Title: Where the heart is, Chapter 2
Author: Gluglug
Spoiler Warning/Timing: Fourth Season (Ep 4.11 In the Clamor and the Clangor)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls and all characters are property of The Dubba Dubba Dubba WB, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Amy Sherman- Palladino. They don't belong to me, just borrowing.
Lorelai woke up a few hours later with a start. The living room was pitch black except for the time clock on her VCR and the light from her TV. "Casablanca" was still playing even though it was 5:00 in the AM. They must have been having one of their repeat marathons, she thought.
Lorelai turned off the TV and went upstairs. She took off her wrinkled black date dress and hung it in her closet. After using the bathroom and changing into some comfy sweats she passed by her bedroom window. She looked outside and saw snow accumulating on the ground. Except for a couple of brief storms in early December, the season had been relatively mild, so she was surprised to see it and smiled.
Lorelai got into bed and tried to close her eyes and sleep but her mind traveled to Luke again. Imagine having to hear from Babette that Luke was moving in with Nicole. Babette had heard it from Miss Patty who heard it from Taylor who heard it straight from the horse's mouth - Nicole. Man, she was going to give him a piece of her mind the next time she saw him.
Then she realized that she might see him this morning. Luke was supposed to shovel her walk during the first winter snow; it was part of her 35th birthday list. He had already shoveled her walk in December but since that technically wasn't winter, he still owed her. And being Lorelai, she reminded him frequently. She decided to call Luke to remind him again. It was now 5:30AM - he was the only resident crazy enough to be up at this ungodly hour.
Lorelai rang Luke's apartment. The phone rang several times until a groggy female voice answered the phone. Lorelai hung up quickly, embarrassed that Nicole had picked up instead of Luke. She then figured Luke might already be downstairs so she rang the diner.
Luke picked up, sounding not quite awake. "Luke's, we're not open yet."
"Then why did you pick up the phone?"
"Lorelai?"
"It's me."
"What are you doing up at this hour?"
"It's snowing, Luke! You know I can't sleep when it's snowing out."
Luke peered out the diner window. "Yeah, I can see that. Did you call me to give me the weather report because I'm kind of busy, I have to prepare the diner for the Sunday Church crowd."
"I don't want to keep you but I'm just calling to remind you that you're supposed to shovel my walk today."
"What? I already did that a couple of months ago."
"But that wasn't technically winter. My birthday list specifically said the first winter snow and today is the first winter snow, so you owe me. Or do you want to get a lawyer to examine the document? Why don't you go upstairs and wake Nicole?"
"How would you know she's upstairs?" Luke asked.
Lorelai had to think fast. "I just assumed that she was there - doesn't she usually spend the weekend at your place?"
"Um - it's none of your business, but yeah she's here. And I'm not waking her up just to settle your birthday demands. Fine, I'll come by later today, after the church crowd leaves. Say around noon?"
"Perfect. Don't forget your shovel."
Lorelai hung up the phone before Luke could remind her that she had one of his shovels in her garage. Luke shook his head, no matter how he tried, Lorelai always got her way.
Then he felt a bit guilty, he hadn't yet told her about Nicole leasing an apartment in Litchfield. Nicole was tired of commuting two hours from her place in Manhattan and decided to get a place closer to Luke. Then she had asked Luke to move in with her, if cohabitation worked for them then maybe marriage would, too. Luke couldn't really argue with that so he agreed. Well, he rationalized, he wasn't completely moving in - he would still keep his place over the diner.
Lorelai wouldn't even have to know, it's not like he was leaving Stars Hollow for good, he would still run the diner and Litchfield was only 20 minutes away, an easy commute. That's what he was telling himself anyway.
Just then he heard footsteps coming from overhead and Nicole appeared from behind the counter. She came over and gave Luke a good morning kiss.
"Nicole, I thought you were going to sleep in."
"I tried Luke but your phone rang at 5:30. Whoever it was hung up." Nicole didn't look happy.
