Presenting … Lucas Danes?
By GilmoreGirl1979 (the Reigning Quote Queen)
Provider of Quality FAN FICTION
R/R: yes please I love reviews; I wanna marry them (as previously stated, I have strange passions.)
Friendly disclaimer: I REJECT ASP's REALITY AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN! NO HARM NO SUE!
Dialogue borrowed from 2.15 - Lost And Found, Written by Amy Sherman-Palladino
directed by Gail Mancuso
Featured Beta: Localizy, she's awesome!
An: The show sucks, that's why you are here…
To my beautiful minions, your marching orders: Join the resistance; turn off your TV, write complaints to Ausiello, READ FAN FICTION INSTEAD! Spread the word humming bird
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Chapter 31:
Voice of Reason
Luke was wiping up the counter down, cleaning up after the breakfast rush, when the bells above the door jingled. Luke looked up and was surprised to find the tall form of Richard Gilmore surveying the diner for a seat. "Luke," he greeted warmly, "it's nice to see you again."
"Umm yes, Richard, it's good to see you too." Though Luke didn't recall Lorelai mentioning another visit from Richard, as such a visit would have inspired dramatic grumbling from Lorelai and Luke would have definitely heard about it. "I didn't realize you had planned another visit with the girls?"
Richard hung up his coat. "Oh no, I don't even think they know I'm in town," he chuckled as he sat at the counter. "No, I decided to take Lorelai's advice, today I got up at 6:15."
"Really?" Luke pretended to be shocked, in a tone he knew Richard would appreciate.
Richard clarified, "Well, I finally got out of bed at 6:15, I was wide awake at 5:30, it's funny I've been getting up at 5:30 for so long, for the better part of thirty years," Richard let out a meditative sighed "I guess my body is still trained and honed to the pattern; not an easy habit to break, it would seem."
Luke could tell retired life wasn't agreeing with Richard and he felt for him. Luke's father, William, did his best to work up until the day he died, he didn't want to be useless, obsolete, just lying around waiting for death to come, but in the end William was so sick, that's about all he could do.
"You know, my dad, well, before he got really sick, he was building a boat. It kept his mind active for a while there. Maybe you just need you know, a hobby, you know something to fill your time."
Richard smiled at Luke, "You and I are of the same mind Luke. In fact, that is what prompted my visit today. We had such a stimulating conversation about how you restored that old truck of yours that it peaked my interest. That and my daughter made me curious about your banana pancakes," Richard emphasized every "N" in banana.
Luke laughed, "Coming right up." He was pleased that he and Richard were becoming fast friends.
Richard mused, "You know, over the years, I've owned many cars and driven many more, but I never really understood how they worked. I've been an informed consumer, such as the history of the Jags electrical system, but tell me what exactly is the function of a carburetor?"
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A few days later, Luke ran into the Gilmore house, "Rory? What's the emergency?" He saw Lorelai in tears as he entered the kitchen.
"I told you not to call him!" Lorelai whimpered.
"I thought you could use a voice of reason! Mom, you may need stitches…" Rory leveled, "and your head examined while we are at it!"
"Stitches? What happened?" Luke went to his girlfriend's side.
"She was trying to be a self sufficient woman," Rory shot off.
"What?" Luke asked.
"We needed our rain gutters cleaned," Lorelai scoffed.
"Lorelai!" Luke admonished. "I told you I was going to do that this weekend."
"She got impatient," Rory rolled her eyes.
"According to the farmers almanac we are due for rain," Lorelai said haughtily.
"Since when do you read the farmer's almanac?" Rory asked.
"Aw, I don't. Jackson mentioned it the other day at the inn. Jeez, why not get the lamp out," Lorelai did not like being interrogated.
Luke started to pull washcloth they were using to clot the wound from her palm, "Lorelai, You hate ladders, you hate heights!" Luke pointed out.
"You hate falling off ladders from those heights," Rory snidely added.
"Hey, I nearly lost my hand. I would appreciate a little sympathy."
Rory shot back, "Luke is here to take over the sympathy role, now I can ask you what the hell were you thinking."
