Chapter 16 – Talking

AN1: Alright! I finally finished another chapter. I had a massive writer's block and then I just started writing and I wrote this whole thing within two days, basically, and I have to say I'm pretty proud of my work. I'd like to thank all my wonderful reviewers. Without you guys I would have stopped writing a long time ago. It's always nice to hear what people think of the work you're doing. I won't thank each one of you, because all of you are equally important to me. So THANKS to all of you. And I hope you like this one! Please review.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my thoughts.

Chapter 16 – Talking

They stepped inside and handed their coats off to the maid.

"Mrs. Gilmore is waiting for you in the sitting room."

"Thanks," Lorelai said and walked into the sitting room, followed by Luke.

"Lorelai!" Emily exclaimed coming into the hallway.

"Hi, Mom." Lorelai was a little surprised that her mom actually seemed happy to see her.

"Luke." The nice moment was gone when Emily greeted him with a fake smile.

Lorelai decided to swallow her anger for now.

"Mom," she said pulling Luke towards her. "You remember Luke, don't you?"

"Of course I remember him, Lorelai, I invited him. Nice to see you again, Luke." She gave him another forced smile and shook his hand.

"Yeah, nice, to see you, too, Mrs. Gilmore."

"Oh, please, call me Emily."

"Sure, Emily."

Emily put on her third forced smile that evening. "So how about some drinks?" She said walking off into the living room.

Lorelai sighed and pulled into the living room, Rory following them.

"Gin Martini, please," Lorelai said, sat down on the couch in the living room and gestured for Luke to join her. Rory sat down on the couch opposite to where Luke and her mom had taken seats.

Emily handed the drink to Lorelai and turned to Luke. "And what would you like, Luke? Would you like a beer, Luke?"

"Uh, sure, why not Emily. Thanks."

Lorelai slightly leaned towards him. "You know, you can have something else, Luke. She's got everything. Scotch, Whiskey, basically any hard liquor you could imagine."

Emily turned around with raised eyebrows. "Oh yes, I'm sorry, Luke. You can have anything you want, I just assumed you would enjoy a nice cold beer."

"A beer is fine, Emily. Thanks." He said and patted Lorelai's knee before she could say anything else.

"A soda for you, Rory?"

"Yes, please, grandma."

Lorelai rolled her eyes at Rory who just shrugged her shoulders at her mom's gesture, indicating that she didn't know either why Emily was acting the way she did.

Emily handed the drinks to Luke and Rory and then sat down next to Rory on the couch, with a martini in her hand for herself.

Rory cleared her throat after a few moments of uncomfortable silence. "So grandma, where's grandpa tonight?"

"Oh, well he has a business meeting to attend, which he couldn't postpone."

"Oh, that's too bad." Rory glanced towards her mother.

"So," Lorelai started, "will he be back tomorrow?" 'Cause, you know he, uhh, wanted to help me with our insurance. I mean, the Inn's insurance."

"Yes, of course, he will be back some time tonight. He's just in a meeting at his office, Lorelai. I guess you should call him tomorrow and remind him, if he offered his help to you. He's been really busy lately." Emily replied.

At that moment the maid came in to announce that dinner was ready.

"Thank you, Brianna. Well, shall we?" Emily said getting up and walked off into the dining room, dragging Rory with her.

Lorelai took a deep breath and exhaled it loudly, to which Luke took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Are you coming, Lorelai?" Emily called from the dining room.

Lorelai let her shoulders slump down and squeezed Luke's hand even tighter. They walked into the dining room, still holding hands, which didn't go unnoticed by Emily, and sat down at their usual places, with Luke sitting next to Lorelai.

The maid came in and served the salad, then returned a few minutes later and poured some white whine for the adults at the table.

"So how's that diner you're working at Luke?"

"He owns it mom. He doesn't only work there he owns it, mom." Lorelai said a little annoyed at her mother.

"Of course, I'm sorry Luke. How's that diner of yours?"

Lorelai glared at her mother, but Luke patted her knee under the table, signaling her that he didn't mind.

