In the dining room at the inn, Emily was sat at a table tasting soups as Lorelai and Sookie stood next to her watching.

"Haven't you already tasted that one, mom?" Lorelai said annoyed.

"Mmm.." Emily said sipping it.

"Twice. You've tasted that soup twice." Lorelai said.

"You're keeping a running count?"

"Yes." Lorelai said.

"The women in my DAR group are very picky. When the pate at the meeting Heddy Cubbington organized was slightly less chilled than appropriate, she was ostracized for a month." Emily exclaimed.

"Right..." Lorelai rolled her eyes.

"Lorelai..." Emily sighed.

"Fine..." Lorelai sighed. "Just decide in this calendar year at least please."

"Hey...uh...the mushroom is a great choice." Sookie said giving her another bowl. "It's super popular, and it's my Jackson's favourite."

"Whose?" Emily asked.

"Jackson, my fiancé." Sookie explained.

"Oh, you're getting married?" Emily asked.

"To the best man in the world." Sookie smiled.

"Oh hey, while we're on the subject, bridesmaids outfits?" Lorelai asked turning to Sookie.

"Ooh, I'm way ahead of you. I've already got a couple of ideas." Sookie nodded.

"Is one of them having me design and make them so I don't secretly hate what you pick and then harbuor a secret grudge against you for the rest of our lives?" Lorelai asked.

"It is now." Sookie laughed.

"I'll do it!"

"We're a good team." Sookie grinned.

Just then Charlotte appeared in the room. "Hey mom? Michel told me to tell you that fellow is on the phone from the restaurant." She smirked.

"Who?" Lorelai asked confused.

"In Michel's word, the flannel man with the protruding ankles." Charlotte grinned.

"Luke had to talk to Michel. Poor him." Lorelai grinned.

"Yep. I think I could hear some swear words being said." Charlotte grinned.

Lorelai laughed. "Ok thanks." She said starting to walk off.

"Where are you going?" Emily asked.

"Uh...to talk to Luke." Lorelai said.

"Can't you call him back?" Emily asked.

"Just keep tasting mom." Lorelai said before leaving the room with Charlotte following.

"Lorelai!" Emily exclaimed. She then turned to Sookie. "Is she always this scattered?" She asked.

"She's the stablest person I know." Sookie said.

"That's very sad." Emily said.

Lorelai walked over and picked up the phone. "Hey Luke!"

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

"Pretty good. How's things with you?" She asked.

"Oh, not bad. Dropped some eggs." He said.

"Bummer." Lorelai said.

"Hazard of the business. Am I catching you at a bad time?" Luke asked.

"Oh, no, it's kind of slow here. So slow, in fact, that Michel and I were about to get the tetherball out." Lorelai joked.

"That's the thing with a ball tethered to a rope, right?" Luke asked playing along.

"Hey, I never knew that's where the tether comes from." Lorelai said.

"Yeah, it's tethered. It's tied, like an anchor is tethered to a rope on a boat."

"Cool."

"Yeah."

"So...did you need anything?" Lorelai asked.

"Oh...yeah actually! If I needed a room or two for a couple of days, would that be possible?" He asked.

"You need rooms?" Lorelai asked surprised.

"Like nine." He admitted.

"You need nine rooms?" She asked confused.

"Just for a couple of days, Wednesday and Thursday."

"Uh...well, I can take care of that. What's it for?" She asked typing it into the computer.

"Oh I've just got some family coming in, that's all." He said.

"Reunion? Because we can get the tetherball out." Lorelai joked.

"Nah..uh...funeral." He admitted.

"What?" Lorelai asked shocked.

"Yeah, my Uncle Louie died last night and I'm arranging the funeral for him." Luke told her.

"Oh, Luke, I'm so sorry!" Lorelai exclaimed, getting a concerned look from Charlotte. "Here I was babbling about tetherball..."

"You weren't babbling. It's fine." He assured her.

"Well, you've got nine rooms, Wednesday and Thursday." She said.

"Are you sure?"

"It's a done deal." She nodded.

"Thanks." He said gratefully.

"Luke, I'm so, so sorry." Lorelai said softly.

"It's okay. It sounds like he went peaceful and he was eighty-five so..." Luke said.

"Yeah...but it's always hard. Uh...are you ok?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm ok." Luke said softly. "Thanks."

"Can I help you with anything else?"

"No, the rooms are help enough."

"Are you sure, because I'm dealing with my mom now and I'd be happy to rush over and help with whatever. You'd be doing me a favour." She joked.

Luke chuckled. "The rooms are all I need, thanks." He said.

