Chapter 15 – Back to the Hollow
-oOo-
On the way back to the inn where Lorelai was staying, Luke turned to Lorelai and asked, "Can I take you out tomorrow? Breakfast? Brunch? Lunch? Tea time? Dinner? All of the above?"
Lorelai giggled. "I don't mind having lunch tomorrow. But I have to eat at the inn, so I can assess whether their kitchen is any good or not. Not all small inns have great chefs like Sookie."
"Yeah, Sookie is something else," Luke said with a smile, not talking about her skills as a chef but remembering the talking to he got from Sookie when they first broke up. Lorelai didn't need to know about any of that, especially since he deserved it.
"When are you heading back to Stars Hollow by the way?"
"I was actually planning to stick around as long as you'd let me," he admitted sheepishly. "Cesar and Lane are covering the diner while I'm here."
"You should probably head back soon. Maybe tomorrow or Sunday?"
"Sunday is fine."
"Okay, then how about we do lunch tomorrow and on Sunday before you drive back? You won't mind inn food both times?"
"Not a problem. I'm sure they serve salads."
-oOo-
The lunches they had were friendly, but cordial. Every once in a while, they would banter just like before, though they were a tad more careful about the things they say, avoiding topics that may be misconstrued by the other. Luke missed the intimacy they shared while watching the sunset, and wondered if that would ever come back. However, he could sense that cordial friendship is all Lorelai was prepared to give him for now, and he tried to be content.
Towards the end of their Sunday lunch, Lorelai became more subdued. Luke tried to compensate by telling her funny stories about Kirk, hoping to lift her mood. When Lorelai walked with him back to his truck to say goodbye before he left for Stars Hollow, he wondered if she seemed so sad because he was leaving. Maybe she didn't want him to leave, but wouldn't say anything because, hey, they're just friends and nothing else.
He gave him a smile and said, "I'll see you back home in three weeks?"
"You bet," she said in a light-hearted tone, but he could see her struggling with some emotion.
"I'll… I'll miss you Lorelai. I wish I didn't have to go."
"No, no, the diner needs you. Hell, Kirk needs you. We can talk on the phone, no big deal."
"Okay. I'll call you when I get there. Take care of yourself."
"I'll wait for your call. Drive safe," Lorelai said in a forlorn voice. She turned around, about to walk back to the inn's entrance, when she suddenly turned back and threw her arms around him, much to his surprise. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, breathing in the smell of her shampoo, glad to be able to hold her in his arms again even for just a short while. After a minute, she pulled back, stood on tiptoe and placed a gentle kiss on his scruffy cheek. "Bye Luke," she said softly and walked to the inn without looking back.
-oOo-
Days passed and they would talk for a few minutes every day. Sometimes, Lorelai seemed like her old self, babbling on and on about a movie she saw or about how sucky the room service was. Sometimes, she would seem aloof and painfully polite. It drove him crazy, but he knew he had no right to complain. He had to earn her trust again.
She was now in New York, spending the week with Rory. After New York, she would finally head back to Stars Hollow.
-oOo-
The day he's been waiting for finally arrived. Lorelai was back at the Crap Shack, and promised him she'll be at the diner for a quick lunch. Nervously, he waited and waited for her, but she never showed. He stopped himself from running to her house to check on her – reminding himself that he was nothing but a friend and must act accordingly.
She finally came in at 2:30, claiming loudly that she overslept. He wondered briefly if she came late on purpose to avoid the busy lunch crowd. She complained about how tired she was from driving and wanted nothing more than a cheeseburger, chili fries, and coffee.
He noticed that instead of sitting at the counter, as was her wont, she consciously looked around for a townie she knew and asked to sit at the table. That was why she ended up eating her burger next to Rev. Skinner, who was reading a book over tea. Luke didn't bother to mention that April was arriving at 3.
-oOo-
When April arrived, she waved at her dad and went straight to her usual seat at the counter before she noticed Lorelai at one of the tables. Lorelai was saying something to Rev. Skinner, hence she didn't notice the teen when she came in, until she heard a loud voice saying, "Lorelai!"
Lorelai turned in surprise upon seeing April. Without thinking, she glanced at Luke with a fearful expression, almost as if she felt that she was angering Luke by talking to his daughter. Luke looked at her confused, until he realized this must be due to her memory instinctively reminding her of his past behavior.
Luke tried to quickly reassure her that there was no problem by giving her a nod and a small smile, and she seemed to gather her thoughts and remember their last conversation back in Maine. Finally, she turned to April with a smile.
"Hello April! You've grown so much since I last saw you! How are things?"
The two started to chat as if they were old friends. The scene reminded Luke of years past when Lorelai and a thirteen-year-old Rory would be sitting on one of the tables, talking a mile a minute, with huge smiles on their faces. He could see the genuine affection in both Lorelai and April, and he couldn't help but want to kick himself again for not letting them spend time together before.
Luke didn't try to interrupt them except when he refilled Lorelai's coffee and brought out a tuna sandwich for April. Rev. Skinner, who was finding it harder and harder to concentrate on his book, finally took his leave and walked out with a benevolent smile on his face. It was good to see Lorelai happy again.