A/N: It's About A Month Later: Jess is now on leave from work, he likes
being home when Rory gets back from work, but has found the time spent by
himself hard to bear. Rory is busy with her work, since completing an award-
winning article; her workload has increased leaving almost no time for
anything else. Dave and Lane's band is spending their off time writing
songs in The Rygawlski's new home.
The story picks up on a wed. Afternoon. Rory Is at Work Jess is at home, finally tackling the boxes he brought with him when he moved in with Rory.
*Living Room: Jess is sitting on the edge of the coffee table, eyeing the large box in front of him. The box along with two others had been collecting dust in Rory's "study" since the day Jess moved in. Until today he had long forgotten about the contents of these boxes, after unpacking his clothes, cds, and books, Jess was content living with Rory never looking back not even for a second. That is until today, when in preparation for turning the study into a nursery, Jess decided to clear out the rest of his junk.
Jess carefully reaches into the box, with a sigh he lifts out a thick green photo album.
"Damn." He mutters, tracing the album cover.
A few minutes pass before he opens the book, his eyes immediately fixate on a familiar face.
Jess half smiles; the face in the picture seems to smile back him, its bright eyes sparking vivid memories that Jess had tried so hard to suppress.
Reluctantly, Jess turns the page revealing a picture that he'd only seen once or twice. It's a picture of two people sitting close together smirking like idiots. Cadence's long brown hair is blowing in the wind, her eyes sparkle in the sun, Jess however is almost unrecognizable with curly sun- streaked hair down to his shoulders, slight stubble on his chin. The picture was taken when they were dating, when they were still happy.
Jess stares at the picture for a while and then slams the book down at his side, burying his head in his hands.
Despite being happily married to Rory, with no doubt in his mind that she is the love of his life, Jess still has feelings for Cadence, the female version of himself. He feels melancholy thinking about the good times they shared, he feels regret for how it ended, and shame for loosing touch with the girl that at one time knew all of his secrets.
His thoughts and feelings becoming overwhelming, Jess closes the box and returns it to the study, spending the rest of the day vegetating on the couch trying to suppress his emotions.
*3 hours later:6:30
"Hello?"
Jess wakes from his stupor, "Huh."
"Have you been sleeping all day?" Rory asks in an amused voice.
Jess shakes his head, "No..just taking a break."
Rory eyes him suspiciously, "Ok..I know I'm an hour late, I'm sorry got really caught up with my article review meeting...brought home a pizza, cicilian as a peace offering, forgive me?"
Jess smirks, "You're a liar."
"Excuse me?"
"You've been craving pizza all week.this isn't a peace offering, you just couldn't stand settling for another Elios oven pizza.you wanted the real thing"
Rory pouts, "I'm sorry."
Jess laughs, "Don't be just tell the truth, you couldn't care less what I eat just as long as you're taken care of."
"Ok, this has gone far enough, I'm carrying around another human being with me everyday, who is getting bigger everyday and is there b/c of you, so really this is all your fault and you should be happy I'm even agreeing to share anything with you anymore."
Jess smiles warmly at his wife, "Love you too."
Rory grins, putting the pizza on the kitchen table, "Miss me today?"
Jess nods.
"What'd you do? Get much writing done?"
"Not a word, not a thing."
"Poor baby."
"Yeah well, doesn't matter." Jess shrugs.
Rory eyes Jess.
Jess feels her eyes on him, and quickly avoids confrontation, "Come on you must be starving."
"Yea." Rory says stuffily
"So how was work?"
Rory clears her throat, "I already told you."
"Oh right." Jess replies oddly, avoiding Rory's gaze.
*About a week later: Friday 7pm: Rory and Lane are sprawled out on the couch, submersed in conversation, Lorelai is on speaker phone joining in girls night via telephone. Jess and Dave are out and about town.
"So how are the men?" Lorelai asks cheerfully.
"Driving me nuts." Lane groans. "I knew that buying a house would mean band practices would be moved to our place, but I figured that the guys would understand enough to leave once in a while, and Dave's too nice to say anything, so Brian is usually there when I wake and doesn't leave until I go to bed, he's driving me nuts.
Lorelai and Rory giggle.
