Chapter 26: Parties and Parents and Presents

"No," Rory smiled. Looking over his shoulder back into the foyer, her faced immediately twisted with curiosity. "Grandma?"

Lorelai's eyes widened as Emily walked into the room. As the anger built up in her belly, she did her best to remain calm and spoke cooly, "Mom…"

"Hello, Lorelai."

Taking a deep breath, she held in her anger, refusing to make a scene with all the kids around. Needing to get out of the room for a moment, she questioned, "Dad, can I get you guys a drink?"

"That would be wonderful. A soda for me, sparkling water for your mother."

"Okay…" Knowing her parents wouldn't let the party get out of hand while she was gone, Lorelai walked quickly into the kitchen. "That's one good thing about mom showing up," she thought.

"Sookie," she called forcefully yet quietly, "I need drinks and I need them ASAP."

Turning around with a small frown, Sookie placed her hands on Lorelai's shoulders. "Okay… don't panic."

"Good opening line…What's wrong?"

"We're out of ice."

Slapping her palm to her forehead, Lorelai groaned. "How could we be out of ice? We had a ton of ice! It was like a penguin habitat in here!"

"I don't know how it happened; I just know that it happened, and somehow we have to deal with it."

"Great. Two problems at once…" Sighing, Lorelai took a second to think. "Alright. If you can help keep an eye on the party, I will go and get some real quick."

"You got it," Sookie reassured her.

Walking into the living room, Lorelai grabbed her car keys from the desk. As she went to open the door, Luke happened to enter holding two bags of ice. "Oh! Oh my gosh! Luke, you're a vision," she gasped. "Sookie! We have ice!"

Leaning her head into the foyer, Sooke grinned. "Hallelujah!"

"How did you know," Lorelai questioned him, complete happiness filling her voice.

Slightly confused by her reaction, Luke stuttered. "Uh, well, rule of thumb says you can never have too much ice, and it looked like we were getting low when I left."

"Awe, you're the best," she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him and planting a firm kiss on his lips.

"Thanks… I guess." He answered, planting a soft kiss right back. "I better go put these in the cooler before they start to melt."

Just as he started to take a step, Rory turned the corner into the room with a gasp. "Daddy Luke! You're back!" Running over, she threw her arms around his leg. "Hurry! You've got to come see the crown I made for you!"

Smiling, he looked down at her. "Alright, Rory. I'll be in there in a few minutes. Let me put this ice up."

Satisfied with his answer, Rory scurried off. What no one realized was that Emily was watching from the other doorway, observing closely as everything unfolded.

Latching on to his arm, Lorelai walked with Luke into the kitchen. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of her father and remembered the crisis at hand. Hurrying the both of them into the kitchen, Lorelai whispered harshly as Luke sat the bags of ice down. "Luke!"

Hearing the anxiety in her tone, he turned around to look at her. "What?"

Grabbing him, she pulling him with her into Rory's room. "My parents are here."

Luke finally caught on to why she was so frantic. Nodding his head, he spoke calmly, "Okay, so your dad showed up. That's good, right?"

"No, Luke." She huffed and began pacing. "Not parent… parents," she spoke, exaggerating the "s".

As hers did when they arrived, Luke's eyes widened in realization, "Your mother came?"

"Yes, but I don't know why! I invited Dad, not her! Either way, though, she clearly has shown that she doesn't like the life I live, so why the hell is she even here?"

"Were you specific?"

Stopping in her tracks, Lorelai sneered at him. "What?"

Knowing she was angry at them and not him, Luke continued plainly. "When you invited him, were you specific that the invitation was only for him?"

"Of course I was," she shot back, clearly agitated at his implication. "I said I was calling to invite him not him and mom!"

"Maybe, he didn't realize."

"Maybe he didn't," she answered, throwing her hands out to the side. "He obviously didn't hear the part where I wanted him to call me back. I didn't even know he was coming today! I was not prepared for this."

Closing the gap between them, Luke placed his hands on her shoulders soundly. "Alright… Lorelai, it's going to be okay."

"Luke," she said, a slight hint of insecurity evident in her voice, "I am not prepared for this. I didn't plan an Emily Gilmore party; I planned a Lorelai Gilmore party. There is a huge difference. She will not ruin this day for Rory. I will not let her."

"No one will," he reassured her, "Now that she is here, there is nothing that we can do. Just try to be cordial."

"Just like how she was cordial at dinner," Lorelai spat.

Shaking his head, Luke warned, "Lorelai…"

Sighing, she leaned into his chest, but still spoke strongly. "I know… I'll try to be the bigger person, but I make no promises."

