𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, jess mariano

˗ˋ 02

The Hayden girl wasn't sure if she would be staying there for long, and Christopher was yet to call, which had left her with not many plans for the near future. Perhaps if she were to stay then she would attend school there in Stars Hollow, but for now all she could do was sit in her little room in the backyard.

Voices in the kitchen drew her away from her book, and after folding the page and tucking it away in her pocket Evie climbed up onto the back porch, pushing the door open and sliding inside the house.

The kitchen was filled with food, and in the middle of it all was Sookie and Jackson - who Evie had learned through one of Rory's letters were now in a relationship. "But you're making pot roast." Jackson was saying, stood by the table.

"But not everbody likes pot roast!" Sooki replied.

"Well then they can have chicken wings, the mashed potatoes, the four different kinds of salads in addition to the pot roast." Jackson told her, picking up a knife from the cutting board.

"Yeah.. I guess you're right."

"So I should start slicing the cheese?"

"Would you? Oh, that would be great." Sookie continued, moving out to begin on one of the dishes mentioned before finally breaking out of the little world that she was in and seeing Evie by the doorway. "Evie!" The woman exclaimed, Jackson's head shoot upwards as he almost cut his finger off.

"Hi Sookie." Evie offered weakly, head twisting to the side as the woman hugged her, knife still in hand.

"Do they not feed you in California? You're looking rather peaky." Still clutching the knife, Sookie's hands squished Evie's cheeks. "And what on earth happened to your leg?"

"Oh wow, something smells good." Behind the cook, Lorelai entered the kitchen eyes shifting from Jackson to Sookie and spotting the knife. "Woah there Sookie, put the knife down if you're planning on going near her face."

The St James woman nodded and pulled away, returning to her cooking. Jackson's greeting towards Evie was brief and consisted of little words, trying to focus on cutting whatever he was.

"It's the garlic." Sookie was saying in response to Lorelai's comment.

"Three heads of it." Jackson added.

"I want everything to be perfect." Evie peered over Sookie's shoulder and into the pan she was stirring as she spoke. "We are gonna make sure Evie get's a proper welcome back and make this kid think he went to heaven."

"Or Henry VIII's house."

"No welcome necessary in this town." Evie twisted around the cook to join Lorelai in knocking on Rory's door, leaning on the door frame as she peered in. "Wow this place hasn't changed at all."

"Hey, you joining the festivities?" Lorelai asked as the girl took a good look around the room she once shared with her half-sister. There was the same mismatched furniture, bookshelves stacked with books and various knick-knacks, a corkboard covered in pictures and a couple bits of Harvard memorabilia scattered around.

"In a sec." Came Rory's reply, the girl by her desk and clearly working on something.

"You sound crabby."