CHAPTER FOUR

Rory pulled up in front of the Inn. She was surprised at the progress that had been made in just a few weeks. The outside was warm and inviting, and she couldn't wait to see inside. It was really starting to look like the sketches they had been poring over for the last months.

"Mom, it looks great. This is really going to happen, isn't it? Your dream..... for as long as I can remember."

"Yeah, I have been planning it forever. But now there's so much more in my life. The Inn right now, that's just a bonus. I can't wait until it's done."

"Then the dream becomes the reality."

"Yeah, kind of scary but I'm not in this alone. Sookie, Michel, we'll make it work. Or die trying."

Lorelai led her on a brief tour of the areas that had recently been finished. They found Sookie in the almost completed kitchen, fussing with her new stove.

"Someone got a shiny new toy."

"Rory, hi. I didn't know you were coming home."

"I'm just here for a few hours. Had to check on mom and get a home cooked meal."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Home cooked as in Luke's Diner."

Sookie laughed and set out a batch of cookies she had just pulled from the new oven.

"Umm, thanks. I think I'll just munch as I have a look around. Can't wait to see the rooms upstairs."

Rory headed out of the room with several cookies on a napkin.

"Wow, she looks good, happy and so grown up."

"Yeah, very grown up right now. She sort of overheard a little Luke and Lorelai 'play time' this morning."

"Oh, that must have been weird."

"Yeah, well, we didn't know she was downstairs."

"She'll get used to it, having a man around. It is Luke after all."

"I think that makes it even weirder. He's always been around, a big part of our lives, but a very separate part."

"I suppose...hey, new ring? Very pretty, very Lorelai."

"Very Luke's mom. It was hers. He gave it to me last night,,,,,,when he asked me to marry him."

"Oh, honey. That's wonderful. You must be floating on cloud nine." Sookie gave her a huge hug.

"Well, I would be if it weren't for the morning sickness. Or the morning/ evening sickness as Rory calls it."

"Morning sickness.......wow........that means.......you're....."

"Pregnant, really early, but definitely pregnant. When Luke plants a seed, he makes sure the jobs done right."

"Yeah, well, I always heard that about him. That he always follows through."

"OK, enough said."

"So, how does Rory feel about all this?"

"I think she's happy. Surprised, but not shocked. It's always a little weird thinking about your parents in a sexual way. Just like it would be weird for me to know those things about her. I know I certainly don't ever think about my parents, well, you get the picture."

"Yep. Strange territory. And dinner last night? Most have been interesting?"

"Actually, it went quite well. Luke talked to my dad and dad broke it to mom. She was surprised but both of them seemed OK about it.......even mentioned more grandchildren."

"So you told them....."

"Oh, know. Not yet......not for a while. But Luke told them we wanted a quiet wedding and very soon."

"Bet Emily loved that."

"I could see the wheels spinning up there. But we left before she could bring it up again. Anyway, I want to plan this wedding with Luke and Rory........and I hope you?"

"You bet. Seems like I've been waiting forever. Maybe we can have it here?"

"Oh, that's a great idea. Perfect first event.....if it's finished in time."

"Well, we should be able to finish the first floor in time. And all we need is one room finished upstairs....."

"Why one upstairs?"

"The honeymoon suite, silly. You have to spend your first night as an old married woman in your new Inn."

"Old pregnant, married woman........"

"Oh, Oh.....Lorelai, our kids will grow up together. First the Inn, and now, our babies, talk about dreams coming true."

"It's a little too good to be true. Kind of scary. Guess I'm waiting for the next shoe to drop."

"The scary part is over. You got your man, you've got a baby on the way, and you are getting married. Yoo hoo!!"

Sookie hugged her friend enthusiastically again. They talked briefly about weddings and pregnancies until Rory finally wandered back into the kitchen, ready to go. Waving goodbye, the girls headed off to the mall.

Lorelai bought Rory mounds of new clothes and Rory had to pull her out of the maternity shop before she bought a mound for herself. By they time they got to the diner, they were starving and exhausted.

Luke laughed when they came dragging through the door. The diner was pretty empty and they all got to sit down and talk.

"So, is there anything left at the mall for other people to buy or did they just have to close the doors when you left?"

"Very funny mister! Girls need things -- pretty things, stylish things. Especially, the two you are making fun of right now. I'm going to be a mom and she's going to be a big sister. That calls for new outfits!"

"Whatever...... Hey, I'm going to be a dad. Did you get me anything?"

"You get the pleasure of our company and you also get to feed us."

"So in other words, I got nothing?"

"I didn't say that. Tonight, when you get home....."

"Mom, please, innocent child sitting here. Save the 'dirty' talk until later."

"You're no fun." Lorelai leaned closer to Luke and whispered in his ear. Again, he turned red and wouldn't look at Rory. Rory slowly grinned, thinking they were sort of cute together.

"So does the wedding come before the baby? Its kind of in style for the baby to come first, so he or she, can attend the ceremony, even be a part of it."

Luke piped up, "Nope, wedding first, the sooner the better."

"So sooner is?"

"Good question, Rory. When is sooner Luke? You've been married before. That one seemed to happen pretty fast."

"You're never going to give it up, are you?"

"Nope, I love to watch you squirm."

"OK, you two. Let's move on. How about next month? I have a long weekend coming up, so I could be around to help out."

"Sounds good to me. How about you, Lorelai?"

She looked at the two most important people in her life, and started to cry.

"Mom?"

"Lorelai?"

And together they said, "Are you all right?"

She started to laugh at their little chorus, so sweet that they said the same thing at the same time. "I'm great. Just raging hormones, mixed with hunger and exhaustion."

Luke got up. "Well, I know how to fix that."

He soon came back with plates of steaming food and a big glass of milk for Lorelai. They enjoyed their first family meal together and after much discussion, the basic details of the wedding were decided. When it started to get dark, Luke sent them both home. Lorelai needed to rest and Rory needed to get back to Yale. He told both his girls to drive safely, and handed Rory a bag of goodies and a huge cup of coffee. Anybody witnessing this scene would have thought they were already a family.

Hours later, Luke closed the diner and headed home. He found Lorelai curled up on the bed, sound asleep, with bridal magazines and baby books scattered all around. There were shopping bags piled in the corner and travel brochures on the nightstand. He had to laugh at the sight. That was pretty much their life right now -- two businesses to run, a wedding to plan, a honeymoon, a college student and a new baby on the way. Chaos everywhere and he couldn't remember ever being so at peace. He got ready for bed and gently climbed in so he wouldn't disturb her. He picked up one of the baby books and started to read about this new experience they were tackling together. He hadn't realized how little he really knew. He was so engrossed in the book that he didn't notice that she had woken up and was intently watching him. She finally had to clear her throat to get his attention.

"So, learning anything?"

"Too much. Think it's too late to change our minds?"

"Yep, too late. It will be fine, Luke. People do it everyday. I did it all alone and it was scary but so much fun too."

"I can't believe you did this all alone, when you were so young yourself."

"I had help. A lot of that help came from you."

"I came in long after the baby years."

"True, but the baby years are the easy ones. They cry, you hold them. They're hungry, you feed them. School problems, the boy/girl stuff, fear of sending them out into that big bad world, that's the hard part. There's no easy solution, no one right way. You were always there for her .... and me. You did it once, you can do it again."

"Yes, I guess."

"You still don't sound so sure. But you'll see. It will all work out. You'll be a great dad."

"You're already a great mom. When I said that before, I really meant it. But I didn't realize how hard being a good parent really is. You always made it seem easy. Seeing it on these pages in black and white, it seems overwhelming. Now that I have a better idea, I'm scared to death "

"Don't be. You just take it one step at a time. We'll make mistakes, but we'll survive, and so will this baby."

Luke closed the book , turned out the light, and pulled Lorelai close.

"We're going to have a baby."

Lorelai laughed, "Is that what this constant turmoil in my body is all about?"

"That and this crazy life we are living right now. Think it will ever calm down and be normal again?"

"Luke, honey, this is normal. From here on out, chaos, indecision, and sleepless nights, that's all we've got to look forward to. Oh, and one little thing that will make it all worthwhile."

"Which is?"

"Our love for each other. It's the one thing that is consistent and will see us through it all."

"Promise? Cause I think I need something to hang on to."

"I promise. When the going gets tough, we'll always be here for each other. We'll always have each other to turn to at the end of the day. The whole package, remember?"

"Yep, Mimi, I do. Goodnight, Lorelai. I love you."

"Goodnight, Luke. I love you more."

"Not possible." They held each other in the dark and soon fell asleep.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

R&R

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^