Hi guys! Once again thanks for your patience and all your support! Here is what you have been waiting for...the final chapter! I am still considering making a sequel...no decisions have been made yet. So I guess just keep an eye out for that just in case ;) I hope you like the last chapter! It's a lot longer than previous chapters but I hope its worth it. Enjoy!
Lorelai woke up the next morning, her eyes fluttered open as she tried to adjust to her surroundings. She looked around the room and remembered why she was sleeping on a mattress in the middle of her living room. She sat up quickly, stretched and kicked her feet around before standing up to jump up and down on the bed.
"I'm getting married today!" Lorelai screamed causing Rory to jump and then fall out of bed with a loud thunk.
"What the hell?" Rory groaned as she rubbed her head, which she hit on the hardwood floor.
"I'm getting married today! I'm getting married today!" Lorelai continued in a singsong voice, ignoring her daughter's frustration.
Rory sighed and pulled herself up on the mattress, "Yes…I'm aware that you are getting married today. But could you have given me a less painful wake up call? I am going to be your maid of honor and I need to look presentable up on the alter…but now I might have a grapefruit sized lump on my head!"
Lorelai plopped down on the mattress and smiled giddily, "Aww…Luke loves grapefruit!"
Rory chuckled, "I know…"
"He's so healthy." Lorelai said with a happy sigh, "He eats all his fruits and vegetables and works out all the time and God…" she shivered and giggled more, "He has such a sexy body…"
"Oh GOD!" Rory screamed quickly standing up and covering her ears, "Mom I really don't want to hear this!"
"What? I'm just being honest! Luke is the sexiest man I have ever seen." Lorelai said with a shrug.
"I don't want to hear this!" Rory yelled as she started to walk towards the kitchen.
"He has washboard abs…I mean they are literally perfect! I love to trace them with my fingers and lick-" She continued.
"Ahhhh!" Rory yelled as she ran towards her former bedroom and slammed the door, "La la la la la!"
Lorelai laughed and put a hand on her tiny baby bump, "You have the sexiest Daddy ever kid…you better get used to hearing that!"
She giggled and lay back in bed and stared up at the ceiling, she couldn't keep her feet from kicking excitedly on the mattress.
At the apartment, Luke rolled over and glanced around the apartment and noticed that April and Jess were still fast asleep. He sat up, stretched and then glanced around the place he had called home for his whole adult life. Taking a deep breath, he reached for his cell phone and then quietly tip toed out of the apartment and down into the Diner, which was closed for the day. He quietly made himself a cup of tea before sitting in Lorelai's usual spot at the counter as he flipped open his phone and smiled when he saw he had a voice mail. Lorelai had left the message she had promised to leave after they hung up the night before.
As soon as he heard Lorelai's voice his heart skipped a beat and he wished the hours would go by faster so he could be her husband.
"Good morning my handsome finance! In a few hours you are going to be my husband…" There was a short pause and he could practically see her lips turning up into a smile, "And I am going to be your wife. Your wife. I know we just talked but, Luke…I want you to know just how much I love you. It's hard sometimes…to really express how I feel about you…but you have been my best friend for over a decade. Since the moment I walked into the Diner and met you I have felt safe…you have protected Rory and me since day one and I couldn't love you more for that. Thank you Luke." Her voice cracked and he heard her sniffle, "God I am so lucky to have you…and I still don't know how you have forgiven me for so many things…but I am so thankful for that. I promise that no matter what I will love you Luke. I can't not love you. I don't know how not to love you…you make me so happy. And I can't wait to finally be your wife…" She paused again, "So before this voice machine cuts me off…I just want to say one more thing… get some sleep because you are gonna need it tomorrow night. Goodnight Burger Boy. I'll see you at the alter!"
Luke chuckled as he pressed the save button on the phone and shut it again. He couldn't stop smiling as he let her words sink in and he sipped at his tea. He heard the creak of the stairs and nodded towards Jess when he saw him push back the curtain.
"Morning…" Luke said watching his nephew walk behind the counter.
Jess nodded back and reached for the coffee pot, "Morning…any cold feet yet?"
Luke smiled and shook his head, "Nope. My feet are far from cold. I'm ready for this."
Jess nodded slowly and leaned his back against the counter as he studied his Uncle for a moment. "Good."
Luke was quiet for a moment before he set his teacup down on the counter, "You know it means a lot for me that you are here…"
Jess glanced down at his cup and nodded slowly, "Sure. Of course I'm here. You asked me to be your best man…and I sure as hell wasn't gonna let TJ screw this up for you. I didn't really have any other choice…"
Luke smirked, "Right…"
Jess looked up again and shrugged, "Besides, I feel like I've been a part of this crazy rollercoaster that is Lorelai and Luke I need to see how it all plays out."
Luke chuckled, "I guess that's true…"
They sat in silence for a few moments before Jess spoke up again, "I knew the day that I got here that you loved her…"
Luke raised an eyebrow in surprise, "You did?"
Jess smirked and raised the cup to his lips so he could take a sip before answering, "Yup. She was the only person you made time for…other than your family. You pretended like she annoyed you but you couldn't take your eyes off of her…it was so obvious."
Luke snorted, "To you but apparently not to Lorelai…I can't really blame her though because I never told her how I felt."
Jess shrugged, "You were scared…and so was she. She's been screwed over a lot in her life Luke…and she counted on you. She was just afraid to lose you as a friend…"
Luke nodded slowly, "I get that…but sometimes it sucks realizing how much time we wasted pretending we didn't feel the way we do."
Jess smiled, "We're Danes men Uncle Luke…we don't express our feelings well. At least not until we are backed up against the wall…And the Gilmore Girls are amazing and intimidating all at the same time…its not so easy to open up to them."
Luke looked at his nephew for a moment, "Yeah I guess you're right…" He took another sip of his tea and then nodded his head towards the staircase, "Is April still asleep?"
"Yup. I figured I'd let her sleep a little while longer until she needs to go start getting ready." Jess said with a shrug.
"Great. Thanks." He paused and looked at the clock, "Do you think you could do me a favor?"
Jess shrugged, "I'm the best man, right? I can't really say no to whatever it is."
Luke chuckled and stood up before walking around the counter, "Think you can run something over to Lorelai for me? She's pretty hell bent on not seeing each other until the ceremony."
"Well it is probably better to be safe than sorry. You don't have the best track record…" Jess teased.