"And what about my favorite bad boy turned upstanding citizen?" Lorelai asks.
"He's fine, I guess." Rory replies, a hint of confusion in her voice.
"What's going on Ror?" Lane asks, concerned.
"Nothing, nothing I don't think. It's just I don't think being home all the time is working for Jess. And I think he's afraid to admit taking this time off was a mistake. He's been really distant lately, quiet and every time I enter the apartment he acts as if I've caught him off guard and then he acts all nervous and stuff, I don't know he's kind of scaring me lately."
"Hun don't worry bout that stuff, guys are weird like that, he probably feels bad for sitting around all day not writing."
"Yeah, I just don't know."
*Bookstore: Jess and Dave are perusing.
"So why are we here again? I thought we were going go hang out at my place." Dave says, clutching his Styrofoam cup of coffee from the store's café.
"First of all I refuse to sit around and "chill" with those idiot band members of your, seriously you need to send them back to their place."
"Yeah I know, its just they have nothing but the band, its sad really."
"What's sad is having a beautiful interesting women sharing a bed with you and not being able to do anything about it because you're afraid of waking of the bum crashing on your couch."
"Back to the original question we're here because."
"Rory's birthday's next week, and I still have no idea what to get her."
"Uh huh, and yet we've been here half an hour and have circled the magazine section four times, do you plan on buying Rory a subscription to people magazine for her special day?"
Jess glares at Dave, who shrugs in response.
"I'm just out of it ok."
"Fine whatever." Dave rolls his eyes.
Jess sighs, "Come on let's get out of here."
As Dave and Jess approach the doors, a sandy-haired woman approaches the front counter, placing a book down in front of her the cashier asks:
"Do you have a V.I.P. member points card?"
"Uh, I do but not on me."
Jess freezes, as the woman's voice echoes through his head.
"J? Dude you coming?" Dave Asks standing in the doorway "Ok What's your name maam?
"Bower, Cadence Bower."
"Ok here you are!" The cashier says brightly, "Alright that's going to come to $15.99" The cashier replies scanning the woman's book.
Jess turns around slowly; stiffly he makes his way over to the counter, "Cadi?" Jess squeaks.
The woman swirls around, a look of panic on her face, "Here, keep the change." Cadence says placing a 20-dollar bill on the counter and rushing past Jess, almost ramming into Dave on her way out.
Jess turns on his heels.
"Who was-" Dave starts but is cut of by Jess darting out the store. "Uh do you want me to come with?"
Jess waves his hand backwards towards Dave, "Go home, I'll uh catch up later."
Dave shrugs and then walks off in search of his car.
"Cadence!" Jess shouts, as she continues to flee.
"Jess, go away." Cadence calls back harshly.
"Just, just stop for a minute." Jess pleads. "Please."
Cadence stops abruptly, causing Jess to stumble forward as he steps on her heel.
"Ow." She moans.
"Sorry."
"Forget about it she says," Making to leave again.
"I just wanted to say hi." Jess says hoarsely.
"Hi. Goodbye." Cadence replies
"Look I'm sorry."
"For?"
"Everything. How I left things, not keeping in touch."
"Don't worry about it, married life keeps you busy I'm sure."
"Yeah-wait how'd you know about that."
"You're Jimmy's pride and joy you think he doesn't take every opportunity he gets to brag about you breaking the cycle?" Cadence rolls her eyes.
"Oh."
"Well congratulations, I'd love to stay and chat but I really have to be anywhere but here right now."
"Cadi, just stop. I need to talk to you."
"Why?"
"I miss you."
"You're married."
"I know. Happily married."
"Well that makes me feel great, good bye Jess."
"But I still miss my best friend." Jess replies quietly.
Cadence's eyes soften, "Jess who are you kidding, we haven't been best friends for years."
"I know I should have kept in touch, called you....told you I was leaving, I acted like an ass, I just didn't know how to deal with it. Cadi, you were the first real friend I ever had, I told you stuff that Rory still doesn't know about. I was stupid to think that we could go from being friends to sleeping together and then go back to being friends.and when things went bad I just avoided the situation all together because it was easier. I was a complete schmuck even when we were going out I didn't treat you right."
