Title: Like Jess, Like Eliza
Author: Hadlee May
Summary: In the chapter before the last chapter
Disclaimer: GG is not mine, the story is
THANK YOUS: For the first time since I've been writing I'd like to thank the people who have reviewed....all the way back from worth everything...since it's a one parter and i don't plan on writing out a whole new chapter just for thank yous
goldengirl736 , mugglewolf , controversyqueen, CaliforniaDreamer, Oelouge, Only-Soup-Cans-Need-Labels, and 4everweepingangel, MimmyCC
Smile 1: I like your suggestions, and decided to use one...I told my co-worker them, and she was nice enough to let me figure it out loud for myself...her saying stuff when it was necessary....Anyways, thanks for all your reviews.
Alice Wonders: Thanks to you for getting this story going, without your suggestion, I would have never have thought and never would have spent my time pondering how a two year acts. Thank you neighbor. Now go back to singing along with your Franz Ferdinand ring tone.
AN: Wow, two chapters in a two weeks period of time. Give me a prize, it's rare to happen...Anyways, I skipped a year, unable to think of another adventure for Jess and Eliza to embark upon. Desperate times call for desperate measures...I am putting Rory, temporarily into the mix...it was "emotional" for me to write, since, well, I like Jess, and hate seeing him troubled, so....enjoy.
REVIEW PLEASE...
Chapter 4: Age 4 .1.
Mechanically, Jess made his way around the diner, tending to the morning customers, taking orders, serving plates of foods to hungry patrons, and refilling coffee mugs when asked. Close behind him, Eliza walked, her black hair in a messy ponytail, a small crayon behind her ear, a small notepad in her hand, mocking her father's actions as he spoke to customers. Jess, pretending to not notice the shadow following him around, grinned at the re-actions from customers.
Shadowing people had become a favorite past time of Eliza's, just like last month, she'd only wanted to wear pink dresses, and refused to play with the Forester boys, who, despite Jess's aggravation, were her only friends.
Jess had become used to her fazes, letting her go into and out of them as the months passed by, just like he had let her have her way during her faze of being a horror to the town of Stars Hollow. Luckily, she'd gotten over it, just what the town needed: a mini version of him.
Grinning at Eliza, Mrs. Patty handed the girl a five dollar bill, and handed Jess what she had left of change. Groaning playfully, Jess lifted Eliza into his arms. "Stealing my tips, missy?" He asked playfully, sitting her on an empty stool as he pinned an order up for Ceaser. Eliza giggled and stuck her tongue out at him. Jess, sticking his tongue back out laughed. "You know what happens to little girls who steal my tips?" He asked. Eliza shook her head, her tongue still hanging out of her mouth. "They get tickled...That's what happens." Eliza squealed as Jess's fingers attacked her sides in frenzied motions, causing the four year old to wiggle on the stool, laughing uncontrollably.
"Daddy!!!" She whimpered through her giggles. Luke watched on in amusement, before finally stepping in.
"Jess, leave the poor kid alone and get back to work." Luke said gruffly, a smile playing on his face.
Jess turned to pout at his uncle, his lower lip protruding, his eyes wide, as though he were going to cry, "But Uncle Luke, she stole my tips." This caused Luke to laugh, shaking his head.
"She probably is working better than you, you think of that?" Luke teased. "Besides," He pinched Eliza's cheek playfully, "She's cuter than you will ever be." With that Luke spun around, getting a customer's order and Jess, letting Eliza off the stool, went back to his job, Eliza still following his movements carefully.
In the commotion, neither noticed the petite brunette enter, then leave the diner after the display of affection.
Jess and Eliza, mechanically, left the diner at 7:30. Eliza had the day with Lane, and Jess had to be at school (his first year at community college...he'd gotten his GED on Eliza's third birthday) by 8:30.
It was funny how things changed in Stars Hollow. Nothing was ever big change, but it all mattered, like the odd friendship between Jess and Lane. After he'd come, stumbling into town, a baby in his arms, Lane had taken it upon herself to help out when she was needed. Work days were scheduled around when Lorelai could handle Eliza and days when Jess was either schooling in Hartford, or working in Hartford.
