Disclaimer: This is an original story based upon the characters of Gilmore Girls. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit will be made from this story.
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to give me feedback. I really appreciate it! By now, my story has kind of taken on a life of its own, but there is spoilerish flavorings, so the warning is in effect!
This is one of my favorite places. The whole tea room smells like roses and the tables are covered with crisp white linen tablecloths with lace embroidered on the bottom. The tea services are sterling silver and the pastries are absolutely divine.
"Mrs. Gilmore! What a pleasure to see you!" Viktor, the owner says in a European accent as he comes up to me. He takes my outstretched hand and kisses it. "It's nice to see you again Viktor," I reply smiling, "We'd like a table please." With an elegant sweep of his wrist he leads us to the table.
"Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you," he says pouring two steaming cups of tea and handing us a menu.
"This place is beautiful," Melissa says, examining the surroundings.
"Yes it is, I've always liked coming here," I reply, "So…tell me about yourself. I have heard of your mother, and I read in the paper about your husband's death but I've never heard anything about you."
She laughed lightly.
"You must not read much Emily—it feels like that's all I see in the papers anymore, "The Black Bates Widow."
"What?"
"The tabloids think I killed Charles off to try and get the money—even his family thinks I am some young broad out to get their money."
"That's terrible!"
"Well—that's the press. You probably know how cruel they can be,"
"Yeah—yeah I do"
"Well, you tell me about the real you," I say.
"Okay—well, I'm the oldest child and only daughter of the Ashworths of Boston. I married Charles Bates seven years ago—two days before my thirtieth birthday."
This is really weird—"I have a daughter about your age." I say.
"Really? What's her name?"
"Lorelai."
"Oh, that's lovely, is it a family name?"
"Yes, it was her grandmother's name."
"Your mother's?"
"No—my husband's. My mother's name was Victoria. It's Lorelai's middle name"
"Tell me about her…your daughter," she asks.
I inwardly cringe. I didn't want to get into Lorelai
"She's very successful, she owns an inn in Stars Hollow. Her daughter is a student at Yale right now—she's at the top of her class, and a reporter for the school paper."
"Very impressive" Melissa said smiling. Before she could ask about Lorelai's husband, I quickly turn it back over to her.
"Now…you were telling me about you," I prod.
"Not much else to tell…what do you want to know?"
"How did you meet Mr. Bates?" I asked. At that, a shadow seemed to creep over her face.
"He was a business associate of my fathers." She looks down at the floor for a moment and I could guess there was more to the story.
"Melissa…you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to," I say softly.
"No…it's okay. It's all over the papers anyway. I guess you could say I kind of had an arranged marriage. My parents wanted me to marry Charles. He was old enough to be my father, but was only fifty-five when we got married. No one expected him to die so soon. He had a heart attack."
"I'm so sorry," I say reaching out to place a comforting hand on her arm.
"Thank you, that's very sweet," she replies. She looks away for a moment—staring out the window.
"If I tell you something—will you think it's stupid?" she says, not turning away from the window.
"Mommy, if I tell you something—will you think it's stupid?" Lorelai asked lying on her bed.
"Certainly not" I replied, not looking up from my stichery. Richard was out of town on a business trip and Lorelai and I were spending an evening together in her room.
"I want to marry Chris Hayden," she said nonchalantly as if it were the most natural thing in the world. I put down my stitchery and come over to her, plopping down along side of her. I figured my seven year old picking out the man she wants to be with for the rest of her life, warrants my attention.
"So…you want to marry Christopher?" I said, trying not to make fun of her declaration.
"Yes…and he wants to marry me too. He told me so."
"Oh…really?"
"Yes. We're going to get married and live in a house next door."
"Next door?"
"Yes, to you and daddy. We're going to live next door forever." I smiled and kissed her on top of her head.
"Well, that is just fine by me Kiddo," I said. "Besides, you have a long time before you get married, a long time to do lots of wonderful things."
"Yes…I'll do lots of things…but then I'll get married to Chris and live next door and have a baby."
"A baby huh?"
"Yes"
"Boy or girl?"
"A girl"
"Oh, and what would you name this baby?" expecting some outlandish name—the kind seven year olds usually come up with when deciding what to name their children.
"Emily—I'll name her Emily"
"Emily? Emily are you alright?" Melissa's voice drew me out of my trance.
"I'm sorry Dear, please, tell me anything you'd like. I won't think it's stupid." She looks at me with some trepidation.
