Jess slowly walked towards the diner the next morning, very hesitant to go in. He was supposed to be there to help out before school, but he just couldn't force himself to move any faster. Luke being angry about his being late was a lot easier to face than him being angry about the little match-making stunt Rory had pulled the night before. Although, the two combined… He sped up and came through the door, only to find a smattering of customers and a frazzled looking Rory.
"What's going on?" he asked, coming over to where she was trying to work the register.
"I opened the diner!" she told him, trying to sound cheerful.
"Why?"
"Because it was morning, and I came downstairs and Kirk was out there, his nose pressed against the glass and- what the hell is wrong with this thing?!"
"A-hem,"
"Sorry, reverend." Rory apologized to the priest, before turning back to Jess. "The register hates me. Help!" she stepped aside as Jess moved in and easily got it working, before handing reverend Skinner his change.
"Alright, so, tell me again; you opened the diner, because…?"
"Because the diner is supposed to be open. Last night, I walked in, and the apartment was deserted. I wasn't sure how to take that, so I just went to bed, then this morning, I got up, and Luke hadn't come out of his room yet, so I figured that someone had to come down here and open before Kirk fell through the window. He hasn't come down, it's seven o'clock and he isn't here. I'm not sure I like this."
"Are you sure he's in there?" Jess asked, moving inside and looking up the stairs.
"Yes. I knocked, and called out and he barked at me to go away. He should be yelling at me and demanding I pack my stuff, shouldn't he? Either that, or worshiping the ground that I walk on."
"Well, yeah. I would have thought the former if things went as well as I've been imagining. But, hey, you still have a head. So maybe it wasn't all bad."
"I didn't believe when you said that last night, and despite my lack of decapitation, I'm still less than inclined to join you in that happy place, where there's no maiming of the help."
"Oh, well, it's so nice to know you trust my opinions."
"You can afford to think positively;" Rory pointed out, "your neck will not be the one on the chopping block here."
"Maybe yours won't be either, if you go up-"
"Barked at me to go away! Did you miss that part? He sounded like freaking Cujo! I am not going back up there without some sort of weaponry to defend myself with."
"Alright, well, in that case, let me."
"What?"
"I'll go, see if he'll talk to me. I'll try and find out what happened."
"You would do that?"
"Yeah. I mean, out of the two of us, the one he's most likely to kill would be…"
"The one he hasn't been watching grow up, and had a hand in raising. Yeah, ok. So, you'll be safe. That's good."
"Wish me luck."
"Good luck." Rory replied, "Oh wait!" she rushed over to where some utensils hung on the wall and grabbed one. "Take this, it's not much, but, it could help."
"Thanks, but, I think I'll be ok," Jess replied, pressing the spatula back into her hand before starting up the stairs. Knocking gingerly on the door, he slowly eased it open and stepped inside. "Uncle Luke..? Are you here?"
"What?" the older man snapped from the bathroom as he came out, buttoning his shirt.
"I just wanted to see how you… Is everything ok?"
"Oh, right. You're here because of Rory's little experiment last night. Pushing us together as if we're panda's in a zoo that need to mate or something… Well, you can just go back and tell her she's not getting anything out of me. And don't even bother pretending that you don't know what I'm talking about. The two of you are always up to something, and I'm sick of it."
"She was trying to help."
"She always is." Luke retorted, moving to the fridge and pouring himself a glass of juice. "But it doesn't."
"Was it really that bad?"
"We went along with her stupid immature little plan. But if she was hoping that that would magically fix everything, erase all of the-"
"She just wanted-"
"To help. Yeah, I got that part. I have a diner to open, so, if you'll excuse me,"
"It's already been done." Jess explained, blocking the door. "Rory's taking care of it."
"Well, isn't she just the most helpful little-"
"Can you just tell me…" Jess interrupted. "Are you going to make her leave?"
"I want to, God, I really want to just…" he clenched his fists for a moment before continuing. "But I'm not going to do anything. Not right now anyway. I'll just… we're all going to continue on as if this didn't happen, alright?"
"Uhh, sure. Ok. Never happened, whatever you want." Jess agreed, stepping aside and letting Luke through the door before following a moment later. When he returned to the kitchen, Rory stood by the stove, looking very confused, as Luke just walked out to where there were customers waiting. He shrugged at her and she bit her lip, returning to the pancakes.
