Chapter Seven

The next morning Lorelai decided she should make an appearance at the Dragonfly, and Rory decided she would go with her.

After telling Sookie she was feeling much better, and after assuring Michel she was no long contagious, Lorelai's absence the previous day was all but forgotten. Lorelai started paying some bills, ordering supplies, and doing payroll while Rory helped out Sookie and got in Michel's way.

About nine-thirty, while Lorelai was still busy, Rory told her she was going to go see Lane for a while, that her breakfast shift at the diner should be over, but she waited until she saw Lane leave before she went in.

"Hi, Luke," Rory said innocently. "Is Lane around?"

Luke was surprised to see her.

"Uh, no, you just missed her. She said she was going home, so you can probably catch her there."

"Is she still working the split shift?"

"Yeah, she is. She'll be back for the supper rush, about 4:30."

"Then she's probably going to take a nap. Maybe I'll wait a little while before I go over there."

"Well, okay."

A slightly uncomfortable silence followed. Finally Rory said, "Any coffee left?"

"I was just about to make a fresh pot, if you want to wait."

"Sure, fresh is good."

"Okay, comin' right up. Still got a couple of donuts left."

"Any with sprinkles?"

"I'm afraid not."

"That's okay, no sprinkles are fine."

After he started the coffee, Luke put a plain donut on a saucer and set it in front of Rory.

There was more silence while they waited on the coffee.

"How's Logan?"

"Gone."

"Gone?"

"He's in London. His dad has him working at one of the newspapers he owns there. He'll be gone for a year."

"A year?"

"Yep. "

"So you won't see him for a whole year?"

"We'll visit -- holidays, birthdays, whenever."

After more silence, Luke told her he had to check on something in the store room, but before he could go, Rory said, "Mom doesn't know I'm here."

"What?"

"She thinks I'm with Lane."

"I don't understand."

"If she knew I was here, she'd be mad, very mad, very very mad."

"Rory, I'm not sure . . . ."

"She told me she asked you to elope, and you turned her down."

"You know, this actually is none of your business -- what goes on between your mom and me."

"She loves you so much, Luke, and she wants so much for us to be a family."

"Rory, are you listening to me?"

"Do you remember at my twenty-first birthday party, when I introduced you as my future stepfather? Luke, I WANT you to be my stepfather. It felt good saying that, and I want to keep on saying it."

"Rory, stop. Just stop. Things . . . things aren't what you think they are. Your mom and I are having real problems right now, and they just aren't any of your business."

"Come on, Luke, as long as you've known us, how can you say that? You know that whatever affects her affects me, and whatever involves me involves her. It's always been that way and it always will be."

"Rory, this conversation is over. Eat your donut, finish your coffee, and go to Lane's."

"Why didn't you want to go away with her?"

"We are NOT talking about this!"

"I know you love her . . . ."

"Caesar! I'm going upstairs!" Luke yelled into the kitchen, then disappeared.

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