"I don't know why I'm telling you this, I mean; you shouldn't have to listen to the life story of someone you just met. I just feel so lost here. I don't belong in Hartford. I want to go home. But my parents say I have responsibilities now. I am a Bates—I have to behave like a Bates. But the truth is, I never wanted to get married to Charles. I never wanted to be a widow. Now I have this large estate and a large empty house. I don't know the first thing about running an estate! Emily…I've heard so much about you. I've heard how much you give to charities and how many boards you sit on! I want to be like that, I want to do good with my money. Can you teach me how?"
"Well Emily…hurry up, hurry up, I want to see my granddaughter before I go,"
"I'm sure she'll be right down Mom," I said quietly. Why did I have to have this old witch for a mother-in-law? Why couldn't my five year old have a normal grandma? One that wouldn't scare the living daylights out of her?
"Lorelai! Lorelai it is the height of rudeness to keep a elder waiting!" Lorelai's namesake called.
"Here she is Trix" Richard called proudly as Lorelai descended down the staircase. She was wearing a satin dress with the new mary jane shoes Richard's mother brought her. She was walking down the stairs slowly, and I could see she was going through every thing I had told her about how she should present herself in her mind. She was doing very well!
"Hello Gran, how do you do?" she said, curtsying—oh I wanted to pick her up and hug her—she was perfect!
"Very well thank you Lorelai," Gran said and then motioned her to the couch.
"Now, tell me, what grade are you in school?"
"Kindergarten"
"And what are you learning in kindergarten?"
"ABC's, shapes, numbers,"
"I see…and do you know how to add? Subtract?
"What?"
'Add and subtract numbers. All children your age should know that"
Red-alerts started sounding in my head. "Um…mom, Lorelai just started kinder.."
"What is eight plus seven?" she asked Lorelai abruptly cutting me off.
"Well?" she prodded when Lorelai looked at her dumbfounded.
"I don't know," she said helplessly.
"Four plus five…six plus eight…twelve take away eight," she rattled off, expecting a sharp quick answer.
"I don't know," Lorelai said again helpless. She looked at me and I made a move toward her, but was stopped by Richard's mothers glare.
"Well it's clear this child has more of your blood in her Emily. She is of less than average intelligence."
"Now Trix… that's not fair," Richard started in. His mother continued as if she didn't hear him.
"And what do you plan to do when grow up Lorelai? Where are you going to go to school? What will you do for an occupation?
"Mom…she's five," I cut in.
"Lorelai…what will you be when you grow up?" she continued without looking at me. I looked to Lorelai, hoping to give her some encouragement, but her eyes were resolute.
"I'm going to be Mommy," she said staring down Richard's mother. "I'm going to be like Mommy," My heart melts and before Richard's mother can pounce on her sweet response, I gather her in my arms.
"Time for bed, say goodnight to Gran." She says goodnight, and before Mom can say anything about how five-year-olds should not be carried, or how the nanny should be putting her to bed, I carry her out of the room. My sweet girl.
"Emily? Emily, my goodness are you alright?" Melissa calls. I shake my head as if to shake myself out of my mind fog.
"I'm so sorry. I guess I'm still feeling a trifle ill."
"Do you need to go home?" Melissa asks.
"Yes, yes I think I will," I say standing up.
"I hope I didn't offend you, saying all those things. I just…" she starts and I turn around and look at her.
"…needed a friend?" I finish for her. She looks at me and she looks as if she's about to cry.
"Yes…yes I do." I smile at her and put my hand over hers.
"Well…you've got one," I reply, "How would you like to do this every Wednesday? After the DAR meeting? And we can talk about managing the affairs of your estate and anything else you want to talk about."
She smiles delightedly. "I would love that. You know, I never could talk to my mother about anything. I really appreciate this."
Oh Life is strange…so very strange.
I look at this girl and see my daughter—the Lorelai that could have been. Prim, proper, wanting to go to tea with me, a DAR board member, all the characteristics of a lady—but one who was widowed at thirty-seven, with no friends and family to support her. My daughter spit on everything I wanted for her—the elegant lifestyle, but at least she followed her heart. As much as I despised the man—at least she was with someone she loved.
"Alright then…next Wednesday it is," I say smiling. We start walking towards the door.
"One more thing…" she says as we come to the cars.
"Yes Melissa?" I ask.
"Missie—you wanted to know the real me, well I'm Missie. But nobody's called me that in years."
"See you next Wednesday Missie" I say as I climb into my car.