❝CINNAMON'S WAKE❞
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⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ chapter eleven,
Gilmore Girls — Season One

September 26th, 2000

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[ LUCY'S POV ]

     WE GET THE NEWS THAT AFTERNOON while the diner is bustling with customers.

The news regarding the death of the beloved Stars Hollow cat, Cinnamon.

When we receive the news, me and Dad spend the afternoon cooking food for the upcoming wake to commemorate the cat that captured the hearts of Babette and Morey.

Sookie St. James, the outstanding chef who works at the Independence Inn with Lorelai, also contributes in making food. I won't admit it to my dad but I'm very, very excited to eat Sookie's food.

We had a few disagreements over how the food would fit into the truck. Ultimately, the argument ended with me holding two trays of food on my lap as we drove to Babette's. I can see Dad in my peripheral vision, watching to see if I drop the food. "If I drop it, it'll be your fault," I warn, my hands holding the trays steady to stop them sliding off my lap.

When we arrive at Babette's, we find that every person's car in town is parked out front. I don't understand how this many people are here, fitting into the house that isn't exactly large, but it's also comforting to know that the entire town has come together to remember a cat.

Dad gets out first, rushing to my side to pull open the door and collect the trays from me. I grab the bags of food that he threw into the back of the truck earlier.

"Did you ever think we'd be going to a cat funeral?" Probably at some point, yes. Honestly, it's not all that surprising we're at a cat wake, especially in this town.

We're walking up the stairs to Babette and Morey's house when Sookie comes up behind us, holding her own trays and bags. "Luke," she deadpans, and I look back at Sookie and smile politely. "Lucy."

We nod our heads towards her. "Sookie," we say in the same tone she had used.

"What you got in the bags?" Sookie asks.

"Bricks," Dad responds, sarcasm in his tone.

"Yeah, good one."

"Oh, bless you guys!" Lorelai is rushing up the steps behind us. She lives next door so she must've rushed over when she saw the arrival of real food. "Everyone's starved. Come in."

We move to step inside the house, but hit a crossroads when Dad and Sookie attempt to walk in at the same time, their bodies crashing against the doorframe. I watch Sookie push through first, and Dad looks to me with a unsatisfied glare as I step in next.

I'm immediately greeted by the grieving woman herself.

Babette's arms fall around me in a bone crushing hug, and I wrap one arm around her, my other arm holding the bags. "I'm so sorry for your loss," I whisper, inhaling sharply when she squeezes me harder.

She pulls away, her hands grasping my cheeks. She's a shorter woman compared to me but she still manages to reach up and bring my face down towards hers. "Oh, sugar, I'm glad you're here."

"There's no place I'd rather be," I assure, my hand squeezing her arm reassuringly before I step away to follow my dad and Sookie.

     "How should we do this?" Lorelai asks, moving towards the dining table so we can set up the food.

     Before me or Dad can speak, Sookie is taking control of the situation, doing something me and Dad would never think to do. "Okay, we need to create a flow for the room so there's no bottlenecks. People coming through the front door, they're gonna want a beverage. Put them on the first table. Then with smaller hors d'oeuvres next to that, leaving one hand free to greet the people. Set up plates, cutlery. First, salads, then the meat dishes. Then put the desserts on the piano bench. How's that sound?"

     It's very clear Sookie works in a system while me and Dad definitely don't because we step forward, throw the bags and trays on the table and shout, "Dig in!"

I hold my hand up and Dad claps his hand over mine. We nod proudly, our eyes turning back to Sookie to see her shaking her head in disappointment.

     Once everyone settles into the food, I step away from my dad and move across the room to Addy and Nathan.

     My head falls upon Addy's shoulder the second I step over to her. "Never thought I'd be at a cat wake," Addy says, wrapping her arm around me to embrace me. "You okay?"

"Never thought I'd be at a cat wake," I repeat with a sigh.

Nathan leans back against the wall, and he's looking over at my dad and Sookie who are moving around a tray of meatloaf, one that me and Dad spent all afternoon trying to perfect. "Any chance your dad brought real food?"

I nod. "Yes. We brought real food."

"Good, because Babette tried to feed us left over cat food earlier," he says, and I wish I had been here for that.

"Did you make burgers?" Addy asks and I roll my eyes because, of course, all Addy thinks about are Luke's burgers.

I squeeze her shoulder. "I made one specially just for you, Ad."

