Jesse's POV
"Cute ain't she?" Emma piped up as I stared into Leah's bassinet,my plan was to escape through the window in the bookworms room Rory I think her name was(kind of a prude if it was my opinion) or I was going to grab a beer and see what happens from then on but I got caught up with lorelai putting leah to sleep that I had a abandoned all plans and even put the book I had planned to steal from said prude back and now I stood over the little girls cot thingy and luke and lorelai had retired to the front porch with coffee and the other 2 comicals went home and I couldn't help but not walk away from the little girl, worried that if i left she would be alone..and loneliness was something us Mariano's were quite use to and I would not have this little girl feel the same. Sure she had her mother? Who Was only upstairs but I've seen no father figure in sight..surely if there was a father he would have shown up at their coming home party but no one was here. I snapped out of my little facade and looked up to the girl in front who was smiling at me kindly.
"She is yeah.. she looks like you" I smiled finally finding my voice to talk all evening and boy I don't regret it.
"You think so? I think she looks like Daniel.."Emma whispered lightly, rubbing a finger over her daughter's cheek.
"Daniel?" I stuttered kicking myself from not restraining my ever quizzical brain from asking a question that had obviously hurt her because she had this look on her face that looked as if I ran over her metaphorical puppy.
"Yeah he was uh..Leah's dad." She stuttered out looking around the room quickly as if she was telling a secret and sat down promptly, her back straight as a stick. Her posture was almost swan-like, never wavering as she seemed to hold tightly onto the strings that were holding her together.
"Oh not a good guy?" I asked sitting on the other side of the couch so I could see not only her but Leah at the same time and I had the 2 on the front porch still in eye length.
"Oh gosh no..Daniel he is- was full of life,laughter he loved to joke no matter the situation he was crazy and adventurous and he would have loved leah.. every bit of her ..he does love her very much.." she whispered her eyes glazed over in silvery steel,her perfect posture never breaking as she stared straight ahead staring at the bassinet like she had an xray mom like vision.
"Oh..I'm sorry...uh I didn't mean to um pry If I knew I wouldn't have said anything-" I babbled on feeling terrible the soft spot her and that little girl had already created in my tough exterior floored me to no end and I barely only just met them but I couldn't help but want to scoop her up in my arms and take her away from this wisteria lane esque town.
"Oh no really it's fine..I'm getting better. My therapist tells me it's good to talk about people who have left the Physical world. There's no use to be holding on to ghosts." She said her tough exterior suddenly melted as she turned her head smiling at me the way her light brown eyes twinkled were enough to make thick stone crack.
"Well..uh if you ever need to talk I'm here or around the diner something like that '' I started to say making myself completely available to her,shocking not only myself but I'm sure shocking luke and lorelai who were listening through the door.
"Or on a bench nose in a book huh? Thank you jess.. we really appreciate it." What she said made me stumble. How had she known that's where I sat to read?
"I'm all knower of things J.. the mysterious,closed off person you are isn't hard to figure out. Plus writing is my hobby. I also hope to go for psychology in college. Ya just gotta know how to read people." She started putting her hand on my arm, her eyes looking into mine like she was reading a page in a book. Her eyes studied mine so intently. I've never felt this way with anyone, I wanted to tell her everything I wanted to squeeze her till the pain went away. I was never easy to read but Emma seemed to be able to read me like a book.
"J huh?" I queried, my eyebrow lifted just a bit flirting ever so slightly but not enough for anyone to tell.
"It's my thing I just give people nicknames" she shrugged moving her hand of my arm her wavy red Bob she had bunching up with her shoulders she had one hair out of place I wanted to fix it so badly but worried It'd be creepy and I did not want to scare away this girl.
"I like it...no one gave me a nickname before" I smiled looking down at my shoes suddenly feeling very shy and nervous to make eye contact.
"Well now someone has where'd rory go?" She asked, confused suddenly popping out of our bubble that we seemed to be living in as she looked around.
"Studying, I think she said and Luke and Lorelai are out on the porch." I said looking at her wanting to know every detail of her life. I wanted to know her favorite color, favorite flower, anything. But this girl just had her boyfriend die..she had a baby and me? I didn't have a chance.
"Sounds like her-" she started when suddenly leah started crying. Making us both stand up quickly.
"Hey it's ok mamas here." She cooed picking up the 4 month old who was sucking on her fist when she spotted me and smiled.
"Well hello miss leah" I cooed from a distance worried I'd get in the way of them, I don't even know how to hold a baby much less interact with one.
"I have to make her a bottle. Do you want to hold her?" Emma said, looking at me taking my physical posture in and staring at my arms.
"Of course." I heard myself saying as my arms reached out all nervousness seemed to just melt away as she placed the baby in my arms guiding me to the rocking chair placing her hands on my arms and adjusting where necessary.
"She likes to be moving weather its bouncing, walking etc" emma smiled at me and headed in to make a bottle.
"Well hello leah-grace. How are you huh?" I whispered, rocking her back and forth slowly, my heart melting as she cooed in my direction, her fist still in her mouth.
"We're just fine right?" I said to her slowly getting nervous as her face started to screw up and give me a very deep pout.
"Okay don't panic, we will stand up and walk around. Does that sound good to you?" I stood up propping her against my chest and humming a random tune as I flitted around the living room looking at pictures and drawings that decorated the wall. Finally settling on one picture of what seemed to be Rory,Emma, and a guy who must have been Daniel. His dark brown hair and green eyes matched Leah's except she had her mother's dark brown eyes. He had his arm wrapped tightly around Emma and pink sash over his shoulders and pink ribbon wrapped around Emma's tummy.
"That was our gender reveal party, mom had it done at Luke's and I thought he was surely gonna throw up from all the pink that scattered his store" she giggled, appearing behind me not being able to look over my tall shoulder but knowing exactly what picture I was looking at.
"I can only imagine" I laughed watching her sit down placing the bottle on the coffee table and holding her arms out for her daughter that I somehow lulled to sleep with my swaying.
"Huh you put her to sleep" she laughed as I laid leah down in her arms gently.
"Sorry" I laughed sitting across from her in the armchair.
"Time to go kid" Luke said walking in behind Lorelai who smiled at us nodding her head to me as if some kind of silent thank you was heard.
"Right coming" I said standing walking over to emma placing a hand on her shoulder saying goodbye to leah.
"See ya tomorrow maybe?" Emma smiled at me and I nodded without even thinking.
"Thank you for having us Lorelai," Luke said thankfully walking out behind me.
"Uh Jess, wait can I talk to you?" She called out before I could get to the truck door.
"What he'd do? Jess, what'd you do?" Luke looked at me sternly half into his truck.
"Me I didn't do anything old man I'm getting in the truck" I said looking at him confused walking over to lorelai leaving the door open.
"Thank you" she said, hugging me tightly as I froze, not really sure what to do with me and Luke looking at each other confused. "Uh your welcome?"
"She hasn't had it the greatest the last 6 months and I can tell she trusts you she is open to you and well she really needs that right now so thank you for making her feel safe to be herself" lorelai said releasing me and wrapping her cardigan tighter around her.
"Of course," I nodded, heading back to the truck. "Have a good night luke" "you to lorelai"
"Look at you being all trustworthy" Luke teased heading back to the diner.
"Your baseball hats on to tight Lucas" I huffed gruffly as we parked, ignoring his laugh and I booted it up the steps and flopped on my bed.
Wow Emma and Leah, what have you done to me?
Ps: Emma's face claim is going to be mandy Moore's that way when they're older I can use pictures,gifs from this is us!