Lorelai defended, "I was trying to be a modern independent woman, instead of running to my man all the time."
"Well, coming to me is better than you killing yourself. Come on let me see," Luke grabbed at her wrist again.
Lorelai was already embarrassed that her neighbors saw her less than graceful display, "Luke, really, its not that bad. You hate blood remember? Blood, belch."
"Lorelai, come on, from that face you're making, it obviously hurts."
Lorelai offered him a scowl and her tongue since he was complaining about the faces she was making, but finally gave him her hand, and hissed as he examined her gash.
"We should go to a doctor."
"No, no doctors. You go into a hospital, you don't come out again."
"Well said, Ida Morgenstern," Rory rebuffed.
Luke begged, "Lorelai, I'm not big on doctors either but this looks serious. You need stitches."
"I need waffles. I'm starving."
"Lorelai, it's turning purple," Luke tried to reason with her.
"A really pretty, glowy purple," Lorelai said in awe, shoving her hand in her daughter's face, "Look!"
"No, thanks," Rory winced, not one for blood and guts either, which was another thing she had in common with Luke.
"Hey, maybe the rain gutters are radioactive or made out of some kind of alien metal so that when I cut my hand I got infected with an extraterrestrial substance which is altering my internal makeup. Maybe I'll turn into a superhero."
"Maybe," Luke played along. "Let's go to the doctor and see the extent of your powers…" he began gently pulling on the wrist of her uninjured hand in an attempt to pull her to her feet.
Lorelai mused, "Maybe tomorrow I'll wake up and suddenly be able to shower really fast."
"We'll go pick out your cape after we get stitches," Rory tugged on her mother's other arm.
"I can't wear a cape in the shower!" Lorelai scoffed, their insistent pulling on her arm made Lorelai cry, "No, I don't want to go!"
"Lorelai," Luke pleaded. "You are being unreasonable."
"I'm just being dramatic. It's what I do."
"No more ladders," Rory urged.
"Don't you have a bus to catch?" Lorelai grumbled.
"No more ladders," Rory repeated firmly.
"I promise," Lorelai held up her uninjured hand. "God, I'm starving. Must be from the loss of blood," she griped, as Luke finally was able to pull her out of the chair.
"I'll make you whatever you want after we get back from the doctor," he promised.
"I won't last that long," Lorelai pouted. "Luke, carry me to the car."
"Rory, grab the mallomars," Luke ordered.
"Mallomars?" Lorelai said with interest.
"Yes, mallomars," Luke enticed, "that are going in the car, if you want the mallomars you have to get in the car and come with me to get stitches."
"But I hate needles," Lorelai whined.
"You love sewing," Rory reasoned, waving the box in her face.
"Not when I'm the one being sewn!"
"Lorelai please," the look in Luke's eyes was of genuine concern. "Don't make me carry you to the car," over my shoulder.
She saw that love and caring in his eyes again, she decided to go easy on him for now. "I love that you want to take care of me."
"Good, now let me drive."
"Have good stitches," Rory wished, relieved that Luke was around to take Lorelai to the hospital.
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Lorelai begrudgingly got stitches, but as she was childish and curious when sick or injured, Luke had to remind her, "Don't pick at em. You'll make it worse."
Sitting at the kitchen table Lorelai was morbidly fascinated by her hand, "Excuse me, worse than falling off my roof? Worse than having Nurse Ratchet sew me up?" However, she did like Luke being there to hold her uninjured hand whiles she made faces as the nurse tended to her.
"That reference doesn't even make sense?"
"I can't hit the mark all the time," Lorelai shrugged, "that would be suspicious. What are you making me?"
"Dinner, it will be ready in a minute," Luke was had just put the batter in the waffle press, a waffle press they had to swing by the diner to pick up, and Luke was about to add blueberries, because Lorelai needed antioxidants.
"No! See, I had a near death experience today."
"Really? I hadn't heard," he rolled his eyes.
"I have to have waffles now! Please? I'll help you shower when I become a superhero."
"Would you like to lap up the raw batter?" Luke offered.
"Maybe. You see, I almost fell off the roof of my house trying to clean the rain gutters that my boyfriend was too lazy to clean!"
"Lazy! I was going to do it last weekend but …" Luke stopped mid-rant and looked at Rory's open bedroom door. Even though the teen wasn't in the house, he delicately referred to Chris' visit last weekend, "Someone had company last weekend, so I couldn't do it."
Lorelai remembered the odd set of circumstances that had them bunking together at the Inn, "I know but we still had a nice weekend in spite of that," Lorelai said shyly, thinking of her homey Luke thoughts. However she was stubborn and cranky so the homey Luke thoughts vanished with her renewed whining about waffles, "Did I mention that I almost fell off my roof today?"
Exasperated, Luke said dryly, "I'd lie down if I was near a bed."
"Hmmm," Lorelai raised an eyebrow. "I like the way you think…" Lorelai stood behind him and slid her uninjured hand into the Luke's back pocket, pressing her self into Luke's back. With her chin on his shoulder, she whispered in his ear, "You know, we have the house to ourselves."
"I thought you were injured," Luke said, trying to focus on the requested waffles.
"I'm not dead," Lorelai countered.
"Well, you are going to have to pick, which do you want to be immediately gratified? Waffles … or," Luke cleared his throat, "that."
Lorelai's face strewed up over the dilemma, and sighed, "Waffles will do for now," she looked at Luke pointedly, telling him there was a promise he had better keep.
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The story of Lorelai's accident spread through town, though it had morphed a bit. Instead of Lorelai falling off a ladder, Luke being called, and merely driving her to the emergency room for stitches, apparently Luke had miraculously shown up just in the nick of time to catch Lorelai as she fell off her roof, as if he had transformed into the superhero. Thursday morning, all the concerned neighbors impeded the Gilmore girls progress to the diner for their breakfast and when they finally arrived, Rory observed, "Hey, your man isn't cooking."
"What? No? Doesn't he know I was nearly killed…"
"Nearly killed two days ago," Rory spoke over Lorelai, "we know the story…well, go find him so I can have pancakes before school."
Lorelai sighed and climbed the stairs to Luke's apartment, "Luke? Honey? Can you come down stairs?"
"What?" Luke's muffled reply came from inside the apartment.
"Luke, would you like to look at my stitches?"
There were a series of thuds and an "Ow!" from the inside of the apartment.
"Luke, are you okay?" Lorelai leaned closer to the door out of concern for her boyfriend.
"Stupid box! Stupid lamp!" Luke hollered from inside.
"Luke? Are you being attacked by your possessions again?"
Luke opened the door quickly, "Hi."
"Hi, whatcha doing?" Lorelai asked amused that there was a sock on her boyfriend's shoulder.
"I'm looking for my supply ledger."
"Is it going well?" Lorelai asked cheekily.
"It's going fine."
"You have a sock on your shoulder," Lorelai pointed out. "Is it helping you look?"
"What are you doing up here?"
"I think I have hypochondria, you know when you think you are a hypochondriac, and I want my boyfriend to kiss my boo boo," she said smiling and offered her hand to his lips. Then her jaw dropped as she looked past Luke and saw the disheveled apartment, "What happened to this place?"
"Nothing." Luke shrugged, removing the sock from his shoulder.
Lorelai walked in for a better view, "Wow, this is what I always pictured the inside of my head to look like."
"Well, see if you can find a brown leather ledger."
"Hey, I'm injured, I shouldn't have to work! I've never seen so much stuff. It looks like a white trash Hearst Castle in here."
"On second thought, I'll find it myself."
"Where'd all this come from?" Lorelai asked, straining to keep her balance as she wadded through the clutter with Luke.
"New York. Liz shipped the rest of his stuff last week. He finally started unpacking during our weekend at the inn."
"Well, he did a very nice job," she added dryly.
"So, instead of tripping over boxes we are tripping over random stuff." Luke sighed, "I know it's crazy now, but I just have to get it all organized, figure out where to put everything, buy another dresser, a portable wardrobe, some storage bins."
