Chapter 23: Wake Up Calls
Lorelai listened to the recording by the annoying lady asking her to leave a message. Frustrated, she hit the end button on her cell phone, without leaving a message. She glanced at the clock on the wall of the kitchen and noted that it was five minutes before seven a.m.
Lorelai smiled as she thought about how rare it was for her to be up before seven on a Sunday morning. It almost never happened, but this morning she hadn't been able to sleep, wanting to share her exciting news with Luke, but for some reason, his cell phone wasn't answering.
Lorelai stood up and walked to the coffee maker, where she refilled her cup. She stood while she inhaled the aroma of the coffee. She turned and leaned against the counter, resting a hand on her stomach. She smiled as she thought about the life growing inside her. The thought made her so happy, that she was desperate to share it with her guy. She was having Luke's baby! God, she couldn't be happier.
She pushed herself away from the counter and quickly resumed her seat at the table. She picked up the cell and began to dial Luke's cell, when the door to Rory's room opened, and her daughter walked out. Lorelai canceled the call and said, "Morning, sweetie."
Rory mumbled something that may or may not have been morning. She walked to the coffee pot and grabbed the cup Lorelai had set out for her and filled it from the pot. After the cup was filled, she held it to her nose and said, "Mmmm, coffee."
Rory moved to the table and took the seat across from Lorelai, and asked, "What'cha doing?"
"Rewriting 'War and Peace'," Lorelai responded. "That Tolstoy guy left out a bunch of parts."
Rory looked doubtfully at her mother and asked, "On your cell phone?"
"Hey," Lorelai responded. "This may look like just a cell phone, but in actuality, it is a personal thought recorder. I just think my thoughts and it records them."
"I don't think Nokia makes anything like that," Rory declared.
"Well, they will because I'm inventing one tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Rory questioned.
"Yeah, tomorrow," Lorelai answered. "Right after running in the marathon and just before I film my new music video."
"Well, good luck with that."
Rory sipped her coffee, and then asked, "So, still no luck getting a hold of Luke?"
Lorelai looked at the phone in her hand and said, "No. I've tried four times this morning, and twice last night. Either his phone is off or he is out of the service area, because when I call, I go right to Bertha."
"Bertha?"
"Yeah, the lady who does the, leave a voice mail recording," Lorelai replied. "I'm calling her Bertha."
"Naturally."
"Why would Luke turn off his phone?" Lorelai wondered. "Do you think he's mad at me? Or what if he's met someone?" Lorelai began to look panicked, as she grabbed Rory's arm and said, "Oh, God. He's met someone and he's left me because I'm all pregnant and fat and disgusting."
"Mom, don't be silly," Rory said. "One, Luke doesn't even know you're pregnant and two, you've been pregnant for all of ten minutes, there's no way you're fat."
"Oh, yeah. That's right," Lorelai answered.
"Besides, Luke probably just turned off his phone for the funeral or something, and just forgot to turn it back on."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Lorelai pouted.
"Here," Rory said, holding out her hand for the phone.
"Why?"
Rory curled her fingers in a come here motion. Lorelai sighed and handed over the phone. Smiling Rory turned on the phone, pressed some numbers, and held it to her ear. After a moment she said, "Hello, Information? I need a number in Dayton, Ohio."
Lorelai nodded at Rory and said, "I knew that you would get smart going to that fancy college."
"Yes, could you connect me with Mr. Luke Danes' room?" Lorelai asked. "Thank you."
After the fourth ring, Lorelai heard someone pick up the phone. She heard no response for a long second. Finally she said, "Hello? Hello?"
"Wwwwhattt?" She heard a very groggy, tired, female voice answer.
Lorelai was caught off guard for a second, but she recovered and said, "Excuse me, they gave me the wrong room. I'm sorry to wake you." Then, she disconnected the call.
She hit redial on the phone, and a moment later, the desk at the hotel had transferred to Luke's room. Or at least they said it was Luke's room, but that was disproven when Lorelai heard the same female voice ask, "Wwwho is it?"
"I am so sorry," Lorelai apologized, "They keep giving me the wrong room."
Once again Lorelai hung up and redialed the hotel in Dayton. When someone answered, she said," Yeah, I'm trying to get in touch with Luke Danes who's staying at your hotel. Now I've called twice in the last five minutes and someone there keeps connecting me with the wrong room and I keep waking up this lady who is trying to sleep."
"I'm sorry, ma'am," the clerk apologized. "That was me who you talked to, I'm sorry for the mistake. Give me a sec and I'll get that room for you."
