The Dragonfly

Lorelai slams the kitchen door open as she walks from the dining room in the kitchen. She looks tired and her face is drawn, but she's full of energy. Tom is following closely behind her with a clipboard in his hands. "Tom, we have to have a smoke detector there," Lorelai points above the stove.

"We have one just above the door when you enter," Tom tells her. Lorelai shakes her head.

"Not enough."

"How do you know?"

"Because Sookie is a klutz," Lorelai answers simply.

"Hey!" Sookie exclaims glancing over her shoulder. She's at the table in the center with a new employee going over the new menu. Lorelai gives Sookie a look. "Okay, okay, she's right," Sookie relents.

"I just don't want another fire, one was more than enough for me," Lorelai declares, making a negative sigh with her hands.

"Okay, another smoke detector it is," Tom agrees, jotting this down.

"And those vents need to be painted, they really stick out against the colors of the kitchen," Lorelai says, pointing. "And it needs to be done soon because in a week Sookie's going to be wanting to try out new recipes and she can't do that in a place that smells like paint."

"Is it really that noticeable? I mean, the guests won't come back here," Tom notes.

"Yes, but I'll be back here and I want everything to be perfect," Lorelai states. Tom notices Lorelai's stern expression.

"Okay…" He adds this to the list.

"Next," Lorelai continues, motioning for Tom to follow her out of the kitchen. Sookie shares a look with her helper.

"Just give me one quick second," Sookie says quickly to the employee next to her, putting her pen down. "Just one second." She holds up one finger and walks out of the kitchen, to find Lorelai and Tom in the parlor.

"Do you have the wallpaper for this room yet?" Lorelai asks Tom.

"I'm not sure, I can have someone check the shed."

"It needs to go up. Actually I should check it before it goes up, I'm not sure I like what I picked anymore." Tom groans. He glances over at Sookie, who's walked up.

"The banister," Lorelai adds.

"Thursday," Tom answers.

"The doors."

"Ordered."

"And they'll be in?"

"Soon."

"When soon? The test run is just a month away!"

"Yeah, Lorelai, you reminded me of that three times already today," Tom says, exasperated. Sookie gives him a pitiful look as Lorelai glances around. "You have to calm down and take a breath, Lorelai. Everything is going to be done." Lorelai looks back at him, a blank look on her face as if she didn't hear what he just said.

"Okay, well I think that's it from what I can see," Lorelai says. Tom raises an eyebrow glancing down at his list.

"Oh is that all?" Tom asks, sarcastically. "Did you want the driveway paved? You said you wanted to use golf carts in the summer."

"Oh, uh, yeah," Lorelai replies vaguely.

"I can have the guys out tomorrow." Lorelai nods, glancing away. "Can we talk about the budget then?" Tom asks. Lorelai looks up at him alarmed.

"Are we over again?" Lorelai asks worried. Tom glances over at Sookie, who also looks worried.

"Well if we add in the driveway…"

"And even if we don't?" Sookie asks. Tom shrugs.

"Could be. I mean we finished the stables but the roof needs to be checked again." Lorelai and Sookie share a concerned look. "You want to rework the budget?" Lorelai sighs.

"I think we've already budgeted out all our money. We've got none coming in and between the two of us, we have three infants at home that need clothes and, you know, food," Lorelai notes.

"Guess you can't scrimp on that," Tom notes.

"I'm not Joan Crawford," Lorelai replies. Tom actually cracks a small smile. Lorelai shakes her head, rubbing her forehead. "Okay, don't worry, Tom, we'll come up with something."

"I could fire some guys," Tom offers. Lorelai raises an eyebrow. "Well I just hired Dean and Scotty." Lorelai shakes her head.

"Dean needs the money," Lorelai says. Sookie looks at her like she's crazy.

"This isn't about helping our friends, Lorelai!" Sookie exclaims. Lorelai gives her a look, but Sookie doesn't change her expression. Lorelai gives Tom a small smile as if apologizing for Sookie's outburst.

"Why don't you get working on that and Sookie and I will go over the budget," Lorelai says. Tom glances over at Sookie and then shrugs.

"Okay," Tom responds, shaking his head as he walks off. "Women," he mutters. Lorelai gasps, her mouth open in shock.

"Lorelai!" Sookie exclaims, but Lorelai's still staring at Tom. "Lorelai!" Sookie repeats, tugging on Lorelai's arm. Lorelai glances over at Sookie. "What are we going to do?" Sookie asks urgently. Lorelai sighs, shaking Sookie's hand off her arm.

"I don't know Sookie!" Lorelai snaps and then sighs, realized that she was too harsh. "Sorry." Lorelai rubs her forehead, feeling another headache coming on. "We'll figure something out. I mean I've got the check from…" She takes a deep breath knowing that there is a thirty thousand dollar check just sitting on her nightstand. "Do you wanna get outta here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I was thinking we could blow this pop stand, head out to Hartford, maybe look at different wallpapers for this room, at least then we'd be doing stuff for the inn," Lorelai suggests. Sookie frowns, mulling this over. "Come on Sookie, you know you want to." A grin slowly creeps across Sookie's face.

"Yeah okay," Sookie agrees. "You know, you're really good at that."

"Yeah I've been called David Koresh before," Lorelai responds.

"Oh I hope not," Sookie says with a giggle. Michel walks over.

"Can you please tell these workers to wipe their feet before they come in? They bring in all this dust and I'm wearing nice new shoes," Michel complains.

"Well maybe you should have thought of that before you walked into a place that was under construction," Sookie tells him logically. Michel glares at her.

"I have to wear them before I wear them around Pau-Pau and Chin-Chin or they will chew on them," Michel explains. Lorelai wrinkles her nose.