"I'm not asking you to… Just be yourself. Act like she's not here, and celebrate with Rory like you planned."

"Okay." Squeezing his waist, Lorelai pulled back. "Thanks for talking me off the cliff."

"Just doing my job," he smiled.

"Come on." Taking his hand, she pulled him along behind her. "I've got to get back out there to give them their drinks and to do the scavenger hunt."

Before they left the room, Luke stopped her. Planting a soft kiss on her lips for one last bout of reassurance, he spoke. "Let me now if you need anything."

"Alright," Lorelai spoke kindly to the group of kids in front of her, "Those are the rules, so… 1… 2… 3… Go!" With that, the kids scurried off in different directions throughout the yard.

Back on the porch, Richard sat on the wicker couch, a news paper in hand. Looking around to see the kids completely engrossed in the hunt, and knowing Luke had an eye on them, Lorelai hesitantly climbed the stairs to the porch.

"Dad," she spoke rather coldly, taking a seat on the couch opposite from him.

Closing the paper, Richard pulled his glasses off. "Hello, Lorelai. This is a fine party you have going on."

"Yeah."

"Rory seems to be having a nice time."

"She is…"

"Lorelai," he sighed, "Are you just going to answer in short words, or would you like to have a conversation?"

Tucking her legs under her, Lorelai turned to him with a frown. "Well, Dad, are you just going to sit here, acting like you don't know what I really want to talk about?"

"If this is about your mother…"

As much as she tried, she couldn't help roll her eyes. "Of course this is about mom. Do you not remember the last conversation we had where I said I didn't want to see her yet?"

"I do," Richard spoke in response with a nod. "However, you knew that I preferred to see you with Emily by my side, so I assumed that with the invitation came your understanding of that preference."

"Well you know what they say when you assume," she mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Lorelai answered quickly. "So you didn't happen to notice the part of the message where I said I wanted you to come?"

"Of course I heard it, but I don't feel right leaving your mother at home while I'm out celebrating her granddaughter's birthday."

Taking a deep breath, Lorelai shook her head in disbelief. "Well, whether you feel right or not, dad, she wasn't invited."

"She has been nothing but cordial so far," Richard answered sternly, "She has kept her distance. I informed her that she must behave today because this day is about Rory. It is not a day to fight."

"Because your request worked so well when we had dinner," she spat.

"Lorelai…"

Shaking her head adamantly, she continued, "No. Don't 'Lorelai' me… The last two times I have been around mom she has done something completely disrespectful."

"And I understand that, however, she will not today."

Sighing, knowing she wasn't getting anywhere, Lorelai resigned. "Fine… but if she does something to ruin this day for Rory…"

"Then I will hear about it. I know. Just give your mother a chance."

"Okay, Dad…" she grumbled as she stood up. Speaking just loud enough for him to hear as she walked away, Lorelai added, "Because I haven't given her two chances already."

"Present time! Present time! Open the present to see what's inside!" Lorelai called, clapping her hands as she stepped back into the living room.

"Mommy, are you going to say that with every present," Rory questioned.

Smirking, Lorelai answered, "Well, I was, but I'm guessing you don't want me to, so I'll stop… Alright, whose present is next, kid?"

"The card said Grandpa and Grandma." Taking off the elaborate bow and carefully puling the shiny, purple paper, Rory opened the box to see the book set of Anne of Green Gables. Gasping, she held one of the books up. "Mommy, look! It's Anne! There's every book!" Turning to her grandparents, she smiled brightly. "Thank you!"

Chuckling at her excitement, Richard answered with a smile of his own. "You're welcome, Rory. We were going to go for something else, but your grandmother believed this was the better set."

"It's amazing! Thanks grandpa! Thanks grandma!" Jumping up out of her seat, she hugged each of them.

When Rory finally returned to her chair, Lorelai spoke up. "Alright, well, I guess it's time for my present." Turning to Mia who was standing in the doorway of the foyer, she nodded.

"Are you ready, Rory," Mia asked.

"Yeah!"

After stepping out of the room, Mia brought back in with her a small, purple bike with white pom-poms and a silver and white basket.

Hopping up from the chair and at Lorelai, Rory leaped into her arms. "A bike! It's a real bike!"

Kissing her daughter's cheek, she smiled. "I know… go sit on it."

Shimmying from her arms and running over, Rory climbed carefully onto the bike, the training wheels holding her up.

"It looks like the perfect fit," Mia added with a smile of her own.

