Let the games continue
Disclaimer: I own nothing. The characters all belong to Amy Sherman - Palladino. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit will be made from this story.
Author's Note: This one-shot is from Emily's POV and takes place after Lorelai and Rory leave Yale in 3.08.
It's dedicated to Inca who told me I should write something again – so thank her. ;-) She also did the awesome job of proofreading this piece. Thanks so much, you were a great help!
"Don't you even look at me," I say and walk past him quickly.
"Emily! Emily, will you just stop running?" Richard demands, trying to keep up with me without drawing attention to us.
I ignore him and go straight ahead. I don't really want a public scene, but I can't face him right now. It was such a beautiful day and he had to ruin it by not telling us about the meeting with the dean he had set up for Rory. I know he only thought he'd do what was best, but how could he not have seen all of this coming? Or did he and he just didn't care? I don't know what's worse. By now I'm outside heading for our car.
"Emily, will you just give me some time to explain?" he asks and grabs my arm.
"What part of 'Don't you even look at me' didn't you get?" I ask him and look him angrily into the eyes. "And don't you dare to touch me right now," I add even more upset.
He lets go of my arm. But other than that there's no reaction. Since I unfortunately don't have the keys I have to address him again.
"Would you be so kind as to open the car? I want to go home," I declare.
"But dinner -"
"You're not honestly thinking that I'm accompanying you there, are you?" Looking at him I realize that he really thought that. We stare at each other. Finally he speaks up.
"Well, I for sure plan to go there, it is why I came here after all," he adds defiantly.
"Oh. Is it? Not for secret meetings?" I ask him sarcastically.
"Emily, if you would just -"
"I don't want to hear it Richard. I want to drive home," I state.
"Well I don't,"
"Fine," I say and turn around. If my daughter is able to take a cab I surely can do so as well.
"Emily, stop. Where are you going?" he requests.
"Home,"
"Please Emily. Don't do this. Don't make me go there on my own. What will people say? Some already saw you. Please let me explain why I did this. Please stay," he tries to convince me, but I can't. Not now.
"Richard, back off. You don't want to bring me home – fine. I don't need you. But I won't come with you. And I don't want to hear why you did this. I don't want to be around you at all right now. Did I make myself clear?" I say and look at him firmly once again.
Finally he resigns and turns around, his shoulders hanging. But I want to ignore it, I don't want to feel compassion right now. So I walk away in the opposite direction and take out my cell phone when I suddenly see the trash can – the spot where he proposed to me years ago. Sighing I put my cell phone back into my purse and sit down on the next bench, the one they haven't moved. I need some time to adjust. I do know why he did this, he doesn't have to explain it to me. Still he went about it the wrong way.
This place brings back memories of us. We were here quite often when we were engaged. We were walking arm in arm through the park – the stars above us, dreaming about our future. I loved being next to him. Of course we argued back then as well, but we always found a way to get past it and we will do so again. I know we will, I just need some time.
"Emily," someone calls out interrupting my thoughts.
"Anne," I respond, "How nice to see you, how long since we last met?" I ask her while standing up to greet her and her husband George.
"Too long," she answers, "where's Richard?"
"Richard is at the Dean's office. We're here early to show our granddaughter around, but I didn't want to be at the meeting. It would be a bit crowded. So I decided to stay here and think about past times, getting a little nostalgic you know," I say spontaneously and add a little laugh. I don't want people to gossip.
"Yes, those were the days. Time flies, doesn't it? Has it really been that long since we were here to visit our boyfriends?" she says winking at me.
We chat sometime about the past for some time before they decide to go ahead.
"We'll see you at dinner, Emily," she says before following her husband.
'We'll see you at dinner'. Will they? I was hesitating to go before I met her, but now I wonder whether I really have a choice? Sure I could bail on him and let him make up some lame excuse, somehow he'd even deserve that. But would I win when doing that? Besides people would still start to gossip. I start to wander around some more. Thinking about Richard and me, his betrayal and my reaction and how everything will go from here. Finally I decide that I won't leave him alone with our friends. I don't want to put him into that position. It would only complicate things further. Instead I'll rise above it.
I'm going towards the restaurant and arrive just in time. Inside I hear the familiar voice.
"Emily is -"
"Here," I complete his sentence. "I'm sorry, but the ladies room was really crowded. I don't get how they can have so few toilets. They should definitely built some more with all the money we're donating them," I say jokingly towards Sarah and Michael Gordon, the couple Richard was talking to.
"It's so good to see you, Sarah. How are you?" I start to fulfil my social role perfectly.
While I continue with the small talk I can feel Richard's eyes on me. When we're about to sit down he whispers a "Thank you," into my ear, but I decide to ignore it. Don't think everything will be forgotten, because it surely isn't.
The whole evening I play the perfect wife, but still remain a little distant. Not enough for the others to notice, but I know he does. Even when we were dancing, I only granted him one and made sure we wouldn't dance too close together.
