CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
While Lorelai was dealing with her vision at the diner and her evening at the Gilmore's, Luke had experienced an interesting one of his own. Lorelai didn't call or drop by the diner all day. He didn't understand it nor did he like it. It felt like something was wrong but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what. He had called her home, her cell, and even the Inn, and left messages at all three. While he waited for her call, he had grumbled at everyone in the diner. Finally, he closed early and set out in his truck to find her. He drove to her house but her car wasn't there and the house was dark. Next he checked the Inn but no one was there. He finally stopped at Sookie's, sure she must know something. Sookie seemed surprised to see him at her door.
"Hi, Sookie. I hate to bother you. But have you seen Lorelai today?"
"Yeah, of course, she was at the Inn. Then she was going to Hartford to have dinner with her parents and Rory. They're finally back from California. Not that she was happy about that."
"Oh, OK. I guess she just forgot to tell me. I haven't seen her all day."
"Really? You two didn't have a fight or anything?" Sookie thought of the state Lorelai had been in.
"No, of course not. We're fine. Like I said, I haven't seen or spoken to her all day. Well, thanks for telling me. I'm sorry I bothered you."
Luke walked to his truck and wondered why she hadn't told him about dinner in Hartford. He felt relieved but still concerned about her. What if she had gone off the road? No one would know to call him. The only other person that knew about them was Rory and she would be too upset to think about calling him. Luke knew it was silly but he drove towards Hartford. When he pulled into the Gilmore driveway, he breathed a sigh of relief. Her car was there along with Rory's and another little sport coupe he had seen before. Damn, it was Jason's. Then Luke started worrying for another reason. She had taken off to have dinner with her parents, Jason and Rory and had conveniently forgotten to tell him. What was that about? Luke drove home with a dozen different thoughts running through his mind and not one of them made him feel good. As he got into bed, he tried to get it all out of his mind. But between his thoughts, and the empty space beside him, he knew it was going to be a long night.
After a fitful night, Luke woke up with a start and quickly dialed her number. Again, no one answered. He couldn't believe that she wasn't home, maybe she just wasn't answering. Or maybe she had spent the night in Hartford..........he didn't want to go any further with that thought. Stumbling down stairs, he brewed the coffee and opened the diner. Keeping busy was his only option at this point. He knew he would be expecting to see her every time the bell on the door rang.
As she drove home, Lorelai realized that she hadn't talked to Luke the whole day before. She had seen him......seen him with Nicole. But he didn't know that. She decided her best bet was to just play it cool for a while. Opening her door, the first thing she saw was the answering machine light flashing. There was one message from Rory but she had already talked to her this morning, and one from Sookie, who she would see at the Inn shortly. And two from Luke, the first one simply asking for a return call, but the second was a little frantic, very un-Luke like. She ran upstairs to shower and change. On her way out the door, the phone started to ring. Not wanting to talk to anyone, she shut the door firmly and got quickly got back in her car. She arrived at the Inn just as Sookie pulled up.
"Hey, friend. You look better today. Did that 'little thing' from yesterday work its self out?"
"No, not exactly. But it's a new day, maybe, it will be better."
"Well, Luke was looking all over for you yesterday. Better give him a call. I think he was about ready to check the morgue."
"Yes, well, maybe I'll do that. I'm not sure I want to hear what he has to say."
"So yesterday was about Luke? Ah, honey, it can't be that bad. You two were so happy the other night."
" I thought we were happy too. You're right, it's probably nothing." Lorelai started to tear up again but fought it off. She and Sookie walked into the Inn to try to get something accomplished. Sookie kept an eye on her friend and wondered exactly what was going on in that pretty head.
Later, over their first cup of coffee, Lorelai did tell her about dinner the night before. She left nothing out and Sookie thought her little conversation with Jason was hilarious and Emily's little misinterpretation a hoot. She soon had Lorelai giggling too.
And that's how Luke finally found her, giggling and having coffee with Sookie. Giggling like she didn't have a care in the world. Luke didn't know whether to hug her or strangle her. She looked so beautiful sitting there before him. And she had caused him such pain the night before.
Lorelai looked up and met his eyes. She felt somewhat the same. Should she be angry with him or give him a big hug. He looked like a lost puppy and it tugged at her heart.
They both just stared at each other as Sookie slipped quietly out of the room.
