A/N- So, I deleted a couple chapters.....well, it happened like this. I
reread my story, and after about chapter 9.....Well, I couldn't even
understand it and I wrote it. So I'm starting again and going more down the
path that I originally wanted to. So here it is, the new chapter 10.
Hopefully it's better than the last one....And I do plan to use parts from
the old chapters, so if there were any parts that you were particularly
fond of....tell me, I can try and work them in, or even better, I may just be
reassured in my choice to re-integrate it. AAAAAAAAnyways. Thanks.
********************************************************
Luke climbed back into his truck and started off towards the diner, trying to focus on something other that Lorelai. He was sure that people would start coming into the diner soon. There was supposed to be some sort of dinner thing after the tournament, but since they hadn't even played the last game, considering two teams were incapacitated and another had one third of the team storm off, he was guessing that there wasn't going to be a dinner. Which meant that everyone would be going out for dinner, because they had nothing planned themselves. But that didn't really matter. Sure, it meant he'd be tired tonight, well, more tired than usual. And that meant that he wouldn't do much thinking. Not that he was in a rush........but it was going to be difficult...and frustrating....... to just sit down and find time... He wandered back into the diner and let Caesar know that he was back before climbing the stairs to the apartment. Luke pulled off the baseball jersey, tossing it into a dresser drawer and pulled on a regular shirt. Back down the stairs and back to work.
********************************
Lorelai stood back up from her spot and dusted off her hands on the back of her sweats. She looked around the yard and wandered slowly towards the house, her grin turning slowly into a frown. That conversation with Luke....it.....was....it meant........it had been so.....well..........so damn ambiguous actually. Luke had said that he felt something. But he didn't know what. So...did that mean that he wasn't sure what kind of feeling feeling it was.....or did he not know whether it was a friendly feeling or a feeling feeling. Or....well, they were both breaking off with their apparently–not-so- significant others. And they were going to take time with this, make sure they did this right, that they were sure. Whatever this was. The feeling of relief and happiness that had been here when she had been out in the yard with Luke was now officially muddled up with confusion and a healthy dose of panicky nervousness. Where was Rory..... Lorelai sighed, rubbing her temples and frowning, and flopped up the stairs. She pulled on her pyjamas, even though it was only five o'clock. When she got back downstairs she noticed the answering machine beeping and pressed play before sitting down on the couch.
"Hey Lor..." Jason. She listened to the message. He gave her the easy out. Just don't call him. And for now that would work. Lorelai knew she should call, but she wanted to wait, at least until after she had a chance to talk to Rory. She'd call Jason soon. Well, eventually
************************************
Rory had dropped Marty off at his house and was speeding back to Stars Hollow. As she passed Luke's she saw his truck there and a few customers filtering in, so if he had gone to their house, Luke was back already. This meant that it was safe for her to get home to her mom. Rory had a sudden thought and pulled into Doose's, grabbing a couple buckets of Ben and Jerry's. Whatever had happened, Rory had a feeling it would take at least two containers of Chunky Monkey before it was all talked out. She pulled into the driveway, hopped out of the car and ran into the house, slamming the door behind her.
"Mom? MOM." Rory shouted from the kitchen.
"Rory hun! Living room! Bring the ice cream." Rory stopped and furrowed her brow.
"How did you know?"
"I trained you well."
"Good point." Rory threw two of the buckets of ice cream into the fridge.
"Oh, and bring the nail polish." Rory stopped what she was doing.
"Nail polish?"
"Yeah, nail polish, some spoons and whatever is in the bag."
"Are you sure?" Rory continued cautiously. "You don't want any chocolate syrup, or marshmallow fluff? Maybe a change of clothes and a map of Rhode Island?"
"You need a map for Rhode Island?" Lorelai wondered.
"So....No road trip gear?" Rory probed, but Lorelai just kept babbling.
"Do you think we still have that red one I got last year? What was it called.....Vixen, or streetwalker.....or......."
"Red what?" Rory asked stopping as she reached into the utensil drawer and looking towards the living room.
"Nail polish."
