey, we're gonna be there for a few days, and we don't know what else there is to do up there, so this'll be a good backup plan if we get bored."
"You think we're gonna get bored on our honeymoon?" Lorelai asked, narrowing her eyes at him. "Hon, don't you know what the main activity of most honeymoons is?"
"Please, even you can't do it nonstop for four days straight," Luke said, rolling his eyes. "We'll need other things to do."
Lorelai wrinkled her nose. "But fishing?" Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Ooh, wait – but don't you need some sort of license to fish?" she asked hopefully. "Guess we can't do it then. Shucks."
"Actually, you can buy it when you get there," Luke informed her.
"Oh, well, isn't that . . .handy," she muttered.
"Come on, it won't kill you to do something outdoorsy," Luke pointed out. "Plus, need I remind you that you're dragging me to an ice cream factory?"
Lorelai waved him off. "Okay, okay, point taken. No more complaining."'
"Thank you."
. . .
When they had finished eating, Luke walked over to talk with his friends while Lorelai and Rory walked into the house to get some coffee. When they returned with full mugs, Lorelai paused a moment and listened to the song that was just starting up. "Hey, this is My Funny Valentine," Lorelai said.
"Yes, I believe it is," Rory agreed.
Lorelai handed her mug to Rory. "Here, can you put this at my seat? There's something I wanna do."
"Sure."
Lorelai walked across the yard to where Richard was talking with Andrew, and she tapped him on the shoulder. "Dad?"
Richard turned around. "Lorelai, hello."
Lorelai gestured to the dance floor. "Um, do you wanna dance – it's Sinatra. I know how much you like him."
A small smile appeared on his lips and he nodded. "Why, I'd like that very much."
Lorelai smiled. "Good. Come on." She walked to the dance floor, and after excusing himself from Andrew, Richard followed behind her.
As they started dancing, Lorelai asked, "So, you're still having a good time?"
"I'm having a wonderful time," Richard replied. "You've planned a beautiful wedding, Lorelai. You should be very proud."
Lorelai smiled. "Thank you. I know it's not the fancy, extravagant wedding you and Mom had probably envisioned for me, but. . ."
"Oh, who cares about what we envisioned?" Richard remarked. "It's your wedding. As long as you're happy, we're happy."
Lorelai smiled. "Thanks, Dad."
"You know, someone once said, 'True it is that marriages be done in heaven and performed on earth'," Richard said.
"Wow, that's beautiful when you think about it," Lorelai commented.
"Yes, it is," Richard said. "But sometimes you look at two people getting married and you can just tell that it's destined not to work out. Something doesn't seem right about the particular situation."
Lorelai narrowed her eyes slightly, wondering where he was going with this.
"But. . . I must say, that certainly isn't the case here," Richard said. He paused a moment before he added, "Your mother and I are happy for you, Lorelai. . . happy that you've found someone who treats you and Rory well. That Luke is a good man."
Surprised to hear such tenderness from her father, a slight chill ran through Lorelai's body. She swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, he is," she whispered.
Across the yard, Rory was smiling as she watched Lorelai dance with Richard, and someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and smiled. "Luke, hi."
"Hey." He gestured toward the dance floor. "Uh, you wanna. . .you know. . ."
Rory smirked. "Aw, DaddyLuke, are you asking me to dance?"
Luke shrugged. "Well, you know, if you wanted to . . ."
Rory set her coffee on a nearby table and said, "Sure. Come on."
They walked onto the dance floor. Luke took one of Rory's small hands into his own, and placed his other hand on her back. As they started dancing, Rory smiled up at him. "So. . .you're married now."
"Looks that way," he agreed.
"How's it feel?"
"It feels. . .pretty good," Luke replied.
Rory glanced past him at Lorelai and Richard dancing. "Mom looks amazing, doesn't she?"
Luke turned his head to look at her. "Yes, she does." Lorelai looked over just then and saw him looking at her, and they smiled at each other. Luke turned back to Rory. "Okay, so, the longest I've been with her in a car is like an hour or two at most, but you've been on long road trips with her before – any advice for the four hour trek up to Vermont?"
Rory thought for a moment, then said, "Make sure you have music. I know you don't really like listening to music in the car. . ."
"I don't," he interjected.
"But if you don't have any, she'll complain the entire time about not having any, and that's a hundred times worse then having to listen to music."
"Huh. I see your point," Luke said. "Okay, bring music, got it. Anything else?"
