Chapter 8 – Explanations and Confrontations
Lorelai and Rory were sitting on the couch. Silence filled the room for the first time in an hour. They had both explained their nights and the reasons for the 'Mission Impossible' way of getting back into the house.
"So you stayed out with Dean all night" asked Lorelai trying to gather all the information. "But you didn't… do anything…you fell asleep. Right?"
"Yes, nothing happened mum I promise"
"Ok" she was surprisingly calm. She was distracted her thoughts kept drifting back to Luke.
"Ok?" That's all? Rory had expected her mum to crack it at her, for staying out all night, and not calling or anything. Not that her mother would have been home to answer her phone call.
"Ok"
They sat in silence again.
"So are you and Luke…..together?" Rory asked carefully.
"Ah….." Lorelai wasn't sure any more. She wasn't sure if she should or if she could, or even if she wanted to be with Luke.
"I'm not sure" she replied truthfully. She didn't want to lie to Rory.
"I mean…. do you want to be with Luke?" Rory asked again being cautious.
"I don't know" said Lorelai. She looked troubled, so Rory dropped the subject.
Do I wanna be with Luke? I have no idea. I mean kissing Luke was amazing. But if I screw it up….. then… no more Luke. No more coffee. No…more…. Luke. The thought of not having Luke in her life at all scared her a lot.
"Coffee?" asked Rory getting up and heading for the kitchen. Lorelai realised she hadn't had any coffee all morning.
"Hell yeah" said Lorelai jumping of the couch to follow Rory.
"Show me the coffee!" Lorelai chanted walking into the kitchen. Rory was standing staring into the cupboard.
"Ah mum. I don't think we have any coffee" said Rory guiltily.
"Wha?" Lorelai stoped her coffee chant and faced her daughter.
"No coffee. How can we have no coffee?" exclaimed Lorelai.
"Um I don't know. Maybe because you wouldn't buy any at the store the other day" accused Rory, hands on her hips.
"Um yes well…..we were going to be late for the movie!" said Lorelai defending herself.
"We had 10 minutes" said Rory, rolling her eyes at her Mother.
"Yeah well…." she'd run out of excuses. "We'll just go to Luke's" She stoped. Luke's?
"Ok" said Rory oblivious to her mother's sudden stop. "But first I'm having a shower and getting change. I think some of the park came home in my hair". Rory headed out of the room.
Luke's? Thought Lorelai. Can I see Luke? What will I say?
Lorelai pondered this thought for the next 25 minutes or so why she showered and changed. She was currently walking through the, now spotless town square with Rory. She stoped still. Rory continued walking until she realised her mother wasn't beside her anymore. Lorelai was standing still starting at the Diner.
"Mum?" asked Rory.
"I can't go in" Lorelai replied wide-eyed, shaking her head.
"Mumm" groaned Rory. " I need coffee. You need coffee. Were going in" she said grabbing hold of her mothers arm and dragging her towards the Diner.
" We can go to…. The Market!" exclaimed Lorelai, starting to walk towards Doses'.
" No we can't" said Rory again pulling Lorelai towards Luke's. "Our coffee sucks. Luke's rules" she said.
"Mm" Lorelai couldn't argue. Luke's coffee was the greatest. Rory had now dragged Lorelai to the door of the Diner. She could see Luke inside serving customers. Now back dressed in his flannel skirt and backward baseball cap.
The door jingled as the girls entered the Diner. Luke looked up. Lorelai avoided his gaze and her and Rory sat down at a table in the corner.
Luke wasn't sure what was happening with them. If Lorelai wanted a 'them' or a 'us'. Or if she just thought it was all a huge mistake, and the result of too many beers.
He grabbed two coffee mugs and the jug of coffee and walked over to their table.
"Coffee?" asked Luke, setting down the cups.
"Ah yeah coffee would be great. Wouldn't coffee be great Rory? I love coffee. Rory Loves coffee." said Lorelai over enthusiastically.
"Ah yeah coffee would be great" Rory said looking at her mother wide eyed.
"Um ok" said Luke, as he poured them both coffees.
The girls were unusually quiet this morning. Apart from Lorelai's statement about 'how much her and Rory loved coffee. Had Lorelai told Rory about the kiss? Of corse she'd told her. She tells her everything. How did Rory react?
"You guys wanna order?" asked Luke suddenly. Lorelai who was already on edge at seeing Luke again. Dropped her coffee cup, spilling coffee everywhere.
"Ah shoot!" exclaimed Lorelai trying to clear it up. It had gone all over her and the table. Luke grabbed a cloth and was leaning across her to mop the coffee off the table. He was so close to her. Butterfly's appeared in Lorelai stomach. Luke straightened up, then realising how close he had been to her.
Rory watched the whole situation with curiosity. There was definitely chemistry between Luke and Lorelai. Then again they're always had been.
"Well I know I said I love coffee, but I didn't really want to be covered in it right at the moment" said Lorelai trying to clean herself up a bit.
"You can go upstairs and get changed or something if you want" offered Luke nervously.
"Into what?" asked Lorelai puzzled.
"Ah one of my shirts"
Lorelai was now clean and dry in one of Luke's flannel shirts. Mm. It was very cosy, no wonder Luke wore them all the time.
Luke had gone downstairs to give her time to change. He was pretty sweet actually. Lorelai starting to imagine what it would be like to be with Luke. Waking up next to him…..
"Lorelai"
She had drifted off into her own little dream would, and hadn't seen Luke come back in.
" Oh hi" she said, wrapping her arms self consciously around herself.
"So umm… do you think that we should…talk?" Luke asked nervously
"Talk about what?" she asked. She knew exactly what he wanted to talk about.
"About last night"
"Oh" Lorelai stiffened up.
"Um ah. I can't" she said
"You can't what?" asked Luke.
"I can't….. talk about last night. Not at the moment" said Lorelai not daring to look him in the eyes.
"Oh" said Luke. Disappointment and confusion apparent in his voice. He wasn't really sure how to react to that.
" I'm sorry. And thanks for the shirt" she said hurriedly, rushing out of the room, leaving a confused Luke behind.
