Misery Loves Company-'The Luke I know and lo..'
"Go home Kirk," Luke said to the remaining customer in the diner.
"Why?"
"We're closed, now go home."
"But I don't want to go home. Today was my mothers walking club day, and she'll make me rub her feet."
Luke shuddered at the thought. "Look at my face. In what world does this look like the face of a man who cares? Go home!"
Kirk Gleason was just one example of the type of people who lived in Star's Hollow. He had lived in the town his whole life, and at thirty years old, still lived with his mother. Kirk managed to hold down a job in almost every business in town, with the exception of Luke's. He was constantly scheming to make money, and Luke wondered where he found the time. As far as anyone knew, Kirk had never had a girlfriend, although there was the one time he asked Lorelai out. She had said no, of course, but had been the butt of many kirk-related jokes for weeks.
"Fine, I'll go, but if you would just give me a job, I could close for you" Kirk said, hopefully.
"And while I'm at it, I'll just go out back and shoot myself in the foot too. Bye Kirk."
"Fine, goodbye," Kirk said as Luke pushed him out into the street and locked the door behind him.
Luke walked over to the table Kirk had just vacated and started cleaning it. This was one of his favourite times of day, and one of his least favourites. The good thing was, it was quiet and gave him time to be alone with his thoughts. The bad thing was, it was quiet and gave him time to be alone with his thoughts. He thought of Nicole for the first time since their break up. Lorelai was right, he thought, Nicole did want me to propose. Nicole had broken up with him when they got back from Alaska earlier that summer. She had realized that Luke wasn't interested in marriage, at least not with her anyway, and had confronted him on it. He hadn't denied it. He knew that he didn't feel the same way about her as she obviously did him, and he didn't want to lead her on. He hadn't heard from her since. He thought about Lorelai. The most frustrating person on earth. And probably the most beautiful. Everyone in town seemed to know how he felt about her, everyone except Lorelai of course. He had realized a few years ago that he loved her, but he could never tell her. She was his best friend and if she knew his feelings, it would just scare her off. She deserved a man who was suave, well dressed, well mannered and cultured. Luke was none of these things and he had no aspirations to be. He was most comfortable in a flannel shirt, jeans and a baseball cap. His idea of a hot date would be to stay home, drink beer and watch a game, or a movie. He knew Lorelai would never settle for that. Which is why he would never tell her how he felt.
He finished cleaning the tables, flicked off the lights and walked up the stairs to his apartment above the diner.
***
Lorelai pulled her jeep up in front of the Gilmore Mansion and turned off the ignition. She was both looking forward to and dreading the night ahead. Rory was driving up from New Haven and meeting her there, and she couldn't wait to see her, but that also meant spending the evening with her parents.
Rory had made a deal with them after graduation. If they paid for her schooling, then she would spend dinner every Friday with them. If Lorelai wanted to see her, she would have to go as well.
She took a deep breath, walked up to the front door and rang the bell.
"Mom!" Rory answered the door and hugged an astonished Lorelai.
"Hey sweets, I thought you weren't going to be here until 6:30?" She looked at her watch. "It's only 6..."
"I left a little earlier than I had planned, thought I'd surprise you. You surprised?"
"Heck yeah! I missed you Gilmore!" Lorelai hugged her again.
"Lorelai, it's rude to not greet your host when you arrive at their home" Emily Gilmore walked into the foyer. "And close the door, you'll let the insects in."
"Hi Mom" Lorelai rolled her eyes and turned to face the older woman."Fancy meeting you here."
"Yes, well, come in and sit down. Dinner will be ready shortly" she turned and walked into the living room.
"And so it begins..."Lorelai whispered to Rory.
"Mom, please." Rory said as they followed her grandmother.
***
"So Mom, where's Dad?" Lorelai asked as they sat down, drinks in hand.
"He's actually in Canada this week. Yet another business trip. This is the third one in 2 months!"
Lorelai turned to her daughter, "Do igloos need insurance?"
"Well, they could melt" Rory said, logically.
"In Canada?"