On our way to the car Richard tries to talk to me, but I cut him off again. He opens the door for me and I sit down, still not looking at him. Before he starts the car he looks at me and once again tries to say something, but again I'm quicker.
"Richard, don't think I'm not mad anymore, because I am. Just so you know I met Anne and George and there was no way I couldn't have come after that. At least not without gossip being started," I say and conceal that I thought about going there anyway. "And now please drive us home, something I wanted hours ago," I add coldly.
Sighing he starts the engine and we drive home in silence. When we arrive I leave the car as soon as it stands, without waiting for him to get out to open my door. I wait at the front door for him, since I'm again keyless. I really should think about always having keys in my purse, whether I am with Richard or alone. Inside I give the coat to the maid and head straight to the drinks. I already had some at dinner but I need more.
"Do you want me to make you a martini?" he asks, trying to get me to talk.
"No thank you, I can do that myself," I shoot back and empty the glass at once. I know I should be ready to listen to him right now, but somehow I'm not, so I head upstairs to win some more time. It works as he seems to get the hint and goes to his study. I stare out of the window into the dark blue sky - as dark as my thoughts. How could he betray me like that? How could he betray us? His own family! Since when has he planned it? Was the meeting the reason for this trip or only an afterthought? Doesn't he know how important a good relationship with the girls is to me? I'm sure he knows that, there's no way he couldn't, yet he went and single-handedly ruined a perfect family day. The first we had in – well the first the four of us had at all. I know he wants what's best for Rory, but he should've told us.
15 minutes later I hear the door quietly being opened. I'm still standing at the window. I hear the familiar foot-steps coming closer before stopping in the middle of the room.
"Do you want me to sleep in the guest-room?" he asks calmly and with a sad voice.
What? No, I don't want that. I swallow. I can't think of many times when we fought so hard that he went to sleep in the guest-room. What makes him think I want that now? We always found a way to be able to sleep in the same room – well nearly always. But I guess with me cutting him off every time, he has to think that I don't want him around. To be honest I even told him I couldn't be around him right now. But that was hours ago. I'm not that mad anymore, just hearing his sad voice phrasing the simple question makes my heart go out for him – at least a little. Besides we have to talk about it some time and tomorrow would be no better. In fact it would be worse. I suddenly realize he's still waiting for an answer.
"No," I quietly say.
I can practically hear his relief. He takes another few steps towards me.
"I'm sorry Emily. I should've told you," he apologizes, but still doesn't dare to touch me.
"No," I reply and turn around.
"No?" he asks puzzled.
"No – well yes, you should've told me, but not only me, you should've told us, Richard. This was such a pleasant day, even Lorelai tried to be joyful and you ruined it. Why? Why did you have to ruin it? Everything was going so well," I say.
"I want Rory to get into an Ivy League college. This was her chance. And she did well,"
"I know you want that, but you should've told us. She didn't seem happy about it as well and I can understand her. I mean if someone had done that to me, without giving me time to prepare myself...," I continue and he looks down. "Richard?" I prod.
"No she wasn't happy. She basically told me the same you just did. She would've wanted some time to prepare. But I was afraid she wouldn't go at all if she knew about it, though – ," he stops.
"Though?"
"Though she would've gone to please me," he sighs and I join him.
"Richard she loves you and she'd do everything for you, don't you know that?"
He looks up and we share a look. I can't be mad at him for much longer when he's looking at me as contritely as he does. But I'm worried about Lorelai.
"Lorelai instead - she was very angry. I hope she'll get over it soon," I say and my voice doesn't betray my worry.
"I'm sorry, Emily,"
"I know," I say and smile slightly at him. Maybe I should call our daughter tomorrow or maybe not. She wasn't very accepting of my thoughts earlier. Maybe I should give her some time and just wait for next Friday. I settle for the second option, deep down knowing that I also do it, because I'm afraid of arguing with her again. I don't want that, but it nearly always happens when the two of us are alone. But she'll be here next Friday, after all we have a deal. Maybe until then everything will be alright again I try to convince myself, even though I know chances are small that it will come true.
"Let's go to bed, shall we?" I ask Richard and already turn around to undress myself when he starts to speak again.
"Emily, I'll never forget what you did tonight. Thank you for coming to dinner, you don't know how much that meant to me," he says gratefully.
I nod at him. It's not that I made this dinner enjoyable. We only danced once. Usually we dance a lot more. Well I was angry, but I was there and that is the important part. We quietly undress ourselves.
We're in bed now. We still haven't kissed. We always kiss before going to sleep. He always kisses me to be correct. He hasn't done so tonight. But I know he's not sleeping.
"Emily?" he asks into the darkness.
"Yes?" I respond.
"Are you still mad at me?" he asks a little insecure.
"No," I answer and as soon as I've said it I feel him move over and his lips on mine.
"Goodnight Emily," he says.
"Goodnight Richard," I reply and kiss him back. He opens his arms and I snuggle into his embrace. I'm glad we talked it out tonight. He seemed genuinely sorry. Before I'm drifting off to sleep I feel a light kiss on my hair.
THE END