For a split second he did not know where he was. Jess lay perfectly still as he took in his surroundings. The morning sun filtered through the aged blinds that covered one window, allowing him to study the studio apartment he currently occupied. One quick sweep of the room, Jess's anxiety diminished when he recognized the refurbished office that sat above his uncle's diner. With a sigh, Jess swung his legs over the side of the bed and stretched his stiff limbs. He let himself remember what brought back here, to Star's Hollow. It was a break, a moment to get away from what he had made for himself in New York. Even though he had considered making the trip back up to Connecticut, it was his editor that had finally pushed him to take some time off before his new book was released. Jess argued with her for argument's sake but he never disagreed with the idea.
Jess could hear the sounds of the diner filtering upstairs before he even left the apartment. It was oddly comforting to hear the familiar hustle and bustle of the morning. He had not returned to Stars Hallow in years and he was surprised at how easily it all came back to him as routine. Of course Kirk was complaining loudly downstairs about the consistency of his eggs, and who knew where Taylor was but he could be heard clearly through an open window. What had once annoyed Jess now brought a begrudging smile to his lips.
"It's about time." Luke immediately spotted him after coming down the stairs. "I thought you were going to sleep the whole day."
"It's barely eight. How many hours do you think are in a day?" Jess goaded his uncle while he finished buttoning up his cargo shirt.
"I see the sass hasn't gone anywhere. We can all be relieved for that."
"Neither has your chronic petulance, ever the old man Uncle Luke." Jess bantered back. He knew his uncle had been surprised by the phone call he had received from his nephew, asking if there was a place he could stay for a bit. They had stayed in contact, somewhat. The occasional Christmas card and the passing of information through his mother was just about all of the correspondence they allowed themselves. But Luke seemed to have had no problem offering up the empty apartment above his diner to Jess, as long as it remained as-is. It had gone mostly untouched since he married Lorelai Gilmore and moved into a home that they bought together so having someone up there made little difference.
"So what are your plans today?" Luke asked. "Petty theft, harassing the neighbors."
"I was actually going to see if you could use some help with the breakfast rush." Jess said easily.
"Really?" Luke grunted, assuming his suggestion was just more of his sarcasm.
"I'll man the counter and you can do the tables?" Jess insisted.
"You're serious?" Luke finally began to take his nephew seriously, looking a little shocked.
"Yeah, you're letting me stay upstairs the least I can do is help out a little."
"Wow, okay. Yeah, you take the counter. Marv at the end is going to need a coffee refill in a minute and Violet there is going to ask for more syrup, don't give her any. She has enough to fill Taylor's chocolate fountain next door."
"Yes, sir." Jess threw his uncle a mock solute then turned around to retrieve a coffee pot. Just as Luke had said, Marv at the end of the counter signaled to Jess that his mug needed to be refilled. The man was about as talkative as Jess felt in the morning so it was not long before he was back to where he had begun, standing near the kitchen. From his perch he could see the entire diner and all of its patrons, particularly the little girl that sat alone at the counter. Violet, Luke had called her, could not have been older that four or five but she was bent over a hardbound book seemingly alone in the entire eatery. Her situation made him curious and he found his attention being drawn back to her, something she seemed to catch on quickly.
"Who are you?" Her little voice interrupted his thoughts as he was helping another customer. He topped off the mug and then stepped in front of her, keeping the counter between them.
"What's your name?" Jess reflected.
"I asked you first. You have to tell me." She insisted.
"Jess. Now you have to tell me yours."
"Jess? That's a girl's name. My name is Violet." She stated. "Where are you from Jess?"
"New York. Where are you from?"
"Here, at Stars Hallow."
"What are you reading?" Jess motioned to the book Violet was leaning over. She lifted it up enough to reveal the title.
"The Horse and His Boy." He read aloud slowly. "You're a little young for that aren't you? Do you even know how to read?"
"I'm four and a half." Violet said, as if it explained everything.
"Where's your mom? Why are you here alone?" Jess asked bluntly.
"I'm not here alone, Grandpa's here." She said confidently.