"Can of gasoline, box of matches," Lorelai suggested. "It could be like Fahrenheit 451," she quipped, noting that Jess' book collection could match Rory's.
"Oh, ha, ha, why are you up here again?"
"Cause I wanted you to look at my hand, like a loving boyfriend and well, make those really fluffy pancakes to brighten my day."
"Did you know Caesar is downstairs and he can make your breakfast?" Luke replied, slightly irritated.
"Luke did I mention that I was nearly…"
Luke spoke over Lorelai, finishing the story he has heard nearly 6 times a day for the last 2 days, "Nearly killed two days ago, yes I know the story, right now I have to find my …"
"Luke, it's bad enough I can barely function with my injured hand, I don't…" Lorelai saw the supply ledger and picked it up, with her uninjured hand, "Oh, is this what you're looking for?"
"Yes, great, thank you," Luke made to grab it but Lorelai decided to play keep away.
"Not unless you make me the pancakes!"
"Give me the book," Luke reasoned.
"Give me the pancake!"
"Come on," rolled his eyes.
Lorelai hoisted the ledger in the air repeatedly, in taunt and in protest, "What do we want? PANCAKES! When do we want them? NOOOW!" Unfortunately, she was blindly backing up in the clutter and tripped over Jess's stuff, falling backward with the ledger.
"Lorelai!" Luke tried to grab her to save her balance, but she only pulled him down onto of her. Both landed with grunts upon impact, crushing some of Jess' half empty boxes. "Lorelai, are you okay?"
Despite the discomfort of the awkward cushioning she landed on and the fact she was quite certain that she had a jewel case digging into her back, it caused Lorelai to smile with her boyfriend lying on top of her, "I'm just fine."
Seeing her hormones were intact and flaring up, Luke made to get up, "Come on, let's get you your pancakes."
"No, I'm good here," Lorelai pulled him toward her to kiss Luke. Even though they were out in the open, their living situation with the teens still gave them limited moments alone. Between Luke needing to close the diner, Lorelai finishing up business school, and her helping to plan Sookie's wedding, they barely went out on dates now.
Taken by surprise, Luke took to the affection right away, forgetting about pancakes and the diner downstairs, lying with her on pile of Jess' laundry, in various stages of cleanliness. The moment gave them time to pause and reflect, to kiss slowly and sweetly. Lorelai pulled away and posed a theory, "You know Luke, there are countless computer programs out there that could make your supply inventory easier and we wouldn't be lying here…and I'd have my pancakes."
"Uh huh," he replied as he leaned in again.
A few more minutes of slowly pecking at each other, Luke pulled away, "You know, Lorelai, I was thinking about Jess."
"I'm not," she sighed, "but whatever works for you," she reached for Luke again.
Luke shook his head, "No, for the rain gutters. He's always looking for a little extra cash. He doesn't make that much here, and, you know, he's practically family so you wouldn't have to pay him the same as you would someone else, so you would save a little, he keeps busy."
Practically family? Lorelai shyly grinned, "Right now I want to keep you busy…." Lorelai caught Luke's mouth again.
As Jess came out of the bathroom, he didn't notice them at first, camouflaged in the clutter, but he heard them before he saw them, and froze when he caught sight Luke and Lorelai lying on the floor, specifically making out on some of his stuff. "What the hell are you doing?!" he hollered.
"Jeez! Um sorry, Lorelai fell over and I was trying to help her up," Luke scrambled to get off the floor embarrassed that his nephew had to see that.
"If you don't mind, I don't want my cousin conceived on my stuff!" Jess spat.
As Luke helped Lorelai off the floor, he suggested to his nephew, "Well, maybe if you didn't take so long in the bathroom you would have been out the door and not around to see this."
"So what? Then you could have sex on my stuff without my knowledge! Ignorance is bliss!"
Luke defended, "Hey, we weren't…"
"God, I know the place is a mess, but there is a bed in here somewhere. Not that I don't love the family togetherness, but maybe if you had solid walls around this place, you know, like actual rooms," Jess shot off dryly, "then I wouldn't be subjected to these… scenes." Jess, giving one last withering look at his uncle, left in a huff.
