INT. LORELAI'S HOUSE - LATER THAT EVENING
LUKE and LOREALI are in the kitchen. LUKE is making dinner. LORELAI is petting PAUL ANKA.
LORELAI: You think Paul Anka gets lonely?
LUKE: Let's see, you give him more attention than you give me. Yes, I think he gets very lonely.
LORELAI: Well I have the perfect name for our next dog; Neil Diamond.
LUKE: Is Rory eating?
LORELAI: (looks in the direction of RORY'S room) I'm not sure. We should probably make a plate for her just in case.
LUKE: Probably.
He sets an extra plate down at the table.
LUKE (CON'T): Is she sick?
LORELAI: No, I don't think so.
LUKE: She's been in bed for two days.
LORELAI: She's upset about Jess. He hasn't called her.
LUKE: Oh. I'll give him a call later, try to get him to talk about what happened, tell him to give Rory a call.
LORELAI: No, don't do that.
LUKE: Why?
LORELAI: Jess needs to call Rory on his own.
LUKE brings the food to the table.
LUKE: Look, the kid's smart about books, but when it comes to love, he's no Dr. Phil.
He sits down.
LUKE (CON'T): Let me talk to him. I can only imagine the type of advice his father gives him.
LORELAI: (yells) Rory, dinner's ready.
There is no answer.
LORELAI (CON'T): Probably sleeping. I guess you're right. Just don't push him, okay, I don't want him leading Rory on.
They start eating.
LUKE: I highly doubt he's leading her on.
LORELAI: And why's that?
LUKE: We talk.
LORELAI: Well, yeah, but Jess isn't exactly one of the 7th Heaven kids.
LUKE: He shares more with me now then he did when he lived here.
LORELAI: Oh, so did he share with you his plans to come here and have sex with Rory?
LUKE: Can we not talk so directly about Rory and that, it makes me uncomfortable.
LORELAI: Well, I'm not exactly Dr. Ruth myself here.
LUKE: Although the idea is a little easier to stomach if she's with Jess.
LORELAI: (swallows her food hard) Wait, what?
LUKE: I said-
LORELAI: How is that easy to stomach? You want them to be together, don't you?
LUKE: Yes, I do.
LORELAI: Why!
LUKE: I told you, I have to support Jess in what he wants!
LORELAI: What about what Rory wants, what about what I want?
LUKE: Don't you want what's best for Rory?
LORELAI: That's certainly not Jess!
RORY comes out from her room in pajamas. LUKE and LORELAI freeze.
RORY: Sorry.
She goes back into her room. LORELAI gives LUKE a stern look and chases after RORY.
CUT TO:
INT. RORY'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS
LORELAI enters. RORY is laying on her bed staring at the wall. LORELAI sits down on the bed next to RORY and strokes her arm.
LORELAI: You want some dinner? Luke made mac and cheese.
RORY: I'm all set.
LORELAI: But you love Luke's mac and cheese.
RORY: I'm not hungry.
LOREALI sighs. She notices a book, HOWL, sitting on the bed next to RORY. She picks it up. RORY continues to stare at the wall.
LORELAI: Howl. Now this is a good book. I haven't read it personally, but that's what I hear, from you, (flipping through the pages) and whoever wrote these notes in the margins…probably…thinks…so…too.
She closes the book quickly and puts it down.
LORELAI (CON'T): You wanna talk?
RORY: I'm not feeling too talkative.
LORELAI: Oh, well, okay. I guess I'll leave you alone then.
LORELAI gets up. As she is about to leave, RORY gets up to face her.
RORY: I don't want you and Luke to fight because of me. Or Jess.
LORELAI: (smiles softly) I know.
She leaves and closes the door behind her.
CUT TO:
INT. RESTAURANT - MEANWHILE
LOGAN, COLIN, and FINN are sitting having drinks at a table. LOGAN is talking on the phone.
LOGAN: (angry) Fine. I'll see you at 6:30.
He hangs up the phone with frustration.
LOGAN (CON'T): This is unbelievable.
COLIN: Another business trip with your father to look forward to?
LOGAN gives COLIN a look. A waitress walks by. LOGAN snaps his fingers.
LOGAN: Hey, girlie, more drinks.
The waitress rolls her eyes and walks away.
LOGAN: There goes her tip.
