Rory and Lily came rushing into the diner, Rory looking much calmer
and happier than when she'd left.
Lorelei smiled at her daughter. "What's the rush?"
"We need a cake," Lily announced.
"Jess's birthday is in two days," Rory whispered.
"Stop whispering," Lorelei whispered back. "He's upstairs."
"Why?" Rory asked her voice normal again.
Luke and Lorelei gave each other a glance.
Lily frowned. "He got all sick again, didn't he?"
"He's okay," Luke told them. "He's just taking it easy."
Rory sat down next to Lorelei. "He can't be sick. His birthday is in two days. He can't be sick for his birthday."
"He'll be fine by then," Lorelei reassured her daughter. "And if he' not, I'm sure he can do a perfectly good job of pretending that he is."
Lily looked up a Luke. "Can I go and see him?"
"Who're you?" Luke asked, slightly confused.
"I'm Lily," she replied, holding a hand out in greeting. "You must be Cranky Uncle Luke."
Luke shook her hand. "I'm not cranky."
"Taylor would beg to differ," Lorelei said, digging into her food.
"He doesn't count," Luke snapped. "Go on up, Lily."
Lily smiled and scrambled up the stares.
"I'm not cranky," Luke repeated.
Rory and Lorelei gave each other knowing looks.
*****
"What are you reading?"
Jess held up his book, and Lily smiled at him.
"I got you that."
He nodded. "It's good."
She nodded back. "I know. How're you feeling?"
"Fine," he replied. "You're all wet."
"Raining," she shrugged.
He got up and set his book down on the coffee table. "Lemme get you a towel."
"You don't look fine," she called after him.
"Looks aren't everything."
"Did you throw up?"
"Nope."
"Are you going to?"
He came back and covered her head with the towel. "Only if you're in range."
"Ew! Jerk!" She began to dry herself off.
"Yup." He plopped back down on the couch with his book.
"Rory's downstairs."
"Huh."
"Want me to send her up?"
"Whatever. She's probably too busy having her heart-to-heart with Dean."
Lily stared in silence for a moment before voicing her opinion on his last remark. "You're so dumb."
He looked up from his book. "Excuse me?"
"You're really dumb."
"Huh." He went back to reading.
She snatched the book from him and he sat back, looking more annoyed than usual.
"Why do you think everybody's gonna leave you?"
He didn't reply.
"She stuck up for you," Lily went on. "She stormed away all mad!"
He still didn't reply.
"You think what you want," she said, throwing the towel at him and dropping the book on the table. "Just don't be so stupid."
******
"Rory, I already told you," Luke said. "I'm not making him a cake."
"But you have to!" she cried. "Everybody needs a birthday cake!"
"So you make it," Luke countered.
"No, that's disaster in a can," Lorelei interjected. "Why don't you make it, Luke?"
"I haven't made him a cake since his first birthday. Something tells me his tastes have changed."
Rory smiled, remembering pictures of Jess at his first birthday party. "That's easy. I'll just-"
"Not making cake," Luke cut her off.
"Cupcakes?"
"No."
"Brownies?" she suggested.
"No."
"Pie?"
"Rory!"
"He's gonna be nineteen!" Rory cried.
"He doesn't even like his birthday!" Luke said. "Last year Liz called and they got in a huge fight! In fact, I think he stayed in bed all day!"
"Well, he's not gonna do that this year," Rory replied confidently.
Lily fled down the stairs in a fury and pointed to Rory. "you're dating an idiot."
Rory smiled. "Isn't he cute?"
"No!" Lily cried. "He's an idiot!"
"What did he do this time?" Luke asked.
The nine-year-old rolled her eyes in a very Jess way and sat next to Lorelei. "Where'd the crazy girl go?"
"Yeah, where is Lane?" Rory asked.
Luke sighed. "Dave showed up and I let her off early. She looked like she might implode; though I have the feeling she was faking it to spend more time with Dave."
"Lane? Fake imminent implosion to get out of work and have Dave- time?" Rory said in fake-shock. "Never." Her gaze strayed to the stairway.
Luke rolled his eyes. "Go."
Rory shot up the stairs.
