Chapter 35: Half a Crap Shack

Luke found Jess on the porch, leaning against the wall next to the back door, smoking a cigarette.

"I thought you'd quit?" he questioned, closing the door behind him.

"You and your wife just bestowed a house on me and my girlfriend, and half of the town is here celebrating my birthday. Sorry if I am a bit overwhelmed."

He had accused Lorelai and Rory of inviting all of them, however, both had sworn that they had planned a family evening including Sookie, great food and a movie. What they did not know was that Babette had found out about their plans, or more specifically, about the reason for their plans. She had ganged up with Miss Patty, Gipsy, and ultimately with Sookie, who was so proud of herself to have kept the entire thing from Lorelai until the very end – and now the house was raging with party people, each of which had hugged him and gotten him a present.

He could have done without the hugging.

He was flattered they cared enough to celebrate.

"Did you reach Liz?"

Luke sighed. Everybody inside the house was cooing over Doula, yet he had to remind his sister on the telephone that her three week old daughter that she had dropped off at the Diner now was at another place, and if she didn't want to finally fetch her. She had commented on the party noises in the background, but obviously did not connect that to the birthday of her son.

"They've run out of gas somewhere close to Harrisburg, and please don't ask me what they're doing there. They will stay the night."

"I need to go back to Philly tomorrow morning!" Jess exclaimed, his hands fisting.

"Jess, Doula can stay with Lorelai and me, it's not a big deal."

Jess only looked at him. They both knew it maybe wasn't a big deal, it was a problem, though. Unclenching a bit, he scrutinized his uncle.

"Why didn't you tell Lorelai about how I was born? According to Liz you've been the one who took her to the hospital."

Luke frowned.

"Liz told you about that?"

"Every time she felt miserable for herself she kept dragging on how her big brother hero saved the day, sometimes. That was one of the stories. Don't worry, I didn't tell Lorelai you knew. The first time I remember seeing you when I was a kid was at the funeral of your father, so I told her you most probably figured out she had me by then."

"Does it matter?"

"To me, it does. She never behaved like she wanted me. So why have me at all? I guess she just figured it out too late."

Coughing, Jess flipped the cigarette into a puddle in the lawn. Luke took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"She was 16. And not the smartest cookie in the jar. She was barely at home by the time and until I'd seen you and how you looked like Jimmy I wasn't even sure who was your father. We had lost our mother a few years ago, and Dad was going through his second chemo, so I had my hands full with the hardware store, the hospital trips and worried myself crazy over her."

Leaning against the door, Luke ran a hand over his face.

"She was thrilled to bits when she found out she was pregnant, she never even thought about getting rid of you. And believe me, it was not due to lack of trying from me or your grandfather, for which I'm deeply sorry, by the way."

To say he was surprised was an understatement. Jess just stared at his uncle unbelievingly.

"She sucked at everything beyond that, mainly because she doesn't have any discipline or the attention span to follow things through. But you never were not wanted to begin with", Luke told his stunned nephew who was rendered speechless by now.

"She could not deal with Jimmy leaving, and was offended when Dad and I tried to interfere, because she was not actually coping well with having to take care of a newborn infant. Your grandfather was devastated when she disappeared with you one night and didn't show up again until he died and I finally managed to hunt her down. The second the nurse handed you to him I could tell my Dad had fallen for you. Actually, according to his last will, you own half of the Hardware store."

Jess was blinking away tears furiously by now.

"Why…", his voice broke when he tried to ask why Luke had not told him that earlier. It maybe would have made Stars Hollow not just the place where he'd been shipped off to because his mother didn't want him anymore.

"Honestly? I don't think you'd have wanted to hear all of that when you were 17."

Yah, most probably he wouldn't.

Taking a deep breath, Jess leaned his head against the wall.

"So… I own half of the Diner, huh?"

"We can tell Taylor next time you're here, I bet his head will explode", Luke grinned.

Rory slid out to the porch when Luke walked back into the house again. Sitting down on the table next to Lorelai, he grabbed some of the grapes that Sookie had pinned to whatever cheese she had dragged here today and slowly munched the first piece.

He had a small smile on his face, making his wife frown at him.

"What happened out there?"

"I have to tell you the real story of how Jess was born. If we leave out the fact that Liz was completely stoned and I almost crashed the car because she was getting paranoid, he might actually like it."

Patting his arm, Lorelai smiled.

"Next year, Sweetheart. I just sent Rory out to arrange for a silent escape for him, I know that they meant well, but it's just too many people for Jess. Doula's staying with us tonight, I guess?"

Luke nodded, his smile slightly fading.

He really hoped that his sister got it together this time.

"Your mother is crazy", he stated, making her lift her head and stop tracing the outlines of the stellar tattoo on the triceps of his right arm. He didn't change his position, stretched out on his back on what used to be Luke's bed in the apartment over the Diner, hands crossed beneath his head, staring into the darkness.

She placed a kiss on his lips, telling him "We really need to work on your pillow talk", while her lips worked down his neck. He was laughing softly.

"I was anticipating a Hello Kitty writing set, hell, maybe even a watch or a new laptop…"

"I got you a watch", she interrupted him, her fingers tracing his pecs.

"And I love it", he replied, his fingers tracing down her bare back.

"But a house? Who the hell gives you a house as a birthday present?"

Rory giggled.

"If it makes you feel better: You only got half a house as a birthday present. I got the other half."

"Ror…"

"See, that's Mom's way of telling you that you are family. She and Luke need a bigger place, and they need something that is theirs, not just remodeled hers. And this way it's kept in the family… though, if that's making you feel tethered, then just let her know…"

This time he kissed her.

"I don't feel chained. I just feel like I didn't do anything to deserve such a big gift."

"Jess, I have a strong feeling that if not William was running on the first place of a very short list for Sid's actual names, she would name her firstborn son after you just for getting me back into Yale."

"Good Lord, no, another poor kid running around with that name? From first to fourth grade my name in school was mocked for Jessica."

"Until fourth grade only? They came up with something better then?"

"Nope, Liz was moving again, and at the new school I made pretty sure that I was no Jessica."

"Uh, my man is such a tough guy", Rory giggled, her finger trailing down his abs.

Jess laughed.

"Your man? Seriously?"

"Hey, I'm trying to seduce you here, and all you want to talk about is that stupid house. Okay, so… I want to remodel my old room and make it an office and we definitely need more book shelves in the li…. Mmmmh…"

He had turned them in one swift motion, pinning her underneath his body and claimed her mouth.

"Hey, if you wanna seduce me, all you have to say is I'm up for round three…"