Everything comes back to you -J.MARIANO

[3.02]

ꪻaryn, due to Tas practically shoving her out of the door, had actually managed to only be a minute late for her arranged meeting with a person who represented a specific venue that one of her interns happened to be obsessed with in Philly. Apparently it was the most artsy place available and, after a brief description, nearly all of the classmates had been in agreement that the small space was what they wanted. So she set up a meeting for the easiest availability, wanting to get the event going as quickly as possible as it was coming up to exam season.

She walked into the space and instantly understood why that one intern had managed to convince all twenty of them that this was the place for their small showcase. She, alone in the space, walked around and snapped a few pictures for them to all deliberate over whilst waiting for the person she needed to speak to. She heard footsteps coming down a staircase in the bookstore and figured it was whom she needed to meet. "Sorry i'm late, author issue-" the voice cut off as he realized who was standing in the shop just from the way her hair lay. Taryn turned and his throat instantly dried up, mind wondering if he was dreaming.

"Jess?" she almost laughed, attempting to keep her cool though her stomach turned and shrivelled.

"Well isn't this a day of surprises," he smiled softly as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans, subtly looking her up and down and just observing.

She furrowed her brow, "You work here?"

He nodded and cleared his throat, still finding that it lacked moisture. "And you're the important client who wants to rent out the space."

She shook her head, anxiously spinning one of the rings on her fingers. "I wouldn't say important..."

"I don't know... New York's up and coming designer taking the world by storm. Seems pretty important," he responded absentmindedly, watching as she walked over to one of the other art pieces in the room. Taryn turned, eyes subtly widening in bewilderment. In response he shrugged, "I see headlines."

"I definitely don't feel that important. Doesn't feel real most of the time," sighed Taryn as she turned back to the art on the wall. She listened as Jess walked across the slightly creaky wooden flooring and stopped at her side. "This is beautiful," she commented whilst gesturing to the painting, thinking that it would look perfect in the space above Tas' couch that desperately needed filling.

"We let local artists hang their stuff up without ripping them off on commissions," Jess replied, looking at her through every word. He just kept noticing new things about her whilst finding great comfort in the things that were exactly the same. She had the same look in her eyes, same aura and still wore the necklace he fixed for her all those years ago. He still thought about that moment from time to time.

"We?"

He looked away as she turned, hoping to someone above that she hadn't noticed his gazing. "A few guys and I run the place. We publish small books, run a magazine, hold artsy nights with cheap booze."

"Well it seems you've improved your life greatly since Stars Hollow," she smiled politely, trying to ignore the awfully confused thoughts running through her head. She just couldn't figure out how she felt about the interaction. It was awkward of course but still carried a certain ease that she simply could not ignore.

"I guess you could say that," he chuckled, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck whilst she moved and continued to look around the room.

"Did you say if it was available on the date I wanted?" she asked whilst admiring the intricate details on the ceiling, choosing to keep her business head on and in full swing. She could figure out how she felt about seeing him again later, when she eventually had time.

"It should be."

She turned back towards him, nodding as she walked over to where he still stood.. "Well I think it's perfect but it's ultimately up to my interns. Is there a way to get in contact with someone when they decide?"

"Yeah yeah," he replied quickly, snapping out of his previous thoughts. Jess walked across the room and to a desk. He picked up one of the cards kept in the top drawer and handed it to her, making the conscious effort to not accidentally hit her hand. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as she slipped the card into her purse and noticed two pictures kept in the front. One of Tas, Taryn and a small child that he didn't get a good look at from the angle. And another that was clearly from college, a picture of a drunken Taryn with her arms wrapped around a girl who he recognised somewhat from an evening out that he vaguely remembered. He did, however, remember how it felt to wake up with the smell of her still lingering in his hotel room.

She smiled softly whilst slipping her purse back into her bag. "Well it was good to see you Jess."

"You too Te- Taryn ."

-

The second Taryn entered Tas and Angela's home, Daisy leaped off of the couch and enveloped her Mom in a welcoming hug. "Guess who i've just talked to at that cute little bookstore on Locust street the interns were so obsessed with," she almost scoffed, her gaze focused on the couch as her daughter clung to her sweater. 

Tas frowned, not recognising the look within her eyes after so long of not seeing it. "Who?"

Taryn gently covered her child's ears, enough so she couldn't hear but wouldn't be uncomfortable. "Fucking Jess Mariano."

Tas gasped theatrically, rapidly sitting up in his seat, "Holy-"

"Why does everything come back to that douchebag?" Angela gasped in equal amounts of outrage and confusion, quite similar to how Taryn felt inside. That bookstore was a thirty minute walk from her house. He had been so close this entire time and she had never seen him once and neither had anyone else.

"You're telling me!"

"Do I need to get my baseball bat?" Tas asked in complete seriousness, his brow furrowed so deeply that Taryn actually worried for a moment.

Daisy turned her head inquisitively, asking, "We play outside?"