A/N: Insert Strong Bad voice:
Like a Phoenix, from the ashes
...she rises again!
DIRTY!
Written in the Stars
By Gilmoregirl1979 (the reigning Quote Queen)
Rating: PG-13
Hi this is your friendly disclaimer: Once again, I don't own (DAMN IT!), No Harm No Sue. WE just use the Gilmore Girls dolls during our slumber parties…. It's fun (shirtless Luke: with coffee pouring action, and the "Fry it and Buy it" Luke's Diner Play Set sold separately!)
R/R: yes please I love reviews; I wanna marry them (as previously stated, I have strange passions.)
Summary/ The Q: What if LL hooked up when they first met? What if things had moved … a touch more quickly…?
Luvz: HAPPY BIRTHDAY … TODAY!
JEEPY: I can't even take joy in my Gilmore posters anymore… sigh
A/N: Everything you've waited to see, will happen …
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Chapter 12:
Set The Record Straight
Lorelai made an initial morning stretch and was surprised her bed wasn't as big as she remembered. She was also surprised that she wasn't at her house … and had company. Lorelai had never woken up with a man before. Lorelai had to smile at how different Luke looked in sunlight. It was a perfect morning, she was warm, and grinning, with the promise of a brand new day and naked with a handsome man beside her.
However the mom in her began to chip away at the perfect moment. Lorelai snuck out of bed, and pulled on Luke's T-shirt from the floor, she found her phone from her purse and gave Mrs. Kim a call. Not the first thing I'd expect to do half naked in my boyfriend's place. "Good morning Mrs. Kim," She whispered in the kitchen area, "How was Rory?"
"She was well behaved, did as she was told the whole night."
"Well that's good, may I speak with her?"
"No."
"No?" keeping me from my own child?
"No, girls are still sleeping. Children require at least 8 hours of sleep every night."
Lorelai figured the girls might need the extra time, probably tired from their little wood working project any way, "Oh alright, well when she wakes up … please have her call me, let me know what she plans with Lane for the day? Or I could pick her up when ever it is convenient for you…"
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As Lorelai returned to the bed, Luke opened his eyes, "Hey?" Luke smiled, and took his turn to stretch in bed, and he loved the view of her legs in his shirt. "Where'd you go?"
"I just got a cell phone I wanted to check my messages," as she put the offense phone away.
"Waiting for messages from your other boyfriends?" he grinned, as Lorelai settled in his arms again, Luke informed in a tired monotone, "You know, you may get a brain tumor from that thing."
So I've heard… "It's a matter of convince, so I can be reached, or if I need it in case of an emergency?"
"It'll be real convenient when they shave your head to cut out the tumor." Then Luke seemed to ask the ceiling, "Should we … tell people we're seeing each other? I mean I haven't mentioned it to anyone. I mean, I assumed Sookie knows…"
"Yeah … ummm I don't know." She was going for nonchalant "I mean the way the gossips are in this town…" they'll run straight for my kid.
"Yeah, I really don't like the idea of having my love life being debated in a public forum…" recalling how things were when Rachel left, people freely and callously offering their opinions on the situation.
"Yeah … me neither," recalling the debate her parents had with Strobe and Francine, Christopher's parents, when they first found out about Lorelai's … situation in 1984. Now is as good a time as any… "Luke?"
"Yeah"
"I have to tell you something, and I'm not sure how you're going to react. So please just hear me out, start to finish, no interruptions."
"Okay?"
"Remember when I told you … about the other guy, my high school boyfriend."
"Yeah"
"Well, when I was … with him… something happened." Lorelai steadied herself, she couldn't do this half assed; she had to tell Luke the whole truth. Luke deserved that. And if he accepted it they could just continue on, and if not, last night was a beautiful way to say goodbye. She couldn't even look at him to see his reaction, she had to just get through the story as detailed and as quickly as possible; her eyes were fixed on the ceiling and she told her story.
"… I got Pregnant … at 16. That's why my parents wanted us to get married. They thought it would be for the best. I went to school for as long as I could, I finished out my sophomore year… but the more I started to show… it was decided that I should just drop out …"
"I decided to keep my baby, so … I have a daughter, Rory. I named her after me. I mean guys do it all the time, right, heck; George Foreman named all his kids 'George' boys and girls alike. Well, it wasn't long before I couldn't stand being under my parents' roof. Their constant criticism of how I was raising my child. Rory was my daughter and I wasn't going to have her raised in that house with my mother and party dresses or cotillion. I wanted her to be … I don't know normal, to do what she wanted, not what was expected of her out of family obligation or just because everyone else had done it for years before her. So I … ran away, at 16 with my baby, I came here to stars hollow. I got a job at the Inn, and Mia gave me a place to stay so I could start over, and have the life I wanted."
