Willow Danes

Dinner Interruptions

Their arguing moved from the kitchen to the bedroom. I moved one of the dining room chairs that were left behind into a corner in the living room and read.

TJ ended up leaving, which only made her angrier. We didn't know where he went. He's not from here, so he doesn't really know where anything is.

"The only places he's really been are the diner, the market, and the square," Liz says pacing the living room.

"He probably went to bug Luke," I tell her, trying to get back to reading.

"That's exactly where he went!" she says.

"Okay."

"Drive me over there," she tells me.

"What? No. I am not taking you to Luke's."

"But that's where he'd go. He's definitely there," she replies.

After a bit of back and forth she makes me drive her to the diner. I tried to convince her not to go because I know Luke and Lorelai are still having dinner, but that only made her want to go more.

We get to the diner and go upstairs. Liz knocks on the door and Luke opens it.

"Is he here?" she asks.

"Yes. Get him out, please," he says immediately.

"I'm sorry," I whisper to him as we come in.

I hear Lorelai on the phone talking about her mother. I take a seat next to her at the table as Liz and Luke go to TJ, who is sitting on my bed.

"TJ, come on, let's go," Liz says.

"I can not deal with you right now," he replies.

"You can't just barge in here like this," she tells him.

"I did not barge. Do not accuse me of barging!"

"You are ruining their evening."

"He's not the only one," I whisper to Lorelai.

She gives me a simpatic look and roaches my hand as she continues to get through to her mother. I'm able to tune out the arguing by reading until I hear the bathroom door slam.

"You go get her out of there," Luke says.

"Nope. That's exactly what she wants!" TJ yells.

"Okay. Never mind. I'll call back. Bye," Lorelai says, hanging up.

"TJ!" Luke yells.

"Damn. I had almost gotten myself together," he says on the verge of tears.

"Now I have to start all over!" he says, sitting back on my bed.

"She's in the bathroom," Luke says to us.

"Okay, you go try to calm him down, and I'll see if I can talk to her," Lorelai tells him.

"You were right. Having family near is fun," he replies.

"Loads," I reply with a fake smile before I go back to reading.

--

Lorelai's attempt to talk to Liz didn't work, and instead TJ moved into the bathroom and they are back to yelling at each other.

Lorelai went back to trying to get a hold of her parents. I'm sitting at the table with Luke.

"I'm sorry we ruined your dinner," I tell him.

"You didn't ruin anything," he replies.

"I confronted her about the letters and she didn't take it very well. The only reason she got mad at TJ is because she needed someone to take it out on. They wouldn't be here if I hadn't brought it up."

He leans forward a bit, getting closer to me.

"You did nothing wrong. She shouldn't have kept those letters, or your dad from you."

He gives me a reassuring smile and I return it. Lorelai sits back down and hangs up.

"What are they doing in there?" Luke asks.

"Um, fighting?" Lorelai replies.

"But how long can you fight in an eight by ten room?"

"Well, maybe they're not fighting. Maybe they're having angry make-up sex," she replies.

"Ew," I mumble.

"Oh, that makes me feel much better. Thank you," Luke replies.

"And from first sharing an apartment with her for most of my life I can sadly tell you that's not what that sounds like," I add.

It was Luke's turn to say ew.

"Oh, you poor child," Lorelai says.

"Sorry about dinner," Luke tells her.

"Oh, dinner was great. It was delicious, and interactive," she replies.

Luke sighs.

"Okay, I don't know how long this is gonna continue."

"Well, we could set fire to the place. Smoke them out," Lorelai suggests.

"I'm cool with that," I reply.

"Listen, you don't have to sit here. I'll deal with this. You go home... and take her with you" Luke tells her.

"You sure?" she asks.

"Yep. They are my family," he says standing.

"Yippie. I'll deal with it. You take this and go home, and we will try again tomorrow," he says, giving Lorelai the cheesecake.

"Wow, my own cheesecake? No man's ever given me a whole cheesecake before," she jokes, putting on her coat.

"You remember that," he jokes back.

"Mm-hmm. Hey, maybe when I get home I'll stir something, seeing as I'm so good at it. Thanks for dinner."

They kiss as I pull on my own coat and grab my stuff.

"Thank you for not being related to me," Luke says.

Lorelai and I laugh.

"That came out wrong," he says.

"No, I got it," she replies.

He pulls me into a hug.

"Thank you for not being as crazy as the woman who gave birth to you," he says.

He kisses my head and gives Lorelai another kiss.

"Goodnight," she says.

"Night."

"Night, Luke."

"Goodnight."

Lorelai and I leave, heading back to her house.