Disclaimer: This is an original story based upon the characters of Gilmore Girls. No profit will be made from this story and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Sorry to be so long in updating. I have been swamped! Thank you for all the reviews on the last chapter. I really appreciated all of them. You are all wonderful. Hope you enjoy this next installment.
In just the few days she had been gone she had forgotten how warm he was and how nice it felt just to be in his arms. She snuggled up to him as they drove back to Bentley and he put one arm around her. It took them twenty minutes to get back to Josie's house. They pulled up and Richard went around and opened her door for her and then took her hand as they walked up to Josie's door. They were on the porch when the door flung open.
"Are you okay?" Josie breathed as she opened the door.
Laura nodded, "Yes, I'm fine," and put her arms around her old friend.
"I'm glad," Josie whispered and when they separated the hug, she motioned for Laura to sit down on the couch. Laura sat down and Josie picked up one of the couch pillows and started smacking her with it.
"Why didn't you call me?" she shouted, "You leave this man, you come here, you say nothing, you don't even call me, you scare this man half to death, and what about me I'm just your best friend!"
Laura laughed and held up her hands against the barrage. "I'm sorry!"
Josie stopped and looked at Richard, "You, you better appreciate the wife you have Buster."
And then she turned to Laura, "And you, don't ever do that again."
Laura stood up and hugged her friend again, "I won't" she whispered.
Josie separated from Laura and looked at her friend seriously, "John's in the backyard, he's pretty shook up."
Laura squeezed her friend's arm and then looked back at Richard. He nodded and she smiled. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
She opened the screen door and saw him, sitting on the edge of the porch, his head in his hands
"John," she said quietly.
He turned to face her, relief washing over him, "You okay?" he asked.
She nodded and sat down next to him. She put her left hand up and the light from the porch caught the diamond and it sparkled.
"It suits you," John said.
"John, why now, why after all this time…I mean, you knew, you knew I was married this whole time and you lied. Why now?"
He reached out a hand and placed it on her cheek, "I'm sorry."
There was something in his eyes that made her believe he really was serious. In all this time, he had always defended his actions, telling her that he had saved her life, but this time she could see that he really was sorry.
"I never should have brought you here Laura, I never should have believed you were mine to keep."
He turned back around and stared out into the dark night. She had never seen him like this before. He looked old, and broken.
"Can you forgive me?" he whispered.
Her mind turned back to those first few months when she had been so afraid, and he had been there guiding her, protecting her, loving her like his own child. She remembered back to Sunday dinners, to the walks they used to take, all of the times when she had been afraid he had talked to her, told her that things were going to be okay.
But she had never needed to be afraid…
if it had been for what he had done.
"I'm not there yet John," she said quietly.
He sighed heavily, "I understand that."
She reached over and placed her hand on top of his and squeezed it. "It'll take time, but someday."
He turned back to face her and smiled, "I'm glad you're okay Honey," he said.
She smiled and stood up, reaching down her hand to help him up.
Richard and Laura stayed the night at Josie's and left early the next morning, the two friends promising to stay in touch more. Laura was glad the flight was long, she was nervous about seeing Lorelai again. She had said such terrible things and had hurt this girl she loved so much. She went over in her mind what she was going to say when they got off the plane.
She was so tied up in her thoughts that when Richard placed a hand over hers it startled her a bit.
"What are you thinking about my love?" he said.
"What I'm going to say to Lorelai when we get off the plane. I was so terrible to her Richard," she answered.
"Lorelai isn't meeting us at the airport," he replied.
"She's not?" Laura asked disappointedly. "Is she that mad at me?"
"No Darling, I called her this morning and asked her not to. We'll see her later. There is something we need to do first."
"What?"
"You'll see."
The plane landed and after they had picked up their luggage, Richard took Laura's hand and led her out to the car he had parked in long term parking.
"Where are we going Richard?" she asked as he opened the car door for her.
"You'll see," he said again.
They drove until they got to a place called the Hartford Musical Conservatory. Richard turned and looked at his confused wife. He reached over and took her hand. "Laura, before the accident happened, I said something to you that I said in anger and worry. Rory was struggling with some things, had dropped out of Yale, and I blamed myself for it. We…no, I went against Lorelai and allowed Rory to move in with us, paving the way for her to give up on her dream. It was the night of Rory's birthday party and I said that all the things that Rory was doing, joining the DAR and planning parties, all the things that were so important in your life were frivolous and meaningless."
He closed his eyes in pain at the memory. "When you…were gone, those words and the look on your face when I said them haunted me. I couldn't sleep. I was devastated by your loss but even more than that I was devastated that I hurt you so deeply."