"Yeah well I acted like a slut." Jess shakes his head, "No you didn't."
"Yeah I did, and I don't know why.I really wanted to just sit and talk with you and do all that couple stuff you're supposed to do, I just didn't know how to."
"I know, but that's not why we broke up we were never meant to be together like that, we're too alike."
Cadence nods, "But I could have acted differently, I mean what happened isn't all your fault."
Jess looks down at his feet, unable to look Cadi directly in the eye.
"Hey, uh Jess?
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to get some coffee?"
Jess smiles at her, "That'd be great.but I thought you had some place to be."
"It can wait a few minutes.....what about the little lady, she waiting for you?"
"No, girls night in, I'm not allowed back in the apartment for another hour."
*10 minutes later: Cadi and Jess are seated in the bookstore café, staring blankly at each other.
"So, what are you doing in Connecticut?" Jess asks, finally.
"Well I finally got enough money together to get out of that Hell hole, with a little help from Jim and Sasha and I was going to head to the city."
"New York?"
Cadence nods, "But Sasha said she thought I should try someplace a little more low key, some where that I wouldn't find trouble at every street corner. And then I got to thinking about you and how Connecticut seemed to work for you, so I started applying for jobs in the area and I was hired as an associate for this small pr agency, and here I am."
"That's great."
"Yeah, it's been good for me."
"You look amazing."
"Thanks."
"You're a blonde now?"
"Yeah, I thought it made me look a little more grownup."
"It does." Jess smiles, "So you're doing good?"
"Yeah, I'm doing fine."
"You here by yourself?"
"Sort of, I have my own place, but usually Tom spends a few nights a week there."
"Tom?"
"Tom Yearly."
"Tom Yearly, I should have known." Jess says with a straight face.
Cadence laughs out loud, "Right."
"He's a nice guy? Treats you good?" jess raises an eyebrow at his friend.
"He's very nice, owns his own restaurant, has awful taste in pie, but he makes me laugh, I feel, I feel safe with him."
"Good. You deserve a good man in your life."
Cadence nods, "Well now I have two."
"So you're not mad at me?"
"Jess you and I, we're victims of circumstance, no one's at fault for this we just let our friendship slip away for a little bit."
"I'm so glad to hear you say that, these last few days I've been thinking a lot about you and I just couldn't get anything done....I just needed to know that you were ok."
Cadence smiles faintly, "I'm fine. I'm happy. How about you?"
"What about me?"
"You're married."
"Yeah."
Cadence feigns shock, "Jess Mariano tied down, who'd have ever thought?"
"I love her."
"I know."
Jess sighs, "I just don't see my life without her, and I know that sounds like a line but its not."
"I know."
"What else do you know?"
"I know you're writing again." Cadence replies with a grin as a women with a baby carrier sits down behind her.
"Jim told you?"
Cadence shakes her head, touching Jess' wrist, "Your hand's stiff, you've been typing like a machine."
Jess scratches his head, his eyes focused on the baby carrier, "Well I have a deadline."
"Impressive."
Jess shrugs, moving his chair to the right, "It's something."
"Well I'm glad you're putting your stuff out there, it's great stuff."
"I don't know about that."
"Trust me, its good." Cadence replies following Jess's gaze. "Kid more entertaining than me?" Cadence says wryly.
"Huh?"
Cadence laughs forget it, "Man that Rory Gilmore's turned you into a softy."
"Yeah well she has, but I, I'm sorry I just got distracted."
"I could see that."
Jess turns back to Cadence, beaming brightly at her, "I'm going to have one of those come November."
"Wow." Cadence replies, taken back. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, Rory's 3 months."
"Planned?"
"Not exactly, but welcomed."
Cadence grins, "That's great Jess."
"Yeah, but I'm really nervous about the whole thing."
"Why? You'll be a great dad."
"But with the life I've lead? My parents. My dad."
"Shit Jess, none of that stuff matters, you're going to use all of that as a guide of what not to do, plus you have Rory there, she's by far no Liz.."
"No, I'll give you that."
"Man this is so weird."
"What?" Jess asks seriously.
"This. sitting here, me still single and not throwing myself at every man who has a pulse, you married with a kid on the way, this is definitely bizarro world material."
