Later that afternoon Lorelai and Sookie walked into Lorelai's house carrying a huge pile of bags.
Luke was making a start on dinner when they walked into the kitchen and dumped their purchases on the table "What's with all the bags?"
"Sookie and I hit the mall for a little retail therapy. They were having a huge sale and we scored big time but I think we may have to hold off paying for Chilton"
"Lorelai"
"Wait until you see me in the present I bought you, you won't be so mad" Lorelai raised her eyebrows at him.
"She didn't spend that much actually" Sookie came to her defense "I, on the other hand, need to find me a rich man to pay for all this" Sookie picked up her bags "All right I'm off to find one"
"Thanks for today Sookie, it was just what I needed" Lorelai hugged her friend
"I had fun we should do it again"
Lorelai nodded and the girls turned to Luke and laughed when they heard him groan.
"Bye Lorelai, Bye Luke"
"See ya Sook, good luck with finding a millionaire on the way home"
Lorelai walked over to Luke who was stirring a pot on the stove. She wrapped her arms around his waist "Smells good"
Luke turned around and hugged her "Did you have a good day"
"Yeah I did. It was good to get out and have a girl day with Sookie we had so much fun and I didn't spend much"
"I know, 3/4 of the bags left when Sookie did so I figured I didn't need to get a second job"
"I brought you a present too you know"
"I heard. I can't wait to see you in it" Luke kissed her on the lips softly
"Not that present I bought you another one and I know you don't like presents and I know I don't need to buy you material things but, well, I saw it and thought of you and then I saw one for me and… it was pink so I had to get them"
"Pink! This can't be good... mine had better not be pink"
Lorelai smiled and walked over to the bags "Don't worry macho man, yours is the normal color but mine is a fabulous, feminine, passionate pink" Lorelai picked up a bag and handed it to Luke. He put his hand in and pulled out a baseball glove. Before Luke could say anything Lorelai pulled a matching pink one out of another bag and walked back over to him. "See look, one each. I saw that yours is looking a little old and worn and I thought you'd like a new one and the pink one is for me and I thought maybe one day you could teach me to catch the ball or something with these things"
Luke looked at her suspiciously "But you hate baseball?"
Lorelai shrugged "I know I do but you love it and well... I guess I thought it was time that we did something you like to do"
"We do lots of things I like to do"
Lorelai laughed "Yeah but I mean out of the bedroom"
Luke smiled "Are you serious about this?"
"Oh yeah, I didn't realize that sporting equipment came in pretty colors"
"And if you had of known?"
"I probably still wouldn't of played sport but you know this could be fun... I mean you'll throw the ball at me and I'll try to catch it or whatever you do with it and provided it doesn't hit me in the head it'll be ok"
Luke laughed at her "You know you don't have to do this, like baseball just because I do"
"I know but I've never really tried it and you like it and I trust you so... what the hell" Lorelai shrugged "Tomorrow sometime.. You, me, the pretty glove it won't be a bad way to spend a few minutes"
"A few minutes?"
"Yeah well how long does it take to throw a ball from one person to the next before it becomes repetitive and boring?"
Luke rolled his eyes and pulled the spoon out of the pot. "Here try this" Luke blew on the liquid to cool it down before giving it to Lorelai to taste.
"Wow Luke that's really good" Lorelai put the spoon in to get another taste "What is it?"
"If I tell you, you won't eat it so just remember you like the taste of it"
"What is it?"
"Ah...vegetable soap and there's tomato bread"
"Vegetables?... As in the green stuff?"
"Yes.. But look it's all puréed so you can't see them" Luke put the spoon up to her mouth again "remember the taste"
"Hmmm that's so good... I'll forgive you this time but when I have a burger and fries for lunch tomorrow there will be no complaining from you, this will constitute my vegetable intake for the month"
"Has my complaining ever stopped you before?"
"No but sometimes I feel bad… for like a microsecond"
Luke turned back to the stove.
"Hey has Rory been in yet?"
"Yeah she just ran to the store to pick up something for school, she won't be too long" Luke turned to look at Lorelai who was staring at him smiling.
"What?"
Lorelai shook her head "What?"
"What's up?"
"Nothing...why?"
"You were just staring and smiling, what were you thinking?"
"That you're pretty"
"Lorelai"
"Okay but you are pretty... I was just..." Lorelai smiled "I was just thinking about this, us, you, Rory. This is how it's supposed to be. This will sound stupid but all my life I've told myself I didn't need it all. I had Rory and that's all I needed but this is just ... more than I could of ever expected." Lorelai paused "And just then when I asked where Rory was, you knew and you said she be back soon and well I just love the fact that it's all worked so well you know. I mean, I was a little worried about how Rory would take all this and I know she said it was fine but it's a big deal having a fella around the house"
Luke put the spoon down "I was really worried too. I know you both said it was fine but I was wondering it was too much for Rory"
"Well it's not and she's so fine and so comfortable with you here and I love that. I love that you've both just fitted like it was always meant to be. Did any of that make sense?"
"Yes strangely enough" Luke hugged Lorelai "Rory came to the diner earlier and we talked about us paying for Chilton. I think she was still worried but we worked it out"
"See I love that too. I love that she feels comfortable enough to talk to you about anything"
Luke nodded, kissed her then returned to the food. "Oh the answering machine thing was flashing when I got home. I didn't check it though, I wasn't sure how"
"Come on I'll show you, it's not hard" Luke followed Lorelai to the machine as she showed him how to play the messages back.
There was a long pause in the first message as it played "... I hate these things Lorelai..."
Lorelai's body stiffened "... it's your mother... I would like you to call me..." then the message stopped
Luke looked at Lorelai who then turned the machine off and walked into the kitchen. Luke followed her "Lorelai"
"Hey what do think about us eating dinner here then maybe going out for dessert?"
"Lorelai"
"Or we could eat dessert here then watch a movie then go out for a second dessert?"
"I think..."
"Or" Lorelai started again "Or we could just go for a walk you know the three of us walking through town on a nice night like tonight. We can see what the homeys are up to"
Luke moved towards her and put his hands on her shoulders "Lorelai stop... you need to talk about this?"
"Talk about what?... dessert?"
"Your mother"
"There's nothing to talk about okay. I don't want to talk to her. I don't want to think about her. I just want to have a nice night with you and Rory that isn't ruined by my mother. I want to eat your wonderful dinner, watch a movie, talk a little more about the wedding...just nothing else...Please"
"Okay what ever you want" Luke sighed, he'd made a promise to himself that tomorrow he'd try and bring it up again. He wasn't Emily's biggest fan but he could see how much Lorelai was hurting.