"Yeah, where?" A quick look around confirmed to Jess that there was no one in the diner that seemed to claim the girl as their grandchild, unless Marv was using ignorance as a coping technique. Luke rounded the corner to trade out his empty coffee pot. He stopped in front of his young customer and eyed her plate.
"Eat your eggs, Violet." He ordered. Jess looked at his uncle, surprised that he would be concerned about a particular customer's dietary consumption.
"They're squishy." Violet argued.
"So's your tongue but you manage to keep that in your mouth just fine." Luke bantered. "You're mom is going to be here soon and I can tell you she is going to ask you why you didn't eat your eggs. What are you going to tell her?"
"That my tongue tastes better than the eggs." Violet shot back. Jess fought a smirk, he was impressed the little girl's wit.
"Hilarious." Luke drawled, not nearly as in awe with the remark. "I'll tell you what. You eat half of the eggs on your plate and I you can help me close up shop a night." Jess and Luke remained quiet for a moment while they watched Violet mull the offer over. He brow furrowed, a tell of the deep thought going into proposal.
"Make it two." She said, holding up two small fingers. Luke pretended to think over her compromise it turn before answering.
"Fine." He said, holding out a hand over the counter for Violet to take. "It's a deal. Now eat, I see your mom coming."
"Thanks Grandpa." Violet said, clearly proud of herself. It took Jess an extra second to understand what she had said and what it meant to Luke.
"Grandpa?" Jess barked, swinging toward Luke so he could look at him. "You got some 'splanin'."
"Violet is…" Luke started, clearly scrambling for the words to explain. But before he could say much else, the bell on the glass-planed door rung to announce one more customer. In an instant, Violet was be smothered in the tight embrace from a willowy brunette who showered the top of her head in kisses.
"There you are." Rory Gilmore exclaimed. "What happened to your usual table? It's the best place in this joint. A perfect view of the park."
"Hi Mommy. I gave it to Kirk, he was having a bad morning." Violet quickly explained, shoveling one huge bite of egg in her mouth.
"You're the best of us, Birdie." Rory said, placing one more kiss on the girl's head. "Did Grandpa…" Her voice faltered when she noticed the new help in the diner standing next to Luke.
"Hey, long time." Jess spoke first, offering a weak wave.
"Jess…It's been a while." Rory said, composing herself. She pushed her hair behind her ear, a nervous tick that Jess always loved.
"Yeah. I'm here for a few days." Jess offered. "Cute kid. Smart."
"She is." Rory smiled, glancing down at her daughter.
"Who…" He started but did not finish.
"Logan."
"Is he…"
"Not in a while."
"Oh, that…sucks?" He was not exactly sure how to proceed but he couldn't deny the bit of glee he felt at hearing she was not married to the loser he'd met years back."
"We make it work." Rory said, who did not at all seem jarred by the conversation. She looked comfortable, confident. For a silent second, their eyes met and it was like they were in high school again. The diner, the town, Rory. It was as if none of it had changed. The moment vanished when Rory brought the attention back to Violet.
"Are you ready to go?" She asked. "We've got to get you to preschool."
"Yep." Violet bit down on one more heap of egg before looking up at Luke. She silently waited for his approval, which she received with a quick nod.
"I'll pick you up at three." He said, clearing her plate for her. Violet scrambled atop of the stool until she was standing on it, leaning forward with Rory supporting her so that she wouldn't fall. Luke bent over the counter enough to allow a sloppy kiss to be planted on his cheek, still holding an empty coffee pot.
"Love you Grandpa." She said. "Bye Jess."
"See ya' kid." Jess waved. He watched them move toward the door to exit before he decided to call out. "Rory."
Rory turned around, her hand still clasped in Violet's. "Yes?"
"Do you want to meet up sometime? Here or wherever?" He stuttered lamely.
"Wherever sound nice." She smirked. "Whenever?"
"Yeah, whenever."
"Alright. I'll be ready." Rory offered a small wave while Violet dramatically blew them a kiss goodbye. Jess watched them through the windows while the pair hurried across the intersection, skipping over cracks in the pavement. It promised to be a memorable trip back and Jess had no protest in staying a little longer.