Disclaimer - Gilmore Girls belongs to it's rightful owners, I get no money from this work, just enjoyment and a way to make sense of things.
AN - I for the most part loved the revival but there were a number of things that confused or bugged me. This is a series of unconnected short one shots, of varying lengths remedying some of the things that struck me as peculiar or answers to plots that just simply vanished in the revival. Each one shot will be preceded by an italicized explanation of what I am trying to remedy, answer or include. I have eight outlined but if once those eight are done and there is any plot bunnies that you feel can be 'fixed' in a short oneshot feel free to message me or post a suggestion in the reviews and I will see what I can do. As ever let me know what you think.
Making Amends
The series implied that Lorelai has left Emily alone for 4 months following that fight. I get it was a segue way into the funeral flashback but that still could have occurred with Lorelai bating Emily over the spinal tapped painting. Now the fight was epic and one of my favourite scenes because Lauren Graham and Kelly Bishop were so amazing in it. The show does indicate that Lorelai tried to call and email and that Emily didn't respond but I refuse to believe that Lorelai didn't try to look in on her vulnerable grieving mother for four months and then just waltzed back into the house as if nothing was really that wrong. We have seen them fight before and Lorelai has always been the one that tries to extend the olive branch when the proverbial hits the fan (the hospital S1, the veils S2, the plane S6) as much as she says she hates her mother Lorelai cares deeply about her (part of the reason they get in so many fights). I felt that Lorelai was done a disservice with that scene.
Lorelai stared at the mahogany door and tried to make herself push the doorbell. She hated this doorway. She hated this house. She took a deep breath. She had to do this. It had been three weeks since she had had one of the worst fights in her life with her mother. It had been savage and brutal. It had been two grieving woman screaming at each other because they were so hurt that the man that meant so much to them was gone. Lorelai hadn't realised how much she would miss her father. She could only imagine how Emily felt. With a sigh she pushed the bell.
In less than a minute the small curly haired maid opened the door and greeted her with a beaming smile. "HolaHello,"
Lorelai blinked in surprise, this woman had been working at the house before her father had fallen ill, and she was still working here over a month later. She wasn't sure she had ever seen a maid work for her mother for more than two weeks in her life. "Er, Hi, Lorelai, Mrs Gilmore's daughter."
"Oh Si," the maid stepped back to allow her in, "yes come in," she held her hand out to take Lorelai's coat.
"Is my mother here?" Lorelai asked carefully, looking around the depressingly silent and dim ground floor.
The maid gave an enthusiastic nod and told her something in her rapid fired dialect that Lorelai couldn't understand. Seeing the confusion the maid gave her a knowing smile and beckoned to Lorelai to follow her towards the kitchen. They came to a stop by the entrance to the basement. "Down," the maid pointed through the open door.
"Thank you," Lorelai smiled weakly and braced herself for the onslaught of Emily Gilmore. She walked slowly down the stairs not eager to begin the next battle. "Mom?"
"Lorelai?" Her mother sound genuinely confused "What are you doing here?" the tone shift was sudden, the second sentence filled with anger.
Lorelai sighed once more, fully engaging her deflector shields in readiness. She stepped down into the basement and frowned at the sight of her mother surrounded by giant trunks and suitcases. "I wanted to check how you were, you haven't returned my calls or emails."
"I don't do email," Emily retorted bending down to look at a suitcase.
"You've forgotten how the phone works?" Lorelai moved a little closer.
"I've been busy."
"I can see," Lorelai came to a stop 6ft away from her mother, a trunk of all things between them. "What is all this?"
"Our European luggage." Emily muttered standing up and fixing Lorelai with a look that could have easily melted a weaker person into a pile of goo. "What do you want?"
"Mom," Lorelai squared her shoulders, "I wanted to see how you were and to apologise," she held out her hand preventing Emily from speaking, "without the yelling. I know what I said and did was inexcusable. We both said things that night that…" she shuddered, "were awful. It was a emotional day. I know you don't feel like forgiving me right now, but I wanted to check that you were doing Ok. Or at least as well as you can be," she sighed. "I feel pretty crap, so I can only imagine how you feel" she gestured at Emily.
