Jo's POV
Work on the renovation started immediately, so things are crazy. We are trying to run the diner while they are drilling and hammering away.
Several people have been hit in the head by falling debris, stuff has fallen in people's food. Jess and I are both sorting hardhats. I'm actually trying to help while Jess is being, well, Jess.
Luke serves a table their food and drywall falls from the ceiling onto their plates. He quickly gives them free coffee to make up for it.
"Tom, what the hell is going on up there?" Luke asks.
"We're redoing your apartment. What do you think is going on," Tom replies.
"The ceiling is bowling in, and I got customers eating drywall here."
"Oh, well, that can't be good."
"You said minimal disruptions."
"Hey, this is minimal disruptions. Look, I need you to sign this change order."
"What happened now?"
"Well, we broke through this wall and found some pipes that shouldn't be there. We gotta move them."
"Move them where?"
"Not sure. We gotta find out what they do first."
I look up at Tom like he's crazy.
"You're kidding?" Luke asks him.
"Oh, yeah. There's nothing I like more than a good moving-a-pipe joke."
"Fine. one more week. That's it."
"Oh, sure, construction ultimatum. Ha! That's even funnier than my moving-a-pipe joke."
Luke hands him the clipboard and walks away. The Gilmore girls walk in and I rush over.
"Jeez, look at this place," Lorelai says.
"It's a mess," Rory says.
"No, no, no! Don't sit here," I tell them, and Luke comes over too.
"Why not?" Lorelai asks.
"Three people got nailed in the head here earlier," Luke tells them.
"But their food was okay, right?" she asks.
"Will you just move?"
Lorelai's phone rings.
"Outside," he tells her.
"You know, if I sit here one more second, I just might be outside," she tells him.
He walks off."
"Coffee please, Jo," she says before leaving.
I'm about to take Rory's order, but Jess walks up holding an umbrella. He opens it and hands it to Rory.
"Oh, you are really funny. You and Tom should put an act together," Luke tells him.
Then he looks back at Rory.
"I'd leave it open," he tells her.
"Agreed. What-" I'm cut off by more drywall falling.
She holds tight to her umbrella.
"Um, sorry. What can I get you?"
She orders and I give it to Caesar, and get their coffee. When Lorelai comes back in I see her share Rory's umbrella.
Jess and I leave for school, still wearing our hardhats until we get out of the building, not wanting to take any risk.
They are both blue, but Jess at some point had walked up to me and put a sticker on the side of mine to indicate which was which. It's something we did frequently as kids.
Putting some kind of marker on our belongings. We always shared most things, so it was nice to have things that were just mine or his and not ours. And, so the labeling started.
It's something we haven't done in a while, so it's fun for me to see the black star on his hardhat and the purple heart on mine.
--
Luke is busy, probably trying to figure out how to murder Tom. Jess came out of the kitchen with a box of food.
"What's that for?"
"Delivery order. I'm headed out now."
"We got a delivery order?"
"Yeah, you didn't hear the phone?"
I stare at him as we stand on opposite sides of the counter, and he finally meets my eyes.
"What?" he asks.
"You can't do this Jess. you can't get in the middle of their relationship," I say, leaning closer.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he replies.
"Once again. Did you forget? The twin thing, man. You can't lie to me."
"Find, I'm going to see Rory, but it's not like that. She's home alone. I'm just helping out."
"Fine. Then let me go with you. I was going to ask your help with my homework anyway, and now I can ask Rory too," I reply, smiling.
He gives me a slight glare before sighing.
"Fine. Get your stuff. You've got two minutes, or I'm leaving without you."
I slide off my stool, pack my backpack and then go to the door to get my jacket. I follow him out, and we walk to the Crap Shack.
We get there and Rory opens the door.
"Delivery," Jess says.
"What are you doing here?" she asks him.
I jump in.
"Um, Uncle Luke thought you'd need something for dinner seeing as you're by yourself tonight."
"It's fine, I ordered food from Sandeep's," she replies.
"Really? Planning on burning down the house afterwards?" Jess asks.
"Jess."
"It's really the only way to kill the smell," I tell her.
"Where should I put this?" Jess asks.
"Well-"
"Kitchen?" he asks, coming in without letting her answer and I follow.
"Um... sure," she says and we follow Jess.
"God, how much food is in there? This could feed 12," she says.
"Excuse me. I've seen you eat," Jess replies.
"Fine, six," she says.
"Well, Luke just wanted to make sure you're taken care of," I tell her.
"Yeah, he wasn't sure how long your mom was gonna be gone for," Jess adds.
"Just tonight," she replies.
"Oh, he didn't know that," Jess says.
You didn't know that.
"Now you can tell him," she says.
"I will," he replies.
"So, how come Caesar didn't bring this over?" she asks.
"Um, sorry. I needed help on this paper. I'm not really understanding it and I know you wanted to be alone tonight, but I could really use your help," I tell her.
"Okay, I can help, but only for a little while," she tells me.
"Thank you," I reply.
"And I just wanted to get out of the construction zone. There's nothing but banging and yelling. Place gives me a headache," Jess says.
"Yeah, no place for studying," I add.
"Why? Did you think I wanted to come see you?" Jess asks.
"No," she says.
"I just needed some quiet," he tells her.
"Fine," she replies.
I glare at him. He's starting to be an ass.
"That is all," he says.
"Got it," she says.
"Clear my head," he says.
"You've made yourself very clear Jess. You can stop now," I say, getting to him.
\\ AN // -- All grammar, punctuation, and spelling corrections are helpful, encouraged, and greatly appreciated.
Thank you
-- Izzy