Lorelei sighed. "Those two are dangerous."
"Tell me about it," Luke replied. "I walked in on them making out last weekend. They're turning into bunnies."
"They haven't slept together yet," Lorelei replied, her voice kind of shocked. "At least that's what she told me." She gasped. "What if she lied?"
"Rory wouldn't lie to you."
"About Jess? She has before."
"She wouldn't lie to you, Lorelei," Luke replied. "And something tells me that if they were, Jess would be a lot more pleasant to be around."
Lily snorted. "Pleasant. Right."
******
When Rory reached the apartment, she found Jess sleeping on the couch. Book dangling from loose finger, and head tilted back on the couch cushion.
She smiled and went to get him a blanket. When she came back and threw it over him, he stirred a little.
"Rory?"
"Hey, sorry I woke you," she replied softly. "You okay? Mom and Luke said you weren't feeling well."
"I'm fine," he told her, his eyes squinting in the light. "Hey... uh... I'm sorry."
She gave him a confused look. "For what?"
Sorry that he'd doubted her. Again. Sorry that he'd thought that she'd run back and take Dean's side. Again. Sorry that he's such an asshole who can't seem to trust people. Again.
He shrugged. "Just sorry."
She shook her head and kissed him briefly. "Go back to sleep. Mom and I are gonna kidnap Lily for a sleepover."
"Oh, god," Jess moaned quietly. "Don't teach her any weird Gilmore habits. I don't think I can deal with that."
Rory laughed a little. "Goodnight, Jess."
"I'm not kidding, Rory. Don't get her addicted to coffee."
"Well, too late. My mother is downstairs with her right now, force- feeding her through a funnel."
He glared playfully and she laughed and walked out.
*****
"If I were a Jess, what would I want for my birthday?"
Lily tried to keep up with Rory as they walked through the mall the next morning. "You. Naked."
Rory stopped, and stared at Lily with a reddened face. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
"Never mind."
Rory nodded. "Thank you."
"He likes books."
"I don't know what to get him," Rory replied. "Every book I've read, he's read. Every book I have that he hasn't read, he's taken and read it already behind my back."
Lily nodded. "He did the same thing to me. He was such a book thief, and all he had to do was ask."
"That's too hard for Jess."
Lily laughed. "I don't know. He likes... alcohol."
"I can't get him alcohol!" Rory cried. "That'd be supporting a bad habit. Plus, I'm only eighteen! And I look fourteen!"
Lily looked up and tried to think more. "He writes, some."
Rory raised an eyebrow. "He does?"
Lily nodded. "He had a few notebooks lying around."
"Hmm.."
*****
Lorelei walked into the diner and sat down. Jess walked over and poured her a cup of coffee. "Where are Rory and Lily?"
Lorelei smiled. "Don't you see them? They're right across from me."
Jess glared.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you! They were in Rory's secret lab last night, and they created invisibility coffee."
"Good. Bring some in for Kirk next time," Jess replied. "Where are they?"
"Not here."
"Where?"
"Plotting your death."
"Lorelei..."
"What? They went shopping."
"Shopping?"
"Shopping."
"For what?"
"Panties."
He glared again.
"What?!"
"Lily didn't happen to mention anything about my birthday to Rory, did she?"
Lorelei stared in half-shock. "It's your birthday?"
Jess rolled his eyes and walked to take someone else's order.
******
When Lorelei came home from the diner, and checking briefly on the inn, she found Rory and Lily wrapping a large box.
"What is that?" Lorelei asked.
"Jess's birthday present," Rory replied, as she stuck a stray piece of wrapping paper on an uncovered spot.
Lorelei nodded slowly. "Okay, but what is it?"
"It's a type-writer," Lily replied.
"A... typewriter," Lorelei repeated. "What does he need a type-writer for?"
"To type, duh," Lily replied.
Lorelei sighed.
*****
The next morning, Jess woke up in his room in Luke's apartment, and blinked.
His birthday.
Joy of joys.
He got up and trudged out to the kitchen to find an envelope with a few twenties in it, and a note written in Luke's handwriting that said "Happy birthday."
He blinked and squinted at the sunlight coming through the closed window. He shrugged, and took the envelope back into his room, setting it on his nightstand before getting back in bed.
