CHAPTER SEVEN
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Luke felt her stare. He was afraid to meet it just yet. He lowered his head to his hands, trying to think, think what to do or say next. He finally looked up and met her gaze.
"Lorelai, I don't know what to say. I don't know how that happened. I do know why....."
"Maybe you can explain it to me......the 'why' part."
"I could..................but it doesn't matter. It's too late. I'm married, committed to someone else."
"What are you "not' telling me Luke. You are married, that I know. Madly, deeply in love, right? That's the part I'm not sure of......never seen any signs but............", She stopped but then asked, 'The 'dating thing', how's it working for you?"
Luke looked up, tortured, unwilling to admit the truth to himself let alone her. He knew it was a mistake, but it was fact. He was married to Nicole. But this was Lorelai he was talking to, and she deserved some explanation.
"I do have feelings for you, have for years. But the timing was always wrong, or you had a guy or I had someone. When you told me about your dream, I started to think maybe........but at Rory's graduation when we talked, you told me to go on the cruise...have fun....with Nicole."
"I told you to go because you needed a vacation, some fun. I didn't tell you to go off and get married...."
"I know it was a mistake, knew it as soon as it happened. It was hard saying those words to her......"
"But you did, and nothing we say here will change that. It's done, you are married. You have a wife BUT you don't have a marriage. She's in New York, you're here. She has her life, you have yours.......you meet on the weekend for a 'little something' and then it's back to....."
"Lorelai........"
"No, let me finish, then you can talk. Marriage, Luke, I've never had one but I know what it is. It's living together every day, fighting about money, worrying about your kids, talking, planning, laughing -- together Luke-together everyday, every night. Seeing each other at your best and at your worst. It's helping each other get through the every day things........."
Luke was starting to get the picture. He let her continue the rant....enjoying it really.
"It's your child's first day at a new school, her first boyfriend, her first kiss, first breakup.........it's dealing with parent problems, trips to the hospital, bringing the other person back from the brink of insanity......."
She took a deep breath. "Fixing things, teaching each other about finances, fishing, cooking, whatever....."
Luke started to smile and Lorelai got red in the face.
"Why are you smiling.....I'm serious here..."
Luke added, "It's trading child rearing advice, dating advice, watching someone you love come to your diner late at night and confess her inner most thoughts and desires...........wanting to take her in your arms but shoving a donut at her instead.........walking by her house every night--hoping to get a glimpse because you're too stubborn to say you are sorry........."
Lorelai smiled back, realizing he was finally getting it.
"Luke, I.....wait .....someone you love......."
"Yeah, someone I love........have for years. Just let stubborn pride get in the way. That and fear..."
"Fear?"
"Yeah, fear......of not being good enough, or being rejected, or just taking the chance."
"Or risk losing a friendship......so special, so important." Lorelai added.
They both got up and walked toward each other. He took her hand and smiled down at her. "So Friday night, while you're at family dinner with Rory, your parents, and 'that guy"-I think I will take a little trip to New York. Have a talk with my 'wife' and try to explain that I need it all. Not just the official paper, or the title......but the marriage. The day to day thing......the fighting and the making up.......more than a 'little something' on the weekend." He winked at her and squeezed her hand.
Lorelai, blushed, "Yeah, well, while you are doing that. I think I might have a little talk with 'that guy'. Tell him he's a very nice guy, but that I need someone I've already shared a life with. Someone who already knows the good and the bad. Someone who is already more of a father to my daughter than her biological father ever was. Someone who I truly love.......and just realized I have for years. The timing was just never right.......until now."
Luke pulled her into his arms and kissed her---for real this time--- no more excuses, no more dreams. Just a man and a woman, attracted to each other, loving each other, and finally admitting it.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^
A little Christmas smaltz.........but Luke and Lorelai should have a happy ending, right??
.
.
Luke felt her stare. He was afraid to meet it just yet. He lowered his head to his hands, trying to think, think what to do or say next. He finally looked up and met her gaze.
"Lorelai, I don't know what to say. I don't know how that happened. I do know why....."
"Maybe you can explain it to me......the 'why' part."
"I could..................but it doesn't matter. It's too late. I'm married, committed to someone else."
"What are you "not' telling me Luke. You are married, that I know. Madly, deeply in love, right? That's the part I'm not sure of......never seen any signs but............", She stopped but then asked, 'The 'dating thing', how's it working for you?"
Luke looked up, tortured, unwilling to admit the truth to himself let alone her. He knew it was a mistake, but it was fact. He was married to Nicole. But this was Lorelai he was talking to, and she deserved some explanation.
"I do have feelings for you, have for years. But the timing was always wrong, or you had a guy or I had someone. When you told me about your dream, I started to think maybe........but at Rory's graduation when we talked, you told me to go on the cruise...have fun....with Nicole."
"I told you to go because you needed a vacation, some fun. I didn't tell you to go off and get married...."
"I know it was a mistake, knew it as soon as it happened. It was hard saying those words to her......"
"But you did, and nothing we say here will change that. It's done, you are married. You have a wife BUT you don't have a marriage. She's in New York, you're here. She has her life, you have yours.......you meet on the weekend for a 'little something' and then it's back to....."
"Lorelai........"
"No, let me finish, then you can talk. Marriage, Luke, I've never had one but I know what it is. It's living together every day, fighting about money, worrying about your kids, talking, planning, laughing -- together Luke-together everyday, every night. Seeing each other at your best and at your worst. It's helping each other get through the every day things........."
Luke was starting to get the picture. He let her continue the rant....enjoying it really.
"It's your child's first day at a new school, her first boyfriend, her first kiss, first breakup.........it's dealing with parent problems, trips to the hospital, bringing the other person back from the brink of insanity......."
She took a deep breath. "Fixing things, teaching each other about finances, fishing, cooking, whatever....."
Luke started to smile and Lorelai got red in the face.
"Why are you smiling.....I'm serious here..."
Luke added, "It's trading child rearing advice, dating advice, watching someone you love come to your diner late at night and confess her inner most thoughts and desires...........wanting to take her in your arms but shoving a donut at her instead.........walking by her house every night--hoping to get a glimpse because you're too stubborn to say you are sorry........."
Lorelai smiled back, realizing he was finally getting it.
"Luke, I.....wait .....someone you love......."
"Yeah, someone I love........have for years. Just let stubborn pride get in the way. That and fear..."
"Fear?"
"Yeah, fear......of not being good enough, or being rejected, or just taking the chance."
"Or risk losing a friendship......so special, so important." Lorelai added.
They both got up and walked toward each other. He took her hand and smiled down at her. "So Friday night, while you're at family dinner with Rory, your parents, and 'that guy"-I think I will take a little trip to New York. Have a talk with my 'wife' and try to explain that I need it all. Not just the official paper, or the title......but the marriage. The day to day thing......the fighting and the making up.......more than a 'little something' on the weekend." He winked at her and squeezed her hand.
Lorelai, blushed, "Yeah, well, while you are doing that. I think I might have a little talk with 'that guy'. Tell him he's a very nice guy, but that I need someone I've already shared a life with. Someone who already knows the good and the bad. Someone who is already more of a father to my daughter than her biological father ever was. Someone who I truly love.......and just realized I have for years. The timing was just never right.......until now."
Luke pulled her into his arms and kissed her---for real this time--- no more excuses, no more dreams. Just a man and a woman, attracted to each other, loving each other, and finally admitting it.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^
A little Christmas smaltz.........but Luke and Lorelai should have a happy ending, right??
.