Luke grunted, "Will you do it or not?"
"Sure. Let me just run upstairs and change quick." Jess said turning to walk out of the Diner and back towards the stairs.
Luke poured two cups of coffee in to go cups, grabbed two Chocolate Chip Muffins, picked up a small package from under the counter and then wrote a quick note. By the time he was done Jess was trotting down the stairs again ready to run his errand.
"Any message you need delivered too?" Jess asked shrugging into his jean jacket.
Luke shook his head; "There's a note in there."
Jess took the tray and bag and nodded, "I thought Lorelai couldn't have coffee, isn't it bad for the baby?"
"I think one cup will be okay. And knowing Lorelai she has been up since before the sun so she's going to need some caffeine to make it through the day. Tell her that's the only cup she gets though!" He said pointing at him sternly.
"Man…you really do love her." Jess said with a chuckle as he walked towards the door and exited the Diner.
Luke watched his nephew go and he smiled watching him walk away before he whispered, "Yeah. I do…"
He shook his head as he couldn't keep from smiling and then turned to grab his tea and go back up to the apartment to see April.
Back at the house, Rory was desperately trying to find coffee anywhere in the house. Lorelai was dancing around the living room to "Going to the Chapel" and singing at the top of her lungs.
Rory groaned, "Would you turn that down!?"
Lorelai skipped into the room and smiled at her daughter, "No. I will not! It's my wedding day! This is the one day in my life when I can do whatever I want."
Rory rolled her eyes, "Mom you've always done whatever you wanted."
Lorelai shrugged and turned towards the stereo and used the clicker to turn it down. "Yes, but today of all days you can't protest!"
Rory laughed, "Fine. But is there seriously no coffee in this house?"
Lorelai shook her head, "Luke dumped it all so that I wouldn't be tempted. Sorry kid! You'll have to go to the Diner if you want it…but if you go I'm coming with you."
Rory shook her head, "No. We can't do that; I'll just-"
"Anyone awake?" A voice called as the front door opened, "You know you should really lock the door…it's not safe."
"Well those are words only Luke would say but that's not his voice…" Lorelai whispered but she smiled, "Oh hey Jess!"
"Seriously…it's not safe." Jess said shaking his head, "You should lock the door."
"Well since there is nothing left in the house to steal, I'm not to terribly worried about it." Her eyes fell on what was in Jess's hands, "You brought goodies!"
Jess nodded, "Gifts from Luke. And since he couldn't deliver them himself he sent me. Sorry if you are disappointed."
"While I would LOVE to see Luke…I smell coffee so I can't be disappointed. Although I have a feeling one of those cups has tea in it for me so I guess maybe I will be…" She said with a small pout.
Jess smirked, "Lucky for you, Luke seems to be in a really good mood this morning. He decided as long as you stick to one cup…you may have some coffee."
"What?" Lorelai said as her face erupted into a smile, "Is this a sick joke?"
Jess shook his head and handed her a cup, "Nope. See for yourself."
Lorelai snatched the cup from his hands and took a long gulp, ignoring how it burned her mouth. "Oh sweet elixir of life! I have missed you sweetie!"
"Wow…Luke really must love you if he is letting you have coffee today." Rory said with a chuckle, "But he better have sent one over for me to or I am objecting to this union."
Jess laughed and handed her the other cup, "Well we can't have that happen."
Rory's smile grew, "I knew there was a reason I loved Luke!"
"You know if I didn't know any better I'd think you guys were only interested in Luke for the coffee…" Jess said shaking his head.
"And don't forget the free food!" Lorelai said with a smile, "That's pretty awesome too. Not to mention the fact that he's a total stud."
Rory grimaced, "Oh God no…please don't start talking about how sexy he is again! I just erased the mental image of him naked in my shower out of my head!"
Jess groaned, "Oh gross! I don't want to think about that!"
Lorelai smirked, "Well how do you think this baby was made?" She said rubbing a hand on her belly, "I can promise you that it wasn't Immaculate Conception!"
"Alright…I gotta get out of here if you are going to start talking about that crap." Jess said quickly as he thrust his hands towards her, "This is the rest of your stuff. Enjoy. See you guys at the wedding."
"You can't just leave me with her!" Rory said with a pout, "She'll drive my crazy until then."
Jess shrugged and looked at his watch, "Until four this afternoon she isn't related to me which means I don't have to actually stay and listen to her. You are her daughter so you don't have a choice. Good luck!"
"Ugh! You suck!" Rory said glaring back at him.
"Careful Gilmore…I'll take back the coffee…" He teased reaching for it.
Rory held it closer to her, "Don't even think about it!"
Jess chuckled and then left the house to leave the girls to their gifts. Lorelai took her coffee, the bag of food and the gift box into the living room and sat back down on the bed. She took out the muffins and handed one to Rory who sat down beside her and watched her intently.
"So what's in the box?" Rory asked taking a bite of her muffin.
Lorelai put her coffee down on the floor and then flipped open the top of the box and gasped when she saw what was inside of it." Oh my goodness…"
"Wow…" Rory said glancing down at the two dangling sapphire earrings. "Those are beautiful…"
Lorelai wiped a tear from her eyes, "They are stunning…"
"Read the note…" Rory said nudging her mother's leg as she took the jewelry box from her hands.
Lorelai reached towards the discarded tray that held the coffee and retrieved the note in Luke's handwriting and read it out loud.
"Good morning crazy lady. I listened to your voicemail…and I want you to know that I love you too. I hope you enjoy the coffee because it's the last cup you are having until after our baby is born! I shouldn't even be giving it to you now…but knowing you…you probably got up really early. You always do when you are excited or anxious about things. And if you got up…you more than likely woke up Rory too. I figured you'd both need something to get you through the day. I don't need you falling asleep at the alter…I want you awake and alert so you don't miss a second. I hope you like the earrings…I was going to wait until after the ceremony to give them to you but April saw them and reminded me you still needed something blue and something new. I saw these at the store the other day and they reminded me of your eyes…I wanted you to have them. I know they will look beautiful on you…everything always does. I love you Lorelai Victoria Gilmore…and I can't wait to be your husband. I'll see you at the alter."
"I always knew Luke was an old softie…" Rory said as she watched tears stream down her mothers face.
Lorelai took a shaky breath, "God I love him…"
"I know…" Rory said giving her knee a squeeze, "This is gonna be good Mom. Really good…for all of us."
