Fool for Love
by
javakamp
Chapter 20: The Gilmore Report.
Late Saturday morning, a bored Lorelai was sitting on the couch surfing the channels on TV when someone began knocking on the front door. Lorelai turned off the TV and stood up. As she neared the door, the caller knocked again.
"Coming," called Lorelai. A few seconds later when she opened the door, she was surprised to see her mother standing there with a somber expression. After a second, she found her voice and said, "Mom. Hi."
"Lorelai," Emily nodded.
"What are you doing here?"
"I have something I needed to talk with you about." When Lorelai only replied with silence, Emily asked, "Could I come in?"
Emily's request shook Lorelai out of her daze. "I'm sorry mom. Of course come on in."
Lorelai stepped out of the way, allowing her mother to enter the house. Emily removed her coat, which Lorelai took and hung on the coat rack
"I was just about to fix some coffee. Would you like some?"
"That'd be nice." Emily followed Lorelai into the kitchen, asking, "Where's Rory?"
"She's with, Lane." Lorelai picked up the coffee pot, stepped across the kitchen and began to fill it with water. "So what brings you out here?"
"So I can't just drop in on my daughter for no reason?" Emily said without much conviction.
Lorelai shut off the water, and stared at her mother. "Well, mom, its' not that you can't, but you never have in the past."
Emily shrugged off Lorelai's question with one of her own, "How long will, Rory be gone."
Lorelai filled the coffeemaker with the water, and then started to put in the coffee, as she answered, "Probably not for a couple of hours. Sorry you missed her."
Emily shook her head and said, "No, that's fine." She sat at the kitchen table, as she said under her breath, it probably makes this easier."
After the coffee had started to brew, Lorelai moved to the kitchen table, sat down across from Emily, and asked, "So what's up mom?"
Emily started to speak, but before the words came out she nervously stood and began to pace across the kitchen, "Lorelai I have something to tell you. Something that you will not enjoy hearing, and will most likely make you hate me for it."
Lorelai stared at the mother for a moment, before she sat up and said, "Oh, my god. Has something happened to dad?"
"What? No, he's fine."
"Gran?"
"No, Lorelai, its' nothing like that."
Looking slightly relieved Lorelai sat back and asked, "Then what mom?"
"Before I tell you what I came to talk about with you I'd like to say something, and I'd like you to promise not to interrupt. "
Feeling as if she was being setup, Lorelai reluctantly said, "Okay."
Emily plunged ahead, "I know that you feel me overbearing, controlling, and manipulating, but its' only because I feel that people should behave a certain way, that's the way I was brought up, and the way that I believed that my children should be brought up."
Lorelai started to speak, but Emily interrupted, "I know that you don't agree and feel that I am a monster, and that nine times out of ten, my views, or opinions are just wrong." Emily glanced at Lorelai who nodded in response. "We've had those arguments many times in the past, and I'm sure that we will again in the future. But what I ask now is that we agree to disagree, and that you try to keep an open mind about what I need to talk to you about."
Emily looked at Lorelai who continued to sit there listening. When Emily continued to stare at her, Lorelai asked, "Oh, am I suppose to answer now?" Emily nodded. "Sure mom, for the sake of discussion, I will concede that you are all things you said you are, and will try to hear you out with an open mind."
Emily shook her head at Lorelai's sarcasm, but continued, "Well good, because I want you to understand that I only did what I did because I felt I had to try to protect you." Lorelai started to respond, but Emily again cut her off, "I know that you don't need protecting, but you're my daughter, and it comes natural."
Lorelai nodded, and said, "Okay, I also concede that you only do those things that drive me crazy, because its' your own bizarre way of showing that you love me."
"And, I'm sure that the same can be said for you," Emily teased.
Lorelai nodded and said, "Got it. So tell me what's this terrible thing you've done, now?"
Emily sighed and said, "Alright, just remember that you promised to keep an open mind." When Lorelai nodded in reply, Emily continued, "Okay, something happened a couple of weekends ago when I was meeting some friends in New Haven do discuss plans for an upcoming fundraiser. Well I wasn't sure how to proceed so I contacted our attorney who put me in contact with some people who could help me."
"I'm lost mom. What people? Did you need a new will?" Lorelai asked.
Emily sighed as she reached down and pulled a large brown envelope, about 1/4th of an inch thick, out of her purse. She sat the envelope between them and said, "I hired a private detective to check out your friend, Colin."
