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: Thanks for all the reviews. I appreciate them so much. I am glad you all like this story. Like my stories in the past, this one took on a life of its own. Thanks again for the reviews and I hope you enjoy the next installment.
"Ladies and Gentlemen we are making our final descent into Paris. Please make sure your tray tables are in an upright position and your seatbelts are securely fashioned," the flight attendant said and then repeated it in French. I looked over at Richard—he was holding tightly to the arms of his seat with his eyes closed and was humming a Bach concerto. I smiled slightly to myself. My husband had so few neurotic behaviors compared to my own, but for some reason landing at the airport in Paris had always been one of them. He had flown on business trip after business trip. He was the last person in the world to be afraid of flying, but for some reason landing in Paris simply scared the daylights out of him. It was as if he expected to get blown up by French terrorists or something. I reached over and placed a reassuring hand on his. He smiled slightly at me and then went back to humming. Finally, the wheels touched down and we came to a stop.
"It's all over Richard," I said. "We've landed."
He opened his eyes and slowly stood up taking our bags. "Is Hope meeting us?" he asked as if nothing had happened.
"Yes," I replied.
"Good—I hate this airport. The sooner we get out of it the better," he grumbled.
For some reason my husband had always hated the Paris airport too. I reasoned that if he could put up with my craziness for so long, I could put up with his dislike of the Paris air system—for whatever reason.
His soured mood seemed to lighten when we walked through customs and out to the main foyer. There was a brilliant tree in the middle with twinkling white lights all around it. It was beautiful. And what was even more beautiful was the sight of a woman, who is thinner than me and younger than me but who still has my same eyes in white furs making her way towards us. I hadn't realized until this minute how much I missed her.
"Hope!" I called out and she turned towards us, and I could see in her eyes that like me, she wanted to jump up and down and scream with excitement—but neither of us could ever do that—at least in public. Instead we both hugged each other tightly and when we broke the hug, Richard leaned down and gave Hope a peck on the cheek.
"It's so wonderful to see you both!" she said and I noticed how her Parisian accent was getting thicker over time.
"It's wonderful to see you too Darling," I said bringing my hand up to her cheek. "I've missed you so much,"
"Oh, I've missed you too!" she said.
"Alright Girls—enough of the maudlin stuff," Richard said. "Let's get our luggage and get going,"
Hope laughed—oh I've missed that laugh! I shot her a look that said, "What am I going to do with him," and we both put our arms around each other and headed towards the baggage claim.
A half hour later we were on our way to Hope's house. It was snowing and it was just beautiful. Hope and I sat in the back of the taxi chattering away while Richard sat up front with the driver. My spirits had been lifted immensely since seeing Hopie, and we couldn't stop talking about Richard and George, Lorelai, Rory, Alicia, and their daughter and son Sophie and Robert. Richard seemed to be a different story. I looked over at him once in a while and saw him staring blankly out the window. It wasn't just landing in Paris, it wasn't just the airport, I realized. It was the whole city. He just didn't like Paris and that seemed so odd to me. Now that I thought about it, I realized that the only reason why we ever came to Paris was to visit Hopie, and Richard had always been distant when we came here. It was strange, but I had too much on my mind now. I was actually excited that we had come. We would be in Paris for two days, and there was so much to do. Christmas shopping with Hopie was going to be a ball. We had chatted so long that I didn't realize that we had pulled up to the house. The servants came out and took our luggage and I was amazed to recognize some from the last time I was here. My sister had a much higher tolerance for maids than I did.
The house was beautifully decorated in purple and silver. The tree stood tall in the front room with silvery lights and purple balls. Silver branches with crystals that looked like icicles were gathered with large purple velvet ribbons hanging at different places all over the house. It was gorgeous. Hopie was always one for decorating. She took off her wraps and I got a good look at her. She was skinnier than the last time I saw her, and the dark-honey colored hair that she always had up in the fashionable twist was begging to show more than a few gray hairs. She had always been the more June Cleaverish of the two of us, more domesticated than I was by far but still in her heels and pearls like always.