"You're welcome." Lorelai smiled.

"Well, I've got to go."

"Call if you need anything."

"I will." He said. "By the way, that French guy's a putz."

"Oh yeah, he knows he's a putz." Lorelai smirked at Charlotte who grinned.

"Alright, see ya."

"Bye Luke." She smiled hanging up. She then sighed.

"What's happened?" Charlotte asked.

"His uncle died last night." Lorelai said.

"Oh no, poor Luke!" Charlotte said sympathetically. "Is he ok?"

"He says he is. But how about we go get Rory and go get a Luke's fix before you go to school?" She suggested.

"Ok." Charlotte nodded. "Do you think she's fit all those books in her backpack yet?" She joked.

"Doubt it!" Lorelai laughed. "Michel, hold the fort?" She said.

"Like I don't always do that." He said sarcastically.

"Thanks!" Lorelai grinned before walking out with Charlotte.

The three of them were soon walking down the street towards the diner.

"It's so sad." Rory said.

"I know." Lorelai said.

"Was Luke...like...shaken over his uncle dying?" Rory asked.

"I don't know. He's so unflappable. It's hard to tell." Lorelai said.

"The man definitely can't be flapped." Charlotte nodded.

*******************************

They entered the diner and saw that Luke was on the phone while several customers tried to get his attention. He went over to them with two plates, looking stressed, his ear still attached to the phone.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Lorelai asked. "Whoa, watch it!" She said as he nearly dropped the plates.

"Yeah I know..." He said handing the plates over to Rory and Charlotte so that he wouldn't drop them. "Yeah thanks. I'm on the phone." He said.

"We noticed." Lorelai said.

"Yeah, I can't serve and be on the phone." He said.

"We noticed that, too." Charlotte said as they all followed him up to the counter.

"But your reenactment of Jerry Lewis in The Diner Guy is going to wow the critics." Lorelai joked.

"Where should the poached eggs go?" Rory asked.

"Crank in the hat." He grunted nodded towards Si.

"Hey, I'm not a crank! You're a crank, crank!" Si grumbled.

"He is a crank." Rory commented but went over to deliver his food.

"And the French toast?" Charlotte asked.

"Lady with the giant purse." He said.

"Got it." She nodded and went over to deliver her plate of food.

"Hello? How about that coffee?" Kirk asked.

"I got it." Lorelai said quickly seeing that Luke was at the end of his tether.

"Thanks." He said gratefully.

"But...but mine's a quarter caf." Kirk said.

"What?" Lorelai said confused.

"Three-fourths decaf, one-fourth caffeinated." He explained.

"I four-fourths don't care." Lorelai said.

"Fill it up." Kirk sighed.

"Sorry about this." Luke sighed.

"It's ok." Lorelai smiled. "We're running out of coffee by the way."

"I'll make some more." He said.

"No, I got it."

"Do you know how?" He asked.

"Do I...huh...you're asking the world's biggest coffee drinker if she knows how to make coffee?" Lorelai asked.

"Sorry, my mistake." Luke smirked.

"Hey Luke, where's Jess?" Charlotte asked looking round.

"I don't know." He said.

"School?" Rory suggested.

"Please!" Luke scoffed. "He's probably upstairs."

"Really? Excuse me." Charlotte said heading to the stairs and disappearing upstairs. She knocked on Luke's apartment door. "Jess, open up! I know you're in there." She called.

The door opened. "My, aren't we bright eyed and bushy tailed." Jess commented.

"Luke needs you downstairs." Charlotte said.

"Why?"

"Why? Did you seriously ask why? Because your great uncle, Luke's uncle, died last night and he's on the phone trying to sort out funeral arrangements with someone and Caesar's off today and the place is packed and he needs help!" She exclaimed.

"I'm in the middle of something." Jess said.

"Seriously?" Charlotte asked raising her eyebrows at him.

"Ok I guess I'm at the end of it." Jess said dryly.

"Good choice mister." Charlotte said. "Now move it." She said dragging him by the arm and pulling him out and towards the stairs.

Back down in the diner, Lorelai had made some more coffee and refilled Kirk's cup.

"I need some more suagr." He said.

"There's one right there." Lorelai pointed to his little packet of sugar.

"I need seven." Kirk said.

"Seven? You're not squirrelling these away in your pocket for home use, are you, Kirk?" Lorelai asked raising her eyebrows.

"No, I use seven in my coffee." He said.

"Ok, good, then allow me." She smiled, pouring seven packets into his coffee. "There you go. Go ahead and give that a taste, see if it's to your liking."