"Either bring coffee with you, or be prepared to stop every thirty minutes to get some," Rory warned him.
Luke smiled. "Yeah, I figured that. I've already got some thermoses cleaned and ready to go."
"Smart man," Rory said.
"Thank you. Anything else?"
Rory puckered her lips as she pondered, then said, "Bring some food for the ride, because as you know, she's always hungry."
"Yes, she is."
"But also be prepared to stop at all the roadside stands. She loves road food."
"Okay."
"Other than that, you should be good," Rory said. "I wish you lots of luck."
"Thanks."
They danced almost a minute in silence before Rory said, "Luke?"
"Yeah?"
She stared up at him for a moment before she said quietly, "I'm glad you're my stepfather."
Luke smiled. "The feeling's mutual."
Rory smiled and nodded. "Good."
When the song ended, Lorelai walked over to them. "Okay, let me just say that you two dancing together was quite possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen. I hope the photographer got some good pictures of it."
"I saw a couple flashes go off, so I think he did," Rory said. She gestured across the yard. "I'm gonna go sit with Dean and Lane."
"Okay," Lorelai replied.
"Thanks for the dance, Luke," Rory said.
"My pleasure," he replied.
As Rory walked away, Lorelai heard the next song start up. She patted him on the chest and asked, "Ooh, you wanna dance or you gonna sit this one out?"
"Uh, I'm gonna take a break," Luke said.
"Later?" she asked hopefully.
"Promise." He kissed her on the cheek and walked away.
Lorelai glanced around and spotted Christopher across the yard, and she walked over to him. She tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned around. "Hey."
"Hi. Where's Sherry?" Lorelai asked.
"She just went inside to freshen up," Christopher said.
"Oh. Got a dance saved for the bride?" Lorelai asked.
Christopher smiled. "Absolutely."
Lorelai took his hand and led him to the dance floor, and they started dancing.
"So. . .what do you think?" Lorelai said. "Not a bad wedding for being planned in just a month, huh?"
"Not at all," Christopher said. "It's amazing, really. Though your mother must be screaming inside wondering where the gold-plated napkin rings are."
Lorelai smiled. "No, actually, they're handling the casual-type atmosphere very well. They even said they like it, though I personally think they're just so glad that I'm finally getting hitched that they don't care how the hell it happens anymore."
Christopher smiled. "Maybe." He paused a moment, then said, "You know, I'm happy for you, Lor. I don't know if I've told you that."
Lorelai smiled. "Thank you."
"I've been watching you. . . you know, throughout the wedding and everything, and . . . seeing you so happy is just. . ." Christopher shrugged and shook his head slightly. "It's great, Lor. Really. You deserve to be this happy." He pulled her closer and hugged her.
Lorelai smiled and nudged him with her elbow. "Okay, stop, you're gonna make me weepy."
He pulled back from her and smiled. "Sorry. Let's just dance."
. . .
Shortly after, it was time to cut the cake. A couple of servers wheeled it out on a cart, and Luke and Lorelai stood next to it on the porch. The crowd gathered in front of them on the lawn, and they both grasped the knife and cut the first piece together. They cut the piece in half and they each picked up a part of it.
Lorelai gave him a devilish grin. "The moment I've been waiting for."
"Don't even think about it," Luke warned her.
She smiled. "What are you gonna do? Divorce me?"
"Maybe."
They simultaneously brought the pieces of cake to each other's mouths and each took a bite, and a chorus of "aw's" sprang from the audience as they fed each other. When they had both finished chewing, Lorelai smiled at him. "Happy?"
"Yes."
Lorelai looked at the small piece she was still holding. "But, you know, I still have this tiny little piece left. What should I do with it?" She eyed him curiously, then glanced toward the crowd. "Should I?"
"Smush it, honey!" Miss Patty yelled, and several people cheered.
Lorelai turned back to Luke and shrugged. "The masses have spoken."
"Yeah, well, the masses aren't the one you have to live with for the rest of your life," Luke reminded her. He took a step back from her and held up his piece. "Plus, I have a retaliation piece."
"So. . .use it." Lorelai pressed her palm against his cheek, smearing the leftover cake all over it. Lorelai giggled as Luke returned the action, shoving his piece on her chin. The audience laughed at the scene, and with both of their faces covered with icing, Luke and Lorelai kissed softly as the crumbs felt onto their outfits.
Lorelai pulled back and licked the cake off of her lips. "Mm, that's good stuff, isn't it?"
"It's not bad."
