CHAPTER 3 - BIG GOLD SCISSORS
TWO WEEKS LATER
Lorelai had been up since three in the morning. Today was the day, the one she'd waited to come for more years than she liked to admit. Today they were having the Inn's grand opening. This time they were ready, they had doors, and the staff crisis had been promptly dealt with.
After a quick shower, she dressed and headed down for her car. She'd grab something to eat at the Inn, at their Inn. She got in her car and drove to the Dragonfly. Upon her arrival she was surprised to find Luke there, in the process of fixing a big red ribbon in front of the stairs.
"And what are you up to?" she asked with a smile.
"Well, it is the opening, tradition is in order." He bent down and retrieved a pair of golden scissors. She seemed excited.
"When did you get all traditiony? Taylor'll be all over you, every festival, holiday, new shipments, he's gonna be on your case..."
"Hey, I'll deal with it." She nodded with a smirk. "So I know why I'm here at four in the morning, why are you here at four in the morning?" She shrugged.
"Hello, I am a morning person and who am I kidding I can't even get that out, but big events get me excited and I can't sleep. I mean you've seen me on Christmas Eve, forget it, I kick sleep to the curb like it's a rotten turkey."
"I see."
"You don't happen to have any coffee hidden back there, do you?"
"No, but I could make you some."
"This is so great. Boyfriend and expert coffee maker all rolled up in one. I'm the luckiest girl in the world," she kissed him before they ducked the red ribbon and walked into the Inn. They looked around in silence. "I can't believe it's finally happening."
"The Inn?"
"Yeah. I mean we've been working toward it for years on end, and then a little while longer getting it all set up, but it never seemed real yet. Now..." she smiled.
They took another moment, then went into the kitchen. Imagine their surprise when they found Sookie there, sleeping on a chair by the stove. Lorelai put a finger to her lips to tell Luke to keep quiet and she approached her slumbering friend. She knew her enough to be careful when she woke her up.
"Sookie? Honey, wake up," she told her, staying clear off her arms.
"Stir clockwise!" she blurted as she awoke, not quite balanced. Lorelai reached over to settle her back.
"It's okay, it's me."
"Lorelai! Hey... I was just..." She spotted Luke behind her and turned to her friend. "What are you two doing here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing."
"Oh, I was waiting for a package."
"At four in the morning?"
"You never know." Lorelai nodded.
"Luke?"
"Coffee, on it," he nodded. Lorelai turned back to Sookie with a grin.
"It's almost time, how do you feel?"
"Like I'm gonna throw up." Lorelai took a step back.
"Relax, everything will be great." A few minutes later, Luke set down a couple of cups of coffee in front of the girls, his own cup of tea already ready. "To the Inn!" Lorelai held up her cup.
"To the Inn," Sookie and Luke repeated, as they struck cups.
Lorelai looked at Luke and he smiled. Sookie didn't notice, not that she'd have known why it was making them smile. Over the last two weeks, they'd gone out three more times. By now the whole town was aware of their relationship. They were supportive, but also a little insistent. It was hard to have a quiet lunch when there were whispers from nearby.
Other whispers were being passed over the mystery of Rory's departure. Thankfully no one had found out the circumstances, but the fact that they were unknown left things open for much speculation, which Lorelai avoided as best she could.
A few hours later, the staff had arrived and was getting ready. Guests would be arriving soon, and the small ceremony they'd prepared to take place when guests first walked in was about to start. The townspeople had come in numbers and were standing by in excitement. Lorelai, Sookie, and Luke would cut the ribbon together, as they all had a part in this. Kirk had volunteered to document the event.
After the ceremony, the 'audience' departed and the guests began to settle in. Everything was going according to schedule. Everything was great, so why was Lorelai feeling sad. Deep down she knew. She wanted Rory to be there.
Just as she'd thought it, a voice spoke from behind. "Hey Lorelai, delivery for you." She turned to find the delivery man with a small box and flowers.
"Wow, thank you." She put the box down and got the card from the flowers.
"Congratulations on the Inn. To many years of success and happiness." And below these words, she recognized her father's signature.
She'd gone to see him a few times. Things were awkward to say the least. Things had been different between them for some time now, and she knew it wasn't pleasing either of them, but neither seemed ready to make the first step.
She opened the box, seeing the stamp from Amsterdam told her who it was from, which made the box the poor victim of quick opening. The first thing on top was a letter. Half of it was written by her mother, the other half by Rory. She read it quietly, finding out from it what was in the box. The two of them had gathered a small amount of lucky charms from their different locations. She smiled and decided to hang them up around the inn. One by the door, one at the desk, one in the kitchen... two in the kitchen, one in the stable, and one by the stairs.
She returned to the desk as the phone rang. She breathed deep and answered.
"Dragonfly Inn, Lorelai speaking. How may I help you?"
--
Okay, so there you have it :) Now what should happen next? More summer, or should we move to the end of the summer and Rory's return? I'm open to suggestions :)
TWO WEEKS LATER
Lorelai had been up since three in the morning. Today was the day, the one she'd waited to come for more years than she liked to admit. Today they were having the Inn's grand opening. This time they were ready, they had doors, and the staff crisis had been promptly dealt with.
After a quick shower, she dressed and headed down for her car. She'd grab something to eat at the Inn, at their Inn. She got in her car and drove to the Dragonfly. Upon her arrival she was surprised to find Luke there, in the process of fixing a big red ribbon in front of the stairs.
"And what are you up to?" she asked with a smile.
"Well, it is the opening, tradition is in order." He bent down and retrieved a pair of golden scissors. She seemed excited.
"When did you get all traditiony? Taylor'll be all over you, every festival, holiday, new shipments, he's gonna be on your case..."
"Hey, I'll deal with it." She nodded with a smirk. "So I know why I'm here at four in the morning, why are you here at four in the morning?" She shrugged.
"Hello, I am a morning person and who am I kidding I can't even get that out, but big events get me excited and I can't sleep. I mean you've seen me on Christmas Eve, forget it, I kick sleep to the curb like it's a rotten turkey."
"I see."
"You don't happen to have any coffee hidden back there, do you?"
"No, but I could make you some."
"This is so great. Boyfriend and expert coffee maker all rolled up in one. I'm the luckiest girl in the world," she kissed him before they ducked the red ribbon and walked into the Inn. They looked around in silence. "I can't believe it's finally happening."
"The Inn?"
"Yeah. I mean we've been working toward it for years on end, and then a little while longer getting it all set up, but it never seemed real yet. Now..." she smiled.
They took another moment, then went into the kitchen. Imagine their surprise when they found Sookie there, sleeping on a chair by the stove. Lorelai put a finger to her lips to tell Luke to keep quiet and she approached her slumbering friend. She knew her enough to be careful when she woke her up.
"Sookie? Honey, wake up," she told her, staying clear off her arms.
"Stir clockwise!" she blurted as she awoke, not quite balanced. Lorelai reached over to settle her back.
"It's okay, it's me."
"Lorelai! Hey... I was just..." She spotted Luke behind her and turned to her friend. "What are you two doing here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing."
"Oh, I was waiting for a package."
"At four in the morning?"
"You never know." Lorelai nodded.
"Luke?"
"Coffee, on it," he nodded. Lorelai turned back to Sookie with a grin.
"It's almost time, how do you feel?"
"Like I'm gonna throw up." Lorelai took a step back.
"Relax, everything will be great." A few minutes later, Luke set down a couple of cups of coffee in front of the girls, his own cup of tea already ready. "To the Inn!" Lorelai held up her cup.
"To the Inn," Sookie and Luke repeated, as they struck cups.
Lorelai looked at Luke and he smiled. Sookie didn't notice, not that she'd have known why it was making them smile. Over the last two weeks, they'd gone out three more times. By now the whole town was aware of their relationship. They were supportive, but also a little insistent. It was hard to have a quiet lunch when there were whispers from nearby.
Other whispers were being passed over the mystery of Rory's departure. Thankfully no one had found out the circumstances, but the fact that they were unknown left things open for much speculation, which Lorelai avoided as best she could.
A few hours later, the staff had arrived and was getting ready. Guests would be arriving soon, and the small ceremony they'd prepared to take place when guests first walked in was about to start. The townspeople had come in numbers and were standing by in excitement. Lorelai, Sookie, and Luke would cut the ribbon together, as they all had a part in this. Kirk had volunteered to document the event.
After the ceremony, the 'audience' departed and the guests began to settle in. Everything was going according to schedule. Everything was great, so why was Lorelai feeling sad. Deep down she knew. She wanted Rory to be there.
Just as she'd thought it, a voice spoke from behind. "Hey Lorelai, delivery for you." She turned to find the delivery man with a small box and flowers.
"Wow, thank you." She put the box down and got the card from the flowers.
"Congratulations on the Inn. To many years of success and happiness." And below these words, she recognized her father's signature.
She'd gone to see him a few times. Things were awkward to say the least. Things had been different between them for some time now, and she knew it wasn't pleasing either of them, but neither seemed ready to make the first step.
She opened the box, seeing the stamp from Amsterdam told her who it was from, which made the box the poor victim of quick opening. The first thing on top was a letter. Half of it was written by her mother, the other half by Rory. She read it quietly, finding out from it what was in the box. The two of them had gathered a small amount of lucky charms from their different locations. She smiled and decided to hang them up around the inn. One by the door, one at the desk, one in the kitchen... two in the kitchen, one in the stable, and one by the stairs.
She returned to the desk as the phone rang. She breathed deep and answered.
"Dragonfly Inn, Lorelai speaking. How may I help you?"
--
Okay, so there you have it :) Now what should happen next? More summer, or should we move to the end of the summer and Rory's return? I'm open to suggestions :)