Rory: "Luke, Luke. Uncle Luke". Rory ran down the stairs smiling, like nothing had happened moments before. Luke smiled as he saw Rory run after him. He didn't like being called uncle, but with Rory, she made it feel so nice. Luke picked her up and hung her when she reached him.
Luke: "Hey kiddo".
Rory: "Hey Luke. You here to fix the coffee?"
Luke: "Yep, that's right. And it's all better now. You and your mother can again get high off that horrible concoction that you make up". Rory looked at him strangely and then smiled. It took her a minute to understand what he meant.
Lorelai: "Thanks for that again. Brendon was really bugging me about getting it fixed".
Luke: "I think you were bothering him about it". Rory nodded.
Lorelai: "Traitor". Luke put Rory down as Lorelai joined then. "So how much do I owe ya?"
Luke: "On the house".
Lorelai: "You sure?" Luke nodded.
Luke: "This rugrat makes it all worth it".
Lorelai: "It's sure is handy having her around. I don't have to pay a cent for anything". Rory didn't know if that was a complement or not, so she just dismissed it and took Luke's hand.
Rory: "Mummy, can I hang out with Luke today".
Lorelai: "I think he is busy". Luke cut in.
Luke: "You don't want to hang around me. I don't do anything that would interest you. You get more entertainment here".
Rory: "Okay then", she looked down sadly. Rory let go of his hand and walked half way up the stairs and sat down. Placing her elbows on her knees, and her face in her hands, Rory sulked.
Luke: "Should I?
Lorelai: "You know she does this each time you come here".
Luke: "I know, but look at her. She is so adorable". Lorelai laughed. "I just didn't say that".
Lorelai: "I never thought I would ever hear that Luke".
Luke: "You didn't. Well I better be off". He looked at Rory one last time.
Lorelai: "If you want to you can", she told him. Luke half smiled.
Luke: "Come on you, otherwise I will leave ya here". Rory screamed excitedly and ran after Luke.
Rory: "Bye mommy". Lorelai waved and went back to work.
Luke: "So what do you want to do first?"
Rory: "Get some coffee".
Luke: "Coffee, that is all you can think of?" Rory nodded as Luke took her hand as they crossed the street. "There has to be something else, possibly juice".
Rory: "Coffee".
Luke: "Do you even know what juice is?" They finished crossing the street and continued walking to star bucks. Rory shook her head.
Rory: "I like coffee".
Luke: "Your having juice". Rory frowned. Entering the building, they took a booth and picked up a menu sitting on the table.
Rory: "Can I get a cheeseburger too?"
Luke: "Do you know what healthy means?" Rory laughed. "Oh yeah, I forgot who your mother was".
Waitress: "May I take your order?" She asked looking at Luke. She was a twenty five year old, blond female.
Luke: "Just a coffee for me and a cheeseburger and an orange juice for the kid". Rory butted in.
Rory: "Coffee", she told Luke.
Luke: "Orange juice". The waitress looked at Rory.
Waitress: "Cute kid".
Luke: "She isn't when she doesn't have her coffee. Guess you should make that two cheeseburgers and two coffees instead". The woman nodded and went off with there order.
Rory: "Thankyou Uncle Luke".
Luke: "Why did you start calling me that?"
Rory: "Mummy told me to. She said you would like it better". Luke smiled. Trust Lorelai to do something like that. "Is it wrong?" She questioned.
Luke: "No, it's fine Rory".
He looked down at the table and fiddled with his fingers. He didn't know what he should say. Maybe it was a bad idea to take Rory out. It wasn't the first time he had, but she seemed to cling to him, like he was her father. Rory looked over towards him and tilted her head to the side.
Rory: "What's the matter Uncle Luke?" She giggled. She loved calling him that.
Luke: "I was just running some thoughts through my head". He placed his hands on the table and took his baseball cap off his head. Rory picked it up and put it on hers. It seemed to suit Luke better as he smiled at her, taking it off her head. "Doesn't suit you kiddo". She nodded, knowing full well how stupid she looked in it.
Rory: "So what are you thinking?" She was going to be deterred from this. He looked bothered, and she didn't like seeing him like that.
Luke: "You're a smart kid Rory . . ." He stopped. Should he really be discussing her mother's financial problems with a child? Rory looked up and noticed the waitress coming over.
Rory: "Cheeseburger", she cried out in delight. She was famished.
Waitress: "And coffee", she told Rory, as she placed the order in front of both of them. "Enjoy your meal", she said, facing Luke and smiling.
Rory: "She likes you", Rory told Luke as the waitress left. Luke started to choke on his coffee.
Luke: "What?" He spat out, trying not to show that she had spat some coffee back into the cup.
Rory: "She likes you", she replied, picking up her cheeseburger and devouring it, like she had never had a meal in her life.
Luke: "The waitress?" He had to make sure that they were talking about the same person. Rory nodded in-between bites. "You have to be kidding".
Rory: "Nope", she managed to mumble.
Luke: "That waitress?" He pointed to the blond. Rory nodded again. Luke just sat there confused.
Rory: "It's so obvious Luke". He watched Rory for a second. Was she lying about this?
Waitress: "If there is anything you or that adorable child wants, just let me know", she said sliding up to their table. Luke jumped at her voice, sending coffee all over the table. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you". She looked down at the now half spilled coffee cup. Smiling sweetly she started to mop up the mess. "Refill is on the house". Finishing up the meals, they headed back to the hardware store.
Rory: "Luke?" She asked.
Luke: "Yeah kid?" He didn't look down at where he was heading.
Rory: "She told me to give you this", Rory held out a napkin with a name and number on it". Luke took it and looked at her.
Luke: "Who is Cherie?" He questioned as they stopped outside the hardware store.
Rory: "Our waitress", she told him as she pushed open the door and walked in.