Before Gerta could answer, a male voice broke in.
"It's Luke Danes, Mrs. Gilmore," Luke answered in lieu of the hapless maid, striding straight into the living area. "Where is she?"
"Why, hello Luke."
Luke noted Emily's forced smile, but cut straight to the chase. "Emily, is Lorelai here?"
Emily looked at him with disdain clearly showing on her face. "Well, no, she isn't here."
Her words were neutral, but to Luke, her face clearly implied 'Although if she were, I wouldn't tell you.'
Emily continued, "Wasn't she at her house or at the inn?"
Luke shot her a withering glare. "Emily…" he began once again.
"Emily dear, let me handle this. Man to man," a booming male voice interrupted, entering the Gilmore living room.
"Yes Richard, please take care of…this. And Luke? Just remember, she's not here, she's where she was always meant to be."
Emily moved aside to let Luke pass by her, and Luke followed Richard into the opulent den.
Richard closed the door, and indicated that Luke should take a seat. Luke, though, stood his ground, standing squarely in front of Richard's desk as Richard settled in behind it.
"So Luke, can I have Gerta get you anything? Coffee? Tea, perhaps?"
"Nothing. I'm good, thanks. There's just one thing I want."
"Very well then, Luke. So, what can I do for you?"
"Where's Lorelai?"
For just a moment, Richard hesitated, unsure as to how far he should go. After all, he actually kind of admired Luke and had found him a good influence on Lorelai. Then he remembered Emily's admonition and reminder that Lorelai was where she was always meant to be.
"Are you sure that you should be asking me this? Lorelai told us that she broke off the engagement."
"That's true, but something's not right about this…"
"So you think there's a chance for reconciliation?"
Luke, for a moment, let himself think about the possibility of being with Lorelai again, then forced himself to return to reality.
"Yes, if only I could talk with her…"
Richard looked sadly at Luke. "I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think that will happen anytime soon. If ever."
He stood, and extended his hand to Luke. "Nice to see you again, Luke. Good luck with that diner of yours. And my best to your daughter."
Luke ignored the hand. "Where is Lorelai?" he demanded to know.
Richard ignored him and walked to the den's door.
"Gerta! Gerta!" Richard had made it to the door. "Please show Mr. Danes out."
Luke, defeated, left the Gilmore home, frustrated and stymied in his attempts to find Lorelai.
-----
Later that night, Luke found himself in his bed, finding it difficult to fall asleep. He briefly looked around the bedroom area, when a flash of color peeking out of the nightstand drawer (Lorelai's nightstand, he thought bitterly) caught his attention. He moved closer to Lorelai's side of the bed, and reached over to open the drawer.
Without thinking about it, Luke reached forward and picked the colorful item up. It was one of Lorelai's nightgowns: the green negligee he really loved. The one she'd worn after he'd given her the necklace on their Valentine's Day getaway. With a hitch in his breath, he pulled it to his face, and stroked it against his cheek. Suddenly, it was almost as if she was with him again, and comforted by its presence and the memory of her body inside it, he eventually fell asleep with it clutched in his hand, his cheek resting upon its softness.
A mere few hours later, he awoke in the dark and quiet of nocturnal Stars Hollow. Turning on the light next to his bed, he glanced at the alarm clock and saw that it was nearly 4:00 AM. Not wanting to risk going back to sleep and then waking to find that he'd slept half the day away, Luke got up and prepared for the day,
To pass the time, he decided to work through the stack of bills and invoices at his desk.
-----
"Any mail?" Rory asked Lorelai as she came into the apartment, handing her a mug of steaming hot coffee. Lorelai had GiGi in tow, having picked her up from preschool.
Lorelai shook her head 'no', and GiGi, holding her "Auntie Lorelai's" hand, pouted, causing her sister to laugh.
"Don't worry, GiGi. I'm sure you'll be getting mail soon," Rory assured her. She motioned for Lorelai to move into the kitchen area as GiGi scampered off to her room.
"So have you even talked with Luke, Mom?"
Lorelai made a slight scoffing sound. "We're broken up. It's over."
"Mom, you've been saying that for a couple of weeks now."
"Face it, Rory. I'm going to be the spinster with the cats from now 'til I die. No one wants me, and even your Dad…well…" Lorelai stopped before going any further, remembering how she'd woken up in his bed the night after the break-up, having had sex with him.
Her words were said with such a tone of self-hatred that Rory actually flinched, but the moment was over as GiGi was running around the living room.
Rory watched her mother leave to go corral her sister, then turned back to her coffee and thought about what to do. Lorelai had changed, no doubt about it. She was quieter yet paradoxically more restless; her effervescent personality gone, her appetite worrisome, and she rarely left the apartment. Maybe her mom was right: she was becoming a recluse, staying at home, showing no interest in anything.
Maybe, Rory thought, it was time for her to go to Stars Hollow and tell Luke. After all, this started with Lorelai's breakup with Luke. And Rory knew, from the reports she'd gotten from Lane, that Luke missed her mother. And it didn't take a rocket scientist to see that Lorelai missed her old friend and fiancé. It was written all over her face.
But, Lorelai had asked Rory not to say or do anything, and until she gave her permission, she would have to do as requested.
With a sigh, Rory focused her thoughts elsewhere, and took another sip of her coffee.
TBC...mood willing...