"And you have dogs, why?" Sookie asks.

"Because they are so adorable. Just yesterday Pau-Pau did the cutest thing" Sookie holds up a hand to interrupt him.

"Okay, you'll tell us and no one will laugh, let's move on," Sookie says quickly.

"Michel, Sookie and I are going to head out to Hartford to look at wallpaper, you wanna join?" Lorelai asks.

"But you like to drive with the windows down and that will mess up my hair," Michel whines, lightly patting his perfectly shaved head.

"Well, how about if I promise to drive with the windows up?" Lorelai offers.

"And no air conditioning?" Lorelai rolls her eyes.

"And no air conditioning," Lorelai agrees. Michel smiles. Lorelai shakes her head, glancing at Sookie.

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In the Jeep

Lorelai is driving the familiar road to Hartford, not really paying attention to Sookie and Michel's chatter. She keeps both hands on the wheel, her eyes on the road as she drives. "Wow, I haven't been to Hartford in forever," Sookie realizes.

"Me either, we were so busy at my other job, I've barely left Stars Hallow in the past few months. What about you, Lorelai?" Michel asks. Sookie glances over at Lorelai, seeing her friend staring off.

"Hey Sweetie," Sookie says to Lorelai, reaching out and rubbing Lorelai's arm. Lorelai jumps at Sookie's touch, having been spacing out for awhile. She takes a deep breath and then glances over at Sookie, forcing a smile. "You all right?"

"Who me? Yeah, I'm fine. I'm good. I'm Grrrreat," Lorelai jokes half-heartedly. Sookie raises an eyebrow.

"Well, Tony, Michel and I were just wondering when is the last time you've been to Hartford?" Sookie asks, hoping that some conversation will do Lorelai some good, bring her out of this funk she's been in ever since Luke walked out the door.

"Well, I don't know, maybe, uh…" Lorelai furrows her eyebrows, thinking. "Well, not since before the twins were born and uh… well I haven't been to see the 'voices of disappointment' since that fight I had with them just after Rory started at Yale."

"Oh, right," Sookie remembers.

"So probably not since the day I ran into Christopher," Lorelai recognizes. Sookie looks up sharply.

"Christopher?"

"Yeah, you remember, I told you about it. It was right before you had Davey." Sookie looks up, trying to remember. Then she shrugs, giving up. "Anyways, I was looking for silverware and I stopped for coffee and I ran into Christopher."

"You seem to be running into Christopher a lot lately," Sookie comments. Lorelai quickly glances at Sookie.

"How's that?"

"Well, then. And when you were away. And Rory said he showed up at the hospital." Lorelai smirks.

"So a lot means three?" Lorelai laughs half-heartedly.

"It just seems to be that maybe, if you cut him out of your life, I mean completely and permanently, maybe you would have a lot less problems," Sookie considers. Lorelai blinks, not really knowing what to say. "I mean I know he means a lot to you."

"Yeah, Sookie, he does. We met when he moved in down the street when we were six years old," Lorelai reminds Sookie, a little frustrated.

"Yes, and from them on you and Christopher were like peas and carrots." Lorelai groans.

"He's not my Forrest Gump!" Lorelai exclaims. Michel raises an eyebrow in the back, really having a good time listening to the gossip.

"Well he sure seems to be. You guys just randomly bump into each other. You have a child together. You were almost engaged at one point. Almost all of the important events in your life are highlighted by Christopher," Sookie says.

"Because he was my best friend, for years. He knew me. We told each other everything. And then we had Rory together. And even though he disappeared for a long time, when he came back it was always like old times," Lorelai tries to explain. "But I'll admit, I was never in love with him. He just… he's nice to have around when things are going bad. A best friend is always nice to have around. Like Bette Midler and Johnny Carson, you've got to have friends."

"Yeah, I just think that maybe you shouldn't see Christopher for a little while," Sookie suggests.

"Well I have to thank him for the gift. But still… we don't see each other that often," Lorelai maintains. She purses her lips. "Why? Did Luke say something?" Sookie raises an eyebrow.

"When would he have said something?"

"When you picked up Liam today."

"Jackson picked up Liam," Sookie tells Lorelai, who frowns. "Have you spoken to Luke since..."

"No."

"Have you tried to?

"No."

"Have you wanted to?"

"No, Sookie, no!" Lorelai cries. Then she huffs. Sookie looks concerned.

"I'm just worried about you, Hun. You're just getting over the baby blues and I know you're on the medication, but it's still something you need to work through. And you and Luke were so close. I know you miss him." Lorelai sighs. She presses her lips together, her chin trembling as she tries to hold it in.

"Please Sookie," Lorelai whispers. "I don't want to talk about this." Lorelai grips the steering wheel harder and stares straight ahead. Sookie sighs folding her hands in her lap. Michel glances at each of them.

"Did you know that the marmoset and the tamarin are the only primates that mate for life?" Michel asks in the awkward silence. Sookie glances over her shoulder, giving him a strange look. "I'm just saying they do and some wolves and beavers but humans are not genetically designed to mate for life."

"You remember I'm married, right Michel?" Sookie asks.

"Yes, I am not a dunderhead. I ran your wedding. I'm just saying it must be a lot of work to mate for life, to go against genetics," Michel figures.

"Well you're in luck Michel, you have no one to mate with for life," Sookie responds coldly.

"And I don't want to. It's enough work with Pau-Pau and Chin-Chin. I'm surprised that you want that," Michel says.

"I do want that. In fact, I have that," Sookie insists. "And it's not a lot of work if you love the other person."

"I want that too," Lorelai says quietly. Michel and Sookie share a look. A tear drifts down her cheek. Lorelai shakes her head quickly, brushing the hair out of her eyes. "I want that too," she says to herself.