Lorelai finally found the courage to turn her head and look at him. Luke was so still just letting her get it all out of her system. Unable to stand the silence, Lorelai tried to encourage words from him as she summed up, " So that's why I couldn't have you pick me up at my house, that's my deep dark secret… I have a daughter… I'm 27 with an 11 year old daughter." Luke was just lying next to her, thinking, she was starting to become scared, that this was it. This was the end. "Say something, please say something…" Just as Lorelai was mentally preparing to gather up her clothes Luke spoke.
"I knew."
Lorelai did a double take, "What?"
"I knew about her."
"How?" a shocked Lorelai searched the face of the remarkable resourceful man before her, thinking she had been so clever in hiding it from him.
Luke shrugged, "Small town. … Actually, I've only known for a few days, when I was … in my funk as you called it, I was… upset…cause I thought you weren't serious about … us… and well, I thought maybe you were seeing someone else. Then … Taylor was hassling me about my dad's sign again… worried about his stupid flower show… and … I saw you in the square… talking with Sookie… then …this little girl came up to you, like a little clone of you. I saw her with you and thought … she was a cousin, a niece … sister, maybe; well, I was on my way over to … clear things up… then she called you ... 'the world's best mom' and tackled you in a hug, and …I just stopped in my tracks." Luke took a deep breath, "I had seen her before at a town meeting, and thought she looked like you… but with this new… information… I went straight to Mia … and got the whole story… but I kinda like your version better."
Lorelai's mouth was gaped, "And that's why you went fishing?"
"Well… I hadn't been fishing in a while… I had to think about things… I mean it sorta threw me for a loop, I've known you like two months… we've only been dating … two weeks… I was… surprised… "
"And what did you …conclude?"
"Well … I think Mia said it best, she asked me… 'What are you upset about? That she has a daughter… or that she didn't tell you' …" Luke looked Lorelai square in the face again, "Naturally I wish you would have told me from the get go… but… I never asked either…"
"Well why would you… if you were seeing a normal girl…"
"I don't like normal… I like you. And … Rory," it was the first time Luke said her name, it was weird for both of them to hear, and sounded kind of funny with his deep voice, "she is apart of you…"
Lorelai needed to know, "so what does this mean?"
"For what?"
"For … us?" Granted, he had come back from fishing, and slept with her again last night, but maybe he didn't want the hassle of an 11 year old in his life.
"Well, I think it means I need to meet her … correction I want to meet her."
"Luke, you don't have too," still apprehensive about how Rory would take the news. Granted she lucked out with Luke.
"I want too."
"I'm not asking you for anything, you don't have to be a … a step father."
"Lorelai how are we gonna move forward if I don't meet her?"
Move forward? "You still want to see me?" she still couldn't believe her luck.
"Of course," then Luke put his finger on her hesitation…"Does she … know about me?"
Lorelai shook her head, "No, I'm still not sure how she'd react to mommy dating. She just knows there is a guy named Luke who makes good coffee for me… "
"Okay … well, you're the boss, whenever you want to tell her, I'm fine with that… unless…."
"Unless?"
"… You … want an out… to break it off…"
"What? No, I don't," realize she may have sounded too eager, "I think last night proved … I like us too."
"Just checking … so where is she, that I could have you all night?"
"Kim's antiques, Lane Kim is Rory's best friend, they had a sleep over last night."
"And you had a sleep over last night…" Luke observed.
A blush came to Lorelai's cheeks, "Poor kid no doubt had tofu forced on her the whole night… "
"Alright, well if there's one thing I've learned about a Gilmore girl…. The way to her heart is through her stomach."
"You're really okay with this…"
"Yeah, but I have to ask you something… How did you get Rory… from Lorelai?"
Lorelai couldn't help but smile.
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Luke knew about Rory… that was progress. Even better he was okay with everything… they decided to slow down a bit and only have "dessert" if it wasn't a school night. This made Lorelai feel like she was in high school again, but Luke wanted Lorelai to focus on telling Rory, cause he wasn't comfortable with Lorelai lying to Rory about work to spend time with him.