One of the servers handed them some napkins before wheeling the cake back into the house. The crowd dispersed and headed back to their tables as Luke and Lorelai cleaned up.
Lorelai smiled as she brushed some of the crumbs off of Luke's suit. "You're not mad, are you? It was fun, right?"
Luke was wiping the icing off his fingers as he shrugged. "Yeah. . .okay, it was a little fun," he reluctantly admitted.
"Well, I hate to say I told you so. . ."
"No, you don't."
"You're right – I told you so," Lorelai said with a smile. "Now, let's go eat cake."
. . .
A little while later, Lorelai walked out of the house and onto the porch, and Sookie and Michel were standing near the front door.
"Oh my God, it just took me like twenty minutes to go to the bathroom," Lorelai announced.
"Bad chicken?" Michel suggested.
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "No, I've discovered that it's virtually impossible to go to the bathroom in a wedding dress. They're too. . .poofy."
"Yeah, women all over the world have had that problem," Sookie said. "I think some of them just hold it for twelve hours so they won't have to deal with it."
"Have you seen Luke?" Lorelai asked.
Sookie smiled and gestured to the tent. "Dance floor."
Surprised, Lorelai's eyes widened. "Dance floor? Dance floor with who. . ." Lorelai's voice trailed off as she saw Luke dancing with Emily. "Wow."
"Yeah," Sookie said.
"Interesting," Lorelai said. Her eyes gazed over to the right and saw Richard dancing with Rory. "Aw, look at that."
"I know, it's quite a cute scene out there," Sookie commented.
Down on the dance floor, Luke was slightly uncomfortable dancing with Emily, but was trying not to let it show as they talked.
"So, are you all packed for the honeymoon?" Emily asked.
"Yup, we're all set," Luke replied. "Though your daughter, even after saying that she wasn't bringing much, packed enough for a four-week vacation rather than a four-day one."
"Yes, well, she knows that it's good to be prepared for everything," Emily said. "She gets that from me."
"Ah."
They danced quietly for a few moments until Emily said, "She's happy."
Luke, who had been staring across the lawn at Lorelai, turned back to Emily. "Huh?"
Emily nodded toward Lorelai. "It's good to see her so happy."
Luke didn't know what to say, so he just nodded in agreement.
Emily cleared her throat and said, "You know, I always wanted Lorelai and Christopher to get back together, to see Rory's parents make it work."
Luke tensed up slightly. "Uh huh. . ."
Emily was staring across the yard at Lorelai. "But just seeing how happy she is right now. . . " She glanced up at Luke. "Well. . .you know. . .it's nice."
Luke nodded, and gave a sideways glance across the yard at Lorelai, who was laughing about something with Sookie. He smiled to himself before he glanced back at Emily. "Yeah, it's nice." She smiled and nodded, and they continued dancing.
. . .
Later in the evening, some of the guests had left, the servers had begun to clean up the tables, and the DJ announced that the next song would be the last dance of the evening. Lorelai was sitting at the head table sipping her champagne when she suddenly stood up and called, "Luke!"
The remaining guests all turned to look at her. "What's the matter, dollface?" Babette asked.
"It's the last dance, where's Luke?" Lorelai asked.
"I think I saw him go into the house," John said from across the yard.
"Someone get him out here," Lorelai said worriedly. "He can't miss the last dance!"
"Okay, chill out, I'll go find him," Jess said, standing up from his seat. He walked across the yard and into the house.
Lorelai walked over to the edge of the dance floor and tapped her foot impatiently. "Don't start the song until he gets out here," she warned the DJ. He nodded.
A minute later, Luke walked out of the house, and Lorelai clapped as he walked over to her. "Good, there you are."
"Sorry, I didn't know I had to announce when I was going to the bathroom," he muttered softly.
"I just didn't want you to miss the last dance," Lorelai said. She looked toward the DJ. "Okay, start the music!"
As "Wonderful Tonight" started pouring out from the speakers, Lorelai pulled Luke to the center of the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she wrapped hers around his neck, and they started dancing.
"This whole day. . .it was just. . ." Lorelai said. "I can't imagine a more incredible wedding."
Luke nodded in agreement.
"I can't believe it's almost over," Lorelai said with a frown. "I don't want it to end."
"Well, everything has to end eventually."
"Yeah, well, tell that to the cast of Frasier, will ya?"
"I'll send them a letter tomorrow," he replied.
Lorelai smiled. "Thank you." They kissed, then Lorelai rested her head against his chest as they danced the last dance of their wedding.
