Luke saw Lorelai through the glass window of the surgical waiting room. She was sitting elbows on knees, face in hands, she looked so small like that, so fragile.
"Luke?" Rory's voice came from behind him made him jump, "You are here."
Luke nodded, "Yeah, um, Patty and Babette told me…how are you doing? Okay?" he asked giving her a quick one arm hug.
"Yeah, um, my Dad is here," Rory told Luke. She knew about the bad blood there.
"I know. I saw him," Luke told her, "How's your Mom?"
"She's upset, but she's holding it together," Rory told him, "How was she when she called you?"
"She, uh, she didn't call me," Luke said, "I found out through the grapevine."
"Well, I'm sure she'll be glad you're here. I think she's sort of in shock," Rory told Luke, "She could barely talk when she told us about Grandpa being gone."
Luke let out a long sigh and hugged Rory again, both arms this time, "I'm sorry, Ror…And your grandmother?"
She shook her head, "We don't know yet."
Luke and Rory hugged a few more minutes then Rory pulled away, "Come on. I'm sure Mom will be glad to see you."
Lorelai sat on the couch waiting for Rory and Chris to come back. She absentmindedly turned her engagement ring around on her finger. She felt bad about not calling Luke, she really was, but if she saw Luke, her rock, her strength, she would fall apart. She had to be strong for Rory and her mother if she made it. She couldn't let herself fall apart.
The door opened and Lorelai looked up from her seat to see Luke and Rory come into the waiting room, "Lorelai," he said on a breath going to hold her to him, trying to be what she needed him to be, "I'm here now, it's going to be all right."
Lorelai let Luke hold her for a moment then pulled away, "Luke, you shouldn't be here," she said.
"Mom," Rory argued, "Luke came all the way here and you didn't even call him. He wants to be here for you."
"Rory, it's okay," Luke said, "Lor, there's no place I'd rather be than right here with you. The diner's covered, it's no problem," Luke assured her.
"Luke, I'm glad you came, but I really don't…I have it all under control," Lorelai told him, "Go home and let Michel know I won't be at the inn for a few days."
Luke was confused. She seemed happy he was there, but she was telling him to go. She said she was in control, but she seemed upset and confused. Luke pushed a littler harder, "I can call Michel from here. I'm not leaving you here alone, Lorelai. I can't do that."
Luke was not a man of words. He was a man of actions. He never said, "Happy Birthday" to Rory, he just made cake. He never said, "I love you," he just touched and kissed and gifted with roses. He never said, "Will you marry me?" he just left a ring on a saucer. So for Luke to say in words he couldn't leave Lorelai alone had a lot more meaning in his case, for in Luke's case his words sometimes spoke louder than his actions.
"I'm not alone. Rory's here and Christopher…" she told him.
"I'm not leaving," Luke reiterated, "Conversation over."
Lorelai wasn't one to be defeated, but right now she didn't have the desire or the energy to battle with Luke. She wanted him there, but she couldn't allow herself to lean on him. She couldn't fall apart.
"Okay," Lorelai capitulated, "Get me some coffee, Burger Boy," she half smiled at the nickname she'd given him.
Luke left in search of coffee and Rory sat down next to Lorelai, "Why didn't you call him, Mom?"
"That's complicated, Rory. I don't want to get into it. He's here now," Lorelai said almost relieved, "You didn't call him, did you?"
"No," Rory shook her head, "But I was surprised that you didn't."
Lorelai just sighed, "Who did you call?"
"Promise me you won't get mad," Rory said as preamble.
"All right," Lorelai agreed, "Who was it? Dean?"
Rory shook her head, "No, Mom. Dean and I are really over. It was Jess."
"Jess," Lorelai repeated, "Jess Mariano?"
"Yes," Rory replied.
"Jess Mariano, as in Luke's nephew Jess, as in bad boy rebel Jess, as in unreliable heart breaker Jess? That Jess?" Lorelai asked completely stunned at her daughter's choice of supporters.
"Yes, and I don't know why so don't ask me," Rory warned, "Last May after Liz's wedding, Jess came to see me and told me he wanted me to go away with him. I said no, but he toldme I could count on him now. I remember that today when you told me about…about Grandpa. Something made me remember that," Rory explained, "He's on his way here as we speak."
"I hope he meant it, Sweets," Lorelai said flatly. She knew somewhere deep inside Jess he had love for Rory. If only she didn't see so much of Christopher on his surface.
Christopher returned with a few newspapers and magazines and Luke returned with coffee. Lorelai drank it slowly as the clock ticked on without word on Emily.