--
"Mom? Mom, come on. It's been days." Rory stared at her mother as she changed lanes. "You're seriously going to stick to this no talking thing? Because, really, I think I prefer the post-Christmas scream-a-thon. Want to try that again?" still receiving no answer, Rory sighed and leaned back in her seat, lifting her feet up to rest on the dashboard. Moments later Lorelai swatted at her, forcing her to sit properly. "At least I know a part of you is still in there. This must be killing you, this not talking. Are you about to implode?" Lorelai pulled the car over to the side of the road and killed the engine. "Oh good, now we're-"
"You just don't listen do you? I told you we had to handle this ourselves. And what do you do? You meddle! Again. I can't believe you would do that. To me, sure; I'm nowhere near your favorite person, so why shouldn't you be cruel to me? But Luke is… He doesn't deserve this Rory! After what he's done for you, for both of us, I cannot fathom what you were thinking of to justify this insanity!"
"Feel better?" Rory asked once her mom was done ranting.
"Ugh! The only reason we are still doing this weekend is because I am so incredibly tense right now after your little stunt. I need desperately to take a break. So please, I know you haven't listened to me too often in the past, but please, just let this go. Please."
"Ok. I'll give you the weekend. Longer, maybe, if you promise me that we can talk about this eventually."
"When I've worked it all out, sure. But you have to wait until I am ready. Understand?"
"Yup. But, um, can we go? I don't like this, sitting on the side of the road like this, I feel as if you're about to drag me off into the woods and bury me alive." Without another word, Lorelai started the car again and maneuvered her way back onto the hi-way.
--
"Well, this place looks..."
"Serene," Rory supplied, as she and Lorelai walked inside the lobby of the spa.
"Yes, serene. Just what we need. Oh, look at this; they have cucumber slices in the water. Hmm, I wonder what that's for." Lorelai mused, picking up the jug and pouring a little into two glasses.
"Maybe it keeps the water fresher, longer?" Rory suggested, before taking a sip. "Blech! No, that's not it, I don't think."
"Oh that's disgusting. I wonder where the coffee is,"
"How about we ask that guy over there?"
"Good plan." They headed for the front desk where a man stood smiling. "Hello, I'm Lorelai Gilmore, this is my daughter Rory."
"Ah, yes, welcome to Birch Grove. My name is Bobby. I have everything all set for you. Do you have luggage?"
"Just these,"
"Ok, well, I'll have someone take care of those for you. Here are your room keys and a copy of all of your spa activities. It looks like you ladies are going to have a lovely weekend."
"Just darling," Rory muttered, Lorelai elbowed her and she bit her lip, trying to keep herself from falling down.
"Uh, Bobby, before you rush off to do something, terribly important, I have to ask, where can one get a cup of coffee around here?" Lorelai asked before he could say or do anything.
"We don't serve anything with caffeine here."
"What?"
"You think it's safe? This, depriving people of caffeine? Seriously?"
"We believe it... it interferes with the relaxation and..."
"I want to go home." Rory demanded.
"Just, have more cucumber water," Lorelai suggested, waving a hand at her.
"Anyhow, your rooms are right down this hall. Fruit and yogurt is served by the pool in the mornings, and your lunch and dinner seatings are on that itinerary. Enjoy your stay,"
"Just have more cucumber water? Did you forget, five seconds ago, the vile tasting liquid we just sampled? Mom, this is insane. There's no coffee. None! We cannot stay here."
"Rory I told you, I need this. So suck it up, alright? We're staying and that's final. We'll get our stuff sorted in our room and then we'll go and find a coffee shop or a diner or, if all else fails, a department store. If we have to, we'll buy our own freaking coffee maker and bring it back here. Now just please, just... let's go, and see our room, ok? I'm sure it's great."
"Psychotic..."
"I heard that!"
"You were meant to!"
--
Rory opened her overnight bag and started to shift a few things out onto the bed, but then she changed her mind, dropped her clothes and grabbed her phone, dialling hurriedly.
"Hello?"
"They don't have any coffee!"
"Hello?" Jess repeated as Rory paced the room.
"Didn't you hear me? These people don't believe in caffeine!"
"Who is this?"
"Oh, that's hilarious. Does Leno know about you?"
"Rory?"
"Yes! Who the hell else would call you, frenzied over caffeinated beverages?"
"That's a very good question. So, what exactly are you planning on doing about this predicament? Gonna burn the place down?"
"Well, I hadn't thought of that, but now that you've brought it-"
"No, just forget that. Why don't you just find a coffee shop or something?"
"Mom says we will, I guess I just have to wait for-" there was a knock at the door and Rory started towards it. "Hold on a sec; that might be her." She opened the door to an empty hallway, "Strange,"
"No Lorelai?"
"No Lorelai. I think-" the knock came again and Rory turned around. "It might be coming from the closet?"
"The bogeyman?"
