The bell above the diner door rang and Miss Patty entered.

"Lucas!" she called in her seducing voice.

"Hey, Patty." Luke smiled. "Let me guess, you're here for your Saturday special."

"Actually, I'm having dinner at my house this evening." Patty replied.

Sookie walked out from the kitchen with a glass of water in her hand. "Hey Miss Patty."

"Hello, darling." Patty smiled. "I was just telling Luke that I'm having dinner this evening at my house."

"Oh…" Sookie smiled. "Well, that's nice."

"It most certainly is." Miss Patty's face glowed with excitement. "Guess who are going to be the guests of honor."

"Taylor…." Sookie guessed.

"Oh and Kirk." Luke added.

"Wrong." Patty declared. "Lorelai and Rory."

The glass in Sookie's hand fell to the floor and shattered. Luke nearly fell to his knees but caught himself with the counter.

"That's exactly the type of reaction I was expecting." Miss Patty smiled. "Now then, dinner is at seven. Dress will be casual, no flannel allowed however."

Luke cleared his throat. "Uh, uh… umm."

"Yes, Luke?" Miss Patty waited.

"I don't know if we'll….. be there." Luke finally replied.

Sookie slapped Luke on the arm. "Of course we'll be there!"

"Sookie…"

"Luke, it's Lorelai and Rory! We can't miss this!" Sookie's scolding tone overpowered Luke's decision.

A nervous smile flashed across Luke's face. "Right… You're right. Who… uh… who else will be there?" Luke directed to Miss Patty.

"Oh, well of course I have to invite Taylor." Miss Patty rolled her eyes. "Babbette and Maury will probably stop by and so far Kirk hasn't found out about it… I'd like to keep it that way. He's so tiring at social events."

"We won't tell." Sookie smiled. "Thank you so much for inviting us."

"No problem, sweetheart. Why, it would just be inhumane to have Lorelai and Rory to dinner and not invite you two. See you at seven."

After Miss Patty had left the diner Luke and Sookie hurried back to the kitchen.

"Sookie, are you nuts?" Luke asked.

"Of course not." Sookie answered.

"We cant go to that dinner."

"Why?"

"Because Lorelai will be there!"

Sookie folded her arms. "That's whole reason we should be there. Are you afraid of seeing her?"

"What! No… No.." Luke answered. "It's just… well, it's not exactly the best way to meet up after 12 years you know. Hey, how yah doing? I'm with Sookie now."

"Luke…" Sookie scoffed.

"Well, what about you? You were her best friend…"

"I know that." Sookie smiled. "That's why I want to go to the dinner. Look, if you're uncomfortable telling her that we're together, then we won't say anything about it tonight. We'll just go and act normal…"

Luke rubbed the back of his neck "Well okay, but that makes it seem like we're hiding our relationship."

"Well, we are." Sookie laughed. "Besides, it's not like Lorelai is here to stay. I'm sure she's only here for a few days."

"Yeah…" Luke smiled. "That's true. Alright, well I guess we'll have to close the diner early."

"I think for Lorelai and Rory that could be arranged." Sookie smiled. "Oh! I'm so excited to see them! Do you think Rory will remember us?"

"I don't know, Sook." Luke answered.

"Oh, gosh… what am I going to wear?" Sookie placed her hand to her forehead. "Do you care if run home and start getting ready? I mean you can close up by yourself…"

"Sure. No problem." Luke replied. "Go on and get ready."

"Thanks." Sookie smiled. "See you soon." She left the kitchen but then darted back in for only a second. "Oh and could you clean up this glass?"

Luke sighed heavily and leaned up against the kitchen counter. He pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and opened it. He removed an old picture of Lorelai and Rory. Luke smiled and remembered that this picture was taken on Rory's second birthday.

"Damn…" Luke whispered. "Why did you leave?"

It was question that had haunted Luke since the day he saw the plan take off from the airport. Maybe he could finally ask it… maybe he wouldn't have to… maybe Lorelai would forwardly explain her London departure all those years ago. One thing was for sure, for 12 years he had been planning what he would say to her if he ever go the chance to see her again, and now given the situation he was in, he'd never be able to say a word of it.