Lorelai shot out of her chair, her voice immediately rising in pitch. "You what!? Mom, how could you. I don't care how good a judge of people you think you are, that gives you no right to go prying into my private life." Emily sat quietly as if she expected this reaction from Lorelai. "God, mom, I cannot believe you stooped this low, this is an all time low, even for you." Lorelai began to pace as she put her hands to her temples and said, "I don't care how much you think you have a maternal responsibility to try and protect me, you had no right to do that. I can't imagine how you could begin to justify having Colin spied on. I can't imagine what possible reason your twisted brain could you have come up with that allowed you to justify something like that."
Emily looked at Lorelai calmly, and as she pushed the envelope towards her daughter said, "I think once you read this report, you'll understand."
Lorelai looked at the envelope as if it would bite her if she got to close. She pointed at it and declared, "I will not look at that. I don't have to, because I'm sure all it says is that Colin once got a parking ticket, and one time he was late with the car payment."
"I assure you Lorelai, what I found out is much more serious than a couple of parking tickets."
"Well, then tell me what this deep dark secret is. I can't wait to hear what you found."
Emily looked at her daughter saddened by the pain she had already inflicted on her today, but knowing it was only going to get worse. Emily took a deep breath, then in an even voice replied, "I found out he is married."
The angry expression held on Lorelai's face for a moment, before it shifted to incomprehension. "You…" Her expression shifted to denial, "No…"
Understanding started to settle onto Lorelai's face. She blinked back tears as one hand covered her mouth. The other hand reached out to grab the chair, to help her stay on her legs that had suddenly become unsteady. Lorelai lowered herself into the chair across from where her mother still sat. Still trying to hold onto a hope that she had misunderstood, she looked at her mother, and said as if she was pleading for it not to be true, "What?"
Emily looked at her daughter sympathetically and replied, "I said, that Colin Fletcher has been married for thirteen years and has two children."
Lorelai felt the tears start to run down her cheeks, she shook her head, and said, "No. There must be some mistake. You've got the wrong man."
"Believe me, Lorelai, I had hopped the same thing," Emily apologized, "but, I think if you just look at this report, you'll see that its' true."
Lorelai stared at the envelope for a long moment. Eventually with an unsteady hand, she slowly reached out and took the envelope. With the fervor of someone climbing the gallows steps, she opened it and pulled out a stack of reports, and photographs.
As Lorelai began to examine the papers, Emily looked around for something to do. Eventually her eyes lit on the coffee pot. She stood up and poured them both a cup of coffee.
by
javakamp
Chapter 20: The Gilmore Report.
Late Saturday morning, a bored Lorelai was sitting on the couch surfing the channels on TV when someone began knocking on the front door. Lorelai turned off the TV and stood up. As she neared the door, the caller knocked again.
"Coming," called Lorelai. A few seconds later when she opened the door, she was surprised to see her mother standing there with a somber expression. After a second, she found her voice and said, "Mom. Hi."
"Lorelai," Emily nodded.
"What are you doing here?"
"I have something I needed to talk with you about." When Lorelai only replied with silence, Emily asked, "Could I come in?"
Emily's request shook Lorelai out of her daze. "I'm sorry mom. Of course come on in."
Lorelai stepped out of the way, allowing her mother to enter the house. Emily removed her coat, which Lorelai took and hung on the coat rack
"I was just about to fix some coffee. Would you like some?"
"That'd be nice." Emily followed Lorelai into the kitchen, asking, "Where's Rory?"
"She's with, Lane." Lorelai picked up the coffee pot, stepped across the kitchen and began to fill it with water. "So what brings you out here?"
"So I can't just drop in on my daughter for no reason?" Emily said without much conviction.
Lorelai shut off the water, and stared at her mother. "Well, mom, its' not that you can't, but you never have in the past."
Emily shrugged off Lorelai's question with one of her own, "How long will, Rory be gone."
Lorelai filled the coffeemaker with the water, and then started to put in the coffee, as she answered, "Probably not for a couple of hours. Sorry you missed her."
Emily shook her head and said, "No, that's fine." She sat at the kitchen table, as she said under her breath, it probably makes this easier."
After the coffee had started to brew, Lorelai moved to the kitchen table, sat down across from Emily, and asked, "So what's up mom?"
Emily started to speak, but before the words came out she nervously stood and began to pace across the kitchen, "Lorelai I have something to tell you. Something that you will not enjoy hearing, and will most likely make you hate me for it."
Lorelai stared at the mother for a moment, before she sat up and said, "Oh, my god. Has something happened to dad?"
"What? No, he's fine."
"Gran?"
"No, Lorelai, its' nothing like that."
Looking slightly relieved Lorelai sat back and asked, "Then what mom?"
