Lucille in Stars Hollow

A picnic date

 "How about this one?" I asked Lorelai and Rory, holding up a picnic basket.

Lorelai scoffed. "Does that look like whats inside is a homemade meal instead of whatever's left over in our refrigerator?"

"No," I murmured, placing it back on the pile.

"Exactly," Rory said. "Nothing that raises expectations."

"Its funny, isn't it?" Lorelai asked, looking through the pile of baskets. "The women make a nice lunch basket, men bid on it, the world rotates backwards on it's axis."

I shrugged. "I think it's cute."

Rory huffed. "That's because Lisa is bidding on yours."

"Dean's bidding on yours," I countered.

"Touche."

"And here I am," Lorelai sighed dramatically, "all alone with no one to bid on my basket."

I put my hand on her shoulder. "You'll be fine—just get Luke to bid on it. I'm going to go find actual food to put in my basket so I don't poison Lisa."

I quickly picked a random basket and walk over to the chips aisle and bent down to get some Cheetos for me and Flamin' Hot ones for Lisa, because her pregnant cravings included everything spicy.

"Hey, can you help me? My donkey cart is having some troubles," a voice called from above me.

I stood up to glare at Jess. "Haha."

"I never thought you of all people would take part in this," Jess bantered. "It's like the world is moving backwards."

"Well, I'm glad you think so highly of me, but maybe lower your expectations. I'm only doing this because I care about this town. Something you would know nothing of."

Jess stared at me for a moment before shrugging. "You're right. I'm just waiting to get out of here."

"Exactly," I drawled, "So don't go talking about the weird things Stars Hollow does when you couldn't care less."

"Hey!" Jess put his hands up. "Why so snippy, Sunshine? I'm just teasing you!"

I frowned. Sunshine? Where the hell did that come from? "Fine, sorry. I'm just a little tired this morning. It has nothing to do with you." He tilted his head. "Well maybe it has something to do with you. You have a very punchable face, you know."

"Ouch, that hurt."

I smiled and pointed a finger at him as I backed up toward the cash register. "Just be glad I have excellent self restraint."

"I'll remember to be grateful," Jess replied before he moves on and I go to pay for my basket.

"Hey, what did he want?" Rory asked, gazing after Jess.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Just wanted to bother me."

But as I turn to pay, I catch something change in Rory's eyes. That same flicker of anger and hints of longing that I saw in her when she had been yelling at Jess about the chalk figure in front of Doose's a while ago. And something in me turned with jealously.

The next day was the basket auction. Most went fairly quickly. Lane's was won by her cousin and she had some whole crazy plan to have a real picnic date with some guy she met, because in her words, "my mom would like him too much".

Rory's was won by Dean and Luke came and saved Lorelai from having her's won by a guy Miss Patty had shown a picture of Lorelai to. I was very behind on all the happenings.