"Your room is all ready for you," she said, directing the servants with a wave of her hand. "Would you like to take a nap?"
"That would be nice," I said. "Do you and George have plans for tonight?"
"Yes, we're going to the church benefit choir concert. Would you like to come along?"
I glanced at Richard and he nodded, "Sure, we'll come along," he said and then put a hand on my back to lead me to the room. That was probably what his problem was. Poor dear was probably so tired. We got to the room and he sat down on the bed and started to take off his shoes.
"You okay?" I asked.
He chuckled, "That's a little role-reversal," he said softly.
I smiled, knelt down on the bed behind him, and began to massage his shoulders.
"Oh, I'll give you about three years to stop that," he said, relaxing into my massage. After about fifteen minutes, I stopped and knelt down in front of him.
"Richard, I know these last few weeks haven't been easy on you. I'm sorry," I said bringing my hand up to caress his cheek. He turned his face into my hand and kissed it. Then, he brought his big hand up to my cheek and ran his fingers through my hair.
"Emily Gilmore," he said tenderly, "Do you have any concept of how much I love you?"
My insides turned to melted butter and before his lips reached mine I whispered, "I love you too Richard." And then his lips touched mine and even after forty years of marriage, he still sent shivers through my body. The kiss lasted for a few glorious minutes, and then we broke it, needing to come up for air.
"Let's get some sleep," he said and we both lay down on the bed, his strong arms wrapped around me and my head resting on his chest.
I felt so safe and protected resting in my beloved's arms. My sister was downstairs and we were going to have fun together over the next few days and when we got home, there was Christmas to look forward to. Things were okay, things were more than okay—they were perfect.
Too perfect I guess, for once again I was to wake up fifteen minutes later sobbing for my lost baby girl on Richard's shoulder. Thankfully no one but Richard had heard me. That made the ninth time the dream had come in the past month.
"Shh," Richard cooed softly, his gentle hands petting my head. "It's alright. Everything is fine. Everything is alright."
I hung on to a piece of his shirt, and put my head against his chest trying desperately to regain sanity before anybody heard me.
"Can we call Lorelai?" I asked, my voice shaking. "I need to hear her voice," Without letting go of me, Richard reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out the cell.
"Hi, it's Dad," he said after we heard Lorelai's voice on the other line. "Yes, we got here alright. Aunt Hope and Uncle George are taking us to a church benefit concert. Lorelai—your mother needs to talk to you," he said and then still keeping his protective arms around me, he handed the phone to me.
"Hi," I said, trying desperately to sound in control. "How are you? Aunt Hopie sends her love. Yes, I'll tell her. Yeah, I'm just fine. I'm just tired that's all. Okay, have a good day at work Dear," I bit my lower lip as she said the words I have heard so little. "I love you too Lorelai," I said and then hung up the phone. I leaned into Richard for one more minute and then stood up, wanting to clean up before the benefit concert so that no one would see my tears.
The hall was beautiful. There was a beautiful Christmas tree in the foyer and a crystal chandelier that hung down added even more light. There was a group of old fashioned dressed carolers singing Christmas carolers along with a string quartet right before we walked in. It was so beautiful that I had forgotten all about my dream a few hours ago. It was so fun to be with Hopie and George, and to be on Richard's arm. We walked into the benefit hall and waited for the concert to start.
It was a magnificent concert. Three local symphonies played, and numerous boys choirs and combined children's choirs sang. One group came out dressed like angels and sang "Angels we have heard on high." There was one little girl with dark hair and dark eyes that sang the "glorias" on one verse as a solo. That was a trip back in time, and evidently Richard was coming with me as well, because he glanced over at me and chuckled ever so slightly.
"Mommy! Mommy!" the front door slammed with a vengeance and my seven year old came running in dropping her book bag with a clatter and throwing off her jacket. Two years ago when she first started school, an entrance like that would have caused me to have a heart attack, but now I was used to it—sort of.