"Huh. You may be right."
"Of course I am." Cadence says proudly, eyeing her watch.
"You have to go don't you?"
"Well it's not important, but I-"
"Have a date."
Cadence nods, "I'm meeting Tom for a drink in 20 minutes."
"Right. Well I'm glad we got to talk." Jess replies, standing up.
"Hopefully this won't be the last I see of you." Cadence says honestly.
"No. It won't be, I hate to break it to you but it's going to be hard to get rid of me."
"Promise?"
"Yeah." Jess replies enveloping Cadi in a bear hug. "We should all do dinner sometime."
"Yeah, maybe." Cadence stumbles backwards, "Bye Jess."
"Bye Cadi." Jess watches Cadence leave before making his way to the pay phone to call Dave.
*5 minutes later: Dave pulls up in front of the bookstore.
Jess gets in.
Dave stares at him, "So what happened tonight?"
"Nothing, I just got caught off guard."
"Uh huh."
"That was Cadence-"
"Wait ex girlfriend from California Cadence."
"Yeah-wait how did you know about that-did Lane tell you?!" Jess asks, slightly taken back.
"No. Rory did actually."
"W-when. ?"
"A while ago when you were still with her, Rory came to Lane's dorm all upset, she'd just gotten off the phone with you and wanted Lane's advice but she was at a church luncheon..so just talked to me."
"Oh.I didn't know you guys confided in each other."
Dave laughs, "We don't it was a one time deal."
Jess nods.
"Anyway what happened? You ran out of that store pretty quickly."
"I just needed to tie up loose ends get closure I guess, I needed to know I didn't break her."
Dave eyes his friend, "So do you feel better."
"Yeah, just weird. I told her we'd get together soon, but I think that'd be weird."
"Maybe it could work"
"I don't know I don't really want to think about it, she's doing ok, she's happy that's all I need to know."
"So.can we please go back to my place and have a beer before my wife comes home.so this night doesn't feel like a complete waste of time"
Jess laughs, "That beer better be cold."
"Oh and uh could you.."
"You want me to get rid of the vermin?"
"I can't be mean, you however have a very bad attitude." Dave smirks.
"You are such a little girl." Jess replies rolling his eyes as a grin crosses his lips.
The story picks up on a wed. Afternoon. Rory Is at Work Jess is at home, finally tackling the boxes he brought with him when he moved in with Rory.
*Living Room: Jess is sitting on the edge of the coffee table, eyeing the large box in front of him. The box along with two others had been collecting dust in Rory's "study" since the day Jess moved in. Until today he had long forgotten about the contents of these boxes, after unpacking his clothes, cds, and books, Jess was content living with Rory never looking back not even for a second. That is until today, when in preparation for turning the study into a nursery, Jess decided to clear out the rest of his junk.
Jess carefully reaches into the box, with a sigh he lifts out a thick green photo album.
"Damn." He mutters, tracing the album cover.
A few minutes pass before he opens the book, his eyes immediately fixate on a familiar face.
Jess half smiles; the face in the picture seems to smile back him, its bright eyes sparking vivid memories that Jess had tried so hard to suppress.
Reluctantly, Jess turns the page revealing a picture that he'd only seen once or twice. It's a picture of two people sitting close together smirking like idiots. Cadence's long brown hair is blowing in the wind, her eyes sparkle in the sun, Jess however is almost unrecognizable with curly sun- streaked hair down to his shoulders, slight stubble on his chin. The picture was taken when they were dating, when they were still happy.
Jess stares at the picture for a while and then slams the book down at his side, burying his head in his hands.
Despite being happily married to Rory, with no doubt in his mind that she is the love of his life, Jess still has feelings for Cadence, the female version of himself. He feels melancholy thinking about the good times they shared, he feels regret for how it ended, and shame for loosing touch with the girl that at one time knew all of his secrets.
His thoughts and feelings becoming overwhelming, Jess closes the box and returns it to the study, spending the rest of the day vegetating on the couch trying to suppress his emotions.
*3 hours later:6:30
"Hello?"
Jess wakes from his stupor, "Huh."
"Have you been sleeping all day?" Rory asks in an amused voice.