. . . . . .
Part 62. . .
Over an hour later, almost all of the guests were gone, the presents had been brought into the house, and the DJ, photographers, and servers had left.
Luke, Lorelai, Christopher, and Sherry were all talking on the front porch when Lorelai excused herself and walked into the house.
She walked to Rory's bedroom and knocked on the door. "Rory?"
"Come in," Rory's voice called back. Lorelai pushed open the door. Rory had just changed out of her bridesmaid dress, and was now standing at the dresser. "Hey."
"Hey." Lorelai walked over to her. "You all ready to go?"
Rory pulled her hair into a ponytail and nodded. "Yup. All set."
"Good, good."
They stared at each other for a moment before they leaned toward each other and hugged tightly. "Have a good time," Rory said.
"And you have a good time with your Dad," Lorelai said, rubbing Rory's back. "Call me everyday."
Rory pulled back and nodded. "I will. And try not to go insane from excitement when you're in the factory."
"I'll try." Lorelai hugged her again. "I love you, kid."
"I love you, too," Rory replied. "And I'm so happy for you, Mom." She pulled back and smiled. "And your wedding was perfect."
Lorelai smiled and nodded. "I know, it was."
"Everything. . .the food was good, the songs were great, the cake was fabulous, everything was so beautiful. . . "
"And the image of a drunk Miss Patty diving across the dance floor to catch the bouquet while screaming 'It's time for another husband!' will forever be vivid in my mind," Lorelai said with a laugh.
Rory laughed, then added, "And if the vividness starts to fade, we can revive it by watching that scene over and over again on the wedding video."
"Good plan," Lorelai said.
Rory took a deep breath and glanced toward her suitcase on the bed. "Okay, well. . .I guess I should get going."
Lorelai nodded. "Yeah, I guess so." She picked up the duffel bag from the floor as Rory grabbed the suitcase, and the two of them walked to the front porch.
"Here she is. All ready?" Christopher asked Rory.
Rory nodded. "Yup."
"Okay, let's get going," Christopher said. He took Rory's suitcase from her and started walking to the car, and the rest of the group followed behind him. As he put the suitcase into the trunk, Sherry said goodbye to Luke and Lorelai, then climbed into the car.
Rory kissed Luke on the cheek before she hugged him tightly. "Bye Luke. Have a good time."
"You too," Luke replied. "And thanks for the road trip advice."
"No problem," Rory replied as she pulled back.
"Road trip advice?" Lorelai asked, narrowing her eyes at them. "What are you talking about?"
Rory smiled. "Nothing, nothing." She hugged Lorelai. "Bye Mom."
"Bye Sweets," Lorelai replied. She kissed her on the cheek, then watched as she climbed into the back seat of the car.
Christopher shook Luke's hand, then hugged Lorelai goodbye. "Congratulations again. Have a good trip."
"Thanks. Drive safe," Lorelai said. Christopher climbed into the car as Lorelai walked over to the back door. "And don't forget to call me," she said to Rory.
"I won't," Rory replied. "Bye."
Lorelai pushed the door closed and took a few steps back from the car. Luke slipped one hand around her waist, and they both waved as the car pulled away.
When it was out of sight, Lorelai turned to Luke and smiled. "And then there were two."
"Yes, there were," Luke agreed. He took her hand and they walked into the house.
They climbed the staircase slowly, with one of Lorelai's hands clutching onto Luke's arm and the other holding up the bottom of her dress so she wouldn't trip on it. They walked into the bedroom, and despite the fact that they were home alone, closed the door out of habit.
They stood next to the bed, staring at each other, their fingers interlocked. Lorelai glanced down at her wedding dress. "This makes me feel so pure and virginal."
Luke smirked. "Two things you are not."
Lorelai gasped and pretended to be offended, then wrinkled her nose. "Okay, no argument from me." She took a deep breath. "So. . .husband of mine. . .you wanna help me out of this outfit or do you have some fantasy about doing it with the dress on? 'Cause that might be kinda fun."
Luke rolled his eyes. "Turn around."
Lorelai smiled and obliged. Luke unzipped the back of the wedding dress and she slid the straps off and let it fall the floor. She turned around to face him, and he helped her step out of the white pile of fabric that surrounded her feet.
She unhooked her strapless bra, and he watched intently as she pulled it away from her body, as if she was revealing herself to him for the first time. He reached forward, and the feel of his warm hands against her skin sent a tingling sensation through her body.
