It had been a little over three years since that day. If he had to be completely honest, what had prompted him to finally come this time was the fact that Doula herself had called him and requested his presence. He had prepared himself for what was coming. In those three years he and Rory had had very little contact. Some Christmas e-mails, a "congratulations" message on each one's reprint and "Happy Birthday" texts followed by a "let's keep in touch" that always fell through.
He had mixed feelings about that, but he figured that a dinner with the whole family – Luke, Liz, TJ, Doula, Lorelai, Rory and Ricky, not April, because she was busy with her master's degree in Ireland – was long overdue. He stood outside his mother's house for a few seconds, taking it all in, before ringing the doorbell.
"Liz, it's the door!" He heard TJ yelling from inside the house.
"So go open and see who it is!" Liz shouted back.
"I'm busy!" TJ said. And suddenly Jess felt like he was in an early season of The Big Bang Theory.
"Doing what?" Liz asked.
"What?" TJ asked, but no one answer. "Ask Doula to get it!"
"Doula, get the door!" Liz shouted. But as soon as she said that the door opened to reveal the girl, looking impatient.
"Well, that's a nice and warm welcome," he mocked. Her eyes widened as she saw him. She let out a little squeal before going in for a hug. He chuckled at her reaction.
"Oh, hey, Jess. What are you doing here?" TJ asked as he took his hand and shook it, even though Jess hadn't given it for him to shake.
"I've come for the Christmas dinner. Didn't Liz tell you?" He asked with a frown.
"Oh, no. She did. I just didn't think you'd actually come," he shrugged. "Come on in."
"Thanks. So, should I sleep on the couch?" he asked, looking around and seeing all that many couches in the living room.
"Sure. Make yourself at home. We're leaving at seven, don't be late," the older man said, trying very hard to sound weirdly fatherly.
"Jess, do you want to see my frog collection?" Doula asked after her father had left the room.
"Didn't you used to have an insects' collection?" He asked confused.
"I did... but then one day I left the window open and a frog came in and ate it, so..." she trailed off, shrugging.
"Smart girl," he smirked.
They ended up arriving an hour and a half later. The frogs had escaped and it took some time to convince Doula to start a new collection, one that preferably didn't move. But eventually Jess could convince her that stamps were just as interesting as frogs, he even started her collection by removing a stamp from a Christmas letter and giving it to her. She got so happy she decided to take the stamp to the dinner, which meant that by the end of the night she would probably have to start another collection.
Luke was the one to invited them all in.
"How old is this dog?" Jess asked completely surprised once he saw Doula petting Paul Anka.
"We'd have to cut him and count the rings," Luke replied as he gently pulled Jess away from the crowd, who was now greeting Lorelai. "Hello, Jess. Good to see you," Luke said greeting his nephew with a hug. "So, how's everything?" he asked.
But Jess' attention had already drifted away to the hallway, which was still crowded with his family and Lorelai.
"She's not here yet," Luke commented. "She texted earlier, said she's stuck in traffic."
"I was just wondering if I could go wash my hands, they're blocking the bathroom door," Jess explained. Luke raised his eyebrows. "We were hunting frogs..."
"Do I want to know?" Luke asked, still skeptical but not surprised. Jess shook his head negatively and Luke led the way.
"Hi, Jess," Lorelai greeted with a smile.
"Hello, Auntie," Jess replied mockingly. Lorelai immediately frowned and put her hands on her ears.
"Oh my God! Don't ever say that again," she said dramatically.
"I'll try," he smirked and she smiled back before he entered the bathroom.
When he came out they were all sitting in the living room. Lorelai handed him a beer and he took a seat next to his uncle. Liz and TJ had been trying to tell Luke and Lorelai a story about what had happened in the latest renaissance fair, but they kept interrupting each other and couldn't agree on the details while Jess was listening to Doula tell an equally confusing story about what had happened in her last day of class when the doorbell rang. Jess maintained his focus on his sister, especially as he noticed his uncle was looking at him, trying to catch his reaction.
Lorelai opened the door and revealed her daughter, looking perfectly fine even though she had just come out of a plane and a small blond boy in her arms. She smiled excitedly as she saw everybody in the living room and went around the place to greet them all, stopping at Jess.