"Before I tell you what I came to talk about with you I'd like to say something, and I'd like you to promise not to interrupt. "
Feeling as if she was being setup, Lorelai reluctantly said, "Okay."
Emily plunged ahead, "I know that you feel me overbearing, controlling, and manipulating, but its' only because I feel that people should behave a certain way, that's the way I was brought up, and the way that I believed that my children should be brought up."
Lorelai started to speak, but Emily interrupted, "I know that you don't agree and feel that I am a monster, and that nine times out of ten, my views, or opinions are just wrong." Emily glanced at Lorelai who nodded in response. "We've had those arguments many times in the past, and I'm sure that we will again in the future. But what I ask now is that we agree to disagree, and that you try to keep an open mind about what I need to talk to you about."
Emily looked at Lorelai who continued to sit there listening. When Emily continued to stare at her, Lorelai asked, "Oh, am I suppose to answer now?" Emily nodded. "Sure mom, for the sake of discussion, I will concede that you are all things you said you are, and will try to hear you out with an open mind."
Emily shook her head at Lorelai's sarcasm, but continued, "Well good, because I want you to understand that I only did what I did because I felt I had to try to protect you." Lorelai started to respond, but Emily again cut her off, "I know that you don't need protecting, but you're my daughter, and it comes natural."
Lorelai nodded, and said, "Okay, I also concede that you only do those things that drive me crazy, because its' your own bizarre way of showing that you love me."
"And, I'm sure that the same can be said for you," Emily teased.
Lorelai nodded and said, "Got it. So tell me what's this terrible thing you've done, now?"
Emily sighed and said, "Alright, just remember that you promised to keep an open mind." When Lorelai nodded in reply, Emily continued, "Okay, something happened a couple of weekends ago when I was meeting some friends in New Haven do discuss plans for an upcoming fundraiser. Well I wasn't sure how to proceed so I contacted our attorney who put me in contact with some people who could help me."
"I'm lost mom. What people? Did you need a new will?" Lorelai asked.
Emily sighed as she reached down and pulled a large brown envelope, about 1/4th of an inch thick, out of her purse. She sat the envelope between them and said, "I hired a private detective to check out your friend, Colin."
Lorelai shot out of her chair, her voice immediately rising in pitch. "You what!? Mom, how could you. I don't care how good a judge of people you think you are, that gives you no right to go prying into my private life." Emily sat quietly as if she expected this reaction from Lorelai. "God, mom, I cannot believe you stooped this low, this is an all time low, even for you." Lorelai began to pace as she put her hands to her temples and said, "I don't care how much you think you have a maternal responsibility to try and protect me, you had no right to do that. I can't imagine how you could begin to justify having Colin spied on. I can't imagine what possible reason your twisted brain could you have come up with that allowed you to justify something like that."
Emily looked at Lorelai calmly, and as she pushed the envelope towards her daughter said, "I think once you read this report, you'll understand."
Lorelai looked at the envelope as if it would bite her if she got to close. She pointed at it and declared, "I will not look at that. I don't have to, because I'm sure all it says is that Colin once got a parking ticket, and one time he was late with the car payment."
"I assure you Lorelai, what I found out is much more serious than a couple of parking tickets."
"Well, then tell me what this deep dark secret is. I can't wait to hear what you found."
Emily looked at her daughter saddened by the pain she had already inflicted on her today, but knowing it was only going to get worse. Emily took a deep breath, then in an even voice replied, "I found out he is married."
The angry expression held on Lorelai's face for a moment, before it shifted to incomprehension. "You…" Her expression shifted to denial, "No…"
Understanding started to settle onto Lorelai's face. She blinked back tears as one hand covered her mouth. The other hand reached out to grab the chair, to help her stay on her legs that had suddenly become unsteady. Lorelai lowered herself into the chair across from where her mother still sat. Still trying to hold onto a hope that she had misunderstood, she looked at her mother, and said as if she was pleading for it not to be true, "What?"
Emily looked at her daughter sympathetically and replied, "I said, that Colin Fletcher has been married for thirteen years and has two children."
Lorelai felt the tears start to run down her cheeks, she shook her head, and said, "No. There must be some mistake. You've got the wrong man."
"Believe me, Lorelai, I had hopped the same thing," Emily apologized, "but, I think if you just look at this report, you'll see that its' true."
Lorelai stared at the envelope for a long moment. Eventually with an unsteady hand, she slowly reached out and took the envelope. With the fervor of someone climbing the gallows steps, she opened it and pulled out a stack of reports, and photographs.
As Lorelai began to examine the papers, Emily looked around for something to do. Eventually her eyes lit on the coffee pot. She stood up and poured them both a cup of coffee.