"You're serious?"
"Serious about my nice red nail polish and some ice creamy times with my little girl."
"Really?" Rory peaked her head around the corner and saw Lorelai crunched up on the couch, dressed in pyjamas. "So.......good?" Rory said hesitantly. Lorelai frowned, then nodded her head slowly, and her pigtails swung from side to side.
"Yes, good....but." Rory raised her eyebrows and dropped the ice cream onto the couch.
"Oh, do tell. I want to hear the good, and then well investigate that ominous but." Lorelai grinned a little.
"Ominous but."
"Mom."
"Oh come on, you were thinking the same thing. Now nail polish!"
"Mom!"
"Nail polish first, stories after!" Rory groaned in protest, but rolled off the couch and went up the stairs to the bathroom. Knocking a couple hairbrushes and compacts into the sink as she searched, Rory finally found two bottles, hidden behind the package of fluorescent band-aids. She climbed back down the stairs, and hopped onto the couch, turning the television on. Lorelai reached out as Rory handed her a spoon.
"Cherry Garcia or Chunky Monkey?"
"Monkey me up." Lorelai replied as Rory passed the bucket over. Rory looked at the Lorelai's face as she struggled with the lid.
"Hey Mom.......The nail polish isn't for...." She waited in anticipation. Lorelai finished her first spoonful and looked up at Rory. She nodded as she licked the spoon clean.
"Wow. This is serious. Nail polish pow wow. We haven't pulled simultaneous toe-paint since we were deciding between Harvard and Yale." Rory said as Lorelai nodded.
"You've got lots of ice cream?"
"There's a cookie dough and another monkey in the freezer. Do you want Streetwalker or Grape Galaxy?" Rory asked, holding up the bottle of red and deep sparkle purple polish.
"Streetwalker. I'm in a red mood." Lorelai took the purple bottle from Rory.
"Red for love?" Rory suggested mischieviously.
"Oh yeah, well purple for.....for...uh....." Lorelai tried to retort.
"Asphyxia?" Rory suggested.
"Yeah." Lorelai replied.
"Sure." Rory nodded. "Soooo..... What happened?" Rory inquired as they lifted their feet into each others laps and shook the bottles of polish.
***************************************
"So then you hugged and he left?"
"Yeah, and now I don't really know what we're doing." Lorelai frowned and hung her head back over the arm of the couch. Rory licked her spoon pensively, looking at her upside down reflection.
"Well, you decided to break up with Jason."
"Yes. Oh, and remind me to call him." Rory frowned.
"Okay. And Luke said that he was going to finalize his divorce."
"But he said that before the whole Nicole at the ballpark showdown hoedown
throwdown."
"Hoedown?"
"It's all the plaid. It's gone to my head." Rory grinned but Lorelai pointed her finger at her.
"Not the time for teasing! Mommy's pulling a Sybil."
"Multiple personalities?"
"Mental breakdown."
"Sybil, classic psychology case Sybil?"
"Sybil Sheppard Sybil."
"Oh, okay, continue."
"Back to crazy?"
"Before that."
"Luke's decision to break it off with Nicole having nothing to do with me, and therefore not being possible to use it as evidence of any kind in this situation?"
"That would be the one."
"Uuuuuggh. I'm hopeless. I'm going to be sad and lonely forever."
"You are not."
"I am. I can't get a man. And when I can, I can't keep him. I'm going to end up sad and alone with hundreds of cats and old newspapers." Lorelai proclaimed.
"You're being ridiculous."
"No. I'm not. I'm going to end up the scary cat lady who lives by herself, and all the kids will be afraid, and they're run past my house and avoid it at night. 'Run!' They'll yell. 'Run away from the scary cat lady!' And then I'll throw my cats at them from my rocker on the porch, because I can't move because my metabolism will finally slow down and my eating habits will make me balloon up to 500 pounds, and I'll drink my coffee laced with Jack Daniels and end up....crushed...under a pile of Shop- rite ads from 2002." Lorelai exclaimed, waving her hands.
"I promise you will not met your ending under a pile of adds for orange juice and luncheon meat."