While Lorelai was dealing with her vision at the diner and her evening at the Gilmore's, Luke had experienced an interesting one of his own. Lorelai didn't call or drop by the diner all day. He didn't understand it nor did he like it. It felt like something was wrong but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what. He had called her home, her cell, and even the Inn, and left messages at all three. While he waited for her call, he had grumbled at everyone in the diner. Finally, he closed early and set out in his truck to find her. He drove to her house but her car wasn't there and the house was dark. Next he checked the Inn but no one was there. He finally stopped at Sookie's, sure she must know something. Sookie seemed surprised to see him at her door.
"Hi, Sookie. I hate to bother you. But have you seen Lorelai today?"
"Yeah, of course, she was at the Inn. Then she was going to Hartford to have dinner with her parents and Rory. They're finally back from California. Not that she was happy about that."
"Oh, OK. I guess she just forgot to tell me. I haven't seen her all day."
"Really? You two didn't have a fight or anything?" Sookie thought of the state Lorelai had been in.
"No, of course not. We're fine. Like I said, I haven't seen or spoken to her all day. Well, thanks for telling me. I'm sorry I bothered you."
Luke walked to his truck and wondered why she hadn't told him about dinner in Hartford. He felt relieved but still concerned about her. What if she had gone off the road? No one would know to call him. The only other person that knew about them was Rory and she would be too upset to think about calling him. Luke knew it was silly but he drove towards Hartford. When he pulled into the Gilmore driveway, he breathed a sigh of relief. Her car was there along with Rory's and another little sport coupe he had seen before. Damn, it was Jason's. Then Luke started worrying for another reason. She had taken off to have dinner with her parents, Jason and Rory and had conveniently forgotten to tell him. What was that about? Luke drove home with a dozen different thoughts running through his mind and not one of them made him feel good. As he got into bed, he tried to get it all out of his mind. But between his thoughts, and the empty space beside him, he knew it was going to be a long night.
After a fitful night, Luke woke up with a start and quickly dialed her number. Again, no one answered. He couldn't believe that she wasn't home, maybe she just wasn't answering. Or maybe she had spent the night in Hartford..........he didn't want to go any further with that thought. Stumbling down stairs, he brewed the coffee and opened the diner. Keeping busy was his only option at this point. He knew he would be expecting to see her every time the bell on the door rang.
As she drove home, Lorelai realized that she hadn't talked to Luke the whole day before. She had seen him......seen him with Nicole. But he didn't know that. She decided her best bet was to just play it cool for a while. Opening her door, the first thing she saw was the answering machine light flashing. There was one message from Rory but she had already talked to her this morning, and one from Sookie, who she would see at the Inn shortly. And two from Luke, the first one simply asking for a return call, but the second was a little frantic, very un-Luke like. She ran upstairs to shower and change. On her way out the door, the phone started to ring. Not wanting to talk to anyone, she shut the door firmly and got quickly got back in her car. She arrived at the Inn just as Sookie pulled up.
"Hey, friend. You look better today. Did that 'little thing' from yesterday work its self out?"
"No, not exactly. But it's a new day, maybe, it will be better."
"Well, Luke was looking all over for you yesterday. Better give him a call. I think he was about ready to check the morgue."
"Yes, well, maybe I'll do that. I'm not sure I want to hear what he has to say."
"So yesterday was about Luke? Ah, honey, it can't be that bad. You two were so happy the other night."
" I thought we were happy too. You're right, it's probably nothing." Lorelai started to tear up again but fought it off. She and Sookie walked into the Inn to try to get something accomplished. Sookie kept an eye on her friend and wondered exactly what was going on in that pretty head.
Later, over their first cup of coffee, Lorelai did tell her about dinner the night before. She left nothing out and Sookie thought her little conversation with Jason was hilarious and Emily's little misinterpretation a hoot. She soon had Lorelai giggling too.
And that's how Luke finally found her, giggling and having coffee with Sookie. Giggling like she didn't have a care in the world. Luke didn't know whether to hug her or strangle her. She looked so beautiful sitting there before him. And she had caused him such pain the night before.
Lorelai looked up and met his eyes. She felt somewhat the same. Should she be angry with him or give him a big hug. He looked like a lost puppy and it tugged at her heart.
They both just stared at each other as Sookie slipped quietly out of the room.