Lorelai nervously looked through the window into Luke's Diner. Several times she started to go inside, but couldn't muster up the courage. She deliberately waited until the lunch rush was ending. Maybe if he wasn't too busy he would have time to talk to her. But, on the other hand, after the stress and aggravation of the last couple of hours he might be in a bad mood and would be even less inclined to be civil to her.

Several tables were empty, but maybe she should sit at the counter where he spent more of his time. But she only sat there when no tables were available or if she wanted coffee to go. Would it seem like she was pushing things if she sat at the counter instead of a table?

Taking a deep breath, Lorelai went inside, and after a brief hesitation, sat at the only empty table that hadn't been cleaned off, then hurriedly moved to another one. No sense in making him feel like he HAD to come over to clean it up.

She waited patiently, or she hoped it would look like that. But she found herself drumming her fingers on the table, then tapping her foot against the table leg.. It was hard not to yell out at him as she used to do when things were okay between them.

She almost decided to leave when Luke walked over with a cup and coffee pot.

"Hi!" She said, almost too brightly as he poured the coffee.

"Hi, yourself," he replied, not particularly friendly, but not unfriendly either. "Cheeseburger?"

"Sure. The usual, as usual."

"Cheese on the chili fries?"

"Yeah, that sounds good."

"Want me to leave the pot?"

"If you want to."

"It's up to you."

"You can leave it."

Luke set the pot down on the table and left to turn in her order.

Lorelai let out a sigh of relief. It could have gone worse she decided. Give it some time Sookie had told her. He'll come around she said.

Well, he didn't throw her out, so it was a start.

'So, now what do I say when he comes back?' She thought to herself. She was still trying to decide when the brought her food to her.

"How've you been?" she asked.

'God! How lame does THAT sound?' she thought even as she said it.

"Okay. You?"

"Okay."

"Well, good."

Lorelai wanted to say something else, but before she could, he walked back to the counter. Looking around, she got up and followed after him.

"Ketchup," she said, picking up the bottle when he looked at her.

"Oh, sorry."

"No problem."

Lorelai hesitated, she HAD to say something.

"Something else?" he asked.

"No. Yes!"

Luke waited to hear what she had to say.

Lorelai desperately tried to think of something but only stood there with her mouth open. Then the phone rang and Luke left to answer it.

"Luke's," he said, then started writing down the order.

Lorelai's only option was to go back to her table with the bottle of ketchup. Maybe he would come over to see what she wanted.

But it wasn't to be. She waited, eating as slowly as she could without it looking too weird, but it was obvious she would have to go to him again. She took her check up to the register but before she could say anything she heard Taylor Doose behind her.

"Lorelai, there's a rumor going around that Luke made you paint the diner by yourself. I think that's terrible!"

"No, Taylor" she replied. "You heard wrong."

"Now, don’t try to cover up for him. Everyone knows how much he fights even the smallest change, even when it's for the better. You should have made him pay you. That's the least he could have done."

"Taylor! Get the hell out of here!"

Luke was glaring at Lorelai as he yelled at Taylor.

"You stand your ground, Lorelai," Taylor said as he left.

"Luke . . . ." Lorelai started to say, but he yelled to Caesar before she could finish. "I'm going out, I'll be back later!"

And he stormed out of the diner.

Lorelai took a defeated breath, laid the check and five dollars on the counter, and left.

"Strike one," she said sadly as the diner door closed behind her.

"So he just left?" Rory asked as she and her mother were closing in on Doose's Market.

"Actually, it was more of a stomping," Lorelai answered. "If only I could have thought of something to say before Taylor put his two cents in."

"Taylor's good about messing up things for people! He must lead a very dull life."

"I shouldn't have gone in there without a game plan. I should have known exactly what I wanted to say, and said it."

"Next time."

"No, no next time. I can't go back in there."

"Not ever?"

"Not for a while. I guess I need to give him more time. Sookie said not to push it, but I did. Or I was going to, until Taylor butted in. Maybe it was for the better."