"Really promise?" Lorelai asked desperately.
"Don't worry. I will have put you in a home by then." Rory nodded and Lorelai tossed a pillow at her.
"You really aren't helping."
"More ice cream?" Rory suggested.
"Yes." Rory grabbed the next two buckets from the kitchen and passed one to Lorelai as she sat back down.
"Luke's going to make me fat." Rory commented, looking at the ice cream, but eating a spoonful at the same time.
"Yeah, well he's been doing it for years, he's just found new methods."
"Hey! That fat crack just totally got you downgraded to the semiprivate room at that home."
"Don't worry, I'll just move in with you."
"Uh......"
"Hey!"
"Weeeelll..... It's just that I don't like cats."
"But they're my babies!"
"So am I."
"But they love me back."
"Good point."
"So back to the problem at hand?"
"Good transition."
"Thank you. Okay, analysis goes like so....Yes, Luke decided to divorce Nicole before he said anything about you two."
"Yes, and not helpful."
"Patience. Okay, when did he tell you this."
"When we were eating lunch."
"Okay, and what were you doing when he told you."
"Talking with Luke."
"Yes, but WHERE were you when Luke told you this."
"Under a tree."
"Okaaaay. In what position were you in when Luke told you this."
"Uh...Leaning against him."
"So he said this during your pre-almost-kiss lean?"
"Stop calling it that. It was not a pre-kiss lean. OR a pre-almost kiss lean. It was just a lean. A simple, meaningless, platonic lean." Lorelai stressed with her hands.
"Sure." Rory nodded. "If you say so."
"I know what you mean by that. Take it back."
"I didn't say anything."
"You implied. De-implify." Lorelai demanded nervously.
"So anyways, my original point was that the situation shows that even if Luke's breaking up with the anti-you-"
"Nicole?"
"Nicole."
"Okay."
"If the breaking up has nothing to do DIRECTLY with you, he still obviously likes you a little bit at least."
"A little bit?" Lorelai asked quietly.
"Come on mom, you know if I implied anything more than a little bit you'd freak out just like you always do when anyone mentions Luke liking you." Rory sighed. Lorelai frowned and stared at the pillow in her lap.
"Yes, however you seemed to have overlooked the craziness of the situation of the past 24 hours, in which I have actually been freaked out about the prospect of Luke NOT liking me."
"Okay, so me saying that Luke likes you doesn't freak you out anymore."
"Still a little."
"Okay, well.....What do you want your conversation to mean?"
"What?"
"If you could interpret it the way you wanted, what would it have meant."
"I don't know."
"Yes you do."
"That Luke wanted to maybe do something with me, and that he wanted to do it the right way, so he didn't want to rush this and wanted to be Nicole related items free before we actually did something."
"Then that's what it means."
"What if it's not?"
"What if it is?"
"But what if it's not."
"Yes. But what if it is."
"What if it is?" Lorelai frowned.
"That's a good thing." Rory replied brightly.
"Yeah, it is....isn't it." Lorelai looked thoughtfully at the chunks of chocolate in her ice cream, slowly fishing one out.
"Wow," Rory said softly. "You really do like him." Lorelai looked up, her brows drawn together and gave a little nod. She smiled a little.
"How can you tell?"
"You just bypassed the perfect set up for a Martha Stewart joke." Rory replied, nodding seriously.
"I'm slipping in my old age." Lorelai smiled.
"I'll let it pass this once."
"You are a kind and generous girl."
"Thank you. I have no idea where it came from." Rory shrugged her shoulders.
"Don't let it happen again." Lorelai warned.
"And think positive. Think Luke likes you. Use the power of your mind." Rory suggested.
"Think the power of my mind could get us dinner while I'm still on the couch?"
"No, but I do think the power of your legs would be much more successful."
"Ugh. I already changed." Lorelai whined.
"Change again."
"Can't you go?"
"I have to wait for a call."
"I can stay and take a message!" Lorelai offered.
