A/N: Okay, I couldn't leave Luke feeling so sad like I did at the end of Chapter 3, so I decided to add a little epilogue a day or two later to spark a little hope for our favorite diner man. I tweaked the dialogue from the OC, because I can :)
It was fun to try and get in Sookie's head a little- she just makes me so damn happy!
Epilogue- Sookie
Sookie St. James sat at Lorelai's usual stool at the counter of Luke's Diner, sipping her coffee sighing and mentally mourning the loss of Clyde, the five tiered masterpiece wedding cake she had made for Lorelai and Max's wedding. She thought about the call she had gotten from Lorelai the day before, telling her about the cancelled engagement and shook her head sadly. She couldn't honestly say she was totally surprised, especially after the bizarre conversation they had at the inn a few days ago. Sookie frowned a little, hoping her friend wasn't too angry with her for bringing up the whole 'Luke is so crazy about you" topic again. But it would be so gosh darn fantastic if they could just both see it at same time! Seriously, she sometimes couldn't believe someone as sharp as Lorelai could live in such denial.
Sookie pondered this as she thought about the days leading up to Lorelai and Rory's impromptu road trip. It seemed to her that in the past few weeks her best friend had lost the happy spark in her eyes, especially when the topic of the wedding or Max was brought up. Still, she hated to see her friend unhappy, so she hoped a few days away would bring the fire back to Lorelai, and give her some much needed perspective. Oh! Chocolate! Chocolate helps bring things into perspective! She made a mental note to make sure she had plenty of chocolate espresso cookies ready for when the girls returned. She ran through the inn's pantry list in her head, making sure she had enough espresso powder. Her thoughts happily turned to other cheerful things like her new stuffed zucchini blossom recipe she was working on.
Her cell phone buzzed from her purse. Ignoring Luke's 'No Cell Phones' rule was risky today given the crankier than usual mood Luke was in lately, but when she peeked at the screen and saw Lorelai's number flashing, she figured she have to risk it. She pulled the phone from her bag and pushed the talk button to answer.
Lorelai's voice sounded chipper. "Hey Sookie, it's me."
"Hey sweetie, how's the trip going?"
"It's fine. Where are you?"
Sookie glanced over her shoulder. "Luke's. Got a nice little show going on here."
She smirked at the scene unfolding in the diner. Kirk was sitting at a table with an empty cup in from of him. Luke towered over the table, glaring menacingly at him. Sookie held up her cell phone so Lorelai can hear them argue. She knew Lorelai always appreciated a good Luke rant, and an argument with Kirk would never disappoint.
"You're been sitting there for two hours." Luke growled.
"I just want a little more coffee." Kirk replied.
"You've had eight refills."
"You know, in France, when you sit and order, you can have the table as long as you want."
"I bet you know what I'm gonna say next." Luke replied. Sookie grinned at this, she could see Luke's anger rising.
"That we're not in France?" Kirk asked, uncertainty in his voice.
"Give or take a profanity." Luke snapped back at him.
For once in his life, Kirk backed off, seemingly aware that Luke was in a foul mood. "Fine, I'll go. Can I have my check?" Luke slapped the check that was already on the table loudly for emphasis. Sookie turned her attention back to her phone.
"So, um, how's the spreading of the news going?" Lorelai asked, a little too brightly.
"Well, it worked just like you wanted, with one notable exception." she relied, nervous to bring up the topic of Luke again, given their last conversation.
"Who... what?"
Sookie looked sadly over her shoulder again at Luke. "He's just such a loner lately, the news hasn't gotten to him."
The showdown in the dining room continued. "Is there anyway to speed this up Kirk?" Luke grumbled impatiently.
"Sorry. I'm trying to figure out the tip and I've always been terrible with math. What's six percent of four forty three?" Luke glared and snatched the bill from Kirk, turning back toward the register.
It seemed like Lorelai hesitated on the other end of the call, for just a moment. "Could you just tell him now Sook, so I can cross this off my list?"
"Well, I…ugh, he's coming over, hang on." Sookie looked at Luke and greeted him cautiously, "Hey Luke?"
"Yeah?" He grumbled back as he rang up Kirk's check. Man, did that guy know how to put on a scowl or what?
Sookie tried to keep her tone light, but her voice shook a little nervously. Darn, I am so not good at this! "Have you heard the latest news, kinda sad, Lorelai and Max?"
"What about them?" His voice even crabbier, impatient for her to get on with it.
Ok, time to just out with it. "The wedding's off." She said intently, studying him for a reaction.
