Mid-September, Max is schedule to come back that afternoon. He's been gone the whole summer Lorelai hasn't seen him since he left in June. Max and Lorelai's conversations have been brief and they have gone longer and longer without talking to each other, first it started to be every couple days, they once a week, then almost a month. Lorelai is getting a little suspicious but is trying not to assume the worst.

The day Max is schedule to return Lorelai walks into Luke's carrying the mail

Hi

Hey

So Max is coming back today?

Yes he is

Excited?

Yeah

Lorelai comes across a letter addressed to Max with a return address from a girl in California. Lorelai is starring at the letter when Luke startles her

You okay?

What! Uh yeah yeah I'm fine just fine

You sure

Yeah um just saw a piece of mail that was catching my eye

Yeah mail can do that sometime

Can I have a cup of coffee to go please?

Sure

Hey Luke

Yeah

When a woman writes a man a letter

Yeah?

And she dots her "i's" with the little hearts what does that mean?

Um

Because I was never one of those girls who did that you know dotting her "I's"with hearts instead of dots because I always that that was really lame and sappy

Well I have never gotten a letter from a girl who dotted her "i's" with hearts, I always thought that was kinda weird to

Do you think that means a romantic relationship is involved?

Probably I mean who dots their "I's" with hearts for business contracts

Yeah you're right who would do that

Why do you ask?

No reason

You okay

Yeah I'm fine

Here's your coffee

Thanks

See ya later

Yeah later

Lorelai walks outside and goes across the street from Luke's and sits at a park bench and stares at the letter that was addressed to Max from some girl in California. Her name was Cindy. Cindy Foster. She dotted her "i's" with hearts. It was in the kind of envelope you write a letter in. Lorelai wanted to open it. She felt she had a right to know what this Cindy Foster wanted with her husband. Lorelai then opened the letter and read it.

Dear Max,

These past six years have been so amazing. When I'm with you I feel as if I am complete. I dream that there was a way that you and I could be together always but sadly you are married. You tell me you are not happy but that you don't want to hurt her so that's why you won't leave her. Although I love you very much I just can't stand the fact that you and I will never get any closer than what we have been for the past six years. Although all of our encounters have been pure bliss I want more. If you won't leave your wife than I'm afraid I can see you never again. I love you Max Medina as much me as it pains me to say, I love you more then I could love anything but I'm not going to wait an longer, six years is long enough. I wanted to tall you this to your face but you never gave me the opportunity to so I decided to write it in a letter. I'm not going to wait forever Max so please make up your mind.

Goodbye for now

Cindy

Lorelai just sat there on the park bench completely speechless. She could barley breath. She couldn't comprehend what she had just read. Max her husband was having an affair. An affair that has been going on for six years. Before they ere even married. How could she not know? The signs were all there they had been all along. Lorelai just couldn't believe that this was all happening. She sat there for hours not moving an inch.

Diner- Ms. Patty and Babbett are sitting at a table by the window looking at Lorelai

Babbett have you noticed that Lorelai hasn't left that bench for hours

Yeah she just been sitting there standing off into space

What do you think is the matter with her?

Maybe she got some news

Luke walks over to their table and notices them looking out the window

What are you two looking at?

Lorelai sugar she hasn't moved an inch for hours

Max walks through the town looking for Lorelai and sees Lorelai sitting on the bench he goes over to her

Diner-

Patty look whose back

Oh my maybe he will get Lorelai to move

Outside the Diner- Max comes over to Lorelai and puts his hand on her shoulder

Lorelai

Don't touch me Max

Are you okay?

Am I okay am I okay no Max I'm not okay

Is there something I can do?

No no I think you have done enough

What are you talking about?

Lorelai shows Max the letter and then stands up

I know everything (she screams, everybody is looking at her)

Lorelai (Max starts yelling to)

She walks away everybody is staring at her

Please wait

No

Let me explain

Six years Max you have been having this affair for six years

Lorelai

Say the hell away from me

Diner- Luke looks at Babbett and Patty

Keep everybody away from her house she isn't going to want to have to deal with the whole town giving her pity looks

Luke sugar what if she needs someone

I'll make sure she is okay you two just keep everybody else away form her

Luke's right Babbett He'll take care of her

Lorelai's House Lorelai rushes into the house and Max is right after her Lorelai runs upstairs and takes Max's suitcases and starts throwing them out the window

Hey I have breakables in there

I could care less about your stupid breakables

Lorelai please calm down lets talk about this

I don't want to talk about this

Please Lorelai you don't know how sorry I am

How sorry you are? How about how sorry I am? I gave up everything for you. All my dreams are gone. I gave them all up for you, the inn, me dreams of a family I gave them all up for you and here you were shacking up with some girl name Cindy.

Lorelai please let me try to make this up to you

I want a divorce

What

I want a divorce

Lorelai please we don't need t get divorced we can work this out

No no we can't you have broken my trust Max and you will never get it back and I can't stay married to someone who I don't trust. I want you to leave

Lorelai come one

Get out!

Lorelai

I said get out of my house! Now!

Fine

Max leaves, you hear the door slam shut, Lorelai falls onto her bed covering her face with her hands and starts sobbing the phone rings the answering machine picks up

Lorelai its your mother I just called because I know Max is coming home today and I just wanted you to know that we still expect you to come for Friday night dinner and bring Max along we haven't seen him in months and your probably saying neither have I he is still family and should still come to dinner. See you at seven bye.

Lorelai sits up dries her eyes and looks at her clock realizing that she should be on her way to dinner.

Friday night dinner went okay. Emily of course had a mouthful to say when Lorelai showed up at the door alone earlier that evening and ranted on her ten minutes on how it's rude to keep your husband away from his family which made Lorelai freak and then admits everything that had went down with Max that day. Emily Richard and Rory sat there shocked with their mouths dropping. It was Richard who made the first move by getting up coming over and hugging Lorelai. That made Lorelai start sobbing right there in her father's arms, something she had never done in her entire life and that alone was enough for a god cry. Rory then came over to Lorelai once she had gained her composure and told her how sorry she was for what had happen. The maid then came in and said dinner was served. Richard, Rory and Lorelai all got up to go to the table but Emily pulled Lorelai aside and told her how sorry she was and then pulled her into an embrace and told her she loved her. Lorelai then realized yes she was hurt but she was not alone. The rest of dinner went well Richard talking about his latest business trip, Emily with her DAR functions and Rory with her classes at Yale and Jess. When the end of the night came Emily and Richard each gave Lorelai a hug and told her that they loved her and that they would understand if she didn't come t dinner next week or for the next couple. Once outside of the Gilmore mansion Rory once again told her mother how sorry she was about Max. Rory wanted to come home with Lorelai but Lorelai said that she really just wanted to be alone and that she would call Rory tomorrow. Lorelai then went home and walked up to her front porch steps to find a thermos full of coffee and a note

Just remember, I will always be around

Call me if you need to talk doesn't matter when

I am so sorry.

-Luke

With that Lorelai let out a small smile and entered her home repeating Luke's kind words in her head.