"Good point. Maybe the moose and beavers are having some kind of insurance dispute"
"Really, could you two be any more ignorant about our neighbours to the north?" Emily cut in "Rory, you're a college student, I'm surprised at you"
"It was a joke, Mom" Lorelai said.
"Does everything have to be a joke with you Lorelai?"
"Pretty much, yeah. Except polka dots....those aren't even remotely funny. That's just sick."
Emily was about to say something when the maid came in and announced dinner. Lorelai didn't recognize her, but that wasn't unusual given Emily's track record with keeping maids.
***
"Remind me again why we do this?" Lorelai asked her daughter as they drove back to Star's Hollow from Hartford.
"Because they are being generous and paying for Yale, and only ask that they get to see us in return"
"Why can't you go to trade school or something? I hear the Connecticut School of Plumbing and Heating is still taking applicants."
"Mom, stop." Rory said "It's not that bad"
"Rory, she spent the majority of the night ignoring me and talking to you about school! The few minutes she did spend on me were dedicated to asking about my non-existent love life and my failures as an innkeeper!"
"You didn't have to come, you know. I could have just met you afterwards."
"No," Lorelai sighed. "If getting to see you means facing the lion's den, then it's worth it."
"It'll get better, you'll see," Rory smiled. "So...are we going to Luke's?"
"Of course, dear daughter. After that joke of a meal we just ate, I need a burger and a very, very, very large cup of coffee."
***
Luke's was unusually quiet for a Friday night, and the bell jingled loudly when Lorelai and Rory entered. The place was empty; Luke was nowhere to be seen.
"Luke?" Lorelai called. They heard a crash and a curse from the kitchen. A second later Luke came out carrying a covered tray.
"Hey Luke," Rory said.
"Rory! Hey!" Luke put down the tray and came over to give her a hug. Ever since her graduation, and then when they got home from Europe, Luke had been more comfortable giving Rory hugs. "How was the first week at college?"
"It was amazing! Don't I look smarter?" Rory did a little twirl.
"Yeah, definitely" Luke picked up the tray. "I...uh...I made you some...some cookies." He said, embarrassed. He took the cover off the tray and revealed a dozen Y-shaped cookies with blue icing.
"Oh my god" Lorelai said.
"Luke, that's so cool!" Rory squealed. "Those are great, thank you!" She hugged him again.
"Yeah, well....eat them before Taylor comes in and yells because they're not town colours"
"Really Luke," Lorelai said. "That's quite a nice thing you did. If you're not careful, you might lose that status as Connecticut's Grumpiest Man."
"I'll throw rocks at a cat or something later"
"There's the Luke I know and lo..." She almost said "love" but quickly stopped herself. Not quickly enough though, because both Rory and Luke caught it. Rory raised her eyebrows and looked back and forth between her mother and Luke. Luke cleared his throat. "So, coffee to go with the cookies?" He asked.
"We didn't really eat that much at dinner, do you think you could make us some burgers and fries?"Rory asked, when her mother didn't say anything.
"Sure, just help yourselves to the coffee and I'll go make your food."
Lorelai finally noticed she hadn't said anything in a minute or two. "What, no comments on our eating habits?"
"I figure anything I make is going to be better than that college food Rory's been eating"
"Actually, Yale food isn't that bad" Rory said. "Shh, honey," Lorelai stopped her. "Let the nice man feed us" Having regained her composure, she smiled at Luke, grabbed the coffee pot and some mugs and sat down at the nearest table. Rory joined her as Luke went into the kitchen.
"So what was that about?" she asked Lorelai.
"What?"
"The Luke you know and lo..? What's "lo"?"
"Rory, don't start. Not tonight."
"Fine, but Luke heard it too. I think he actually smiled"
Lorelai groaned. "Rory, don't bring up the 'Luke has feelings for you' conversation again. It's getting old. It's so old it's going to need a wheelchair and a pension soon. Just put it in the home, and forget about it"
"What a lovely picture you paint, Mom. Fine, I'll drop it, for now. But we are going to talk about it eventually."
Not if I can help it, Lorelai thought to herself as Luke brought them their food.