A few moments later, there was a knock on the door. Jess groaned and got back out of bed and swung the door open.
Oh. Damn.
"Hey, Jess."
He blinked. "Jimmy."
"I uh..." Jimmy looked slightly uncomfortable. "Came to pick up Lily."
"She uh... she's not here," Jess replied, scratching the back of his head, all of the sudden very aware of the fact that his hair was a mess, and all he was wearing were a pair of boxer shorts and a thin t-shirt. "She stayed at Rory's."
"Oh."
They stood in silence.
"You just wake up?" Jimmy asked.
Jess nodded. "Yeah."
"It's noon."
Yeah."
"You usually get up this late?" Jimmy asked.
"Nope."
"Just today, huh?"
Jess nodded.
More silence.
"You have no idea what today is, do you, Jimmy."
Jimmy blinked. "I... uh..."
Jess nodded. "Just wait downstairs. Lily will be in soon, probably. It's almost lunch time. Tell her I said bye. And thanks for the book." He began to close the door, but Jimmy stopped him.
"I'll think of it," the older Mariano promised. "Gimme a minute."
Jess rolled his eyes and slammed the door.
*****
Lorelei, Rory and Lily walked into the diner, Rory carrying the large, wrapped box in both hands.
Luke blinked. "What the hell is that?"
Rory smiled triumphantly. "Jess's birthday present."
Luke sighed. "At least someone else remembered." He glared at Jimmy, who was sitting at the counter.
"I'm sorry," Jimmy snapped. "Jeez."
Lily blinked. "Jimmy?"
"Hey, Lily," Jimmy turned to her.
"What're you doing here?"
"Came to get you," Jimmy replied.
"And not for your kid's birthday," Luke added. "Nice one, Jimmy. Really great. I'm sure he's thrilled to know that you care about a kid who isn't even yours more than you care about him."
"Oh, shut up, Luke, you judgmental ass."
"I'm an ass? That's rich."
"Okay, stop," Lorelei cut in. "This is stupid. Where's Jess?"
"Sleeping," both men replied.
"No," Rory said. "He's not supposed to sleep through his birthday."
"He does this every year," Luke said, repeating his words from the other night. "I don't blame him." The phone rang and Luke sighed as he picked it up. "Luke's di- Hi, Liz. Hold on." He put the phone down and went to the stairs. "JESS!!! YOUR MOTHER IS ON THE PHONE!"
"TELL HER I THREW MYSELF OUT A WINDOW!"
"TELL HER YOURSELF! PICK UP THE PHONE!" He sighed and held the phone to his ear, being quiet, and listening.
"Hi. Mom? Yeah. Hi. I threw myself out a window. Bye." With that, Jess hung up the phone.
Luke glared and hung up as well. "JESS! YOU LITTLE PIECE OF CRAP! CALL YOUR MOTHER BACK!"
"HEY! I WAS JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS!"
"WELL FOLLOW ORDERS AGAIN AND CALL HER BACK!"
"I'M SLEEPING!"
"YOU'RE YELLING!"
"BECAUSE YOU'RE YELLING! WHO CAN SLEEP WHILE YOU'RE YELLING!"
"RORY'S HERE!"
"HI, RORY!"
Rory had to smirk. "HI! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
There was a faint grunting sound and then nothing more.
"YOU'RE WELCOME!"
Luke sighed and stalked up the stairs. He swung open the apartment door, and went to stand in Jess's doorway. He was lying in bed.
"Get up, before I drag you out of bed by your foot."
"You do that, and your fingers get bitten off."
"Jess, just get outta bed."
"Why?"
"Because Rory's downstairs, and has a something for you."
"Oh. Is it a knife? Cause I could use something to stab myself with."
He grabbed Jess by the shoulder and led him down the stairs. "Go."
"I don't get to powder my nose? Or put on pants, for that matter?"
"No."
"Well, damn."
They got down to the diner, and Rory stared, and turned red behind the box she was holding.
Lily laughed. "Your legs are skinny."
Jess looked down at his legs, and then glared at Lily. "Your everything is skinny. So shut up."