She closed her eyes and tilted her head up toward the ceiling as his fingers moved gently over her body, taking in the wonder of it all. He loved to touch her just as much as she liked being touched. Caressing her perfect body, listening to her appreciative sighs as he grazed over her most sensitive areas – it made him just as excited as it made her.
He moved his hands down to her hips, where they traced the waistband of her panties before trailing up her arms to her shoulders. His thumbs lingered for a moment in the divots of her clavicles before he cupped one hand around the back of her neck and pulled her toward him, letting their lips meet in a tender kiss.
As she pulled back from the kiss, she began unbuttoning his shirt. She slid it off and let it fall to the floor, then reached for his belt buckle. Piece by piece, the rest of their clothing came off until there was no more to remove.
They stood next to the bed for several minutes . . . kissing, touching, exploring each other's bodies, letting their arousal intensify. It was as if her sense of touch was magnified, for even the smallest act, such as his hand running through her hair, made her body surge with excitement.
Finally, they did make their way to the bed. They pulled the comforter up over themselves, covering their bodies from the waist down. He leaned down and kissed her, then whispered, "I love you."
Lorelai smiled up at him, and she ran her fingertips over his cheeks. "I love you, too," she whispered back. She put her hands on his shoulders and pulled him back down into a kiss as their bodies began moving together rhythmically.
There was no fast rocking of the bed. The headboard didn't slam loudly against the wall. There were only soft, gentle strokes as their bodies molded to each other. When they weren't kissing, their eyes were locked together. She kept her hands on his back, tracing small circles across his smooth skin. He'd occasionally run his fingertips over the outline of her jaw, just savoring the softness of her skin. Their facial expressions and soft moans clearly conveyed the mutual pleasure they were experiencing. . .the pleasure that neither wanted to end.
But eventually, the consummation of the marriage reached its pinnacle. As their climaxes washed over them, she pulled him closer, nuzzling her nose against his neck. He rolled off of her and pulled her tightly against his body, leaving as little space as possible between them. He pulled the covers up tightly around them, and after another whispered exchange of 'I love you', they both closed their eyes and went to sleep.
. . .
The next morning, they were in almost the exact same position, still snuggling close together, when Lorelai woke up. She looked at Luke still asleep next to her, and she smiled to herself. Her gaze drifted down to his hand, which was resting on her stomach.
His wedding ring glistened in the sunlight that was streaming through the window. She rested her hand next to his and brought her gaze back and forth between his ring and her identical, yet smaller, one. She took his hand into hers and stroked his palm, occasionally running her thumb up over his ring.
She was still doing this when Luke woke up a few minutes later, and he surprised her by closing his hand around hers. She turned to him, and seeing that he was awake, smiled. "Hey."
"Hi." He blinked a few times, getting used to the brightness of the room. "What time is it?"
Lorelai glanced at the clock on the nightstand. "Almost 7:30."
Luke rubbed his eyes. "We should get up."
"We are up."
"I mean, up up. Out of bed. On the road."
"Right. We should," Lorelai agreed, leaning her head against his chest.
Neither of them moved. They both lay there, staring up at the ceiling.
Lorelai patted him on the arm. "So, I'm a little sketchy on the details, but I'm pretty sure that we got married yesterday."
"Oh yeah? Well, that would explain the ring."
Lorelai glanced down at it again. "You look pretty in a ring."
"Oh, good, because all men try their hardest to look pretty," Luke said.
"Are you gonna wear it all the time?" Lorelai asked.
"Unless the situation calls for me to take it off."
"Like?" Lorelai prompted.
Luke shrugged. "I don't know. . .like if I'm changing the oil in the car and I don't want it to get dirty."
"Oh. . .right."
"Or if I'm trying to pick up another woman."
Lorelai smiled. "Wow, the first day as a married couple and you're already thinking about cheating."
"I don't like to waste time," Luke said.
"I see that," Lorelai said. "Speaking of time. . ." She glanced at the clock. "We should probably start that 'getting out of bed' thing we were talking about."
"Probably," he agreed.
Lorelai snuggled up against him. "Any minute now, the getting up will begin," she muttered as she closed her eyes.
"Yup, any minute," Luke said with a yawn. He kissed the top of her head, then closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep.
. . .
Two hours later, they had both showered and dressed, they had eaten breakfast, and they had loaded their suitcases into the car. Lorelai walked out of the kitchen into the living room. "The back door's locked, and the oven, stove, and coffee maker are all turned off."