"How can Luke being mad at you be for the better?"

"I meant Taylor interrupting. Maybe Luke's not ready not to be mad at me."

"Why IS he mad at you? You never told me."

"It's not important why. We've argued before. It'll work out, somehow, some . . . day."

Just as they reached the market a voice yelled out, "Rory!"

"Lane! Hey!" she yelled back. "Mom, do you mind if I go see Lane while you're inside?"

"No, of course not. You talk to Lane and I'll get your Pop Tarts and my Mallow Bars."

"Thanks." Rory said over her shoulder as she hurried across the street.

Lorelai smiled after her, waved at Lane, then went inside.

She picked up a basket, knowing it would be full of wonderful, un-nutritious junk food by the time she was finished.

She was busy studying the difference between the Extra Large and the Mega-Size bags of competing potato chip brands when she bumped into . . . Luke.

"Oh! Luke, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there."

"Well, I should have been watching where I was going. Are you okay?"

"Fine. No damage."

"Good. Well, uh, see you later."

"No. Wait. I need to talk to you. WE need to . . . ."

"Lorelai, Luke, I'm glad I found you two." It was Kirk. "We need to get this mess straightened out."

"What are you talking about?" Luke asked. "What mess?"

"You know what mess – this embarrassing situation about you making Lorelai paint your diner in the middle of the night, while you slept, so you wouldn't have to close up for a day and lose the income."

"Did you put him up to this?" Luke asked Lorelai accusingly.

"No, Luke! I swear! Kirk, you don't know what you're talking about!"

"Don't try to cover it up, Lorelai. Everyone knows all about it. Luke, we're really disappointed in you."

"Get the hell out of my way," Luke said angrily as he pushed his way past them and out of the market, the door almost hitting a customer as he jerked it open to leave.

"Luke! Wait!" Lorelai called after him.

"Kirk, go to hell!" She yelled out as she followed after Luke.

But by the time she got outside Luke was turning the corner into the diner.

She watched him go inside, but instead of going after him, she walked across the street where Rory and Lane were.

The two girls saw Luke as he stormed out of Doose's, and a few seconds later was followed by Lorelai, who hesitated a few seconds with indecision, then crossed the street to where they were.

"What was THAT all about?" Lane asked.

"It was strike two," Lorelai answered quietly, then turned toward home, leaving them no more informed than they were before the question.

"Come on, Mom, you have to get up. It's going to be a beautiful morning. I hear birds singing already. And Weston's will be open soon. The coffee is good, and the strudel is excellent."

"Maybe later. Of course you could always go get it and bring it back to me. Cherry would be nice."

"No. I refuse to be an Enabler. You can walk just as well as I can. Now I don't know what's going on with you and Luke, but you can't let this thing make you some kind of reclusive old lady. PLEASE, get up?"

"Thirty minutes. Just give me thirty more minutes."

"Okay, but in twenty-nine minutes I'm starting your shower. And if you don’t want to waste valuable hot water, you better be ready to jump into it."

Lorelai pulled the covers over her head and mumbled something.

"Twenty-eight more!" Rory said out loud as she headed back downstairs.

Fifteen minutes later Lorelai heard the shower running.

"My God!" she whined as she got out of bed and into the shower. "That was the fastest half hour in the world! We should call Ripley's Believe It Or Not!"

"How do you know, you were asleep." Rory told her. "I'll be downstairs getting ready for school. And don't make me come back up here!"

An hour later they were sitting in Weston's Bakery. Lorelai had finished her second cherry strudel and third cup of coffee. Rory wasn't far behind her.

"So, do you want to come by the inn after school?"

"No, I think I should go straight to Grandma's. I've got four tests next week and I really need as much study time as I can get."

"Okay," Lorelai answered, disappointed. "Then I guess I'll see you there for dinner."

"Don't be sad. The more I get done this afternoon, the more time we have to spend together Saturday and Sunday."

