The two of them walked to the theater a few minutes later, Lorelai's purse decidedly heavier than before.
"I can't believe you put that much food in your bag, they are never going to let you in." Luke admonished as he pulled the door open for Lorelai.
She gave him a pointed look, "They will if you shut up and buy the tickets. Go!" She pushed him ahead and fastened her purse securely under her arm.
The two of them found seats in the middle and settled in for the first movie as Lorelai pulled chocolate bars and carrots out of her purse.
"You bought carrots? To a movie?" Luke asked, his face no doubt incredulous in the darkened theater.
Lorelai pushed them into his hands and shushed him, "The movie is starting, eat your carrot, Bugs." The two of them quieted down as the movie started and they were lost in the steamy south.
Before long Lorelai stretched out putting her feet on the seat in front and towards the end of the marathon found herself leaning sleepily on Luke's shoulder.
After the first movie was over Lorelai looked over and found Luke looking thoroughly bored, "Come on, let's go get coffee." She pulled him by the arm and pulled him out of the theater.
Both of them winced as they ran into Patty in the lobby. "Well, my dears are those sultry, southerners giving you two some ideas? You're in an awfully big hurry."
Luke opened his mouth to disagree but Lorelai stopped him. "Actually Patty, we're taking off for the south right now. Georgia by morning!"
Luke looked a little dumbfounded as Lorelai pulled him on and Patty looked on in confusion. The two of them rushed out of the theater and back to the diner.
"You must coffee me, I did spare us the Patty inquisition. I think I earned it." Lorelai sat up on a stool as Luke walked around the counter.
"I'll go you one better, pie. With a half a cup, you need to sleep tonight." Luke poured her a cup and cut her a slice of pie.
"I'll admit it, that marathon wasn't a great one, I forget how depressing Tennessee Williams can be. If you can't sleep after that, there's something wrong with you, other than the crazy lady who rambles on all night and doesn't let you sleep."
Luke leaned across the counter next to Lorelai, "You don't ramble on, Lorelai, well, it's not that bad. Besides, I did my fair share of talking last night. We're both mutually responsible. How's Rory doing?" He asked meaning both school and Jess.
Lorelai paused, thinking, "I think she's in denial or avoiding it entirely. She has thrown herself into school full force, which she probably would have done even if Jess was still here, but she hasn't really given herself anytime to deal with it."
Lorelai took another bite of her pie. "It's all going to hit her as soon as school is over. There's a lot of stuff she's going to have to face when Chilton is finished. The end of high school, the end of a relationship and she's going to be moving soon. This is going to be a tough summer for her."
Luke looked at Lorelai as she took a drink of coffee, waiting for her to continue, which she didn't. "Well, its going to be tough for you too, Lorelai. You'll be going through the same stuff as Rory. Child moving away, the inn being renovated, it's going to be a lot of changes to deal with."
Lorelai put her fork down; "The inn is closing." She said quietly, not looking up at Luke, who was shocked.
"Really? For good?" Luke walked around the counter and sat next to Lorelai. "What's going to happen now?"
Lorelai shrugged her shoulders. "Mia has been wanting to sell for awhile and with the fire damage she sees no reason to invest that much in something she doesn't want to do anymore. She'd only been holding on to it until Sookie and I were ready to open our own inn."
"Are you guys going to do that?" He reached over and sliced another piece of pie for Lorelai as she continued to talk.
"I haven't really thought about it yet, I'm the only one who knows right now. We're having a meeting tomorrow to announce it. I don't think that Sookie and I can afford to open an inn now. I'm not sure how cheap the Dragonfly is going to be and I have to worry about paying for Yale in three months."
Lorelai took a drink of coffee and sat quietly for a few minutes, it took Luke a few minutes to realize she was crying he leaned over and put his arm around her.
"Lor, it will be alright. Rory can get financial aid or loans and you can get loans for the Dragonfly. We'll work something out, we have three months. Eat your pie and I'll walk you home. We can talk about it tomorrow."
Lorelai wiped her tears with the napkin Luke provided as he went back around the counter and poured a cup of coffee to go. "Ready?" He asked as he came back around.
She nodded and reached for the coffee as they walked towards the door, Luke held it out of her reach. "Nope, this is for Rory, she'll need it to finish studying. You need to sleep."
They were quiet as they walked across the town square. "You really think it will all work out?" Lorelai asked, her voice still quiet.
Luke nudged her in the shoulder, "Yes, Lorelai. I am sure everything will work itself out. I'll talk to my friend at the bank and get information for you about small business loans and you can call Yale about financial aid. There is no need to worry about it until you know for sure. Talk to Sookie and Rory and they will tell you the same things."
Lorelai sighed, "I can't help it. I thought I would be ready to deal with Rory leaving, we are having an entire month together in Europe, but to deal with that and the inn on top of it. I feel like my little world I've created for myself is rapidly changing and I don't like it."
"You're just trying to get the coffee, it won't work. Everything will be fine, sleep will help you gain perspective. No more moping the rest of the way to your house or I'll deny you coffee tomorrow." Luke walked a few steps ahead of Lorelai.
She half-jogged to catch up to him, grabbing his arm, "No, I'm fine. Everything is coming up roses, just let me have my coffee tomorrow." Luke nodded in agreement and they kept walking, Lorelai's arm draped through Luke's.
"Okay, I've been melodramatic enough for the evening, how are you? Everything fine in the Kingdom of Luke?"
Luke was quiet for a minute. "Yeah, things are quiet but okay. It's a little weird to have Jess and Nicole both gone. It'll take some time to get used to it."
Lorelai gasped, "I'm so rude, here I am going on about my life changing and you're going through drastic changes too. Have you heard from either of them yet?"
Luke shrugged his shoulders, "Jess called for about five minutes to tell me where he was and Nicole dropped some stuff by a couple of days ago, she left it with Caesar. There was a note but I haven't really talked to her. Not a big deal, there really isn't anything to talk about with either of them."
They were at Lorelai's house by now and the two of them walked up the stairs. "Are you going to trust me to give that to Rory or do you want to poke in and give it to her?"
Luke studied Lorelai intently before answering, "I think I will hand it to her, you look a little too thirsty to me."
Lorelai playfully slapped his arm, "Fine." She opened the door and went in followed by Luke.
"Rory, you have a present here, this mean man won't let me have it to give to you so you have to get it yourself." Lorelai rambled as she and Luke walked into the living room.
Rory pokes her head out of the kitchen and sees her mother and Luke still arguing about the coffee, which Luke is holding above Lorelai's head. Rory's face lights up and she runs into the room with them.
"Luke, you are my hero." She takes the coffee and takes a long drink. "What have you crazy kids been up to this evening?"
Lorelai puts her purse on the couch; "We watched part of the movie marathon and had some pie. Did you get a lot of studying done?"
Rory nodded, "Yeah, my big test is Monday so after that I'll be able to take a break. We should have a movie night."
Lorelai nodded excitedly, "Sounds good to me."
Luke interrupted, "I'm going to head back to the diner. Good luck on your test, Rory. See you tomorrow, Lorelai."
Rory and Lorelai walked Luke to the door, "Thanks Luke, for the coffee and luck, I need both."
After Luke left Lorelai headed upstairs to get some sleep and Rory took a long sip of her coffee as she watched her mother go up the stairs with a small smile on her face.