FINN: So does this mean you won't be able to go spy on Rory tomorrow as planned?
LOGAN: Damn it, that's right.
COLIN: How many days has it been since she's called you?
LOGAN: Four.
COLIN: Ouch.
FINN: That can't be good.
LOGAN: You guys really think she's up to something?
COLIN: Oh yeah.
FINN: Most definitely. When a woman as faithful as Rory doesn't call you in one day-
LOGAN: I get the idea. Look, I hate to do this, but why don't you guys go to Stars Hollow tomorrow?
FINN: To spy on Rory?
LOGAN: Not spy, just to dig up some information. There's this place called Luke's Diner that her mom's boyfriend owns. Look for people who look like regulars, ask them some questions.
COLIN: And if Rory sees us…?
LOGAN: Tell her you were on your way to see her and got hungry.
FINN: And if we see her with another man?
LOGAN smiles deviously and sips his drink.
CUT TO:
EXT. STARS HOLLOW - MORNING
COLIN and FINN conspicuously slip around corners and sneak their way down the street. COLIN is wearing a frizzy afro wig, and FINN is wearing a long blonde wig. They slip into Luke's Diner.
CUT TO:
INT. LUKE'S DINER - CONTINUOUS
COLIN and FINN sit down at a table. On one side of them sits KIRK, on the other side sits MS. PATTY and BABETTE. They open menus.
COLIN: (whispering) Should we order?
FINN: (whispering) I think so.
COLIN: What should we order?
FINN: I don't know, it all sounds disgusting.
LUKE comes up to their table.
LUKE: What can I get you?
FINN: (looks at COLIN) I think we need a few moments.
LUKE: Take your time. Can I get you some drinks?
COLIN: Do you have beer?
LUKE: (gives him a strange look) At 10:00 in the morning?
FINN: Is it that early? I was wondering why the sun was up.
LUKE: (shakes his head) I'll give you guys a few minutes.
He walks away.
KIRK: (To COLIN and FINN) I recommend the pancakes. Luke makes them nice and fluffy. My girlfriend Lulu makes them crunchy…I can never understand why.
COLIN and FINN exchange disgusted looks.
COLIN: (To KIRK) Uh, thank you. (To FINN) I'm going with the eggs and toast.
FINN pulls a small clear liquor bottle out of his pocket.
FINN: Get orange juice, we'll make screwdrivers.
COLIN: Always thinking Finn! That's what I like about you.
MS. PATTY: (To BABETTE) So Rory hasn't come out of her house in three days?
COLIN and FINN overhear RORY'S name and lean in towards MS. PATTY and BABETTE'S table.
BABETTE: I'm telling ya, I haven't seen her since that morning she ran into the house crying.
MS. PATTY: We'll I'll be.
FINN: Excuse me, I'm so sorry to interrupt you lovely ladies, but are you talking about Rory Gilmore?
BABETTE: Yeah, we are. You boys don't know what happened between her and Jess, do ya?
COLIN and FINN look at each other.
COLIN: Jess…as in Jessie or Jessica?
BABETTE: Jess Mariano, you know, Luke's nephew.
COLIN and FINN nod, pretending to know.
FINN: Oh! Yes, of course, Jess Mariano.
COLIN: (improvising) I think we went to high school with him.
FINN: Yes, we did. He was…(looking at LUKE) tall and scruffy looking!
MS. PATTY: Yes, that's him!
BABETTE: Oh, I can't stand that kid. Causing all these problems in our town.
COLIN: Oh, we couldn't stand him either!
FINN: We got into fights every day!
COLIN: So, uh, what sort of problems has that jerk been causing lately?
MS. PATTY: Well, a few people including myself saw Rory and Jess gallivanting around town together.
FINN: (shocked) Gallivanting around town together?
BABETTE: Like they were back in high school!
FINN: (pretending to be surprised) You don't say!
COLIN: (thinks) Because…they dated in high school, didn't they?
FINN: If I remember correctly.
MS. PATTY: Oh, they dated all right. Before that hoodlum went to California.
FINN: California!
COLIN: (giving FINN a look) So where's Jess now?
BABETTE: We don't know! Luke says he's back in California with his father. All I know is that the day after I saw him, I saw poor little Rory running into her house crying.
COLIN: Poor Rory.
FINN: That damn Jess Maraschino!