Lorelai could hear the clicking of computer keys as she waited. After a moment, the girl came back on and said, "Ma'am. The room that I connected you to is what I have listed in the computer for Mr. Danes. Can you give me a second?"
"Sure."
"Thanks. I'll be right back."
While Lorelai waited on hold, she had a sinking sensation in her stomach. After a moment, the clerk came back on and said, "Ma'am, I just spoke with my manager, and he confirmed that I transferred you to the proper room we have listed for Mr. Danes. If you would like to wait, we can send someone to his room."
Fear started to grip Lorelai, as she said, "No, no. C-could you just connect me to his room again?"
"Yes, ma'am. Hold on a second."
Lorelai listened as her call was again transferred. After the second ring she heard the same woman's voice mumble, "Helllloooo?"
"C-c-could I please speak to Luke Danes?" Lorelai asked.
"Who?" came the scratchy reply.
"Luke, Luke Danes."
The voice was quiet for a moment, then Lorelai heard, "Oh yeah. Okay. Just a sec."
Oh my, God, Lorelai thought. This can't be happening. There must be some kind of mistake. Luke would never do something like this. Oh my, God.
Something must have been evident on Lorelai's face because Rory asked, "Mom, what's the matter?"
Lorelai couldn't answer, she could only sit there praying that that her fears weren't confirmed, but a moment later, they were when she heard Luke's voice say, "Hello?"
The bottom was falling out of Lorelai's world, shock preventing her from replying. When she didn't say anything, Luke repeated, "Hello?"
Finally, Lorelai managed to squeak out, "Lu-Luke?"
"Lorelai?"
Rage, hurt and betrayal consumed Lorelai and it was all evident in her voice when she said, "Y-You can just go to hell, you son of a BITCH!"
Without waiting for a reply, Lorelai pressed end on the phone ending the conversation. She sat, staring at the phone for a moment.
Rory once again asked, "Mom what's the matter?"
Lorelai shook her head, unable to speak, and blinking back tears. Suddenly she wanted to be away from the phone. She stood and backed away till she encountered the kitchen counter, her hands covering her mouth.
"Mom, please. What's the matter?"
"Lu-Lu-Luke was with some woman."
"Oh, my God, are you sure?"
"I just woke them up."
"Oh, my God."
Lorelai again shook her head, trying to clear it. Suddenly she felt an immense weight on her left hand. She looked down at her hand and saw her engagement ring. The ring seemed to laugh and ridicule her, mocking her for ever thinking that she could have a happy life with someone.
The ring weighted heavier and heavier, and it seemed to burn her skin. She grabbed the ring and pulled it off her finger. Lorelai looked at the ring sitting in her hand, all she could think about was that everything it was suppose to represent was a lie, just one huge goddamned lie.
She sat the ring on the counter, no longer wanting to be touching it or be anywhere near it. She backed away from the counter, but hit the table. She continued to stare at the ring, for a long moment.
"Mom, are you alright?"
Lorelai looked at Rory, unable to answer. She turned back to the ring, then stalked back to the counter and picked it up. She stared at it for a second, and then knew what she had to do. Closing her fist around the ring, she turned and headed out of the kitchen, determination on her face.
"Mom?" Rory asked as she stood to follow. "Mom, what are you doing?"
Lorelai didn't answer. Instead, she stalked out of the kitchen, through the hall and into the bathroom.
Rory followed behind asking, "Mom, what are you going to do?"
Lorelai walked to the toilet and pulled up the lid. She pulled back her arm to throw away the piece of crap she held there.
"Mom, no!" Rory exclaimed wrapping both of her hands around Lorelai's before she could throw the ring. "What are you doing?"
"What the hell does it look like I'm doing?"
"Mom, think," Rory said calmly. "You don't want to do this."
"Oh, I think I do."
"Mom, that's a very pretty and very expensive piece of jewelry. You do not want to flush it down the toilet."
Lorelai looked at Rory for a moment then nodded.
"Okay, good," Rory said, remaining calm. "So, why don't let me hold onto the ring for you."
Lorelai nodded again. Slowly, Rory released her hold on Lorelai's hand. Lorelai opened her hand and held it towards Rory. Rory reached for the ring, but Lorelai closed her hand, jerked it back, and said, "I'm not giving it back."
"No, of course not. We could sell it and take a trip to Hawaii or something. Let's just not do anything rash."
Lorelai nodded and held out her hand. Rory reached out and took the ring.
Both women turned at the sound of the phone ringing in the other room. They looked back at each other, and Lorelai said, "Don't answer it. Just let it ring."
