Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story idea.
A/N: See Chapter One for full premise. To sum up, this is an AU (Alternate Universe) in which Jess Mariano never existed. In his place, Jessie Danes, daughter of Liz, has come to live with her Uncle Luke for the summer. This is still not beta'ed to be gentle. I am very pleased that so far people are enjoying this. Reviews are always welcome, no matter how short or long. A special thanks goes out to Lindsay for letting me bounce all my crazy ideas off of her. This story would not be here without her. Literally. She had to talk me into posting it. And another big thanks goes out to my new friend Sarah for taking the time to read drafts of recent chapters.
July: Cowboys and Ballerinas
Chapter Eight
~~
The next morning Jessie bounded down the stairs a full hour later than normal. Lorelai had already been and gone, returning his forgotten plaid shirt on her way. He had to be wrong, but he could have sworn he'd detected…something in her eyes when she'd exchanged his shirt for a cup of coffee. Was it regret? Was it more of the wistfulness he thought he'd seen a while back? Or was it just caffeine deprivation? She hadn't stayed long enough for him to find out.
Luke raised his eyebrows at Jessie. She was getting to be so independent. As she clambered up onto the stool at the end of the counter he noted that her hair was still wet from a shower and she'd put on a pair of denim cutoffs with a yellow t-shirt that flaunted a big white daisy on the front. Her ball cap had been left upstairs and the only problem he could see was that her hair, though drying, was still hopelessly tangled.
"Morning," she said brightly.
"Morning," he returned. "What's with your hair?"
"It hurt to brush it," she frowned. "So I gave up. Can I have pancakes today?"
"After you eat your cereal," he nodded. "Next time we see Lorelai we should ask her about stuff to make your hair easier to comb. If anyone knows the answer it's probably her."
Jessie nodded her agreement as Luke went into the kitchen and poured her a bowl of cornflakes and a glass of milk. Returning to the counter he set the food in front of her and she reluctantly poured the milk over the flakes. He turned his back for a second to refill Babette's coffee and when he looked back he caught her dumping half the contents of the sugar holder into her bowl.
"Hey!" he scolded. "That's enough!"
She jumped, startled, gave him a guilty smile and put the sugar down.
The diner was slowing down and Luke stood watching Jessie eat for a second before he said, "Miss Patty came to see me yesterday."
Jessie's eyebrows lifted as she tried to bend low to take a huge bite of soggy cereal and look him in the eye at the same time.
"She asked if you were still interested in taking ballet lessons," he continued nonchalantly.
"Rea-hy?" she gasped, the cereal making a hasty and unintended exit from her mouth.
"Hey!" Luke admonished. "Chew, don't spew."
While he cleaned up the mess she'd made, she swallowed what was left in her mouth, and then looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Can I, can I, can I, can I, please? Please, please? Pretty please? With no sugar on top?" Her hands were clasped tight under her chin.
"Well," he began, lifting his shoulders and glancing at the ceiling.
"Pleeeeeease!" she moaned.
"Okay," Luke said finally.
"Yes! Yes! I'm going to be a ballerina! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" she shouted. Jumping off her stool she ran around the counter and threw her arms around his waist.
"Okay, okay, calm down," he said, prying her off his legs, uncomfortable with all his customers watching.
Jessie pulled back and clapped her hands together with delight. "Yay!" she sang out.
"Finish your breakfast," Luke ordered gruffly, hoping to repair some of the damage done to his reputation during the last few minutes.
"Okay!" she replied happily as she jumped back onto her stool.
~~
"Are you coming out or not?" Luke asked, getting impatient. It was one day later, a Saturday, and Luke was impatiently standing outside the women's dressing room of the nearest Sports Authority.
Jessie emerged a few seconds later in a simple black leotard with capped sleeves. Her feet and legs were bare, but that didn't stop her from doing a little twirl for him as she happily showed off the fit.
It was a little big on her, but Luke figured she'd grow into it. "Okay, looks good," he said with a nod of approval. "Go back and change so we can get your shoes and tights."
Jessie obeyed, happily dancing back into the dressing room.
"Awww," came a voice from somewhere behind him. Turning, Luke spotted a woman with chin-length blonde hair and a petite frame. "Your daughter is adorable!" she commented before smiling and leaving him.
It took Luke a second to comprehend that the woman had been referring to Jessie. He smiled to himself at the thought and was somehow glad that he'd been too surprised to correct her. His niece was growing on him with each day that passed.
An hour later they were headed back toward Stars Hollow, their purchases resting near Jessie's feet on the floor of the truck.
