SPOILERS - None.
SUMMARY - Same as the other chapters
DISCLAIMER - The WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, et al owns it all.
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Chapter Four
I ran to my garment bag and dumped out everything that was in it. I had a dark gray suit, a white dress shirt, gym clothes, a couple of Henley shirts, boxers, a pair of jeans. I gathered up all the washable stuff and tossed them in the washing machine. Fortunately, Luke had detergent since he still washes his aprons and stuff here. The suit reeked of cigarette smoke from the cocktail party I had been to a few days ago in London. I grabbed the suit, tie and dress shirt and stuffed them in a bag. There must be a one-hour dry cleaner nearby, maybe in Hartford. Oh, and Luke wanted me to get fitted for a tux. Maybe that'll be in Hartford too. Then I can hit the mall and buy some clothes. When did I become such a spaz? I'm running around this apartment like a lunatic. No - more like a guy in love, I corrected myself. I waited for the wash to be done and moved it over the dryer, then grabbed my rental car keys and dry cleaning bag and headed down the stairs.
The diner was busy with the regular lunch crowd. I looked around. I didn't see her. I walked over to Luke, who was shuttling food between the kitchen and the tables. "Hey Luke, do you have the address of the tux place? I want to do some shopping and I'll take care of that as well," I said quickly.
"Uh, yeah, I wrote it down and left it over there," he motioned to the cash register. I walked behind the register and felt a rush of memories wash over me. I shook them off and found the slip of paper. Lorelai had written the address of the place on her trademark Garfield stationary. Good, the place was in Hartford. I quickly grabbed the paper and stuffed it in my pocket.
"I'll see you later," I said and rushed out the door to my car. I dropped my suit and shirt at a one-hour place along the way, then stopped at the tux store for my fitting. The tux that they fitted me for was nice. Basic black, very James Bond. The storeowner seemed less than thrilled to have to do such a rush job, his demeanor changed when I bought six dress shirts from him.
I stopped at a restaurant nearby to have some lunch. As I sat with my drink waiting for my entrée, I found it funny that I never seem to have any problem being by myself. I'm by myself almost all the time. I wonder how I'd feel if that changed. What if something happens with me and Rory? I wouldn't be alone anymore. Or would that drive me crazy? Huh. I never really thought about it until now. Being with someone all the time hadn't really been an issue for the past five years.
I drove over to the mall and found a Gap and bought a couple pairs of khakis and another pair of jeans. I bought some groceries, a six-pack of beer and a nice bottle of wine, then swung by the dry cleaners on the way back and picked up my suit and headed back to Stars Hollow.
I got back to the diner and dragged my package in. Luke looked up from the newspaper. "Need some help?" he asked.
"Yeah, there's more in the car, thanks," I answered, gesturing over my shoulder with my eyes.
"Oh, okay," he jumped up and went out to the car and grabbed my dry cleaning and the bag with the groceries in it. He came up the stairs into the apartment and set the bag down on the kitchen table, and hung the dry cleaning on the bathroom door. "So. You bought some clothes?" he asked looking at all the bags, a little surprised. He was probably wondering how long I was going to be sticking around.
"Yeah, well, I was coming back from a short assignment when I got the inspiration to come here, so I didn't have much with me," I said as I grabbed the pile of clean clothes from the dryer and started to fold them and put them in the dresser. My eyes fell on the t-shirt in the drawer again and I looked at Luke. He averted his eyes from me.
"She gave that to me about a year ago," he said quietly, shuffling his feet and sticking his hands in his pockets, understanding what my expression was asking. Wow, she's been holding on to it for it for four years. "I wasn't sure where you were living, so I kinda just left it there. I was actually going to give it to Liz this weekend when she comes here for the wedding." he said and his eyes flashed, realizing that he hadn't told me that.
"Lizzie is coming to Stars Hollow?" I asked in amazement. She hadn't been back here since her parents died as far as I knew. I was shocked.
"Yeah, she wanted to see her little brother get married finally," he chuckled. I never saw him as a little brother. Certainly not to Lizzie. And he was more like a dad to me than Jimmy ever was, even though he tried to make up for that when I was in California. I'd been in touch again with Lizzie ever since I came back to New York to go to Columbia. She seems to have gotten her act together finally. I actually lived back in the old apartment for the first year of school before I found my own place. She was still not like a mother, more like a roommate, but she never asked me to pay any rent, which was good, because I didn't have much money to spend. I didn't really see that much of her, actually, she worked nights and I was in school during the days and worked as a proofreader for the Daily News at night. Jimmy also helped me with my tuition, which was something I never expected, but appreciated. So I guess both of my parents helped me with my college education, I would have never expected that in a million years. And I'm sure that if I had bothered to keep in touch with Luke, he would have helped me too. Geez, I'm embarrassed about how ungrateful I've been.
