Chapter 2 – No Cake
"Hey, Duke! I thought you had to go help your sister?" Lorelai said in the most condescending voice she could create as she walked into the diner with her best friend, Sookie.
"I don't leave 'til 3. Coffee?" Luke said, not even looking up from where he stood.
"You're offering?"
"No, I'm trying to avoid confrontation with you today. I'm not in the mood to deal with you."
"What a coincidence. I'm not in the mood to deal with you either. Two cups of coffee to table 4, please."
"That's table 2."
"Oh well, it's all the same in the end."
"No, it's not. If I brought coffee to table 4, then… never mind. I know better than to try. Hey Sookie," Luke said, just noticing her bright, funny face.
"Hey Luke."
"Ok, Duke, you can go away now. My friend and I have something we need to talk about, in private."
"Gee, aren't we little miss attitude today."
"I'm just a bit stressed today."
"Isn't today Rory's party?"
"Exactly. Remember the privacy?"
"Sorry. I'm gone." With that, Luke walked back behind the counter to give Sookie her privacy. Lorelai's privacy didn't quite matter; it just so happened that hers came with Sookie's.
"So, what did you need to talk to me about, Lor?" Sookie asked, concerned. It wasn't often that her friend asked her to come to Luke's of all places because they 'need to talk.'
"I have a little problem. A big one, actually."
"What is it?"
"You know how I've been saving up money for this party for the last 6 months so I could afford everything?"
"Yeah."
"Well, until yesterday, I had plenty of money to pay for everything and get Rory her birthday present. Then the electric bill came."
"Oh no. How much do you have left?"
"Not much."
"How much is not much?"
"30 dollars."
"Oh, well, that should be plenty for cups and pop and a small cake."
"I still need to buy Rory's present."
"Oh. Well, I think I might have some leftover party cups somewhere at my house, so that should leave you enough to buy pop, and, well, no cake."
"See, I was thinking you could make the cake."
"Oh. I don't have anything to make it, and money's been tight lately. I'm really sorry." And she was really sorry. She felt horrible that she couldn't help Lorelai, especially since it was for Rory.
"That's ok, Sook. We just won't have a cake." Lorelai tried to sound like she was okay with it, but it didn't work. "Luke, can I get another cup of coffee to go?"
"Sure." Luke wasn't going to argue. He overheard their entire conversation. He felt terrible that Rory wasn't going to have a birthday cake. As he handed Lorelai her cup of coffee, and watched her follow Sookie out the door, he knew exactly what he was going to do.
