Chapter Two – "Dizziness makes the heart grow fonder"

'Luke!'

'No!'

'Please?'

'No!"

'I'll pay you"

Luke stopped what he was doing

'Lorelai, you do not pay people to come to your daughters birthday party'

How do you think I got them there last year?' Lorelai grinned

'You're joking aren't you?'

'Duh'

Luke went back to serving his customers. He did this every year, she would beg him to be there, knowing full well he will be. But deep inside they secretly liked their playful banter, and this was just another excuse.

'Please, please, please. I wont have coffee for a week if you come'

'Is that a promise?'

'Please?'

'You can say that as much as you want'

'Oh come on, you will be there anyway. Admit it, you LOVE my kid. Come on what's stopping you?'

'I love her yeah but you're gonna be there'

'Problem?'

'You're gonna be there'

Lorelai pretended to look shocked.

'When I tell Rory, she's gonna be crushed. I'll tell her not to dink you're coffee anymore'

'She's nearly 8, she shouldn't be drinking anyone's coffee Lorelai'

Lorelai scowled

'Will you just be there by 7?'

'Sure. Hey, why so late?'

'I'm working'

'Didn't you ask Mia to give you the night off?'

Lorelai looked at her coffee

'She brought it up actually, but I said no'

'How come?'

'I love working till my feet hurt and my back aches and I'm tired. It's fun.'

'Lorelai'

'I need the money'

'What for?'

'The house'

'But I thought you paid it off already?'

'Not yet. Still have a bit more to go'

Luke looked at her for a minute, she did look tired.

'Hey I'll tell you what. Why don't you let me loan you the money?'

'No'

'Why not?'

'I don't want your money Luke'

'You didn't even think about it'

'Don't need to'

'Because?'

'Because, on top of everything else, I still have my pride'

'Are you sure?'

'Positive'

'Well the offer still stands if you need it'

'I doubt it, but thank you'

'You're welcome'

Lorelai just looked at her coffee and then at Luke. She smiled. 8 years they had known each other. 8 years since she first walked in here and tasted the best coffee on the planet. And 8 years on she and Luke are still best friends. Yeah she knew lots of ways to get under his skin and loved watching him squirm, but he was still her best friend, alongside Rory of course. She could tell him everything and anything, whether she was complaining about her job and her life or if she was in one of her hypes and was talking complete nonsense, he would listen. And not just listen like one of those shrink people but really listen, like your best friend sorta listen. So here she was, this 24 yr old maid, drinking coffee and staring at her best friend. A sense of warmth filled her heart just then and her head went all dizzy, she shook it off and downed the rest of her morning shot.

'Well, I'd better be going. So I'll see you at 7?' Lorelai asked getting her things together.

'Yeah. Bye'

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All morning Lorelai kept getting this feeling and decided to talk about it with her friend Sookie, a chef at the Inn she worked at.

'Oh I can see it now, you and Luke, would look soooo right together' sookie squealed

'Sookie, none of this makes sense, I can't be feeling that way. I see Luke as a friend type person only. That's it'

'Denial is not just a river in Egypt my friend'

'Sookie, get real. I mean, he's great and all, but I just can't see myself with him. I've known the guy 8 years and you and me both know that it takes less than 8 minutes for me to be interested in a guy. 8 years is a long time and I've never gotten that feeling. Until today.

'Time flies when your having fun'

'Sookie I swear, if you say one more metaphor, I'm gonna jam this carrot where it's never supposed to go'

'Sorry'

Lorelai groaned as she thought some more.

'Aw sweetie. Maybe you're right, it could be nothing. Or maybe what you felt was a feeling of friendly warmth towards Luke, I mean look at what he offered to do for you'

Lorelai pondered this for a moment.

'Yeah, you could be right. Yeah. It's nothing. Nothing. Thanks Sook'

Lorelai kissed her on the cheek and stole a piece of chocolate Sookie was using for Rory's cake.

Sookie looked back at her friend.

'Poor thing'

She turned around to see Mia standing a few feet away

'She's blinded of what's right in front of her'

'Just give her some time. She'll know. One day'

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'Lorelai!'

With Doose's market bags hanging from each hand, her uniform over her right arm and a tall cup of coffee in her left hand, lorelai turned around to find Lane, Rory's friend from school come running towards her.

'Oh hey hun. Where's Rory?'

'It's Wednesday remember?'

'Oh yeah, study group'

'Do you need help setting things up?'

Lorelai looked at her watch with great difficulty

'It's almost 6, shouldn't you be at home?'

'My mom's on a trip till Sunday so I asked Rory if I could spend a couple of nights at your place. You don't mind do you?'

'Of course not, you are very welcome in our house'

'Thanks'

'You'll be even more welcome if you grab some of this stuff for me'

'Oh sure'

'Thanks hun'

Lorelai and Lane walked past the gazebo towards Miss Patty's Dance Studio.

'Hey Patty!' Lorelai shouted over the music

'Well hello darlings. I see you're getting ready for little Rory's party'

'Yeah we are. I just came over to confirm about the hall'

'Don't worry sweetie, I'll have it empty by 7'

'Okay great. Can I just leave these with you, I have to get home and get ready'

'Sure sure. Just leave them there and we'll see what we can do'

'Thanks Patty' said Lorelai as she placed the bags of decorations in the hands of Miss Patty.

'Anytime darling. Oh and Lane sweetie, I hope you've been practicing those steps we've been talking about. I don't want another disaster like last time'

Lorelai hid a giggle with a cough whilst Lane looked down blushing for America.

'Come on sweetie, I'll let you borrow something of Rory's to wear tonight'

Lorelai and Lane left and Miss Patty went back to her girls.

'Jessica, please keep your arms up dear….'