"The side door's locked and I turned the air conditioner off so we wouldn't be wasting electricity," Luke said.
"Good thinking," Lorelai said. "I'm gonna go check upstairs and make sure we got everything."
"Okay, I'm gonna get some CDs for the car."
Lorelai's eyes widened. "What?" She cupped her hand around her ear. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that – I don't think I heard you right."
"You heard me fine," Luke said as he walked over to the shelf of CDs.
"You're voluntarily supporting my 'every car ride needs music' platform?" Lorelai asked.
"No, not every car ride needs it," Luke clarified. "But Rory informed me that music is definitely necessary when traveling for long periods of time with you."
"She's a smart girl," Lorelai said.
"I know. That's why I'm taking the advice," Luke said. He pointed up the stairs. "Now go."
"Be right back." Lorelai walked up the steps as Luke began scouring the CD collection.
A minute later, Lorelai walked back downstairs with her purse. "Good thing I checked. I almost forgot this." She walked over to Luke and looked at some of the CD's he had set out. She grabbed the one on top and said, "Whoa, whoa, whoa – what are you doing with this?"
"It's for the car," Luke replied with a shrug.
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Jimmy Buffet in the car? Jimmy Buffet shouldn't be listened to anywhere, let alone the car. It's liable to put you to sleep while you're driving."
"Hey, we are not driving for four hours only listening to the stuff you like," Luke told her. "Jimmy's coming with us."
"Yeah, well, Jimmy might find himself getting tossed out the window," Lorelai muttered as she pulled out a couple CDs.
"Yeah, well, if Jimmy goes out the window, Bon Jovi's following right behind him," Luke said, grabbing one of her CDs.
Lorelai gasped and grabbed it back from him. "You wouldn't dare do that to my pretty little Jon Bon!" She pouted and clutched it to her chest.
"Only if provoked," Luke said. "Let's go. We still have to stop at the diner." He picked up the stack of CDs and started walking toward the door.
Lorelai followed behind him, and she paused at the doorway. "Bye house. . .see you in a few days."
They stepped out onto the porch, and she pulled the door shut behind her. She jiggled the handle to make sure it was locked, then followed Luke down the porch steps to the Explorer.
They drove to the diner and parked right in front of the door. They both climbed out, and Luke pulled a couple of empty thermoses from the back seat. "Okay, I'm gonna go fill these up and check with Caesar about some things. If you want any snacks for the ride, run to the market," he said, pointing toward Doose's.
"Okay. I'll meet you back here," Lorelai said.
As Luke walked into the diner, Lorelai walked down the sidewalk to the market. She grabbed a basket from near the doorway and started walking through the aisles looking for good snacking foods for the car.
When she was done, she walked up the cash register, and Taylor was surprised to see her. "Lorelai – what are you doing here?"
Lorelai held up the basket. "Uh, shopping."
"But aren't you supposed to be on your honeymoon?" Taylor asked.
"That's what the food's for," Lorelai said. "So the sooner you start using that scanner thingy, the sooner we can leave for Vermont."
"Ah, I understand," Taylor replied. He scanned the items, Lorelai paid him, and she walked out of the store.
Miss Patty was walking down the sidewalk toward the market. "Lorelai, dear, aren't you supposed to be on – "
"Yes, the honeymoon, we're leaving right now," Lorelai said quickly. She held up the grocery bag. "I was just getting some things for the trip."
Miss Patty smiled. "You know, the wedding was beautiful, honey. Everything was perfect."
Lorelai grinned. "Thank you."
Miss Patty glanced down at Lorelai's wrist. "Ooh, that's gorgeous!"
Lorelai glanced down at the silver bracelet she was wearing. "Oh, yeah. Luke gave it to me this morning. We exchanged wedding presents over breakfast."
Miss Patty gave an impressed nod as she fingered the bracelet. "Wow, the diner man has surprisingly good taste."
Lorelai nodded. "Yes, he does."
Patty leaned toward her and lowered her voice. "Before you go. . .tell me, how was the wedding night?"
Lorelai smiled. "It was very nice. . . and you know that if I say any more than that, Luke will kill me."
Patty smiled and nudged her with her elbow. "The first time as a married couple. . .it's something, ain't it?"
Lorelai smiled and started walking down the sidewalk. "Yes, it is, Patty. See you in a few days!" she called over her shoulder.
She reached the truck just as Luke was walking out of the diner. "Ready?" he asked.
"Yup. Let's go," Lorelai said.