Jess shakes his head, "No..just taking a break."
Rory eyes him suspiciously, "Ok..I know I'm an hour late, I'm sorry got really caught up with my article review meeting...brought home a pizza, cicilian as a peace offering, forgive me?"
Jess smirks, "You're a liar."
"Excuse me?"
"You've been craving pizza all week.this isn't a peace offering, you just couldn't stand settling for another Elios oven pizza.you wanted the real thing"
Rory pouts, "I'm sorry."
Jess laughs, "Don't be just tell the truth, you couldn't care less what I eat just as long as you're taken care of."
"Ok, this has gone far enough, I'm carrying around another human being with me everyday, who is getting bigger everyday and is there b/c of you, so really this is all your fault and you should be happy I'm even agreeing to share anything with you anymore."
Jess smiles warmly at his wife, "Love you too."
Rory grins, putting the pizza on the kitchen table, "Miss me today?"
Jess nods.
"What'd you do? Get much writing done?"
"Not a word, not a thing."
"Poor baby."
"Yeah well, doesn't matter." Jess shrugs.
Rory eyes Jess.
Jess feels her eyes on him, and quickly avoids confrontation, "Come on you must be starving."
"Yea." Rory says stuffily
"So how was work?"
Rory clears her throat, "I already told you."
"Oh right." Jess replies oddly, avoiding Rory's gaze.
*About a week later: Friday 7pm: Rory and Lane are sprawled out on the couch, submersed in conversation, Lorelai is on speaker phone joining in girls night via telephone. Jess and Dave are out and about town.
"So how are the men?" Lorelai asks cheerfully.
"Driving me nuts." Lane groans. "I knew that buying a house would mean band practices would be moved to our place, but I figured that the guys would understand enough to leave once in a while, and Dave's too nice to say anything, so Brian is usually there when I wake and doesn't leave until I go to bed, he's driving me nuts.
Lorelai and Rory giggle.
"And what about my favorite bad boy turned upstanding citizen?" Lorelai asks.
"He's fine, I guess." Rory replies, a hint of confusion in her voice.
"What's going on Ror?" Lane asks, concerned.
"Nothing, nothing I don't think. It's just I don't think being home all the time is working for Jess. And I think he's afraid to admit taking this time off was a mistake. He's been really distant lately, quiet and every time I enter the apartment he acts as if I've caught him off guard and then he acts all nervous and stuff, I don't know he's kind of scaring me lately."
"Hun don't worry bout that stuff, guys are weird like that, he probably feels bad for sitting around all day not writing."
"Yeah, I just don't know."
*Bookstore: Jess and Dave are perusing.
"So why are we here again? I thought we were going go hang out at my place." Dave says, clutching his Styrofoam cup of coffee from the store's café.
"First of all I refuse to sit around and "chill" with those idiot band members of your, seriously you need to send them back to their place."
"Yeah I know, its just they have nothing but the band, its sad really."
"What's sad is having a beautiful interesting women sharing a bed with you and not being able to do anything about it because you're afraid of waking of the bum crashing on your couch."
"Back to the original question we're here because."
"Rory's birthday's next week, and I still have no idea what to get her."
"Uh huh, and yet we've been here half an hour and have circled the magazine section four times, do you plan on buying Rory a subscription to people magazine for her special day?"
Jess glares at Dave, who shrugs in response.
"I'm just out of it ok."
"Fine whatever." Dave rolls his eyes.
Jess sighs, "Come on let's get out of here."
As Dave and Jess approach the doors, a sandy-haired woman approaches the front counter, placing a book down in front of her the cashier asks:
"Do you have a V.I.P. member points card?"
"Uh, I do but not on me."
Jess freezes, as the woman's voice echoes through his head.
"J? Dude you coming?" Dave Asks standing in the doorway "Ok What's your name maam?
"Bower, Cadence Bower."
"Ok here you are!" The cashier says brightly, "Alright that's going to come to $15.99" The cashier replies scanning the woman's book.
Jess turns around slowly; stiffly he makes his way over to the counter, "Cadi?" Jess squeaks.
The woman swirls around, a look of panic on her face, "Here, keep the change." Cadence says placing a 20-dollar bill on the counter and rushing past Jess, almost ramming into Dave on her way out.
