Author's Note: To the few of you that have reviewed my story- thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! I really appreciate the input, and I try to use your suggestions in the story. It feels great to know that there are actually people out there that care about what I write. To those of you that have yet to review- PLEEEEEEEAAAAAAASE do so- I'm starting to develop an inferiority complex because of the lack of reviews (they like everyone else's stories and no one likes mine!!!! Waaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!)
Disclaimer: I still don't own Gilmore Girls. Damn it.
"And you thought sticking your parents in here was a good idea why?" Sookie asked Lorelai as they spent their fifth straight day at the Dragonfly peeling post-its left by Emily Gilmore off various places in the bungalow.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Lorelai responded with a dubious look at the paper she had pulled out of a pillow that had something about sandpaper, bed sheets, and fabric softener written on it. Since Lorelai had felt the need to "help" out her mother with her marriage in a rather unwanted way, Emily felt the need to return the favor in much the same manner by placing sticky notes with suggestions about improving the inn in various well-hidden places around the bungalow. So far, they had been found in places as bizarre as on top of the fan blades, rolled up inside of the bathtub drain, and behind the pictures on the wall.
"Well Gili also seemed like a good idea at the time, but in hindsight, I would have to say that it was quite the opposite," said Sookie as she struggled to lift the mattress in an effort to check underneath it. "Speaking of movies, what's going on with you and Luke? Are you still going out on a date tonight?" Sookie asked fervently, looking as eager as if she was the one going to the movies with Luke.
Lorelai twisted the pillow she held in her hand uncomfortably and answered, "Apparently we're still going, but I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to call it off. He seemed pretty angry at me after we talked yesterday and I can't figure out why."
Sookie set down the mattress and sat on top of it, in a ready position for some serious girl talk. She asked, "He was angry at you? Jeez, you must have done something really bad to make him mad at you, his soul mate, center of his universe, object of his obsession, love of his life and all." Lorelai raised an eyebrow and looked skeptical. "Seriously, the man would jump off a cliff for you. What did you say to him?"
"I honestly don't know. The beginning of our conversation was fine, even if it was a bit awkward, and then I almost got run over by a skateboard and Taylor rode around with his scooter, and then I suggested that we don't make our relationship overly public and he got all irritated and left," Lorelai said all in one breath, holding her head in her hands. When she finished she looked up hopefully at Sookie, wishing for a solution to her dilemma.
Sookie scratched her head thoughtfully and asked Lorelai, "How exactly did you phrase the last part?"
"The part about not making it public?" Lorelai asked, slightly puzzled. "I just said that since our town has so many kings and queens of gossip residing in it, we shouldn't make the potential relationship obvious, since we're not even sure if it's going anywhere." Sookie stared at Lorelai as if she'd grown two extra heads. "What?"
"Lorelai, you're hopeless. Thank god you have me around or you'd turn into one of those weird spinster women who own way more cats than any normal person should and yells at little kids to get off your lawn," Sookie said, while laughing inwardly at how clueless Lorelai could be when it came to all things romantic. "It's no wonder Luke's mad at you- you two have been doing your little courtship dance for years now, and now you come out and tell him you're not sure if it's going anywhere? To him that probably sounded a lot like 'Sorry! Not interested! Guess you'll have to find someone else to obsess over for the next 19 years of your life, see you when I need some coffee.'"
Lorelai looked horrified. "But I didn't mean it that way! I just didn't want to come on too strong! Don't people tend to freak out when you seem like you're really interested?"
Sookie rolled her eyes and said, "No hon, that's only you."
"Oh crap!" Lorelai exclaimed, "He probably hates me! If I were him, I would be so dumped by now! I've got to run over to the diner right now to grovel for his forg---"
Lorelai's tirade was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a rather frazzled looking Michele. "Lorelai, Sookie," he panted, "I've been looking all over for you. There's a large, oddly dressed, crazy woman having a psychotic episode outside of the inn!" Lorelai and Sookie exchanged mystified looks and quickly ran out the bungalow door, not so much because they wanted to stop this baffling woman's antics, but more because they wanted to see them.