Now Lorelai just had to explain things to Rory. Unfortunately, when Rory was in problem solver mode she thought about little else but the task at hand. Apparently the two 11 year olds weren't that hardware savvy, and not much progress was made on the first night of the floorboard storage project sleep over. In the following week, most of the Gilmore Girls time was spent at the library. While Rory was doing research on hard wood floors, Lorelai would flip through the current magazines near the newspaper rack reclining on a library sofa, much to the scowl of the librarian.
Rory would scribble down notes in a notebook, trying to draw blue prints and instructions for the best plan of attack.
By Thursday afternoon, Rory and Lane had no luck at the school library either, and upon leaving the school's walls of knowledge; Rory's answer seemed to be staring at her from across the square, if it was possible for a building to stare back at an 11 year old.
"Come on, "Rory told Lane, and started to head straight for the diner, "I've got an idea."
"Rory, where are you going? Sookie will be here any minute. I only have 2 hours to plan with you before my mom will want me home for dinner…"
"What this problem needs is a male perspective", and Rory held the diner door open for her friend.
Luke didn't usually regard the jingle, Lorelai mainly came in the morning these days, and they weren't having dinner till tomorrow night, despite his protests she should tell Rory before their next date. Luke stiffened up when he saw the girl in question enter with Lane Kim, and sit at the counter. This was the first time he had seen her now knowing her true identity. He wondered it this was the day… if Rory knew his true identity as well.
Both girls settled at the counter, and Rory smiled at Luke, recognizing him from her last visit, not knowing he was the infamous Luke who made her mother's coffee every morning.
Luke swallowed hard, hoping his nerves wouldn't give him away, "afternoon ladies… ummm what can I get you…?" and he forced his eyes to stare at his order pad and only at his order pad.
"I'll take you up on that chocolate milk now… and one for my friend here." Rory had always wanted to say that. She had seen similar versions of the phrase in movies, and it always sounded so cool. Granted she couldn't order anything too strong, knowing the nice ball capped man wouldn't give her anything stronger than milk any way.
"Ummmm sure…" and Luke went into the kitchen to prepare the milk, wondering if Lorelai had given Rory permission to come into the diner yet, maybe as a chance to get to know him first before she dropped the bomb. Without being sure, Luke knew he shouldn't say anything until prompted. He returned with the girl's orders, and was ready to leave them to their business of whatever 11 year olds talked about these days… but Rory stopped him.
"Could I ask you something?"
Here we go, "ummm okay…" and Luke steeled himself, hoping no one was eavesdropping.
"How much do you know about tools?"
"What?" and Luke was lost already. Rory was just like her mother, starting a conversation by abruptly asking a random question.
"Well you're a guy… are you a tools kind of guy?" Rory asked, pretending she was interviewing for an important newspaper story.
"Ummm yeah, I know a bit."
"How about construction …do you know like houses and things?"
"Actually… I've done a little construction work… from time to time," still trying to be vague on the details.
"Okay… what would be the proper tool to say…. pry up a floorboard?"
What? "ummm what is this for?" wondering if Rory was gonna tear apart her mother's house… or if there was some handy man type chore Luke could help Lorelai with … maybe while Rory was at school.
Lane jumped in… "Well, I need some …extra storage… in my room… it has hard wood floors… and well I was just thinking of all that … dead space beneath my feet… and I thought you know… maybe seasonal clothes… or old shoes…"
"Huh? Well ummm okay…?"
Rory figured he couldn't be much help if he didn't know the true purpose for the storage. As was her honest nature, she filled the ball-capped man on the real purpose and the whole idea, and the problems they ran into on their first attempt.
"Hmmm, this seems very …Poe," Luke said as he looked at Rory's notes.
"Good one" she smiled, thinking of the tell tale heart she read last Halloween. "But I promise no animals or people will be harmed in the construction of this project."
Yeah… just like her mother, "I'll be right back," and Luke went up stairs for some tools. When he returned, he showed the girls certain tools they'd need for the job. "In most cases, they'd have used hardwood flooring staples, you want a flat head screw driver, maybe a claw hammer…" and he walked them through the instructions step by step. "If you want… you can borrow my tools," he offered.
"Thanks."
"I'll take those," and Lane hid them in her book bag. "If there is one thing I'm good at its sneaking suspicious items past Momma Kim, undetected."
"Are you sure you're mom won't mind?"