Luke brought me out of my haze by clearing his throat. "Um, you don't have to worry about Liz staying here, I got her a room at the inn," he looked over and saw that I had slept in his old bed instead of my bed and nodded in understanding.
"Oh, okay," I answered.
"So, do you want to do something tonight? Lorelai's having her bachelorette party tonight, so I thought maybe we could go have a couple beers or something? Ceasar's going to close for me." I pictured Lorelai, Rory and Sookie at a men's strip club. It made me laugh.
"Sounds good. So, strip club? After all, it's your bachelor party," I said with a smirk. Luke narrowed his eyes at me.
"Oh yeah, that's totally my style," he snorted. "Plus, Lorelai would know the second I stepped into a place like that. She's got some kind of radar on me. I was thinking more like a sports bar in Hartford," he added.
"Sounds good. I'm going to try to get some work done," I gestured to the computer sitting next to the groceries.
"Okay, then, I'll leave you alone. How about I yell up for you around 7?" he asked, turning to leave.
"Sure, I'll be ready, if you want I'll drive. After all, it's your big night."
He smiled. "Thanks. Hey, would you mind if Jackson and Randy came along? They're my groomsmen, so, I guess I should."
"No problem. The car's plenty big for everyone. Just have them all meet us here," I said unloading the groceries into the fridge.
"Okay, see ya at 7," he said and closed the door behind him.
I sat down and opened my laptop. I stared at the journal. I was completely blank. Unable to write a word. I needed my muse to inspire me to write. I couldn't seem to gather the courage to go to her house, though. I rummage in my bag until I found my copy of "Moveable Feast". I flopped down on the bed with a heavy sigh and starting reading.
END OF CHAPTER FOUR.
Next up - Luke's bachelor party. When will Jess ever get to see Rory? And what will happen when they finally see each other again? Stay tuned.
Chapter Four
I ran to my garment bag and dumped out everything that was in it. I had a dark gray suit, a white dress shirt, gym clothes, a couple of Henley shirts, boxers, a pair of jeans. I gathered up all the washable stuff and tossed them in the washing machine. Fortunately, Luke had detergent since he still washes his aprons and stuff here. The suit reeked of cigarette smoke from the cocktail party I had been to a few days ago in London. I grabbed the suit, tie and dress shirt and stuffed them in a bag. There must be a one-hour dry cleaner nearby, maybe in Hartford. Oh, and Luke wanted me to get fitted for a tux. Maybe that'll be in Hartford too. Then I can hit the mall and buy some clothes. When did I become such a spaz? I'm running around this apartment like a lunatic. No - more like a guy in love, I corrected myself. I waited for the wash to be done and moved it over the dryer, then grabbed my rental car keys and dry cleaning bag and headed down the stairs.
The diner was busy with the regular lunch crowd. I looked around. I didn't see her. I walked over to Luke, who was shuttling food between the kitchen and the tables. "Hey Luke, do you have the address of the tux place? I want to do some shopping and I'll take care of that as well," I said quickly.
"Uh, yeah, I wrote it down and left it over there," he motioned to the cash register. I walked behind the register and felt a rush of memories wash over me. I shook them off and found the slip of paper. Lorelai had written the address of the place on her trademark Garfield stationary. Good, the place was in Hartford. I quickly grabbed the paper and stuffed it in my pocket.
"I'll see you later," I said and rushed out the door to my car. I dropped my suit and shirt at a one-hour place along the way, then stopped at the tux store for my fitting. The tux that they fitted me for was nice. Basic black, very James Bond. The storeowner seemed less than thrilled to have to do such a rush job, his demeanor changed when I bought six dress shirts from him.
I stopped at a restaurant nearby to have some lunch. As I sat with my drink waiting for my entrée, I found it funny that I never seem to have any problem being by myself. I'm by myself almost all the time. I wonder how I'd feel if that changed. What if something happens with me and Rory? I wouldn't be alone anymore. Or would that drive me crazy? Huh. I never really thought about it until now. Being with someone all the time hadn't really been an issue for the past five years.