"Hey, I didn't know you were coming," she commented with a genuine smile.
"I wasn't so sure myself either," he shrugged and smirked. "I see you've got an annex now" he commented, looking at the boy.
"Oh, Yes. Ricky, this is Luke's nephew, Jess. He's a friend of mommy's," she said with a gentle smile, looking into her son's eyes and then back at Jess.
Ricky gave Jess a short smile, but as Jess smiled back the little boy felt embarrassed and buried his face on Rory's neck.
"Sorry, he get really shy sometimes..." Rory smiled uncomfortably, Jess simply smirked and waved it off. "Hun," she said, trying to make the boy look at her again. "why don't you go play with Doula for a while?" The kid nodded excitedly and she put him on the floor. They watched him walking clumsly to the girl. "How's everything, Jess?" she said, turning back to him.
"Everything is fine. I've moved back to New York. Truncheon got sold, I'm working for the company that bought it, actually."
"Ah, I know. Luke told me last time I was here. I've been living in California, I'm writing a column for the Sun Sentinel."
"Very John Grogan," he commented as they both started to walk to the kitchen.
"That's what my mom said. It's a little cheesy, but I like it."
"You seem to. Your column is really good. I've read it," Jess nodded.
"You have?" her eyes widened and she blushed a little. "Thanks, it isn't what I had planned, but it's fun to be a journalist again."
She took the chair between her mother and Ricky's high chair while he sat between Ricky and Doula. Having Doula monopolize his attention for most of the dinner and overhearing Lorelai mention Logan from time to time after dinner made him feel overwhelmed. He was crazy about his sister, and Rory didn't sound hopeful or excited at all about her ex, but he still felt like he needed some quiet time once dinner was over.
Rory had been watching Ricky play with blocks in the TV room when she spotted Jess on the porch through the window. He was resting against the fence in the porch and taking a drag of a cigarette. She grabbed her coat and decided to go outside.
"I thought you had quit smoking," she said softly as she stopped by his side. He grinned as he heard her voice.
"I did," he confirmed and took another drag.
"Nice disguise," she said, harsher than she had intended. He looked puzzled at her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to sound like I was busting you."
"Don't worry,it didn't," he chuckled.
"Being a mom is hard," she commented. "Sometimes I find myself using my mom-voice in completely random scenarios. Once, I was leaving for work and I saw this really old man crossing the street and I actually told him to look at both sides. His look was pretty much the same as yours, and he called me a punk."
"You seem to be handling it really well."
"Ricky makes it easier. He's so amazing," she added, unable to restrain her smile.
"Yeah, he's a really nice kid," Jess nodded. He looked at her as they fell silent, she was staring into the darkness. "What's going on?" he nudged her softly. She looked at him, almost surprised to see him still standing there.
"I'm moving to New York after new year," she announced. He raised his eyebrows in surprise, but didn't say anything. "Condé Nast called me two days ago, they liked my book and my column and they actually want to hire me full-time for The New Yorker."
"Oh, wow. Congratulations," he commended her.
"Thanks. I'm really excited," she nodded. "And, actually, my first topic is about the contemporary up-and-coming authors of New York," she explained, turning around to face him better.
"That's a good topic."
"I want you to be in it," she bit her lower lip.
"Why?" he asked nonplused.
"First, for obvious reasons, people know you and your work, and the unlucky ones who don't, could have a chance now. But mostly, I just felt it was a good opportunity to thank you," she explained. He breathed heavily and took a few seconds before finally answering her with a nod. She grinned and put her hands together excitedly. "Thanks, Jess. I'll call you as soon as I arrive to New York to set a date. I'll let you smoke in peace now."
She turned around to enter the house again, but not without one last look at him over her shoulder, the grin still in her face, and all he could do was smile back. He looked down at his cigarette before throwing it out.
A.N.: So, here's the second chapter for you all. Thank you so much for all the positive response. You guys are amazing! I'm going to take the time to reply to all of you. Meanwhile, I'm pleased to announce I've already finished writing everything, it will definitely be four chapters long and the last two will be coming in the next few days. I'm also planning to soon post my Jess-fic "The Girls That He Liked". Coming back as a writer and especially to this fandom has been an amazing experience, and your support makes it all even better.