"You're right. You have a good day and I'll see you about seven."

"Okay. I better go, I hear my bus. Love you."

"Love you, too, Hon. 'Bye."

Lorelai finished her coffee, paid Fran, then left.

She had intended to go to the Independence Inn but she saw Miss Patty and Babette together near the gazebo, and they saw her, too, and waved at her, motioning for her to come over to them. Against her better judgment, she complied.

"Hi, you two, what's going on?"

"Aw, Sugar, we feel awful!" Babette said. "Just terrible!"

"About what?" Lorelai asked, knowing she shouldn't.

"This feud between you and Luke. It's tearing the whole town apart," Patty told her. "We were talking about organizing a boycott of the diner."

"Yeah!" Babette chimed in. "Except then Weston's would be the only place to eat breakfast. And to tell you the truth, her scrambled eggs are always too runny, and her bacon is never crisp."

"How can I put this?" Lorelai said. "Oh, I know – THERE IS NO FEUD! Luke and I may be having a small disagreement, but THAT'S ALL! It's nothing, less than nothing, less than less than nothing!"

"Lorelai, we all know what happened in the diner – you two were fighting so bad Luke had to run outside." Patty said.

"Yeah!" Babette added. "And the same thing happened in Doose's. Kirk saw the whole thing."

"Kirk? My God, you actually believe anything KIRK says?"

"Wait a minute," Patty interrupted. "There's Luke. We need to get this straightened out before it gets out of control."

"No!" Lorelai exclaimed. "We don't need to . . . ."

But before she could say anything more Patty and Babette were dragging her toward Luke, yelling at him to wait for them.

By the time they got to him, Lorelai could see the anger in his face, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Luke!" Lorelai said desperately. "Tell them they're crazy! Tell them we are NOT having a feud!"

"Now you hush, Lorelai, we'll get to the bottom of this." Patty told her. "Luke, we've been friends for a long time, so I think I have the right to tell you that I think the way you've been treating Lorelai is a crying shame."

"Yeah!" Babette put in.

"Patty, please don't . . . ." Lorelai tried to say.

"So if something doesn't change, and in a hurry, we just may have to boycott your diner. We don't want to, but sometimes . . . ."

"FINE!" Luke shouted. "You don't want to eat my food, then great! Then I don't want any of you in my diner again! I don't need you, or you, or YOU!"

His last shout was directed at Lorelai. And without another word he stormed off.

"Well!" Patty said. "I guess we have no choice but to talk to Fran about those eggs."

"And the bacon," Babette added.

"Sorry, Lorelai, but it looks like Luke is playing hard ball. But don't you worry, we'll get this straightened out, one way or another."

Miss Patty and Babette walked away, heading towards Fran's, leaving Lorelai standing there, feeling like she had been punched in the gut.

After a minute or two of trying to decide if she wanted to go after Luke to try to talk to him once again, she slowly turned in the opposite direction and walked to the Independence Inn to go to work.

The day crawled by until it was five o'clock. Lorelai figured it was the best time to call Rory.

"Hello." It was Emily.

"Hi, Mom, it's me, Lorelai."

"Yes, Lorelai, I do know your voice."

"Can I talk to Rory?"

"She's upstairs doing her homework. I'm not sure if this is the best time. Why don't you just talk to her when you come for dinner?"

"Mom, please, may I talk to my daughter? Please."

"Well, I suppose. She's been up there for a good while. I guess a small break wouldn't hurt anything. Just a minute."

Emily walked up the stairs to Rory's room and gently rapped on the door.

 "Rory, there is a telephone call for you. It's your mother. Do you want to take it?"

 Rory quickly opened the door and bounded down the stairs.

"Hey, Mom, what's going on?" Rory asked.

"I need you to tell your grandmother that I won't be at dinner tonight."

"Why?"

"I had the absolutely, most fabulous day! Right after you left I was shanghaied by Patty and Babette, and they dragged me into another confrontation with Luke."

"Oh, no! What happened?"

