Chapter Five
Ingrid and I spent all morning together, we did some window shopping before heading over to Herban Kitchen. Window shopping that actually resulted in Ing insisting on buying me various gifts for my birthday from a photography store about a block and a half from the apartment. Ing's the one to blame for my love of photography. She's the one, who, when I was ten gave me my first camera and told me I had an eye for things of beauty. Ever since then I've taken pictures of everything, but since we didn't do a whole lot of traveling when I grew up my photograph subjects were general Stars Hollow residents.
People have accused me of hiding from the world behind my camera, that I would rather be taking pictures of people living their lives then living my own. Which isn't true. Taking pictures and capturing the world around you isn't a way of hiding from you, it just gives you a different view of life that people can't see. You take these pictures of different experiences in life and you can look at the pictures and take a step back from your own emotions and see what you were missing while you were getting caught up in your own life. It's a point of view that I love and I am always going to owe Ingrid for introducing me to.
Lunch was awesome. My black bean cakes were perfect. But beyond that they had a help wanted sign in the window and I picked up an application on my way out. Jess gave me a job, yes, but it can't hurt to have a second job, I'm realist I know that even with a roommate an apartment in New York City isn't going to be cheap. And if I'm working in a bookstore, something I have no interest in, why not get a job surrounding something I have an interest in? Besides its working as a prep cook, and assuming I can get my dad to give me references I shouldn't have a problem giving me the job. But, like I said, that's assuming I can get my dad to give me references. I think I'll wait a day or two or fourteen before I even think about bring up that subject with him.
During lunch Ing went serious on me, explaining that running away hadn't been the greatest idea I've ever had, but I was here now and that she and Jess would help me out for I awhile but I'd have to eventually learn to stand on me own feet. Coming from anyone else this would have sound condescending and annoying but Ing has a way of phrasing those kinds of things so they don't come out sounding that way. Following that conversation she briefly touched on me having to get my GED and then she dropped any form of serious conversation.
She knew why I'd left and she's the only person I know who can relate to me on feeling like they can't live up to Rory. Ing told me once that she compared herself to Rory constantly for at least a month after meeting her for the first time. How she didn't think she'd ever live up to Rory in Jess' eyes, and this is waaaay before Jess and Ing were even involved romantically. Needless to say Rory and Ing don't get along, but it goes beyond the Ing comparing herself to Rory (because Jess assured her, after letting her unknowingly stew on it for a couple weeks, that he didn't want someone like Rory in his life anymore). It's more that they couldn't be more different. Rory is serious, organized and every detail of her life is planned exactly. While Ing is none of those things. She's fun-loving, spontaneous and mostly just crazy. They are complete opposites, and not in the good opposites attract kind of way. I'm not sure if they've ever actually fought but when forced into the same social situation, which only ever happens at Christmas, there are nasty looks on both sides of the fence. I've never brought up the subject with Ing before, mostly because I've seen her angry and that's not something I'd want to bring on myself.
After lunch I spent twenty minutes browsing Ingrid's store while she went about her opening duties, she paints, draws and makes little porcelain sculptures. Her shop is set up just the way her brain must work, it's chaotic and very little of the arrangement makes sense to anyone who isn't Ingrid Mariano, but that's part of what gives it the charm that everyone always comments on when they walk in. People love Ing's work and they love Ing, she has regular customers, I wasn't aware that art gallery store things (I've never been exactly sure what you'd call Ing's store) had regular customers but Ing does. And one customer in particular convinced her to do the greeting cards that sit by the register and that Ingrid pressed into my hand on my way out of the door before I headed to the bookstore.
"Send them a card," Ing says from the position at the door, facing me with my back facing the street. "Just let them know you don't hate them."
"I don't hate them," I respond, "they know that."
Ing shakes her head, "I don't think they do."
I frown and accept the card, "I'll think about it."
"Good," Ing smiles, "I'll see you later. If Jess doesn't put you right to work right away and you get bored you can come over here and keep me company."
I smile and nod, "but something tells me that Jess will put me to hard labor for bringing on the wrath of my dad."
Ing laughs, "good luck," she responds as a customers brushes past me to get into the shop.
"Finally," Jess looks up from his computer when I walk into the small bookstore, with dimmed lighting and several old worn couches and chairs holding several people sitting in them reading, writing or studying it's an environment that would probably freak some people out who like lots of noise. My mother, for example, deemed it "creepy" the first time she set foot inside the store.
"I was starting to think you caught a bus back to Stars Hollow without saying good-bye," Jess adds. "Since that seems to be your style lately."
"Jess," I sigh, I can't figure out how he's taking this with the scowl settled across his face.
"Oh come on," Jess rolls his eyes and smirks. "Jamie this is my cousin Lucy, Lucy this is Jamie."
I take in Jamie for the first time, he is sitting on the counter a text book open in his lap but his eyes are focused on me. He's got slightly curly dark hair that could desperately use a hair cut and slightly resembles a wet mop and dark framed glasses. "It's nice to meet you," I smile crossing the distance and holding my hand out to shake.
"'S good to meet you too, Ingrid and Jess talk about you all the time," Jamie takes my hand into his and grips it lightly before pulling away.
"Good stuff from Ing I'm sure, rotten stuff from Jess I bet."
He smiles, "all good stuff, I promise." Jamie hops off the counter and for the first time I realize that he's huge, over a foot taller then my five foot two height. "Can I get you some form of coffee, I understand you took an incredibly early bus." He gestures to the café part of the store.
"No, thanks," I shake my head.
"Lucy is a food psycho," Jess rolls his eyes again, I tend to bring that reaction out of him. "There's so many things she doesn't consume, like caffeine, that I don't even bother to offer her anything unless she asks specifically for it."
Jamie nods, "got it. So what now, Lucy?" He asks as he sets about to make himself coffee.
"Work here, I'm going to apply to Herban Kitchen too and then I've got to find an apartment and a roommate."
"Sounds like you've got it all worked out then I guess."
"Oh God, don't encourage her Jamie," Jess moans, but by now I'm sure he doesn't actually mind.
It's my turn to roll my eyes and I don't even bother to respond to Jess, "yeah, I guess. I've just got to find a roommate."
"At the end of the semester my roommate is graduating and I'll be looking for a roommate. So the room's yours if you want it," Jamie offers. "It's a nice two bedroom and it's close to here with a lot of room. Even if it's just temporary until you find something else."
"That's great," I grin, "thanks."
"No way," Jess shakes his head, "I'm not letting it happen."
"What is your problem?" I demand several hours later as Jess, Ing and I sit at dinner.
"In case you hadn't noticed Jamie is a guy."
"So?" Ing and I mirror each other's words.
"So you can't live with him."
"Jess, I'm not seven years old anymore."
"That's exactly my point, there's no way I'm letting you live with Jamie."
"Good thing I'm not asking your permission then huh?" I cross my arms over my chest and narrow my eyes at Jess, it's an expression that's only bound to make him more angry, which is the reason for the smirk that plays at the corner of my mouth.