Lorelai smiled at her daughter, "I know. I just wish I could have given you this real family earlier…"
Rory shook her head, "Luke's always been like a Dad to me. This just makes it official. You gave me the most amazing childhood Mom…I wouldn't change anything about it." She wiped at her mothers tears, "No more crying…I'm sure we will both be crying a river later on today. Grandma will be here soon so we better take our showers now."
"You go first…" Lorelai said smiling at her, "I just need a minute…"
Rory nodded and quickly took her coffee and muffin and then went upstairs towards the bathroom. Lorelai lay back on the mattress and held the earrings up in front of her. They dangled back and forth and the sun made the blue sapphires sparkle through the whole room.
Her heart skipped a beat as she thought about the amazing man that had given them to her. And she just hoped that time would speed up so she could finally be his wife.
By 3, Lorelai, Rory, Liz, April, Sookie and Emily were all in the bridal suite at the Inn. They were getting their hair and make up done and gossiping about the different guests and guessing at what everyone would wear. Lorelai was sitting in the biggest chair there with a robe that said "Bride" on the back when Michel walked in with a bouquet of flowers in his hands.
"I know you picked out flowers…" He whispered, "But Luke insisted that you carry these…"
Lorelai's face lit up when she saw them, they looked like the same flowers he had given her on the day of the test run. The very same day that their relationship had started.
"They are beautiful…" Lorelai said as he handed them to her, "Have you seen him?"
"Yes. He's upstairs with the groomsmen." Michel said smiling at her.
"Does he look handsome?" Lorelai asked with a giddy smile, and then shook her head, "What a stupid question. He always looks handsome!"
Michel shrugged, "I will say he cleans up rather nicely when he takes off that foolish baseball cap and ugly flannel. Hasn't anyone told him that flannel was so 1990s?"
"I like his flannel and I LOVE his baseball cap." Lorelai said as she inhaled the sweet scent of the flowers.
"Mom gave him the hat years ago…" Rory said with a smile as the hairdresser finished curling her hair. "It was the first real gift she ever gave him."
"Yes well…he better not wear it during the ceremony." Emily said with a scowl, "While I have grown to love him I will not accept that during the wedding."
Lorelai laughed, "He won't wear it at the ceremony Mom…I promise. However tonight when we're alone I may bring it out…" She said with a twinkle in her eyes.
Rory groaned, "God seriously Mom…stop talking about your sex life! I can't take anymore of it!"
"I'm sorry! It's the hormones." Lorelai said with a chuckle, "I can't help myself."
"I remember when I was pregnant with Doula, I couldn't keep my hands off of TJ." Liz said nodding in understanding, "I really tired him out."
"Lucky for me your brother is very healthy and has amazing stamina. So far he's keeping up very well." She said with a smirk.
"La la la la la!" April said as she threw her hands over her ears, "I'm with Rory on this one! I don't want to hear about this!"
"I will admit that when I was pregnant with you Lorelai I had a larger sexual appetite as well." Emily said as she sipped her mimosa, "Your father didn't know what to do with me!"
"Oh GROSS!" Lorelai said making a gagging noise, "Mom I don't want to think about that!"
"See! Now you know how we feel?" Rory said gesturing between her and April. "Can we cool it with the hormonal talk please?"
Lorelai gagged again, "Fine…but someone say something else to distract me from the image of my parents doing it."
"What if I told you that its only one hour until wedding time?" Sookie asked, "Would that help? In one hour from now you will finally be a Mrs."
Lorelai's face lit up, "That definitely helps…" The room got quiet for a minute as they all let it sink in before Lorelai kicked her feet excitedly. "I'm getting married!"
The room cheered together excitedly and quickly went back to getting ready for the fast approaching ceremony.
Upstairs, Luke was pacing nervously in the room he and the groomsmen were given. Jess watched him with amusement as he finished shaving in the bathroom and Luke's friends Mike and John were taking bets on when his freak out would happen.
TJ walked back into the room and angrily tried to stretch his legs, "I still think you should have gone with a renaissance themed wedding Luke. I mean the air pants were so much more comfortable than this tux."
"For the hundredth million time…no self-respecting man would wear tights TJ! Especially not to their own damn wedding." Luke said as he continued to pace.
"Right on schedule…" Mike muttered, "Cough up the dough Johnny boy…operation Luke freak out is underway."
"Damn it Luke…I thought you had at least ten more minutes in you." John said as he pulled out his wallet and handed Mike fifty bucks.
"I'm not freaking out." Luke said whipping his head over towards his buddies. "This is not me freaking out."
TJ glared at him, "You look like you are freaking out man…that creepy vein is starting to pop out of your forehead. I'm telling you air pants would have helped in this situation. There would have been better air circulation for you to be able to breath a little better…"
"TJ…stop talking about freaking air pants before I strangle you." Luke said stopping his pacing as he glared back at him.
John hollered excitedly, "Alright! Butch is gonna beat someone up! Just like the good old days…"
Luke turned towards him, "I'm not gonna beat someone up and I'm not going to wear any damn air pants just like I'm not freaking out!"
"Okay there Uncle Luke…" Jess said walking into the room, "Why don't we go for a walk?" He asked clapping a hand on his back.
"I don't need to go for a stupid walk." Luke muttered as he tried to brush off his hand.
"I think some fresh air might be good for you…" Jess said softly.
"He could have had fresh air in his lower regions if he had worn the air pants!" TJ said pointing a finger at him.
"TJ I swear to God I'm gonna-" Luke started as he tried to lunge towards his brother in law.
Jess quickly grabbed him and steered him towards the door before walking with him down the hall and down the stairs before the slipped out the back door. Luke continued to mutter obscenities under his breath as Jess walked him towards where the ceremony would take place in under an hour.
"You want to tell me what you are freaking out about? I thought you told me you weren't having cold feet?" Jess asked as they came to a stop under a nearby tree.
Luke sighed, "I don't have cold feet…I want to marry Lorelai. That's not why I'm all worked up."
"Then what's the problem?" Jess asked as he folded his arms over his chest, "Something obviously bothering you…and not that you and I like to talk about our feelings or anything," He paused and shrugged, "But I feel like we should probably do that before Lorelai walks down the aisle…she may kill you if you back out now."
Luke shook his head, "I don't want to back out."