Kirk took a sip of it and tried to hide his grimace. "Perfection." He said.

"Good." She grinned.

Just then Jess stumbled into the diner, followed by Charlotte.

"Well, you're very graceful." Lorelai smirked.

"She pushed me." Jess grumbled.

"Yeah, well sue me." Charlotte said.

"I could have broken my neck." He protested.

"As long as it's not your arm. We need your arm." Charlotte grinned holding out the coffee jug for him.

"Despot." He grumbled but took the coffee jug and walked off.

*******************************

Later that day, after school, Charlotte and Rory were back at the diner helping out. Taylor was sat at a table mumbling to himself as Rory walked by.

"Turnips, turnips, turnips..." He mumbled.

"What?" Rory asked refilling his coffee cup.

"Huh?" Taylor said looking up.

"What about turnips?" She asked.

"Why did you say turnips?" He asked accusingly.

"Because you just said turnips." Rory said.

"No, I didn't." He protested.

"You did."

"No."

"Ok." Rory said, giving up.

"But I've got turnips." Taylor said. "Good ones! They may not be as big They're not as big as that troubadour freak's turnips but who needs big turnips? I have nice, humble turnips."

"Okie dokie." Rory said walking up to the counter where Charlotte and her mom were. "Taylor's wigging." She told them.

"I know. Is he still going on about turnips?" Charlotte smirked.

"Yep! Apparently his are humble ones." Rory nodded.

"Oh Taylor..." Lorelai said shaking her head.

"Keep an eye on him." Rory told her.

Just then a customer walked in and sat down at the counter.

"Hello there, how's it going?" Lorelai smiled at him.

"Very good, young lady. Are you still serving breakfast?" He asked

"We serve it all day. What would you like?"

"Two eggs up on toast please." He said.

"Up? Are you sure you wouldn't rather have them scrambled?" Lorelai asked.

"Nope, up's how I like them thanks." He said.

"Come on, scrambled's better. Give it a shot! Say you want two scrambled eggs on toast, please?" Lorelai smiled.

"Ok, young lady, two scrambled eggs on toast." He said giving her a weird look.

"Adam and Eve on a raft and wreck them!" Lorelai grinned calling through to the kitchen. "That's real live diner talk!" She grinned at the customer. "The wreck them is the scrambled part."

"I guessed that." He smiled.

"You're enjoying this far too much." Charlotte smirked.

"I know!" Lorelai grinned.

"I don't believe it, I don't believe it!" Taylor exclaimed just as Kirk walked into the diner.

"Oh great!" Lorelai groaned.

"I'll take Taylor, you take Kirk." Charlotte smirked walking off to Taylor.

"Hey Kirk." Lorelai smiled at him.

"Hello. Where's Luke?" Kirk asked.

"Oh, he's busy with some stuff so Charlotte, Rory and I are helping out. What can I get you?" She smiled.

"I don't know. I want lunch, but I'm not sure what to get." He said.

"I have a suggestion. How about a hamburger with some strawberry ice cream with chocolate sauce for dessert?" Lorelai said.

"Sounds good." He nodded.

Lorelai looked around and saw it was fairly quiet. Rory was making more coffee while Charlotte was delivering orders to the customers they had. She grabbed a plate from the kitchen and then headed upstairs and knocked on Luke's apartment door.

"Hey! I brought you a wimpy with a rose pinned on it." She smiled at him when he answered the door.

"A what?" He asked confused.

"Turkey burger with onions." She said.

"Oh, thanks. Come on in." He said stepping aside.

"How's the money pit coming?" Lorelai smiled looking round at the newly renovated apartment.

"Oh it's...well...that's it." Luke said gesturing to the expansion.

"Are you ok? What's the matter?" Lorelai asked noticing he wasn't himself.

"Nothing." He said but then he sighed. "None of them are coming, not one."

"Who?" She asked.

"My relatives, the ones I booked all the rooms for. Not one of them is coming to Louie's funeral!" He exclaimed.

"You're kidding! Why?" She asked.

"I don't know, which lame excuse do you want to hear first? A bunch of them claimed they can't get out of work." Luke said.

"It's not so lame." Lorelai commented.

"Randy and Barbara don't want to miss their brat kid's rugby semifinal."

"Rugby has semifinals?"

"My sister never even called back." Luke ranted. "My cousins Paul and Jim, who my dad helped put through college, said they were too exhausted from a fishing trip. And slightly disturbed cousin Franny said she can't leave because her Petey's sick."

"Son?"

"Parrot."

"Petey the parrot?" Lorelai smirked.