"Wow," Lorelai blinked. "He's just… charming."
Luke sighed heavily.
"Does he have his period?" Lorelai joked.
Luke shook his head, "It's his mom."
"His mom's period??" Lorelai cocked her head.
Luke frowned at Lorelai and explained, "He's taking it pretty hard about Liz sending his stuff, I can tell. I think he's interpreting it as a sign that, you know… she's done with him, like she doesn't want him to come back or something…that basically she gave up."
"Oh," Lorelai felt bad for Jess, and for Luke, since it was obvious the novice parent didn't know how he could help his nephew. Lorelai sidled up beside Luke and slid her arms at his waist. "He can clean my rain gutters," Lorelai whispered.
"Really?"
"Yeah, I mean, getting extra cash is good. He can have some retail therapy with bands we've never heard of before, maybe see the silver lining of living with his uncle and of living in a small town where there is a small fortune to be made by a hard working teen with honest odd jobs around town."
"Thank you, Lorelai," Luke hugged her.
Cheek to cheek with Luke, Lorelai observed, "Well, like you said, he's practically family." She shyly smiled at Jess' Aunt Lorelai comment again and blushed over his conceiving a cousin comment.
"How's your hand?" Luke thoughtfully asked.
"It would do better with some pancakes."
"Just as long as I don't have to feed you because of your injured hand."
"Aw," Lorelai pouted.
They returned downstairs for Luke to make his famous pancakes for Lorelai and Rory. As the girls sat at the table, waiting for their food Rory stared at Lorelai with an odd look in her face that Lorelai didn't understand until her daughter asked, "Do I want to know why you have a sock on your shoulder?" Rory was admit ably curious what was taking so long, but now she wasn't sure she wanted to know.
Lorelai noticed one of Jess' socks was now on her shoulder and quickly pulled it off before anyone else saw it and tossed it onto the stairs behind the curtain.
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Friday afternoon, Lorelai came in to the diner, smiling at her fella across the counter, "Hey."
"Hey," Luke smiled at the sight of her automatically leaning over to kiss her.
The PDA surprised and pleased Lorelai, she didn't know if he did it out of habit from greeting her at her house, or if the lull in diner made him feel more comfortable, in either case both seemed to be adjusting well to the town knowing about their relationship, "Well, you seem in a good mood."
Luke shrugged, "I had an interesting day." He was wondering if he should tell her about his newest regular who was coming in the diner now like clockwork.
"Well good, because I need a special coffee pick me up before I head out to dinner with my folks, so please remember that I am a loyal paying customer, and your girlfriend."
Luke frowned, but conceded as always, "Fine."
"So how's the trash compactor?"
"The what?"
"Your apartment…you know with Jess' stuff everywhere."
"It's fine," Luke lied.
"Luke," Lorelai leveled. "That place upstairs was your father's office. You turned it into an apartment. It was never meant to be lived in, by one person let alone two."
"What are you saying?"
Lorelai shrugged a shoulder. "Well, uh, maybe you should get a bigger apartment," she declared.
"I don't need a bigger apartment."
"Luke, it's too small for two people. It's too small for one person if they have any kind of life."
Luke dismissed, "We'll make do. We just need to organize."
"You need to move," Lorelai pleaded.
"I like my apartment."
Lorelai knew deep down Luke was just being sentimental for his dad's place, but she had to argue on Jess' behalf, "It's not just your apartment. Jess lives there now also." Lorelai recalled when she and Rory moved into their house how excited Rory was by the prospect of having her own room for all her books. "Maybe… with a bigger place," Lorelai suggested, "Jess will feel more welcome, have some space of his own, and not feel like he is imposing upon you…"
"Jess will be fine."
"Are you sure? Because he could be pinned down under a box for a year in that place and you wouldn't know it until the neighbors started to complain about the smell."
Luke slid her take out cup across the counter without a word.
"Luke, I know what it's like to be a claustrophobic, smothered teen," Lorelai could tell his words may have hit home.