"Oh … what Momma Kim doesn't know," Lane smiled.
Rory became worried, adults were pretty much the same on these things, and if two young girls wanted to pry up floorboards would be generally frowned upon and would be Rory figured that was a given red flag to any adult; even her mother, Lorelai felt uncomfortable keeping it from Momma Kim.
"Your secrets safe with me," Luke assured…and when he saw Rory reaching for her money, "Keep it, first time customers are on the house."
"But I was here before", again honest Rory confessed.
"Yeah but you didn't get anything the last time…" The ball-capped man reminded her.
Lane chimed in, "In that case, can I get some fries to go?"
The ball caped man only smiled and filled the order. Appreciating his advice and kindness, Rory genuinely thanked him… for everything. She wanted to get the nice man's name… but then Lane remembered, "Rory… Sookie…"
In all her excitement with her new plans and new borrowed tools, Rory knew they had better get back to the school quick, and had forgotten to get the ball capped man's name. Maybe when her mom finally took her to the diner, they could be formally introduced. "We'll see you around!"
The two tweens were off with their fries and plans.
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I love Fridays… Lorelai thought to her self. Lorelai was gonna have a fish dinner with Luke; he had caught more fish at the lake, no doubt to continue to impress me, with his manly attribute, to which she smiled an internal dirty.
Lorelai hadn't eaten such fancy meals since… well her mother's house. After dinner, on the couch, Lorelai was lying next to Luke, just enjoying a quiet moment together as they digested.
"It's late," Luke broke the silence.
"Mmm Hmmmm" Lorelai agreed, wanting to stay with him as long as possible.
"You should go."
"But I'm so comfy…" Lorelai insisted.
"You should get back to Rory…"
"It's not that late… and you know … Rory has a babysitter…?"
"…We're slowing down, remember…"
"But it's not a school night … remember," and she kissed his neck.
"Lorelai you have to tell her soon…" thinking of the previous day's close call in the diner, how Rory was gaining in confidence to come to the diner on her own.
"I will… but she's so into this floorboard project with Lane…" Lorelai sighed.
The Luke asked out of the blue, "Is she aloud to … you know, go places by herself?"
"What do you mean…?"
"Well let's say… what if Rory comes into … the diner… do I introduce myself as Luke… the guy who makes your coffee?"
"Well, I've promised her I would take her to the diner soon… she's noticed all the Luke's take out cups."
"When did you make that promise…?"
"Eh a week or so ago…"
Looks like she couldn't wait, Luke realized.
"Luke…"
"Yeah?"
"I want … dessert…" she smiled, since teasing his neck had done nothing for him, she went for the direct approach.
"You can't wait till Rory's sleep over…"
"That's a whole 24 hours away…" nibbling at him again.
Now how do you argue with that?
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Lorelai had made the mistake of closing her eyes, and had fallen asleep next to him. She didn't mean for it to happen, she was just so comfortable and warm with him, and she didn't want to leave. Plus it didn't help that he had made another wonderful meal just for her that put her in another happy food coma. Little did she know just how she would pay for her impatience.
She was starting to wake up again, remembering the fact that she should go home, get back to Rory, and then she was abruptly jarred awake by a phone ringing. She felt Luke stir next to her, "I got it," and he kissed her shoulder, not thinking, Luke said sleepily "go back to sleep," forgetting himself that she was supposed to be home already.
Without him to cuddle up against she rolled over on her back, just waiting for the annoying ringing to stop piercing her ears. Man, it's just a time warp with him. I should go home, Lorelai watched him as he answered phone.
"Hello."
Part of Lorelai was eager for his return to bed, but she knew she should leave... He already let me win an argument once tonight.
Still waking up, Luke's friendly midnight greeting quickly turned to concern, "Liz? … What's wrong?" he seemed to listen to the person on the other end intently. "Okay, its okay, just calm down, I'll be right there," and he almost didn't want to ask, "… Where are you?" again Luke absorbed the details… "Jeez… Liz…" he shook his head again, and rubbed the back of his neck, as if a tension knot had already settled there.
Lorelai sat up, now invested in what was going on, Luke was leaving her… for another woman? … In the middle of the night? It didn't seem to matter to Luke where that woman was. "Aww Jeez," Luke exclaimed again, annoyance mixed with his concern. Lorelai watched as he scribbled hastily on a sheet of paper by the phone. "Okay, sit tight, I'll be right there." Luke hung up, and started to get dressed, and came eye to eye with his date still in bed looking at him with a concerned and puzzled expression. "Oh Lorelai, umm" and He looked back at the phone briefly, "I'm sorry I have to go…" how ironic, I'm leaving you for a change.