A single tear slid down his cheek and Laura reached up and wiped it away, resting her hand against his cheek.
He turned his face into her hand and kissed it. "I decided I wanted to see your world, and for months I searched and found evidence of you, of the kind of person you had been, the people you had helped…Laura, you said you didn't like the person you were before…I don't think you know who that person really is. I think it's time you knew."
He got out of the car and walked around to her side, opened the door and took her hand. They walked inside the conservatory and down a large hall with red velour carpet and a high vaulted ceiling entirely made of windows. He led her up a large staircase to two double doors and opened the door. Laura stepped inside and was in awe of the massive concert hall they had stepped into. It was huge! There were three levels of seats a large stage with a shiny floor and four rows of lighting fixtures attached to the ceiling. The seats were all cushioned with the same red velour. It was all so beautiful. Richard took her hand and led her over to a small gold plaque by one of the doors.
"This magnificent room is made possible by funds entirely raised by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Our sincere gratitude and appreciation goes out to the president of the DAR, Mrs. Emily Gilmore and every member of her gracious chapter."
Without saying a word, Richard took her hand and led her back to the car. They drove next to the Hartford Ballet Company and again without saying a word, Richard took her hand and led her inside. They walked down the hall passed the different practice rooms until they got to the front desk where an older woman, in her late forties was with a black leotard and a black tulle skirt with hair back in a tight bun was standing.
"Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore, how nice to see you!" she said in a slight European accent.
Richard took the lead and extended his hand, "Wonderful to see you Ms. Kosan, we wondering if Daniella is in practicing today."
The woman chuckled, "Of course, when is that girl not practicing?" She checked her schedule and then nodded down another hall. "She's in room 10A, straight down the hall."
"Thank you," Richard nodded and turned down the hall, Laura smiled at the woman and followed Richard.
"Four years ago," Richard said when they were out of hearing range, "You sponsored Daniella and raised enough money to bring her and her entire family out of Kosovo and into Hartford. She got a scholarship to go here and you paid for her room and board, paid for her to take English classes, as well as helping her family get settled."
They reached room 10A and opened it up. A tall thin girl in her early twenties was pirouetting around the stage to a rousing Rimsky-Korsakov selection. Laura watched in amazement, the girl was really good! The music ended after a few minutes and she stopped as well. She walked over to the bar leaned against it for a few minutes rest. After a minute she turned, suddenly aware that she had company. Her expression at first was one of mild annoyance at being interrupted but as soon as she saw who her visitors were she smiled and bounded down off the stage.
"Mrs. Gilmore!" she cried in a thick European accent. She ran off the stage and threw her arms around Laura.
"It's so good to see you! Did you see me dance? Did you see me?"
Laura smiled as she put her arms around the girl, "Yes I saw you, you were wonderful!" she said.
The girl broke the hug and kissed Laura on both of her cheeks, "Because of you," she said.
They stayed and watched her for another dance, and the girl kissed her on the cheeks again saying how grateful she was as they left. For another hour and a half, Richard drove Laura around Hartford. They saw the children's pediatric center that she had donated an extensive amount of money to build, the archeological center, a new children's museum, they met a little boy who had had a surgery to repair a leg defect he had been born with that she had paid for. Time and time again, she saw her name on some golden plaque or heard some person say how grateful they were to her.
"I don't get it," Laura said as she climbed into the car after visiting new gym she had helped raise money for in Chilton. "How could I have been so caring to other people, but so vile to my own family?"
"There's one more place I have to show you," he said and started the car.
They drove for awhile until they came to a cemetery. Richard opened her door again and took her hand as they walked up a large hill covered in green grass. There was a large building at the top of the hill and they went inside. Their footsteps echoed through the halls as they went down to the last room. He put his hand on her back as he led her into the room where a large angel statue was standing. He walked quietly over and pointed to the most important gold plaque where were engraven the words, "Emily Gilmore, beloved wife of Richard, mother of Lorelai, grandmother of Rory." She brushed her hand over the family picture that was bolted to the bottom of the statue. Richard sat down on the step and reached behind the statue where he pulled out three pieces of paper. He opened the first one and clearing his throat he began to read.
"To my Grandma,
I love you so much and I always have. I'm so sorry that we fought. It was all my fault. I said once that you and Grandpa were my twin pillars and it's true. When you died I didn't know how I was going to make it without you. But then I remembered something that you told me when I was six. We were at your house for Christmas and I didn't want to leave. I knew it would be a long time before I could see you again. I went and hid in Mom's closet and you came and found me. We sat there in the closet and you told me that I had a nice home and that my mommy would miss me if I was gone. Then you hugged me and you told me that I was a part of you, and you were a part of me, that as long as we knew that we could never really be far away from eachother. Grandma, you are a part of me, and I love you. I will make you proud of me.
