Nick Miller buzzed the buzzer, trying to get into the loft. "Schmidt!? Winston?" He called. To his avail, no one answered. Nick swallowed hard. "Jess? Jessica?" He yelled at the upstairs window.
"She's at work." Outside Dave said, rolling out from underneath a pile of newspapers.
Nick's head snapped around. "Work. Work? Where does she work now?"
"Aren't you the angry man with the scrunchy face that used to live here?" Outside Dave said, opening a paper. "The Sentential? Who here gets the Sentential? This is LIBERAL TRASH! "
Nick crouched down, eye level with Dave. "Dave, focus. I really need to talk to Jess. Can you please tell me where she works at?"
Dave snarled his nose. "You threw a sandwich at me once."
"FIRST OFF YOU BARKED AT ME! ALSO, IT WAS PASTRAMI ON RYE! IT HAD SPICY MUSTARD AND EVERYTHING!" Nick yelled. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. "Look, Dave, if you tell me where Jess works now, I promise I'll bring you a sandwich. I won't throw this one at you. I'll hand it to you. In a bag. Please just tell me where does Jess work?"
Dave smiled. "She works at Clifford Street Elementary."
Nick jumped up. "Clifford street! Thank you!" He jumped into his car and peeled out.
"You owe me a sandwich!" Dave called after him.
…
Nick walked into the office, out of breath. According to google the school let out in five minutes, so he made it just in time. He walked into the office. He smiled as he approached the secretary. "Hello, I'm here to see Jessica Day?"
The secretary looked up from her computer. She was older, in her late fifties. She reminded him of the older women in Chicago, her hair styled in an outrageously teased bouffant, her nails talon like and fire truck red. "Do you have an appointment with Principal Day?"
Nick's eyes widened. "Principal Day?"
The secretary glanced suspiciously at him. "You asked for Jessica Day, right?"
Nick nodded. "Sorry, No, I don't have an appointment. I'm just an old friend who wanted to surprise her."
"She's with a parent right now, have a seat and I'll let her know when she comes out." She motioned to an empty chair across from her desk. She glanced at a little girl occupying the seat next to his. "Josie, your mom should be out pretty soon."
Nick sat down next to her. He glanced at the little girl, who was enthralled with a book. Her brunette locks hung straight down, the front clipped back in a tiny braid. She wore a pink and white gingham print dress with white leggings and pink ballet flats. "You don't look like a trouble maker. What's got you at the principal's office? " he asked.
The little girl glanced up from her book. She peered at him through her purple plastic frame glasses, her icy blue eyes baring into him. "My mom says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."
Nick laughed. It did seem rather creepy for a grown man to be making small talk with a little girl who could be no older than five. "Your mom sounds like a smart lady. "
The little girl shook her head at him, and then turned back to her book.
Nick nervously tapped his foot, anxious to see Jess. The bell rang, and the hall outside the office began to fill with kids. The door behind the secretary opened, and Jess and another lady walked out. Jess smiled at the lady, and shook her hand. "Thanks for coming in Mrs. Greer. See you later." Nick's heart skipped a beat at the sound of her voice. She walked towards the secretary, a stack of files in her hand. "Cheryl can you schedule me. . . " Just then Jess's eyes met Nick's. She gasped, her hands losing grip on the files sending them crashing to the floor. Nick jumped up and started to help her gather her papers.
He glanced over at her, taking in the sight of her. She looked just as he remembered, her brunette bangs falling ever so softly into her big blue eyes, her body small and petite. "You look beautiful."
"What are you doing here?!" She hissed, crouching down to pick up the papers.
Her eyes flashed up at him, full of pain and anguish. A pang of guilt hit Nick. "I. . .I came to see you." He stammered.
Cheryl, the secretary, eyed the duo, immersed in their conversation.
Jess stood up, straightening her emerald colored skirt. "Cheryl, I'm going to talk to Mr. Miller in my office for a minute."
Cheryl drew in her breath. "THAT'S WHERE I KNOW YOU FROM! YOU'RE NICK MILLER! OF THE PEPPERWOOD CHRONICALS!"
Nick smiled and nodded appreciatively. "Yup, that's me."
Cheryl pressed her hands to her overly made face. "Oh, I just love your books! I can't believe you're here! Principal Day never told me she knew you!"
Jess gritted her teeth. "He's just an old friend. Nobody, really. Come on Nick, in my office." She pulled Nick into her office, slamming the door.
"You came to see me? YOU CAME TO SEE ME?!" Jess screeched, pacing back and forth in front of her desk.
Nick began to wring his hands together, nervously. He had anticipated that Jess might not take his homecoming very well. "Jess. . . Jess, I'm sorry."
Jess stuck a hand on her hip, trying to look strong even though salty tears burned at her eyes. "You're sorry? You left me Nick, A WEEK before our wedding, and all you can say is sorry?"
Nick sighed. "I can explain. . .I. . . "
Just then the office door opened. The little girl that had sat next to Nick ran in. Cheryl followed behind her , breathlessly. "I'm so sorry Principal Day, I tried to stop her. She's just too fast!"
Jess smiled at Cheryl, wiping away a stray tear. "It's ok."
The little girl ran to Jess, hugging her leg tight. "Mommy! Can we go now? Pleeeeeaaaaaassse? You told me we could go to the library."
The little girl's words hit Nick hard, knocking the breath out of him. His eyes darted between the little girl and Jess, back and forth. "mmmmm. . .mmm. . Mommy?" He spat.
Jess hugged the little girl back. "Nick, this is Josie. My daughter."
The little girl smiled up at him, and he now realized She was a miniature Jess, identical except for her smile. Her smile was crooked, upturning ever so slightly more on one side than the other. He knew that smile very well. Her smile was an exact copy of his.