Her long, chestnut brown curls fell over her shoulder as she turned her head to look over her shoulder at the approaching car. It pulled up next to her own and Elizabeth smiled with a sense of relief, her anxiety fading from her bones. A thin women with cropped dark brown hair stepped out of the beaten car and slammed the door shut. She walked swiftly into the arms of Elizabeth and hugged her tightly.

"I've missed you Mildred," Elizabeth whispered in her ear, hugging her sister tightly. Mildred hugged her back just as tightly and kissed her porcelain cheek. They looked similar, both slim and beautiful with porcelain skin. There was no mistaking that they were sisters.

"I've missed you too," Mildred smiled and released her sister from her hold and took in the house. "Still the same I see. Alright then, let's get this over with."

Mildred took her sister hand and yanked her forward towards the stone steps. Elizabeth caught up with her and held her head high as they walked to the front door together. Both women were fiercely independent and strong minded women. Elizabeth was the one who rang the door bell and they waited patiently for someone to answer it.

They both straightened when they heard footsteps on the other end. The door opened and revealed an older man whose hair was starting to grey but was still thick despite his age.

"Hi dad," Elizabeth smiled and he gave a small smile back.

"Elizabeth, Mildred. Come in," Grant nodded and opened the door wider. The wiped their shoes on the welcome mat and stepped into the foyer. The inside hadn't changed either, the sisters noted, and everything looked was neatly in its place.

"You're mother and I were certainly surprised when we got your calls," Grant continued, shutting the door and started walking to the living room. They followed him and found their mother, Claire, already sitting down with a cup of tea. "We haven't heard from you since you went off and married that mechanic."

Elizabeth glared at her father's back and Mildred took her hand and gave it a squeeze. Burt Hummel was a sore subject in their parent's home. They had not approved of the man but Elizabeth loved him with all her heart and was still devastated by his death.

"Burt was a wonderful man and a very successful business man," Elizabeth retorted hotly and Mildred shushed her gently.

"I'm sure he was," Claire nodded with a small smile. "But we had only met the man a couple of times."

Burt was not the man her parents had in mind for her. She had been brought up with money but she herself did not class as herself above everyone else. She worked hard and did not live off her parents money. Both herself and Mildred didn't like the people that were associated with money and power and had both left once they had finished high school to pursue their own dreams. Mildred was a painter and Elizabeth taught music, their passions.

"To what do we owe this visit?" Claire asked when the girls had sat down.

"It's about your grandson, Kurt," Mildred spoke up, Elizabeth still angry about her father bringing up Burt so carelessly.

"How is the boy?" Grant asked. "We rarely get to see him."

"Kurt is wonderful," Elizabeth smiled as she thought of her only son. "The school is at however, is not."

"What do you mean?" Claire asked and Elizabeth took a deep breath.

"Kurt is being bullied. One boy even threatened his life," Elizabeth told them unsteadily. Mildred squeezed her sisters hand again tightly and she squeezed back.

Grant glared at this news. "What is being done about this?"

"Principle Figgin's," Mildred spat the name. "Is doing nothing and there is no way we are letting Kurt stay in that toxic environment."

Their parents nodded their approval at this and Elizabeth continued.

"There is another school. Dalton Academy that has a zero-bullying tolerance."

"Ah yes," Grant nodded. "That is a fine school. One of the top in the state."

"Yes," Elizabeth agreed. "I want Kurt to attend that school, so that he can be safe and get the best education. The only thing is I can't afford the tuition alone on my salary."

Claire and Grant shared a look at each other.

"I'm pitching in to help pay the school fees," Mildred added quickly. "But we are still short."

"You need money," Grant looked at them and the two sisters nodded.

Claire stood and left the room. Elizabeth and Mildred watched her leave and then looked at each other. It was only a moment later when Claire came back with their check book in hand.

"We will pay the rest of the school fees," Grant told them, taking the book from his wife. "after all, Kurt is our nephew and we want the best for him."

"But you have to attend dinner, every Friday night," Claire added and the sisters looked at each other. "That is our condition for bank rolling this."

Mildred bit her lip but Elizabeth nodded.

"That seems fair. Friday night dinners," Elizabeth agreed and Claire smiled. Grant signed the check and handed it over to Elizabeth who took it with a grateful smile.

"We will see you Friday night," Grant smiled. Dismissed, the girls stood and let themselves out. The jogged down the stairs and when they reached their cars they leaned against them heavily.

"Why do I feel like I just signed my name in blood?" Mildred asked and Elizabeth huffed out a laugh and then sighed.

"Probably because we just did," she sighed. "But we can get through one dinner a week for Kurt."

Mildred nodded. "Are you going to tell him?"

"I will," Elizabeth nodded. "He'll need to know before he goes to Dalton. He'll be nervous enough as it is but I can't keep something like this from him."

"Well, he has got a lot of you in him," Mildred nudged her. "and he's got a lot of Burt in him and like Burt said: nobody pushes the Hummel's around."

Elizabeth smiled sadly and kissed her sisters cheek. "Thank you for doing this. I know it's not easy for you."

"Anything for you and Kurt sis," Mildred smiled at her reassuringly. "It's just one night a week until we can pay the money back."

Elizabeth nodded and the two sisters hugged. "I guess I will see you Friday. You'll come stay with us after right? Spend the night?"

Mildred took in her pleading look and nodded, smiling. "Of course I will."

Elizabeth smiled in relief and watched her sister push off the car and open the driver's door to her own. She slipped in and shut the door with a slam. The engine roared as she started it and she waved as she took off down the driveway. Not wanting to linger, Elizabeth slid into her own car and took off after her sister, heading back to Lima.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Elizabeth stepped inside she was immediately greeted by her son's stunning voice. She smiled and shut the door gently behind her. She moved lightly to the living room and saw Kurt playing the piano as he sung. She had taught him at a young age and he had picked it up easily.

On top of the piano sat a photograph. Standing out the front of a garage with a huge sign that read Hummel's tire and lube stood Elizabeth and Burt Hummel. Burt was holding a two year old Kurt in his arms, smiling proudly at the camera. It was the opening day of their garage and one of men Burt had hired had taken the picture of them.

Elizabeth still owned the garage and it was another source of income. She didn't teach music seven days a week and the garage was doing well, despite Burt's absence. He had left a lasting impact on the men he had hired and they helped Elizabeth keep the business a float all these years after. Burt had been teaching Kurt as soon as he was old enough to hold a wrench and Kurt sometimes worked there after school to earn some extra money.

The song came to an end and Kurt voice lingered in the air.

"That was beautiful darling," Elizabeth smiled and Kurt whipped around, smiling at his mother.

"Thanks. Where did you go?" Kurt asked, closing the lid of the piano and standing up.

"I had to go see my parents," Elizabeth told him truthfully and Kurt frowned. He knew that his mothers relationship with her parents was strained and that they had not seen each other in years so he was surprised to hear this.

"Why?" Kurt asked. Elizabeth sat down on the couch and patted the cushion beside her and Kurt gracefully sat himself down next to her.

"We need to talk."