Chapter Two
Jess Mariano felt stupid. Living in California had not been part of his future. Rory was his future. He was in New York when he realized what he had to do. So he called his dad and arranged for everything to be sent over to Stars Hollow.
Five days after arriving on the east coast, Jess jumped into his car and started on the trip to take him to the place he now thought of as home.
It was late when Jess arrived in Star's Hollow. Getting out of his car, he grabbed some duffel bags and headed towards the old diner. Once he got closer, he saw that no one but his Uncle was in the large eatery.
He walked in and dropped his bags heavily on the floor. Seeing that his did not get a reaction, he smirked and did the one thing he knew he could irritate him with without saying a word. He slammed the door.
"Seat yourself, and please do not slam the-" looking up, the older man had a look of shock across his features.
"I hated California. Way too hot." Jess knew Luke would get the hint, his reaction was what he needed to know about.
"Well, maybe if you took that stupid leather jacket of you would cool down!" Jess understood the acceptance written into his Uncle's smirk, and made his way towards the apartment off of a nod from the flannel clad man.
Luke closed up the Diner shortly after Jess had gone upstairs. He debated calling Lorelai about Jess, but decided against it. It would only make her worry about Rory, and since Rory was at school most of the time, worrying Lorelai seemed pointless.
Jess was sitting on the floor reading when Luke entered the apartment. He chuckled as he walked over to the refrigerator. When he opened it, he sighed. He stared at the two plastic cups full of Founder's Day Punch that Patty had convinced him to take. Actually, Lorelai had convinced him to take them by telling Patty he would.
"Hey, Jess, you want a drink?" Luke asked. Jess looked up from his book.
"Depends, am I drinking a health shake?" Jess asked. Luke grabbed the two cups and shut the refrigerator door.
"Nope, worse." Luke set the cups down on the table and sat down. Jess had returned to the book he was reading and didn't look up as he responded.
"What's worse than a health shake?" he asked.
"Founder's Day Punch," Luke said. Jess stared at the cups sitting on the table before standing and walking over to the table. He lifted one of the cups and stared down into the red liquid. He sniffed it and a look of disgust crossed his face.
"People drink this?" he asked. Luke took a sip from his own cup and forced his face to remain neutral.
"Yep."
"Who made it?"
"Patty."
"Again: People drink this?" this time, Luke didn't answer. He just sipped the drink, putting the smallest amount of liquid possible in his mouth with each sip. Jess shrugged and took a gulp from his cup. His face contorted in disgust as he swallowed and Luke smirked. Jess shot him a look and pushed the cup across the table.
"What?" Luke asked, a hint of laughter in his voice. He looked from the cup to his nephew.
"You drink it, I'm having a beer," Jess said. He set his book down, walked over to the fridge, and grabbed a beer.
"Get me one, too," Luke said. "I'll need it to wash this crap down."
Apparently beer on top of Founder's Day Punch was worse than Founder's Day Punch on top of Founder's Day Punch.
Jess was on his third beer, while Luke was still on his second. Luke, however, was a little worse for wear. The second cup of Founder's Day Punch had probably been a bad idea. Jess, still semi-lucid, had figured out that Luke would babble answers to whatever questions he was asked.
"So, Dean got married?" Jess asked. Luke nodded as he got up to get a third beer.
"Didn't last long," Luke said.
"Well, yeah. They're too young." Jess said, but Luke shook his head while taking a swig.
"Not the reason," he said. He took another swig as Jess gave him a sideways glance. "He cheated."
"Uh, huh," Jess had started in on his book. Interrogating his tipsy uncle had been fun at first, but it was started to get old.
"Yep," Luke continued, not noticing Jess's lack of interest. "With
Rory."
Jess chocked on his beer. The liquid sprayed from his mouth, covering his book, the table, and Luke.
"What?" he asked, but Luke had tried to stand up to avoid the spray and had tripped over the leg of the chair. He was sprawled out on the floor, and would be giving no answers.
Luke had been with Lorelai all day, and Jess was glad. He hadn't left the apartment since he woke up to the smell of Luke making some odd concoction in the blender. He spent the time reading and thinking, wondering how Rory would take the news that he was back in town.
Jess sighed as he tossed his now finished book aside and turned on the TV. He wasn't feeling very well, a hangover mixed with the smell of whatever Luke had made had done him in. The phone rang.
"Hello?" Jess said, hoping he sounded as annoyed as he felt.
"Jess?"
"Who is this."
"Uh, what? Oh this is Lane. Is Luke there?"
"No, what's up?"
"Um, nothing." Lane hung up. Jess looked at the phone for a second before shaking his head and hanging it up. He returned his attention to the TV.
Luke glanced over at Lorelai, trying to decide when the best time to tell her about Jess would be. She was bobbin along to the music, some new CD that she had forced Luke to play. Not that it took much forcing.
When Rory's back at school, he thought as he turned his eyes back to the
road.
She'd be heading back to school the next day, so Luke didn't see how
any problems could arise.
"Wait, pull over here," Lorelai said, interrupting his thoughts. "They
have the best chili dogs."
"We're going to dinner," Luke said.
"I know, but I want a chili dog."
Luke pulled over.
