Do You See Her Face? (A Jess Mariano Fanfiction)

Out of Nora Ephron

Disclaimer: All Gilmore Girls content belongs to Amy Sherman-Palladino.

. . .

Despite the chilly breeze, red blossoms lined the streets of Stars Hollow. Town square was fragrant and sweet, and Ella would have been lying if she said it didn't lift her spirits. Though she wasn't one to go all out for holidays, she wore heart-shaped earrings and a pinkish color on her lips. Valentine's was not especially important in Stars Hollow, considering how many other times per year there was a celebration, but it received an adequate amount of fanfare. Her skin was perfumed with a gardenia spray her aunt had given her, and there was a slight skip in her step. It made her feel almost silly, to be excited for such a holiday. And she knew Jess wouldn't care about it. She wasn't expecting anything. But it was nice to for once not be lonely on Valentine's.

She waltzed into the diner, trying to hide the smile which played on her lips. Miss Patty was seated at the table by the door, and called to Ella before she even had a chance to hang up her coat and bag. Glancing behind the counter, she found both Luke and Jess to be working reasonably well together, and decided they could spend a couple more minutes without her help. After school, she'd stayed behind to help her art teacher hang some of her works for the open gallery they were having on Friday night. Late was late, no matter by how long. And she'd told Jess to explain it to Luke. The diner was rarely busy at three in the afternoon on a Wednesday anyway. She wasn't sweating it as she might have in the past.

"Hi, Patty," she said, leaning down to let the woman kiss her cheek. Ella didn't even mind the red kiss-mark she knew would be standing out on her freckled skin. Fiddling with her necklace, she sat down across from Miss Patty.

Patty smiled widely at the girl. "Hello, darling, how are you? How's that man of yours?"

Blushing, Ella stole a glance at Jess, who was ringing up a customer. She wanted to roll her eyes at herself. "Fine. Everything's fine. What about you? You've gotta have some fish on a hook for tonight? That's what my grandma used to say."

"You truly learned from the best," Patty laughed, gesturing with her arm, draped in dark red fabric. "Oh, I do. José and I have some reservations. And then I'll have him for dessert."

Hiding her face in her hands, Ella chuckled. If they were in the dance studio, she wouldn't have felt so naked. But the diner? There was some strange instinct in her to keep a semblance of professionalism, even though most of the townspeople had bore witness to her vomiting down her front at the summer carnival when she was three. Old habits die hard.

Raising her head to Miss Patty again, she wished her cheeks would cool. "Well, I hope you have a nice night. But, I'm off to sweep those chimneys now. Just let me know if you need me to fill in at all for the spring recitals."

Patty nodded, offering the girl one last smile, and Ella made to leave. "You make sure Jess treats you tonight. All the keepers do."

Saying nothing else, Ella smiled back and was still giggling when she went behind the counter. Tying her apron around her hips, she greeted Luke and Jess with a nod of her head. Immediately, Luke furrowed his brows at her.

"What's got you so happy?" he asked.

She snorted a laugh. "I don't know. What's with your Fred Mertz impression?"

"Who?" Luke looked to her blankly.

"I Love Lucy," Jess chimed in, refilling mugs of coffee.

Ella smirked at Jess, knowing about his odd love of old black-and-white TV. Then, she turned back to her boss. "Don't you have a lady friend? I figured you'd be at least a little more chipper."