Mariano Twins

Renovations & Deliveries

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.