"It's perfect!" Climbing back off, Rory hugged Lorelai again. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, sweets." Turning back to the guests, Lorelai began to speak. "Alright, everyone…"

"Wait Mommy," Rory called sweetly as she emerged from behind the chair. "There is one more."

"Who's that from, hon?"

Clearing his throat quietly from beside her, Luke whispered in her ear, "That's from me."

At the same time, Rory informed her, "It's from Daddy Luke."

Looking back at him with a soft smile, Lorelai answered, "Well, alright. Open it then."

Pulling the smaller box off of the top, Rory opened the larger box first. Opening it up, she found it filled with various small kitchen utensils, lacking knives and other sharp objects, of course. "Cooking stuff!" Rory exclaimed looking up with a bright smile.

Lorelai turned back to Luke with a peculiar look. "Cooking stuff?"

Running a nervous hand across the back of his neck, Luke stammered, "Uh, yeah… When she was with me at the diner earlier this week, she mentioned that she wanted to help me cook. Of course, I couldn't let her do it there, but I thought if I got her the stuff here, she could help me when I come over and cook dinner."

Nothing but happiness filled Lorelai's eyes as she answered, "That's sweet." Wanting to thank him, but knowing he wouldn't want more attention brought to him, she turned back to Rory and pointed. "Don't forget the smaller box too."

"Oh yeah!" Ripping the paper off, Rory beamed. "It's a librarian Barbie! Look at all the little books!"

At the sound of the word Barbie, Lorelai's breath caught in her throat. "He got her a Barbie." Thinking back, she remembered, for a moment, the conversation they had in the diner when she shared her feelings about her own father.

"Taking a sudden interest in the floor, Lorelai avoided looking in Luke's eyes, knowing that if she did, he would see the moisture gathering in them. "Thanks, but you don't have to be sorry. It's not your fault. My dad raised me the way he was taught to. I know I tell you this all the time, but I really did come from a different world. Dads... They don't take their daughters to the mall… They don't listen to their hopes and dreams… They don't buy them the Barbie."

"Mommy?"

Drawn out of her memory by Rory's voice, she answered, "Yeah, hon?"

"That's all the presents," she informed her, holding up her hands and showing her they were empty.

"Okay… Did you say thank you to every one?"

Nodding with a bright smile, Rory answered, "Mhmm!"

With a clap of her hands, Lorelai turned back to all her guests. "Alright, well, even though Rory did, I would like to thank you all for coming. I know it's getting late, but Sookie is waiting in the kitchen for everyone to make ice cream sundaes, so you guys can have at it."

The kids and Rory all cheered and scrambled up, running into the kitchen as their parents followed closely behind.

As soon as everyone left the room, Lorelai turned back to Luke and pulled him with her to the corner of the living room wearing a bright smile. Leaning close to him, she spoke softly, "You got her a Barbie?"

"Yeah," he answered back in the same tone.

Pecking his cheek, she whispered, "Thank you... thank you so much."

Nodding, Luke grinned. "It's no problem. I saw it while I was out, and I thought of her… plain and simple."

"But it is… really, thank you."

Knowing there were kids in the next room, Luke planted a short but meaningful kiss on her lips. "You're welcome." Looking over her head, he caught glimpse of Emily going up stairs. Tapping her shoulder, he pointed over to the stair case. "Look."

"Uh oh," Lorelai sighed as she saw her mother reach the top, "I guess I'll be right back."

Following quietly up the stairs, Lorelai entered her room to see Emily pick up the edge of her quilt. Clearing her throat, she spoke up. "I made that."

Not aware that anyone had followed her, Emily jumped slightly. Looking back at Lorelai, she wore a slight look of disbelief on her face. "Really?"

"Yeah, from Rory's old baby clothes."

"How nice. I hope you washed them first."

Snapping her finger, Lorelai did her best to keep the tone light, for her sake and her mother's. "Oh rats! I knew I forgot something."

Rolling her eyes at Lorelai's antics, Emily spoke indifferently, "That's quite the assortment of characters you've assembled down there."

"They're great people," Lorelai smiled.

"That woman, Patricia," Emily prodded curiously, having seen Patty's eyes linger on Richard more than one occasion.

"Miss Patty," Lorelai corrected.

"She teaches dance?"

A knowing grin spread across Lorelai's face. "Among other things."

"And Luke?"

Immediately, Lorelai's mind went into defense mode. Crossing her arms across her, she questioned back, "What about Luke?"

"Everything is going well I suppose?"

"Uh, yeah. Everything is great," she responded shortly.