At that comment Luke's head shot up, thinking of the disputable trouble Lorelai had gotten in at sixteen, any similar trouble he'd like to avoid with Jess.
"Just think about what I said." She blew him a kiss and left to go to Friday night dinner, leaving Luke to spend the rest of the night mulling over her words.
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On the car ride to the Gilmore's, Rory complained, "I can't believe you didn't get me a coffee."
"I told you, you could have a sip," Lorelai appeased.
"Yeah a sip; as in one, as in you refuse to share!"
"What can I say, I'm an only child," Lorelai defended.
"So am I! Which is why you should have gotten one for each of us," Rory argued.
"Fine, fine share."
Rory triumphantly took the coffee from the cup holder, but noticed her mom was still really quiet, "You okay?" Rory was hoping she wasn't still reminiscing about Christopher when she got that quiet.
"Hmm? Oh yeah," Lorelai had just been trying to figure out the logistics of where her and Luke would live if they got married. They both had teens in high school, so that meant his current apartment was out and Lorelai's house only had two bedrooms, so that was out. It was almost sad to think that they couldn't keep their respective places, but add a new home. A new house was scary and exciting at the same time, but why was Lorelai thinking like this, she hadn't even mustered up the courage to tell Luke how she felt, that she was already thinking of marriage, a life together, and they had only been together less than 6 months. Really Lorelai, only six months? Okay so those first few years may not have counted when you were calling him Duke, but the friendship afterward, man, we should have been dating all that time.
"Earth to Mom?"
"Sorry, just thinking about those rain gutters."
"I think the forecast is going to be sunny but cool," Rory offered.
"Yeah, well, I'm hiring Jess to do it."
Rory's head shot toward Lorelai over the news, "Really?" Rory was somewhat unnerved to have her friend working around her house.
"Yeah, I mean he's Luke's nephew, I can hire him cheap." Also it would be a way for Lorelai to get to know her "future nephew", huh, how weird is that to think about...
"I thought you didn't like Jess."
"When did I ever say I didn't like Jess?"
"Well, that whole picnic accusation thing…"
"Oh I was probably tired and delusional from my stimulating picnic."
"Mom!" Rory droned.
"Besides, I don't really know him and I need to make an effort for Luke's sake. We eat at Luke's nearly everyday, we see Jess when we eat there everyday or if he occasionally shows up to movie night, and it just might make things easier. I know," Lorelai sighed, "there is nothing going on between you two and that you would never do anything to hurt Dean."
"Exactly," Rory said hoping she sounded confident. Problem was she couldn't remember the last time she spent hung out with Dean, her apparent boyfriend. She also had to be honest with herself, she had been thinking about Jess, in a more than friendly way. Then, Rory made a horrible connection; she was acting kind of like her father. Here she had a great guy like Dean, but was still tempted and curious about what might be if she was free to be with Jess. Wait be with Jess, his uncle is dating my mother, that's very gross. Still it unnerved that even though her father wasn't around, she may have been acting like him.
Lorelai kept talking while Rory came to her startling discovery; "I mean people are different once you get to know them right? First impressions aren't everything."
Rory had to agree, "Well, if you'll remember, you weren't too fond of Luke when you first met him."
Lorelai scoffed, "That's not true."
"Uh, you called him 'Duke' for two years just to make him mad."
"Oh yeah," Lorelai embarrassedly giggled. "And let me tell you, it worked," she was almost ashamed of all the things she put Luke through before they were dating, all the things she put him through now that they were dating, and started wondering why he put up with her.
Rory leaned over, seeing the look of shame on her mother's face "But then you guys talked and eventually, time went by, and now look you, you're in love with him," Rory cooed.
Lorelai couldn't explain the warm fuzzy feeling she got when she was with Luke or thought about him, "Yeah," if only I could just tell him.
The girls pulled into the Gilmore's drive and were startled to find an old clunker in the drive. Both exchanged a look of curiosity, both eyed the strange vehicle as they ring the doorbell, and wondered if someone had broken in to the house holding and taken the elder Gilmores hostage.