"Possibly." Rory opened the door to what she believed was the closet and jumped back at the sight of her mother. "Yup, just what we thought. I'm going to have to call you back." She added, waving her mom inside.
"Ok, well, just try and enjoy yourself ok? And remember that coffee is not the only important thing in the world."
"What planet do you live on? And stop being so rational; it makes me look really crazy in comparison."
"I'm not even going to touch that one. I think I'll just say goodbye."
"I can't believe you're being so mean to me, when I am this vulnerable. It's not one of the markings of a good boyfriend, I'll have you know."
"I'll be nicer when you get back. How's that?"
"I guess I'll just have to take what I can get," Rory replied. "Ok, well, I should go."
"Yeah, ok. Talk to you later."
"Mmhmm." Rory hung up and tossed the phone onto the bed before turning to where Lorelai was looking out the window. "So, what's this?"
"Adjoining rooms; I thought it would be a good idea, although that was when I first made the reservation and since then I've been so mad at you that I forgot to call and change it until this morning, but they didn't have anything else available."
"Huh. Ok, well, how about we just pretend the door isn't there? Sound fair?"
"Alright. But shouldn't that be my suggestion?"
"Actually, I think it should be Luke's." Rory replied, continuing before she could be interrupted. "You know, 'Mr. Pretend everything that makes me uncomfortable isn't happening and doesn't exist'?"
"He does that a lot doesn't he?"
"Way too often. But you don't want to think about him, or anything back there, so let's see what's first on the schedule, shall we?" Rory picked up the itinerary from her bed and quickly looked it over. "Facials, fun. Ok, let's go. That's a nice robe; do I get one of those?"
"Should be one in your closet,"
"Oh cool. Did you see the matching slippers?" Rory asked as she took her robe into the bathroom.
"Yeah, I thought they were a little too-"
"They are so-"
"Match-y, match-y." They finished together as she returned in the big fluffy white bathrobe.
"We all set now?"
"Yes, let us proceed with the relaxation." Rory suggested, reaching for the doorknob.
"Couldn't even last an hour huh?" Lorelai asked as they started down the hall.
"What?"
"Jess? You were on the phone to Jess, weren't you?"
"So?"
"I'm just saying-"
"Then just say it."
"We weren't driving for that long, we've only been here about twenty minutes. And already you're on the phone to your boyfriend."
"I was just trying to absorb some coffee through the phone."
"How'd that work out for you?"
"Not too well. Oh, look, here we are." Rory headed inside, leaving her mom to follow.
--
"Who was that?" Luke asked as Jess hung up the phone and came through the kitchen.
"Rory,"
"Ha, how's that co-dependency thing working out for the two of you?"
"She just needed to vent. They don't have coffee there and she's freaking out."
"That probably shouldn't make me this happy, but it does," Luke grinned as he left the room. Jess shook his head and continued on his way to the storeroom.
--
"You know I actually think I already look younger." Lorelai observed as they walked down the hall, headed to their seaweed wrap.
"Yeah? Good for you."
"Don't you think? I mean, they said that it would reduce the appearance of fine lines. Did it work?"
"Oh, yeah. Definitely. You look... years younger."
"That's very nice to hear. Thank you."
"So, seaweed, really? This is what we're doing next? Wrapping ourselves in seaweed?"
"Why? You don't think this will be any good?"
"No, no. I'm sure it, it'll be great. I just never really wanted to think of myself as the filling in a sushi roll. But I'm sure that this will be... interesting."
"Well, I'm thinking after this, I might go and spend a little time by the pool."
"I was hoping we could find coffee. Soon."
"The withdrawals are hitting you hard, aren't they?"
"It's your fault. In all the years that I lived with you, the only thing I can remember you ever enforcing in me is an addiction to caffeine. So, yeah, I'm struggling a little at the moment."
"Ok, seaweed wrap, coffee and then, lazing by the pool."
"Sounds like a plan sent straight from the heavens! Let's get on with it." They walked into one of the rooms and sat down, waiting for the therapists.
--
Rory knocked on Lorelai's door and walked inside after she called out. "You know, I think this has been a pretty successful day, all things considered." She announced, sitting on the bed as Lorelai finished her make-up.
"You do, do you? That wouldn't have anything to do with the coffee swimming through your veins and the last half-hour conversation with your cutie-patootie boyfriend, would it?"
"Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. But that's for me to know, and you to not. I'm starving, can we go to dinner now?"
"Sure, let's see what they're serving…" Lorelai picked up the menu and Rory stood up to look over her shoulder. "Hmm,"
"I don't want to eat tofu. Tofu is not food."
"And what's with all the steaming? There are other methods of cooking food, you know people."
"Says the woman who can't make toast."
