Merry Thanksgiving-Chapter 11
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As they walked in the house, the smell of turkey, cranberries and potatoes met them at the door.
"It looks wonderful in here," said Lorelai, "can I help?"
"Oh sure honey can you glaze the sweet potatoes with mascarpone and dice the celery into the stuffing."
Lorelai looked at Luke as if Jane was speaking a different language.
Luke just laughed "how about I do that, and Lorelai, you can open the can of olives and put the bread in a basket."
"Thanks, that sounds more my speed," said Lorelai grabbing the can opener.
Aunt Jane looked over at the two of them and smiled. She had never seen her nephew so happy. Jolene, then Rachel then Nicole; he'd had a string of bad ones; but she knew this girl was the one, she knew by the way they looked at each other. Just as these thoughts were running through her head the door opened and in walked Jolene.
"Hi dear, thank you for coming, where's Noah?" Asked Aunt Jane
"Hi Jane, thank you so much for inviting me; he umm, had some business he had to attend to," was her response.
Lorelai looked over at Jolene, she of course looked perfect. She couldn't help but feel jealousy toward her; obviously something about her was special if Luke had loved her.
"Hey Luke.Lorelai." The words of Jolene shook Lorelai out of her dazed state.
"Happy Thanksgiving Jolene," said Luke, walking over and giving her a cautious hug.
"Yes, Happy Thanksgiving," added Lorelai
There was an awkward silence and then Jolene moved into the living room to visit with Mike and Jenny.
After everything was ready they sat down at the table. Lorelai had never seen so much food on a table at once. At her mom's things were always served in courses, so you never really knew how much food you were actually consuming.
Lorelai sat between Luke and Jenny, and laughed at the little note card that said "Lauraly" in front of her plate.
At the head of the table Jane cleared her throat. "Now I know you are all going to groan, but it is a tradition, so I'll go first."
Groans ensued from Jenny, Mike and a chorus of other people that had gathered at the table.
"What are we groaning about?" whispered Lorelai to Luke.
"Oh you'll see" said Luke, as he turned toward his aunt.
"I'm so thankful that you could all be here with me today," said Aunt Jane. "I'm thankful for old friends, family and relatives that are all a huge part of my life. And finally I'm thankful that I got to spend a little of today with my husband, and that he is getting better everyday."
She sat down and people continued around the table. When it got to Jolene she lifted her glass "I'm thankful for old friends and memories," she then looked at Luke and took a sip of her wine.
Inside her mind Lorelai rolled her eyes, at least she hoped it was just inside her head.
It was now Luke's turn, "I'm thankful that I didn't have to cook today, and for friends and loved ones," he looked at Lorelai. It was short and blunt, she wouldn't expect anything less from Luke.
"I am thankful for my daughter," said Lorelai, "and for all of you for making my stay here so wonderful." Then Lorelai got a little mischievous look in her eye and looked down at Luke, "and I'm thankful for Luke, for his compassion, his love and his friendship." She sat down kissed him on the cheek and looked at Jolene.
As they walked in the house, the smell of turkey, cranberries and potatoes met them at the door.
"It looks wonderful in here," said Lorelai, "can I help?"
"Oh sure honey can you glaze the sweet potatoes with mascarpone and dice the celery into the stuffing."
Lorelai looked at Luke as if Jane was speaking a different language.
Luke just laughed "how about I do that, and Lorelai, you can open the can of olives and put the bread in a basket."
"Thanks, that sounds more my speed," said Lorelai grabbing the can opener.
Aunt Jane looked over at the two of them and smiled. She had never seen her nephew so happy. Jolene, then Rachel then Nicole; he'd had a string of bad ones; but she knew this girl was the one, she knew by the way they looked at each other. Just as these thoughts were running through her head the door opened and in walked Jolene.
"Hi dear, thank you for coming, where's Noah?" Asked Aunt Jane
"Hi Jane, thank you so much for inviting me; he umm, had some business he had to attend to," was her response.
Lorelai looked over at Jolene, she of course looked perfect. She couldn't help but feel jealousy toward her; obviously something about her was special if Luke had loved her.
"Hey Luke.Lorelai." The words of Jolene shook Lorelai out of her dazed state.
"Happy Thanksgiving Jolene," said Luke, walking over and giving her a cautious hug.
"Yes, Happy Thanksgiving," added Lorelai
There was an awkward silence and then Jolene moved into the living room to visit with Mike and Jenny.
After everything was ready they sat down at the table. Lorelai had never seen so much food on a table at once. At her mom's things were always served in courses, so you never really knew how much food you were actually consuming.
Lorelai sat between Luke and Jenny, and laughed at the little note card that said "Lauraly" in front of her plate.
At the head of the table Jane cleared her throat. "Now I know you are all going to groan, but it is a tradition, so I'll go first."
Groans ensued from Jenny, Mike and a chorus of other people that had gathered at the table.
"What are we groaning about?" whispered Lorelai to Luke.
"Oh you'll see" said Luke, as he turned toward his aunt.
"I'm so thankful that you could all be here with me today," said Aunt Jane. "I'm thankful for old friends, family and relatives that are all a huge part of my life. And finally I'm thankful that I got to spend a little of today with my husband, and that he is getting better everyday."
She sat down and people continued around the table. When it got to Jolene she lifted her glass "I'm thankful for old friends and memories," she then looked at Luke and took a sip of her wine.
Inside her mind Lorelai rolled her eyes, at least she hoped it was just inside her head.
It was now Luke's turn, "I'm thankful that I didn't have to cook today, and for friends and loved ones," he looked at Lorelai. It was short and blunt, she wouldn't expect anything less from Luke.
"I am thankful for my daughter," said Lorelai, "and for all of you for making my stay here so wonderful." Then Lorelai got a little mischievous look in her eye and looked down at Luke, "and I'm thankful for Luke, for his compassion, his love and his friendship." She sat down kissed him on the cheek and looked at Jolene.