"Oh, I knew five-year-old me was right to make friends with you." Addy's hands grasp my face and she squeezes my cheeks while I attempt to shove her away. "Sorry. Love you!" Addy practically skips off towards my dad and Sookie, ready to demand for her burger, and I sigh, knowing that Dad really wouldn't appreciate having to deal with Sookie and Addy.

Nathan looks to me with his brow raised. "There's no burger, is there?"

"I ate it on the way here but the intention was there." I didn't intend on eating the burger I made for Addy, I was just hungry. "There's plenty of regular burgers but there's no special Addy burger."

Nathan chuckles, his hand squeezing my shoulder. I'm about to speak but the new guy from Chicago, Dean steps over. "Hey, guys."

I smile towards Dean. "Hi," I say. "You enjoying it here?"

"I've been here for, like, two weeks and I'm at a wake. For a cat." When one moves from a city such as Chicago to here, it can take a little while to adjust to the extent of the small town life here in Stars Hollow, so it's not surprising to hear him confused by the life here.

Nathan and I grin. "That's the life."

"You managed to look around the town?" I ask, smiling towards Morey as he walks by them to head into the kitchen. "You haven't stopped by the diner."

Dean sends me a tight-lipped smile and I try to reciprocate it. "I apologise."

I fall silent while the boys fall into a steady conversation about sports and school endeavours. Nathan is on the Stars Hollow ice hockey team, and he hopes to get a sport scholarship for college because he's a damn good ice hockey player— probably the best. I'm not sure how I can say contribute to their conversation so I choose to move away, allowing the boys to get along.

Nathan is very good at bonding with literally anyone, it's a very annoying trait.

     I join Dad and Addy who stand by the table, arguing over the burger I "accidentally" ate. "Get this mad woman away from me," Dad demands, jabbing a finger towards Addy.

     "Addy, what—"

     "I want my burger and he," she points towards my dad. "Won't give me it."

     "Lucy ate it," Dad snitches, and my eyes widen because I told him not to mention it. Addy turns to face me, her mouth agape in a gasp. "What?"

     "Luciana." Addy's voice rings through my ears like an alarm, and I inhale sharply, realising I've just upset my starved best friend.

     "Addy, I'm—"

     Addy cuts me off, holding her hand up to silence me. "I've heard enough." Addy stomps one foot and dramatically walks off while I reach my hand out and smack my dad's arm.

     "You were supposed to lie."

     "Lie to Addy? Are you crazy?" To be honest, lying to Addy never does go well. She's scary because she finds everything out, and I mean everything.

     I step forward, my arms folding over my chest and my head falling against my dad's shoulder in exhaustion. From the afternoon of cooking, and the overload of schoolwork that was waiting for me on my desk, I'm tired and desperate to be curled up in bed. Dad splays a hand across my back, trying to keep me upwards.

     Lorelai then steps over to us, her hand on my shoulder, and I lift my head up from Dad's shoulder to glance over at her. "Have you seen Rory?"

     "No, sorry."

     Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Rory all night. I didn't even know she had come to the wake as I'd not seen her which is unusual because she lives right next door. There's a chance she's with her best friend, Lane Kim, but I hadn't seen her either. I haven't got a clue where Rory Gilmore is.

     Lorelai walks away with a smile and I lift my head to look at my dad who watches Lorelai walk off. I scoff loud enough for him to hear and he turns to me with a scowl on his face. "Scoff at me again and I'll hurt you." 

     "Okay, Mr. Obvious."

     Before Dad can argue with me, I hear a soft tune playing in the background. I turn my head and find Morey playing a calming musical tune on the piano. Babette is rushing through, claiming that she "loves this song," and I smile warmly. I look from Babette to Miss. Patty who hits her hand on the bongo drum. All I want to know is why they have a drum in their house.

     Morey continues to play softly, and Babette joins his side, her head sliding against his arm. I smile, my body feeling warm and tingly because this is oddly sweet and calming. I almost forget that this crazy wake is for a beloved cat.

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ME AND ADDY SIT OUTSIDE, away from the wake and the townsfolk. Nathan has been talking to Dean for the last hour while I tried to chase Addy around the house until she gave in and accepted defeat. Now, we sit outside, completely and utterly exhausted.

We sit cross-legged on the grass, a book on my lap and a textbook on Addy's. She was trying to do her math work— something she still hasn't done and the work is due tomorrow— while I sit and read 'On the Road' by Jack Kerouac.

It's a book I've been struggling to read. I've had this copy for two years, and I've been reading it hopelessly for a while, just skimming through it and complaining with every turn of the page. I have my favourites, and this book certainly won't be going on the list.

