Again, I thank you all for the kind words of encouragement! Now, prepare yourselves for the next exciting chapter. Things are about to get messy!
The hospital doors swung open as Luke's pale and defenceless body was hastily escorted inside. Lorelai ran into the building panting and out of breath, chasing the man that made her weak in the knees.
Out of nowhere someone grabbed her arm and made her jump.
"Excuse me miss," a rather robust nurse asked, "are you the wife?"
Lorelai shifted uncomfortably before answering, "Uh, no heh, heh – I'm, well we're…I'm just a friend – but I can fill out any papers you need. I know Luke better than anyone!"
"Very well miss, follow me," the nurse instructed. Lorelai did as she was told. You don't mess with a woman who resembles a 'Patriots' linebacker.
"My name's Lorelai by the way."
"Judy."
Seconds later, the Star's Hollow platoon graced the hospital with their presence. The nurse looked up and sighed.
"They with you?" Judy questioned Lorelai.
Lorelai gulped, afraid to admit the obvious. Small town folk were all the same. "Guilty," there was no denying it.
"Lorelai – where is he? How is he doing? Are they taking good care of him?" Everyone was shouting at once; Patty's voice could be heard over the others naturally.
Lorelai was as uninformed as the rest of them regarding Luke's condition. "Guys, I know nothing. They wheeled him off before I could get any answers."
"I'll keep you all posted as long as you all keep quiet!" Judy stated with authority. There were no arguments. "The waiting room is down the hall to your right. Don't even attempt to steal any magazines. I know how many there are, trust me!"
"Uh, nurse?" Kirk began, "You wouldn't happen to have any spare pillows lying around would you?" Kirk's voice was shaky and weak at best.
"And why exactly do you need a pillow?" Judy was getting a kick out of this.
"Well, I had a little run-in with a certain rose bush…and my bum – it's really feeling the consequences." He was a nervous wreck.
"Maybe I better take a look at that bum of yours, make sure it's still in working order." She winked a wicked wink. Was Judy coming on to him?
"Are you coming on to me?" A stunned Kirk inquired.
"Heavens no, if I was coming on to you, you'd know it," This woman was crazy.
"I, I have a girlfriend," Kirk thought it appropriate to add. Lulu was back at the Inn watching over things with Michel. Poor thing.
"Henry, I need an examination room. It'll only take a minute!" Judy yelled to a doctor at the end of the hall. She had completely ignored Kirk's previous comment, or perhaps she deemed it unworthy of a response.
"You got it Judy." The doctor cooperated. Smart man.
"Come with me," Judy ordered Kirk. He would have been a fool not to.
"Yes ma'am," He looked back at his fellow Star's Hollow inhabitants and mouthed the words 'help me'. His efforts were met by encouraging smiles and waves of goodbye. Damn them, he thought.
"This could only happen to Kirk!" Patty chuckled openly about the frail man's misfortune.
"I feel kinda bad for the little guy…anybody got a camera! Babette was positively fiendish. The others laughed.
Several minutes later, Kirk hobbled slowly toward the 'town traitors'. "So many thorns, so many painful, torturous thorns." Kirk seemed a tad delirious.
Judy reacquainted herself with the crowd smiling devilishly and wielding 'the tweezers from hell,' as Kirk referred to them. "Anybody else?" She offered.
"NO!" was the overwhelming response. They quickly assembled themselves in a line and scurried to the waiting room.
Judy laughed silently at the power she wielded. 'Still got it,' she thought.
Lorelai stayed behind, the pile of paperwork seemed to have grown. "Any word on Luke yet?" Lorelai wasn't in the mood to be intimated by 'Judge Judy'.
"Oh yes, the doctor just informed me that he would be out momentarily to give you an update. Any more questions?" Judy aggressively stated.
"Nope, that's it!" Lorelai assured her, once again tending to her paperwork.
Thankfully Judy spoke the truth and the doctor arrived shortly thereafter to give a report. "Are you part of the Luke entourage?" The doctor asked Lorelai.
"Yes, that I am. I'm Lorelai."
"Hi Lorelai, I'm Dr. Lanham. It's a pleasure to meet you. Are you and Luke a couple?"
Again Lorelai was caught off-guard by the inevitable question. "Um, well no – not exactly. It's kind of complicated actually." She unknowingly blushed.
"I understand, I didn't mean to pry. He's a lucky guy to have so many friends supporting him."
"Yeah, well he really deserves it." Lorelai surprised herself with her open honesty. "So how is he Doc?"
"He's in the Recovery Room right now and he's stable…"
"Can I see him?" Lorelai eagerly interrupted.
"Please let me finish, Lorelai," Doctor Lanham softly requested. "As a result of the trauma Luke suffered to his head, he has been diagnosed with what we refer to as 'Retrograde Amnesia'. This means that he is unable to remember any of the events that occurred prior to the incidence of trauma."
Lorelai was horrified by this information. "So you, you mean he wont even recognize me?"
"Oh no – nothing that serious Lorelai," he nearly laughed, "He might not remember anything from the last week or two. But that's as far as it goes."
"I really need to see him – can I see him?" Lorelai was on the verge of tears.
"Yes, certainly. Just be very quiet and gentle. He's still a little tender in spots."
"Thanks so much, for everything."
"You're very welcome. He's in room #407."
Lorelai smiled warmly and walked briskly towards Luke's room…
More to come soon my friends, more to come soon!
Let me know what ya'll think!
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