Your Sweetie forever,
Rory
Laura brushed the tears out of her eyes and Richard cleared his throat again trying to get a handle on his own emotions as he opened the next letter.
"My Darling, my own Emmy,
I never should have promised you that you could go first. Death by any means, would be preferable to what I feel right now. My heart and soul I don't know how I am supposed to finish out life without you. You are the love of my life, I knew that from the first moment I saw you. You have made me the man that I am. You are everything that is good in me. When they first told me that you were gone, I wanted to die with you, I would have to, anyway I could but then I saw our girl, our baby girl and I knew I had to be there for her. I will try to carry on my darling Emmy, and be what our girls need me to be. Wait for me, my love.
I love you more than you know,
Richard."
"Oh Richard," she breathed as tears spilled down her cheeks. He looked up and smiled at her through his own tears and then opened the last letter.
"To my Angel Mommy,
The one who made me mashed bananas on toast which I ate even though I hated it because I loved it when you would come in and bring me my toast and play old maid with me for awhile when I was sick—yes I remembered.
The one who always came in and picked me up and rocked me in the rocking chair after you had come home from a party and would sing to me for an hour when you thought I was asleep—yes, I was pretending, I was always pretending.
The one who waited up for me every night to make sure I was safe—yes, I saw the light under your door.
The one who never abandoned me after I became pregnant, who stuck by me, and tried in her own way to help me—yes, I am grateful.
The one I left because I was young and stubborn and needed to be out on my own—yes, I'm sorry that I hurt you.
The one who came down to the inn sometimes late at night and kissed me and Rory as we were sleeping and then drove all the way back to Hartford in the middle of the night—yes I always knew.
The one I have never appreciated enough, the one who I have never told enough that you are the reason I am who I am.
To my angel mommy—yes I love you."
Laura choked out a sob and Richard helped her to her feet and gathered her in his arms.
"And that," he whispered as he held her, "That is who you really are."
They drove home after that in silence, as the revelation sunk into Laura. She was barely inside the door of their house when she whispered, "Richard, I have to go see Lorelai," she said.
"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked.
She shook her head, "No," and then reached up and kissed him, "I need to do this by myself."
As she drove down the highway to Stars Hollow the sun was setting and casting a magical glow in the trees. She broke the speed limit trying to get there, something she had never done before that she could remember. She wanted to get to her girl—she needed to see her girl.
She pulled into the driveway and saw Lorelai watching from the window. Richard must have called and told her she was coming. She walked up the stairs and before she got to the door, it opened and their stood her daughter, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Lorelai…" Laura started and Lorelai threw her arms around her.
"Mommy," she whispered, "I am so sorry,"
Laura broke the hug and cupped her daughter's face in her hands, " No, no sweetheart I'm sorry…you were right, things were different."
Lorelai hugged her mother again, "I love you," she said.
Laura smiled and cupped her hand on the back of her girl's head, "I love you too Sweetheart, I love you too."
They held each other for a few minutes and then they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat. They turned around and saw Luke standing behind them smiling, "Can I interest you ladies in some coffee and a place to talk?" he asked.
Laura looked at her daughter and brushed a hand over her cheek, "Sounds good to me," she said.
Luke smiled and disappeared into the kitchen.
Laura put her arm around her daughter as they followed him.
"Mom," Lorelai asked, stopping her before they got to the kitchen"What made you come back?"
"I couldn't leave the man I love, I could leave Rory, and…" she said, as she reached out and placed a hand on her daughter's cheek again, "I just couldn't leave my baby."
"Lorelai!" she screamed, "Lorelai where are you?"
She was freezing, the water was churning pulling her under…she had to find her, she had to find her baby. "Lorelai!" she screamed again.
"Mom? Mom what's wrong," Lorelai was pulling her up. She had fallen to the floor, her heart racing.
"Luke! Luke call 911!" Lorelai yelled.
"No…Sweetheart I'm fine," she breathed, and took Lorelai's hand as she helped her up and then helped her to a chair.
"What happened?" she asked with concern, rubbing her back.
Laura was suddenly excited and terrified at the same time. She looked into her daughter's eyes. She searched back in her mind, trying to recover the image she had just seen like searching for a specter in a nightmare after awakening. It was gone, disappearing as quickly as it had come.
"I don't know," she replied. "I don't know."
TBC!