"Hey, I have eaten a lot of different meals, and many of them were prepared in different ways; fried, braised, barbequed, roasted-"
"Stop it! I'm hungry enough. What do we do though? I really am not hungry for tofu. Or mungbeans, what the hell is a mungbean?"
"I don't think I want to find out. Go grab your coat."
"Where are we going?"
"We're going to find a restaurant that serves human food; a place where they would never even think of putting tofu on the menu, and we are going to eat. Let's go."
"I'm right behind you!" Rory called out, following, and trying to get her coat on at the same time.
--
"I love it here." Lorelai announced as she and Rory walked inside.
"How do you love it here? We've been here for two seconds."
"I'm a very complex individual, filled with many layers and intricacies."
"Hmm."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing. It was just, hmm."
"Hmm is never just hmm. There is always something behind a hmm. What were you just thinking?"
"That I'll die if I don't eat soon, come on. Excuse me," Rory stepped up to where the hostess was looking over the reservation book. "Hi, we need a table. And menus, we need food. Very much now."
"Oh, well, I'm really sorry, but I don't think we're going to have any tables for about an hour."
"An hour!"
"Great. The wide world of mungbeans, here we come."
"There are a couple of seats at the bar, if you're interested. And we serve our entire menu there."
"Really?" Rory grinned at the prospect of having food very soon.
"Although, I'll have to see some ID before I let you through there."
"No need. I can tell you right now, she's sixteen years and a hundred and thirty-two days old. Not quite at the legal drinking age just yet. But I'd be more than happy to show you mine, if you think I look too young,"
The girl simply smiled and Lorelai shook her head, not bothering to bring out her wallet. "In that case, I'm gonna have to give you a stamp. Sorry, it's policy."
"You totally suck, you know that?" Rory said as they walked through towards the bar. "It's not like I was going to order a brewski with you sitting right next to me. Where's the fun in that?"
"I'm sorry, but that's what mothers do. We're supposed to embarrass our kids in ways that help shape their moral compass."
"And you read this where?" Rory tossed back at her.
"Just find something you want to eat so we can go back and get some sleep, ok?"
The two of them sat silently until the bartender, Steve, came to ask them what they'd like to drink. Lorelai ordered while Rory just inspected her nails until he returned with drinks and to ask if they'd decided what they wanted to eat.
--
Rory was sitting on her bed, reading when there was a knock at the door. "Yeah?"
"I called down to the front desk and cancelled our appointments for tomorrow." Lorelai said as she slipped in through the door they were supposed to be pretending wasn't there. "So, we can leave right after breakfast."
"Great."
She stood against the door for a moment, just watching Rory, who had returned to staring at the page, not actually reading at all. "I used to have dreams, you know? For you and me. I had all these ideas in my mind about how we would be the best of friends; closer than any mother-daughter combo anyone had ever seen. People would think we were slightly crazy, but that was ok with us, because, even if the other people in our lives let us down, we still always had each other."
"That's not real though."
"I know, God, I know. And it's my fault. I am fully aware that I am the reason that things in our lives have been so screwed up because of that one decision that I made to walk away from my life and not say a word to anyone. And every one after that, I know it wasn't just that one day, but the passed sixteen years have been filled with bad judgment. I did that, I hurt those people, and I hurt you. And I'll never stop being sorry for it, but I need for us to get passed it. I need us to try and move on."
"Can I ask you something before we do that?"
"I suppose,"
"In this dream, of you and me and our happiness, was… was there a man beside you; someone else who made you happy, aside from me?"
"Rory,"
"I just want to know. I mean, you said that you had this picture of what our lives where going to look like. If you expect me to see that, then I need more information, what did it look like, who else was there?"
"In my minds eye there was… I was always as happy as when I was seventeen."
"Ok."
"But that doesn't mean that-"
"I know; it's up to you. We won't talk about it unless you bring it up. I got it."
"Thank you."
"We should get some sleep."
"Alright, I'll see you in the morning then." Lorelai moved to open the door, but Rory called out and she turned back around.
"Can I drive home?"
"Sure. But only if you let me comment."
"You're not supposed to do that, you know. It's distracting, and could be dangerous."
"I'll do it in a little tiny mouse voice." She replied, demonstrating as she spoke the last four words.
"Yes, because the high pitched screechyness will be so much easier to disregard." Rory commented, rolling onto her side.
--
AN: I've decided I don't like Luke at the moment. No matter what Rory and I try to do to help him, he always comes out… not right. I would like him to just shut up and go and kiss Lorelai, but, he's being stubborn and annoying, so that's probably going to take a while. But, aside from him, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter.