Chapter Three

Lorelai got to the Dragonfly a little late and there were piles of messages for her to return and several papers to sign and of course, a little run-in with Michel. Sookie had made them lunch andwhile they ate, Lorelai told Sookie her tale of the Christmas tree hunt. Sookie told Lorelai about how excited Davey was about Christmas this year. Michel came in and after whining about beingexcluded, they asked him to join them. He muttered something about the excruciatingsound of their laughter and walked away.Then Lorelai headed back to her office to finish a few things. By two she was caught up and ready to go home and get some personal things done. With Luke in her life now, she was rarely home. The phone rang yet again and although she was tempted to let it ring, she answered it.

"Hey."

"Hey, back." Lorelai was relieved and surprised that it was Luke.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I've had a busy morning but now it's slow. I was just thinking of going home for a while….Christmas stuff to do and all. How's your day going?"

"Great actually, lunch rush is over and Caesar said he'd take over the rest of the day if I wanted some time off."

"Wow, lucky you."

"Yeah, well, I thought maybe I'd swing by and pick you up and we could finish the tree stuff."

"Excuse me, I think you must have the wrong number. I know no man that would want to take a perfectly free afternoon and go get tree stuff." Lorelai teased but smiled at the thought of them spending a stolen afternoon.

"Oh, well, I guess I must have dialed wrong. But you sound like a nice person…so maybe you would go shopping with me instead?"

"You sound like a very nice man….what time should I expect you?"

"I'll be there in fifteen. Look for a handsome man with a green truck."

"Handsome huh? Green truck? You must be a soldier on leave."

Luke laughed, "Interesting concept, maaybe we can go with that later."

"Yeah, well, first I have to see the goods."

"See you in a few."

"Sure thing soldier."

Lorelai hung up the phone and checked herself in the mirror. She combed her hair and put on some lipstick and then headed for the door. When his green truck pulled up she ran out and quickly jumped in.

"Hi, soldier boy. Been back long?"

Luke laughed and bent over to kiss her hello. She giggled as she kissed him back.

Luke pulled away from the inn and Lorelai settled in next to him, one hand on his thigh the other on the radio dial.

"So you get an afternoon off and all you can think of to do is pick up your usually annoying girlfriend and go shopping for a holiday tree that all you have done is complain about?"

"Yeah, well, there is method to my madness believe me. Liz came in at lunch time and showed me some things she had just bought at the Old General Store. You know the place, big white barn, rocking chairs on the porch -- out on route Eight -- not far from Litchfield."

"Oh, close to Litchfield? I had a friend who almost moved there once."

Luke shot her a glance and then ignored the reference. "I'm ignoring that and going on. Liz said they had a great Christmas selection and I know it's a small place and shopping there could not take an entire day so…."

"And it's close to Sniffy's so we can go for an early dinner."

"Exactly."

Lorelai smiled, "You and I, thinking alike, scary huh?"

"Sometimes." Luke smiled thinking it really wasn't scary just nice.

It didn't take them long to find the place and Lorelai grabbed a shopping cart and starting throwing things in. She found the twinkle lights -- "Colors or just white Luke?" He thought colored but she talked him into white. She found hundreds of old fashioned ornaments -- "Should we have a theme or just be random Luke?" He thought random but she talked him into random but some sort of theme. He finally asked why she bothered to ask and then wandered away. It took a few minutes for Lorelai to realize that she was talking into thin air. When she looked around for him she spotted him near a tree in the far corner, first looking at and then fingering some small ornaments. She walked over to him and saw that they were delicate glass angels with white etching and little gold accents, very pretty but very un-Luke like.

"Wow, those are pretty."

Luke mumbled, "My parents had some like these. Haven't thought about that in years."

Lorelai snatched up several, "Then we must have them too."

"Lorelai, you really don't have to…."

"Oh, yes we do. They will be perfect and through the years when we put them on our tree we will remember this trip and you will remember Christmas time with your parents."

Well, she had done it again, insinuated that there would be more Christmas's together.

Luke smiled at her and winked. "That would be nice."

There it was again. She had let something slip about this being a permanent relationship and he hadn't rebuked her. She smiled back at him and told him she thought they had enough.

Luke paid even though Lorelai offered and they drove the short distance to the tavern.

They were greeted by the old couple warmly as soon as they walked into the dining room.

"Hey, usually don't see you two this early in the day." Mazie hugged Lorelai and then moved onto Luke.

"Yeah, well we were doing some Christmas shopping at the General Store and we were close."

"And she is starving, as usual."

"Hey, shopping is hard work."

Mazie laughed. It was good to see them together, so happy and obviously in love.

"You got this man shopping? You certainly have the touch Lorelai."

"Just for the tree really. It's small and we just needed a few things."

Mazie smiled and asked, "Star or angel for the top?"

Lorelai looked at Luke, "We forgot the top."

"I am not going back there."

"But it's the most important one Luke, the crowing of the whole creation."

"I am not going back. Have you ever seen a tree outside with a star or an angel on top? Of course not." He added not waiting for her answer.

Lorelai and Mazie traded glances and Mazie left to get their beers and put their order in.

They had a nice quiet dinner. Ignoring the subject of going back to the store, they talked about Liz and TJ and what to get them for Christmas. Luke told her he wanted to get something special for Rory but he wanted to pick it out. That made Lorelai happy…his feelings for Rory and that he seemed to be so into Christmas this year. They shared the dessert Mazie practically forced upon them and then headed toward the door. Mazie caught them right before they left and handed them a small white box.

"Open it when you get home….a little something for your tree." She hugged Luke and then Lorelai. "You two make a fine looking pair. Treat her right my boy. She is a treasure."

Luke laughed and winked at Mazie. "I know. Don't know what she sees in me though."

Lorelai laughed and also winked at Mazie. "Fine pair we are. No one else will have us. Get we were destined to end up together."

"Drive safe you two. And have a great holiday. Nothing like that first one together…."

Buddy walked up just then and added, "Seems like it was just yesterday." He smiled knowingly at his wife. She swatted his arm and called him a dirty old man.

Luke wrapped his arm around Lorelai to lead her out, not wanting to know the story behind that remark.

They drove the short distance to Stars Hollow, each deep in their own thoughts.

Lorelai thinking about her and Luke and Mazie and Buddy. Wondering if maybe they would end up a cute little couple like that….remembering the old days….especially the dirty parts.

Luke was thinking about his parents and how they would have loved that he found a woman like Lorelai, so full of life and fun and so opposite of their son. They always teased him about being so serious and needing more fun in his life. He had finally found it….she had been putting fun in his life for years, as well as aggravation.

They pulled up to the diner and Luke grabbed the shopping bags full of decorations. Lorelai carried the box that she had hand held all the way home, curious about its content. Caesar had everything under control so Luke and Lorelai took their treasure upstairs to his apartment. Luke grabbed a beer and poured a glass of wine for Lorelai. They sat down at the table and Lorelai opened the box. Inside the found a small glass angel, clear glass, white etching and gold accents. It was slightly bigger than the ornaments they had bought, made especially to top a tree. When she pulled it out to share it with Luke a note fell out of the box.

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Kids,

A little gift for your first tree. Luke should remember it. Lorelai, make him tell you the story. I hope that this angel will top your trees for years to come.

Love,

Mazie and Buddy

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Luke smiled when he saw the angel. It brought back such memories. Lorelai watched his face and finally asked about the story.

Luke started, "Well, when Mazie and my mom were seniors in high school, their parents each got them hope chests for Christmas. And in each of their chests there was one small box and one large one. The large one held several ornaments taken from their family's collection; the small one held this angel. Something new to start their married life off with. Mazie was already with Buddy and my mom and dad had just started dating but they had gotten serious real fast. Their parents knew they were planning to marry right after graduation."

"Oh, Luke that's so sweet, so romantic. So Mazie gave us her's?"

"No, when my mom died my dad gave the angel to Mazie because he couldn't stand to look at it. It brought back all those memories of all the Christmas's the two couples had shared -- when they were still in school, being dirt poor newlyweds, and then starting their families."

"So now she's giving it to us? That's amazing."

Luke looked at her and quietly said, "You're amazing. You've changed my life so completely."

Lorelai was speechless so after a few moments she just leaned into hug him which turned into a kiss which turned into many kisses and then Luke pulled her onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled into his body. They just held each other, sharing a moment of utter contentment and love, unspoken but obviously there.

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Why do even the smutty pieces fall into stories????