"It was strike three."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm out. I struck out. He told me he didn't want me coming back into the diner."

"Mom! I'm so sorry!" Rory said.

Then after a short pause, she continued,  "Mom, when are you going to tell me what's going on with you and Luke?"

"Rory, it's nothing you need to be concerned about, it's just a thing between Luke and me."

"Yes, it is something I need to be concerned about. If we can't ever go back into the diner, then it certainly concerns me."

"He didn't say you couldn't go in, just me."

"And do you think I'd ever go in there again if you couldn't?"

"Sweetie, I really don't want to talk about it right now. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. Look, if you want me to, I can drive over there later on, after you've eaten, and bring you back home."

"No, there's no reason for you to do that. I'll just spend the night here and take the bus back in the morning."

"Are you sure? You really don't mind?"

"No, of course not. I'll see you in the morning, at home. And I'll tell Grandma you don't feel well."

"Thanks, Hon. See you tomorrow."

It was eight thirty when Rory got off the bus, and eight forty-five when she walked through the front door of her house. She immediately went upstairs. She smelled no coffee and she knew Lorelai was still in bed.

"Mom, I'm home," she said as she laid down next to her. "It's time to get up."

"Don't wanna," Lorelai said from under the covers. "Sleepin' all day."

"No you're not. You're going to tell me exactly what is going on with you and Luke, and we are going to fix it."

"Can't be fixed."

"Yes it can. Your and Luke's feelings for each other are too strong for things to go on like this."

"If you're talking about how much he can't stand the sight of me, then I guess you're right."

"And what about how you feel about him?"

"We were friends, and now that's over. Over and done. Now go away. Do some homework, vacuum, dust, get some laundry done."

"No! I am going to make some coffee and then you are going to tell me in no uncertain terms why you and Luke are feuding, fighting, whatever you want to call it. But you ARE going to tell me!"

"You sure are bossy to be the daughter."

"That's what you get for making me be the mom. I'll be back up here in ten minutes."

As promised, in ten minutes Rory was back upstairs with two cups of coffee. Lorelai had no choice but to sit up and take the cup.

Rory sat beside her.

After she let Lorelai drink half the cup, she said, "I’m waiting."

Taking a tired breath, Lorelai began.

"Do you remember that wonderful Friday night dinner with your dad and his parents? Well, I had promised Luke that I would get away early to help him paint the diner. But with everything that happened, I completely forgot about it until early, very early Saturday morning. So I rushed over to the diner, still in my pajamas and robe, and tried to apologize, but his feelings were hurt. And I don't blame him for that. So early Sunday morning I got his bread guy to let me in and I painted it by myself. And it looks great! Everyone said so. But he was still mad at me, and still is now. Of course Taylor and Kirk and Patty and Babette just made things worse."

"I don't understand. That doesn't sound like Luke. You DID explain exactly how badly the night went, didn't you?"

"Well, not exactly."

"What do you mean, not exactly?"

"I didn't tell him about the dinner. I started out with some kind of lame excuse, which I don't even remember what it was, and then he guessed that it was because of, as he put it, 'someone.' And I didn't deny it, so I guess he thought I was 'with' someone, you know, all night? -- instead of helping him like I promised."

"So why didn't you tell him what really happened – that you weren't sleeping with anyone, but all the crap that went on at dinner?"

"I don't know. He was just so hurt and so mad I just never got a chance to tell him."

"But he needs to know. And since you didn't tell him, then I guess I'll have to be the one to do it!"

"No, Rory, just stay out of it. Besides, you don't get four strikes. He doesn't want me anywhere around him or the diner."

"Mom, come on . . . ."

"Rory! I don't want you getting in the middle of my and Luke's problems. I'm serious about this. I don't want Luke, or ANYONE, thinking I have to send my daughter to do what I can't."

"I just want you guys to be okay again."

"I know you do, and so do I. But let's just give Luke a chance to cool off, no matter how much time it takes, okay?"

