INT. LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
LORELAI is looking around for LUKE. EMILY approaches her discreetly.
EMILY: Lorelai, we need to talk.
LORELAI: My favorite words.
EMILY: What is that scoundrel doing in my house?
The camera shows JESS looking at a bookcase across the room.
LORELAI: Oh. Mom. That scoundrel is Luke's nephew.
EMILY: He's that awful boy that Rory used to date in high school! The one who got her into all the trouble!
LORELAI: Actually, Mom, Jess never really got Rory into trouble, we just thought he would. He turned out to be okay.
EMILY: He crashed her car.
LORELAI: It was an accident.
EMILY: Accidents like that just don't happen! And didn't he move to California without saying goodbye? The poor girl was heartbroken! What on earth is he doing back here?
LORELAI: He's visiting his family.
At the mention of family, LORELAI hides her left hand behind her back.
EMILY: Well he has a lot of nerve showing his face in this house after the way he treated Rory!
LORELAI: Well, Mom, like it or not, Jess is Luke's nephew, and he's going to be at a lot of family gatherings from now on, so you'd better get used to him.
LORELAI walks away.
EMILY stands there and looks at the floor.
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM- MOMENTS LATER
JESS is still looking at the bookcase. LUKE walks past him, holding a beer, and stops.
LUKE: Hey.
JESS: Hey.
The camera shows RORY, LOGAN, COLIN, AND FINN sitting on a couch laughing and having drinks together through the doorway in the next room over.
LUKE: I didn't know he was gonna be here.
JESS: I know.
LUKE: None of us knew.
JESS: I know.
The camera shows LOGAN and RORY kissing.
LUKE: You're handling this very well.
JESS: I need a drink.
JESS starts making his way toward a table with drinks on it.
LUKE: Jess, remember, no fights, no drinking.
JESS: No, you said I can't get drunk, not that I couldn't have a few drinks.
LUKE: Well I changed my mind.
JESS: Whatever.
LUKE: You wanna be in with Lorelai?
JESS: Who cares. (looking around at the drinks) Where'd you get your beer?
LUKE: Jess, don't try to act tough. Look, if you don't drink, I won't drink.
JESS: You're already drinking.
LUKE: I've only had a sip, I'll throw it away.
JESS: All through dinner?
LUKE: All day.
JESS: You think you can deal with Lorelai's parents without having one beer?
LUKE: Easily.
JESS: You're on. Oh, and I'm not sure if you knew this, but there's some guy in the other room talking to Lorelai, and I haven't met him before, but I think it's Rory's dad.
LUKE'S expression fades.
JESS (CON'T): And I thought I needed a beer.
CUT TO:
INT. DINING ROOM- MOMENTS LATER
LIZ, TJ, and RICHARD are sitting at the dining room table.
TJ: So, now that I'm in escrow, Liz and I think it might be a good time to have a kid.
LIZ: I've got one already. Jess. My pride and joy. He's twenty-one now. He's so handsome. He lives with his father in California. I keep telling him to come back to Stars Hollow, or New York even, but he likes it out there. The weather is warmer.
RICHARD nods, obviously bored.
SOOKIE runs in frantically.
SOOKIE: Dinner will be served in five minutes!
RICHARD: (getting up) If you'll excuse me, I should go inform the others about dinner.
LIZ: Sure, no problem. (to TJ) This sure is a nice house.
TJ: Yeah, your brother's making out like a bandit marrying into all this money.
LIZ: Shhh, Lorelai's parents don't know yet.
TJ: They don't?
LIZ: No, they don't.
TJ: Aw jeez. That means there's gonna be a scene. There's always a scene. They're gonna find out tonight and there's gonna be a scene. I hate scenes!
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
RORY, LOGAN, COLIN, AND FINN are sitting on a couch next to a coffee table having drinks. They have a few large bottles and martini glasses in front of them.
LOGAN: Ace, you're quiet.
RORY: Sorry.
LOGAN: Something wrong?
RORY: (shakes her head) I've just been…tired lately. Lots of community service.
COLIN and FINN raise their eyebrows at each other and sip their drinks.
From across the room, JESS walks by. He notices RORY on the couch and stops to look at her. LOGAN, COLIN, and FINN have a conversation that fades into the background. RORY looks up and sees JESS looking at her. They hold eye contact for a moment.
LOGAN: (to RORY) I'm starving. When's dinner?
RORY is oblivious to LOGAN and continues to stare at JESS. LOGAN looks up to see JESS across the room. JESS looks away quickly.
LOGAN: Who's he?
RORY: (quickly turns to face LOGAN) Who?
LOGAN: (gestures towards JESS) Him.
RORY takes a large sip of her drink.
RORY: Oh. Luke's nephew.
COLIN and FINN look at each other.
LOGAN: Oh! Well, I don't believe we've been introduced. (yells) Hey, Luke's nephew!
JESS turns.
LOGAN (CON'T): Over here!
