Jess Mariano's Sister

Jimmy and Jess

-- Edited -- 

Willow's POV 

I ended up just going back to the diner and helping. It was now closing time, and it was just Jess and I.

We are jamming out to the radio and cleaning when someone walks in.

"We're closed. Learn to read," Jess says.

I look up and he turns around and we both see that it is the guy from the other day.

"You're the loser coffee guy," Jess says, cleaning off a table.

"Well, not as cool Bono, but I'll take it," he says.

"We're-" I start.

"Closed. I heard," he replies.

"Okay, so-" as Jess says, we're still closed, the guy says something I never thought Jess, or I would ever hear.

He had a better chance of seeing as his dad knew about him.

"I'm your father," the guy says.

"What?" Jess asks, shocked.

"I'm your-" he trails off.

"Are you sure?" Jess asks.

"Am I- Yes, I'm sure," he replies.

What is his name? Joe? John? Jim? Jim. Jimmy. His name is Jimmy. Jimmy Mariano.

Jess actually looks a lot like his dad.

"I- I didn't mean to spring this on you. I thought Luke would have told you that-"

"Luke would have told me? Jess questions.

"Well, yeah, he came to see me last night, and he didn't tell you. That's obvious because you're still doing the staring with the frown, and- You look, different," Jimmy finally says.

Well, no shit. You have been gone 17 years.

Jess looks down. I can't see much of his face because I'm behind him, but I can tell he looks sad.

"You want some coffee?" he asks Jimmy.

"Sure."

Jess grabs a mug and the coffee pot and motions to the table he just cleaned. Jimmy sits.

"Thanks," Jimmy says.

"It's old," Jess says as he pours.

"Okay," is all Jimmy says in reply.

I go to the end of the counter and wave to get Jess's attention. I point to the stairs showing that I'm gonna leave and he does something I don't expect.

He shook his head, clearly a non-verbal way of asking me to stay. I go back to cleaning, as silent as I can, still watching them.

They sit, both hunched over and awkward. One will glance at the other and then look away before getting caught.

One of the best parts of the song comes up and the both nod to the beat and as they mouth the lyrics they turn to look at each other.

Wham, bam, thank you Ma'am.

"I gotta go," Jimmy says and shoots up, running out of the diner, leaving the door open.

We finish up and go upstairs. Jess is pissed. I just sit on my bed and read until Luke gets home. Jess is sitting at the table waiting for him.

"Hey, you hungry? I can make you some eggs," Luke says.

"So I hear you went to see my father last night," Jess says.