They put the thermoses and the grocery bag into the back seat, then got into the front. As Luke started the engine, Lorelai pulled a piece of paper out of her purse. "Okay, we need to get to I-91."
"I-91, got it."
As Luke pulled away from the curb, Lorelai stuck the directions in the glove compartment and pulled out two CD's. "Okay, what first – U2 or Best of Bowie?"
"Uh, U2."
"U2 it is," Lorelai said. She slipped the CD into the player. As it started playing, she slipped off her shoes, reclined her seat, put her window down, and rested her feet up on the dashboard. "This is gonna be fun, huh?"
Luke glanced over at her and smiled. "Yeah. . . yeah, it'll be nice."
. . .
A few hours later, they were driving down the highway when they saw a sign for a rest stop up ahead. Lorelai pointed to the sign and said, "Ooh, let's stop there."
"For what?" Luke asked.
Lorelai patted him on the shoulder. "Never question your wife, hon. Just do as you're told."
Luke didn't respond, but instead gave her a stern look that clearly said, 'You're insane if you think that's how this marriage is going to work.'
Lorelai smirked, then shrugged nonchalantly. "What? I have to go to the bathroom, okay? Just pull over."
Luke pulled off the highway and followed the exit ramp to the rest stop. They climbed out of the car and walked across the crowded parking lot into the building. They both went into their respective restrooms, then met back in the main area of the building.
Lorelai glanced around at the different food offerings, and her eyes fell on a pretzel stand. "Ooh, I'm gonna get a pretzel before we leave," she said. "Come on."
She started walking to the stand, and Luke followed behind her. "You know, we have food out in the car."
"Yeah, but we don't have sugar cinnamon pretzels," Lorelai replied over her shoulder. "And that's what I feel like eating." As she got into the line behind the stand, she turned around and asked, "Do you want something?"
Luke glanced at the display of fresh-baked soft pretzels and thought about it for a moment. "Uh. . . yeah, I guess, just get me a plain one." He pointed toward the door. "I'm gonna wait out front. It's a little too crowded in here for my taste," he said, glancing at the people rushing by him in every direction.
Lorelai smiled and nodded. "Okay. I'll meet ya out there."
. . .
Ten minutes later, Lorelai walked out of the building and found Luke waiting on a bench near the parking lot. She sat down next to him and handed him a pretzel wrapped in a napkin. "Here you go. One plain pretzel."
"Thanks."
Lorelai broke off a piece of hers and placed it in her mouth. "You know, as I was standing in line, I was looking around at the other food places, and I saw one that had these gigantic cookies, and let me tell you, I think I had to actually wipe a bit of drool from the corner of my mouth."
"They looked good, huh?"
"Very," Lorelai confirmed. "But I was still craving a pretzel."
"So you had a momentary conflict of interest?"
Lorelai nodded. "Yup, exactly. So I'm standing there, glancing back and forth between the cookie stand and the pretzel stand, trying to decide which one I want more. It was a very tough few minutes for me."
"I can imagine," Luke said. "The pretzels won out?"
"Yeah, but it was a really close call, and one of the deciding factors was that the cookie line had like a million people in it and I didn't wanna wait that long," Lorelai explained.
"Ah, I see. A million people does seem like it would be a long wait," Luke noted.
She took another bite of her pretzel, then nodded emphatically. "But, I have to say, this is one damn fine pretzel, so I'm satisfied with my choice."
Luke nodded. "Good." A few minutes later, they finished their pretzels and continued on their way.
. . .
It was almost three when they pulled up to the hotel. They checked in at the front desk and brought their luggage up to their room.
"Wooooow," Lorelai gushed as she walked inside. "Man, you always seem to find the best places. This is amazing." They set their suitcases by the door and looked around.
As Luke walked over to the desk to check out some of the brochures, Lorelai walked over to the window. "Oh my God, this view is beautiful." She stepped up onto the bed and jumped up and down a few times. "And we have a nice, sturdy bed. . ."
Luke glanced over at her. "Get down from there."
Lorelai stepped off of it and walked over to him. "What'd ya find?"
He handed her some of the brochures. "Stuff to do in the area."
Lorelai took them over to the couch and sat down. "Let's see." She started flipping through them while Luke brought his suitcase over to the luggage rack at the foot of the bed and started unpacking some of his clothes into the dresser.
"The ice cream factory isn't open today because it's Labor Day, so we'll have to save that for tomorrow," Lorelai said, looking down at the brochure.