He walked into Lane's apartment without knocking. Lane, Zach, and Brian were all sitting on the couch, watching the morning Disney cartoons. "Have fun with Lane and the guys, I'll be back before dinner." He told her.
"OKee, Daddy." She told him. "Kiss." She told him. Jess happily obliged, meeting his daughter for a wet, playful kiss on the lips.
"Bye Eliza." He told her setting her down.
"Bye Jess." Lane's voice could be heard from the couch. He watched Eliza make her way to the three room mates, climbing on Zach's lap, her attention grabbing onto the television program. Smiling, Jess left the apartment without a word and made his way to his car, and then to Hartford, where he spent most of his day, classes and work.
As promised, though, he was home before dinner time. At least dinner time according to Luke's clock. Entering the apartment at 6:30, Lane, Brian, Zach, and Eliza were munching down on frozen pizza, oven baked.
"Daddy!!!" She slammed her slice back onto the plate, pushing her chair back and ran to him, hugging his legs. "Daddy!!! We had so much fun!! We went to the book store, than the cd store, then we went to..." Her experiences of the day went on and on, though the last sentence caught Jess's ear, "we had lunch at Luke's, and I got to meet grandma's daughter."
"Grandma's daughter, huh?" Jess murmured to himself, lifting Eliza into his arms, not sure how to react to that statement. His first thought was that she was four, and she could have meant something else. Eliza was intelligent, with a large vocabulary, and spoke a mile a minute. Her words, though, were sometimes still mixed up.
He looked at Lane, who looked down at her plate, not sure how to say what she was thinking.
"Rory's back?" He asked her. Lane nodded.
"No one knew she was coming, she just sort of showed up...I would never have...Eliza...you know how she is...always friendly..." Lane was rambling.
"Don't worry about it, Lane...I got to get home, Eliza's show comes on in half an hour." He stated and Lane nodded, watching the two leave her apartment building in silence.
Outside, Eliza was rambling out questions one by one, all of the pertaining information about Rory. Jess felt a sudden urge to bottle everything inside him, to fuss at Eliza for even mentioning the woman he unconsciously, without thought, held a grudge against. But, then he remembered the promise he'd made himself...no being mean, quiet Jess. What could a few answered questions hurt?
Instead of going to Luke's, like normally would after picking Eliza up, he went to the small apartment, nearly a block away from the diner.
Like Clockwork, him and Eliza sat in front of the television for their weekly dose of Lizzie McGuire, a re run, before he gave her a bath and tucked her into bed. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, and knew tomorrow was going to be a long day.
.2.
Luke's was busy every morning, and Jess was there when it opened daily, a sleeping Eliza, still clad in her pajamas. Today was no different. He moved upstairs to lay her down before coming back down to help Luke open, moving chairs off the top of tables, turning on machines, refilling salt and pepper shakers, making sure all the batter was ready for use.
By 6:30, the entire crew was here, including Lane, who brought Zach along with her. It was a holiday week...one of Taylor's crazy made up holidays that sent the town into a holiday happiness like frenzy. On weeks like this, all the help possible was needed. That help was usually Zach or Brian, who spent as much time in the diner as Lane did.
None spoke as the sign was flipped to open and they awaited their customers.
The first two hours passed by quickly. Around nine, they were greeted by the presence of Lorelai who shot Jess a sympathetic look before begging her husband, and the father of her eight month year old son, William, for coffee. It was funny, in Stars Hollow, how things changed, but some things would never change. Jess was continuously noticing the little things, now that he knew Rory was back.
"Morning Jess." Lorelai said as Luke filled her coffee.
"Morning Lorelai..." He said, using the same teasing tone that she had used with him.
"You want to go upstairs and hide or something, Rory should be hear in like ten minutes...she was showering when I left." Jess just stared, remembering the showers back in New York, before Eliza had been born. Their run down apartment was not only known for it's rat population, but it's lack of good water heating... The shower had been small, but in the first few months of living in the apartment, Rory and him had spent passionate moments in the shower, kissing, touching, feeling. Hearts racing, coinciding with the beating of the water against bare skin.
