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

Grinches at Home

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

. . .

Cloves. Ella's father hated cloves, and she always avoided putting them into her holiday pies. But, it was to be a Philadelphia Christmas. And she could put as much clove into her pumpkin pies as she wanted. There was little to no word from her father, and no word directly to her. She heard through Fiona he was spending the holiday with his brother, Ella's least favorite uncle, down in Florida with some friends. The news was fitting, but made Ella want to grimace. Sticky air and packed with tourists. If she didn't like California, she couldn't imagine how much she would hate Florida. The plan had been for her to go back to Stars Hollow to spend the time with Fiona and Adam, but they ended up making arrangements of their own. Adam was flying out to Oregon to be with Noah and his fiancé. Ella had been invited, but decided it wasn't worth the expense. Upon hearing she may be left in a house alone, with the prospect of Jess and Ella perhaps visiting, Fiona decided to spend the final two weeks of December visiting her sister.

It was strange; freeing, but strange. Not having to go home for Christmas felt almost too adult. Even after moving to Lane's, she would at least make an appearance at the family dinner. And, of course, there was her Aunt Julie. But they usually spent Thanksgiving in Connecticut and Christmas visiting her husband's family in Ohio. Liz and Luke, too, had already planned to spend Thanksgiving together in Stars Hollow. Jess was off the hook, as he put it. Literally no one was left. No one, and no obligation. And a whole month off for winter break from UPenn.

Without pay from being a teacher's assistant, Ella had begun creating more art to sell at Truncheon, as well as working a few shifts at the flower shop down the street each week. It wasn't hard work, but the sight of poinsettias would never be the same. Days off were spent anxiously crafting gifts, drawing, and baking.

Truncheon was set to close for the week of Christmas and New Year's, then begin 2006 with a whole list of one-woman and one-man shows. Ella didn't have to ask to know the business was doing decently (though maybe the feeling was exaggerated for her, since she had spent the past two years living on a couch with little more than a car full of junk to her name), not even considering how she'd sold all of the sketches Jess had hung up for the Open House and then some. Except the Hudson River. That one would permanently remain 'Not For Sale.'

Jess sat at the counter, reading as usual, on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. Chris, Matthew, and Chris's boyfriend Leo were out shopping together, gathering cheap, last-minute presents. None of them were religious in any way. Mostly, they were 'celebrating' Christmas for the food. When Ella realized she had no place she was required to be, she had debated skipping everything. Just hanging out with Jess and ignoring the fanfare around her. But she decided she could deal with the organized religion bullshit for a day if it meant giving Jess the gift she had spent a month making.

The thought of it made her bite her cheek, hiding a smile. She stirred various spices in with the puree of pumpkin, liquidy from the condensed milk she'd added. The smell of it gave her a warm feeling, which was almost out of place. The baking, she always enjoyed. But actual excitement for a holiday? She hadn't experienced that so purely since before her mother died. Instead, she found herself dreading the family obligations and awkward reunions. And eventually retreating to Luke's to commiserate. Having Jess there had just been an added bonus to the general Scrooge attitude of the diner staff.

Ella came around the counter with the soupy orange filling on her spoon, giving it a taste before holding it out to Jess. She thought it might need more cinnamon, but also felt she might be too close to the situation. She needed an outside tongue's perspective. He looked up from his book at her proximity and rolled his eyes.