"Everything okay?"
"Yes and no, I don't have time to explain, I have a … bit of a situation that I … need to take care of." He had gotten dressed quickly, "Please feel free to stay, or help your self to anything in the fridge… I think there's pie down stairs if you want. Or you know you were gonna go home… so it worked out perfectly… well for one of us any way… I'm sorry, I gotta go." He gave Lorelai a hasty good-bye kiss, grabbed his keys, his wallet, a jacket and Luke was off to the mystery woman.
Lorelai just sat alone in his bed, clutching the sheet around her, not knowing what to make of the last 5 minutes. It was obviously an emergency of some sort, very important; but he was offering me diner pie? This is serious.
Liz. A woman called him, and he drops everything to be with her, to rescue her. Not so much out of the blue. He did rescue me with my flat tire. Maybe he is just that way, secretly he's the super hero going around saving people and no one's the wiser.
Then it hit Lorelai. Liz…must be the high school sweetheart.
Maybe… He's still hung up on her.
Okay… now we are jumping to conclusions… Luke isn't that insensitive to just sleep with me then leave for another woman… there has to be another explanation… something… anything. But Lorelai couldn't think of one.
Just when she thought she could believe he was different and allow herself to fall for him, just when she thought she could trust him … Granted this woman sounded like she was in trouble, but still.
Lorelai gathered up her clothes and got dressed, fine… he can help out … his old friend… fine… that's great, he's a super hero to all women in need. When he gets back, when he wants to see me… he will, he knows I work at the inn, he can find me… and explain everything… as he promised.
Lorelai proudly walked out the diner door, but she snagged two whole pies before she left.
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The following week dragged on for Lorelai. With Luke out of town, Lorelai's plans for Saturday were ruined. She dropped Rory off, and she was upset she couldn't share in her daughter's enthusiasm for the floorboard project. She spent her evening begrudgingly doing laundry, cleaning out the take out drawer, and finally disposing of last year's magazines.
Again, raining on her mood she had to pull a housekeeping shift Monday morning, so Lorelai took her anger out while she fluffed pillows and remade beds. The longer Luke was away the more questions she had for him.
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Luke thought it was strange that Lorelai, his apparent girlfriend, didn't come in anymore. When he got Liz's Call, as always it was a bad time, but he never expected his "trip" to take 5 days; as usual he couldn't afford Liz just dropping in out of the blue, so he had Ben take on extra help while he was a way. A young cook named Caesar.
Luke had been back in town for 2 days and still no Lorelai. Unfortunately, because of her mysterious insistence, he still didn't know where she lived, and she was always busy at work. He wanted to apologize, and explain. But, she was nowhere to be found in this small town.
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Luke had returned on Wednesday, Lorelai knew because she saw his truck… every time she drove past the diner she had looked for it. When she finally saw it, her heart was briefly happy for his return, but then she remembered she was mad at him. By Friday, Lorelai wondered why he hadn't come to find her, to explain, as he promised. Before picking Rory up from school she stopped at Bootsy's newsstand to pick more magazines to replace the ones she had thrown away, and over heard the biddies talking.
"Yes. Luke's hired a new cook, I think his name is Caesar," Patty shared with Babette.
"Any good?"
"He's got nothing on Luke, in the kitchen or in the looks department…. but my real question is why did Luke leave town? …"
Why indeed, Lorelai added internally,
"… And for so long…" Patty added.
"Yeah and if the diner's going belly up… why hire someone new?" Babette concurred.
"I heard Caesar was only temporary…" then Patty Gasped… "Maybe Luke left town to scope out new locations… maybe he's moving…?"
"I don't think so, Patty, his whole life is here… where would he go…?"
"Did we ever find out where that girlfriend of his went?"
"Aw who knows she's a photographer… one week it's Germany, then South America… then Burundi… I couldn't keep up," Babette shook her head.
"Any contact? Post cards maybe?" Patty was grasping at straws.
"Hey that's not bad… maybe if we slip Kirk a twenty… he could give us the scoop on Luke's mail."
"Kirk's not worth twenty… how about ten?" Patty countered.
