AN: This chapter sprung up out of nowhere. It wasn't planned and I hope it fits. Please let me know what you think of it. Thanks!
3.09e Resolutions
Now Luke had had plans to shut the place down
And close it all up to the rest of the town.
But, ere he'd lock doors and turn the lights dim,
An impromptu party did quite accost him!
Miss Patty had stayed so she wouldn't miss
The chance to enforce a New Year's Eve kiss
Between Lorelai and the flannel-clad man—
Step Three-Forty-Six in her on-going plan.
Another good reason that Patty would cling:
She'd never pass up on a reason to sing!
That night, she'd assembled an Auld Lang Syne crew
In Babette and Maury—and Kirk Gleason too.
'Course Kirk had suggested that Lulu should stay
(The two would become quite an item someday.)
The Bellevilles attended and he, with can-do,
Extended the invite to his pal, Andrew.
So, late in the night, this cool thirty first,
Did Luke find himself, by eight Townies, cursed
To not close the diner and not hit the hay—
Yet open up, early, the very next day!
'Course slick Lorelai had spearheaded it
And she was the only he'd gladly permit.
(Along with her daughter who also did stay
But she'd gone to Jess, that night, straightaway.)
As much as Luke wanted to desperately sleep,
This Lorelai's company, he gladly would keep.
In fine form she was—in quite a good mood:
She'd flirted with him as she'd wrangled some food.
And then, with a wink and her finely placed hand,
He'd known that, her pleading, he wouldn't withstand.
The door of his diner would live on, unlocked—
And there'd be no end to the Townies that flocked!
So, now, since he found himself taken by her—
And, sadly, his sleep he'd been forced to defer—
The diner stayed open, well-past the day's light,
In wait of the clock to strike the mid night.
His diner had never been closed New Year's Day
But, this time, his patrons might find it that way!
Seemed, if he were honest, the sign on his door
Would have to, next morning, quite drolly implore,
"Luke's closed due to Lorelai. Please come again."
But such salty comments would beg he abstain.
Those types of suggestions—which some would find bawdy—
Should only be said over Luke's cold dead body.
His nephew was sitting beneath the window
On cold diner floor, despite a wind's blow.
And Luke would not find, in him, any assistance.
"I have the day off," had been Jess's insistence.
And Rory curled up, alongside her date.
The two had some books to, minds, captivate.
Luke noticed they sat two hours or more,
Propped up by the wall, and each other, on floor,
Until, his attentions, good Lorelai found.
Her eyes, of such blue, would turn him around.
Spurred on by Miss Patty, she shamelessly flirted.
Amusement for antics, a decency, skirted.
And given those hours of lewd commentary
And Townies around him, relentlessly merry,
Did even Luke find himself laugh once or twice.
And maybe, for banter, 'twas worth such a price.
Despite himself, Lucas would have to admit
The night had been fun and he'd kind of liked it.
But never would Luke admit liking out loud!
'Twas better to keep it in mystery's shroud.
The voice of her mother could sometimes be loud
And Rory now heard her, above all the crowd.
A moment she took to glance and confirm
The antics occurring were making Luke squirm.
Her mother was spry and quite impishly able—
And eggnog and rum would, her, further enable.
The nipping had started around about nine,
Until all the drink would, restraint, undermine.
Did Lorelai flirt! Jess looked up again.
But Luke's dry rebuttal did prove him unslain.
Her joke did, his uncle, at first words appall
But he took it further to, merriment, All.
A whisper from Rory, contained the word, "Rum,"
So Jess would now know what had caused the outcome.
Jess witnessed once more. Then, snickering dryly,
He went back to tales of Ignatius Reilly.
Her mother, it seemed, was sure on a roll
But both she and Luke had it under control.
While, off-colour words, the others did bandy,
Did Rory return to the fourth Tristram Shandy.
A draft swirled around her and tickled her cheek
So she had a mind to, more comforting, seek.
She leaned further into the shoulder of Jess.
Her cheek, on his sweater, she lightly did press.
The air, by the door, she'd found to be colder
But that was laid waste by the warmth of his shoulder.
She sighed with contentment and settled in nook
Of Jess's warm body, and lifted her book.
He breathed a deep breath of sweet-scented air:
A hint of vanilla would waft from her hair.
He snaked out his arm and wrapped it around her.
He settled in closer, where scent would surround her.
Inspiring veil of vanilla bean scent
Played fancy on Jess and made him content.
No other attendees were either, then, needing.
They snuggled up tightly, resolved to their reading.
Until, with a turn, did a scheming Miss Patty
Speak up, in a tone so borderline bratty,
Some purposeful words, in essence, suggestive
While playing them off as, "Just something that's festive."
His uncle was flustered but—lo!—his eyes shone!
Jess wished he'd own up to just how far gone
He was over Lorelai—Luke was in love!—
And, one of these days, he'd need such a shove.
But though, by events, their ears roguely perked,
Did Rory just snicker. Jess wordlessly smirked.
They both disregarded the dance teacher's scheming
And looked to their pages, their golden threads gleaming.
Though Patty's short text would pressure headlong
And Lorelai's custom was live life headstrong,
Did she, her own self, eject from the jesting
To run to the spot where her daughter was resting.
Said, "Hey you two animals. Try to calm down,
Or awful examples you'll set for the town!
I fear that the others will think it's alright
To read through the countdown and straight through the night!"
Reluctantly Rory, her novel, deserted,
A slip of her paper, in novel, inserted.
Her mom had a point. This midnight was rare
And Janus deserved a certain fanfare.
She looked to her left and witnessed her beau
And saw that his eyes still trailed, to and fro,
The page of his book. She gave the poor fellow
A prod with the point of her sweater-clad elbow.
Then, "Huh?" did the boy deliver, surprised
(Seemed still, by his story, a bit mesmerized).
And Rory would grin to see the profusion
Of such ample cuteness by cause of confusion.
"It's almost midnight!" her mother enthused.
"The countdown is coming," summed Rory, amused,
"And then, as a toast to a Happy New Year,
A kiss must take place: our New Year's premiere."
Her mother, at this, just grunted and gaped,
A kiss was a topic she'd barely escaped!
So Lorelai left. She'd happily miss
Her daughter's and Jess's traditional kiss.
So, left to devices, with smile and with smirk
(Aware how the kissing would, Lorelai, irk,
Yet plight of her mother and Lucas unspoken)
The two gave each other attentions unbroken.
His voice became sultry and hers did so too
When, next, did he speak and she follow through,
"Why wait 'til tomorrow? I'll kiss you today."
"Then you'd better kiss me without a delay…"
And, just as the others began with a "Ten!"
Did Rory and Jess draw together, and then
They found one another with passionate lips
And gentle caresses which strengthened to grips.
The countdown, of others, the two kind of missed.
As straight through the counting they eagerly kissed
And, likewise, the two would not tag along
When diner erupted in time-honoured song.