"I hate algebra," Addy groans, her hands closing the book abruptly. "Like, I hate algebra."

I hum softly, flicking to the next page and accepting that I'm not actually reading or processing any of the words on these pages. I quickly corner the page and close the book, looking up to Addy who has tossed her textbook to one side.

"Do you think this'll be the first and last animal wake we go to?"

"Probably not," I reply, knowing that I'll most likely be at another animal wake in the near future. "Have you met this town?" I've lived in this town for nearly sixteen years, and it's quite shocking that this is the first animal wake I've been to.

Addy picks up my book, her eyes skimming over the title. "On the Road," she reads, turning the book around to read the blurb. "You read for pleasure?"

"No, for pain," I say sarcastically. "I always read for pleasure."

"I don't know how we're friends," Addy says, and it's not the first time she's ever said it.

Addy then begins to read off the blurb in a very deep, exaggerated voice, "On the Road follows the adventures of Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty as they explore the country seeking excitement, freedom, and meaning."

"Sounds exciting, right?"

"You and me have very different definitions of exciting," Addy comments, throwing the book back into my lap.

Me and Addy may not enjoy similar things to one another but that doesn't matter. We have a bond for life, and she's not going to escape me. We've been best friends since we were five-years-old and I can't imagine my life without her. She's perfect, even if she doesn't see herself that way, and I love her more than she will ever know. We don't need to enjoy the same things to enjoy each other's company.

I look up at Addy, and she's flicking through her textbook again, probably trying to figure out the equations. "Will you need any help with the test next week?"

Addy's face lights up as she looks towards me. "You'd help me?"

"I'd help you with anything, Addy."

Whenever Addy needs me, I'll be there. If she needs my help with her work, I'll be there to help her with her work. Usually, whenever I offer my support, Addy passes with flying colours. She's smart, and I can see that she's talented, not just in dance but in many subjects at school, even if she doesn't apply herself fully.

"Then I have another favour," she says, her voice low and worried.

I sigh, smiling nonetheless because I will help her with anything she needs. "What do you need?"

Addy's eyes light up and she leans forward, her hands clasping together in excitement. "I'm staying at Nathan's tomorrow night and I need you," she pats her hand against my knee. "My darling, loving, beautiful, incredible, talented, amazing—"

"What do you need, Addy?" I interrupt.

"I'm telling my mom I'm staying at yours so if my mom stops by, I need you and Luke to back me up." It's not the first time Addy has asked me to lie to her mother. Annoyingly, I first have to persuade my dad— who is scared of Addy's mom— to lie to Ms. Sloane. Of course, he agrees every time despite his fears, because he knows Addy is safe with Nathan even if she's not staying with them at the diner. "Please."

"Yeah, of course." I pat my hand against hers.

"Thank you. I love you."

"Yes, you say that every time," I scoff.

Addy leans back, her arms crossing over her chest. I look to her, clearing my throat before I ask, "You've been staying with Nathan quite a bit... Everything okay at home?"

"Just getting sick of my mom," Addy admits, a shrug in her shoulders like it's not a big deal. "I can't even believe she's letting me stay at "yours" because she's been so up my ass about my grades and school and Nathan."

I shift from my position and I move to bring Addy's head against my shoulder, attempting to comfort her even if she doesn't need coddled.

I never understood Addy's mom, probably because I have a very good relationship with my parent. It pains me that Addy's father is no longer with her, and she used to be so close with her dad, just like I am with my dad. Since his death, Addy's relationship with her mother remained tainted and strained, and I try to sympathise with her but I don't even know my own mother.

Before either of us say anything, we hear the door to the house opening. "Hey, Addy!" We turn to see Nathan coming down the steps. "Hey, Luce, can I steal my woman for a moment?"

I rub a hand against Addy's shoulder softly. "Yeah, of course," I say, squeezing her arm before I separate from her. "Gotta go find my dad anyway."

"You might wanna take him back home. He's staring into space in there," Nathan tells me as I pass by him.

I smile and look back to Addy who is standing up and wrapping her arms around her boyfriend. I'm glad she has Nathan, especially right now when I'm not there.

I open the door to Babette and Morey's house, finding that everything has settled down. Morey is still drumming his fingers against the piano, Patty is talking to Dean— I wish I could have warned him— and I'm moving towards my dad who is staring into space, just like Nathan had said.

I place my hand on his shoulder. "Dad."

He looks startled and I chuckle, taking a seat next to him. "Hey, kid. You okay?"

"Absolutely exhausted," I reply. "You okay to leave?"

"Thought you'd never ask."

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