Lorelai listened to the recording by the annoying lady asking her to leave a message. Frustrated, she hit the end button on her cell phone, without leaving a message. She glanced at the clock on the wall of the kitchen and noted that it was five minutes before seven a.m.
Lorelai smiled as she thought about how rare it was for her to be up before seven on a Sunday morning. It almost never happened, but this morning she hadn't been able to sleep, wanting to share her exciting news with Luke, but for some reason, his cell phone wasn't answering.
Lorelai stood up and walked to the coffee maker, where she refilled her cup. She stood while she inhaled the aroma of the coffee. She turned and leaned against the counter, resting a hand on her stomach. She smiled as she thought about the life growing inside her. The thought made her so happy, that she was desperate to share it with her guy. She was having Luke's baby! God, she couldn't be happier.
She pushed herself away from the counter and quickly resumed her seat at the table. She picked up the cell and began to dial Luke's cell, when the door to Rory's room opened, and her daughter walked out. Lorelai canceled the call and said, "Morning, sweetie."
Rory mumbled something that may or may not have been morning. She walked to the coffee pot and grabbed the cup Lorelai had set out for her and filled it from the pot. After the cup was filled, she held it to her nose and said, "Mmmm, coffee."
Rory moved to the table and took the seat across from Lorelai, and asked, "What'cha doing?"
"Rewriting 'War and Peace'," Lorelai responded. "That Tolstoy guy left out a bunch of parts."
Rory looked doubtfully at her mother and asked, "On your cell phone?"
"Hey," Lorelai responded. "This may look like just a cell phone, but in actuality, it is a personal thought recorder. I just think my thoughts and it records them."
"I don't think Nokia makes anything like that," Rory declared.
"Well, they will because I'm inventing one tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Rory questioned.
"Yeah, tomorrow," Lorelai answered. "Right after running in the marathon and just before I film my new music video."
"Well, good luck with that."
Rory sipped her coffee, and then asked, "So, still no luck getting a hold of Luke?"
Lorelai looked at the phone in her hand and said, "No. I've tried four times this morning, and twice last night. Either his phone is off or he is out of the service area, because when I call, I go right to Bertha."
"Bertha?"
"Yeah, the lady who does the, leave a voice mail recording," Lorelai replied. "I'm calling her Bertha."
"Naturally."
"Why would Luke turn off his phone?" Lorelai wondered. "Do you think he's mad at me? Or what if he's met someone?" Lorelai began to look panicked, as she grabbed Rory's arm and said, "Oh, God. He's met someone and he's left me because I'm all pregnant and fat and disgusting."
"Mom, don't be silly," Rory said. "One, Luke doesn't even know you're pregnant and two, you've been pregnant for all of ten minutes, there's no way you're fat."
"Oh, yeah. That's right," Lorelai answered.
"Besides, Luke probably just turned off his phone for the funeral or something, and just forgot to turn it back on."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Lorelai pouted.
"Here," Rory said, holding out her hand for the phone.
"Why?"
Rory curled her fingers in a come here motion. Lorelai sighed and handed over the phone. Smiling Rory turned on the phone, pressed some numbers, and held it to her ear. After a moment she said, "Hello, Information? I need a number in Dayton, Ohio."
Lorelai nodded at Rory and said, "I knew that you would get smart going to that fancy college."
"Yes, could you connect me with Mr. Luke Danes' room?" Lorelai asked. "Thank you."
After the fourth ring, Lorelai heard someone pick up the phone. She heard no response for a long second. Finally she said, "Hello? Hello?"
"Wwwwhattt?" She heard a very groggy, tired, female voice answer.
Lorelai was caught off guard for a second, but she recovered and said, "Excuse me, they gave me the wrong room. I'm sorry to wake you." Then, she disconnected the call.
She hit redial on the phone, and a moment later, the desk at the hotel had transferred to Luke's room. Or at least they said it was Luke's room, but that was disproven when Lorelai heard the same female voice ask, "Wwwho is it?"
"I am so sorry," Lorelai apologized, "They keep giving me the wrong room."
Once again Lorelai hung up and redialed the hotel in Dayton. When someone answered, she said," Yeah, I'm trying to get in touch with Luke Danes who's staying at your hotel. Now I've called twice in the last five minutes and someone there keeps connecting me with the wrong room and I keep waking up this lady who is trying to sleep."
"I'm sorry, ma'am," the clerk apologized. "That was me who you talked to, I'm sorry for the mistake. Give me a sec and I'll get that room for you."