"Sure, if that's what you want. So, if you're going to spend the day in bed, then I'm going to jump in the shower and then go to Lane's for a while."

"Good. It'll give me a chance to catch up on my sleep and give you and Lane a chance to catch up on your girl talk."

"Anything before I go? More coffee? Magazines? Anything at all?"

"No. Nothing. I'm good, but thanks for the coffee."

"Okay. So, I'll see you this afternoon."

"You and Lane have a good talk."

"We will," Rory replied.

'And that's not the only talk I'll have,' she thought to herself as she descended the stairs.

Rory waited until a little after ten before going into the diner. The breakfast rush was about over and the lunch rush hadn't begun. Instead of sitting at a table, she went directly to the end of the counter opposite from the cash register. Luke smiled at her as he walked over.

"Hey, Luke. How's it going?"

"Not bad, and you? How's Chilton?"

"It's good. Hard, but good."

"Well, good. That's good. So, what'll you have?"

"Coffee, I guess."

"You're sure you wouldn't like some nice hot chocolate?"

"Thanks, but coffee's fine."

Luke shook his head, but poured the coffee.

"Sorry I don't have any donuts, but once the feeding frenzy begins, nothing much is left."

"That's okay. Say, the place looks really nice. Nice and fresh. The walls look a lot cleaner."

Rory could feel Luke's attitude change; the smile was gone.

"Is there anything else?" 

She hesitated a moment, then jumped right in. "Mom told me why you two are fighting."

"Did she send you here?" His voice was no longer friendly.

"No, she didn't. In fact, she distinctly told me not say anything to you at all."

"Well, she was right. This is between her and me."

"Like I said, I know why you two are fighting, but you don't."

"What are you talking about, of course I do. We had a date to paint this place and she never showed up, she was with somebody else."

"But you don't know the whole story. I don't know if you remember it or not, but last week my dad came to town."

"I remember, all of you were sitting right over there."

"That's right. And while we were sitting right over there, Grandma called and told us that Dad's parents were going to be at the Friday night dinner. So we all went to dinner together."

"That sound real nice." Luke's voice had a bit of sarcasm in it.

"It was, at first. But then Straub, that's Dad's dad, starting tearing into mom about how her getting pregnant with me was the reason Dad never went to Princeton, and how she ruined his life. And other things were said, ugly things, so Mom sent me out of the room, but I could hear."

Suddenly, Rory's eyes began to water. Luke handed her a napkin.

"Oh, Luke, it was dreadful! They were yelling, and Grandpa threatened to hit Straub, and when they left, everyone just scattered. I guess everybody wanted to be alone; it's a BIG house. Anyway a half hour or so later Mom found me, and she kept telling me it wasn't me they were talking about but what she did."

"Rory, I'm . . . I'm sorry, it must have been terrible."

"It was. It really was! So, after that, we all came home, and Mom kept telling me that it wasn't my fault. And then Mom and I went to bed, and Dad slept on the couch. So you see, it wasn't her fault she forgot. Everything was just so . . . so AWFUL!"

"But why didn't she tell me this herself?"

"I don't know. Why don't you go ask her? She's home now."

"If I went over there she'd probably call the cops on me."

"You know she wouldn't do that. Luke, just go. You guys need to talk."

"Well, maybe I will, when things slow down here."

"They look pretty slow to me right now. Anyway, I'm going back to Lane's. What do I owe you for the coffee?"

"You know you never have to pay."

Rory smiled at him. "Thanks. See you later."

"Sure."

x.x.x.x

Not long after Rory left, Lorelai dragged herself out of bed, took a shower and went downstairs to finish the coffee Rory had made. She was contemplating going to Weston's for more coffee and a late breakfast when there was a knock at the front door.

Unenthusiastically, she walked to the door and opened it and was shocked to see Luke standing there.

"Uh, Lorelai. Hi," he stammered, then held up two paper bags. "I thought you might want some coffee and something to eat."

