"220 Maple Drive." Lorelai repeated. "Yes… Connecticut." Lorelai tapped her fingers on the table. "Well, how long will that take?" A pause. "Two weeks! Isn't there some type of special faster delivery? Well, how much does that cost?" Lorelai let out a long sigh. "Okay, I'll pay the extra three hundred but my stuff better be here by next Monday." Lorelai hung up the phone.
Mia suddenly appeared beside Lorelai. "Getting your stuffed moved from London?"
"That's my attempt." Lorelai replied. "Such a difficult program. If only U-haul had ships."
Mia smiled. "Well, I'm sure it will all work out. I see you've already taken care of most of the bookwork this morning. Impressive for your first day of work."
"I took a couple of business classes in London." Lorelai said as she flipped through the papers. "Luckily, business is business no matter what country you're in. Thank you again for giving me a chance."
"Oh, think nothing of it. You're more than qualified for the position." Mia smiled.
"I am?" Lorelai asked. As far as Lorelai knew she wasn't qualified for management positions. Her business classes could easily win her a secretary position, but certainly not assistant manager.
"Of course. You're polite, ambitious, hardworking, caring, responsible, and charming. All the makings of an excellent assistant manager."
Lorelai let out a small laugh. "Thank you, Mia."
"You are welcome my dear. I was wondering, where did you send Rory off to today?"
"She went by Stars Hollow High. There are some teachers there preparing for classes next week and she decided to stop by and get acquainted. She'll be by here later after she's done."
"Good. I have a surprise for her."
"A surprise?" Lorelai asked. "What is it?"
"I can't tell you." Mia smirked.
"Why not? The surprise isn't for me." Lorelai leaned across the counter. "I won't tell her."
"Sorry, Lorelai."
"Aw, Mia, come on." Lorelai begged. "I promise… no, I swear I won't tell."
"I'll check back later for Rory." Mia continued. "Goodbye."
"Bye." Lorelai replied disappointingly.
(The diner)
Luke had been distant from Sookie all day. Sookie was trying to not take it to heart, she figured he was still upset over the Lorelai thing. Being upset over Lorelai though could only mean one of two things. Either he was upset that Lorelai was back and problems could develop for him and Sookie, or he was upset that Lorelai was back and he wanted to be with her but was already in a relationship with Sookie. Unable to bear it any longer, Sookie decided it was time to ask.
"Luke…"
"Hm?"
"What are you upset over?"
Luke glanced up at Sookie. "I'm not upset."
"Okay. So then what is it? You're disappointed? Aggravated? Angry? Sad?"
"No… I'm none of those." Luke replied. "Why would you ask that?"
"Because, I know it's one of them. I just don't know which one. Be honest with me, Luke. Please."
"Sookie, I am being honest. I'm fine."
"You're not fine…. You've barely spoken two words all day. You're keeping to yourself. You've been acting strange ever since you found out Lorelai is back… I want to know."
Luke pulled his cap down farther over his eyes. "Things are just going to be strange for a while, Sookie. You said that yourself."
"Why did you want to talk to her so badly?"
"Who?" Luke asked as he turned back around and lifted a large crate of cooking oil.
"Stop pretending you don't know what I'm talking about!" Sookie yelled much louder than she intended. She was beginning to see a much clearer picture now.
Luke immediately sat the crate down on the floor. He turned quickly and faced Sookie. "I have a right to know why she left." Luke replied coldly. "I wanted to talk to her, because I want to know what I did that was so wrong it was worth leaving the damn country over."
"Why should any of that matter?" Sookie asked. "You said you were over it!"
"I am over it! But I still want to know. Anyone would." Luke defended.
"I don't… I don't care why she left."
"Liar!" Luke retorted angrily. "You cried for months after she left. You asked me every day. 'Luke, why won't she call? Luke, why hasn't she written? Luke, do you ever think we'll see her again?'"
"You know what, Luke?" Sookie's bitter voice spoke. "I know why she left."
"Oh really?" Luke asked sarcastically. "And you've just been keeping it a secret for the past twelve years?"
"You could say that." Sookie replied.
"Fine, since you know so much, why don't you enlighten me? Why did Lorelai leave?"
Sookie paused unsure if she was actually willing to confess what she knew.
Luke huffed. "I see. Well, thanks for the sharing." He turned to leave the kitchen.
"Because she thought you didn't love her!" Sookie spat.
He turned back quickly. "Sookie that's ridiculous. You know that I asked Lorelai to marry me! She said no!"
"But you weren't willing to wait." Sookie stressed. "And in Lorelai's eyes if you truly and honestly loved her, you would have waited. You would have told her that you'd wait forever."
A look of confusion crossed Luke's face. "I went after her…."
"She didn't know." Sookie replied somberly.
"Sookie…"
"She loved you, Luke. She still loves you. I should have known from the beginning that truth would never go away." A few tears began to fill Sookie's eyes.
"Sookie…" Luke's voice became softer. He stepped towards her.
"And you still you love her." She pouted. "And now that she's back, it's killing you to be apart."
"No… Sookie, I love you." Luke replied. "I swear, I do."
"Not as much." Sookie added. "Not like you love her. I could never have that love." Sookie wiped at her eyes. "You've never thought about marriage with me. I wouldn't even be staying with you in your apartment if I hadn't of fallen behind on my own rent. I've known all along… I just never thought I'd have to face it."
Luke slowly came to the realization that Sookie was telling the truth. These were all the things that he was blocking from his mind, refusing to think about. He couldn't keep blocking them out, though. It wasn't fair to Sookie. It wasn't fair to Lorelai. It most certainly wasn't fair to himself.
"You're right." Luke's voice cracked. "I still love her." He lowered his head. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry." Sookie replied. "Be thankful. You're true love has returned. You've been giving a second chance." Sookie slowly backed away from Luke.
"Where are you going?" Luke asked becoming concerned with Sookie's action.
"To pack." Sookie replied.