JESS walks over towards them.
LOGAN (CON'T): I don't believe we've met. (shakes his hand) Logan Huntzberger.
JESS shakes LOGAN'S hand.
JESS: Jess Mariano.
COLIN chokes on his drink. FINN takes the nearest liquor bottle and takes a swig from it.
LOGAN looks at COLIN and FINN.
COLIN: Oh! (wiping his mouth and shaking JESS'S hand) Nice to meet you.
FINN: (shakes JESS'S hand) Finn. Much obliged.
LOGAN looks at RORY. She smiles nervously.
RORY: (gesturing towards JESS) We've met.
JESS: Once or twice.
LOGAN: So, Jess, where you from?
JESS: New York.
LOGAN: Ah, the Big Apple. Rory and I just went to New York a few weeks ago.
JESS nods.
JESS: I'm living in California now.
LOGAN: The Sunshine State! So what school do you go to? RORY looks away.
JESS: I don't go to school.
LOGAN: Oh, I'm sorry. I'm bad at guessing ages. I thought you were college age. So, what school did you go to?
JESS: Stars Hollow High.
LOGAN: Oh. Well, college isn't for everyone. Rory's taking some time off.
JESS nods.
LOGAN (CON'T): So you work?
JESS: I'm between jobs.
RORY looks more and more uncomfortable.
LOGAN: What jobs are you in between?
JESS: Nothing special.
LOGAN: Do you pay taxes?
JESS makes a strange face.
LOGAN (CON'T): I mean, do you contribute to society at all?
RORY: Logan!
LOGAN: What Rory, I'm just asking him a question.
JESS: Must be easy to contribute to society when you wipe your ass with hundred dollar bills. Excuse me.
JESS walks away.
LOGAN looks stunned.
LOGAN: What the hell was that about?
RORY: You were being a jerk! Excuse ME.
RORY gets up and leaves the room.
FINN: (to COLIN, in a hushed voice) And the plot thickens.
CUT TO:
EXT. GILMORE HOUSE DRIVEWAY - MOMENTS LATER
RORY walks outside for some fresh air. CHRISTOPHER is standing outside talking on the cell phone. He notices RORY and his face lights up. RORY is stunned.
CHRISTOPHER: (into the phone) I've gotta call you back. He hangs up the phone
RORY: Dad…
CHRISTOPHER: Hey kid. I've missed you.
RORY: I've missed you too.
She hugs him.
CHRISTOPHER: (hugging back) I didn't expect such a warm greeting.
RORY: Just because I'm mad at you doesn't mean I'm not happy to see you. It's been like a year.
CHRISTOPHER: I know.
RORY: I really didn't want to lose you after what happened at the vow renewal.
CHRISTOPHER: I know.
RORY: I'm sorry you had to see that…me and Logan…
CHRISTOPHER: Hey, I was young once. I know how it is.
RORY: Have you spoken to Mom?
CHRISTOPHER: Yeah, we talked.
RORY: …And?
CHRISTOPHER: And…I'm not here to mess up things between her and Luke.
RORY: I didn't suspect that.
CHRISTOPHER: Really? Cause I think in your eyes, I have the words ulterior motives written across my face.
RORY: They were written that at a time, they have since been erased.
CHRISTOPHER: What's with the change of heart?
RORY: I've been doing a lot of thinking lately.
CHRISTOPHER: Anything in particular?
RORY: I suppose Mom told you about me not going to school.
CHRISTOPHER: Yeah, Ror, what's up with that?
RORY: It's a long story. We should probably go inside, it's cold out here.
CHRISTOPHER: I'm right behind you.
CUT TO:
INT. HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER LORELAI runs up to LUKE.
LORELAI: Luke, I've been looking everywhere for you. I thought you bailed without me. Have my parents asked you when you're going to franchise your diner yet, or told you that it's really got that rustic feel to it? I figure by now they've got at least twenty new synonyms for rustic that really mean like crap.
LUKE gives her a dirty look and looks away.
LORELAI: Whoa. Okay. Rustic bit over. You saw him.
LUKE: No, but Jess told me that he's here.
LORELAI: And that's what I was coming to tell you! I've been looking everywhere for you!
LUKE: Yeah, you already said that.
LORELAI: Luke, I had NO idea he was going to be here.
LUKE: Sure you didn't.
LORELAI: I'm serious! My mother never tells me anything! You know this.
LUKE: I also know that he isn't just here to see Rory.
LORELAI: What?
LUKE: He wants to be with you Lorelai, he made that clear at the vow renewal.
LORELAI: Well…
LUKE: Well what!
LORELAI: He's Rory's father!
LUKE: Oh don't give me that!
LORELAI: Well he is! I can't push him away forever. You knew and I knew that at some point or another, he was gonna show his face and want to be a father to Rory again.
LUKE: Rory doesn't need him. She's got me.
LORELAI: (hurt) Luke!
The MAID appears.
MAID: Dinner is served.