"Um, s-sure," Lorelai stammered back. "Come in. I always want coffee."

He followed her to the kitchen where he set the two bags down on the table. It was then that she noticed the label on one of the bags.

"This one's from Weston's," she said, a little stunned as she looked inside. "Strudel! From Weston's! You brought me strudel from Weston's?"

"Well, I didn't have any and I know how much you like strudel. There's cherry, raspberry, cream cheese and blueberry."

"You've been fraternizing with the enemy? What's going on?" She was still shocked.

"I . . . I just want to say I'm sorry, you know, about this . . . fight we've been having."

"I can't believe it. You actually went into Weston's ... to buy strudel ... for ME!" She was smiling now. "I don't know what to say."

"Why don't you tell me why you tried some lame excuse instead of telling me about the Friday night dinner with Christopher's parents?"

Lorelai was a bit speechless.

"I don't know. I'm never any good with explanations, and it sounded so farfetched, I was afraid you'd think I was just making up this elaborate lie, and . . . . "

"Are you telling me you would lie about Rory?"

"No. God no!"

"Then why didn't you just tell me and trust me to know it was the truth?"

"I don't know. I have absolutely no alibi, no good reason, and I am so, so sorry. Maybe if our busy-body friends hadn't been so quick to interfere I could have, maybe."

"Yeah, they DO have a way of screwing things up."

"So, does this mean we're okay now?"

"Yeah, we are."

"And I guess Rory went to see you … even after I told her not to."

"She did. And I'm glad, and you should be, too."

Lorelai smiled gently. "I am, very glad."

"Look, I was thinking, since I was so rotten to you all last week, how about if all next week everything's on the house – breakfast, lunch and dinner?"

"Oh, Luke! You don't have to do that!"

"It's a done deal. Starting today."

"Rory, too?"

"Of course Rory, too!"

"So, what if I miss breakfast and come in for a mid-morning snack?"

"On the house."

"Or a mid-afternoon snack?"

"On the house."

"What about late after-dinner pie?"

"On the house."

"Oh! What about a midnight snack?"

"Well, since I close up at ten, then I'd have to say no."

"But what if I come in at 9:55 and want a cheeseburger?"

"If the grill hasn't been cleaned, then I'd say yes."

"But what if I come in right AT ten and the grill's only half clean?"

"Probably."

"Okay, so what if I come in at five AFTER ten, and . . . ."

"I think you're starting take advantage of the whole 'on the house' thing."

"Yeah, you're probably right. But what about coffee?"

"Coffee's on the house, including all the refills you can drink, which means I need to double my order for next week. Maybe I should triple it."

"To go?"

"I don't see why not."

"And donuts, or strudel, too?"

Luke was beginning to get a bit impatient, but he knew this was Lorelai.

"Yes, Lorelai, coffee AND donuts AND strudel. If I have any."

"For me and Rory?"

"I already told you – Rory is included in this deal."

"Can we get food to go?"

"Yes."

"Will you deliver it?

"Okay, now you're really pushing it!"

Lorelai grinned.

"I know. I was just checking. I wanted to make sure you were really Luke and not some evil Luke-clone trying to worm his way into my good graces."

"You have good graces?"

"Yep, you're the real Luke, all right."

"Well, that's good to know. Look, I need to get back to the diner. Lunch will be starting up soon. See you there?"

Lorelai held up the strudel bag, pointing to it and smiling with anticipation.

Lorelai walked Luke outside to the edge of the porch.

"Thank you, Luke. I'm so sorry we fought."

"Yeah, me too. Oh, and don't eat the blueberry."

"Why? What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing. It's for Rory. I know she likes blueberry."

Lorelai suddenly gave Luke a warm, affectionate hug, surprising both of them.

"See you for supper," he said as he left the porch.

"Six, sharp," she replied. "Or maybe five."

As Luke drove away, Lorelai went back into the house, her mouth watering at the thought of the strudel waiting for her. And she realized she was actually happy for the first time in over a week.