Well here is chapter 3 semi-fresh out of the inner recesses of my mind. Don't have much news to add here except one question: Does anyone else think that 'Tipsy Luke' from You Jump, I Jump, Jack sound a lot like TJ?

Lorelai shifted slightly in her heels as she continued to walk the inn grounds, jotting notes in her book as she continued to talk. "Now, the large grassy area is clear of any trees and would probably be ideal for a reception if you choose to have it here. You know we can pitch up some tents for shade and leave a center for dancing, and we have these beautiful lights to hang in the trees during the evening hours."

The woman beside her twirled a strand of hair as she surveyed the area. "I'm not sure. I need to go back and talk to Joe before anything's definate, but I really love the gardens. It would be so perfect for the wedding."

They continued on the path back toward the inn. "Well, since you have the date set, how about I reserve the day for you here and if you both decide that you want it, it's yours. In the meantime, our wonderful kitchen staff has made themselves crazy making lunch, so I hope you're hungry." She smoothed out her ruffled skirt and closed her notes book. "So, have you and Joe made any plans beyond finding a place for the wedding?" Both gave a sigh of relief as the cool air of the inn hit their skin. Lorelai nodded to Michel to let him know she was back and began to lead them into the dining room. She picked a spot by the window that had a good view of the gardens and gestured to the waiter to bring drinks.

Sylvia took her seat, "Some. We've been waiting until right about now to do the bulk of it since I don't work a lot in the summer. I think that's part of the reason I became a teacher since I love having the majority of this time of year off."

"Well how have the plans been going?"

The woman leaned her head on the table for a few seconds before sitting up again. "I couldn't have possibly imagined how many things there were to get done. What with the caterer and the flowers and the invites and the food-"

"And the dress and picking bridesmaids. . ." Lorelai added.

"Oh, are you married?"

"No, but I was engaged a few years ago. It ended a couple days before the wedding." Lorelai took a sip of her water and glanced at the garden. For a moment she could almost picture the chuppah sitting there, in her wedding to Luke. The thought brought a smile to her face.

Sylvia frowned, "I'm sorry; you don't have to talk about it."

"No it's okay. I was the one that broke it off anyway."

"Can I ask why?"

Flashbacks of four years past went through her mind faster than the DeLorian could have taken her to them. "I realized that he wasn't the one, and I didn't want to marry someone that I knew I didn't love." Her mind settled on her engagement party. She remembered coming to bug Luke about not being there, as if she couldn't celebrate her getting married without a man whom she wasn't even marrying. Lorelai smiled of when he had come and sat on the bench to watch her, and ended up with three little girls in wedding dresses pretending he was their husband for the night.

"Because you're in love with someone else," stated the woman. She grinned at the hazy woman in front of her and ran a hand through her red hair. "Has he asked you to marry him yet?"

Lorelai snapped out of her reflective stance. "No actually I asked him about a week ago, hence the no ring yet," she explained as she waved her left hand slightly. "How long have you been engaged?"

"About three months."

"It's a nice feeling isn't it?"

"Lorelai I am in need of some assistance." Michel stiffly approached the two women. "That annoying delivery man is here and I cannot tolerate his antics anymore this week or I will have to find something very hard and swing."

"Who Kirk?" Lorelai rested her chin on her elbow and smiled devilishly to Sylvia, Michel not noticing.

"Yes Kirk. The one who works many many jobs and feels the need to tell me about all of them, when really I do not care," he whined, his accent getting slightly thicker.

"Michel have you ever been in love?" Lorelai asked.

"Not exactly, and what does this have to do with the annoying delivery man?"

Just then the said annoying one entered the dining room in search of a manager. "Hello Lorelai, Michel, lady I don't know. I have your flower delivery and I need someone to sign for it. Well, not you since I'm assuming you don't work here."

Michel almost groaned when his boss gave him the 'work or die' look and turned around. "Follow me."

Just as the two were about to exit, Lorelai called out, "Hey Kirk! Are you in love with Lulu?"