Lily stuck out her tongue.
Lorelei blinked and glanced at Rory, who was still blushing and staring at Jess. "Uh... Rory, I have to talk to you at home."
Rory blinked. "Huh?" her eyes did not leave Jess still.
"Home. Now." She took Rory by the shoulders, and led her out.
Jess blinked and watched them go. "Was that my birthday present?"
"Rory or the box?" Lily asked.
"Both."
Luke smacked his nephew on the back of the head.
******
Lorelei pulled Rory into the house.
"What was that?" Rory asked. "I didn't get to give Jess his present."
"Be honest with me," Lorelei said. "Be really, really honest with me."
Rory blinked. "Uh... Mom? I'm always really, really honest with you."
"Well, be really, really, really honest with me."
"Are the paint fumes getting to you at work?" Rory asked worriedly. "Because you're worrying me."
"Are you and Jess..."
Rory blinked.
Rory turned red. "No."
"No?"
"No."
"No?"
"Mom! No!"
"Oh. Okay." She sighed. "Okay."
"You knew that already."
"Yeah, I know, but... Luke mentioned bunnies."
"What?"
"Bunnies!"
"How dare he!" Rory cried. "What were the bunnies in reference to?"
"You and Jess."
"Well, then I repeat! How dare he!" Rory cried. "We are not bunnies. Do I look furry to you?"
"Sometimes."
"Mom, we're not," Rory told her again. "I'm not lying. I wouldn't lie to you."
"I know," Lorelei replied. "I'm just... paranoid. And, you are... at that age where you want-"
"Don't say that again!" Rory cried. "You said it before!"
"You were staring!"
"He's my boyfriend! I'm allowed to stare! That's a girlfriend privilege."
"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Lorelei said. "You're gonna tell me when..."
Rory sighed. "Most likely. And Lane. Though I may come out of that particular conversation very deaf."
Lorelei nodded.
*****
Jess walked into the diner and shed his coat that evening. It had started to rain a little again.
"They gone?" Luke asked.
Jess nodded.
Luke nodded. "Sorry about Jimmy."
"Jimmy's Jimmy."
Luke nodded again.
"Hey," Jess said shortly. "Thanks... for... uh... the... uh... present."
Luke nodded and cleared his throat. "Yeah. No problem."
Jess nodded.
"You should call your mom."
"I don't have a number."
"Oh. Right."
"Hey, uh..." Luke held out a small piece of paper. "Your grandmother and Gloria called... and... Rory left this for you."
Jess glanced it over and grabbed his jacket again. "Be back later."
Luke nodded.
*****
She was sitting on the bridge with the box, and a cupcake with a lit candle in it.
He sat next to her and sighed. "Hi."
"Hey." Rory handed him the cupcake. "Happy birthday."
He nodded. "Thanks. Where'd this come from?"
"I stole it from the bakery case," she told him. "I think he made them, knowing I'd take one for you. He refused to make you cake."
He shrugged. "Whatever."
"So, make a wish."
He glanced at the candle. "What do I wish for?"
"Anything you want."
He glanced at her.
"Except that," she added, turning red.
"Damn. Now I really don't know what to wish for," he smirked. "Oh, wait, I got it." He thought for a moment before blowing out the candle.
She smiled. "Okay. Present time."
"Don't you wanna know what I wished for?" he asked.
"Nope. Then it won't come true."
"You believe that?"
"Better safe than sorry," she replied.
He nodded, and glanced at the box. "So what the hell is that thing?"
"Open it and see."
She lifted the hefty box and handed it to him. He put it next to him and carefully began to take off the wrapping.
"Oh, god, Jess, just open it."
"No."
"You're just doing this to torture me."
"Yeah." He opened it the rest of the way, and blinked. "It's... wow."
Rory nodded. "It's used, but... I'm going a little broke, so..."
Jess glanced inside the box. "Wow. You didn't have to..."
"Yeah, I did."
"It's great."
"You like it?"
"Yeah. Thanks."
She nodded as he pulled out the old typewriter and looked it over.
"Wow."
"You're surprised."
He nodded. "I am, kind of."
She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Good. Eat your cupcake. Before I eat it for you."