Jess immediately snapped out of his daze. "Should I?" He asked. Lorelai shrugged "I gotta wake up Eliza anyways," He said. "Luke, I'm going on break." He told his uncle heading upstairs. Entering the apartment, he caught sight of an already awake Eliza, who's eyes were glued on some video she'd put in herself.
"Morning Daddy." She spoke as she saw him enter the apartment.
"Morning Eliza..." He said...then, "how about you get dressed and we do something today?" He asked her. She shrugged. Something she'd learned from him...along with her occasional "huh".
"Can we stay in the diner for a while...Rory said she might stop by." Jess grinned at the way she said Rory "Rawry."
"That's fine." He choked out.. "Let's get you dressed." He said. She nodded and went into Jess's room where he had stashed some of her clothes for when they stayed over some nights. She was quick to pick out a light blue sun dress. She put it on herself, opting to go shoeless. She ran down the steps to greet the diner people, Jess hot on her trail.
Almost on cue, Rory Gilmore entered the diner. Eliza happily greeted her. For a moment, Jess wondered if Rory had mentioned whom she really was...the missing mother that Eliza mentioned from time to time, asking where she was. He then realized it was unlikely that she would have said anything...not without Jess's permission, at least.
"Hey." Jess said, standing in front of her.
"Hey." Rory replied, looking down at her shoes.
"Coffee?" Jess asked, he turned from her and walked behind the counter.
"Of course." He spoke quietly. Jess put a cup on the counter and filled it to the brim. "She's big." Rory said, looking at Eliza who was, one again shadowing...this time Lane.
"Four years does that to someone." He deadpanned.
"Jess." She started, but stopped when he shook his head. "We should talk." She stated. Jess shrugged his shoulders and wondered off to take a customer's order, occasionally seeking out Eliza's whereabouts. With Rory's sudden return, he suddenly feels worry for his daughter, who cluelessly was now sitting next to Rory, talking the older girl's ear off. Lorelai's eyes met Jess's and he sighed.
Thirty minutes later, he found himself in Luke's apartment, pacing with Rory sitting on the couch, watching him helplessly, afraid to say anything.
"Why'd you do it?" Jess asked suddenly. Rory looked startled at the question.
She stuttered, unsure how to answer the question. After moments of silence, she sighed, "I wasn't ready, Jess...I had so much in my , family..."
"Like I was ready for single fatherhood...I spent three nights with her while she cried non stop. I was nearly twenty one and I had never held a baby before her."
"Jess-"
"No, Rory..." He groaned.
"Why'd you come back?" He asked.
"My mom, Luke, William...I had no idea you lived in Stars Hollow..." She sighed.
"That's great." He muttered. Conversation dwelled to a stop and Jess, aggravated, left the apartment, in search of Eliza, who he found giggling helplessly while being pushed on the swing by Zach.
"Hey man." Zach said.
"Hey." Jess replied.
"Go well?"
"Over-statement." Jess laughed shortly. Zach nodded knowing not to pry.
"Look, if you need us to watch her tonight or something, it's cool." Zach said. Jess nodded. Zach said his goodbye to Eliza before leaving her with Jess who took Zach's place behind the swing. He'd been up six hours, and so far...the day was the longest one he'd had in his entire life.
.3.
At the Gilmore residence, Rory grinned as the door bell rang. She greeted her boyfriend with a welcoming kiss, which he gladly returned. As she pulled away, he touched he slightly bulging stomach with a smile in his eyes.
At the diner, Jess sat on the stool as he stared around the empty diner. Eliza was beside him, coloring in an old power rangers coloring book Liz had found when she was going through boxes a few weeks ago. It was seven thirty and the diner was closed thanks to a small dinner being held in Rory's honor at eight.
Looking at the clock, he realized that Luke's dinner party would be arriving soon and he made way to clean and push a few tables together. By the time 7:50 rolled around, it was set up and Rory, along with Luke, Lorelai, William, and a guy he didn't know, came into the restaurant.
Seeing people, Eliza rushed up to them, greeting them. "Good evening, welcome to Luke's." She said. Lorelai laughed, ruffling up her black hair. The unidentified male got down, crouching on Eliza's level and smiled.
"Hi, I'm Logan." He said.
"I'm Ghanima Eliza Mariano." She stated matter of factly.
"Ghanima? Like in the dune books? Did your mommy like those books?" He asked.