"Let's go…" and the two gossips were off. "Oh hey sugar…" Babette noticed Lorelai, "you okay, doll? You look pale…"
"No, thanks…I'm fine…just getting Rory from school, "Lorelai said cheerfully and quickly paid for her magazines.
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"Mom?"
"Yes honey?"
"Do we have milk?"
"I think sooo…"
"What about ice cream…?"
"Ummm you have to ask?"
"What about cheese?"
"Okay my little milk maid what's up?"
"Well I just wanna make sure I get enough calcium…"
"Why?"
"I was reading an article today… in the paper… about osteoporosis…" Rory was careful to pronounce it correctly.
"Oh boy…" Lorelai sighed.
"…And I'm a growing girl… I need my calcium, it couldn't hurt you to have more, and you are much older than I am…"
"Thanks and not that much…" Lorelai said dryly.
"Can we pick some up? Please…"
"Alright we'll stop at Doose's…"
Then something caught Rory's attention, "Oh, could you stop at Doose's, I have to drop something off at Lane's?"
"You're gonna see her tomorrow… can't it wait?"
"Her mother is out of the house… and this is for our project… and it's one less thing I have to sneak in…"
"How can you tell her mom's out from here?" Lorelai squinted at the house, it looking just as it did any other day…
Rory pointed to Lane's window, "she has a green scarf in the top pane of her window. Green means all clear."
Lorelai marveled at her little Hogan's heroes, "You guys have a plan for everything…?"
"Pretty much, we are very thorough."
"Envied only by Mrs. Kim I'm sure. Okay I'll get more milk and cheese… but only if I can get ice cream for me…"
Rory teased in a scoff, "You have to ask?"
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Lorelai went into Doose's and the first thing she saw near the produce section in the back was Luke. Taylor seemed to be bugging him about something… no doubt hitting him up for details on the financial future of the diner… and consequently the space that maybe available for lease.
Lorelai hid behind a cereal display and watched Luke shop. His basket seemed to have typical bachelor items, a half gallon jug of orange juice, some tomatoes, razors, toothpaste, and turkey lunchmeat. No feminine items, nothing that screamed "I got back together with my ex-girlfriend"… lady's speed stick, cotton balls … condoms.
Like any male in a store, he was in mission mode, he went through the store quickly, found exactly what he needed and with no chit chat to the cashier, paid and left, and never noticed Lorelai.
Keeping herself in check, she got her daughters milk and cheese, and 5 flavors of Ben and Jerry's.
From Russia with Buzz, My favorite…77777777777777777777777
On Saturday, Lorelai couldn't stay away any longer, 5 days. 5 days. Luke was off with Liz doing God knows what for 5 whole days, kissing and making up? Making plans for the wedding? Conceiving their first child? Back for three whole days, and hasn't once tried to contact me…
Lorelai had just dropped Rory off for another sleep over at Lane's, and since she was right in the center of town, it was convenient. Her anger fuming in her for a week, she had to face him one last time, to have the satisfaction of telling him off. Great guy my ass. So she marched in the diner as the dinner crowd was dying down, and Luke actually had the nerve to smile at her. Bastard! Lorelai kept herself cool and even, "Can we talk?"
"Sure? … ummm upstairs okay?" seeing the anger below the surface, he was naturally confused.
The scene of the crime will do nicely, "lead the way."
As she marched up the stairs Lorelai realized this was why she didn't date, it hurt too much. She really did like Luke, loved spending time with him, the way he touched her, the way he made her feel, but it was all over now, he was pining for another woman… and it was all over.
Luke closed the door and had to ask, "Is something wrong?" she hadn't cracked a joke or a smile since entering the diner.
"No everything is fine; everything is just great… because I'm breaking up with you."
"What? Why?"
"Because of the other night…"
"Lorelai, I'm sorry, I had to leave ... it was an emergency," he pleaded.
"Oh I don't doubt it. Little miss thing calls and you go running. Whenever, wherever she is…"
"Hey!"
"No Luke I get it, okay I really do. You're still in love with her. She calls you and needs your help and you are all too willing to drop everything to be with her. Despite the fact that we were on a date, despite the fact we had just made love, despite the fact that I was still in the room, no, in the bed … Naked!"
"Lorelai calm down…" Luke didn't know where this rant was coming from; praying no one down stairs heard her.
"I can't believe I almost told Rory about us! I can't believe I slept with you on the second date! Chris didn't even get that…. "
"Jeez, will you keep your voice down … the diner's open!" Luke couldn't keep up with her flying accusations.