"It's going great, Emily. Thanks to the Dragonfly Inn, there are a lot of tourists coming to the town, which means even more business for all the other stores in town."

Lorelai smiled at Luke, thanking him for the compliment.

"But the diner's always been doing great, right Luke? I mean even before we opened the Dragonfly."

"Yeah, I guess that's true." Luke regarded her with his special smile that was only reserved for her.

"Well, that's nice to hear." Emily said, noticing their little interaction.

The rest of the dinner was spent fairly quiet and soon Lorelai, Luke and Rory were accompanied to the front door, of the Gilmore Mansion, by Emily.

"Well, it was nice to see you again, Luke. I hope you'll join us more often from now on, since you and Lorelai seem to be quiet serious with each other, am I right?"

"Yes we are, Mom." Lorelai said with a harsh voice.

"Thanks again for the invitation, Emily."

"You're welcome, so I'll see you next week."

"Bye, mom."

"Bye, grandma."

"Goodbye," with that Emily closed the door to the Gilmore Mansion."

Rory looked at her mom's grim expression, a little concerned. "Mom…"

But Lorelai just waved her off. They said their goodbyes to Rory, who had to go back to Yale, and made their way back to Stars Hollow.

On the drive home, Luke looked over to Lorelai, who hadn't said a word since they had left her parent's home. He decided not to say anything to her. He knew that she would when she was ready to talk. Lorelai was glad that he didn't pry her to talk and just kept staring out the window.

Luke pulled into her driveway about twenty minutes later and turned off the engine. Lorelai was still staring out of the window, not noticing that the car had come to a halt.

Luke softly touched her leg. "Hey, we're at your place."

Lorelai was a bit startled by his touch. "Huh. Oh, sorry. I didn't notice."

"It's ok." He said gently massaging her leg with his thumb.

"Do you wanna stay at my place, tonight?" Lorelai asked, facing him.

Luke smiled at her. "Sure, I'd love to."

While Luke was getting ready for bed, Lorelai was already in bed, sitting up against the headboard, flipping through a magazine.

Luke turned off the lights in the hallway and came into the bedroom, putting his clothes on the chair next to Lorelai's dresser. He watched Lorelai out of the corner of his eye, thinking that it was a little strange, that she still hadn't said anything about the dinner at her parent's place that night. Lorelai didn't look up when he got into bed and leaned against the headboard next to her.

After she still hadn't regarded him, Luke gently touched her arm to get her attention.

"Lorelai."

She put down her magazine and turned towards him, smiling sadly. "I don't know what I was thinking, Luke. I mean, after all, she did invite you to dinner. And then she's acting totally rude. I'm sorry, Luke. I'm so sorry for the way she treated you Luke."

"Don't worry about it, honey. It's fine." Luke took her hand in his and gently caressed it with his thumb.

"No, it's not fine, baby," she said in a soft and gentle voice. "I'm really trying to get along with her, you know, have some kinda mother-daughter relationship with her, but I guess, that's never gonna happen. Every time I try she does something that totally throws me off again and I have to realize that's nothing's changed and probably will never change between us, because she just can't accept me and my life the way it is." She took a deep breath and released it with a heavy sigh. "I know she lied to me about my dad."

Luke furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"He didn't have a business meeting. He was in the pool house the whole time. He's been living there, ever since my mom and Rory got back from their trip to Europe."

"What? Really? How did you find out?"

"Rory told me about it, since my parents didn't feel the need to do so. She called their house last week because she wanted to ask my dad something about a book they had been talking about, and then the maid told her that he's living in the pool house now and gave her the number to call him there. I mean, I knew that they have separated but I thought they were just sleeping in different rooms now, but not that my mother has actually thrown him out of the house. It's still the same property, but it's a different house. I mean, they have separate entryways, they don't even look at each other anymore."

"Geez, I'm so sorry, Lorelai. I wish I could do something to make you feel better."

Lorelai gently squeezed his hand. "It's not your fault, and you're doing enough by being there for me."