"Uh huh."
She looked up. "So, for the rest of today, how about we hang out here for awhile, then we go out for dinner, and then head over to Lake Champlain and just walk around by the lake," Lorelai said. "Cool?"
Luke shrugged. "Whatever you want."
"I'll have to bring the camera," Lorelai said. "I bet that's a real postcard-y type scene to see."
"You brought a camera?" Luke asked.
"Yeah. Don't you want to visually document our honeymoon?" Lorelai asked. She stood up and walked over to him. "That way we can look back on it and remember it. . .plus we can show other people what we did." She ran her hands over his chest and added, "Well, there're are some things that will remain just between us."
Luke smirked. "I hope so." He leaned forward and kissed her.
She eagerly returned the kiss, then pulled back with a confused look. "What's that sound?"
Luke narrowed his eyes. "What sound?"
"Shh!" Lorelai hushed him, then listened for a moment. A small smile formed on her lips as she said, "Hm, I think it's Chester. . .he's yelling, 'Let me out, let me out!'"
Luke gave her an amused look. "Oh yeah? What should we do about that?"
Lorelai shrugged. "I think the only option is to let the poor guy out." She raised her eyebrows suggestively. "Ready to break in the bed?"
Luke checked his watch – the silver one that Lorelai had given him as a wedding present that morning. "Yeah, okay, I got some free time."
. . .
That night after dinner, they walked hand in hand along the lake until Lorelai stopped and said, "Wait, I wanna take a picture." She took her camera out of her purse. "I'm just gonna pretend that I know how this thing works."
"Sounds good."
She aimed it at the lake and took a picture, then turned to Luke and said, "Let's get one of the two of us in front of the lake." She handed the camera to him and said, "Here – your arms are longer."
Luke rolled his eyes. "These kinds of pictures never come out good. We'll probably end up with a picture of the sky or something."
"Well, then we'll be able to look at that picture and say, 'Aw, remember when we were standing under that sky?' That'll be a nice memory," Lorelai insisted.
She snuggled up next to him and he held the camera out at arm's length and took the picture. Lorelai smiled as he handed it back to her, and she slipped it into her purse. "Thank you."
They resumed walking, and Lorelai commented, "Good thing you told me to pack fall clothes. It's freezing out here." She buttoned up her coat and clutched onto his arm. "Brrr!"
"Think of something warm," Luke said, rubbing her arm.
"Like hell?"
"If that helps."
"It doesn't," she said sadly. "Ooh, but a nice steaming hot cup of coffee might. Or a nice hot bowl of soup. . .the new chicken kind where the pasta is shaped like goldfish. Those are cute."
"Mmhmm."
"Ooh, or a piece of warm apple pie, mm!" Lorelai licked her lips and rubbed her stomach. "Now I'm hungry."
"You're not hungry," he told her. "You just ate."
"But we didn't have dessert," Lorelai reminded him. "I need dessert. You know that I'm never satisfied until I've had dessert."
"Yeah, well, be a good girl and you'll get some back at the hotel," Luke said.
Lorelai gasped. "Dirty!"
Luke narrowed his eyes at her. "What?"
Lorelai giggled. "Get some."
Luke rolled his eyes. "You know what I meant."
"It definitely has a double meaning," Lorelai declared. "I know what you're thinking about," she said in a singsong voice. "And I have a feeling I'm gonna get some whether I'm a good girl or not."
"We'll see."
They walked a little bit further down the shoreline before Lorelai asked, "You remember the first time we. . .uh, got some?"
"Yup."
Lorelai smiled. "Followed quickly by the second time."
"And many more times after that," Luke added.
"It was a busy night," Lorelai commented.
"Very," he agreed.
"Were you nervous the first time?" she asked. "I mean, the first time with me."
"A little," he admitted. "You?"
"Maybe just a teeny, tiny bit," Lorelai said. She stopped walking and turned to face him. "Do you remember the first time we said 'I love you'?"
Luke put his hands on her shoulders. "Yup. . . you cried."
Lorelai nodded. "It was just so. . ." She glanced down at the ground and shook her head. "I don't know. It was one of those moments where your emotions overwhelm you."
He dropped one hand to her waist and pulled her up against his body. She placed her hands on his cheeks and pulled his face down until his lips met hers, and they kissed passionately.
Lorelai pulled back, tucked her hair behind her ears, and smiled up at him. "I'm not cold anymore."
"Good." He took her hand and they continued walking along the lake.
. . .
To be continued. . .