"… Well, I'm not going to play second fiddle to that, okay? So fine go be with her…" and Lorelai was about to leave but Luke grabbed her arm, and stopped her.
Forcing her to look him in the face he asked, "What are you talking about?"
"You and your high school girlfriend riding off into the sunset together …"
"High school?" Rachel?
Boys can be so stupid, "Liz, your high school sweetheart, calling in the middle of the night, the one you were supposed to marry, go marry her… why are you smiling?" confused by the amused look he wore.
Luke took a deep breath to explain, "Rachel… Rachel is the ex-girlfriend."
Oh My God, there are two? Lorelai still didn't get it, "then who is Liz?"
"My sister," Luke clarified as he crossed his arms.
"Sister?" Lorelai had wide understanding eyes, that little fact changed everything. Lorelai was an only child, so it had never occurred to her that Luke would have a sibling. Her avoidance of the subject of family early on in their relationship backfired again, she hadn't mentioned her daughter initially, and Luke never mentioned his sister. Lorelai buried her face in her hands. She had wasted so much energy this week being angry and pushing the situation out of her mind, she never stopped to think; of course he has a sister. "Oh Luke," of course he would drop everything to help out his sister. "Oh, I'm having a Star Wars moment…. I feel like such … an ass."
"Its okay, I didn't have time to explain, and I had no way to reach you when I got back." Still without your phone number or address
"Is she … okay? You were gone for a week."
"Keeping tabs on me, huh?"
"Shut up and tell me she is okay?"
"Yeah, she's fine, she just, … fell for the dead beat of the year … again … he ripped off all her stuff, and I had to find her a new place, where she could start over… again, with my nephew."
"Oh my God, is he okay?"
"Yeah, he's been a tough one ever since his dad left."
"Luke I … I just feel awful…. I should have trusted you."
"Why would you trust me when a strange woman calls in the middle of the night?"
"Luke"
"Yeah"
"I … I don't … want to break up…"
"Good, neither do I."
"I am sorry I overreacted," she winced hoping that made everything okay?
"You already said that," Clearly bored with the conversation.
"Okay, I just want to be clear…" Luke fixed her car, he cooked for her, and he kept up with her jokes, most of the time. He was a great guy and she was treating him like dirt, for suspecting him of crimes he didn't commit, for keeping him at arms length. For not being honest with him from the start about Rory, "I do want to … take us seriously."
"But you still haven't told Rory…"
"I will… I promise…"
"Where is she…?"
"At Lane's…. again… this project is taking longer than they thought."
"Lorelai you have to tell her…"
"Okay… I will, but… "
"What?"
"Can I still… spend the night…? I sleep better with you around."
"Believe me… I want to… I've … missed you, but I just don't think…"
"…Why not? Tonight is perfect Rory is busy with her friend… and we can…be busy on our own."
"Lorelai…"
"Luke we just had a fight… we're supposed to make up… officially," she smiled.
"Sometimes I think you only want me for my body…" Luke shook his head.
"That and the coffee."
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Over breakfast, Luke and Lorelai had talked more about his nephew, comparing funny stories they could remember about the young ones in their lives. Lorelai felt like a weight had been lifted, now free to brag and share stories about her bright, beautiful kid. Hearing the more about Rory's personality made Luke nervous too meet her, this was new territory for him, dating a woman with a kid, and Luke felt the need to ask "What about Rory's dad? Where is he?"
"Awww who knows… last I heard he was on his way to California and he didn't even offer to change a diaper first."
"Do you… miss him?"
"What?"
"Well you asked me about Rachel…"
"Yeah, when I thought she was Liz"
"Still I told you…"
"I don't know… it's been so long since we've even been in the same state long enough to have a real conversation… I just … don't know him any more… besides… I have you now."
"And since we now know that not telling people important details doesn't agree with us…."
"I know, I know, I'll sit her down … this weekend I promise"
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"That was all God given talent..." why thank you Luke!
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R/R: PLEASE, I like to better myself. To quote The Princess Bride,
"...Remember this is for posterity, ... so be honest."
Please be specific with R/R; name one (or as many as you can think of or want to mention..…) At least one specific thing you liked
Please! It makes me feel good...inside (Dirty!)
Hence the Rant option below.
Insert Rant here V
A/N: if not completely satisfied with this chapter, please return unused portion for a full refund …