Jess helped out in the diner so Rory could spend some alone time with Libby.
"So are you going to announce it in the town square?" Jess asked Luke.
"Announce what?"
"That you're going to have a sex change operation and want to be called Shirley. What do you think?"
"You're going to have a sex change?" Kirk asked.
"No Kirk. Jess was being sarcastic." Luke replied.
"Because I see you more as a Brenda than a Shirley." Kirk remarked.
"Kirk I'm not having a sex change operation." Luke stated.
"And I'm going to check on Rory." Jess backed away quickly and headed upstairs.
Jess couldn't help but laugh when he walked into the apartment.
"What's so funny?" Rory asked as she sat on the floor playing with Libby.
"I asked Luke how they were going announce the engagement. Luke asked what I was talking about, so as a joke I said that he was going have a sex change and wanted to be called Shirley."
"How red did he get?" Rory asked.
"It gets worse."
"Worse?"
"Kirk overheard and thinks he's more a Brenda than a Shirley."
"That's going to be around town before the end of the day." Rory pointed out.
"It was a joke, I didn't mean for Kirk to hear."
"Kirk can't distinguish between a joke and reality." Rory reminded him.
"I know. You might want to call Lorelai and warn her."
"I have to go and call Grandma." Rory gave Libby a kiss on top of the head.
"Hey kid." Jess sat down with her.
"Dada."
"What've got there?" Jess picked up the toy she had and played with her while Rory was on the phone.
"How did she take it?" Jess inquired when she got off the phone.
"You mean after she stopped laughing?" Rory asked.
"That's always a good reaction." Jess replied.
"She's not sure about Brenda or Shirley."
"She's going to come up with something better isn't she?" Jess guessed.
"Of course, and she's not quite sure how he'd cope with having his legs and bikini line waxed."
"She's going to buy a dress as well isn't she?"
"Mom's going to milk it. Do you want some juice baby?"
Libby looked at her.
"We need to teach you to say yes and no."
"Na na na." Libby banged her hands on the floor.
"See she listens to you." Jess joked. "Be careful you don't hurt yourself." He stopped her.
"Shouldn't you get back to work?"
"I'm a break and hiding out."
GG
"Lorelai doll, we just heard." Babette said as she and Patty walked over.
"We're so sorry." Miss Patty told her.
"Heard what?" Lorelai asked.
"About Luke's sex change." Miss Patty put her hand on her arm. "You must be devastated."
"Well it was a shock." Lorelai said dramatically. "Especially since it's not true."
"It's not?" Miss Patty asked.
"No, can you really see Luke in a dress?" Lorelai asked. "And he wouldn't cope with trying to get rid of his stubble."
"Then why is it going around town?"
"Jess made a joke when he was asking about something else, and Kirk overheard and took it the wrong way." Lorelai explained.
"What was Jess asking about?" Babette asked.
"How we were going to tell people about this?" Lorelai took her glove off to reveal the engagement ring.
"Luke asked you to marry him?" Babette said.
"That's some rock."
"It was his mother's and yes. So can you make sure that people hear the right rumour rather than the insane one?"
"Of course doll." Babette replied. "But we're going to need details."
"Can we go inside its cold?" Lorelai requested.
"Come inside." Miss Patty said almost dragging her inside her studio.
TBC