Chapter 6

I couldn't get excited about Max because I knew how it was going to end but I think I faked it well enough. I faked it through Sadie, Sadie, through Road trip to Harvard. Incidentally I made sure there were tunes for, and enough snacks that we had something for when we were stuck in the flower room that we didn't have to eat the fuzzy certs. When we were in the bed and breakfast and Rory was trying to get Lorelai to talk.

"I'm glad you didn't marry him." I said.

"Quinn?" Lorelai said

"I think he was nice and all, but I didn't want him as a stepfather." I said lying next to Mom. She hugged me.

"Oh, baby you should have told me, you and Rory come first….."

"But I wanted you to be happy and if he was your Prince….."

She started rocking me and soothing me. "Shh, it's alright….."

The next day we went to Harvard, and got burgers, and then we came back and whole town knew Max was history. After that Life got back to normal. Rory started her second year at Chilton, I started at Middle School, Jess came, who I wanted to get to know because I was always a Literati. Meanwhile I had signed up for Judo over the summer and my test was this week. I don't get a new belt it stays brown but I get a patch if I go from Junior 1st class to Junior second class. We've been trying for weeks to get dad on the phone so he come. Mom, Luke, and Rory were there. I knew he was in Boston but I knew he wouldn't tell the phone company to change his number until the coming out party. I didn't have any animosity toward him I just didn't expect anything better. I knew the kind of father he was, and even though he honestly tried to be better he didn't succeed until the final season. Luke was always more of our dad. Mom was shocked I had signed up for Judo.

"Why Judo?"

"Because of all the martial arts it's an Olympic event." I said

"So you might win the Olympics, Quinn Gilmore Gold medalist?" Mom asked

"Maybe." I said

"Cool." It's My competition day today, and Luke Mom, Rory and Even Jess are here. The dojo is one town over in Woodbridge, I compete Luke, Rory, and Mom cheer me on, and Jess is just there but he isn't the cheering type. I get my patch. A few days later, Rory gets roped into the coming out thing, and dad comes, I am polite but a little cold to him the sad thing is I'm not sure he noticed. Mom did, and she pulled me aside, when he went to sleep.

"What's with the Ice Queen act?"

"I've realized he just plays at being a dad when it suits him and he's just more likely to play at being a dad for Rory than for me, with him I get forgotten a lot I'm not angry or disappointed I don't hate him, I've come to expect that from him. It takes too much energy to keep hoping he'll be more."

"Oh, Baby girl." She hugs me tightly. "I'll talk to him. I'll make it better."

Before dad left for Boston he came and talked to me. "Quinn, I'm going to try and be a better father, your mom says you're in judo now, how would you like if I came to some of your competitions, or your art shows."

"I would like that." But I'm not expecting it after this year.

He smiled. "Good."

Soon like Mother, Like daughter is upon us and I decide not to interfere though I do go with Lorelai to pick up Rory from Chilton, next up is Mia's Visit, and our posing for portrait for Grandpa's study. Artists themselves make terrible subjects and to avoid that I know is coming, I create a portrait of Rory and I reading together that looks natural and I present it to Grandma, before she can ask us to do a thing.

"I made this for you and Grandpa, Grandma." She unwraps it. The canvas is quite large.

"It's beautiful, Quinn, and so talented. A true prodigy…." As Quinn Gilmore I could always paint and draw real people, and with Q's memories it had only gotten better. Grandma was pleased "Your grandfather will love it…I just have to have it framed."

"Quinn's talent has really blossomed in the last year, she started art lessons when she was four, but last year she started growing into her talent." Lorelai said "she's always wanted to be an artist."

"It's just something I always knew I wanted to do. I'm going to go to Yale, and Major in Art, their art school is amazing, Grandma did you know that?"

"Yes I did. Your grandfather will be so pleased another generation of Elis, Do you want to go to Chilton in a few years."

"You can't major in Art at Chilton so no, if I go to a private school it would have to be one with fine arts department, Art is my life Grandma."

"Rifton Academy of Fine arts is similar to Chilton in academics but they have fine art, Music, and dance majors of course their sports teams are non-existent but on a college application it is as impressive as Chilton, especially if you're aim is to attend an art, music or dance school." Grandma said

"Thanks, Grandma."

"You're Welcome Quinn."

Next thing I knew Rory's Romeo and Juliet was upon us. I went with Rory to Miss Patty's to her practice.

"Who are you?" Paris said

"this is my little sister Quinn." Rory said

"We're here to practice not babysit and I swear I reserved this space for 8'clock, and not they're just sleeping!"

"You weren't kidding were you?" I asked Rory.

"Paris needs to embellishment believe me." There was some angst because Rory kissed her costar when she was broken up with Dean I knew it was going to happen, but I didn't think it would annoy me so much she so belongs with Jess. Not that I told her that. the night of the show came and Tristian disappeared and Paris went on as Romeo, then we went back to Stars Hollow, and all was right with the world again. At least for now.