"Always," he leaned forward and delicately brushed his lips over her's, undermining his statement.

"I was thinking about going to the pool house tomorrow and talk to my dad and then to my mom, or the other way around, or to both of them together, if I can get to stay in the same room long enough. I hope my dad will listen to me, I'm not so sure about my mother though. They've been married for almost forty years, they can't just throw that away."

"Well, maybe you should do that. But don't get you're hopes up to high, I don't want you to get disappointed or… hurt."

Lorelai cupped his face with her hand and gently kissed him. "What did I do to deserve you?"

"Being yourself. The most wonderful woman in the world I've ever met." This time it was him who leaned forward and started a slow and sensual kiss."

"I love you," she whispered into his ear when they pulled apart.

"I love you, too."

Lorelai put the magazine on her nightstand and turned off the light on her side. "Let's just go to sleep, I don't really want to think about my parents anymore tonight." She snuggled into his body and rested her head on his bare chest.

Luke reached out and turned off the lamp on his nightstand as well.

"Night, babe." He gently kissed her and then settled his cheek against the crown of her hair.

"Goodnight, honey." Soon they had drifted off into a deep sleep.

The next morning…

As Lorelai was slowly waking up the next morning she reached for the space next to her, longing for Luke. The sheets were empty but there was a note from Luke.

Good morning, sleepyhead,

I didn't want to wake you this morning. You looked so beautiful in your sleep.

Love, Luke

P.S.: Check the coffee machine

Lorelai smiled and slowly crawled out of the bed. She put on her robe and made her way downstairs into the kitchen. Having arrived there she had to smile again. He had made her coffee and put her favorite coffee mug on the counter, with another note from him hidden beneath it.

Hey,

you found it. Come by the diner when you're ready and I'll have another cup and some breakfast waiting for you.

I love you,

Luke

Lorelai smiled widely. She still couldn't believe how lucky she got with this guy.

Luke glanced to the door every time he heard the bells above it announcing the arrival of someone, hoping that the next person to enter his diner would be Lorelai.

When Lorelai walked into the diner a little after eleven, Luke was nowhere to be seen. She sat down at the counter and waited for him to come back, presumably from out of the kitchen. She was right. A few seconds later, Luke came out of the kitchen and saw Lorelai flipping through the menu. Luke smiled happily about her presence, lighting up his mood immediately.

He walked behind the counter and leaned towards her. "Hey there."

Lorelai jumped a little.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He softly touched her hand.

"Nah, don't worry. I'm allright." Lorelai leaned over the counter and gently kissed him on the lips. "Morning."

Luke smiled and kissed her again. "Good morning."

Lorelai loved that smile of his that was only reserved for her. So soft and warm, no signs of his normal gruffness.

"Do you want some breakfast?"

Lorelai tapped her lips with her fingers, pretending to think really hard.

Luke rolled his eyes at her gesture. "Pancakes?"

Lorelai beamed at him. "With chocolate? And some bacon on the side?"

"Sure."

"Yay. Oh and lots and lots of coffee."

Luke looked at her, his eyebrows squinted together. "Didn't you get enough this morning?"

"You know I never get sick of it." Lorelai gave him her best puppy dog eyes, which she knew he couldn't resist.

"Thanks, babe." Lorelai said when Luke poured her a cup and set it in front of her on the counter.

"So, are you still planning on talking to your parents today?"

Lorelai sighed, "Yeah, still planning on it."

"It'll be fine." He said touching her hand reassuringly.

"Soo… how about that breakfast, a certain note under my coffee cup promised me this morning?"

"Coming right up." Luke said walking off into the kitchen.

"Luke, I'm leaving," Lorelai yelled into the kitchen, when she had finished her breakfast.

Luke came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dishtowel. He followed Lorelai outside the diner, towards her jeep.

She unlocked the driver's side of her car and turned around to face him. "So, I took the afternoon off, do you wanna come by and watch a movie or something like that?"

"Sure, why not. What time do you want me to be there?"

"Like six, six-thirtyish? That sound good?"

