Chapter 10
"Oh good they're here. Hello Max. Lorelai what is Luke doing here?" Emily asked. "I invited him mom as a guest." Lorelai said. "Oh what are the other women going to say?" Emily asked. "That I'm having an affair." Lorelai said. Emily rolled her eyes at her. Rory walked over to her with her dress. "You're late tell me Dean is here." Emily said. "He was early." Rory said hastily. "Well at least the boy has a sense of time." Emily muttered. "Yes because I pulled a Catherine Earnshaw and married a man for his station not his love." Lorelai said. "Come with me to get a drink." Emily ordered. "Rory." Lorelai whimpered. 'You'll be fine." Rory went upstairs to get changed.
"Your father is being impossible!" Emily snapped as she ordered her drink. Lorelai ordered a cherry martini. "How is my father being impossible?" Rory asked. "Don't be smart." Emily ordered. "I just asked you didn't say how he was." "He's already ten minutes late I can't believe him he's just so selfish." Emily snapped. "Mom!" Lorelai interrupted her ranting. "What?" Emily demanded. "He's here with Christopher?" Lorelai gasped. Chris walked up and hugged Lorelai. Max and Luke both walked up to the bar.
"Chris this is Max Madena my husband. Max this is Chris Rory's father. Chris this is Luke from the Diner this is the man who feeds us." Lorelai said. "You can't feed my girls?" Chris asked. "I make dinner almost every night but Lorelai and Rory enjoy Luke's still so we go there for lunch and breakfast." Max said. "You don't come at lunchtime I'm hurt you lied and said you liked my cooking." Luke said. "You're cooking's the best no contest." Lorelai said. Max gave her a look. Lorelai sighed. "Who is up for another drink my martini is gone." Lorelai pouted at the glass. "You know you might want to be sober when your daughter is presented." "I've had one drink Max." "I'll have a drink with you Lorelai." Luke said. "So will I. In fact a toast." Chris said passing out the glasses. Max refused his.
Lorelai watched smiling proudly as Max escorted Rory to Dean. "You know it should be me up there. I am her father you know." Lorelai gave Chris a look. "You? If anybody it should be me and you know why that is?" Luke asked Chris. "Why is that Lucas I'm dying to know?" Chris demanded. "Whoa boys break it up I mean look its Rory can't we all just agree she's pretty and we're all equally proud of her?" Lorelai pleaded. "No I want to know why Lucas has the right to be up there when I should." Chris demanded. "Because I was there for Lorelai and Rory from day one. I don't just feed them you know. I take care of them when their sick where are you and your fancy car? I fix things around the house again you're missing in action. I build Lorelai knew furniture when she needs it where are you and your credit card?" Luke wanted to ask. "Where I am is none of my business but that is Lorelai and mine child up there not yours or Max's." Chris said raising a fist. "Well I was there taking care of both their needs including feeding them!" Luke said. "Hey guys look how pretty Rory is and now she has to be escorted to the guy she is going to marry." Luke and Chris jerked their heads around. Dean smiled at them warily.
Lorelai kissed Max as he came back over. "I have to go to the bathroom I'll be right back I promise don't go away." "She's not a puppy so stop ordering her like one." Chris told Max and stomped off to go get another drink. Luke stared at Lorelai. "I'm sorry I'll try to be better behaved." Luke said. "It's not you it's ah Christopher." Lorelai said. "You don't sound too pleased with him." Luke said trying not sound too happy. "No I'm not you're right he hasn't been there." Lorelai wandered off. She found Richard and Emily arguing in the foyer.
"Well fine next time there's a function I'll go by myself and let people wonder why you're not there Richard I'm through." Emily said. "You're through? I'm through! Good night Emily I'll see to it a limo takes you home." Richard stomped off. "Do I want to know?" Lorelai asked. "No. Come on I want to get pictures of Rory doing the fan dance." Emily said. Lorelai nodded but let her mother go on ahead. When was the last time she had seen her parents fighting like that? Never?
Lorelai began to cry. Rory had said this would be fine. It should have been fun but even exciting. But it was horrible. Max and Chris were fighting she could see them at the bar. Emily and Richard were fighting. Luke was. Behind her. "Luke?" Lorelai sniffled. "I'm here for you." Luke said. Lorelai hugged him. He dried her tears. "Hey now it'll be okay I promise to be on my best behavior scouts honor." Luke said. "You hated boy scouts." Lorelai smiled. "So did every other sane kid in America. A promise is a promise and Lucas Danes never backs out on a promise. I'm going to build you that new dresser I promised tomorrow okay? And hell a bookshelf for Rory. Ceaser can watch the Diner okay?" Lorelai nodded trying to smile. He lifted up her chin. As Rory and Dean began to slow dance Luke and Lorelai began to kiss.
Emily came walking towards them. "Lorelai!" She said sharply. Lorelai pulled away from Luke and for once followed her mother.