Touch of Hellfire

☕️130☕️

Spring 2008

"I'm shaking," I whispered to Rory. "Heather, it's going to be great, you're going to be great, you're getting married," Rory reassured me.

Luke came in. "You look amazing Heather."

"Thank you," I smiled. He gave me his arm as he was walking me down the aisle.

Rory was my maid of honour, much to the dismay of Tessa.

I saw Jess up in the gazebo and I was led up by Luke. Jess held both of my hands. "You look beautiful," he whispered to me. "You look great in a suit," I responded, with a smile on my face.

"Friends, family, we are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Jess Mariano and Heather Victoria Gilmore.."

***

"..by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife, Jess you may kiss your bride."

Jess leaned in and his lips brushed against mine as cheers erupted from the entire wedding party.

The two of us walked down, hand in hand and the square was set up for the big party.

Lane's band were playing for us and me and Jess were sitting and just..savouring the moment we had right in front of us.

Luke got up in front of the microphone to tell the anecdote. "Now this is a funny story about my nephew and Jess, it's your wedding and the only people who ever knew this was me and Heather, well that's gonna change."

"Oh crap," Jess mumbled. "Now Jess was due to go to Heather's grandmother's for dinner and he showed up with a black eye, he didn't tell anybody about it and we all assumed he got into a fight and he told Heather that he got hit in the face with a football, which was a big fat lie," Luke continued. "The truth was, my nephew here, got attacked by a swan and once Heather got the truth, she said the Roadrunner was finally getting payback."

Everyone started laughing and Jess hung his head in embarrassment. "I'm honestly surprised he didn't spill it sooner," I said, kissing his cheek.

Mom got up next. "Oh God," I chuckled, slightly fearing what was going to happen. "Now my Heather was a little demon. When she was twelve years old, Stars Hollow Middle School, I was called in, saying my daughter was in the principal's office with a bleeding Chuck Presby. I walked in and Heather was sitting down but she didn't look guilty, she looked proud. I was told that she punched him right in the face for no reason. And Heather said 'I wouldn't punch him for no reason, I'm not a sociopath.' They gave her detention and I took Heather home and asked her why she punched him, I asked her was she getting bullied and she told me that he picked on Rory. She's a great sister, a great daughter and she'll make an amazing wife."

Everyone applauded for Mom and I went over and hugged her. "I would have paid to see you clock him," she told me.

Spring 2017

"So, Swedish meatballs, Peruvian salchipapas and Indonesian rice porridge," Mom listed at the festival. "Then the Norwegian stomach pump," Luke added.

"But the two of us have to leave in half an hour sadly," I said. "Dinner."

"But I need to catch a flight in half an hour," Rory piped up.

"Well I have to back to the diner in half an hour," Luke said to us.

"I don't need a babysitter," Mom insisted. "And Gypsy will watch me."

Me and Jess stopped by the basket bidding. "I remember the war for my basket all those years ago," I reminisced. "You mean when Tessa and Rory cornered me into doing so and then Dean started bidding because he's psychotic?" Jess wondered.