He handed it to her. "Go to town."
Lorelei smiled at her daughter. "What's the rush?"
"We need a cake," Lily announced.
"Jess's birthday is in two days," Rory whispered.
"Stop whispering," Lorelei whispered back. "He's upstairs."
"Why?" Rory asked her voice normal again.
Luke and Lorelei gave each other a glance.
Lily frowned. "He got all sick again, didn't he?"
"He's okay," Luke told them. "He's just taking it easy."
Rory sat down next to Lorelei. "He can't be sick. His birthday is in two days. He can't be sick for his birthday."
"He'll be fine by then," Lorelei reassured her daughter. "And if he' not, I'm sure he can do a perfectly good job of pretending that he is."
Lily looked up a Luke. "Can I go and see him?"
"Who're you?" Luke asked, slightly confused.
"I'm Lily," she replied, holding a hand out in greeting. "You must be Cranky Uncle Luke."
Luke shook her hand. "I'm not cranky."
"Taylor would beg to differ," Lorelei said, digging into her food.
"He doesn't count," Luke snapped. "Go on up, Lily."
Lily smiled and scrambled up the stares.
"I'm not cranky," Luke repeated.
Rory and Lorelei gave each other knowing looks.
*****
"What are you reading?"
Jess held up his book, and Lily smiled at him.
"I got you that."
He nodded. "It's good."
She nodded back. "I know. How're you feeling?"
"Fine," he replied. "You're all wet."
"Raining," she shrugged.
He got up and set his book down on the coffee table. "Lemme get you a towel."
"You don't look fine," she called after him.
"Looks aren't everything."
"Did you throw up?"
"Nope."
"Are you going to?"
He came back and covered her head with the towel. "Only if you're in range."
"Ew! Jerk!" She began to dry herself off.
"Yup." He plopped back down on the couch with his book.
"Rory's downstairs."
"Huh."
"Want me to send her up?"
"Whatever. She's probably too busy having her heart-to-heart with Dean."
Lily stared in silence for a moment before voicing her opinion on his last remark. "You're so dumb."
He looked up from his book. "Excuse me?"
"You're really dumb."
"Huh." He went back to reading.
She snatched the book from him and he sat back, looking more annoyed than usual.
"Why do you think everybody's gonna leave you?"
He didn't reply.
"She stuck up for you," Lily went on. "She stormed away all mad!"
He still didn't reply.
"You think what you want," she said, throwing the towel at him and dropping the book on the table. "Just don't be so stupid."
******
"Rory, I already told you," Luke said. "I'm not making him a cake."
"But you have to!" she cried. "Everybody needs a birthday cake!"
"So you make it," Luke countered.
"No, that's disaster in a can," Lorelei interjected. "Why don't you make it, Luke?"
"I haven't made him a cake since his first birthday. Something tells me his tastes have changed."
Rory smiled, remembering pictures of Jess at his first birthday party. "That's easy. I'll just-"
"Not making cake," Luke cut her off.
"Cupcakes?"
"No."
"Brownies?" she suggested.
"No."
"Pie?"
"Rory!"
"He's gonna be nineteen!" Rory cried.
"He doesn't even like his birthday!" Luke said. "Last year Liz called and they got in a huge fight! In fact, I think he stayed in bed all day!"
"Well, he's not gonna do that this year," Rory replied confidently.
Lily fled down the stairs in a fury and pointed to Rory. "you're dating an idiot."
Rory smiled. "Isn't he cute?"
"No!" Lily cried. "He's an idiot!"
"What did he do this time?" Luke asked.
The nine-year-old rolled her eyes in a very Jess way and sat next to Lorelei. "Where'd the crazy girl go?"
"Yeah, where is Lane?" Rory asked.
Luke sighed. "Dave showed up and I let her off early. She looked like she might implode; though I have the feeling she was faking it to spend more time with Dave."
"Lane? Fake imminent implosion to get out of work and have Dave- time?" Rory said in fake-shock. "Never." Her gaze strayed to the stairway.
Luke rolled his eyes. "Go."
Rory shot up the stairs.
Lorelei sighed. "Those two are dangerous."
