When Lorelai woke up on Friday Luke had already left for work. She sighed and rolled over towards his side of the bed. With a groan she dragged herself out of bed and quickly checking that everyone was asleep she jumped in the shower.
After she got everyone up and ready she went for a walk around town. She settled on a bench in the gazebo where she could see Luke's and could let Rory and Jess run around. She sat and watched people coming and going from Luke's thinking that maybe she should just walk in an order and all would be forgotten but she was too stubborn for that.
"Hey Lorelai!" A slightly hesitant voice said behind her causing her to jump.
She turned away from Luke's and saw Liz standing about a metre away from her.
"Oh, hi.." she tried to sound upbeat.
"Mind if I sit?" Liz asked her gesturing to the bench next to her.
"Ummm no go ahead." Lorelai sat up straighter.
"I can't believe Luke has a kid." Liz said after an awkward silence looking into the pram that held Theo.
"Yeah... he's got three." Lorelais eyes were on Rory and Jess a few metres in front of them.
Another awkward silence fell between them and Lorelai began to wonder why Liz was here.
"I just wanted to say Thankyou," Liz broke the silence, "for the other day. I was really in a sticky situation and you helped me out and you let me stay over the diner."
Lorelai was shocked, "well that's alright." She stuttered out, "you're Luke's sister." She tried to justify. "Glad I could help." She added after a pause.
"Well anyway, thanks, I'm going to grab some food from the diner and then meet a friend, you don't need anything from in there do you?" Liz asked standing up.
"No that's alright." Lorelai said then when Liz turned she changed her mind, "actually, you wouldn't get me a coffee would you?"
"Sure." Liz said and skipped off towards the diner leaving Lorelai confused.
15 minutes later Lorelai looked up from retying Jess' shoelace and saw Liz walking back towards her, however she wasn't alone. Luke was marching along beside her.
"Do you send her in to get you coffee?" Luke demanded pointing a thumb in Liz's direction.
"Well hello to you too." Lorelai tried to lighten the mood.
"Don't play cute with me," Luke narrowed his eyes at her, "you're not even suppose to be drinking coffee."
"I didn't know I wasn't suppose to tell him it was for you." Liz said defensively.
"Don't worry about it," Lorelai sighed, "Luke a little coffee never killed anybody."
"I can guarantee you've already had a little coffee. And you could have just come in for it yourself."
"Well..." Lorelai didn't look at him.
"Liz go back inside." Luke said turning to his sister.
"But.." she tried to interrupt.
"Your food will be ready." He said gently turning her around and pushing her back towards the diner.
"Lorelai.." he sat down on the bench next to her thinking of his words.
Before he could say anything Lorelai turned to face him better and started talking, "I don't want you to apologise just because you think that's what I want to hear and because it's easier. I should have taken your feelings into account more, if you're uncomfortable I'll try not to feed him in public because it matters to me what you think and I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable but at the same time I still think you overreacted."
"I'm sorry too. And I mean it this time. You're right I just got uncomfortable but you should be able to feed him wherever you like."
"Thanks Luke." Lorelai smiled and leaned into him so he'd put his arm around her, "but I won't feed him in the diner, I know you're still not comfortable with that."
"I want you to come back in, I've missed you in there." Luke admitted.
"I'll feed him in the back or something." Lorelai shrugged.
"You're not allowed in the back." Luke pointed out.
"Well you'll just have to make an exception." Lorelai grinned.
"JESS." Luke shouted out jumping to his feet and running across the grass towards Jess and Rory.
Lorelai jumped to her feet after him but couldn't see what was going on and didn't want to leave Theo. No one looked hurt. Rory was running back towards her and Luke was knelt down in front of Jess.
"What happened?" Lorelai asked Rory when she reached her picking her up.
"Daddy's angry." Rory explained laying her head against Lorelai.
"Why? What happened?" Lorelai repeated she looked back to see that Luke was still crouched down talking to Jess.
"I don't know," Rory shrugged, "me and Jess were kicking the ball and then i kicked it wrong and daddy came and was angry at Jess." She explained, "but I was a good girl, I promise." She added in a worried tone.
"I know you were." Lorelai assured her kissing the side of her head she saw Luke pick Jess up despite him kicking at him to get away and walk across the road, away from her, he picked up a ball and then walked back towards them.
"What's going on?" Lorelai asked still confused when Luke arrived with a screaming Jess.
"Jess stop screaming you're going to wake the baby." Luke said before answering Lorelai.
"Put me down," Jess shouted.
"No." Luke said simply.
"Everything's fine," he turned to Lorelai knowing that she'd be worried and confused, "I just saw Jess running straight for the road after this ball," he held up the ball and it seemed to upset Jess more, "which is something he knows he shouldn't do."