Lorelai could hear the clicking of computer keys as she waited. After a moment, the girl came back on and said, "Ma'am. The room that I connected you to is what I have listed in the computer for Mr. Danes. Can you give me a second?"
"Sure."
"Thanks. I'll be right back."
While Lorelai waited on hold, she had a sinking sensation in her stomach. After a moment, the clerk came back on and said, "Ma'am, I just spoke with my manager, and he confirmed that I transferred you to the proper room we have listed for Mr. Danes. If you would like to wait, we can send someone to his room."
Fear started to grip Lorelai, as she said, "No, no. C-could you just connect me to his room again?"
"Yes, ma'am. Hold on a second."
Lorelai listened as her call was again transferred. After the second ring she heard the same woman's voice mumble, "Helllloooo?"
"C-c-could I please speak to Luke Danes?" Lorelai asked.
"Who?" came the scratchy reply.
"Luke, Luke Danes."
The voice was quiet for a moment, then Lorelai heard, "Oh yeah. Okay. Just a sec."
Oh my, God, Lorelai thought. This can't be happening. There must be some kind of mistake. Luke would never do something like this. Oh my, God.
Something must have been evident on Lorelai's face because Rory asked, "Mom, what's the matter?"
Lorelai couldn't answer, she could only sit there praying that that her fears weren't confirmed, but a moment later, they were when she heard Luke's voice say, "Hello?"
The bottom was falling out of Lorelai's world, shock preventing her from replying. When she didn't say anything, Luke repeated, "Hello?"
Finally, Lorelai managed to squeak out, "Lu-Luke?"
"Lorelai?"
Rage, hurt and betrayal consumed Lorelai and it was all evident in her voice when she said, "Y-You can just go to hell, you son of a BITCH!"
Without waiting for a reply, Lorelai pressed end on the phone ending the conversation. She sat, staring at the phone for a moment.
Rory once again asked, "Mom what's the matter?"
Lorelai shook her head, unable to speak, and blinking back tears. Suddenly she wanted to be away from the phone. She stood and backed away till she encountered the kitchen counter, her hands covering her mouth.
"Mom, please. What's the matter?"
"Lu-Lu-Luke was with some woman."
"Oh, my God, are you sure?"
"I just woke them up."
"Oh, my God."
Lorelai again shook her head, trying to clear it. Suddenly she felt an immense weight on her left hand. She looked down at her hand and saw her engagement ring. The ring seemed to laugh and ridicule her, mocking her for ever thinking that she could have a happy life with someone.
The ring weighted heavier and heavier, and it seemed to burn her skin. She grabbed the ring and pulled it off her finger. Lorelai looked at the ring sitting in her hand, all she could think about was that everything it was suppose to represent was a lie, just one huge goddamned lie.
She sat the ring on the counter, no longer wanting to be touching it or be anywhere near it. She backed away from the counter, but hit the table. She continued to stare at the ring, for a long moment.
"Mom, are you alright?"
Lorelai looked at Rory, unable to answer. She turned back to the ring, then stalked back to the counter and picked it up. She stared at it for a second, and then knew what she had to do. Closing her fist around the ring, she turned and headed out of the kitchen, determination on her face.
"Mom?" Rory asked as she stood to follow. "Mom, what are you doing?"
Lorelai didn't answer. Instead, she stalked out of the kitchen, through the hall and into the bathroom.
Rory followed behind asking, "Mom, what are you going to do?"
Lorelai walked to the toilet and pulled up the lid. She pulled back her arm to throw away the piece of crap she held there.
"Mom, no!" Rory exclaimed wrapping both of her hands around Lorelai's before she could throw the ring. "What are you doing?"
"What the hell does it look like I'm doing?"
"Mom, think," Rory said calmly. "You don't want to do this."
"Oh, I think I do."
"Mom, that's a very pretty and very expensive piece of jewelry. You do not want to flush it down the toilet."
Lorelai looked at Rory for a moment then nodded.
"Okay, good," Rory said, remaining calm. "So, why don't let me hold onto the ring for you."
Lorelai nodded again. Slowly, Rory released her hold on Lorelai's hand. Lorelai opened her hand and held it towards Rory. Rory reached for the ring, but Lorelai closed her hand, jerked it back, and said, "I'm not giving it back."
"No, of course not. We could sell it and take a trip to Hawaii or something. Let's just not do anything rash."
Lorelai nodded and held out her hand. Rory reached out and took the ring.
Both women turned at the sound of the phone ringing in the other room. They looked back at each other, and Lorelai said, "Don't answer it. Just let it ring."