"Tell me about it," Luke replied. "I walked in on them making out last weekend. They're turning into bunnies."
"They haven't slept together yet," Lorelei replied, her voice kind of shocked. "At least that's what she told me." She gasped. "What if she lied?"
"Rory wouldn't lie to you."
"About Jess? She has before."
"She wouldn't lie to you, Lorelei," Luke replied. "And something tells me that if they were, Jess would be a lot more pleasant to be around."
Lily snorted. "Pleasant. Right."
******
When Rory reached the apartment, she found Jess sleeping on the couch. Book dangling from loose finger, and head tilted back on the couch cushion.
She smiled and went to get him a blanket. When she came back and threw it over him, he stirred a little.
"Rory?"
"Hey, sorry I woke you," she replied softly. "You okay? Mom and Luke said you weren't feeling well."
"I'm fine," he told her, his eyes squinting in the light. "Hey... uh... I'm sorry."
She gave him a confused look. "For what?"
Sorry that he'd doubted her. Again. Sorry that he'd thought that she'd run back and take Dean's side. Again. Sorry that he's such an asshole who can't seem to trust people. Again.
He shrugged. "Just sorry."
She shook her head and kissed him briefly. "Go back to sleep. Mom and I are gonna kidnap Lily for a sleepover."
"Oh, god," Jess moaned quietly. "Don't teach her any weird Gilmore habits. I don't think I can deal with that."
Rory laughed a little. "Goodnight, Jess."
"I'm not kidding, Rory. Don't get her addicted to coffee."
"Well, too late. My mother is downstairs with her right now, force- feeding her through a funnel."
He glared playfully and she laughed and walked out.
*****
"If I were a Jess, what would I want for my birthday?"
Lily tried to keep up with Rory as they walked through the mall the next morning. "You. Naked."
Rory stopped, and stared at Lily with a reddened face. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
"Never mind."
Rory nodded. "Thank you."
"He likes books."
"I don't know what to get him," Rory replied. "Every book I've read, he's read. Every book I have that he hasn't read, he's taken and read it already behind my back."
Lily nodded. "He did the same thing to me. He was such a book thief, and all he had to do was ask."
"That's too hard for Jess."
Lily laughed. "I don't know. He likes... alcohol."
"I can't get him alcohol!" Rory cried. "That'd be supporting a bad habit. Plus, I'm only eighteen! And I look fourteen!"
Lily looked up and tried to think more. "He writes, some."
Rory raised an eyebrow. "He does?"
Lily nodded. "He had a few notebooks lying around."
"Hmm.."
*****
Lorelei walked into the diner and sat down. Jess walked over and poured her a cup of coffee. "Where are Rory and Lily?"
Lorelei smiled. "Don't you see them? They're right across from me."
Jess glared.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you! They were in Rory's secret lab last night, and they created invisibility coffee."
"Good. Bring some in for Kirk next time," Jess replied. "Where are they?"
"Not here."
"Where?"
"Plotting your death."
"Lorelei..."
"What? They went shopping."
"Shopping?"
"Shopping."
"For what?"
"Panties."
He glared again.
"What?!"
"Lily didn't happen to mention anything about my birthday to Rory, did she?"
Lorelei stared in half-shock. "It's your birthday?"
Jess rolled his eyes and walked to take someone else's order.
******
When Lorelei came home from the diner, and checking briefly on the inn, she found Rory and Lily wrapping a large box.
"What is that?" Lorelei asked.
"Jess's birthday present," Rory replied, as she stuck a stray piece of wrapping paper on an uncovered spot.
Lorelei nodded slowly. "Okay, but what is it?"
"It's a type-writer," Lily replied.
"A... typewriter," Lorelei repeated. "What does he need a type-writer for?"
"To type, duh," Lily replied.
Lorelei sighed.
*****
The next morning, Jess woke up in his room in Luke's apartment, and blinked.
His birthday.
Joy of joys.
He got up and trudged out to the kitchen to find an envelope with a few twenties in it, and a note written in Luke's handwriting that said "Happy birthday."
He blinked and squinted at the sunlight coming through the closed window. He shrugged, and took the envelope back into his room, setting it on his nightstand before getting back in bed.