"So what's the deal?" Jess asked, "You love Lorelai…that's obvious. And she loves you…"
Luke nodded slowly and looked back at the Inn, "Yeah. I do love her…I don't know I was so ready and I am ready for this. I guess I'm just worried that I'm not enough for her. I know she says this is good enough…but sometimes I think she deserves so much more. I mean I know she deserves so much more…I just want to make sure she's happy. I don't want her to ever regret me."
Jess shook his head; "Uncle Luke…Lorelai made her choice a long time ago. She wants you…you're the only guy that's ever actually made her happy."
Luke nodded again, "Yeah I know that but I still worry that one day she's gonna wake up and think…why the hell am I still stuck here?"
"No one can predict the future but I really doubt that will happen. This has been a long time coming Uncle Luke…she wants to be with you. Lorelai's been through a lot of crap in her life and now she's finally happy and safe. She doesn't want anyone else…this is happening. You're going to get married today and then in a couple of months you're gonna have a kid…this is your life Uncle Luke. And if you can give me any logical reason why you shouldn't go through with this today I'll let you back out. But other wise I'm making you do this. I'm not gonna let you do something you'll regret. You said your self the two biggest regrets in your life were not telling her how you felt for eight years and then letting her walk away last time…don't ruin it again." Jess said shaking his head.
Luke took a deep breath, "Wow…for a guy who doesn't like to talk much you really just calmed me down a lot. I picked right for my best man."
Jess laughed, "Does this mean I don't have to worry about Rory killing me for letting you leave?"
Luke laughed, "No. I'm not going anywhere…I never really was. I just…I just needed a reminder that she wanted this too."
Jess smiled, "She does. They both do. This is good Uncle Luke…really good."
He nodded once and looked towards the chairs and chuppah, "Yeah. It is…"
"Okay then…lets get back upstairs. We need to finish getting ready. Ceremony starts in forty minutes." Jess said clapping a hand on his back again and leading him back towards the Inn.
Luke followed him and nodded before speaking again, "Just do me a favor and keep TJ away from me will ya? He's driving me nuts…"
Jess laughed, "I'll do my best…"
Luke smiled at him as they walked up the back stairs and back towards their room upstairs. In forty minutes Lorelai Gilmore would officially be his wife…and it was about damn time!
Five minutes before the ceremony, Lorelai was standing in front of a full-length mirror staring at herself. Her dress still fit which she considered to be a miracle since there was a tiny bump present through the dress. For the people who didn't know about it yet, they were sure to know about it by the end of the day. Not that it mattered, she was so proud to be carrying Luke's baby and couldn't wait to meet him or her.
She pulled at her perfectly curled locks to make sure not a strand was out of place. She knew Luke would want her to wear her hair down, he often told her that though he always found her beautiful he preferred her hair down and curly. She lifted her chin to make sure her make up hadn't smudged when she began to cry a few minutes earlier. In the middle of her wandering thoughts, she felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked in the mirror to see her daughter staring back at her.
"Hey…how are you doing?" Rory asked giving her shoulder a slight squeeze, "It's almost show time…"
Lorelai took a deep breath and put a hand over her heart, "A little nervous…"
Rory smiled, "You shouldn't be…you know this is right."
Lorelai smiled back and smoothed out her dress, "I know. I guess I've just been waiting so long for this moment…now that it's finally here it feels a bit overwhelming."
Rory smiled, "This is exactly where you are supposed to be…"
Lorelai stared at her daughter for a moment, "I can't believe you are leaving me tomorrow…how did you get so grown up?"
Rory shook her head quickly, "We said we weren't going to talk about that. We can't afford to cry anymore than we already will. And…today is your day, not mine."
Lorelai nodded slowly, "I just love you kid…"
Rory whimpered and threw her arms around her mothers neck, "I love you to Mom. So much."
Lorelai squeezed her back and tried to hold back the tears, "I don't' know why I even bothered to put any make up on. It's going to be washed away in minutes at this rate."
Rory giggled and pulled back, "Then let's get the show on the road…"
Emily and Richard walked into the room and stared at the two girls, "All ready?" Emily asked.
Lorelai took a deep breath and looked at her self one more time; "I think so yes…"
"You look beautiful…" Emily said reaching over to cup her daughters face in her hands, "The perfect bride…"
Lorelai smiled, "Thanks Mom…"
She smiled again, "The music is starting…we should get out there Rory."
Rory nodded and looked back at her Mom, "See you at the alter Mom." She kissed her cheek quickly and then linked arms with her grandmother before they walked out of the room.
Richard stood quietly in the corner of the bridal suite admiring his daughter from afar. He watched her primp her hair once more and pull at her dress before she reached to the table nearby and picked up her bouquet of flowers.
She turned slowly and looked at him, "Ready Dad?" He didn't respond, only stared at her in awe and she felt the blush grow in her cheeks. "Dad? Are you alright?"
Richard cleared his throat and whispered, "I'm just very proud of you Lorelai…"
She felt the tears burning in her eyes again and she took a shaky breath, "Dad…"
"To see you standing here…happy and in love. You're successful with your business that you worked so hard for…you're an amazing mother." He shook his head, "You're stronger than anyone I know…and I am proud to call you my daughter."
She looked down slowly and nodded, "Dad you're going to make me cry…"
He smiled sadly and walked closer to her, "I'm not meaning too…I guess I'm just wondering when the hell you grew up so fast."
Lorelai laughed through her tears as she lifted her head, "I'm a lot older than most brides Dad. So if you are still wondering that now we would have to go back about thirty years to when I was a kid…"
Richard chuckled, "It doesn't matter how old you are Lorelai…" He leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently. "You will always be my little girl…"
Unable to hold the tears back anymore, she quickly reached for him and wrapped her small arms around his large, strong shoulders. "I love you Daddy…"
Richard felt the lump grow in his throat, the last time she had said that she was a very small girl…All the years seemed to flash before his eyes. Both the good and bad, and he mourned the time he missed with her but treasured the time he did spend with her. He held her tightly and whispered against her head, "I love you too Lorelai…"
He felt her nod her head once and then pull away slowly, "Okay…Okay we need to get out there before my face melts off."