Jess turns on his heels.
"Who was-" Dave starts but is cut of by Jess darting out the store. "Uh do you want me to come with?"
Jess waves his hand backwards towards Dave, "Go home, I'll uh catch up later."
Dave shrugs and then walks off in search of his car.
"Cadence!" Jess shouts, as she continues to flee.
"Jess, go away." Cadence calls back harshly.
"Just, just stop for a minute." Jess pleads. "Please."
Cadence stops abruptly, causing Jess to stumble forward as he steps on her heel.
"Ow." She moans.
"Sorry."
"Forget about it she says," Making to leave again.
"I just wanted to say hi." Jess says hoarsely.
"Hi. Goodbye." Cadence replies
"Look I'm sorry."
"For?"
"Everything. How I left things, not keeping in touch."
"Don't worry about it, married life keeps you busy I'm sure."
"Yeah-wait how'd you know about that."
"You're Jimmy's pride and joy you think he doesn't take every opportunity he gets to brag about you breaking the cycle?" Cadence rolls her eyes.
"Oh."
"Well congratulations, I'd love to stay and chat but I really have to be anywhere but here right now."
"Cadi, just stop. I need to talk to you."
"Why?"
"I miss you."
"You're married."
"I know. Happily married."
"Well that makes me feel great, good bye Jess."
"But I still miss my best friend." Jess replies quietly.
Cadence's eyes soften, "Jess who are you kidding, we haven't been best friends for years."
"I know I should have kept in touch, called you....told you I was leaving, I acted like an ass, I just didn't know how to deal with it. Cadi, you were the first real friend I ever had, I told you stuff that Rory still doesn't know about. I was stupid to think that we could go from being friends to sleeping together and then go back to being friends.and when things went bad I just avoided the situation all together because it was easier. I was a complete schmuck even when we were going out I didn't treat you right."
"Yeah well I acted like a slut." Jess shakes his head, "No you didn't."
"Yeah I did, and I don't know why.I really wanted to just sit and talk with you and do all that couple stuff you're supposed to do, I just didn't know how to."
"I know, but that's not why we broke up we were never meant to be together like that, we're too alike."
Cadence nods, "But I could have acted differently, I mean what happened isn't all your fault."
Jess looks down at his feet, unable to look Cadi directly in the eye.
"Hey, uh Jess?
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to get some coffee?"
Jess smiles at her, "That'd be great.but I thought you had some place to be."
"It can wait a few minutes.....what about the little lady, she waiting for you?"
"No, girls night in, I'm not allowed back in the apartment for another hour."
*10 minutes later: Cadi and Jess are seated in the bookstore café, staring blankly at each other.
"So, what are you doing in Connecticut?" Jess asks, finally.
"Well I finally got enough money together to get out of that Hell hole, with a little help from Jim and Sasha and I was going to head to the city."
"New York?"
Cadence nods, "But Sasha said she thought I should try someplace a little more low key, some where that I wouldn't find trouble at every street corner. And then I got to thinking about you and how Connecticut seemed to work for you, so I started applying for jobs in the area and I was hired as an associate for this small pr agency, and here I am."
"That's great."
"Yeah, it's been good for me."
"You look amazing."
"Thanks."
"You're a blonde now?"
"Yeah, I thought it made me look a little more grownup."
"It does." Jess smiles, "So you're doing good?"
"Yeah, I'm doing fine."
"You here by yourself?"
"Sort of, I have my own place, but usually Tom spends a few nights a week there."
"Tom?"
"Tom Yearly."
"Tom Yearly, I should have known." Jess says with a straight face.
Cadence laughs out loud, "Right."
"He's a nice guy? Treats you good?" jess raises an eyebrow at his friend.
"He's very nice, owns his own restaurant, has awful taste in pie, but he makes me laugh, I feel, I feel safe with him."
"Good. You deserve a good man in your life."
Cadence nods, "Well now I have two."
"So you're not mad at me?"
"Jess you and I, we're victims of circumstance, no one's at fault for this we just let our friendship slip away for a little bit."