A few moments later, there was a knock on the door. Jess groaned and got back out of bed and swung the door open.
Oh. Damn.
"Hey, Jess."
He blinked. "Jimmy."
"I uh..." Jimmy looked slightly uncomfortable. "Came to pick up Lily."
"She uh... she's not here," Jess replied, scratching the back of his head, all of the sudden very aware of the fact that his hair was a mess, and all he was wearing were a pair of boxer shorts and a thin t-shirt. "She stayed at Rory's."
"Oh."
They stood in silence.
"You just wake up?" Jimmy asked.
Jess nodded. "Yeah."
"It's noon."
Yeah."
"You usually get up this late?" Jimmy asked.
"Nope."
"Just today, huh?"
Jess nodded.
More silence.
"You have no idea what today is, do you, Jimmy."
Jimmy blinked. "I... uh..."
Jess nodded. "Just wait downstairs. Lily will be in soon, probably. It's almost lunch time. Tell her I said bye. And thanks for the book." He began to close the door, but Jimmy stopped him.
"I'll think of it," the older Mariano promised. "Gimme a minute."
Jess rolled his eyes and slammed the door.
*****
Lorelei, Rory and Lily walked into the diner, Rory carrying the large, wrapped box in both hands.
Luke blinked. "What the hell is that?"
Rory smiled triumphantly. "Jess's birthday present."
Luke sighed. "At least someone else remembered." He glared at Jimmy, who was sitting at the counter.
"I'm sorry," Jimmy snapped. "Jeez."
Lily blinked. "Jimmy?"
"Hey, Lily," Jimmy turned to her.
"What're you doing here?"
"Came to get you," Jimmy replied.
"And not for your kid's birthday," Luke added. "Nice one, Jimmy. Really great. I'm sure he's thrilled to know that you care about a kid who isn't even yours more than you care about him."
"Oh, shut up, Luke, you judgmental ass."
"I'm an ass? That's rich."
"Okay, stop," Lorelei cut in. "This is stupid. Where's Jess?"
"Sleeping," both men replied.
"No," Rory said. "He's not supposed to sleep through his birthday."
"He does this every year," Luke said, repeating his words from the other night. "I don't blame him." The phone rang and Luke sighed as he picked it up. "Luke's di- Hi, Liz. Hold on." He put the phone down and went to the stairs. "JESS!!! YOUR MOTHER IS ON THE PHONE!"
"TELL HER I THREW MYSELF OUT A WINDOW!"
"TELL HER YOURSELF! PICK UP THE PHONE!" He sighed and held the phone to his ear, being quiet, and listening.
"Hi. Mom? Yeah. Hi. I threw myself out a window. Bye." With that, Jess hung up the phone.
Luke glared and hung up as well. "JESS! YOU LITTLE PIECE OF CRAP! CALL YOUR MOTHER BACK!"
"HEY! I WAS JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS!"
"WELL FOLLOW ORDERS AGAIN AND CALL HER BACK!"
"I'M SLEEPING!"
"YOU'RE YELLING!"
"BECAUSE YOU'RE YELLING! WHO CAN SLEEP WHILE YOU'RE YELLING!"
"RORY'S HERE!"
"HI, RORY!"
Rory had to smirk. "HI! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
There was a faint grunting sound and then nothing more.
"YOU'RE WELCOME!"
Luke sighed and stalked up the stairs. He swung open the apartment door, and went to stand in Jess's doorway. He was lying in bed.
"Get up, before I drag you out of bed by your foot."
"You do that, and your fingers get bitten off."
"Jess, just get outta bed."
"Why?"
"Because Rory's downstairs, and has a something for you."
"Oh. Is it a knife? Cause I could use something to stab myself with."
He grabbed Jess by the shoulder and led him down the stairs. "Go."
"I don't get to powder my nose? Or put on pants, for that matter?"
"No."
"Well, damn."
They got down to the diner, and Rory stared, and turned red behind the box she was holding.
Lily laughed. "Your legs are skinny."
Jess looked down at his legs, and then glared at Lily. "Your everything is skinny. So shut up."
Lily stuck out her tongue.