"There's no need to be curt, Lorelai. I'm merely asking a question."

Dropping her arms to her side, Lorelai rolled her eyes. "With all due respect, Mom, you've made it clear that your opinion of Luke isn't very high, so forgive me if I don't really want to discuss him with you."

"Lorelai," Emily sighed, "Your father made it clear that I was to not make a scene here today. Now, I may not agree with anything that I have witnessed, but by the will of your father, I am keeping my comments to myself today."

"Well that's a first," Lorelai mumbled under her breath.

Ignoring her remark, Emily pressed once again. "So, Luke."

"What about Luke?"

"Let me ask you something… Do you think that man loves you?"

At the question, Lorelai was immediately confused. Her mother looked sincere in questioning, but she couldn't help but suspect that she was fishing for information. Knowing Luke would want her to be honest about them, Lorelai responded truthfully. "Yeah, I do. He told me."

"Well I can definitely tell."

Almost all of the defense within her fell, and Lorelai became curious. With a furrowed brow, she questioned, "And you're judging this by what?"

"By the way he looked at you."

"Which is how."

"Like you were about to give him a lap dance."

Unable to keep the giggle from escaping her mouth, Lorelai smiled. While the prospect of doing so had its appeal, a lap dance with Luke was not something she wanted to discuss with her mother. "Mom, he does not look at me like that."

"He sure does… and you're pleased," Emily added with a sly look. "You're pleased that your diner man looks at you like a porterhouse steak."

"Well, Mom, I would hope that my boyfriend looks at me and thinks I'm attractive… If he didn't there would be a problem."

"Oh, I'm aware, but I'll tell you, it's hard to find someone who looks at you the way Luke does. It's like he is in complete awe of you."

Cocking her head, Lorelai questioned honestly, "You think so?"

"Heaven help me, I do."

"O-kay…"

Unable to be deterred from the subject, Emily pressed on. "So… he's in love with you. Are you in love with him?"

"I do love him… I really do," Lorelai answered confidently.

"I can tell…"

Letting her mother's words sit, Lorelai sat on her bed unsure of how to continue the conversation.

"Is he planning on proposing?" Emily spoke softly, interrupting the silence.

"I don't know Mom… We haven't really talked about it. We've only been dating since April."

"That's almost 6 months, Lorelai," Emily informed her immediately.

"I know," Lorelai answered, "But we're just going with it and seeing what happens."

"Just going with it? So is this even a serious thing?"

At the tone and wording of the questions, Lorelai was quickly back on the defensive. "Of course it is."

"Well, I was just curious. Most of the time, couples usually plan for their future, but maybe you and Luke are different."

"Yeah, maybe we are." Not wanting to get into her future, knowing she and Luke definitely hadn't discussed the long term yet, Lorelai sought her way out. "Look mom, I'm sure Rory is probably going to be looking for me soon, so I'm gonna go back down."

"Very well; Your father and I will probably be leaving soon anyway."

"It looks like Rory's all tuckered out," Lorelai called from the sink as Luke walked into the kitchen. "Check out what's in her hand."

Looking into her room, Luke say Rory curled up asleep on her bed, surrounded by gifts all sorted into piles with the Barbie doll in her hand. Turning back, he looked to Lorelai with a smile. "I think she had a good time."

"I do too…" Turning off the water and drying her hands, she grabbed Luke's and pulled him into the living room with her. As soon as they sat down on the couch, he found Lorelai's lips on his insistently.

"What was that for," he questioned, running his hand down her arm and lacing his fingers through hers as they pulled apart.

"Thank you."

Smiling, Luke asked, "For what?"

'For your help today, for Rory's present, for keeping me calm when my parents showed up," she called off, "Oh, and did I mention Rory's gift?" Planting another light kiss to his lips and curling up against him, she sighed happily. "I can't explain how much that means to me."

Trailing his other hand through her hair, Luke responded with a quiet, "You're welcome."

"And to think, we get to do the whole party thing again soon. If I remember right, I believe someone's birthday is coming up in a few weeks… November 14th, maybe?"

Groaning, Luke shifted to where he could look her in the eye. "Oh no… we are not celebrating my birthday with a party. I don't do parties."

"But Luke," Lorelai whined. "It's the first birthday you get to celebrate with me! I have to go all out!"

Shaking his head, he refused. "Nope. Not happening."

Rolling her eyes, she sighed. "Fine, but we are doing something for your birthday," She said and poked his chest. "Even if it is just you, me, and Rory."