Since they'd been at a sporting goods store, Luke had insisted on getting her a baseball glove to go with the leotard and ballet slippers. He'd firmly told her that she should expose herself to as many different sports as possible so that she'd never miss out on something she might like.
Jessie had simply given him a dubious look. True to his word, Luke had left the diner with Caesar and Lane and brought Jessie to the park across the street for a game of catch. He already had his own mitt and a baseball, and after showing her the basics and doffing another plaid shirt, they began.
As they tossed the ball back and forth, Jessie gripped the stiff new glove from the inside, frustrated at how difficult it was to catch.
"I don't like this," she declared.
"Why not?" he grouched back.
"It too hard," she whined. "I can't do it."
"Whaddaya mean, too hard?" Luke asked with a frown.
"The glove hurts my hand," Jessie explained with a scowl.
"That's because it's not broken in yet."
"I don't want to break it in," she complained.
"Here," he said, deftly catching the ball she'd thrown to him. He set it down in the grass and walked to her with his glove extended out. "Use mine and see what you think."
Jessie took Luke's worn glove and handed her new stiff one to him. Unbeknownst to them, an audience had gathered at the gazebo. Lorelai and Rory had been on their way to the diner when they'd spotted the duo in the park. Unable to believe their eyes, they'd ignored the diner and headed toward them.
Luke walked back to his spot on the grass, crouched back down to her height and threw the ball. Jessie caught it and smiled.
"Feel the difference?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said slowly. "Why isn't mine like that?"
"Because yours is brand new. We just have to work out the stiffness and it'll be fine," he explained using his right hand to work the leather of the new glove.
"Hee!" smirked Lorelai. "Dirty!"
"Mom!" admonished Rory
Jessie heard them and waved. "We're playing catch," she called. "You wanna play?"
"We're looking for coffee, not catch," replied Lorelai.
"And chili fries," added Rory.
"I love chili fries!" squealed Jessie.
"Are we talkin' or playin' here?" grouched Luke.
"Sorry, Pedro, didn't mean to interrupt!" Lorelai deadpanned, hands held up in front of herself, palms facing outward.
"His name is Luke!" Jessie corrected with a giggle, not getting the joke.
Luke rolled his eyes and replied, "Lorelai thinks she's being funny."
Gasping in mock outrage, Lorelai shot back, "Thinks? Thinks? I'll have you know that I am widely regarded as funny. I don't think I'm funny. I am funny!"
"You're a laugh-riot right now," Luke replied sarcastically as he tossed the ball to Jessie.
Rory and Jessie shared a glance and a smile. Whenever Luke and Lorelai argued, there was sure to be some good entertainment.
Jessie caught the ball in her gloved hand and threw it back to Luke as Lorelai sputtered. "I seem to sense sarcasm from you, mister! Sarcasm is very unbecoming."
"So is thinking you're funny when you're not," he lobbed back.
"Wow," she said. "This is a very ugly side of you Luke. I hope it's not one that'll be staying long."
"We'll see," he promised. "You home for the summer, Rory?"
"Yup and it's good to be back," Rory answered, chuckling at his change of topic.
"Did Jessie tell you guys what she's gonna be doing next week?"
"No, what?" asked Lorelai.
"Ballet!" Jessie shouted, excited all over again at the very mention of it. "I get to go to ballet class! We bought me a leotard and shoes today and tomorrow when we go grocery shopping we're getting me tights! I can't wait!"
Lorelai laughed at Jessie's excitement. "That's great," she said warmly, sharing a smile with Luke.
"I'm hungry," Jessie suddenly announced.
"Me, too," added Rory.
"You wanna stop for today?" asked Luke.
"Yeah, let's have chili fries," Jessie suggested.
"No chili fries," Luke replied. "You can have regular fries with a sandwich, but not chili fries."
"Awwww," she complained as the four of them headed across the street.
"Oh, Lorelai!" Luke suddenly announced. "We have a question for you."
"Moi?" she replied, intrigued.
"Yeah," he said as he held the door opened for the ladies. "Jessie's hair is always really tangly when she's done washing it. Is there something we can put in it to make it easier to comb?"
His question was posed with such sincerity that she had trouble keeping a straight face. "Yeah," she finally replied. "Conditioner. You can find it at any supermarket or drugstore. Right next to the shampoo."
"Hmm," he replied. "Okay, thanks."
Lorelai shook her head in disbelief as she sat down with Jessie and Rory. Boys were so silly sometimes.
~~
Next chapter: Ballet class!