Family Ties

Chapter 1: Bad News

I remember that I had a bad feeling when I woke up that morning, I don't know why but somehow I sensed that something was about to happen and that it wouldn't be good at all.

I slowly open my eyes and look at the alarm clock on my nightstand. 7:00 AM, time to stand up for me. I put my arm to the other bedside but my husband is already gone. I foggily remember him kissing me goodbye and telling me I could sleep two more hours. Where is he now? Seattle, Richard wanted to go to Seattle, so he should still be in a plane flying somewhere over the country.

I stand up and make my way to the bathroom feeling slightly cold, as I check on the heaters though, I nearly burn my hand. Maybe I get sick but then again the feeling is.different, not a sick feeling but a general discomfort settled in my stomach. Well, I've always been worried when Richard had to fly but curiously when I think of him the bad feeling disappears. Could it be something about Lorelai? Rory? No, no discomfort there either. So then I'll probably just get sick after all.

4 hours later, after finishing my breakfast, making some calls and readying myself for the DAR meeting I have this afternoon, I know that I won't be sick. A phone call from the Police deparment of Paris, France explained the bad feeling but didn't make me feel any better, instead it left a feeling a of emptiness, sadness and guilt. My little sister, Hope Christine Berthod, is dead.

It's late summer and it's hot. Hopie and Thomas are still running around trying to catch each other like children do. I gave up on the game a little while ago deciding I would just watch my siblings enjoy themselves and enjoy myself through watching as well. Hopie laughs her own, special and so distinctive laugh, clear and loud and I'm thinking how my mother would chide her for being so demonstrative while having fun. I know Tom just runs after her because she laughs that laugh, just like I did, both of us having lost the ability to la.ugh so freely a long time ago, I even wonder if we ever possessed it.

Finally exhausted, Hopie lets herself fall in the grass beside me, Tom does the same on my other side.

"Gee, I haven't had that much fun in eternity. Maybe I should just stay with you two and never go back to Harvard again." Tom says and though it is meant as fun, I know that he doesn't want to go back to our father's university as well as I know that he is obligated to return. Hopie and I can be pretty sure that those joyful summer days are going to be forgotten soon either, but still we all are masters of denial, as we have learned to be and won't ever forget.

"Regent Hotel Seattle, my name is Lambert, what can I do for you?" A female voice answers my phone call.

"Hello this is Emily Gilmore, I'm the wife of Richard Gilmore, did he already arrive at your hotel?" "Yes, Mrs Gilmore your husband just got here, shall I put you through to his room?"

"Yes, please", I answer and my voice sounds hoarsely. I'm listening to the melody of the telephone service and wait until he finally answers the phone.

"Gilmore?" He says and I immediately feel a bit better, just hearing his voice.

"Hello Richard, it's me."

"Emily what happened?" He asks without hesitation.

Was it my voice, or just the fact that I'm calling him so soon after his arrival? And in the hotel. Well his

Mobile phone had still been turned off from the flight.

"My sister," I begin, then I have to compose myself, "there has been an accident. She was in a car with Paul, Guillome and his fiancee. They are all dead Richard, no one survived the...crash." I swallow hard, again, trying to sound steady, being trained to sound steady even if it's not for my best.

Richard is silent. I can hear him sitting down on the bed. There's a pause and then he says: "Darling, I don't now what to say, I'm so sorry. I know how close you and Hope were."

Well, in the last time we weren't so close and that was completely my fault, I think and guilt again seems to overwhelm me. Richard however tears me out of my thoughts.

"Shall I come home Emily?"he asks and for a moment I am tempted to say yes, thinking how comforting it would be to have him here but then reason reminds me of who I am and I decline his offer: "No, Richard you don't have to come, really I'm fine and you're going to be here in two days, don't cancel the conference, I know it's important." I rant and really convince myself while talking. I only hope I convinced him, too.

"It's just," I continue, "the funeral will take place in Paris of course. Will you accompany me there?"

"Of course, Emily, how can you even ask?" I knew the answer before asking and I love him for being so vehement about it. I do remember a time though where he didn't accompany me the funeral of one of my best friends because of a business meeting. Well, I have put all this behind me and family relations run a lot deeper after all.

"OK, my dear, I'll stay in Seattle but I don't want you to be alone. Drive over to Stars Hollow, see Lorelai and let her comfort you." He commands.

"What?" I say. Where did that request come from? Lorelai comforting me, how shall she do that. It's not as if we're constantly touching or something, more than that - we aren't ever touching. Neither on a physical basis and seldom on an emotional one.

"I want you to drive to Stars Hollow and go see your daughter. She has to know that Hope and her family died, Emily, do you want to tell her that over the phone?" He insists. Well, I was planning to tell her over the phone but Richard makes me promise that I go and tell her personally.

So as soon as Richard and I hung up, I call the Dragonfly Inn and Lorelai's French receptionist tells me that she took the afternoon off and should be at home.

And ten minutes later, I'm on my way to Stars Hollow thinking about how to tell my only daughter that her mom's beloved little sister and her whole family had been wiped out of our lives from one day to another.