Richard chuckled, "You do know how to ruin a perfectly good moment…"
Lorelai laughed, "Dad if you let me keep crying we'll be here for another eight months…"
He smiled, "Alright. Lets go get you married…"
She beamed up at him and linked her arm with his, together they walked out of the room. They went down the hall, out the back staircase and were just in time to see Rory start to walk down the aisle, the last of the bridesmaids. Lorelai's heart felt like it would burst out of her chest, but she felt her Dad give her an affectionate squeeze and she knew things would be okay.
At the end of the aisle, Luke was looking down; he didn't want to see Lorelai until she started walking towards him. Jess smirked when he got a first glimpse of her, "Wait till you see her…" He whispered to Luke.
Luke's eyes fluttered open nervously and his breath caught in his throat as he saw her walking towards him on Richard's arm. Her dress fit her perfectly, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the small bump beginning to show. The love of his life and his child were walking towards him…he was about to get everything he had ever wanted. And instead of being completely terrified or unsure, he had never felt more relaxed and ready in his life.
Lorelai felt like she was floating, she couldn't feel her feet on the grass below her feet. Her eyes were glued to Luke and she felt so overwhelmed by how handsome he looked. His smile seemed to grow with each step she took towards him and her heart felt like it was going to explode. She was faintly aware of her friends and family watching from their seats but she never turned to look at them. She only had eyes for one man…Luke Danes.
When they finally reached the end of the aisle, she reminded herself to breath as Richard kissed her cheek, shook Luke's hand and then stepped aside. Her hands were shaking when Luke reached for her but they stilled when he gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"You look stunning…" He whispered in a hoarse voice, his blue eyes looked like they were full of unshed tears.
"You don't look so bad yourself mister…" She whispered back in a soft voice.
He winked at her, and then turned towards Archie to begin the ceremony. They listened to him talk about love, and how it was the greatest gift anyone could receive. When they stole glances at each other, they had to turn away quickly to keep from smiling too much or leaning forward to kiss each other.
But finally Archie let them know it was time to say their vows, "And now its time for what I think this whole town has been waiting for…" Everyone laughed and he smirked at Luke and Lorelai, "Could you face each other please?"
Rory helped Lorelai readjust her dress before taking her bouquet and giving her a happy smile. Lorelai then turned back towards Luke who beamed over at her as they locked hands and waited for their cue.
"Luke…if you will repeat after me please." He smiled at his long time friend, "I Lucas William Danes…take you Lorelai Victoria Gilmore to be my wife…"
"I Lucas William Danes…take thee Lorelai Victoria Gilmore to be my wife…" He said in a strong and clear voice.
"To have and to hold from this day forward…" Archie continued.
"To have and to hold from this day forward…" His voice was still clear but it cracked with emotion in the end.
"For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health…" He whispered encouragingly.
He took a deep breath and tried to keep it together, "For better or worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health…"
"And to love and cherish…until death do us part." Archie finished.
He couldn't hide the emotion in his voice any longer and ignored the cracking in his voice, "And to love and cherish…until death do us part."
Lorelai beamed up at him as Archie turned to her, "And now Lorelai…repeat after me." He cleared his throat and spoke again, "I Lorelai Victoria Gilmore…take you Lucas William Danes to be my husband…"
She took a deep breath and squeezed Luke's hands before speaking, "I Lorelai Victoria Gilmore…take you Lucas William Danes…to finally be my husband!" She said with excitement making everyone in the audience and Luke laugh. "Sorry…" She mumbled to Archie.
Archie laughed, "I think we all feel that way Lorelai. It's alright. But lets continue." He cleared his throat again, "To have and to hold from this day forward…"
"To have and to hold from this day forward…" She spoke and made sure to never take her eyes off of him.
"For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health…" He continued.
Her confidence faltered slightly due to her emotion and she sniffled slightly, "For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health…"
"And to love and cherish…until death do us apart." Archie finished for her.
She took another shaky breath and whispered softly, "And to love and cherish until death do us part…"
"If we could have the rings please?" Archie asked turning towards Jess.
Jess reached into his pocket and took out the rings before handing them to his Uncle. Luke smiled at him and then turned back to Lorelai and took her hand, waiting for Archie to tell him hat to do next.
"Now Lucas, place the ring on Lorelai's finger and repeat after me…With this ring I thee wed…" Archie said.
Luke glanced up at Lorelai who had tears in her eyes and he slid the ring onto her finger, "With this ring…I thee wed."
Lorelai's smile grew and she dangled her finger letting the light play off the two bands there. She then took Luke's ring from Jess's hands and turned back towards her almost husband.
"Lorelai place the ring on Luke's finger and say, with this ring, I thee wed." Archie said to her.
Lorelai slid the ring onto his finger and smiled up at him, "With this ring…I thee wed."
Archie smiled at them, "Then by the power vested in me by the state of Connecticut…I now pronounce you…husband and wife." Lorelai and Luke locked eyes and he chuckled when he saw Lorelai try to keep from squealing. "You may now kiss your bride Luke…"
Luke didn't have to be told twice, he pulled Lorelai flush up against him and pressed his lips against hers. Their guests erupted in applause and cheers towards the newlyweds. When the music began to play again, they turned towards their friends and family, linked arms and walked together down the aisle.
When they walked back towards the Inn, Lorelai led Luke towards her office to give them a moment of privacy. Luke quickly shut the door behind them, drowning out the sounds of their friends and family.
He quickly crossed the room in two steps and cupped her face, "You're my wife…"
Lorelai beamed up at him as she held his strong forearms in her small hands, "You're my husband…"
"God I love you…" He mumbled as he pulled her closer and crushed his lips against hers, "You are incredible…you look incredible. You look perfect." Luke said against her lips as he rained kisses over her face.
She giggled, "Luke…"
"I just...I can't believe we are finally married." He said pulling back to look at her, "I can't believe this…"
"Need me to pinch you?" She asked in a seductive voice, "Cuz you aren't dreaming…" She whispered as she reached back to pinch his butt.
"Lorelai!" He said trying to sound angrily but failing miserably as he started to laugh, "Not here…"
She pouted, "I wish you could take my upstairs right now…"
He groaned, "Don't tempt me…" He mumbled as he pulled her in for another kiss. "I'd throw you over my shoulder and drag you to room seven if I could…"
"Why room seven?" She asked as his lips licked and nipped at her neck.
"That's the room I slept in during the test run…" He smirked against her lips, "And after our first kiss…I had very dirty dreams about you up there."