"Alright, just tell Grandma I will call her back in half an hour, and don't let the machine get it because she knows that we're home." Rory started to get off the couch, but Lorelai frowned and rolled off.
"I'm only changing my bottoms!" Lorelai called down from her doorway. She slumped back down the stair a few minutes with a pair of jeans on and pulled on her coat.
"You're an evil genius. I knew I was in trouble when you started outsmarting me a few years ago. I should pick you up a lab coat and a henchman while I'm out." She pointed at Rory.
"But that's why I keep you around. And I have become craftier."
"I'll be back soon." Lorelai smiled.
"Talk to Luke."
"Stick your fingers in the electrical socket."
"Bad advice." Rory frowned.
"Ask a stupid question......." Lorelai replied, looking back over her shoulder.
"Bye Igor."
"Bye Doc-tor." Lorelai drawled, dragging her foot along the ground on the way out the door.
********************************
Lorelai.....Lorelai...Lorelai....Lorelai.....
"Luke! Can I get my food?" A customer yelled at him.
"Oh, uh, yeah... just let me grab it." Luke frowned and turned to the kitchen. He had been right. Everyone was coming in from the tournament. Because none of them could just be bothered to get up and find something in their own house."Caesar, do you have that-never mind." Luke looked down and shook his head, seeing the order right in front of him. He took it over to the table and did the rounds for refills and check- ups, then went back to the counter. Lorelai.....Lorelai......Lore- Damn it. He couldn't even do his job. He had to think, but he was busy during the day, and at night he was mostly too tired to think. But she kept leaking into his head and he'd forget whole tables's orders. Not to mention that all the looks and whispers from the customers really weren't helping much. He knew at any minute Miss Patty would be over to say something, or Taylor would mention a little something about him leaving his truck in the middle of the street, which would just push him over the edge, and lead to even more gossip. He needed to do this. Think. Okay....No, not right now. Lane was coming in tomorrow. She had the week after Thanksgiving off from school too. Apparently for giving some extra time for more ardent, time consuming personal thanks giving religious thing. Maybe....Maybe if she could come in and work for the week....Maybe Luke could head out somewhere, go up the his cabin. Get some thinking done in the quiet, by himself, no interruptions or diversions. He'd talk to her when she came in tomorrow.....or he could just call her now. Luke grabbed the phone off the wall and dialed up the Kim's, tapping his finger impatiently on the back of his neck.
"Hey, is Lane there? Oh, yeah, it's Luke. No, no, I still need you in tomorrow. Did you want to pick up a few extra shifts this week? How many...well.....all of them. Yeah. No, I'm fine. I just have something to do. Yeah. Starting? Uh, well, tomorrow if you can, but- Tomorrow's okay? Alright. Well, I'm giving the keys to Caesar, so don't worry about it. He'll help you out, and Tom's in tomorrow and Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday night and all next weekend too, so....Alright. No, I'll probably be gone. I'll call later to check in. Thanks Lane. Yeah, okay. Bye." Luke hung the phone up and leaned into the kitchen.
"Hey Caesar, I have to get out for a couple days. Lane's going to work the week, but I need you here to cook. That alright?"
"Do I get overtime?"
"Yes, you get overtime Caesar. Will you do it?"
"Yeah, I guess, I need the money."
"Stop. Really. You're concern is unsettling." Luke rolled his eyes. "I'm going to go up
to pack once it slows down out there."
***************************************************************
It was dark already, maybe nine o'clock by the time the diner slowed down. He was already exhausted by the day of softball, and other events, and he still had to drive up to the cabin. Luke tossed a few shirts and some pants into a bag. Some socks, some food from his cupboard, he'd pick up more on his way up, matches. No tackle box, it was too late in the season. He grabbed the duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder before climbing down his stairs and looking cautiously into the diner. He breathed a sigh of relief that Lorelai wasn't there, and told Caesar he was off.