"Oh thank God!" Emily answered the door, apparently beating the maid to the chore since she was so distraught.
"Mom, what's with the…" but before Lorelai could finish her question, Emily was diving into it.
"I'm at my wits end. Your father just pulled up in that horrible vehicle into our driveway saying he bought it from some mechanic and that he is going to restore it himself!"
"What?"
"He bought a few of those coveralls, like you see the gas station attendants wear."
"Well, if Dad wants I could embroider his name on them," Lorelai offered.
"Don't even joke about that, he might take you up on it. What will neighbors say seeing him prance around in those dirty coveralls?"
"I'm not sure if there is much prancing in car repair," Lorelai mused, handing off her coat to the timid maid, who wanted to be out of the path of Emily's current tirade.
Emily continued, "He's in his study now, reading up on car repair for dummies or some such nonsense… and he has catalogs."
"From your face, I'm guessing they aren't from Nordstrom's regarding a diamond pendant," Lorelai tried to sympathize with humor.
"They're car part catalogs. Heaven knows how he got them. He's researching to restore a '63 Jaguar. For all I know he's studying up for an interview in a chop shop."
Rory posed, "Do they have interviews in chop shops?"
"Well, he likes to work," Lorelai and Rory shared in Emily's concerned for Richard's bizarre behavior, "and he could be due for a midlife crisis," Lorelai mused as the door to the study opened.
"Well, there you are?" Richard smiled, happy to see the girls. "What on earth are we all doing just standing in the foyer?"
"Richard, what is that monstrosity doing in our drive way?"
"Oh, it may look rough now, but in a few months who knows how it could turn out, right Rory?"
"Umm, right grandpa?" Rory said just as confused as her mother and grandmother.
Emily's head shot toward Rory, "What are you talking about, what does Rory have to do with that jalopy outside."
Richard lead the way into the living room for before dinner drinks, "Oh, Emily I'm sure I told you about the car Dean restored for Rory."
"Yes, but that doesn't explain why that pile of rust is in our driveway." With every sentence, Emily's voice went up as she got more upset, much to Lorelai's amusement.
Richard took the role of bartender since Emily was in hysterics and he thought it wise for her not to handle their expensive glassware. "Well, since you were so adamant about my not joining your water aerobics class, I decided on a manlier hobby to fill my retirement."
"By becoming a common grease monkey?" Emily exclaimed.
"Emily, I've studied many things, Latin, science, history, economics; but a car is a complex piece of machinery, in order to truly respect it we must first truly understand it."
Lorelai whispered over to Rory, "How much you want bet he just read that in the last twenty minutes."
"Antique cars are all the rage now;" Richard explained to his wife, "they have car shows and conventions where enthusiasts can socialize and circulate, even reality TV programs." Richard continued, "So after considering my options, a nice conversation and some assistance from my friend Luke, I settled on restoring this car."
"Luke?" Emily and Lorelai said in unison.
"Yes, Luke, your boyfriend," Richard nodded to Lorelai, "he is still your boyfriend?" Considering how whimsical his daughter was, Richard thought he'd check.
"Yes," Lorelai almost laughed, "he is still my boyfriend." Lorelai found it funny that her father was apparently getting along so well with her boyfriend.
"Excellent," Richard smiled.
"I don't understand," Emily spoke up. "You decided on restoring that heap outside, because of one day in Stars Hollow?" Emily's one day in Stars Hollow the year before had a very different effect. Oh, it started out promising enough, a day to bond with her granddaughter, but how quickly the tide turn when Emily saw the potting shed and learned of its history as the girls original apartment.
"Oh no," Richard denounced. "I will admit the seed was planted then, but after discussing it further with Luke, he's given me some really sound advice on how to get started."
"Discussing it further?" Lorelai echoed.
"Oh yes, we've have several conversations over lunch hashing out the details…"
"Over lunch?" Emily said in disbelief. Richard was so casual about it, as if he merely had lunch with an insurance associate.
"Yes, at that diner of his. He really is an extraordinary chef."
"You ate there? Heaven only knows what he served you," Emily cringed.
