Lorelai plasters a smile on her face, "Hey sweets. I'm fine, just plotting ways to torture Michel tomorrow. What's up? Have a lot of homework?" Lorelai hung her jacket on a hook in the hall and joined Rory in the living room, taking a spot on the couch.
Rory shrugged her shoulders as she answered her mother, "Actually no, I had some reading but I got most of it done on the bus. So what do you want to do tonight?"
Lorelai raised an eyebrow at Rory, "No plans with Burgerboy jr.? I'm surprised." Lorelai shrugged her shoulders before going on.
"We could go to Al's and a movie. I think 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' is playing. We can drool over Newman and Redford." With the plans set, the girls go get ready.
Ten minutes later Lorelai remembered her forgotten purse. "Damn! Rory is Jess at the diner? I stopped by earlier and left my purse there."
Rory stuck her head out of her room, where she was putting on a sweater, "No, he's working, won't Luke be there anyway?"
Lorelai began looking in her coat pocket for cash. "No he's on a date. Do you have any cash? If not we may have to alter our plans."
Rory joins Lorelai in the entry way, "Yeah, I've got it covered, as long as you don't go overboard at Al's."
Lorelai pulls her coat on, giving Rory an admonishing look; "Me go overboard? You must be joking." The girls head out the door and onto dinner.
Lorelai is groaning is they walk from Al's to the movie theater, "Why did you let me order so much? I'm not sure if I'll be able to sit in the movie, I may have to lay in the aisle, do you think anyone will mind?"
Rory pulls her mother forward by her arm, "Only Kirk, he 'needs the leg room' that's why he needs an empty seat on each side of him." Lorelai nods as they turn into the theater, Rory buys two tickets and leads her mother inside.
After finding two seats in the back, Lorelai and Rory settle in ready to enjoy two movie stars in their prime. Lorelai starts to relax and is relieved that the movie will allow her a two-hour reprieve from her internal debate about Luke.
That stops immediately when she sees Luke and Nicole walk in, she immediately feels her muscle tense and she's confused again. The movie starts soon after and Paul Newman's eyes take Luke out of her mind.
After the movie they're walking slowly back to the house, debating who was cuter, Paul or Robert.
Bickering between themselves they hardly notice Nicole and Luke, who are walking a few steps ahead of them, it's not until Nicole turns to add her opinion that Lorelai sees them.
"Personally, I think it's Redford all the way, blonde hair and blue eyes are a killer combo." Nicole says as she turns slightly and smiles at them.
Rory nods her head emphatically, "That's what I'm saying, but the crazy lady keeps saying Newman's eyes smile and he has a killer sense of humor or something."
Tense again, Lorelai rolls her eyes before defending herself, "The man is hysterical and his eyes are gorgeous, they crinkle when he smiles."
They ladies agree to disagree and continue along their way, Luke interjects again a few minutes later, "Lorelai, you left your purse at the diner earlier, do you want to come by and get it? We're on our way back there."
Lorelai is quiet for a second, "Umm, no I'm kind of tired, I can grab it tomorrow." Luke looks at her a little strange and shrugs his shoulders, the group splits soon after and the girls continue home.
"Mom, are you sure you're okay? You've been really quiet all night, even during the movie." Lorelai and Rory are walking into the house as Rory broaches the subject again.
She knows something is wrong, she's silently willing her mother to give in and tell her. Lorelai sees the pleading in her daughter's eyes and succumbs.
Pulling Rory into the living room she sits on the sofa and pulls her legs up underneath her facing Rory. "Okay kiddo, you know I'm your crazy mother, right?" Rory nods.
"So, I've been feeling crazier then usual and having these wacko thoughts that are making me feel a little off." Lorelai pauses before continuing. "I was at Luke's and started feeling a little angry."
"Angry at Luke? Did he withhold coffee?" Rory asks.
"No, angry at Nicole because Luke and I haven't been talking as much and I can only think that it is because of her, I mean what else could it be?" Lorelai says this all rapidly and is out of breath for a few minutes waiting for Rory's response.
"So you're jealous?" Lorelai looks shocked. "That's what it sounds like, Luke isn't paying as much attention to you and it's upsetting you. You're jealous of the time he's spending with Nicole because it is taking time away from you."
Lorelai looks slightly dumbfounded, "I never thought of it like that. I guess jealous and Luke doesn't go together in my head, it's not like Luke and I are anything but friends. Isn't it weird that I'm not happier for him?"
Rory pats Lorelai's arm, "it doesn't mean you're not happy for him, it just means that you miss him. It's throwing off you routine. Go to sleep it'll be better in the morning." Rory walks towards her room, saying goodnight over her shoulder.
Lorelai sits on the couch, thinking about what Rory suggested. Am I jealous? It doesn't seem right.
Luke is happy and she wants to be happy for him. They seem good together and it's been a few months now so they must be getting serious.
A pit begins forming in Lorelai's stomach, what if Luke and Nicole get married, will she move into the diner? Will Luke move away?
Lorelai doesn't want to think about that happening, but once the though enters her head she can't make it go away. Instead it starts growing and suddenly Lorelai finds herself near tears.
She rises suddenly and walks out the front door, a
determined look on her face, she has to talk to Luke.