He took the long way out of town, the one that didn't cross Lorelai's route to the centre of town, and made his way to one of the smaller highways heading north. This was a good idea, he tried to tell himself. Just take a few days off. Get away from things. Get away from everyone. Get away from everyone in the diner who kept glancing at him like he might explode in a ball of fire, or break into a song and dance routine at any moment. Get away from her. Clear his mind. He had to think about what they were, or rather what he was going to do now. Think about what he was actually going to do now...now that....maybe they would actually move forwards for once.
********************************************************
Luke climbed back into his truck and started off towards the diner, trying to focus on something other that Lorelai. He was sure that people would start coming into the diner soon. There was supposed to be some sort of dinner thing after the tournament, but since they hadn't even played the last game, considering two teams were incapacitated and another had one third of the team storm off, he was guessing that there wasn't going to be a dinner. Which meant that everyone would be going out for dinner, because they had nothing planned themselves. But that didn't really matter. Sure, it meant he'd be tired tonight, well, more tired than usual. And that meant that he wouldn't do much thinking. Not that he was in a rush........but it was going to be difficult...and frustrating....... to just sit down and find time... He wandered back into the diner and let Caesar know that he was back before climbing the stairs to the apartment. Luke pulled off the baseball jersey, tossing it into a dresser drawer and pulled on a regular shirt. Back down the stairs and back to work.
********************************
Lorelai stood back up from her spot and dusted off her hands on the back of her sweats. She looked around the yard and wandered slowly towards the house, her grin turning slowly into a frown. That conversation with Luke....it.....was....it meant........it had been so.....well..........so damn ambiguous actually. Luke had said that he felt something. But he didn't know what. So...did that mean that he wasn't sure what kind of feeling feeling it was.....or did he not know whether it was a friendly feeling or a feeling feeling. Or....well, they were both breaking off with their apparently–not-so- significant others. And they were going to take time with this, make sure they did this right, that they were sure. Whatever this was. The feeling of relief and happiness that had been here when she had been out in the yard with Luke was now officially muddled up with confusion and a healthy dose of panicky nervousness. Where was Rory..... Lorelai sighed, rubbing her temples and frowning, and flopped up the stairs. She pulled on her pyjamas, even though it was only five o'clock. When she got back downstairs she noticed the answering machine beeping and pressed play before sitting down on the couch.
"Hey Lor..." Jason. She listened to the message. He gave her the easy out. Just don't call him. And for now that would work. Lorelai knew she should call, but she wanted to wait, at least until after she had a chance to talk to Rory. She'd call Jason soon. Well, eventually
************************************
Rory had dropped Marty off at his house and was speeding back to Stars Hollow. As she passed Luke's she saw his truck there and a few customers filtering in, so if he had gone to their house, Luke was back already. This meant that it was safe for her to get home to her mom. Rory had a sudden thought and pulled into Doose's, grabbing a couple buckets of Ben and Jerry's. Whatever had happened, Rory had a feeling it would take at least two containers of Chunky Monkey before it was all talked out. She pulled into the driveway, hopped out of the car and ran into the house, slamming the door behind her.
"Mom? MOM." Rory shouted from the kitchen.
"Rory hun! Living room! Bring the ice cream." Rory stopped and furrowed her brow.
"How did you know?"
"I trained you well."
"Good point." Rory threw two of the buckets of ice cream into the fridge.
"Oh, and bring the nail polish." Rory stopped what she was doing.
"Nail polish?"
"Yeah, nail polish, some spoons and whatever is in the bag."
"Are you sure?" Rory continued cautiously. "You don't want any chocolate syrup, or marshmallow fluff? Maybe a change of clothes and a map of Rhode Island?"
"You need a map for Rhode Island?" Lorelai wondered.
"So....No road trip gear?" Rory probed, but Lorelai just kept babbling.
"Do you think we still have that red one I got last year? What was it called.....Vixen, or streetwalker.....or......."
"Red what?" Rory asked stopping as she reached into the utensil drawer and looking towards the living room.
"Nail polish."
"You're serious?"
"Serious about my nice red nail polish and some ice creamy times with my little girl."
"Really?" Rory peaked her head around the corner and saw Lorelai crunched up on the couch, dressed in pyjamas. "So.......good?" Rory said hesitantly. Lorelai frowned, then nodded her head slowly, and her pigtails swung from side to side.