When they had stepped out into the bright morning sunlight, they both scanned the premises for any sign of the woman Michele had mentioned. Not seeing any, Sookie asked him, "Where is she?"
"There!" shouted Michele, pointing to a figure running out from behind the barn. The woman was dressed in a purple robe with many different kinds of bangles and scarves adorning her body. She was moving at top speed towards them, and shouting out what sounded an awful lot like Lorelai and Sookie's names. This actually would have been an odd incident, had the woman not been a rather well known figure from town for whom this behavior was really not out of the ordinary.
Lorelai gave Michele an exasperated look, and said, "That's just Miss Patty, Michele."
Michele nodded and responded by saying, "I know, that's exactly what I told you. There's a large, oddly dressed, crazy woman--- ouch!" He had been interrupted by Lorelai hitting him on the arm and giving him a warning look. "That hurt," he grumbled, "It will probably leave a mark. I bruise very easily. Like a peach."
Lorelai and Sookie didn't hear that last comment, having turned their attention to Miss Patty, who had come to a stop, wheezing, in front of them. She took a moment to catch her breath a little, and then gasped, "Lorelai, Sookie, I've been looking all over for you to tell you the news!"
"What news?" Sookie asked, confused as to what could be so important to motivate Miss Patty to run all the way to the Dragonfly. "Did someone die?"
"No! Worse!" shouted Miss Patty with an expression of pain and suffering adorning her visage, "Al's Pancake House is being… DEMOLISHED!"
Lorelai and Sookie stared at her in shock. "They can't do that!" protested Lorelai!"
"And next month is Indonesian food, too!" proclaimed Sookie, "Al was going to teach me how to make some dishes!"
"I know, it's horrible," said Miss Patty, visibly shaken. "Apparently he took quite a hit during Lithuanian month, and was forced to declare bankruptcy. He was offered a rather generous amount to sell the property, and he took it. Now it's being torn down to make… a skate park!" she said, dissolving into tears.
"Well that explains all the skateboarders in Luke's," Lorelai commented, and wondered what he would think when he found out his diner was playing home to the downfall of an unofficial town monument.
Miss Patty regained her composure, and went on, "Anyway, the reason I was seeking you to out is because we're having a protest outside of Al's tomorrow- the new owner is coming to inspect the property and we want to send him a message. I was hoping you could help out. Sookie, since Al's taught you a few of his more… interesting international recipes, I was hoping you could make some of them and set up a table outside for when the protesters get hungry. It seems appropriate to be serving Al's kind of food when we're campaigning for his right to continue to make it."
Sookie didn't respond, because she was already to busy mentally planning the rather elaborate menu for tomorrow's stakeout.
Miss Patty continued, "And Lorelai, I need you to do the most important job we have. Seeing how most people around town know you and your voice tends to, well, carry, I was wondering if you would lead the protest- be our spokeswoman, I suppose."
"You're just asking me to do this because I have a big mouth, aren't you?" Lorelai asked. Miss Patty was trying to think of a polite way to answer this question in the affirmative, when Lorelai said, "Not that I have a problem with that. Of course I'll do it, Miss Patty. Anything to keep our town's only international pancake house open."
"Oh thank you girls SO much!" Miss Patty gushed, grabbing both of them and pulling them into a bone-crushing hug. "You don't know HOW much I appreciate it! I knew I could count on you! Thank you Thank you THANK YOU and I'll see you tomorrow morning at seven thirty," She shouted over her shoulder. "I'm off to get more recruits!"
"Seven thirty in the MORNING!" Lorelai exclaimed. "But it's a Saturday! Is it too late to back out of this?" Sookie shrugged, laughing, and they both headed back into the bungalow.