***
"Go home Kirk," Luke said to the remaining customer in the diner.
"Why?"
"We're closed, now go home."
"But I don't want to go home. Today was my mothers walking club day, and she'll make me rub her feet."
Luke shuddered at the thought. "Look at my face. In what world does this look like the face of a man who cares? Go home!"
Kirk Gleason was just one example of the type of people who lived in Star's Hollow. He had lived in the town his whole life, and at thirty years old, still lived with his mother. Kirk managed to hold down a job in almost every business in town, with the exception of Luke's. He was constantly scheming to make money, and Luke wondered where he found the time. As far as anyone knew, Kirk had never had a girlfriend, although there was the one time he asked Lorelai out. She had said no, of course, but had been the butt of many kirk-related jokes for weeks.
"Fine, I'll go, but if you would just give me a job, I could close for you" Kirk said, hopefully.
"And while I'm at it, I'll just go out back and shoot myself in the foot too. Bye Kirk."
"Fine, goodbye," Kirk said as Luke pushed him out into the street and locked the door behind him.
Luke walked over to the table Kirk had just vacated and started cleaning it. This was one of his favourite times of day, and one of his least favourites. The good thing was, it was quiet and gave him time to be alone with his thoughts. The bad thing was, it was quiet and gave him time to be alone with his thoughts. He thought of Nicole for the first time since their break up. Lorelai was right, he thought, Nicole did want me to propose. Nicole had broken up with him when they got back from Alaska earlier that summer. She had realized that Luke wasn't interested in marriage, at least not with her anyway, and had confronted him on it. He hadn't denied it. He knew that he didn't feel the same way about her as she obviously did him, and he didn't want to lead her on. He hadn't heard from her since. He thought about Lorelai. The most frustrating person on earth. And probably the most beautiful. Everyone in town seemed to know how he felt about her, everyone except Lorelai of course. He had realized a few years ago that he loved her, but he could never tell her. She was his best friend and if she knew his feelings, it would just scare her off. She deserved a man who was suave, well dressed, well mannered and cultured. Luke was none of these things and he had no aspirations to be. He was most comfortable in a flannel shirt, jeans and a baseball cap. His idea of a hot date would be to stay home, drink beer and watch a game, or a movie. He knew Lorelai would never settle for that. Which is why he would never tell her how he felt.
He finished cleaning the tables, flicked off the lights and walked up the stairs to his apartment above the diner.
***
Lorelai pulled her jeep up in front of the Gilmore Mansion and turned off the ignition. She was both looking forward to and dreading the night ahead. Rory was driving up from New Haven and meeting her there, and she couldn't wait to see her, but that also meant spending the evening with her parents.
Rory had made a deal with them after graduation. If they paid for her schooling, then she would spend dinner every Friday with them. If Lorelai wanted to see her, she would have to go as well.
She took a deep breath, walked up to the front door and rang the bell.
"Mom!" Rory answered the door and hugged an astonished Lorelai.
"Hey sweets, I thought you weren't going to be here until 6:30?" She looked at her watch. "It's only 6..."
"I left a little earlier than I had planned, thought I'd surprise you. You surprised?"
"Heck yeah! I missed you Gilmore!" Lorelai hugged her again.
"Lorelai, it's rude to not greet your host when you arrive at their home" Emily Gilmore walked into the foyer. "And close the door, you'll let the insects in."
"Hi Mom" Lorelai rolled her eyes and turned to face the older woman."Fancy meeting you here."
"Yes, well, come in and sit down. Dinner will be ready shortly" she turned and walked into the living room.
"And so it begins..."Lorelai whispered to Rory.
"Mom, please." Rory said as they followed her grandmother.
***
"So Mom, where's Dad?" Lorelai asked as they sat down, drinks in hand.
"He's actually in Canada this week. Yet another business trip. This is the third one in 2 months!"
Lorelai turned to her daughter, "Do igloos need insurance?"
"Well, they could melt" Rory said, logically.
"In Canada?"
