Mariano Twins

Special Issues

Jo's POV 

Lorelai was in the diner getting business help from Luke. Jess was walking around with the coffee pot.

Some lady held her cup to him for a refill and he walked right past her. I took the pot from him and refilled her cup.

He took it back offering Lorelai a refill.

"How are you Jess?" she asks.

"I'm not bleeding or anything," he replies.

"Well, then it's gonna be a good day," she says.

"It's 7:45," Jess says.

"So?" Luke asks.

"So, do you want us to go to school, or do you want to openly defy child-labor laws?" Jess asks.

"Go. Stay out of trouble," Luke tells him.

"Guess, that means calling off the chickie run down at the salt lots," Jess replies.

"Out!" Luke yells at him.

I pull on my bag as Jess gets his jacket. As we pass the window Luke gives me a small wave that I return. We make it halfway across the square before Jess talks.

"You've been skipping your meds," he says.

"No, I haven't," I replied.

"I haven't seen you take them," he says.

"I take some of them," I reply.

"So, why did you stop?" he asks.

"Why do you care all of a sudden?" I ask.

"I always care," he says.

"If you cared, you'd stop causing trouble. Luke didn't have to take us, and no matter how much you hate it here it's a hell of a lot better than that shit show we had going in New York, if you forgot."

I walk off, speed walking the rest of the way to school. My day was filled with mostly nods and fake smiles. Jess apparently decided to do the exact opposite of what I asked him.

On the way home from school I was the commotion outside of Doose's about the chalk outline. I make it to the diner and tell Luke I'm going to do my homework before helping.

He's busy enough I know he won't be up for a while. I search Jess' stuff until I find a pack of his smokes. I take one and his lighter and go to the window.

When I'm done I take two more from the pack. I hide them and one of my lighters in a place I know the guys won't look. My box of girl things.

Luke is almost terrified of the damn things. I actually do my homework and then head downstairs.

Luke tries to fix the toaster when the bell rings. Lorelai and Rory come in with an older woman I don't know.

Luke sees her and quickly rushes over to hug her.

"Mia, hey," he says.

"Nice to see you, Lucas," she replies.

"You're the only person in the world that can call me that, Mia," he says.

"I know this."

"I'm saying it for others who plan to try it later," he says, looking at Lorelai.

"Whatever, Lucas," Lorelai replies.

"Mia, you know anything about toasters?" he asks.

"Not a damn thing."

"Well, then sit down and let me get you some coffee."