I drove over to the mall and found a Gap and bought a couple pairs of khakis and another pair of jeans. I bought some groceries, a six-pack of beer and a nice bottle of wine, then swung by the dry cleaners on the way back and picked up my suit and headed back to Stars Hollow.
I got back to the diner and dragged my package in. Luke looked up from the newspaper. "Need some help?" he asked.
"Yeah, there's more in the car, thanks," I answered, gesturing over my shoulder with my eyes.
"Oh, okay," he jumped up and went out to the car and grabbed my dry cleaning and the bag with the groceries in it. He came up the stairs into the apartment and set the bag down on the kitchen table, and hung the dry cleaning on the bathroom door. "So. You bought some clothes?" he asked looking at all the bags, a little surprised. He was probably wondering how long I was going to be sticking around.
"Yeah, well, I was coming back from a short assignment when I got the inspiration to come here, so I didn't have much with me," I said as I grabbed the pile of clean clothes from the dryer and started to fold them and put them in the dresser. My eyes fell on the t-shirt in the drawer again and I looked at Luke. He averted his eyes from me.
"She gave that to me about a year ago," he said quietly, shuffling his feet and sticking his hands in his pockets, understanding what my expression was asking. Wow, she's been holding on to it for it for four years. "I wasn't sure where you were living, so I kinda just left it there. I was actually going to give it to Liz this weekend when she comes here for the wedding." he said and his eyes flashed, realizing that he hadn't told me that.
"Lizzie is coming to Stars Hollow?" I asked in amazement. She hadn't been back here since her parents died as far as I knew. I was shocked.
"Yeah, she wanted to see her little brother get married finally," he chuckled. I never saw him as a little brother. Certainly not to Lizzie. And he was more like a dad to me than Jimmy ever was, even though he tried to make up for that when I was in California. I'd been in touch again with Lizzie ever since I came back to New York to go to Columbia. She seems to have gotten her act together finally. I actually lived back in the old apartment for the first year of school before I found my own place. She was still not like a mother, more like a roommate, but she never asked me to pay any rent, which was good, because I didn't have much money to spend. I didn't really see that much of her, actually, she worked nights and I was in school during the days and worked as a proofreader for the Daily News at night. Jimmy also helped me with my tuition, which was something I never expected, but appreciated. So I guess both of my parents helped me with my college education, I would have never expected that in a million years. And I'm sure that if I had bothered to keep in touch with Luke, he would have helped me too. Geez, I'm embarrassed about how ungrateful I've been.
Luke brought me out of my haze by clearing his throat. "Um, you don't have to worry about Liz staying here, I got her a room at the inn," he looked over and saw that I had slept in his old bed instead of my bed and nodded in understanding.
"Oh, okay," I answered.
"So, do you want to do something tonight? Lorelai's having her bachelorette party tonight, so I thought maybe we could go have a couple beers or something? Ceasar's going to close for me." I pictured Lorelai, Rory and Sookie at a men's strip club. It made me laugh.
"Sounds good. So, strip club? After all, it's your bachelor party," I said with a smirk. Luke narrowed his eyes at me.
"Oh yeah, that's totally my style," he snorted. "Plus, Lorelai would know the second I stepped into a place like that. She's got some kind of radar on me. I was thinking more like a sports bar in Hartford," he added.
"Sounds good. I'm going to try to get some work done," I gestured to the computer sitting next to the groceries.
"Okay, then, I'll leave you alone. How about I yell up for you around 7?" he asked, turning to leave.
"Sure, I'll be ready, if you want I'll drive. After all, it's your big night."
He smiled. "Thanks. Hey, would you mind if Jackson and Randy came along? They're my groomsmen, so, I guess I should."
"No problem. The car's plenty big for everyone. Just have them all meet us here," I said unloading the groceries into the fridge.
"Okay, see ya at 7," he said and closed the door behind him.
I sat down and opened my laptop. I stared at the journal. I was completely blank. Unable to write a word. I needed my muse to inspire me to write. I couldn't seem to gather the courage to go to her house, though. I rummage in my bag until I found my copy of "Moveable Feast". I flopped down on the bed with a heavy sigh and starting reading.
END OF CHAPTER FOUR.
Next up - Luke's bachelor party. When will Jess ever get to see Rory? And what will happen when they finally see each other again? Stay tuned.