realist ━━ jess mariano

12| atonement

WHEN TAYLOR CALLED FOR AN EMERGENCY TOWN MEETING on a Sunday afternoon, Rosie expected it to actually be an emergency. Pipe leaks, amber alert, state order to reindustrialize Stars Hollow, or anything of the sort. What she did not expect was for it to be about a mere retirement, although she came to the conclusion that she should've known better than to expect an actual emergency.

"It seems like the right thing to do." Miss Patty agreed.

"I concur." Taylor nodded, gesturing his gavel around the crowded town hall. "When one gazes at Stars Hollow, one can easily overlook a vital component of it's beauty and that's a humble yet spunky twinkle light. Harry's house of twinkle lights has been an integral part of this town for twenty years, so it's only right that we honour his retirement. So I hereby designate next Tuesday Harry the twinkle light man day."

Lorelai leaned in to murmur to the girls; "And yet he didn't approve on my monthly Lorelai holiday. Talk about double standards."

The door opened as Luke and Jess stepped into the town hall. "Late again, are we?" Taylor chastised the two. "I hope you work on your punctuality, I banged the meeting awhile ago."

"Dirty."

"Some of us have stores to run, Taylor, you can't call for an abrupt town meeting." Luke shot back as he made his way to the row the Gilmore's were, scooting his way in.

Jess sat between his uncle and Rosie, scoffing as he sat down. "Don't want to be here, do you?" Rosie observed.

"No," He replied lowly, eying his uncle as he said; "but apparently I need to work on my likability."

Knowing him, Rosie knew he would've gotten out of being coerced into a town meeting if he wanted to, so she figured he didn't mind attending it. It was a distinct contrast from a few weeks go, once he first arrived to town and had a town meeting held about him, and now was welcomed into a town meeting. She glanced at him once more, and figured she was witnessing Jess Mariano warming up to Stars Hollow, whether he'd admit it or not.

"Can't disagree." Lorelai mumbled inaudibly.

"I'm going to take advantage of this unexpected pause in our proceedings to confirm with Miss Patty about the next item on our agenda." Taylor clarified. He then turned to the council members beside him, and the town hall loudened as they broke into conversation to take advantage of the pause.

Luke turned to Lorelai from the other end of the row. "What did we miss?"

"Tuesday is officially Harry the twinkle light man day." She explicated. "Oh, and Kirk's going to pitch his new business idea for any minute know."

"Fascinating." Jess exclaimed, pressing his back farther into the chair, his face taut.

   "Looks like he's yearning for the council's approbation." Rosie agreed, eying the paper in her hands as she spoke. "Blasphemy." She added. The two newcomers, lost, only stared at her peculiarly.

"You think he'll be sad if Taylor declines?" Rory pitched in. "Like last month, when he got denied a privilege card and didn't show up to town meeting for three weeks."

    "He'll be perplexed, bemused, crestfallen – a plethora of woeful emotions." Rosie said ruefully.

    Jess eyed her imperceptibly. "Someone opened a dictionary." He retorted.

Rosie dismissed his comment, and Taylor went back to continuing the council meeting. Her attention was split between the paper in her hand and the actual meeting, listening in to Kirk pitch his new business idea and being dismissed by Taylor, who wants to stick to the agenda and discuss a townsfolk monthly appreciation board. "And I think it'll only be fitting that I be the first one, too." Taylor said sheepishly.