This Crazy World

Part 11

Luke walked into the diner to find Jess sitting at the counter, a plate of fries in front of him, reading a book. He smiled a little at the familiar sight and closed the door behind him, walking around the counter.

"Still set on an early death?" Luke asked.

Jess looked up and smirked. "Always."

Luke shook his head. "Some vegetables wouldn't hurt you, you know."

"You know what people always forget when they proclaim new ways to prolong your life?" Jess asked, raising an eyebrow and marking the page in his book.

"What?"

"That those years are added to the end of your life," Jess said, picking up a fry and motioning with it in his hand as he continued. "If someone came up with a way of adding them when you can still enjoy them I'd start bothering." With a grin he ate the fry.

"And there's that positive attitude I've been missing," Luke said with a scoff.

Jess smirked, grabbing another fry. "And I eat vegetables," he said, pointing at Luke with the fry. "I don't know if you know this, but before this was a fry," he continued before biting off half of it, "it was part of a potato."

"I never understood why you and Lorelai never got along," Luke said, shaking his head. "You're so much alike."

"And there is your problem," Jess said.

Luke frowned. "That doesn't even make sense."

"Sure it does," Jess smirked. "How is Lorelai?"

"She's good."

"She knows I'm here?"

"Well, I didn't know that till two minutes ago," Luke said. "But she knows you were coming."

"Ok."

"What?"

"Nothing," Jess shrugged. "Just wondering."

"Ok," Luke nodded. "So, dinner at Liz's tomorrow?"

"Did you have to remind me?"

"Jess…"

"What?" Jess asked, putting on innocent look.

"Be nice."

Jess smirked. "I'm always nice, Uncle Luke."

Luke glared at him, but then shook his head with a small smile tugging at his lips. "You better be tomorrow."

"I promise I won't try to confuse T.J.," Jess nodded solemnly. "But you can't blame me if he does it himself," he added with a grin.

Luke just shook his head with a short chuckle. "How've you been?" he asked, giving up on the subject.

"Fine," Jess shrugged.

Luke nodded. "I haven't talked to you in a while."

Jess shrugged again. "Yeah, I've been busy. For some reason the middle of the summer brings a lot of people."

"So it's not…" Luke started.

"No," Jess quickly interrupted him.

"Ok?" Luke nodded, a small frown on his face.

Jess sighed. "Maybe," he said quietly, slightly uncomfortable.

"Oh."

"I don't know," Jess shrugged. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Ok," Luke said with a nod and dropped it. "So, you got set up?"

Jess nodded. "Brought my stuff up."

"Good, sorry you had to wait."

"Nah, it's ok," Jess shrugged. "Gave me time for some reading."

"Worked out well then."

"Yup," Jess agreed. "So, what was the emergency?"

"Emergency?"

Jess smirked at Luke's confused expression. "Caesar said something about an emergency at the Inn when I got here. I take it from your reaction that it wasn't exactly an emergency."

Luke laughed and shook his head. "Well, unless you call a creaking door an emergency, I'd say you were right."

"A creaking door?" Jess asked with an amused smile. "You sure it wasn't just an excuse?"

"An excuse for…" Luke began and then glared at him. "Jess, I…"

"What, Uncle Luke?" Jess grinned. "I was just asking."

"Why did I ask you to come here, again?" Luke asked with a sigh.

Jess' grin broadened. "Beats me."

Luke glared. "I'm gonna go unpack the new shipment," he said and started for the storage room.

"Ok," Jess said with a nod, watching him with a smirk in place.

At the end of the counter Luke stopped and turned around. "It's good to see you," he said.

"You too," Jess said.

Luke nodded and then he continued on his way.