"I'm so glad to hear you say that, these last few days I've been thinking a lot about you and I just couldn't get anything done....I just needed to know that you were ok."
Cadence smiles faintly, "I'm fine. I'm happy. How about you?"
"What about me?"
"You're married."
"Yeah."
Cadence feigns shock, "Jess Mariano tied down, who'd have ever thought?"
"I love her."
"I know."
Jess sighs, "I just don't see my life without her, and I know that sounds like a line but its not."
"I know."
"What else do you know?"
"I know you're writing again." Cadence replies with a grin as a women with a baby carrier sits down behind her.
"Jim told you?"
Cadence shakes her head, touching Jess' wrist, "Your hand's stiff, you've been typing like a machine."
Jess scratches his head, his eyes focused on the baby carrier, "Well I have a deadline."
"Impressive."
Jess shrugs, moving his chair to the right, "It's something."
"Well I'm glad you're putting your stuff out there, it's great stuff."
"I don't know about that."
"Trust me, its good." Cadence replies following Jess's gaze. "Kid more entertaining than me?" Cadence says wryly.
"Huh?"
Cadence laughs forget it, "Man that Rory Gilmore's turned you into a softy."
"Yeah well she has, but I, I'm sorry I just got distracted."
"I could see that."
Jess turns back to Cadence, beaming brightly at her, "I'm going to have one of those come November."
"Wow." Cadence replies, taken back. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, Rory's 3 months."
"Planned?"
"Not exactly, but welcomed."
Cadence grins, "That's great Jess."
"Yeah, but I'm really nervous about the whole thing."
"Why? You'll be a great dad."
"But with the life I've lead? My parents. My dad."
"Shit Jess, none of that stuff matters, you're going to use all of that as a guide of what not to do, plus you have Rory there, she's by far no Liz.."
"No, I'll give you that."
"Man this is so weird."
"What?" Jess asks seriously.
"This. sitting here, me still single and not throwing myself at every man who has a pulse, you married with a kid on the way, this is definitely bizarro world material."
"Huh. You may be right."
"Of course I am." Cadence says proudly, eyeing her watch.
"You have to go don't you?"
"Well it's not important, but I-"
"Have a date."
Cadence nods, "I'm meeting Tom for a drink in 20 minutes."
"Right. Well I'm glad we got to talk." Jess replies, standing up.
"Hopefully this won't be the last I see of you." Cadence says honestly.
"No. It won't be, I hate to break it to you but it's going to be hard to get rid of me."
"Promise?"
"Yeah." Jess replies enveloping Cadi in a bear hug. "We should all do dinner sometime."
"Yeah, maybe." Cadence stumbles backwards, "Bye Jess."
"Bye Cadi." Jess watches Cadence leave before making his way to the pay phone to call Dave.
*5 minutes later: Dave pulls up in front of the bookstore.
Jess gets in.
Dave stares at him, "So what happened tonight?"
"Nothing, I just got caught off guard."
"Uh huh."
"That was Cadence-"
"Wait ex girlfriend from California Cadence."
"Yeah-wait how did you know about that-did Lane tell you?!" Jess asks, slightly taken back.
"No. Rory did actually."
"W-when. ?"
"A while ago when you were still with her, Rory came to Lane's dorm all upset, she'd just gotten off the phone with you and wanted Lane's advice but she was at a church luncheon..so just talked to me."
"Oh.I didn't know you guys confided in each other."
Dave laughs, "We don't it was a one time deal."
Jess nods.
"Anyway what happened? You ran out of that store pretty quickly."
"I just needed to tie up loose ends get closure I guess, I needed to know I didn't break her."
Dave eyes his friend, "So do you feel better."
"Yeah, just weird. I told her we'd get together soon, but I think that'd be weird."
"Maybe it could work"
"I don't know I don't really want to think about it, she's doing ok, she's happy that's all I need to know."
"So.can we please go back to my place and have a beer before my wife comes home.so this night doesn't feel like a complete waste of time"
Jess laughs, "That beer better be cold."
"Oh and uh could you.."
"You want me to get rid of the vermin?"
"I can't be mean, you however have a very bad attitude." Dave smirks.
"You are such a little girl." Jess replies rolling his eyes as a grin crosses his lips.