Eliza shrugged. "I don't have a mommy." She hugged onto Jess's legs, who looked at Rory's face, which crumpled in pain at the statement. He was sure that Rory was wondering if that's what Jess had really told her, though she said nothing.
"Oh." Logan stood up, mentioning to Lorelai that Eliza had pretty eyes. Lorelai nodded, grinning at Jess.
"Well, we better get going, I promised Zach I'd stop by." He lied. Lorelai cut him off.
"Wait, Rory has this big announcement, I'm sure she can make it before you leave. I mean, you two used to be friends after all." Lorelai grinned.
Jess pulled Eliza into his arms, but stayed still, waiting, watching Rory nervously grasp Logan's hand. "Well...We're Pregnant!!" She said happily, "I'M GOING TO BE A MOTHER!! ." She gushed. This earned hugs from Lorelai and Luke. She dropped another bomb shell almost instantly after, "and...we're engaged." She held out her hand, showing off her ring, all the while, not meeting Jess's gaze.
Jess put a smile on his face, and gave Rory a one armed hug. "Congratulations, Ror...I hope you're ready for it." He hissed in her ear before leaving the diner, Eliza clasped tightly in his arms...
.4.
One can say that in times of panic, hurt, or anger, rash decisions can be made by an individual.
After the news of Rory's pregnancy, Jess walked slowly to his apartment, thinking. Truth was, her pregnancy should have been a reason to celebrate. But after her "I'm going to be a mother" statement, his heart had fallen. It was almost an instantaneous, she'd forgotten about Eliza, and the year they'd spent in New York together.
Suddenly, a place he'd begun to call home seemed to small for him. Knowing that Rory could pop up at any given time bothered him more than he liked, and as he entered the apartment, the answer came to him. "New York."
He shared the news with Luke the next morning. "New York?" Luke had shouted, angry, but he understood. The day wore on slowly, and Eliza had found another victim to shadow at the moment. Rory, saying her good byes, dressed to impress, on her way back to New Haven, found Jess at the park, sitting on a swing set, slowly swinging back and forth, lost in thought.
"I'm sorry Jess." She said, she caught his attention.
"For what?" He'd asked.
"All this. Eliza' is great. Seriously, she's out going, happy, friendly."
"Just not good enough for you?" He asked bitterly.
"Jess, you have no idea how much I love her...but...things have changed...I've grown, you've grown. She wouldn't want me." Rory said.
"She wants a mother, she asks about you all the time." He stated. "A year from now, in kindergarten, on mother's day, she's going to have to sit out on activities because she doesn't have a mother, and when she asks about it. 'Why don't I have a mommy?'. What am I supposed to tell her?"
"Jess, please."
"Well, Eliza, you see, your mother didn't love me. Though she loved you...just not enough to stick around, Eliza. It didn't matter about you, or how much I loved her, she just left...and then she forgot about you completely. She has a happy family without you." He mocked a conversation, one he dreaded going into when the whole lack of mother thing actually started to register in Eliza's brain.
"I did love you." She argued.
"Doesn't matter now...Look, Eliza and I are fine, go on."
"Bye..." She stepped away from him. He watched her go. It wasn't until she was gone that he let the tears that had be threatening to fall come down.
That night he, like a drone, picked up Eliza and walked back to his apartment. Eliza, knowing her father's emotions were somewhat off, went to her room and colored quietly while he started packing their clothes. New York, beware, here they came.
AN: That was it...Chapter 4...I think...this was a long one...3000 words, I'm proud of myself.
Thanks to the smile1 suggestion of Rory getting to know Eliza, and even though I didn't put it in the story as an actual scene...it's there, like when Eliza met Rory with Lane, they spent time together...I was pressed for time...it's 4:41 in the morning, and my mom's gonna be up in a while and I wanted to post it this morning...so...here it is...I decided to start skipping years, only doing important years, like kindergarden, first kiss, first date, things that will be close to giving Jess a heart attack...Though I'll try to stay lower than 10 for the next chapter or two or three. I really hope everyone enjoyed this...I liked writing this chapter.
REVIEW PLEASE...I LOVE REVIEWS!! SO PLEASE REVIEW!!!