Authors Note: Thanks Riska, Lore2 and Liz for your reviews. They did motivate me, and don't worry, I'll finish this story. And thanks Riska for pointing out my mistake – by heart – I knew that, must have slipped my mind…

Chapter 32: Straub

The phone is ringing.

"Hello?"

"Emily?" a weak manly voice says.

"Christopher?"

"Yeah it's me. I just called to tell you that my father – he died."

So he really is dead now – well we were expecting it, but somehow these kind of things are always unexpected.

"I'm sorry Christopher. Are you at home?"

"Yes, me and Gigi are with Mom."

"How is Francine?"

"He was always so healthy - it caught her off guard, she's devastated."

That's typical Francine – she never was good in a crisis – and off guard, they knew he was diagnosed. But well I shouldn't be so harsh – she lost her husband. I don't know how I would react if…

"Please send her my condolences."

"I will."

"Well I don't think there's anything I can do right now, but if there is –"

"No, I just wanted you to know. Bye Emily."

"Bye."

Oh my – he sounded devastated, too. He never had a good relationship with his father – worse than Lorelai and me. What would Lorelai feel if I…? Stop that Emily. And what would I feel if Richard…? Didn't you listen – stop it. That's not leading to anything.

Better focus on what's to do now. First I've to call the florist to send them some flowers from Richard and me – Richard, I have to tell him. And the girls? Well of course they'll know. He must've called them right away.

I'm coming out of the kitchen, where I was to check on dinner – roast beef – and am about to go to Richard, before the girls arrive to tell him. Somehow I think I should tell him. Perhaps I'm still hoping that it will lead to some certain conversation, we just need to have some day. When I'm knocking at his door I can see the dog running around inside – I wonder what's up with it?

"Hello Emily – come in." he says and quickly closes the door.

"Richard. What on earth is up with that – "

But before I can finish that sentence and before Richard can prevent it, the dog runs towards me, starting to jump up and down next to my legs.

"Richard! Stop it – get her away!" I exclaim.

During that process my pantyhose gets ripped. Great!

"I'm sorry Emily. I just – Will you stop it, dog." he says while carrying her back to the fireplace.

"And now you'll sit here, understand? – I'm really sorry Emily – he's never done it before I don't know why - " he says while coming towards me again.

"Well it's not your fault."

I'm not here to argue, and well it isn't his fault.

"Were you in the kitchen?"

"Pardon me?"

"You smell like – roast beef?"

"I do?"

"A little – perhaps that's why he liked you so much."

"Could be."

I'm looking down – I have to get out of that pantyhose – it's getting worse. But going back… it's nearly six, I don't want him to find out from the girls.

"You know Emily you can use my bathroom – to take it off. I mean it's warm enough in here, you don't need to get another one immediately do you?"

He must have seen my look. Well he's right it's warm enough in here and he's seen my legs without one numerous times. But why doesn't he want me to leave? He doesn't know the news yet, does he?

"No, I'll be right back."

When I'm coming out the dog is a little active again.

"Honestly Emily – I don't know what got into him – perhaps he's used to be outside a little more?"

And why are you calling it him all the time – I thought you said it was a girl. Well unimportant – main thing is she calms down.

"Let me try Richard." I say while sitting next to the dog by the fireside.

After I've spoken a little with her, she calmed down.

"Well he likes you."

And again he. But well I've no time for this now.

"Seems so. - Richard I have to tell you something." I can't put it off any longer, the clock isn't standing. "Christopher called – Straub died."

"Oh."

"Yes. He called this afternoon. He was devastated."

"Well he and Straub –"

"Yes, I know. Francine isn't taking it very good either."

"That's nothing new."

We share a look – the same thoughts.

"Well I should get back to the house."

"Please stay a little Emily – you just got him quiet. I think he likes you being here."

I'm looking at him – the dog likes me being here? What about you Richard? Why can't you tell me what you really feel. Especially after just hearing of the death of a man similar to your age. But well I shouldn't judge, I'm not speaking my mind either.

"Well if the dog likes me to stay, I'll stay." I simply say.

"Thank you."

We're talking a little and I can't but feel that there's something going on between us – the way he looks at me, that he doesn't want me to leave. Perhaps that's his way of showing me, that Straub's death does have an effect on him. That I'm not unimportant to him. But then I shouldn't set my hopes up – that would only disappoint me.

After some time the girls are arriving. Robert is opening the door for them. After they've greeted Richard they spot me sitting by the fireplace (and the dog).

"Well, hello Mom."

"Hello, girls."

"Hi, Grandma."

"Just go about your drinks. I'm just here to sit with the dog."

After all splitting up Friday Night Dinner was my idea, and I don't want to interfere with it.

"Dog?" Lorelai asks.

"Oh, he's cute!" Rory chimes in.

"When did you get a dog?" Lorelai wants to know.

"She's not our dog." I explain.

"No less confused." Lorelai says.

"And, it's a he." Richard says.

"The dog?" I ask.

"The dog is a boy." he states.

Ah finally we're getting to it.

"I thought you said it was a girl."

"I got another peek. It was rolling around on its back and it was painfully obvious."

"They're so hairy down there."

"This one especially." he agrees with me.

"It's going from weird to weirder." Lorelai says while Rory smiles.

"The usual beverage for everybody?" Richard asks them.

"So he's not your dog?" Rory wants to know.

"It just showed up in our yard yesterday morning. We have no idea how it got here, where it came from. It has no tags." I continue to explain.

"It is a very big mystery, this dog." Richard finishes.

Well I should retreat from the conversation – this is his time with them.

"Oh, now I'm monopolizing things and I'm not even here. Please, go about your drinks." I say.

"No, no, I'm having Robert make one up for you as well." Richard says.

Well that's nice, but certainly not necessary.

"Are you sure? Because I'm not officially here." I say while looking at him.

"Absolutely." he affirms me.

Then Robert is handing Richard the drinks and he's handing one to me.

"Thank you, Richard."

"So how long are you going to keep him?" Rory wants to know.

"As long as it takes to find the owners." Richard answers.

"Richard had to miss a half day of work yesterday."

And again I spoke – why can't I be quiet?

"But Emily has agreed to write a note excusing my absence, so it should be okay." he jokes and we again share a look.

I'm not imagining this – there is something going on. But this is hardly the place with the girls present, and well we wouldn't speak about it openly anyway.

"Okay, now pretend I'm not here. You girls and I can chat later."

The three of them are leaving to sit around the table while I remain to sit with the dog.

"Okay. Well, um, Rory, oh my God, did I tell you about the horrendous thing that Mom did? She can be such a witch with a 'B'."

"Lorelai." I sigh.

"Oh, geez, Mom, I forgot you were there. My pretending is that good."

Oh my – why didn't I see that one coming. It was so obvious.

"We can't really pretend you're not here, Grandma."

"That's true, Emily. You have a presence that cannot be ignored."

What does that mean? Anyway, I can't remain quiet, so it's better I leave – he deserves to have the girls undivided attention.

"Oh well, fine. I can leave."

"No, no! The dog likes you there. Join in the conversation if you wish."

Again – the dog likes me there? And I'm allowed to join the conversation which is nice and I just have to hear what they're thinking about the news. Straub was awful to them the last time they met – at least I guess it was the last time.

"Well, I am curious to know when you girls got the bad news today."

"What bad news?" Lorelai asks.

Please Lorelai.

"Christopher's news."

"What about him?" Rory asks.

So they really have no clue what I'm talking about?

"You haven't heard?"

"Nothing." Rory answers.

"Lorelai?"

"Same here."

He didn't call Lorelai?

"Well, that's odd." Richard says.

"I would have thought he would have called them right away."

"One of them, at least." Richard agrees again with me.

"Guys, what news? You're making me nervous here." Lorelai demands to know.

"Straub died."

Okay from their looks I can assume that they hadn't the slightest clue.

"Christopher's father died?" Lorelai asks incredulously.

"This morning." I go on.

"Oh my God, how?" Lorelai wants to know.

Rory instead – I wonder if she really was so clueless – she's not saying anything. But then perhaps she just doesn't know what to think now. Straub was awful towards her.

"Well, he'd been sick." I start to explain to them.

"Very badly. He'd been diagnosed just a month ago, but it did already spread." Richard continues.

"He was the picture of health, so it caught poor Francine completely off guard. That poor woman." I finish.

"I can't believe Chris didn't tell us."

Me neither.

"He may not have been in any shape to think straight." Richard defends him.

"Did you check all your voicemails?" Lorelai wants to know from Rory.

"Yeah. Yeah, I did." Rory finally says.

She really is weird. And what's this voicemail thing anyway. You can't rely on machines – that's just wrong.

"It's terrible having more than one answering service. That's the way you miss things."

"Well, I mean, we should send something, right? For the funeral? Does he want us to go?"

Lorelai instead is speaking out loud everything that comes to her head – the opposite of Rory.

"He was very quiet on the phone, he was only good for the headlines." I tell them.

"Well, you can't blame him." Richard again defends him.

"He had a very tortured relationship with that man, but none of that matters at the end." I dare to say, but Lorelai ignores it.

"We should send him a card, or, or flowers."

"We should send flowers." Rory speaks up again.

"Everything sounds so lame."

"Well, whatever it is, send it to Francine. Christopher and the baby are staying with her until all of this is behind them. I'll give you the address before you go."

"We'll send something together, Emily?" Richard asks me.

How long do you know me, that you can't assume that I've already taken care of that.

"I've already signed your name to some flowers." I answer.

Suddenly the dog stands up – that caught me completely off guard, I'd forgotten he was here.

"Oh! He moved! Is it supposed to do that?" that's all I can say while standing up myself.

"Oh, Emily. Let me show you how he likes his blanket arranged. He's a bit picky." Richard says while coming towards me.

"I'd appreciate your help." I say regaining my composure.

"I think he's a little spoiled, but once you know what calms him down – like your voice – it's not that difficult".

Again we share a look.

"Well than maybe I should try to talk to him again?"

"Good idea."

While I'm speaking a little to the dog, Richard arranges the blanket. I can't stop thinking about how all it needs for us to behave civilized with each other is a little dog. He rolls up the corner of the blanket and starts to explain his doings - meanwhile I'm sitting again.

"See you have to do it like this - the bump acts as a kind of pillow."

"Very clever!"

Then he's looking suspiciously at my drink – what's up with that?

"There's a dog hair in your drink. I'll have Robert make you another one."

"Oh oh, that's okay."

That's okay? Why am I saying such things – I'd never drink it anymore. I'm behaving like a teenager who's just fallen in love and is saying all kinds of nonsense. Luckily he's not listening to me and is already taking my glass, what I don't fight.

"No, no, I insist. Robert, we need dog hair removal." he says while going towards him and getting another drink for me.

"Thank you Richard." I say when he's giving me my new glass.

I look at the clock – only a few minutes until dinner time. It's just not right, that I'm having drinks with them and that he's excluded from dinner.

"Richard do you want to come over with us to have dinner?"

I'm getting a surprised look.

"I mean I was here all the time, so it would only be fair." I continue.

"You don't have to do that Emily."

"I know that I don't have to, but I'm sure the girls wouldn't mind, would you?" I say looking at them.

"No we'd love for you to come Grandpa."

"See and we're always having enough. Of course if you don't have time –"

"I have – so when you're sure, I'd love to come. Oh but what about the dog?"

"Well can't Robert look after him?"

"Right."

"Good." I smile. "I'll better go over right now to arrange everything. See you soon."

With that I'm leaving three stunned people behind. I tell the maid (what's her name, Eliza, Elena… something with 'E' I think, well it doesn't matter) to get another plate before going upstairs to get another pantyhose. When I'm coming downstairs again, they're just coming in.

Dinner is nice – like nothing had happened. We're talking about our upcoming trip to New York – the atmosphere is really light. I can't but think that even Lorelai enjoys it a little. When they're leaving I'm having the feeling that Rory is hugging me a little extra long. Both are smiling when they're heading outside.

"Thank you Emily – that was a real nice move."

"Well you started it. And I think it's time that we move on. I mean we were married for nearly 40 years – it's ridiculous that we can't even spend a dinner together anymore."

"I agree."

"And I know that Rory loves it – she was awfully quiet when I told her Christopher's news – did you notice that?"

"Yes I did. Well he was awful towards her. It was definitely good for her to spend the evening as a family – she got livelier during dinner."

"Yes, that's true."

The maid is coming in and since Rory asked for her name I still know that it's Amy – well whatever, at least I was right in thinking that it started with a vowel.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you Mrs Gilmore, I just wanted to ask, if you still need me tonight."

"No – thank you Amy."

She nods and quietly leaves the room.

"Well it's past Robert's time – I should go. Goodnight Emily."

"Goodnight Richard."

Well it's true – we can talk without fighting – we just need a safe topic, like Rory or the dog. Perhaps we should get one for us, when this one has found its owner, which I hope isn't happening for some time. Since I've nothing to do downstairs tonight I'm going to bed a little early.

See we're heading towards reconciliation – please tell me what you like or don't like about this chapter.