"I'm fine."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Really? Are you eating, sleeping? because you look tired, thin kinda frail." Lorelai asked. She instantly regretted her words as she saw Emily's shoulders tense in anger at the comment about her appearance.
"Well thank you for telling me I look like an old woman," Emily shoved one of the suitcases. "Go away Lorelai, you've seen me, you've fulfilled your obligation. you can get on with your life. Unless of course you're here to see what you're father has left you in his will. Is that it?"
"What?" Lorelai shook her head in surprise. "No! I don't want… "
"Of course, that's why you're here isn't it," Emily's eyes narrowed.
Lorelai waved her hands as if she was trying to deflect the venom that was being thrown at her by her mother. "MOM STOP!" she pushed the trunk in anger and it toppled with a loud clatter. They both stared at it in silence "I don't want anything," Lorelai broke the silence.
"That's a lie," Emily pointed at her viciously. "I can always tell when you are lying."
"Alright!" Lorelai huffed angrily trying to get a hold of her emotions. "I want a tie."
Emily took a double take. "A tie?" her voice was soft; tinged with confusion.
"Yes," Lorelai wrapped her arms around her middle. "One of Dad's tie's, it's yellow with like silver crosses on. When I picture Dad, I see that tie, I don't know why. That's all I want."
"Oh," Emily looked down, her shoulders sagging.
Lorelai took a deep breath, and chewed her lip. Her mother was not a young woman, but she'd never really thought of her as old. There was 73 and there was 73. Emily had always seemed sort of ageless to her. Until now. The Emily before her looked small and fragile, old and broken, like one gust of wind would blow her away. It scared her. She was having a hard time as it was comprehending a life without her father, she couldn't cope with no Emily either. Regardless of everything that had gone on between them, they were still mother and daughter. Her mother had always been a guidepost to her, mostly about what she did not want to be, but a guidepost nonetheless. "What are you doing with the luggage Mom?" it was frivolous, but it seemed the simplest thing to ask.
Emily stood silently for a few moments before looking down at the bags and releasing a shuddering sigh. "Sorting it. We were supposed to be going on our trip to Europe the week after your father got…" she stopped herself and looked away.
Lorelai chewed on the inside of her cheek, her mother was trying not to cry and it just made her want to.
"I doubt I'll need it now," Emily mumbled quietly. "I can't see myself going to Europe without your father."
"You might change your mind." Lorelai took a step closer to her mother. "Mom I know you're not Ok, but are you Ok? like is there anything you need that I can do?"
Emily shook her head, "No, Berta is looking after everything."
"Ok," Lorelai nodded. "Well that's good. So…Ok…Good," she looked nervously at her hands, she felt like she should hug her mother or something to that effect but they had never really been touchy feely in that way, and she was pretty sure that anything like that would make her turning into a blubbering idiot. "Well If you are good, I'll be on my way." She swallowed as Emily gave her a curt nod. "Ok," she turned to the stairs. "Maybe I could check in on you next week? We could go out for coffee?"
"Coffee?" Emily looked up at her confused.
"You know hot, black, makes you feel buzzy and awake. I know you drink it, I used to sneak it from your cup when I was a kid, it's why I'm a coffee fiend now," she smiled as Emily's mouth turned upwards at the corners, it wasn't a smile but it was close. "Is Wednesday OK?"
"Wednesday would be fine," Emily nodded, softer this time and looked back down at the bags. "I'll see you then. Goodbye Lorelai."
"Bye Mom," Lorelai gave a sigh of relief as she made her escape up the stairs. She blinked in surprise to find the maid stood at the top of the staircase, inexplicably holding out a piece of cake wrapped in cellophane to her. "Er, thanks, I should be going."
The maid nodded in understanding and began to lead her back to front door. Lorelai followed and quickly put on her coat. She hesitated for a moment and looked back at the ever smiling maid. "You've got this right?" she pointed back towards the kitchen. "And you know how to contact me if you don't?"
"Si, yes," the maid nodded, "No worry," she shook her head emphatically. "She Ok." The smile widened to rival one that was advertising tooth paste.
"Ok," Lorelai smiled weakly and moved towards the car. The door closed and Lorelai let out a huff of frustration and relief. It had been five minutes but it had been enough. She had started to make amends. That was all that mattered.