"Yes, good....but." Rory raised her eyebrows and dropped the ice cream onto the couch.
"Oh, do tell. I want to hear the good, and then well investigate that ominous but." Lorelai grinned a little.
"Ominous but."
"Mom."
"Oh come on, you were thinking the same thing. Now nail polish!"
"Mom!"
"Nail polish first, stories after!" Rory groaned in protest, but rolled off the couch and went up the stairs to the bathroom. Knocking a couple hairbrushes and compacts into the sink as she searched, Rory finally found two bottles, hidden behind the package of fluorescent band-aids. She climbed back down the stairs, and hopped onto the couch, turning the television on. Lorelai reached out as Rory handed her a spoon.
"Cherry Garcia or Chunky Monkey?"
"Monkey me up." Lorelai replied as Rory passed the bucket over. Rory looked at the Lorelai's face as she struggled with the lid.
"Hey Mom.......The nail polish isn't for...." She waited in anticipation. Lorelai finished her first spoonful and looked up at Rory. She nodded as she licked the spoon clean.
"Wow. This is serious. Nail polish pow wow. We haven't pulled simultaneous toe-paint since we were deciding between Harvard and Yale." Rory said as Lorelai nodded.
"You've got lots of ice cream?"
"There's a cookie dough and another monkey in the freezer. Do you want Streetwalker or Grape Galaxy?" Rory asked, holding up the bottle of red and deep sparkle purple polish.
"Streetwalker. I'm in a red mood." Lorelai took the purple bottle from Rory.
"Red for love?" Rory suggested mischieviously.
"Oh yeah, well purple for.....for...uh....." Lorelai tried to retort.
"Asphyxia?" Rory suggested.
"Yeah." Lorelai replied.
"Sure." Rory nodded. "Soooo..... What happened?" Rory inquired as they lifted their feet into each others laps and shook the bottles of polish.
***************************************
"So then you hugged and he left?"
"Yeah, and now I don't really know what we're doing." Lorelai frowned and hung her head back over the arm of the couch. Rory licked her spoon pensively, looking at her upside down reflection.
"Well, you decided to break up with Jason."
"Yes. Oh, and remind me to call him." Rory frowned.
"Okay. And Luke said that he was going to finalize his divorce."
"But he said that before the whole Nicole at the ballpark showdown hoedown
throwdown."
"Hoedown?"
"It's all the plaid. It's gone to my head." Rory grinned but Lorelai pointed her finger at her.
"Not the time for teasing! Mommy's pulling a Sybil."
"Multiple personalities?"
"Mental breakdown."
"Sybil, classic psychology case Sybil?"
"Sybil Sheppard Sybil."
"Oh, okay, continue."
"Back to crazy?"
"Before that."
"Luke's decision to break it off with Nicole having nothing to do with me, and therefore not being possible to use it as evidence of any kind in this situation?"
"That would be the one."
"Uuuuuggh. I'm hopeless. I'm going to be sad and lonely forever."
"You are not."
"I am. I can't get a man. And when I can, I can't keep him. I'm going to end up sad and alone with hundreds of cats and old newspapers." Lorelai proclaimed.
"You're being ridiculous."
"No. I'm not. I'm going to end up the scary cat lady who lives by herself, and all the kids will be afraid, and they're run past my house and avoid it at night. 'Run!' They'll yell. 'Run away from the scary cat lady!' And then I'll throw my cats at them from my rocker on the porch, because I can't move because my metabolism will finally slow down and my eating habits will make me balloon up to 500 pounds, and I'll drink my coffee laced with Jack Daniels and end up....crushed...under a pile of Shop- rite ads from 2002." Lorelai exclaimed, waving her hands.
"I promise you will not met your ending under a pile of adds for orange juice and luncheon meat."
"Really promise?" Lorelai asked desperately.
"Don't worry. I will have put you in a home by then." Rory nodded and Lorelai tossed a pillow at her.
"You really aren't helping."
"More ice cream?" Rory suggested.
