Touch of Hellfire (Original Version)

☕️4☕️

"How's the meal?" Grandma asked us. "Very tasty," Rory told her. "Do you have a new cook?" I asked Grandma. "Yes, Maricella, she has introduced us to some wonderful dishes specific to her native country," she explained.

"Where is she from?" I asked her. "One of those little countries next to Mexico," Grandma answered her.

"Could you be more vague?" Mom asked her sarcastically. "It's a shame Grandpa's not here," Rory piped up. "He likes weird food."

"Where's he eating his weird food, Argentina, Morocco?" Mom wondered.

"Akron."

"Ohio? Get out of here!"

"No, I will not get out of here," Grandma said, misunderstanding the phrase. "Why is Grandpa in Akron?" I asked Grandma. "They sent him down to deal with some local office or something," she told me. "He's miserable, he had to eat at a coffee shop last night."

"I hate that he's miserable," Rory mumbled. "So do I, we should do something," I said.

"Warning! Warning!" Mom warned me. "I'm glad you said that, Heather because I thought of a good way to cheer him up," Grandma said.

"Like what?" I wondered. "Danger! Danger!" Mom tried to stop me. "An oil portrait of you and Rory for his study," Grandma suggested. "An oil portrait?" Rory raised her eyebrow.

"Blame your sister," Mom said to Rory. I shot her a quick glare. "It could hang right over his mantel, he'd love it," Grandma said happily. "That'd be okay," I agreed. "Okay," Rory agreed too.

"Mom, don't make them do this," Mom pleaded with her. "They said they would," Grandma argued. "Don't make them sit and pose, just paint it from a photo," Mom suggested. "That's what they do at malls!" Grandma exclaimed.

"We'll sit," Rory told her. "Just because your sitting was bad, doesn't mean Rory and Heather's has to be," Grandma said to Mom. "We haven't seen this," I smirked. "They didn't finish," Mom smiled. "Three painters started and they all quit because your mother wouldn't stop scowling," Grandma grumbled.

"Well, I was going for a Billy Idol thing," Mom explained. "Well, we'll be happy to sit," I said. "If it's for Grandpa, why not?"

"I'll set it up first thing in the morning," Grandma stated happily. "I can teach you the Billy Idol," Mom offered.

"Don't you dare!" Grandma snapped.

***

"So, I didn't know your mom and Luke were big into business meetings," Jess said to me the next morning. "My mom is working on running her own inn," I explained. "How come you're working the mornings?"

"Uncle Luke is making me," Jess rolled his eyes. "What time is it?"

"It's uh..seven forty five," I told him. "Crap," he moaned. "Time for school."

"Try not to teepee the place," I warned him. "No promises," he muttered.

He went over to Luke's table and refilled Mom's coffee cup. "It's seven forty five, do you want me to go to school or do you openly want to defy child labor laws?"

I giggled at his snarks. "Go," Luke sighed. "Wanna walk with me?" Jess asked me. "Yeah, sure," I grabbed my bag.

We left the diner and crossed the street. "Is school okay?" I asked him. "Yeah, I don't talk much to people, I just really exchange hellos with people I tolerate," he told me. "Tessa is okay, so is Lane, can't really stand anyone else."

"Same with me and Chilton," I told him. "I just hang with Andrea, that's it, really."

"So..do you have any plans for when you leave school?" Jess wondered. "I'm gonna study film and media," I told him. "Ah, joining in with the Hollywood directors, Stars Hollow's Steven Spielberg?" he wondered.