Rory thumber through the newspapers and magazines Christopher had bough. There were Cosmo and Glamour, Time and Newswekk, and Barrons. Barrons, Grandpa loved that paper.
Rory felt her eyes tearing but before she could cry the doors opened anda tall doctor in surgical scrubs stepped out, "Lorelai Gilmore. I'm looking for a Lorelai Gilmore."
Lorelai stood up, "I'm Lorelai Gilmore," she said stepping up to the doctor. Luke and Christopher moved in behind her, but she waved them off.
"Miss Gilmore, follow me please," he instructed and she followed the doctor to the restricted area.
Dr. Salda took Lorelai into his office, "Sit down, Miss Gilmore," he told her, "I know you had a hard day. I'm very sorry about your Father."
"Thank you, now let's cut to the chase. How's my mother?" Lorelai asked pointedly. These doctors were ridiculous.
"Miss Gilmore, your mother's injuries were very serious. We had to do surgery to remove her spleen and control the internal bleeding. However, your Mother was too weak and her heart stopped on the table. We used all our capabilities and tried to revive her for thirty-one minutes…"
"So she's dead," Lorelai finished, "Why did you bother with the whole speech if she's dead. It doesn't mean anything anyway, why or how long…She's dead is all that matters the rest of that is just smoke filled coffee house crap," Lorelai shouted tears leaking out of her eyes.
"Can I ask someone to come in for you?" the doctor asked understanding her tirade.
Lorelai shook her head and took a deep breath, "No, I'm fine," she replied, "I have to tell my daughter now."
Meanwhile, Jess had arrived in Hartfod. Rory had told him there was an accident but she never mentioned what hospital they were at. He had to get that out of Caesar. Jess looked around. Hartford was busy city like New York but friendlier, safer. He stopped someone, "Miss, St. Michael's Hospital?"
The lady pointed to the large building about ten blocks away, "It's there, with the red cross on it. The number 12 goes there, but it's faster walking this time a day."
Jess thanked the woman and headed off in the hospital's direction in a sprint. Rory was only ten blocks away and she needed him. It still amazed him . She had called him, not Dean, not Lane, him. Jess Mariano. Unreliable, untrustworthy, Jess Mariano. He'd promised her six months ago she could count on him. Now ti was time to prove it.
Lorelai made sure she was under control before she went out to the waiting room. This was going to hit Rory hard. She'd never lost anyone close to her before, except for a hamster. Lorelai hadn't either come to think of it, she didn't know how to do this.
Luke took one look at Lorelai's face when she returned to the waiting area and went to her. He knew Lorelai's brave look very well, he's seen it enough when she got back from a Friday night dinner. "Lorelai?" he asked softly, his voice so gently it threatened to shatter her resolve.
"Rory," she called out, "come here, Baby."
From Lorelai's tone Rory knew what had happened, she immediately ran to her mother and began to cry. Luke moved to hold both of his girls, but Christopher was up and moving to them. Lorelai opened her arm towards Christopher and Christopher, Lorelai, and Rory shared a family hug.
Luke stayed close, not intruding but par of him felt anger and jealousy. Christopher was never around for Rory, he was. Christopher was never Lorelai's supporter, he was. He should be comforting them, not Christopher. But, he was not family, yet, Christopher was.
That was the scene Jess walked in on. Luke quietly brooding, looking on as Christopher, Lorelain and Rory hugged.
"Luke," he said flatly.
"Jess," Luke said surprised, "How? Why?"
"Rory called. She said she needed me to come I take it the news is not good," Jess said.
Jess' familiar voice penetrated Rory's grief clouded mind. She pulled out of the hug, bringing it to the end and went to Jess, tears streaming down her cheeks. Jess caught and held her tight to him, "I'm here, Rory," he whispered, "It's all right, I'm here."
Lorelai crossed over to Luke, who reached out for her hand, "Could you take Rory and Jess home for me? I have some things to take care of here."
"Do you want me to stay with you? Christopher could…"
Lorelai cut him off, "I'd rather you be with Rory and Jess. I'm going to be fine. Christopher is here with me. Please Luke," she begged him with her eyes.
Luke nodded, "All right, I'll take them to your place. See you when you get home," he said kissing hers lips lightly before turning to leave. Jess collected Rory who was still sobbing against his chest and moved for the exit. Lorelai called over her shoulder, "Luke, thank you for this. You take care of her."
Luke nodded, "I will," he said, "Lor, I love you."
"I know," she nodded, stopping her tracks, "I love you too."
End Part 1 B