Luke nodded. "That's funny because I got a call down here not too long ago."
"That's weird. Did they hang up?" Nicole asked.
"Um, yeah, stupid crank caller." Luke didn't want to mention Lorelai to Nicole, not this early in the morning and especially when she was not in the best mood. Luke also wondered if the crank caller was Lorelai. He chalked it up to coincidence and changed the subject.
"Why don't I make you some coffee and an egg white omelet for breakfast?"
"Sure." Nicole brightened. "Oh Luke, I can't wait until you move in and then you can make me breakfast in our kitchen. Won't that be great?"
"Yeah, great."
"You don't sound so enthused."
"I'm just tired, Nicole, that's all. And I don't know if I'll be able to make you breakfast that often when I'll be here working."
"Luke, I think you need to hire more help or have Caesar or Lane open the diner for you a few days a week. You work too hard. You get up super early as it is - you'll have to get up even earlier to commute from Litchfield."
"Yeah, don't remind me." Luke groaned from the grill.
"Or you could sell this place and open another diner in Litchfield."
Luke returned with her breakfast. "Nicole, I know you mean well, but I'm never gonna sell the diner. I love this place - my dad worked here, and I'm going to work here until I drop dead. End of story."
Nicole was taken aback by Luke's response. He was usually receptive to her suggestions but this time he was taking a stand. She decided to back down, for now.
"Sorry. I know how much your dad's memory means to you but I'm just trying to make things easier for you."
"I know you do. But let's just drop it, okay?"
"Okay. Luke, I'm afraid I'll have to take off after I eat. I have a case to prepare for tomorrow, I hope you don't mind."
"That's fine, Nicole. I have lots to do around here anyway plus I have to shovel the snow."
"It snowed last night?" Nicole exclaimed looking around. "I'm so tired I didn't even notice! Will you help me dig out my car?"
"No problem."
Just then the door jingled and the first of the early morning church goers came into the diner. Luke excused himself and went to take their orders.
TBC
Author: Gluglug
Spoiler Warning/Timing: Fourth Season (Ep 4.11 In the Clamor and the Clangor)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls and all characters are property of The Dubba Dubba Dubba WB, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Amy Sherman- Palladino. They don't belong to me, just borrowing.
Lorelai woke up a few hours later with a start. The living room was pitch black except for the time clock on her VCR and the light from her TV. "Casablanca" was still playing even though it was 5:00 in the AM. They must have been having one of their repeat marathons, she thought.
Lorelai turned off the TV and went upstairs. She took off her wrinkled black date dress and hung it in her closet. After using the bathroom and changing into some comfy sweats she passed by her bedroom window. She looked outside and saw snow accumulating on the ground. Except for a couple of brief storms in early December, the season had been relatively mild, so she was surprised to see it and smiled.
Lorelai got into bed and tried to close her eyes and sleep but her mind traveled to Luke again. Imagine having to hear from Babette that Luke was moving in with Nicole. Babette had heard it from Miss Patty who heard it from Taylor who heard it straight from the horse's mouth - Nicole. Man, she was going to give him a piece of her mind the next time she saw him.
Then she realized that she might see him this morning. Luke was supposed to shovel her walk during the first winter snow; it was part of her 35th birthday list. He had already shoveled her walk in December but since that technically wasn't winter, he still owed her. And being Lorelai, she reminded him frequently. She decided to call Luke to remind him again. It was now 5:30AM - he was the only resident crazy enough to be up at this ungodly hour.
Lorelai rang Luke's apartment. The phone rang several times until a groggy female voice answered the phone. Lorelai hung up quickly, embarrassed that Nicole had picked up instead of Luke. She then figured Luke might already be downstairs so she rang the diner.
Luke picked up, sounding not quite awake. "Luke's, we're not open yet."
"Then why did you pick up the phone?"
"Lorelai?"
"It's me."
"What are you doing up at this hour?"
"It's snowing, Luke! You know I can't sleep when it's snowing out."
Luke peered out the diner window. "Yeah, I can see that. Did you call me to give me the weather report because I'm kind of busy, I have to prepare the diner for the Sunday Church crowd."
"I don't want to keep you but I'm just calling to remind you that you're supposed to shovel my walk today."
"What? I already did that a couple of months ago."
"But that wasn't technically winter. My birthday list specifically said the first winter snow and today is the first winter snow, so you owe me. Or do you want to get a lawyer to examine the document? Why don't you go upstairs and wake Nicole?"
"How would you know she's upstairs?" Luke asked.
Lorelai had to think fast. "I just assumed that she was there - doesn't she usually spend the weekend at your place?"
"Um - it's none of your business, but yeah she's here. And I'm not waking her up just to settle your birthday demands. Fine, I'll come by later today, after the church crowd leaves. Say around noon?"
"Perfect. Don't forget your shovel."
Lorelai hung up the phone before Luke could remind her that she had one of his shovels in her garage. Luke shook his head, no matter how he tried, Lorelai always got her way.
Then he felt a bit guilty, he hadn't yet told her about Nicole leasing an apartment in Litchfield. Nicole was tired of commuting two hours from her place in Manhattan and decided to get a place closer to Luke. Then she had asked Luke to move in with her, if cohabitation worked for them then maybe marriage would, too. Luke couldn't really argue with that so he agreed. Well, he rationalized, he wasn't completely moving in - he would still keep his place over the diner.
Lorelai wouldn't even have to know, it's not like he was leaving Stars Hollow for good, he would still run the diner and Litchfield was only 20 minutes away, an easy commute. That's what he was telling himself anyway.
Just then he heard footsteps coming from overhead and Nicole appeared from behind the counter. She came over and gave Luke a good morning kiss.
"Nicole, I thought you were going to sleep in."
"I tried Luke but your phone rang at 5:30. Whoever it was hung up." Nicole didn't look happy.
Luke nodded. "That's funny because I got a call down here not too long ago."
"That's weird. Did they hang up?" Nicole asked.
"Um, yeah, stupid crank caller." Luke didn't want to mention Lorelai to Nicole, not this early in the morning and especially when she was not in the best mood. Luke also wondered if the crank caller was Lorelai. He chalked it up to coincidence and changed the subject.
"Why don't I make you some coffee and an egg white omelet for breakfast?"
"Sure." Nicole brightened. "Oh Luke, I can't wait until you move in and then you can make me breakfast in our kitchen. Won't that be great?"
"Yeah, great."
"You don't sound so enthused."
"I'm just tired, Nicole, that's all. And I don't know if I'll be able to make you breakfast that often when I'll be here working."
"Luke, I think you need to hire more help or have Caesar or Lane open the diner for you a few days a week. You work too hard. You get up super early as it is - you'll have to get up even earlier to commute from Litchfield."
"Yeah, don't remind me." Luke groaned from the grill.
"Or you could sell this place and open another diner in Litchfield."
Luke returned with her breakfast. "Nicole, I know you mean well, but I'm never gonna sell the diner. I love this place - my dad worked here, and I'm going to work here until I drop dead. End of story."
Nicole was taken aback by Luke's response. He was usually receptive to her suggestions but this time he was taking a stand. She decided to back down, for now.
"Sorry. I know how much your dad's memory means to you but I'm just trying to make things easier for you."
"I know you do. But let's just drop it, okay?"
"Okay. Luke, I'm afraid I'll have to take off after I eat. I have a case to prepare for tomorrow, I hope you don't mind."
"That's fine, Nicole. I have lots to do around here anyway plus I have to shovel the snow."
"It snowed last night?" Nicole exclaimed looking around. "I'm so tired I didn't even notice! Will you help me dig out my car?"
"No problem."
Just then the door jingled and the first of the early morning church goers came into the diner. Luke excused himself and went to take their orders.
TBC