"Yes." Rory grabbed the next two buckets from the kitchen and passed one to Lorelai as she sat back down.
"Luke's going to make me fat." Rory commented, looking at the ice cream, but eating a spoonful at the same time.
"Yeah, well he's been doing it for years, he's just found new methods."
"Hey! That fat crack just totally got you downgraded to the semiprivate room at that home."
"Don't worry, I'll just move in with you."
"Uh......"
"Hey!"
"Weeeelll..... It's just that I don't like cats."
"But they're my babies!"
"So am I."
"But they love me back."
"Good point."
"So back to the problem at hand?"
"Good transition."
"Thank you. Okay, analysis goes like so....Yes, Luke decided to divorce Nicole before he said anything about you two."
"Yes, and not helpful."
"Patience. Okay, when did he tell you this."
"When we were eating lunch."
"Okay, and what were you doing when he told you."
"Talking with Luke."
"Yes, but WHERE were you when Luke told you this."
"Under a tree."
"Okaaaay. In what position were you in when Luke told you this."
"Uh...Leaning against him."
"So he said this during your pre-almost-kiss lean?"
"Stop calling it that. It was not a pre-kiss lean. OR a pre-almost kiss lean. It was just a lean. A simple, meaningless, platonic lean." Lorelai stressed with her hands.
"Sure." Rory nodded. "If you say so."
"I know what you mean by that. Take it back."
"I didn't say anything."
"You implied. De-implify." Lorelai demanded nervously.
"So anyways, my original point was that the situation shows that even if Luke's breaking up with the anti-you-"
"Nicole?"
"Nicole."
"Okay."
"If the breaking up has nothing to do DIRECTLY with you, he still obviously likes you a little bit at least."
"A little bit?" Lorelai asked quietly.
"Come on mom, you know if I implied anything more than a little bit you'd freak out just like you always do when anyone mentions Luke liking you." Rory sighed. Lorelai frowned and stared at the pillow in her lap.
"Yes, however you seemed to have overlooked the craziness of the situation of the past 24 hours, in which I have actually been freaked out about the prospect of Luke NOT liking me."
"Okay, so me saying that Luke likes you doesn't freak you out anymore."
"Still a little."
"Okay, well.....What do you want your conversation to mean?"
"What?"
"If you could interpret it the way you wanted, what would it have meant."
"I don't know."
"Yes you do."
"That Luke wanted to maybe do something with me, and that he wanted to do it the right way, so he didn't want to rush this and wanted to be Nicole related items free before we actually did something."
"Then that's what it means."
"What if it's not?"
"What if it is?"
"But what if it's not."
"Yes. But what if it is."
"What if it is?" Lorelai frowned.
"That's a good thing." Rory replied brightly.
"Yeah, it is....isn't it." Lorelai looked thoughtfully at the chunks of chocolate in her ice cream, slowly fishing one out.
"Wow," Rory said softly. "You really do like him." Lorelai looked up, her brows drawn together and gave a little nod. She smiled a little.
"How can you tell?"
"You just bypassed the perfect set up for a Martha Stewart joke." Rory replied, nodding seriously.
"I'm slipping in my old age." Lorelai smiled.
"I'll let it pass this once."
"You are a kind and generous girl."
"Thank you. I have no idea where it came from." Rory shrugged her shoulders.
"Don't let it happen again." Lorelai warned.
"And think positive. Think Luke likes you. Use the power of your mind." Rory suggested.
"Think the power of my mind could get us dinner while I'm still on the couch?"
"No, but I do think the power of your legs would be much more successful."
"Ugh. I already changed." Lorelai whined.
"Change again."
"Can't you go?"
"I have to wait for a call."
"I can stay and take a message!" Lorelai offered.
"Alright, just tell Grandma I will call her back in half an hour, and don't let the machine get it because she knows that we're home." Rory started to get off the couch, but Lorelai frowned and rolled off.
"I'm only changing my bottoms!" Lorelai called down from her doorway. She slumped back down the stair a few minutes with a pair of jeans on and pulled on her coat.