"Sounds perfect," he said and leaned forward to kiss her softly. "Good luck with your parents. Call me when you get home?"

Lorelai sighed deeply. "Yeah I will, I really hope they're gonna listen to me."

Luke gently squeezed her shoulder and then pulled her into a hug, not caring about who was watching them.

"Don't get yourself worked up about it," he softly whispered into her ear.

"I'll try not to." Lorelai pulled back slightly and kissed him. "I'll see you later."

"You sure will. Bye, sweetie."

"Bye, babe." She gave him another peck on the lips and drove off towards the Inn to finish some work, before she would drive to her parents that afternoon.

Lorelai arrived at the Inn and walked straight into the kitchen to get another cup of coffee.

"Sookie?"

"Over here!"

"Hey, what's up?" Lorelai said walking over to Sookie who was chopping some peppers for lunch.

"Not much. What's up with you? You don't look too happy. Oh no. Did you have a fight with Luke?"

Lorelai shook her head, "No I didn't have a fight with Luke. I'm gonna go try talk some sense into my parents about their separation. My mom banned my dad into the pool house and lied about it to me."

"Oh, that doesn't sound good."

"I know, I don't even know if they're gonna listen to me about it. My mom told me that my dad had a business meeting, when really he was sitting in the pool house all by himself, while we were having dinner with my mom at the house."

"Oh. I don't really know what to say, sweetie."

Lorelai waved her off. "Well you're not the only one. I don't even know why I'm getting myself into this."

"Well, they are your parents after all. And they've been married for such a long time."

"I know, I guess that's why I'm gonna talk to them. I mean, even though I didn't get along with them most of the time, their marriage has always been… I don't know… I guess I always wanted to have a marriage like they have, or had. They always made it work you know? I mean they had some fights or arguments as they used to call it, but they always worked it out, no matter what. And I just can't believe that they just wanna give up on that."

"I know what you mean. I hope Jackson and I will still be married after such a long time." Sookie sighed and put her knife down for a moment.

Lorelai softly squeezed her best friend's shoulder. "I'm sure you will, you guys are made for each other."

"You think?" Sookie said with a beaming smile.

"I do. I really do." Lorelai took a sip of her coffee. "Well I'm gonna go do some paper work and then drive to my parents later. Is it ok if I take the rest of the day off?"

"Sure, honey. We got everything covered here. Don't worry about it."

"Great. So I'll see you Monday?"

"Yeah, see ya. Good luck with your parents."

"Thanks, bye Sook." Lorelai waved goodbye to Sookie and walked to the front desk.

"Hey Michel, were there any messages for me?"

"Why do you think there are any messages for you? You don't seem to be here that often. You come in late, you go early and then you expect me to be your secretary!" Michel yelled in a heavy French accent.

"Ok, Michel. Let's set something straight here." Lorelai said getting aggravated. "I own this place. I can come in here and go whenever I want to go. You are working for me, and you don't have the right to question my working hours, or you will have to find yourself another job. I've been really patient with you, but don't stretch it too far. Are we clear on that?" Once in a while Lorelai was asking herself why she hadn't kicked him out yet, but on the other hand she also knew that it wouldn't be the same without myself working for them.

Michel nodded his head. "Yes, we are clear on that."

"Good." Lorelai said patting his shoulder. "Now, are there any messages for me."

Michel sighed. "Yes, I put them on your desk."

"Anything important?"

"The plumber called and said that he cannot come until tomorrow."

Lorelai sighed. "I'll call him right away. Anything else?"

"Yes, your diner man called."

"Luke called." Lorelai said her eyes lighting up at his name. "Did he say what he wanted?"

"No, just for you to call him back."

"Ok, I'll be in my office if you need me."

After Lorelai had finished her paperwork and coaxed the plumber to take a look at the broken sink in room four that night, she picked up the phone and called the number of Luke's diner.

"Luke's?" He said picking up the phone after a couple of rings.

"Hey, it's me." She said smiling when she heard his voice.