"I saw the stupid thing once on a visit, flapping its wings like crazy, banging around, squawking the only two words it knows over and over." He exclaimed. "Petey and gorgeous. 'Gorgeous, Petey, gorgeous, Petey!'" He mimicked.

"That's disturbing." Lorelai said pulling a face.

"My family's disturbing." Luke grumbled sitting down at the table.

"I'm so sorry." Lorelai said softly.

"This is wrong!" He said. "This is not how it's done! A family member dies, you pay your respects. Period."

"Look at it this way." Lorelai said trying to make him feel better. "If they don't want to be there, you don't want them there."

"My dad wanted them to be there." Luke said quietly.

"I know. But hey, Louie lived in Stars Hollow most of his life, so a lot of people from here will be there, right?" She said.

"I guess you're right." He sighed.

"I know it's upsetting, but maybe it's better this way." Lorelai said softly.

Luke gave her a small smile. "Yeah, I guess." He said. "Thanks."

Just then Charlotte walked into the apartment. "Hey mom?" She said.

"Yeah honey? You got a herd of bulls shopping for China?" She grinned.

"What?" Luke asked confused.

"Customers. How long have you owned a diner?" She exclaimed.

"Sorry." He rolled his eyes.

"No we're fine." Charlotte said. "But Jackson's outside and he wants to talk to you. He says it's important."

"About what?"

"I don't know but he seems upset."

"Oh ok." Lorelai said. She turned to Luke and smiled. "Are you ok?" She asked.

"Yeah, thanks." Luke said. "You go to Jackson."

"Ok." She smiled. "You might want to study up on that diner talk." She joked.

"I'll get right on that tonight." He smirked.

"Good!" Lorelai grinned before getting up and heading downstairs.

"Hey Luke, where's Jess?" Charlotte asked looking round.

"I don't know, he's probably out playing basketball or something." Luke said.

"Urgh seriously?" Charlotte said shaking her head.

Charlotte found Jess on the basketball court by Stars Hollow High. She watched him for a moment and couldn't help but smile as he effortlessly jumped up and scored a basket from quite a way off. After she watched him walk to the side to have a drink, she walked over to him. "Isn't there somewhere you should be?" She asked.

Jess looked over at her. "Hey." He said.

"Hi." She said. "Luke needs your help at the diner. Why do you keep bailing on him?"

"I'm not bailing on him. I would only get in the way. Your mom, you and Rory are all helping out. You don't need my help." He said.

"Yes we do. And I know it would mean a lot to Luke knowing you were helping him out." Charlotte said.

"I think he's fine." Jess commented.

"He's not fine. He's all stressed about letting his dad down. None of your relatives are coming to the funeral." Charlotte told him.

"Wait what? Why?" Jess asked.

"I don't know. I just overheard Luke telling my mom and he seemed really upset about it." She said. "You're his family as well, Jess. Prove to him that his family's not all unreliable."

"Let me score another basket first." He said.

"No, now!" Charlotte said shaking her head, grabbing hold of his sleeve and started dragging him away.

"Hey!" He exclaimed.

"You want to keep dating me, you'll stop complaining." She smirked dragging him over to the diner, past her mom and Jackson stood outside.

"Watch the shirt!" Jess said.

"Cork it!" Charlotte replied pulling him into the diner.

*******************************

That evening, Lorelai, Charlotte and Rory walked into the town meeting to find everyone already sat there.

"Late again, are we?" Taylor said sarcastically, spotting them come in.

"Yes, I hope I'm not pregnant!" Lorelai joked.

"What?" Taylor said.

"Are these seats taken?" Lorelai asked Luke, gesturing to the three seats next to him and Jess.

"Don't drag me into this." Luke said.

"You really have to work on your punctuality, Lorelai. I banged the meeting in a half an hour ago." Taylor said.

"Oooh dirty!" Charlotte grinned.

"I'm going to take advantage of this unexpected pause in our proceedings to confer with Miss Patty about the next item on our agenda." Taylor said before turning to talk to Miss Patty.

"What did we miss?" Lorelai asked Luke.

"Harry's retiring." Luke told them.

"The twinkle light man?" Rory exclaimed. "Where are we going to go for twinkle lights now?"

"At any discount store?" Luke said dryly.

"Blasphemy." Lorelai scoffed.

Charlotte looked over at Jess. "So you finally decided to show your face at a town meeting?" She asked him.

"Well, Corky's Country Cavalcade on public access was preempted, so I thought I'd check out the next best thing." Jess smirked.

"Well don't we feel privileged." Charlotte smirked.

"I'm surprised you have time to be here." Lorelai said to Luke.