Luke's head snapped up to attention. "What? What happened?" He looked at Sookie in disbelief. Oh man, he has it for her so bad! She thought, fighting back a smile.
"You know, I don't really know. It was all kinda sudden." She lowered her voice to whisper, gesturing to the phone in her hand. "This is actually her now."
At the realization Lorelai was on the phone, his face softened and his eyes warmed. "Oh, well, uh, tell her I'm sorry. That's tough." Sookie could hear the affection in his voice. Awwww… he really is such a nice man.
"He says he's sorry." She relayed his message to Lorelai, still watching Luke's face as he digested this new information.
"Thanks." Sookie could hear the relief in her friend's voice. "Talk to you later. Bye."
"Hey Lorelai? Hang on a sec, would you?" Sookie glanced around, Luke had turned and had begun busying himself at the coffee machine, so she slipped out the door onto the front steps of the diner to talk to Lorelai privately.
"What is is it, Sook?" Lorelai sounded impatient on the phone.
"Well, you know, you haven't really told me about…. you know, the whole thing with Max. So, what happened there?"
Lorelai sighed, "Sookie, I don't know, you know? I just, I was so excited about getting married, but I never really stopped to think about BEING married. To Max. Being married to Max. Max in my house, all the time, with me and Rory. Him being her stepfath… he's hasn't really been…." She stopped. Sookie could tell she didn't really know what to say next.
"It's okay honey, I get it. You don't have to say anything else." Sookie said sympathetically. She paused, then went on. "But…. can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead, Sook."
"This sudden revelation, did it have anything to do with that conversation we had at the inn a few days ago? About you and a maybe a certain flannel-wearing-coffee-brewing-goat-carver?" Sookie asked in an over the top teasing voice.
"JESUS Sookie! Is he right there? You are in the diner, right? Can he hear you?" Lorelai sounded panicked.
"No, no, sweetie, I stepped outside. But come on Lorelai…..you're thinking about it aren't you? Him, the chuppah, the goat...you know?" Sookie gushed excitedly, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively even though Lorelai could not see her expression. The phone line was quiet for a moment. "Lorelai? You still there honey?"
"Yeah, I'm still here. Hey Sook?" Lorelai's voice was calmer now. "Do me a favor. Can you give Luke a message for me?"
"Sure honey, anything." Sookie listened carefully to Lorelai's message, her eyes narrowing in confusion. "Yeah, umm, sure ok. Bye bye." She hung up the phone, looking at it curiously as she made her way back into the diner. She returned to her seat at the counter, watching Luke with interest as he rang up another customer's ticket.
"So um, Luke? Lorelai asked me to give you message."
"Oh yeah? What's that?" He asked nonchalantly. Sookie could totally tell he was trying to look less interested than he was.
"She said to tell you, and I want to make sure I get this right, that she will be home the day after tomorrow, and that she promises she will never, ever try to make you eat French food." She frowned, not understanding what the message meant.
"Yeah?" A broad smile slowly spread across Luke's face. He stood there grinning like a kid for a long moment, then grabbed a fresh pot of coffee from the machine and went straight over to Kirk's table.
Well ok, that was weird, Sookie thought. What's wrong with French food?
"What's this?" Kirk asked suspiciously as Luke filled his cup.
"Refill number nine!" Luke declared, an almost jovial tone in his voice.
"I thought you said I had to go."
"You can hang a bit."
"Really?"
"Welcome to France, where none of the food is French. Coffee's on the house too." Holy crap did Luke just SMILE at Kirk? Sookie smirked again and shook her head in disbelief. She had no idea what the reference to French food meant, but clearly it meant something to Luke. Glad I could brighten your day Luke, she mused happily. Gosh, I wonder what it is about French food has gotten him so chipper all of a sudden?
Clearly unsettled by this act of kindness from Luke, Kirk responded, "Thanks. Or should I say gracias."
"In fact, everyone's coffee's on the house today!" Luke declared, and he moved around the dining room with renewed energy, happily filling coffee cups and complimenting his customers.
Oh yeah, he really has it bad. Sookie giggled internally as she sipped her coffee, savoring it and the possibilities she strongly suspected lay in the days ahead. This is going to be good.
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So that's it- Thanks for the kind encouragement and reviews!
Thanks DSLeo for the suggestion that it end on a happy note. That really prompted me to end it this way :)
Thank you also- guest reviewer Nancy and one of my fanfic faves Savvyliterate for making me not feel bad about a little Max bashing. I'm glad I'm not alone thinking he was condescending and kind of gross.