Luke's voice immediately got softer when he heard her. "Hey, you."

"You called?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to see if you're doing ok, you know, about going to talk to your parents later."

"Aww, that's so sweet of you, honey." Lorelai couldn't believe how caring he was towards her.

"Ah, don't mention it. So are we still on for tonight. Dinner and movie at your place?"

"Yeah, of course, I'm really looking forward to it."

"Good, me too. I think I might get off a little earlier, actually. Is it ok if you go over to your place and wait for you when I'm done?"

"Of course, I like it when I don't have to come home to an empty house."

"Good, then I'll wait for you. You know you should probably get going soon, it's three thirty already."

"Is it, really?" She exclaimed surprised. "Gee, I didn't notice. I was so busy finishing all the paper work here, so that I can take the weekend off. Ok well I really should get going. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, see you soon. Take care."

"I will, bye hon."

"Bye."

They both hung up their phones with a small smile on their faces.

Lorelai told Michel that she was leaving and walked out to her car to drive to her parents' house in Hartford.

Half an hour later she had parked her jeep in front of her parents' mansion and rang the doorbell. Another new maid opened the door.

"Yes? How may I help you?"

"Hi, I'm Lorelai Gilmore. Is my mother here?"

"Yes she is," the maid said opening the door for Lorelai to step inside. "Mrs. Gilmore is in the living room."

"Thank you." Lorelai handed her coat to the maid. "Uhm, would you mind getting my father to come to the living room as well?"

"No, not at all Miss Gilmore. I will tell his valet right away."

"Thanks." Lorelai said to the maid and walked into the living room. "Hi, mom."

Emily looked up from the book she was reading, a little surprised to see her daughter. "Lorelai! That's a surprise, what are you doing here?"

"Uhm, well." Lorelai gestured to the couch opposite to where her mother was sitting. "May I?"

"Of course, sit down, Lorelai."

"Thanks," Lorelai sat down on the couch and started at her folded hands in her lap.

"Lorelai? What is this about?"

Just at that moment, Richard walked into the living room from outside.

"Richard, what are you doing here?" Emily said with an angry undertone in her voice.

"What do you mean? Your maid told my valet that you wanted to see me in the living room!"

"No I did not!" Emily rose from her seat abruptly, her anger visible in her move.

"Actually," Lorelai said getting up from her seat as well, "I asked for dad to come."

"What?" Richard and Emily said in unison.

"Why would you do such a thing Lorelai?" Emily said getting angry with her daughter.

"Because we need to talk. You need to talk."

"Theirs is nothing to talk about Lorelai." Emily said and started to leave the room.

"Mom, wait!" Lorelai called after her mom.

"As much as I don't agree with your mother these days, I have to agree with her on this." Emily stopped at the bottom of the stairs, at his words.

"There is nothing to talk about Lorelai." Richard told his daughter and was about to leave as well when Lorelai couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop it! Both of you!" She yelled after her parents.

Richard and Emily stopped dead in their tracks and turned around to face their daughter, surprised at her action.

Lorelai took a deep, calming breath. "Please, you know I don't ask you for favors very often, basically never. This once I'm begging you to sit down and listen to me. Please?"

Lorelai looked at her dad with pleading eyes "Dad?" then she turned towards her mother. "Mom, please?"

Emily and Richard glanced towards each other. They couldn't remember hearing such anxiety in their daughter's voice. They both nodded their agreement and sat down as far away from each other as possible.

Lorelai sat down in the armchair between the two couches her parents were sitting on. "Thank you."

…TBC…

Please review!

AN: I hope you guys liked this chapter. I'm quiet happy with it myself, I think I finally found my own personal style in writing. So I'm gonna be going on vacation in a week, but I will try to write one more chapter before I leave. Probably not as long as this one, but I'll definitely try to get it done before I leave. Thanks again to all of you who keep reviewing my story and stick with me even though I tend to take a little longer to update than I did before. But I'd rather put more work into a chapter and make it a good one, with which I'm satisfied, than post a chapter that I'm not satisfied with.