#jamesstjesse

It was the rare occasion that a late night meant a late morning, and Jesse was thankful he was able to catch up on some sleep. He actually had the energy to eat more than a bowl of cold cereal and tend to Viviana’s needs. Getting up when he heard her babbling in her crib, Jesse had taken her downstairs to get food going, cooking oatmeal for himself and picking out some past favorites for the little. A spoon for him, a spoon for her--they’d done this routine before. He’d be done in time for the Skype meeting with his agent at 11:30. Or he would have been if the sixteen-month-old Motta-St. James wasn’t rejecting her dining experience like the little princess that she was. He even had to start his oatmeal all over after the first batch overcooked.

No avocado. No peaches. No pears. No applesauce. No blueberries. No cottage cheese. He was running out of options and from her whines in the high chair, Viviana was running out of patience. One cup of yogurt and half of the last banana on the counter later, she was pacified, lips pursing and smacking with each baby bite offered from the super small silver spoon. She was cute, that much couldn’t be denied. Cute and difficult. A spoon for him, a spoon for her; back and forth, nearly in a rhythm until it was broken by the ring of a video call coming through on Jesse’s laptop that was on the table in front of them.

“Shit,” Jesse said, checking the time again on his phone. “Ooh, you didn’t hear that.” He’d been so busy trying to get Viviana to eat something for breakfast, he didn’t realize how much time had actually passed. What felt like ten minutes had been close to forty-five. He hadn’t even changed out of his pajamas, a pair of red sweatpants and a gray shirt that was now smudged with yogurt. How was it that her food ended up on his clothes?

It was just Cole anyway. He could handle the sight of a young, handsome, slightly disheveled father even if he’d probably have some choice words about it. Jesse answered the call, turning away to move the high chair closer to where he’d be sitting for the video chat.

“My God... the wedding was less than a month ago, and you’ve already let yourself go,” Cole quipped as his client appeared on the screen, shifting the laptop for a clear view.

Rolling his eyes, Jesse sat back in the chair, coming face-to-face with his agent. “I didn’t realize I was being evaluated. I might have freshened up.”

“You know by now to always be prepared. Where is Sugar, by the way?”

“She’s here. We started the day a little later than planned, so...this is brunch,” he explained, turning at the sound of Viviana’s call of “Daddy” to find her trying to worm out of the high chair.

Cole had two kids at home, but it had been some time since they were in diapers. “Adorable...” he said, briefly watching Jesse interact with the toddler as he stirred a bowl of oatmeal. “However, we do have some business to discuss.”

“Cooksey?”

“Cooksey,” Cole confirmed. “They want an answer by the 28th. The meeting has already been penciled in, and there’s a plane ticket to L.A. with your name on it.”

“They want me to come to L.A.? Why? What if I say no?” Jesse asked, taking the banana bowl from the table to scoop out more for the baby. Viviana’s hands reached for her father’s as he brought another bite of food to her lips, trying to take the spoon from him that he wouldn’t let go.

“Sit down with the team, let them make their last plea. You know, people would be clawing to be in your position. One of the biggest shows on TV right now is courting you and you’re seriously considering saying no?” It was hard for Cole to believe it. Cooksey was critically-acclaimed, Emmy-nominated, a network’s Nielsen dream come true; and Jesse was treating it as if it was beneath him. “I trust your judgment, I do. You fought for the role in Galilei and made it to the top floor of theatre circuit because of your belief that you’d found something good.”

“And that’s what I worry will happen again,” Jesse admitted, “except this time I won’t be able to drop everything and get back to the stage because I’ll be tied down to another project.” That they were even having this conversation was a privilege and Jesse knew it. If this was happening even just five years ago, there wouldn’t have been any hesitation. Such was the struggle of being a relevant cross-platform hit. 

Just as Cole began to reply, Viviana’s tiny taps on the tray became full bangings of little hands as her voice picked up in volume, babbling a mix of words and gibberish. “I’m sorry, give me a second.” Jesse twisted from his chair and stood, unbuckling his daughter from her seat. Leaving behind an echo of child laughter, he bounded upstairs with Viviana on his hip and her bowl of breakfast in his hand. Quickly apologizing to Sugar as he delivered the small girl to their bed, he delicately set her food on the nightstand with a rushed explanation that he had to finish his meeting with Cole. “We’ve already crossed the line of proper business meeting etiquette, I think,” he said to the other man when he sat back down at the dining table.

“Tell me about it.” Cole’s exasperation was nothing new. “Jesse, just let me know if I’m wasting my time. If you wanted to do it, you would have already said yes...”

“Well, wait... that’s not entirely true. My life is completely different than it was when I first booked the show three years ago, and I didn’t think becoming a regular was something that should be taken lightly. I had to consider what that meant for me and my family.”

“Do you think I don’t--” “I want the job.” “--understand that--what? What did you say just now?”

“I said I want the job, Cole,” Jesse repeated as they were no longer speaking over each other. “I had to think about it, but I’m not an idiot. I mean, they’re moving the whole show to New York for me. It’s the least I could do.”

“Okay, you know they aren’t moving the show for you. Don’t be an asshole,” Cole laughed. “And please do not tell them that in the meeting.”

“Didn’t I just say I’m not an idiot?”

“I know you, Jess. You’d say it with a smile on your face.”

“And everyone would laugh, you know me.”

Cole shook his head. “I’m glad I’m not your publicist.” Part of him wanted to chastise Jesse for taking him through the ringer with this opportunity, but this wasn’t the first time and probably wouldn’t be the last. What couldn’t be denied was that Jesse always came through with the right decision for his career when all was said and done. “So you’re definitely in? I can pass along the message?”

Nodding, Jesse relaxed in his chair. The weight of pressure finally leaving him as he spoke. “I’m definitely in.”

Cole grinned. “Alright, it’s a deal. We can finalize everything when you get to L.A., and I’ll give them a call right now.”

“With me on Skype...?”

“No, I’m hanging up. Unless there was something else we needed to discuss?”

“Oh you know what, there is something,” Jesse said thoughtfully as he ran a hand through his hair that was once again getting long. “I’m thinking about shaving my head...”

The Skype call disconnected before Jesse could get the rest of the sentence out, and he rolled his eyes. A buzzing noise from a kitchen counter made him reach for his phone moments later, and he breathed a laugh at the message illuminating the screen from Cole: