Jess Mariano's Daughter

Weddings

I find Luke at the wedding and temporarily pass off Lory. I look for Liz and find her still getting ready at Patty's. I knock and walk in causing both her and Lorelai to look at me.

"Are you ready? The crowd's getting restless," I say.

"You're getting restless. Hey, do you two know each other?" she asks Lorelai.

"Oh, Jess and I go way back. He dated my daughter," Lorelai tells her.

"Oh, you broke her daughter's heart?" Liz asks me.

"Ah, I, uh..."

Yes? No? We both did? How do I answer that?

"No, no, he didn't. It just didn't work out," Lorelai says, saving me.

That was nice, damn.

"Good, 'cause I don't want him to be like his father, breaking hearts. I want him to be like TJ."

Jesus Christ

"Or my second husband, or like my boyfriend after my third husband, who died. They were good guys," Liz says.

"You're all done," Lorelai says.

"Oh, it's perfect!" Liz exclames.

"Oh, she's a miracle worker," Miss Patty says.

"I'm gonna go tell the others," I say leaving.

"Thanks, hun!" My mother calls after me.

I stood in the back next to Tj and waited. I see Luke and he seems to be doing fine with Lory, he had her propped on his lap. All the performers and TJ enter and now comes mom.

She gets wheeled up on her little carriage thing and I take her by the hand, helping her down. She wraps her arm around mine and I walk her down the aisle, avoiding looking at anyone.

We get to the end and I look at her. She looks at me and gives me a kiss on the cheek before she goes off to TJ.

I take my seat in front of Luke and Lorelai and Take Lory back. The ceremony starts and the three of us sit, trying not to laugh. It was funny enough that even Lory, who had no idea what was happening, let out a couple giggles.

It got to their vows,which were nice. I hope this one works out.

--

During the reception I found a place to sit after getting some food. Some guy sat next to me and was trying to hold a conversation. Lory was in my lap, now playing with her flower crown.

"People think that prison is a waste of time, but prison is the best thing that ever happened to me," he says.

"Interesting," I reply

I'm slightly afraid.

"Pick up skills. Metalworking, laundry, that's a skill," he says.

Send help, please.

"Doing laundry for 600 guys, no piece of cake," he continues.

"Great," I reply again.

"Added fabric softener for cigarettes," he adds.

Liz and TJ are making their rounds and I go to get up.

"Hey, hey, hey!" my mother calls after me as I stand.

"You say goodbye before you leave," she tells me.

"I'm just going to get more food," I tell her.

I was actually trying to run away from my table mate.

"You promise?" she asks.

"I promise," I say, walking off.

Later I watch Liz and TJ dance, and I watch Luke and Lorelai dance.

They are good together. Both groups. I'll be honest, I still think TJ is a total idiot, but he's good to mom and they seem happy.

And I hope Luke and Lorelai work out because he needs someone like her in his life.

--

I go back to the apartment and pack up our stuff. I'm just getting done when Luke walks in.

"Oh, hey. You leaving?" he asks.

"Yeah, just kinda hanging around, see if I'd catch you," I tell him.

"Good, I'm glad you did," he says.

"You know, you can stay a couple more days, if you want. There's no rush," he adds.

"Gotta get back to work," I reply.

"Right, right. Did you say goodbye to your mom?"

"Yeah, we're good. She was happy to meet Lory and I gave her a cell phone number that's pretty permanent. Just got it. Left it for you on the fridge," I say.

"Good."

It's quiet for a couple seconds, as he takes a sip of the beer he grabbed, and I zip up my jacket.

"I want to pay you back. All the money," I tell him.

"You don't have to."

"I want to. And I appreciate it... everything. The money, living here" I reply.

"Well, it's good to hear, but I kind of knew that," he says, making my laugh a little.

"Yeah, but, in a relationship, any relationship it's important to let the other person know you appreciate them, so you don't create barriers that delay and hope for reciprocation," I say, quoting the book we read.

"I think I read that somewhere," he replies.

"Yeah?"

"You're hoping for reciprocation? You got it," he tells me.

I'm silent because I don't know how to respond, I don't know what to tell him, what to say.

"I'm here, Jess. For both of you, I'm always here," he says.

I take a second before replying, "thanks."

I stick out my hand for him to shake. He does and then pulls me into a tight hug. I can't cry, not allowed to cry.

"Tie work out?" I ask.

"The tie was perfect," he replies.

We both laugh and I pick up Lory who is quietly babbling in her carrier, and walk out of the apartment and then out of the diner.

This was good, I'm happy I came back and fixed stuff... but not everything was fixed.

I need to make a stop before I go home.