"Awww baby," Lorelai said sympathetically placing Rory down and holding her arms out for Jess who launched himself at her, "daddy's right you know," she stroked his hair as he lay his head against her chest, "you could have been hurt, we don't want that."
"Daddy was mean to me." Jess whimpered out against Lorelai.
Lorelai met Lukes eye and smiled, "what did he say?" She asked Jess softly.
"He said," Jess started crying more, "he said, Jess can't go out on the road."
"Well you can't Jess." Lorelai relied gently.
"But he said it meanly." Jess said stubbornly.
Luke knelt down in front of them putting one hand on Lorelais knee to steady himself and one hand on Jess' back, "Jess I didn't mean to be mean to you, ok? It's just really really important that you don't go near roads by yourself. There could have been a car."
Jess didn't respond but he calmed down, still pressed tightly against Lorelai.
"I didn't go on the road." Rory said proudly from where she sat behind them playing with her ball.
Luke smirked at Lorelai and then stood up and sat beside Rory, "I know you didn't sweetheart."
"I need to get back to the diner," Luke said standing up, "wanna come with me, I'll make you some lunch?"
Lorelai stood up and Jess felt heavy in her arms, looking down at him she said, "he's asleep."
"So's he." Luke said looking into the stroller.
Lorelai considered her options, "I'll come if you give me some coffee."
"I came out here to tell you I wasn't giving you coffee what makes you think I've changed my mind?"
Lorelai leaned forward and kissed him, "my irresistible charm." She grinned.
"Come on," Luke shook his head held out a hand for Rory to take and then pushed the strolled towards the diner, "a small cup."
Luke arrived home early, as he always did when they were going to Friday night dinners. He was greeted at the door by Rory and Jess, glad to see everything was forgiven from earlier.
"Hey." He walked into the living room where Lorelai was feeding Theo.
"Oh good," Lorelai said when she heard him, "I need to talk to you."
"Why?" He asked sitting down Jess climbed into his lap and Rory onto the sofa next to him.
"Away from little ears." She decided.
"Daddy, daddy, daddy!" Jess said tugging on his shirt to get his attention.
"Yes?"
"Can we go play on our bikes?" Jess and Rory both looked up hopefully at him.
"Not tonight, we are going to grandma and grandpas remember? How about tomorrow instead?"
They nodded their heads with little enthusiasm and went off to play with something else in the corner.
"What is it?" Luke asked once they were occupied.
Lorelai checked they weren't listening and said, "we need to speak to Jess about Liz."
"Yeah I know." Luke sighed.
"I don't know how long she'll stick around but she doesn't seem to be leaving any time soon."
"When do you want to speak to him? We have to decide exactly what we are going to say."
"Tomorrow, we can't do it tonight we run the risk of him repeating whatever we say to my mother. I've already told them not to mention her at dinner so hopefully my mum won't find out she's here."
"Ok." Luke nodded taking Theo off her now that she had finished feeding him.
"What do you want to say?" Lorelai asked nervously looking over at Jess and Rory.
Luke shrugged.
"We should probably speak to both of them, not just Jess."
"You're probably right," Luke admitted, "we can think of what we can say later on we need to get ready or else we are going to be late and I don't think your parents would appreciate that."
As it turned out they were late for dinner that night. Emily wasn't pleased and despite the fact that Lorelai had announced that it was her fault that they were late she spent the evening shooting glares at Luke.
"So mum, how are things with you?" Lorelai said trying to get her mothers attention off whatever it was Luke had done to offend her as she was currently scowling in his direction as he cut up Jess' meat.
"How are things with me?" Emily repeated her attention now on Lorelai, apparently that had been the wrong thing to ask, "I'm glad you asked that Lorelai." She seemed to consider and then said, "well I've had a lovely week, just delightful. Would just like to ask you one thing though?" She said in an overly sweet tone.
"Before you do, can I just say that I am very glad you've had a nice week." Lorelai raises her eyebrows at her mother who ignored her.
"Emily I'm not sure this is the place." Richard said in a low voice shooting looks at Rory and Jess who were both watching eagerly.
"Right," Emily nodding trying to contain herself, "after dinner I want a word with you." She said looking at Lorelai pointedly.
"Oh goodie." Lorelai said exchanging a look with Luke.
The rest of dinner was ate in a very tense environment.
After they ate dessert Lorelai started fussing with Theo in his car seat, "we better go soon," she said to Luke, "he's getting tired." She stood up hoping Luke would follow her lead and she good avoid her mother.
As soon as she stood up Emily said, "not so fast, I still need to speak to you." And stood up too, she turned around and walked out of the dining room obviously expecting Lorelai to follow him.
"So close." Lorelai joked and her father shook his head at her.
"You alright with him or do you want me to take him with me?" She asked a Luke lifting Theo up in his car seat.
"Leave him here." Luke said and she placed him next to Luke and left the room in search of her mother.
"Lorelai." Emily said when she walked into the living room making her jump.
Lorelai took her mother in sitting there with her hands clasped and a sour look on her face, "mum if this is about Liz I don't want to hear it." She sighed.
"Liz? No of course not, why would it be about Liz? This is about you bringing a violent man into my home and into the lives of my grandchildren."
"What man?" Lorelai sighed thinking her mum really had lost it this time.
"What man! Luke of course!" Emily seemed to be getting more annoyed with Lorelai.
"Luke's not violent mum, what are you on about, he wouldn't hurt a fly." Lorelai was trying to stay calm.
"Wouldn't hurt a fly? Would he not? Then explain to me why in Wednesdays DAR meeting I am ambushed with the fact that my son-in-law broke Francine's sons nose and I didn't even know about it?"
"That was months ago!" Lorelai was annoyed now, "you do remember when you told Christopher where we live and he turned up at my house. Luke didn't just punch him for fun! You know what happened mum!"
"Oh so it's ok to just go around beating people up? Is that what that man is teaching those children?"
"I'm not discussing this with you." Lorelai said turning around.
"Yes you are!" Emily jumped to her feet and cut Lorelai off before she could leave to room, "I came to you and I told you that Christopher wanted to see Rory, that he regretted his decision and that he wanted to make things right with her and you. You then tell me some sob story about how he pushed himself on you to make me drop it. What you don't mention is that he was assaulted. That changes everything Lorelai, that poor boy is probably sat at home worried sick about you and Rory but too scared to do anything. From what Francine said he's been doing nothing with his life these past few months."
"That poor boy?" Lorelai questioned in disgust, "I think he's just fine. He could have been in Rory's life when she was born he chose not to be now she has a real dad who loves her and treats her perfectly. That's on him. And he came to Luke's how while he wasn't there and kissed his pregnant wife! What do you think Luke was going to do?"
"Men of a certain class.."
"Don't kiss other people's wife's." Lorelai said pushing past her mother and back to the dining room.
"We need to go." She said walking up to Luke and swinging the diaper bag over her shoulder and then picking Rory up.
"Lorelai, your mother didn't mean any offence." Richard said.
"That's exactly what she meant." Lorelai said roughly as Luke picked up the car seat containing Theo and held out his hand for Jess to take, "bye dad." She said.
"Are you ok?" Luke asked placing a hand on her knee as he reversed the car out of the driveway.
Lorelai placed a hand over his and closed her eyes and leaned her head back, "I don't know why she does that. It's like she doesn't want us to have a good relationship, you know? We were doing so good, almost getting along even and that was so unnecessary."
Luke squeezed her knee and they drove home in relative silence.
After putting Rory and Jess to bed, Lorelai and Luke sat downstairs with Theo, "What happened?" Luke asked her.
"I don't want to tell you if it's going to upset you." Lorelai said.
"I'm a big boy Lorelai, I'm sure I'll be fine."
"Ok but you can't take anything that she said to heart, I love you just the way you are, ok?" Lorelai asked him running a hand down his face.
"Ok." He smiled at her.
"Apparently during the week there was an incident at one of her DAR meetings and you punching Chris was brought up, she didn't know this and she doesn't approve of me bring a violent man into her house and how poor Christopher doesn't know what to do with himself now he's been assaulted."
"I barely touched him." He said dismissively.
"You broke his nose apparently."
"Well I would never touch any of you." He said defensively.
"I know that, I told her that. I told her that I have absolutely no sympathy for Christopher and that Rory has an absolutely perfect dad."
"Yeah?" He asked trying to hide his smile.
"Yeah. I'm sorry she brought all that up you don't deserve that. You are absolutely brilliant with all three of them."
Luke, careful of Theo who was lying on his front in between them, leaned over and kissed her, "thankyou."
"Do you still want to speak to them tomorrow?" Luke asked her as they got into bed that evening.
"Yeah, I think we have to. They're really smart and I feel like if we don't tell them anything we are keeping it from them."
Luke nodded in agreement, "ok, we need to go into this with a plan."
"They know that Liz is your sister I say we just tell Jess that she was pregnant with him and then we did something called adopting so that we could be his mum and dad."
Luke nodded, "ok, yeah keep that vague for now, he's going to come back with a question we can't answer."
"Rory's harder."
"How do we explain why I'm not her birth father without explaining where babies come from?"
"Exactly."
"Just keep that one super vague," Luke said, "say that because we didn't meet until just after they were born I had to adopt her to be her dad or something."
"This is going to be hard." Lorelai said.
The next morning Lorelai woke up to an empty bed and a note on Luke's pillow that read 'went to diner' she frowned and realised that the reason she was awake was because Theo was crying so got up to go get him.