Lorelei blinked and glanced at Rory, who was still blushing and staring at Jess. "Uh... Rory, I have to talk to you at home."
Rory blinked. "Huh?" her eyes did not leave Jess still.
"Home. Now." She took Rory by the shoulders, and led her out.
Jess blinked and watched them go. "Was that my birthday present?"
"Rory or the box?" Lily asked.
"Both."
Luke smacked his nephew on the back of the head.
******
Lorelei pulled Rory into the house.
"What was that?" Rory asked. "I didn't get to give Jess his present."
"Be honest with me," Lorelei said. "Be really, really honest with me."
Rory blinked. "Uh... Mom? I'm always really, really honest with you."
"Well, be really, really, really honest with me."
"Are the paint fumes getting to you at work?" Rory asked worriedly. "Because you're worrying me."
"Are you and Jess..."
Rory blinked.
Rory turned red. "No."
"No?"
"No."
"No?"
"Mom! No!"
"Oh. Okay." She sighed. "Okay."
"You knew that already."
"Yeah, I know, but... Luke mentioned bunnies."
"What?"
"Bunnies!"
"How dare he!" Rory cried. "What were the bunnies in reference to?"
"You and Jess."
"Well, then I repeat! How dare he!" Rory cried. "We are not bunnies. Do I look furry to you?"
"Sometimes."
"Mom, we're not," Rory told her again. "I'm not lying. I wouldn't lie to you."
"I know," Lorelei replied. "I'm just... paranoid. And, you are... at that age where you want-"
"Don't say that again!" Rory cried. "You said it before!"
"You were staring!"
"He's my boyfriend! I'm allowed to stare! That's a girlfriend privilege."
"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Lorelei said. "You're gonna tell me when..."
Rory sighed. "Most likely. And Lane. Though I may come out of that particular conversation very deaf."
Lorelei nodded.
*****
Jess walked into the diner and shed his coat that evening. It had started to rain a little again.
"They gone?" Luke asked.
Jess nodded.
Luke nodded. "Sorry about Jimmy."
"Jimmy's Jimmy."
Luke nodded again.
"Hey," Jess said shortly. "Thanks... for... uh... the... uh... present."
Luke nodded and cleared his throat. "Yeah. No problem."
Jess nodded.
"You should call your mom."
"I don't have a number."
"Oh. Right."
"Hey, uh..." Luke held out a small piece of paper. "Your grandmother and Gloria called... and... Rory left this for you."
Jess glanced it over and grabbed his jacket again. "Be back later."
Luke nodded.
*****
She was sitting on the bridge with the box, and a cupcake with a lit candle in it.
He sat next to her and sighed. "Hi."
"Hey." Rory handed him the cupcake. "Happy birthday."
He nodded. "Thanks. Where'd this come from?"
"I stole it from the bakery case," she told him. "I think he made them, knowing I'd take one for you. He refused to make you cake."
He shrugged. "Whatever."
"So, make a wish."
He glanced at the candle. "What do I wish for?"
"Anything you want."
He glanced at her.
"Except that," she added, turning red.
"Damn. Now I really don't know what to wish for," he smirked. "Oh, wait, I got it." He thought for a moment before blowing out the candle.
She smiled. "Okay. Present time."
"Don't you wanna know what I wished for?" he asked.
"Nope. Then it won't come true."
"You believe that?"
"Better safe than sorry," she replied.
He nodded, and glanced at the box. "So what the hell is that thing?"
"Open it and see."
She lifted the hefty box and handed it to him. He put it next to him and carefully began to take off the wrapping.
"Oh, god, Jess, just open it."
"No."
"You're just doing this to torture me."
"Yeah." He opened it the rest of the way, and blinked. "It's... wow."
Rory nodded. "It's used, but... I'm going a little broke, so..."
Jess glanced inside the box. "Wow. You didn't have to..."
"Yeah, I did."
"It's great."
"You like it?"
"Yeah. Thanks."
She nodded as he pulled out the old typewriter and looked it over.
"Wow."
"You're surprised."
He nodded. "I am, kind of."
She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Good. Eat your cupcake. Before I eat it for you."
He handed it to her. "Go to town."