3.5 Years Later
Nick spread the picnic blanket onto the grass in the park that Jess read online as deemed, "most family friendly". They didn't live very near the park, which ruined Nick's idea of walking there, but Nick assumed that Jess was looking for some friends for not only Maddy, but for herself. Jess held the picnic basket, which contained apples and sandwiches for the parents, and a bottle and some baby food for their daughter. She also had Maddy in a baby bjorn, who was smiling at her mom in her sunhat and heart shaped sunglasses.
Jess took her baby out of the constraint and carefully laid her on the picnic blanket. The baby cooed and reached her chubby arms into the sky, almost grabbing Jess's hair.
"She's so happy just being here. I knew it would be more fun to bring her outside," Jess noted.
"Yeah, but this park is so fancy. I think I might've seen a guy feeding a squirrel a chocolate coin," Just as he said that, Jess noticed her jacket being pushed away by the wind.
"Oh, I have to get that," she said and started to walk on her knees after it. As she reached for the jacket, she noticed it was hard to pull because someone's foot was on it. She looked up and noticed a familiar face.
"Russell!" she announced and with the jacket, stood up from the ground. She saw Russell standing with a woman about Jess's age, who was holding a small toddler, and Russell's daughter, Sara.
"Jess?" he asked. "What are you doing here? And on the ground?" Jess laughed, and looked nervously at all four people.
"Oh, I'm just here with my husband, and my daughter. She walked back to the picnic blanket. "You remember Nick, right?" Sara looked at him, and then suddenly her eyes bulged.
"Is that the one I claimed I was in love with?" she whispered to her dad.
"Yep," Jess said, having overheard. "And the one your dad caught me on a will they or won't they date a few years back," Nick walked over to Jess, holding the baby, not understanding what was happening.
"Jess, I think Maddy is hungry. Should I give her a bottle?" he asked. Jess stared at him.
"Nick, does it really look like I can feed her right now?" she questioned. Nick looked up and noticed Russell and Sara.
"Oh. Hi Russell. And Sara, is it? It's been a while," he said awkwardly.
"So, you guys got married? Good for you. I guess you proved me wrong. Remember when I had you write out your relationship on those cards? I'm so sorry, that was a strange idea. I have no idea what those said anymore, but it doesn't matter I guess. I actually can completely understand why you would be together," Russell said to them. "On the other hand, I'm not sure about Sara," he joked. "Oh, and this is my wife, Lily, and my son, Jack," Nick acknowledged them and held Maddy up.
"This is our daughter, Maddy," Nick said. Sara reached forward and looked at the baby.
"Dad, that is so embarrassing. Obviously I don't care if my sixth grade teacher and some guy I had a crush on for a day when I was twelve got married," Sara said. "You guys have such a cute baby!" she gushed. "Unlike my annoying brother, Jack,"
"Sara, don't say that about your brother," Lily said. Sara rolled her eyes.
"Nice to see you again, Ms. Day. Congrats on everything!" she said sweetly and then crossed her arms and walked away to sit on a bench. Lily and Jack went after her. Russell sighed.
"Teenagers, huh?" he remarked. "Anyway, nice to see you again Jess. I'm really glad to see it all worked out,"
"Yeah, nice to see you too Russell," Jess said and went back to sit down on the picnic blanket. Nick shortly followed.
"Wow, that was crazy," Nick said.
"Yeah, I basically just got to see what your life would've been like if I had married him. I mean, I just really love having Maddy at this age, and having just her. It would be totally different if I also had a teenager to deal with. We've just got to really cherish her now, because even if we have another one, we'll still have Maddy to deal with too. Which will be great, but different,"
"Yeah, you're right. She looks awfully cute in that little hat, Jess," Nick remarked about their daughter.
"Your mom got it for her actually,"
"Well with that hat, and those heart glasses, she sure looks like a mini version of you,"
"But cuter," Jess rebutted.
"I don't think so," Nick said and kissed Jess's cheek. Jess beamed.
"She's definitely got some Miller in her. I can see it in her smile. And you know why I can tell, it's because you've been smiling a lot more since she came along,"
"Jess, I've been smiling more since after Cece almost got married three years ago," Nick told her. He squeezed her hand, and Jess smiled at him. He couldn't help but think about when Russell had him write on that card. He never could've imagined that in less than four years, he'd be married and have a baby with the girl he couldn't express his feelings for. And throughout these past years, as he recalled bumping into many exes of their pair, he smiled because he knew he had the best one. Him, Jess and Maddy.
Author's note:
Thank you so much for enjoying this story! I am extremely sorry this last chapter has not been posted yet, it is a combination of extreme business and extreme laziness. But I can't believe it is done, and all the positive feedback I've gotten. I am excited to work on some new stories over the break, and am very excited that their is going to be a season three episode with the same title of this story. Let's hope to seeing many exes in the future of New Girl, and written similarly to this story! And always, don't forget to favorite and review! xoxo