"I believe so, yes. I think I started to love her when I realized that she wasn't scared of my night terrors, and then it just grew when she let me take care of her when she got sick, even if that meant dressing up as the town whore-"

"Well that's great Kirk, I'm really happy for you. You know Michel was just telling us about how he hasn't fallen in love yet and doesn't know what it feels like. Maybe he would like to hear about it from you."

"Lorelai, really, that is not necessary."

In reality, Michel was already screwed. It only took a few seconds for Kirk to catch up and then he was off and visions of pointy things began to float around in his head and the actions he could do with them.

About an hour later Lorelai was shuffling through papers at the front desk. Michel's whining about Kirk's 'abuse' had grated on enough of her nerves that she felt an organizational spout coming on. It was the only thing she could do really, since she couldn't vent her frustration tightening bed sheets or washing dishes because some months ago she had felt the need to hire people that could do that. She was so focused on putting the books in a pretty little display that someone was bound to destroy later that she jumped what she would later say was five feet when the phone rang.

"Good afternoon, Dragonfly Inn."

"Lorelai-"

Click.

One day she would rememeber to install a Caller I.D. or block the number, until then, this was mightily satisfying.

Ring.

My how things quickly turned into annoying. She sighed, "Dragonfly Inn."

"Lorelai."

"Mother."

"Did you just hang up on me?"

"Gee, I wonder what gave you that idea?"

"Lorelai this is increasingly childish and immature."

The cumpled paper in her hands was not serving as a good stressball. "Well, I guess I learned from the best about being immature. At least I don't go around telling my daughter that she can't marry the man she loves and then accuse her of being pregnant."

"No you just go around telling her she can't come home when she needs support and guidance."

"And you go around stabbing people in the back. You know, I'm not too happy with you right now, and I really don't feel like talking to you-"

"I haven't told her." The meaning behind this stretched ages. She didn't tell Rory about the fight, the engagement, or the discussion of her future.

Lorelai mentally groaned. What, was she supposed to be thankful that Emily kept her secret? Or grateful that she hasn't had a pissed off younger version of her attacking her for not sharing the most important news in her personal life of late? She felt a headache coming on along with the hot air of claustrophobia combined with the desire to run although she hadn't done any major physical activity since the ill-fated yoga class. By the time she was calmed down enough to talk again the phone was already dead; not that she cared to speak to Emily anyway.

It was times like these that she really wished Sookie wasn't on maternity leave. They were always good at giving each other advise on issues that they weren't both usually involved in; a mediator over a cup of good coffee. Now all she had was the coffee and her office computer. She locked the door and sat in her chair, staring out her window, pretending to have a Sook-Lai conversation in her head. The results were the same anyway; it was time to tell Rory. Emily saying that she had been discreet so far was as good as a warning that she was ready to spill the beans, so to speak, and that Rory would be the first person she complained to since Richard had already heard her excuses for not liking Luke many times over.

"Hi, you've reached my cell, and if you don't know who you're calling, I'm not telling you who I am. And Finn, for the last time, NO."

"Rory it's me. . . Look I know we're not on the best terms right now, but I have some big, life-changing news I want to share with you. So, call me and we can talk, or meet up, or something. Bye."

Lorelai clicked her cell phone shut and stood. Her mind was amazing blank, but unfocused, as if she was scattered while being completely together. Part of her was not looking forward to the concept of telling Rory she was about to have a stepfather. It certainly wasn't going to be the celebration that her engagement to Max was; probably more like when she found out that Christopher had a new family besides her. At least, it felt that way to her.

Slowly she brought her hands to her chest as if she was praying, pushing them towards the ceiling as she exhaled, pulling them back as she inhaled, pushing them towards the wall as she exhaled, and pulling them into her as she inhaled. She repeated this motion, the mantra of many nights in front of her television giving her some needed advice.

"Whenever you feel life out of focus, always return to the basic of life."

"What praying?"

"Breathing. No breathe no life. . . In through nose, out through mouth. . .In. . .Out. Now how feel?"

"Better; more focused."

She knew what she needed to do. A few steps and she was out the door. After all, Michel could handle things and there were two more deliveries scheduled before the end of the day.

I know it's short but it would be nice to end it here for today. I know ppl want LL but it just didn't work out.

5 pts for whoever can guess the movie quote!

Snow