"A thousand yellow daises, can you believe it?" I said in complete wonderment. Rory and I were sitting on the couch in our living room with Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory playing on low. We both sat cross-legged with pillows in our laps. "It was so funny you should have seen Michelle's face it was a total candid camera moment. He looked about ready to kill Kirk." I said and we both burst out in fits of girlish giggles.

"So what are you going to say to Max?" Rory asked her tone taking on a more somber and serious tone. While she picked up her cup of coffee and took a sip. Staring at me over the brim.

"I honestly don't know. I mean I hadn't even really thought about it. Would you be okay if we did get married?" I probed. I really didn't know what to say, Max is a really good guy but are we ready to for that? And why, when I thought of the proposal only felt panic and unease. Aren't I supposed to say yes without question or doubt? He's great with Rory I had to admit that. But I guess the big question is do I love him?

"As long as it makes you happy I'm fine with it." Rory said sincerely. I beamed at her. I really had a great kid she was so much better then me at her age. "This has all been incredibly exciting but I'm gonna head off to bed. And you missy got some thinking to do." Rory announced. She got up at that point kissed me on the cheek gave me a hug and said "I'm so happy for you." Grabbed her cup of coffee and sauntered to her room.

Ugh I was tired. I really should do some more thinking about Max. Because they're were some big questions, I needed to ask myself. "But I'll think about it tomorrow at Tara."(I couldn't resist putting at least one Gone With the Wind quote in my story) I said to the empty room placing my hand over my heart and doing my best Scarelett O'Hara impression. While trying my damnedest to look chaste. I shut all the lights off and galloped upstairs.

The Next Morning dun duhh

An hour later we sat in our usual table at Luke's. Sunlight slanted through the sparkling clean windows warm and gentle. We were of course talking once again about the infamous proposal. I hadn't slept well I kept tossing and turning thinking about Max and getting married. "Hey Rory" I mumbled watching Luke fill our coffee mugs. "Don't mention anything to Luke about the proposal yet ok?" I said in hushed tones. I don't really know why I didn't want Luke to know about the proposal yet. I mean Luke was one of my best friends but somehow I just couldn't bring myself to tell him. At least not until I had a definite answer to the proposal. I was riding an emotional roller coaster and Luke didn't need to be along for the ride.

"Hey Luke!" I said brightly hoping I sounded normal. When he returned with our coffee moments later.

"Hi" he responded gruffly as always. Breakfast was the normal affair. Although the two of us did have fun watching Kirk and Ms. Patty fight over a table and had even started to take bets until Luke broke it up. After Rory left for school I consumed about a pot of coffee on my own before heading to the inn. (In my world that's not a lot of coffee, but then again the sky is a vivid purple in my world so I'm doubting my trustworthiness in this situation)

"Hey Sookie!" I greeted smiling. As I strode through in through the doors of the kitchen. She smiled back and wiped her hands on her apron.

"Hey sweetie how's everything?" Sookie asked warmly.

"Same old Same old." I said dully. As I walked to the coffee pot and poured another cup.

"Same old same old? Huh. Well then why did Michelle just tell me about a certain english teachers asking you a very important question." Sookie enquired cheerfully. I added creamer to the cup more to busy myself then actual wanting relieved that my hands weren't shaking as I did so.

Why? I thought did she sound more excited about this proposal then I felt. This is how I should be, bouncing around beaming and telling everyone about it. But It felt wrong. It all did. I could feel the beginnings of a headache and sighed heavily.

"Oh you heard?" I said with a weak attempt at cheer. Stirring the coffee, willing composure.

"Yeah I heard now spill!" Sookie exclaimed. She spoke animatedly with here hands and big smiles. So genuinely happy for me.

It was the last thing in the world I wanted to do. I didn't want to rehash the whole thing and didn't think I had the strength for it. But what choice did I have? Sookie deserved details so I slowly and painstakingly retold the tale trying to sound sincere in the joy of this that I had once felt. Before excusing myself with some lame excuse about needing to check on something.

An hour later as I was doing the monthly billing my cell phone rang. I dug through my purse mumbling to myself pulling out assorted bag flotsam before finally finding it before the third ring I held it up in triumph and pressed the talk button. "Hello." I said happily yesterdays events momentarily forgotten.

"Hey Lor, it's me." Max's voice sang through the phone.

"Hey Max..." I stammered after what seemed an eternity. Why I thought why is he calling now? My mind reeled. Knowing that I didn't have the energy nor the volition to answer his proposal. Hell every time I thought about the proposal all I felt was this overwhelming feeling of dread.

"So have you thought any on the proposal..." Max asked. His voice was filled to the brim with hope and expectation it hurt, actually physically hurt me to hear it.

Searching in vain for a response to the awkward silence that had fallen I could come up with nothing that would suffice. Vagueness I finally decided was the best route in such a delicate situation. "Ummm... yeah I have I'm still not sure but I'm working on it..." Feeling as though I had just sidestepped a live grenade I found myself relaxing slightly.

"I was just calling to check in...I'll call you tomorrow and we can set up a date for later in the week ok?" Max said feigning a casual carefreeness that I knew wasn't sincere.

"Sure okay..." then I was cut off suddenly by the unmistakable click of a hang up. What was that about?

The rest of the day passed quickly and without further interruption. Thankfully no one else had asked about the proposal. Rory had a Chiton thing to do that night so I was alone for dinner. Deciding that the thought of cooking myself was out of the question I determined that Luke's was my best shot.

I sat at the counter the diner almost deserted. I was still her because when I arrive Luke had approached me and told me we needed to talk giving no hint as to why. We hadn't had much time to talk to but the diner would be closed soon then he promised we could talk then. He was acting strangely I couldn't put my finger on it but something was amiss. Occasionally I'd catch him looking at me with this pained expression like I'd just kicked his dog. So there I sat half drunk cup of coffee and a piece of pie I'd been nursing for and hour. A while later after Luke had thrown Kirk out and put the closed sign up. He stood in front of me the counter separating us. His elbows on the counter hunching over and looking slightly perturbed.

"What's wrong... whatever it is you can tell me." I asked softly. Deeply concerned by his temperament and his vagueness. Luke had never been a mysterious man except for the plaid so this whole this seemed so wrong so out of place for him.

I took almost a whole minute for him to answer. His eyes which had been studying the intricate grain of the counter finally met my gaze he looked so forlorn and so upset none of this made sense. Finally he choked out "Don't marry him..."

A/N

I know it stops kind of abruptly but it's all the seguway into the next chapter bear with me and please review they make me very happy.