"You're an evil genius. I knew I was in trouble when you started outsmarting me a few years ago. I should pick you up a lab coat and a henchman while I'm out." She pointed at Rory.
"But that's why I keep you around. And I have become craftier."
"I'll be back soon." Lorelai smiled.
"Talk to Luke."
"Stick your fingers in the electrical socket."
"Bad advice." Rory frowned.
"Ask a stupid question......." Lorelai replied, looking back over her shoulder.
"Bye Igor."
"Bye Doc-tor." Lorelai drawled, dragging her foot along the ground on the way out the door.
********************************
Lorelai.....Lorelai...Lorelai....Lorelai.....
"Luke! Can I get my food?" A customer yelled at him.
"Oh, uh, yeah... just let me grab it." Luke frowned and turned to the kitchen. He had been right. Everyone was coming in from the tournament. Because none of them could just be bothered to get up and find something in their own house."Caesar, do you have that-never mind." Luke looked down and shook his head, seeing the order right in front of him. He took it over to the table and did the rounds for refills and check- ups, then went back to the counter. Lorelai.....Lorelai......Lore- Damn it. He couldn't even do his job. He had to think, but he was busy during the day, and at night he was mostly too tired to think. But she kept leaking into his head and he'd forget whole tables's orders. Not to mention that all the looks and whispers from the customers really weren't helping much. He knew at any minute Miss Patty would be over to say something, or Taylor would mention a little something about him leaving his truck in the middle of the street, which would just push him over the edge, and lead to even more gossip. He needed to do this. Think. Okay....No, not right now. Lane was coming in tomorrow. She had the week after Thanksgiving off from school too. Apparently for giving some extra time for more ardent, time consuming personal thanks giving religious thing. Maybe....Maybe if she could come in and work for the week....Maybe Luke could head out somewhere, go up the his cabin. Get some thinking done in the quiet, by himself, no interruptions or diversions. He'd talk to her when she came in tomorrow.....or he could just call her now. Luke grabbed the phone off the wall and dialed up the Kim's, tapping his finger impatiently on the back of his neck.
"Hey, is Lane there? Oh, yeah, it's Luke. No, no, I still need you in tomorrow. Did you want to pick up a few extra shifts this week? How many...well.....all of them. Yeah. No, I'm fine. I just have something to do. Yeah. Starting? Uh, well, tomorrow if you can, but- Tomorrow's okay? Alright. Well, I'm giving the keys to Caesar, so don't worry about it. He'll help you out, and Tom's in tomorrow and Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday night and all next weekend too, so....Alright. No, I'll probably be gone. I'll call later to check in. Thanks Lane. Yeah, okay. Bye." Luke hung the phone up and leaned into the kitchen.
"Hey Caesar, I have to get out for a couple days. Lane's going to work the week, but I need you here to cook. That alright?"
"Do I get overtime?"
"Yes, you get overtime Caesar. Will you do it?"
"Yeah, I guess, I need the money."
"Stop. Really. You're concern is unsettling." Luke rolled his eyes. "I'm going to go up
to pack once it slows down out there."
***************************************************************
It was dark already, maybe nine o'clock by the time the diner slowed down. He was already exhausted by the day of softball, and other events, and he still had to drive up to the cabin. Luke tossed a few shirts and some pants into a bag. Some socks, some food from his cupboard, he'd pick up more on his way up, matches. No tackle box, it was too late in the season. He grabbed the duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder before climbing down his stairs and looking cautiously into the diner. He breathed a sigh of relief that Lorelai wasn't there, and told Caesar he was off.
He took the long way out of town, the one that didn't cross Lorelai's route to the centre of town, and made his way to one of the smaller highways heading north. This was a good idea, he tried to tell himself. Just take a few days off. Get away from things. Get away from everyone. Get away from everyone in the diner who kept glancing at him like he might explode in a ball of fire, or break into a song and dance routine at any moment. Get away from her. Clear his mind. He had to think about what they were, or rather what he was going to do now. Think about what he was actually going to do now...now that....maybe they would actually move forwards for once.