It was mid morning before Lorelai was able to get everyone ready and walk over to the diner.
"Hey." Luke greeted her with a kiss and helped her get the stroller inside and into a corner out of the way.
Lorelai sat down and picked Rory up onto her lap to contain her as Luke sat opposite her with Jess.
"Why are you here? You're suppose to be off today?" She asked him with a frown.
"Josh has a childcare issue, he was suppose to be opening but he'll be in for 12." Luke explained.
"Ah," Lorelai nodded then looked confused again, "how come I didn't hear the phone ringing or anything?"
Luke chuckled, "I'd like to ask you the same question. You were impossible to wake this morning, I tried to wake you when I was leaving to tell you I was going. Why do you think I left a note?"
"Daddy, when can we ride our bikes?" Jess asked looking up at him.
"After lunch, once I come home from work and then when Theo goes down for his nap me and mummy need to have a chat with you." He looked over at Lorelai who nodded.
"Ok." Jess said happily. Luke stood up and placed him down on the seat he had been sitting on and then took an order from them.
At Theo o'clock Lorelai carried a crying Theo inside while Luke tried to convince Jess and Rory to depart from their bikes that they were riding up and down the driveway and come inside too.
"He's asleep." Lorelai said coming downstairs to see Luke in the living room with Jess and Rory.
"You two sit there." Luke said putting them on the sofa, "we need to talk to you." He sat on the table in front of the sofa and Lorelai joined him.
Looking at them sitting there they suddenly looked very small to Lorelai who started to think they they might not be ready for the talk they were about to give them.
"Do you remember when I was pregnant with Theo?" Lorelai asked them.
Rory nodded and Jess asked innocently, "when you were really fat?"
Luke started to laugh and Lorelai elbowed him.
"Yes, when I looked fat." Lorelai said slowly.
Jess nodded too.
"Well that wasn't the first time I've been pregnant. I used to be pregnant with Rory, before I met daddy and Jess. What we wanted to talk to you about was that I wasn't the lady who was pregnant with Jess when he was a tiny baby. That lady was daddy's sister, Liz. Do you remember her? Then after she gave birth to you, Jess, me and daddy did something called adoption so that you could be our little boy. And Rory because we only met daddy after you were already born he adopted you too so that me and him could be both of your parents." Lorelai explained slowly in a gentle voice.
"I don't understand." Said Jess.
"What don't you understand, buddy?" Luke asked him.
"Theo is very little. Me and Rory wouldn't fit." Rory nodded apparently thinking this was very good logic.
Luke smiled at him, "I know you don't believe me but you were both once as little as Theo is today. Just like you are growing up he is growing up too and in a few years time he'll be your size and you'll be even bigger. You know everyone was a baby once."
"What does adopted mean?" Rory asked.
"It means that someone gets to be your mummy or daddy when they really want to be but when you were born they didn't get to be." Lorelai said slowly trying to chose her words carefully.
"Theo?" Rory asked.
"We didn't need to adopt him," Lorelai answered her knowing what she meant, "when you were born I didn't need to adopt you but daddy did and when Jess was born we both needed to adopt him." Lorelai tried to simplify the situation.
"Why?" Asked Jess.
"Because I wanted to be your mummy and daddy wanted to be your daddy."
"But you are." He frowned.
"I know sweetie, and we both love you so so much and are so so thankful we got you as a son." Lorelai said.
"I don't understand." Jess scrunched up his face.
"We just wanted to let you know that even though it was Liz who was pregnant with you and I didn't know your mum until after you were born it doesn't mean that we love the two of you any less." Luke said, "we want you to understand what happened, we don't want to keep it from you, but we want you two to know that we love the two of you and your brother more than anything in the world, and nothing could change that."
Lorelai shifted down that she was sitting closer to Luke and leaned up against him.
Jess nodded but still looked confused.
"Come here, baby." Lorelai said extending her arms out to him and he left forward hugging her tightly.
"You ok, Rory?" Lorelai asked looking over at Rory who looked concerned.
"Yeah." Rory said in a small voice and then walked over to Luke and held her arms out to him so that she could be held.
"Let's put in a movie." Lorelai suggested.
An hour into the movie Theo woke up and Lorelai went upstairs to get him. When she came downstairs Rory and Jess were both asleep, Rory lying on top of Luke and Jess leaned into his side.
"I don't think we did that right." Luke said once Lorelai had sat back down with a calm Theo, "they are too young still."
"Nah, I think you did a good job," Lorelai smiled at him, "what you said was sweet."
Luke pressed his lips together, "they didn't understand though."
"No not really, but they'll probably remember bits of that conversation and it will make sense to them when they're older. The last thing we want to do is keep it from them for too long."
"Maybe." Luke agreed.