As their conversation naturally ended, the enjoyed the moment of silence they found themselves in. Still having a hold of Lorelai's hand, Luke pulled her over to him and into his lap. "I forgot to tell you… for the record, I am very proud of you."

Confused at his sudden change in topic, Lorelai looked at him curiously, "For what?"

"For not completely losing it with your mom…"

"Yeah," Lorelai shrugged. "This is probably the most bearable day I've had with my mother in a long time."

"That's a good thing, right."

"I guess… I still don't know what to do about her. Just because she was able to control herself once at a party she wasn't even invited to doesn't mean that she's in the clear. I mean, she was actually kind of nice when we talked upstairs, but this could be just a one-time thing," she rambled pessimistically. "I'm not being crazy… at least I don't think I am."

"You're not crazy… you're just being careful," Luke reassured.

"Yeah… careful. I was being really careful upstairs," she said out loud, really meaning to only think it to herself.

"Speaking of the upstairs, what happened up there," he questioned, nodding towards the stairs. "I expected to have to break up a yelling match."

Realizing she had said it to where Luke could hear her, Lorelai stuttered her answer, as she tucked a strand of hair insecurely around her ear. "Oh, uh, that."

"Yeah, that… what's with the sudden shyness?"

Remembering her mother's prodding about whether an engagement was coming and not really sure if she wanted to discuss it now, Lorelai wracked her brain for how to respond. "Well… I don't know what she went up there for, but talk turned to you."

"Uh huh… I guess I'm still not good enough, right?"

"Oh gosh no… but apparently you look at me like you are in awe of me."

Chuckling, Luke questioned curiously. "In awe of you?"

"Mhmm," Lorelai smiled, satisfied that he didn't press her further on the other specifics of their conversation, "You, Luke Danes, are in complete awe of me, Lorelai Gilmore."

"Says who?"

"Says Emily Gilmore… In her words, you look at me like I'm about to give you a lap dance, like I'm a porterhouse steak."

Tapping his chin, Luke pretended to ponder her words. "Now that I agree with," he said in a sexy, low voice.

"Oh my gosh, Luke," Lorelai exclaimed, slapping his chest.

"What? That's the first thing I've heard your mother say that I agree with."

"A lap dance, huh," she grinned naughtily. Standing up from the couch, she slowly unzipped the jacket she was wearing and began swaying her hips and dancing playfully.

"Lorelai, what are you doing," Luke questioned with a lap, reaching out for her.

Backing away from his meddling hands, she laughed and dropped her jacket to the floor. "I just want to see the look she was yakking about."

"C'mere." Extending his arm further, Luke caught hold of her belt loop and pulled her onto his lap.

Looking down at him, Lorelai saw the desire in his eyes. "Oh, that look… I like that look." Wearing a bright smile, leaned down and kissed him. Finally finding a moment alone, she took advantage and shifted to straddle his lap, her hands coming to rest on his cheeks, holding him to her. Just before getting lost in the feeling of his lips on hers, knowing he wouldn't want to go further, Lorelai pulled back with a soft sigh. "Do you have to open in the morning."

His head still foggy, Luke took a second to clear his mind. "Oh, uh, yeah," he whispered, running his finger along her bottom lip.

"You still want to go out tomorrow night? Sookie said today that she was still up for it, and I really need my Luke time," she answered softly, trailing a her hands up and down his chest.

"Sounds good… you know, I have to open tomorrow, but I could always stay here tonight… if you want."

"Really," Lorelai questioned with slight disbelief, "You are gonna get up earlier just so you can stay here instead of the diner?"

"Yeah, why not?"

Immediately, a bright smile overtook her face. "I love you…" Pecking his lips one last time, Lorelai stood up, pulling him with her. "Come on, let's go get cozy."

Though Luke couldn't tell, as she walked up the stairs ahead of him, Lorelai's mind was filled with a flurry of thoughts about them and their future. Shockingly, all of her thoughts led her to a conclusion she was slightly scared but also excited for: "Maybe its time to talk about our middle."

A/N: Thank you all so much for your input! I love to hear what you guys have to say! Since there was so much positive feedback, I think I will throw Rachel into the mix. No worries, I'm not gonna screw anything up, and I am going to be very careful with her character. I want her around to help, not to hurt.

It was brought to my attention that some of you couldn't review Chapter 25. I don't know what is causing it, but since I reorganized the story, it may not let you because you posted on my previous Chapter 25. That's my best guess as to why it is happening. I'm sorry if that is happening to you! I am hoping that it is some kind of glitch that will be fixed, but if not, if you want to send a review in as a PM to me, I will still definitely look at it!