"Good point. Maybe the moose and beavers are having some kind of insurance dispute"
"Really, could you two be any more ignorant about our neighbours to the north?" Emily cut in "Rory, you're a college student, I'm surprised at you"
"It was a joke, Mom" Lorelai said.
"Does everything have to be a joke with you Lorelai?"
"Pretty much, yeah. Except polka dots....those aren't even remotely funny. That's just sick."
Emily was about to say something when the maid came in and announced dinner. Lorelai didn't recognize her, but that wasn't unusual given Emily's track record with keeping maids.
***
"Remind me again why we do this?" Lorelai asked her daughter as they drove back to Star's Hollow from Hartford.
"Because they are being generous and paying for Yale, and only ask that they get to see us in return"
"Why can't you go to trade school or something? I hear the Connecticut School of Plumbing and Heating is still taking applicants."
"Mom, stop." Rory said "It's not that bad"
"Rory, she spent the majority of the night ignoring me and talking to you about school! The few minutes she did spend on me were dedicated to asking about my non-existent love life and my failures as an innkeeper!"
"You didn't have to come, you know. I could have just met you afterwards."
"No," Lorelai sighed. "If getting to see you means facing the lion's den, then it's worth it."
"It'll get better, you'll see," Rory smiled. "So...are we going to Luke's?"
"Of course, dear daughter. After that joke of a meal we just ate, I need a burger and a very, very, very large cup of coffee."
***
Luke's was unusually quiet for a Friday night, and the bell jingled loudly when Lorelai and Rory entered. The place was empty; Luke was nowhere to be seen.
"Luke?" Lorelai called. They heard a crash and a curse from the kitchen. A second later Luke came out carrying a covered tray.
"Hey Luke," Rory said.
"Rory! Hey!" Luke put down the tray and came over to give her a hug. Ever since her graduation, and then when they got home from Europe, Luke had been more comfortable giving Rory hugs. "How was the first week at college?"
"It was amazing! Don't I look smarter?" Rory did a little twirl.
"Yeah, definitely" Luke picked up the tray. "I...uh...I made you some...some cookies." He said, embarrassed. He took the cover off the tray and revealed a dozen Y-shaped cookies with blue icing.
"Oh my god" Lorelai said.
"Luke, that's so cool!" Rory squealed. "Those are great, thank you!" She hugged him again.
"Yeah, well....eat them before Taylor comes in and yells because they're not town colours"
"Really Luke," Lorelai said. "That's quite a nice thing you did. If you're not careful, you might lose that status as Connecticut's Grumpiest Man."
"I'll throw rocks at a cat or something later"
"There's the Luke I know and lo..." She almost said "love" but quickly stopped herself. Not quickly enough though, because both Rory and Luke caught it. Rory raised her eyebrows and looked back and forth between her mother and Luke. Luke cleared his throat. "So, coffee to go with the cookies?" He asked.
"We didn't really eat that much at dinner, do you think you could make us some burgers and fries?"Rory asked, when her mother didn't say anything.
"Sure, just help yourselves to the coffee and I'll go make your food."
Lorelai finally noticed she hadn't said anything in a minute or two. "What, no comments on our eating habits?"
"I figure anything I make is going to be better than that college food Rory's been eating"
"Actually, Yale food isn't that bad" Rory said. "Shh, honey," Lorelai stopped her. "Let the nice man feed us" Having regained her composure, she smiled at Luke, grabbed the coffee pot and some mugs and sat down at the nearest table. Rory joined her as Luke went into the kitchen.
"So what was that about?" she asked Lorelai.
"What?"
"The Luke you know and lo..? What's "lo"?"
"Rory, don't start. Not tonight."
"Fine, but Luke heard it too. I think he actually smiled"
Lorelai groaned. "Rory, don't bring up the 'Luke has feelings for you' conversation again. It's getting old. It's so old it's going to need a wheelchair and a pension soon. Just put it in the home, and forget about it"
"What a lovely picture you paint, Mom. Fine, I'll drop it, for now. But we are going to talk about it eventually."
Not if I can help it, Lorelai thought to herself as Luke brought them their food.
***