"Emily, the man has a fine business and loyal clientele. After sampling his menu, I can see why you girls head there so often. Anyway, Luke told me about how he restored his father's truck, did you know he's been working on cars since he was 14, extraordinary. So, Luke told me about an acquaintance that helped him obtain the parts for his father's truck, a Lee Dwyer, and from Lee, I got the name of Sam, who had that old jalopy just sitting around, waiting to be resurrected. I must tell you I'm quite anxious to get started." All three Gilmore females stared at him in disbelief, "Oh I almost forgot, I have another call to make, real quick, by the time I'm done, dinner will be ready."
"Richard, tonight is supposed to be about spending time with the girls," she turned back to Rory and Lorelai and sunk in a chair. "I can't believe this," Emily scowled at Lorelai, as if she was the one tainting her refined family. It was bad enough the good breeding and taste didn't seem to sink into Lorelai's thick skull, but now this Luke, this diner man, was infiltrating her husband's taste. Emily was almost tempted to call Trix to have her give her son a talking to.
"Honestly Mom, maybe it's good for him, you know. He has a hobby, fills his time… you get your water aerobics to yourself."
"He seems really happy," Rory observed, "for the first time in weeks."
"I suppose," Emily sighed still not liking her husband skinning his blue blood hands with a blue-collar hobby, especially when that hobby was inspired by one Luke Danes. "What happened to your hand?" Emily finally noticed the bandage on her daughter's hand.
Lorelai looked at it, "Oh um, I had a little accident."
"Was it Sookie? I know she can be a little clumsy."
"Oh um no it wasn't Sookie." Lorelai was now embarrassed by the story, especially since she had yet to become a superhero.
"Well what happened?"
"I just inadvertently cut myself…" Lorelai dismissed.
"Yeah while falling off our roof," Rory scoffed.
"Hey, it was only a ladder," Lorelai shot her daughter a look.
"Lorelai!" As expected, Emily voiced her outrage, "What on earth were you thinking… I mean really you shouldn't subject yourself to such danger, you know nothing about roofs or gutters. You should have hired a professional that is why there are people who study the trade. I'm surprised that oh so handy boyfriend of yours didn't take care of it."
Lorelai caught the tone her mother implied and defended Luke, "He was going to, but I beat him to it."
"Don't worry Grandma, Luke was on the scene in a flash and he took Mom to the hospital and everything."
Emily was about to argue further, but the maid announced that dinner was ready.
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Luke closed the diner and came upstairs to find Jess with music is blaring.
"Jess?" Luke turned the music off.
"Hey!"
"How can you think through that?"
"Well, you know, Gregorian chant has been known to improve test scores…"
"Jess, that was the furthest thing from Gregorian chant."
"Do you mind? I'm trying to get done with my reading for the month."
"Look, we have to talk…"
"About what?"
Luke sighed heavily, "About our situation…"
"I knew it," Jess griped, slamming his book closed.
"What? You don't even know what I'm going to say?"
"You're going to propose to Lorelai and so now I'm out…"
"What, no! Who said I was going to propose…"
"Well, I have eyes don't I? Didn't I just walk in on the two of you just yesterday?" he said sarcastically, recalling that early walk in incident back when his uncle and Lorelai were first dating. "Plus her father has been coming in everyday this week, I've been expecting this for months. Just getting shipped off again, do I have to go to the crazy lady with the parrot?"
"I'm not planning to propose and I'm not kicking you out," Luke assured.
"Yet."
"Jess, this is about you and me. You are going to be staying here a little longer, so I was thinking about getting a new place."
"Why?"
"Well, you pointed out the necessity of walls the other day, when you, you know, saw Lorelai and me, so maybe if you had your own room, your own space, instead of bunking at the foot of my bed, it would feel more like a home to you."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about you and me going out, getting a paper, and finding a new place to live. How does that sound?"
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It's gonna get worse before it gets better, (if it ever can be better again)
Watch at your own risk, you will always be welcome here, the comfort zone.
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"That was all God given talent..." why thank you NON POD 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...