So, Rory was very surprised to see Lorelai later that afternoon. Walking to the editor's desk, Lorelai smiled as she observed Rory turning on the computer. Rory looked like she truly was in her element among the busy reporters and general hubbub of the newsroom.
After exchanging a few pleasantries and mocking various members of the Yale Daily News staff, Rory asked, "Hey, would you like to check your email?"
Lorelai shook her head, indicating 'no'.
"You never know…I'll bet there's a whole pile stacked up in your Dragonfly account. Why not take a few minutes and make sure Michel's treating everyone right?"
Lorelai managed a wan smile, but nevertheless shrugged her shoulders and walked behind Rory's desk. Logging in, she opened her mail folder and gamely sifted through the piles of spam and several complaints (she was sure) from Michel. There were also several emails from Luke, which she studiously ignored. And then her eye caught a name from the past: Mike Armstrong from the Durham Group. She opened his email, unsure of what to expect.
Mike was offering her another opportunity. Once again, it had everything she could have hoped for and more. The opportunity to do something new. The opportunity to restore greatness to something, to put her own unique stamp on a property. The only problem was that it was in Colorado. Out west. Far, far out west. Lorelai sat transfixed, staring at the screen, wondering if this was Karma's sick idea of a practical joke. She was being offered her dream job when her personal dream had evaporated so cruelly.
Her first instinct was to erase the message. But then, she changed her mind. Even though it felt comfortable on the surface, Lorelai knew she didn't belong as an ersatz-Mommy to little GiGi. She didn't belong with Chris. Her place was with Luke, but she could not risk his losing his child and his good reputation because of her…because of her selfish need to be with him. She re-read the email, and then sent a quick affirmative response back to Mike. A few months away might bring a new perspective and help her forget Luke.
Jumping up, she called across the newsroom to Rory, "Hey kiddo, guess what..."
-----
Vail, Colorado's high altitude made breathing difficult for Lorelai, but the Human Resources person at the Durham Group had assured her that she would soon become acclimated. Standing in front of the quaint Alpine-style property, Lorelai suddenly felt very 'Sound of Music.' Giggling, she started humming "I have confidence…" as she walked into the property and up a long flight of stairs to confront a receptionist in the offices of her new place of work.
The young dreadlocked man in Bavarian garb looked up and asked, "Can I help you, ma'am?"
Lorelai wrinkled her nose. Ma'am? Made her feel oh so old. Focusing her thoughts on the expectations of the new job and new life awaiting her, Lorelai answered, "Yes. I'm here to see Patricia McNamara."
"But of course you are. Aren't they all. Do you have an appointment?"
Was every assistant in the world that she encountered doomed to be a clone of Michel?
Lorelai opened her mouth to reply, but the door behind the young man opened before she could say anything. Her new boss stepped out.
"Ms. Gilmore! How nice to meet you! Please, come on in."
Studiously ignoring the receptionist's sardonic glare, she followed her new boss into her office.
"Thank you." Lorelai walked in and took a set at in front of the desk.
"So, Ms. Gilmore, you come highly recommended by the Durham Group upper management!" Patricia exclaimed. "How are you settling in? Mike didn't paint the job as being too overwhelming, I hope?"
"Lorelai, please, please call me Lorelai," Lorelai requested. "Actually, he hasn't been too obnoxious," she added, laughing along with her new manager.
"Well, take a few days to settle in. I'll be happy to help you with whatever you need."
After a brief hesitation, Lorelai said thank-you, smiled and nodded.
"So, please call me Trish," the manager requested. "Shall we take a tour?"
-----
Later that evening, Lorelai sat down on the sofa in the living area of the hotel suite she would be calling 'home' for the foreseeable future. She sighed, having already spent quality cell phone time with Rory to let her know how her first day went.
Lorelai sank into the sofa with a sigh. She had finally finished unpacking her suitcases and the few boxes she had shipped out ahead of her. It felt good to relax. Her mind wandered back to her conversation with Rory.
At first, Rory hesitated just the slightest bit, appearing reluctant to listen to the details of her mother's new locale. Both women knew that they were skirting the real issue: Lorelai running away from Luke. And apparently, as far as she could, across a continent.
"So, when do you actually start work?" Rory asked.
"The day after tomorrow. At least, I think that's when. It's not like I brought a lot of things with me…"
Again, the elephant on the phone line loomed large in the silence. Rory opened her mouth as if to follow up, then thought better and closed it again. Her mom would get to the point eventually.
This was a side of her mom that Rory had not seen much over the years, but ever since the breakup of the engagement, it seemed to be Lorelai's standard operating procedure. Usually, Lorelai would immediately hone in on the issues, always going straight for the heart of the matter. Now she often would just beat around the bush.
"So, you hear from your Dad today?"
Rory responded, "No. Why?"
"He...well, he's been struggling a bit with GiGi lately, and I was wondering if he had tried out some of the suggestions I gave him." Lorelai paused, and then giggled. "Not that I ever had to use any of them on you, my angel child."
"Nope, but I'll check with him the next time he calls, K Mom?"
"You planning to go to Stars Hollow any time soon?" Lorelai added.
Rory heard the unspoken request. See how Luke is doing.
-----
Anna placed the last sweater on the shelf, and heaved a sigh of relief and satisfaction. Stocking merchandise was never her favorite activity. Maybe she should see if Luke could help her with that…
"Speak of the devil!" she exclaimed, as Luke and April entered the store.
"April, you need anything else?" Luke looked nervous and eager to leave.
"Uh, no. Thanks, Dad." She rolled her eyes.
"Bye then."
Luke smiled briefly at April, who ran to him and gave him a quick hug; he then turned to leave.
Anna called out, "Luke!"
He turned back around.
"Thanks, Luke. You really are good at this dad thing."
Luke responded simply, "She's my kid. I've got to take care of her. It's my job, what a father's supposed to do."
Anna gritted her teeth and managed to force a sickly smile. There always was a veiled accusation in his conversations with her.
"Well, I know she enjoys being with you too." She smiled, more cloying this time. "So, how's life in that town of yours? How's your…fiancée, Lorelai was it?"
"We broke up." He stood there awkwardly, and then added, "Bye Anna. I'll see April at the diner tomorrow."
-----
Lorelai had intended to get a good night's sleep, especially with the strain the high altitude was placing on her body. But her mind raced and wouldn't let her rest.
Luke.
Damn it.
Well, she'd broken her last record. She'd spent a whole two minutes without thinking of her former fiancé. At this rate, she would finally finish forgetting him about two hundred years after her death.
Lorelai's hands wiped the tears from her eyes, and then balled up into fists. What had she done?
-----
Across the continent, Luke also could not sleep. Thoughts of Lorelai haunted not only his days, but his nights were now a sleepless nightmare.
And it was all his fault.
There was no way around it, he had ruined their relationship and caused the end of their love. The one person who had never tried to change him, who loved him and accepted him, and he had driven her away because of his kid.
Luke had so many memories of Lorelai through the years. But no more. She should be here beside him. He reached under his pillow and clutched the green silk she'd left in his bedroom. He would always love her.
TBC…