She sighed happily and leaned against her desk, "Oh God…tell me about them…"
He groaned and pulled away from her, "If I wasn't worried about TJ busting through the door talking about air pants I would…trust me."
She giggled and leaned her forehead against his; "I guess we'll just have to wait to consummate this marriage until later…"
He sighed and nodded slowly, "I guess so…"
"Think you can handle dancing with me once or twice tonight?" She asked as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
He smiled and kissed her softly, "You got it…"
A quiet knock on the door made them pull apart and they smiled when they saw Rory and Jess on the other side, "The natives are getting restless…" Rory said.
"Which is her way of saying Kirk already tripped and fell into the rose bushes." Jess said with a shrug.
Lorelai and Luke laughed as she wrapped an arm around Luke's waist, "How did that happen?"
"He was crying so hard after the ceremony he couldn't see where he was going." Rory said rolling her eyes.
"Well at least he has pants on this time…" Luke said with a shake of his head as he laughed.
"He just took of his suit jacket…so it's only a matter of time before the rest of his clothes follow." Jess said with a grimace.
"Just don't give him any alcohol and we should be fine…" Lorelai said pulling Luke towards the door. "Come on. You promised me a dance mister."
"Yes dear…" He said pretending to groan as she pulled him out of the room.
They walked towards the backyard again where the reception was set up. Their friends cheered for them as they made their way onto the dance floor and Luke wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Oh no! We never picked a song…" Lorelai said with a frown, "We were so busy with everything else we forgot…"
Luke shook his head, "Don't worry…I told Lane what I wanted." He winked at Lane who smiled and put the record on.
"You picked the song?" Lorelai asked in disbelief, "Oh God it's not Jimmy Buffet or STYX is it?"
Luke rolled his eyes, "No. But I still will argue that Buffet is great…"
"What you say babe…just don't wear the flowery shirts around me okay?" She teased as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Yes dear…" He said with a chuckle again, he couldn't help but smile when he saw the smile on Lorelai's face grow when she began to recognize the song. "Did I do good?"
Lorelai felt the tears burning in her eyes again, "Oh Luke…it's the song we danced to at Liz and TJ's wedding…"
He nodded slowly, "I remember thinking you could never look more beautiful than you did that night…" He shook his head and reached up to tug at the flowers in her hair, "Boy was I wrong…"
She smiled up at him as they swayed to the music, "You like the flowers? They were Liz's idea…"
He smiled, "Remind me to thank her later…"
"I will…" She said pulling him closer, "Hey Luke?"
He smiled at her as he rubbed small circles against her hips, "Yes Lorelai?"
"I love you…" She whispered softly as she rested her forehead against his.
He smiled and took a deep breath, "Good. Because I love you too…"
They swayed together to the music and enjoyed the closeness of one another. It was as if they were the only people in the room while their song played. But when it ended they were brought back to reality. Lorelai shared a dance with Richard and Luke surprised Liz by pulling her out on the dance floor to dance with him as well.
Afterwards they went to take some pictures around the Inn's grounds. Lorelai even insisted they take a picture kissing in the doorway of the Inn just like they had on that first night together. When they were done and everyone was sitting down to eat, (Even Sookie who had tried but failed to sneak into the kitchen to test everything) they were interrupted by the sound of a fork against a champagne glass.
Lorelai and Luke tore themselves away from each other and looked towards Rory. She smiled at Luke and her Mom and nodded towards Jess who smiled back. Then she smoothed out her dress, took a sip of her champagne and turned towards the rest of the guests.
"I know usually the Best Man is the one who says a few words at the wedding…but Jess and I talked and agreed I would do it. Even though he's a brilliant writer…he prefers you all to think he's a mute." Everyone laughed and she looked back at him, "But I can assure you he is very articulate…" Jess smiled back at her and she winked before turning to her mother and Luke.
"Everyone here today knows that for most of my life it was always just me and my Mom…we were a team. Or at least that's what my Mom wanted me to believe." She smiled sadly, "But in reality my Mom was Superwoman…she took control of the show and gave me the greatest childhood any kid could ever ask for. She gave up everything to make sure that I was happy and healthy…the sacrifices she made no matter how big or small didn't matter to her as long as I was happy."
Lorelai felt Luke grab her hand and squeeze it gently as she felt the tears begin to burn in her eyes. He wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her closer to kiss the top of her head.
"When I was younger…I didn't really always understand or appreciate these sacrifices. But now that I am older can look back and understand just how much my Mom did for me. There were many years when we were on our own that Mom would go without food just to make sure that I was fed first." She smiled and looked over at Luke, "That was until Luke came into our lives…"
Luke blushed and now it was Lorelai's turn to give his hand an affectionate squeeze. He glanced at her and she leaned forward to kiss his cheek before turning back to her daughter.
"My Mom's famous line was that she had already eaten at work…she wasn't hungry." Rory said with a shake of her head, "And as a kid I didn't know how to make her eat…even if I heard her stomach rumbling. But Luke was a different story…" She smirked, "I remember about a month after we moved into our new house, Mom and I went to Luke's for dinner as usual. I was sitting up at the counter; my feet barely touched the ground already eating my chicken fingers and fries. Mom came bounding into the Diner after a long day at work and leaned over to kiss me on the cheek. She asked about my day, sat down beside me and smiled as she watched me eat my dinner. When Luke came out from the kitchen, he did his usual nod in her direction before grabbing his pad of paper and walking over to her, he cleared his throat and said in his best sarcastic and angry voice, 'Will it be your usual? Double cheeseburger, chili fries and a heart attack to go?'" Everyone laughed and Luke blushed against as Lorelai squeezed his hand again. "Mom pulled out her wallet, glanced inside and her cheeks immediately turned red…she shook her head, put the wallet back and smiled at Luke before saying, "I ate at the Inn thanks. Just Rory's dinner…"
Lorelai felt the tears falling down her face and she lifted a hand up to wipe them away. Luke rubbed her shoulders gently to remind her he was right beside her.
