Charming Heathra - a novella companion to Dirty Lying Faeries

After

Heather

November, 1962

I wiped my forehead with the back of my sleeve. Something about painint a celiling was much harder than painting a wall, but it was oh so satisfying to erase the years of smoking that Samuel and the customers put up there.

A bell at the door turned my head in the empty diner. Devin walked in, predictably wearing a plain suit with an envelope in one hand and a big square wrapped in brown paper in the other.

"How is the painting going, Heathra?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I'm almost done, I think."

"You know, I could have brought you some help," he looked at me, pointedly.

"Yeah, you keep reminding me." I shrugged. "I don't know, it just feels too personal. I couldn't let anyone else help fix it up. This place means a lot to me."

Devin nodded, glancing around at the floor that was covered in the debris of a remodeling project. Chairs wrapped in plastic, sawdust from the freshly repaired parts of the counter I had just finished sanding.

"A cafe, hm?" Devin handed me the paper wrapped package. "I thought you couldn't cook."

"Well, I can't flip burgers like Samuel or Mary, but I can brew coffee and make sandwiches." I put down my paint brush and took the offered item. "I'll figure out the rest later."

"I'm sorry. I know they were special to you," Devin said.

I sighed. "At least she didn't have to go without Samuel for too long. So, what's this?"

Devin smirked. "Most people would look for themselves to find out."

I rolled my eyes while he chuckled at me, and I began to tear it open.

A smile spread across my face. "A painting."

"I thought your walls would be rather plain to begin with." Devin shrugged. "I bought it from an artist I recently showed at the gallery."

I finished taking the paper off of a simple but very nice still life of a vase of flowers. "It's perfect."

Devin nodded. "Good. Now, for my other piece of news."

He passed me the envelope and I set the painting down against the counter.

"The family that bought your farm from Viola finally decided to sell it," Devin said.

I opened the envelope and my eyes widened as I pulled out a deed. "Oh. Oh."

"I plan on renting the land for farming. You know, keep it from being developed or anything like that," Devin explained. "Not much addition to the court income, but I suppose I'm the sentimental sort."

I snorted a laugh. "Right, of course you are."

He smiled and put his hands in his pockets. "I was hoping for a different kind of reaction."

I sighed and smiled. "I didn't mean to be rude. I am really glad to know it won't be changed too much. Pa and Grandpa would have loved to know it was going to stay farmland."

"And Heathra?" Devin asked.

I smiled. "Yes, me too."

Devin nodded. "You know you could visit it at any time."

I looked down at the deed with a soft smile, but I shook my head and handed the envelope back to him.

"I'll keep it in mind, but I don't think I'm ready yet," I answered.

Devin chuckled. "You do move slowly, don't you?"

"Winter court," I teased. "You know how these things are."

Devin took a few steps around the diner. Looking here and there at what changed, what stayed the same, and what I just freshened up. I let him look around while I picked up my paintbrush and covered the last few feet of the ceiling.

I sighed, content when it was finally done, and threw my paintbrush in the almost empty bucket before sitting down on the counter for a break. Devin came over to stand nearby.

"Tired?" he asked. "Regretting turnign down my offer of help?"

I laughed. "No, this is my project."

"Very well, have it your way." He smiled at me and began walking toward the door. "You know, he still asks about you."

I stiffened. Arthur.

"I'm... not ready."

Devin nodded. "He didn't know, Heathra."

I clenched my jaw. "He still mislead me."

"And you mislead him." Devin reminded me.

But he didn't have to tell me that. I still kicked myself over it. But at the end of the day, he was still a fae who tricked a human girl into giving up her humanity.

"Let me know when the opening cerimony is," Devin said, waving a hand as he walked out the front door. "I'll be the first one through the door."

"I will," I called as the door closed behind him.

I sat up, putting my hands on my hips as I looked around.

Whatever I did with this place, I would give it my all. A diner to call mine. Maybe... maybe a cafe. Coffee was really starting to grow on me lately.

"Yeah, a cafe," I murmured.

Then a smile played across my lips as the right name hit me.

"Heather's Cafe."

~A/N~

Hey guys! This is the end of Heathra's backstory, but not the end of Heathra (obviously) So now that you've read this, what do you think about her attitude in DLF? No wonder she's so concerned for Thea.

I hope you enjoyed this little novella and didn't cry too much. Sorry for it being sadder than my usual stuff. But her story is told, and she still has books to show up in here and there.

Thanks for reading!

-Sabrina