"He seemed to stare at her for a few minutes before he walked back towards the kitchen. Mom and I talked about our day, I'd offer her some food but she would refuse despite the fact that her eyes would wander over to my plate after every other word. And then about ten minutes later, Luke came back over and put down a plate in front of Mom with a cheeseburger and fries on it. He didn't even look at her but sighed when he realized she wasn't going to eat it without explanation. He looked up at her and shrugged before saying, 'I screwed up someone else's order. If you don't eat it it's going in the garbage so just eat it so I don't have to feel bad about the starving kids in Africa.'" Everyone laughed again and Rory smirked at Luke, "And that's when it started…that's when Luke began to take care of us. Even if Mom couldn't afford it he made sure we never went a day without our bellies full. Our porch railing was never lose, the gutters were always clean, he always cleaned our hair out of the drain God Bless him for that…" Everyone laughed again, "And he always gave us a safe place to find each other…each day ended with Mom and I sitting in the Diner gossiping and ranting about whatever major tragedy had happened that day. And Luke was always there to end the day with a piece of delicious pie sometimes with whipped cream on top to make all the bad stuff go away…"
Lorelai wrapped an arm around Luke's middle and leaned up to kiss his cheek. Luke smiled down at her with tears in his own eyes and she smiled, leaned up and wiped the tears away.
Rory took a deep breath, "So even though I often said that I didn't have a Dad growing up…" She swallowed the lump in her throat and whispered, "The truth is…Luke was always my Dad. Since the moment we walked into the Diner that day…he filled that void for me and I am so incredibly lucky."
The whole room was full of tears; Luke couldn't hide his own tears falling down his face. Lorelai didn't even attempt to wipe them away because she was to busy wiping her own tears away as her daughter continued.
"For the years that Mom couldn't always afford to pay for her meal…she made sure to leave more than necessary the next time. And what Mom doesn't know…and what I promised Luke I wouldn't tell her is that he stashed that money away." Rory said with a smirk as Luke's face turned red and Lorelai looked at him questioningly. "And after Luke moved me into my first year at Yale…and after he moved my mattress not once but twice…" Everyone laughed again, "He slipped an envelope in my backpack and told me to look after myself…"
"You didn't…" Lorelai said staring up at him in disbelief.
Luke shrugged shyly, "It wasn't a big deal…I just figured she could use it more than I could."
"Oh Luke…" Lorelai said softly as she leaned up to kiss him again.
Rory smiled, "So that extra money more than paid for my text books…and may or may not have contributed to a few underage drinking binges." Everyone laughed again and Rory continued, "But the point is…that when I left for school I was worried about Mom…for so many years she had been so busy taking care of me and now was the time she had to take care of herself. It wasn't that I didn't think she could do it…she was more than capable of it. I just knew she wouldn't…she feeds off of taking care of other people. It's what makes her happy…and when Luke gave me that envelope it reminded me that she wasn't going to be alone. She was far from alone…she had Luke. Our safety net…and he more than looked after her. He helped her make her dream of opening her own Inn possible…" She smirked, "And then he made her dream of finding true love possible as well…"
Luke looked down at Lorelai who seemed to be unable to take her eyes off of him. She leaned up and kissed him gently, as if to say thank you for all the things that her daughter was mentioning.
"Though their journey was anything but easy…I always hoped that this is where they would end up. I think everyone in this room was waiting for it…" Rory said looking around at the town that laughed and nodded in response. "And today even though I was sad to let go of that life I had with my Mom…I was more than happy to watch our family grow. Today I not only gained a father…" She whispered emotionally as she looked at Luke, "I gained a sister, "She said smiling over at April, "And in a few months…I'll have another sibling as well."
The rest of the town and their family and friends cheered in response and Lorelai and Luke kissed again.
Rory raised a glass, "So what I am trying to say is that I am so thankful for both my Mom and Luke. And I couldn't be happier for you guys. Although I am sad to leave tomorrow to start my new life in New York…I know that I always have somewhere safe and full of love to come back too. Thank you for giving me the greatest life possible. I love you both more than you could know. So I'd like everyone to raise their glass…" She said lifting hers higher, "To Lorelai and Luke…the two greatest people I know."
"To Lorelai and Luke…" Everyone said as they raised their glasses in response.
Luke helped Lorelai to her feet as everyone continued to cheer and Lorelai pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. "God…way to bring out the waterworks kid."
Rory smiled through her own tears and hugged her back, "Sorry Mom…"
Lorelai pulled away and shook her head, "Don't apologize…that was beautiful."
Luke smiled at her, "It was. Except you did promise to never tell her about the money…"
Rory shrugged, "You should know by now I have a big mouth. I get it from her." She said jerking her thumb towards her Mom.
Luke laughed and pulled her in for a hug before whispering in her ear, "I love you kid."
She smiled and hugged him back, "I love you too Luke. Thank you for making my Mom so happy."
He smiled and pulled away from her, "Want to dance?"
Rory smiled, "I'd love too…" She turned towards her Mom, "Think you'll be okay for a few minutes?"
Lorelai smiled, "I think I can find someone to entertain me…"
Luke and Rory smiled at her and then walked together towards the dance floor. Lorelai watched them go happily and was soon joined by more friends who wanted to congratulate her.
Much later that night, Lorelai and Luke were sitting on the porch of the Dragonfly while their friends and family splintered off to their rooms. Lorelai was curled up beside Luke on the porch swing, resting her head on his shoulder.
"You sleepy?" Luke asked as he rubbed her back, "It's been a busy day…you and the munchkin must be ready to go to bed."
Lorelai snuggled into him more, "I'm wide awake babe. I don't want to miss a moment…I think that coffee of yours this morning was extra strong and extra good."
Luke chuckled, "Good. Because it has to hold you over until the baby comes."
Lorelai smiled and put a hand on her stomach, "I had a dream again that it was a girl…"
Luke smiled and ran a hand through her hair, "Oh yeah?"
She nodded against his shoulder, "Would that be okay? If it was a girl I mean…?"
He looked down at her, "Lorelai I don't care what it is…as long as it's healthy…that's all that's important."
She smiled, "Good…" She looked around the yard, "Think we can say goodnight to everyone and head up to the bridal suite?"
Luke nodded once, "Well…we can say goodnight to everyone but we aren't sleeping there tonight."
She frowned, "We're not? But all my stuff is up there…"
He smiled, "Rory and April are going to sleep there tonight. We have somewhere else to be…"
"Where?" Lorelai asked as he pulled her up to her feet.
"Don't worry…" He said as he took her hand and led her towards Rory and April, "We're not camping out anywhere…"
Lorelai sighed with relief; "Good…you scared me there for a minute."
He chuckled as Rory and April came to meet them, "You guys headed out?" Rory asked.
Lorelai frowned again, "Yes…but I wish I knew where we were going."
April smiled, "Don't worry…Dad's got a few good surprises still up his sleeve. You wont' be disappointed."
Luke smiled and pulled her closer to him, "You two will be alright tonight?"
April nodded, "Yup. Jess will be around too, don't worry about us. We'll be just fine."
"But we'll see you in the morning before you both head out right?" Lorelai asked as she pulled her daughter close.
"We aren't going anywhere until we see you both…" Rory said wrapping an arm around her, "I don't have to rush and April's flight isn't until later in the afternoon. We'll have plenty of time for goodbyes. Don't worry about it now…"
Lorelai sighed and pulled her in for a kiss on the cheek, "I love you kid…thank you for everything today."
"I love you too Mom." Rory said holding her back, "Congratulations."
Luke hugged April, "You behave yourself tonight…"
April laughed, "I will Dad...but you better too. We wouldn't want Lorelai to change her mind by the morning…"
They all laughed and Lorelai shook her head, "Not possible…"
"Goodnight you guys…" Luke said as he hugged Rory and Lorelai hugged April.
They watched them walk back towards the Inn and then Luke took Lorelai's hand in his again. He began to pull her away from the Inn and she once again frowned at him confused about where they were headed.
"Luke seriously…where are we going?" She asked as he pulled her along.
"You'll see…" He smirked as he pulled a blindfold from his pocket, "Eventually…"
"Luke Danes…" She said as her eyes widened in shock, "Kinky boy…"
He chuckled and then pulled her towards his truck, "Get in will ya? You'll know where we are soon enough."
Lorelai squeezed his hand and let him push her up into the truck. Luke couldn't help but giggle as he got in the driver side and saw her practically bouncing in her seat. He started the truck and drove towards their destination quickly. When they got there, Luke parked the car, got out and walked over to her side of the car and opened the door for her.
He took her hand, and led her down the path towards her last surprise of the day. She listened to him instruct her of when to step up and step down. Her heart was pounding in her chest as they began to slow down signaling to her they were almost there.
She felt him move around behind her and heard him open a door before whispering in her ear, "You ready?"
She nodded, "Yes. But I told you before…I'm not afraid of it anymore."
He couldn't help but chuckle, "Lorelai…can you be serious just for a moment please?"
She smiled and took a deep breath, "Okay. Sorry. I'm ready."
He nodded once and then leaned up to untie the blindfold from her eyes, "Welcome home Lorelai…"
Lorelai gasped as she put a hand to her lips, "Luke…I don't…how did you…when did you?"
He smiled and watched her eyes look over their finished bedroom that was glowing in candlelight. "Well The house is finished…we just needed to move the furniture in. So I called in a few favors to see if our room could be ready tonight…and Patty and Babette came by a few minutes before us to light the candles."
She turned towards him and raised an eyebrow, "You sure they left? Knowing them they may be hiding in the closet trying to tape us…"
Luke chuckled, "They pulled down the driveway just as I was pulling in."
She smiled and looked around, "It's perfect…" She stepped forward to walk into the room but Luke reached out to stop her, "Are we just going to stare at it?"
Luke smiled and shook his head, "No…but you can't just walk in." He bent down and swept her up into his arms making her giggle. "I have to carry you over the threshold…"
"My husband is so big and strong…" She whispered as she squeezed him closer.
He chuckled and walked her into the room, "You're ruining the moment dear…"
She smiled as he placed her down on the floor beside the bed, she turned and glanced at the finished headboard he had made. "Oh Luke…"
He smiled, "You like it? I made sure to finish it early so I could stain it early enough. I didn't want the smell to bother you…not good for the baby."
"Always looking out for me…" She said leaning forward to caress his face. "My doting husband…"
He smiled at her sheepishly, "If you wanted to stay at the Inn we can go back if you want…"
She shook her head, "No. No this is absolutely perfect. Better than I could have ever imagined…"
Luke nodded slowly and walked closer to her, "I can't believe we're actually here…"
Tears welled up in her eyes as she gazed at him through the candle light, "Neither can I…"
He reached up and pulled at the flowers in her hair, "Have I told you today how beautiful you are?"
"You may have mentioned it a few thousand times…" She said batting her eyelashes, "But I wouldn't protest to hearing it again…"
He smiled and pulled her closer and kissed her gently, "You are beautiful Lorelai Gilmore."
She shook her head, "Lorelai Danes… "
The smile on his face grew even wider, "Lorelai Danes…"
She smiled and leaned up to kiss him, "I like the sound of that…"
"Me too…" He whispered as their lips met in a kiss, when he pulled away she turned her back to him smiling over her shoulder affectionately. "Lorelai…"
She smiled, "Take it off…"
He nodded slowly and tried to keep his hands from shaking as he began to pull at the buttons on the back of her dress. Then he slid the straps down her shoulders and pushed it down all the way. He helped her step out of it carefully and admired the silky slip that was underneath it.
She turned towards him and began to pull at his tie as he pushed his suit jacket off. When he was down to his boxers, he lifted her up again and lay her down on their bed. She smiled up at him as he lay over her and she leaned up to pull at the hairs at the back of his neck affectionately.
"Hey husband…" She whispered softly.
He smiled down at her, "Hey wife…"
She traced the lines on his face and smiled gently, "Rory was right you know…"
He furrowed his brow, "About what?"
"You have kept us safe for so long…" She whispered with a lump in her throat, "I always knew I could lean on you if I needed you. I always knew you'd catch me…since the day I walked into the Diner you've been there for me."
He smiled, "I didn't stand a chance Lorelai…since the day you walked into the Diner I've been yours. I'd do anything for you…anything you ever need or want I'll give you. You and our baby…" He whispered as he leaned down to kiss her stomach. "Anything ever…"
Her eyes welled up with tears, "God I love you…"
Lifting his head he looked back up at her and whispered, "I love you too…"
"Come up here…" She whispered to him as she wiped at her tears, she pulled him up towards her and let his lips crash against hers.
Together they lay in the glow of the candles in their very own bed for the first night as husband and wife. And as he made love to her Lorelai felt the pain and worries of everything that had happened just a few months before slip away. Nothing else mattered now…no one would come between them ever again. They had FINALLY sealed the deal…they were husband and wife.
Now the real fun could begin…
So what did you think? I hope you liked it :) I think I set it up well for a sequel just in case. I hope you enjoyed reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for all your support!