"Lorelai Gilmore, what in Heaven's name is the matter with you?" I said coming in to see her panting as if she was the one having a heart attack. "Why can't you come in the door like a civilized young lady and put your book bag away like all the normal little boys and girls do?"
My words went unheeded—naturally. "Mommy, guess what, guess what?" she yelled as soon as she had enough breath to talk.
"What?" I asked,
"I get to be in the nativity scene at the church benefit concert! I'm going to be an angel! I get to sing a solo!"
Suddenly I forgot about slammed doors and dropped book bags and was burning with pride. My little angel was going to be an angel in the nativity! And sing a solo! Wasn't Amanda Charles going to be green with envy!
"That's wonderful Sweetheart!" I said hugging her to me.
One month and three nights later, I was a nervous wreck. "Lorelai...Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, would you stay in one spot for just a moment!" I said—or at least mumbled with twelve hairpins in my mouth. It was the night of the benefit concert and I was following her around trying to pin her hair partially up and then pin her halo on her. She was too busy between flying around "practicing her wings" as she called it and sword fighting with Christopher Hayden using the Shepard's canes. Finally I caught her by the arm and took her to a mirror.
"Is Daddy coming?" she asked as soon as I had her on the chair. "Yes, I'm sure he'll be here," I lied, hoping against all hope that Richard wouldn't prove me wrong.
"Do you know the lines to your solo?" I asked.
"Yes Mommy—Far far away on Judea's Plains, Shepard's of old heard they're glorus strains, Glory to God, Glory to God, Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth good will to men, Peace on earth, good will to men," she sang out loudly.
"Very good Sweetheart," I said smiling. "Maybe just a little softer."
"Okay Mommy," she said and then as soon I had put the halo on, she jumped off the chair and ran towards her Sunday school teacher anxious to sing her song to her.
"Good luck!" I called. She ran back, holding on to the bottom of her angel gown and bent down to meet her. She threw her arms around me and kissed me on the cheek.
"Don't forget to clap Mommy!" she called out as she ran towards her teacher.
I went down to my seat, and put my purse on the next seat for Richard. Please Richard—please make it in time. There had been so many of Lorelai's things he had missed. This was so important to her. Finally, about five minutes after the show started, and the church choir had sang a very off-key Joy to the World, Richard hurried in and sat next to me. We were very bored through the concert, it wasn't a fancy affair, just something the local church was putting on. Finally, the nativity came and the Sunday School teacher came out and read the story from the bible as the children acted out their parts. Mary and Joseph came in, riding on a make-shift donkey, and then the Shepard's walked in, Christopher's towel wrap on his head was crooked—Lorelai and he must have been doing some sword fighting before curtain. Finally, there she was, a satellite shining on her. She smiled broadly down at us and we smiled encouraging smiles at her.
"Fear not!" she said loudly, "For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people."
She was perfect!
Then, the piano started her introduction and I crossed my fingers. Please, please, let this go well.
"Far Far Away on Judea's plains, Shepard's of old heard their glorious strains. Glory to God. Glory to God..." Then she stopped. She had a blank stare on her face and my heart jumped into my throat. The pianist stopped and I could see she was trying to mouth the words to Lorelai who wasn't getting it. She looked towards us and we nodded encouragingly. Suddenly, she got a big smile on her face and I could breathe again, She remembered.
"Far Far Away on Judea's plains," she sang out louder, starting over again. The piano player looked confused but started over with her. "Shepard's of old heard their glorious strains," I motioned to her with my hands to sing softer, it didn't work. "Glory to God, Glory to God. Heigh ho, the dairy oh, Glory to God!" she finished and the audience cracked up. She was looking very pleased with herself. Richard and I just sat there, sinking into our seats as the Sunday School teacher led her off the stage.
"I forgot my lines," she said on the way home. "That is no excuse," I said slowly trying to keep my control. "You should have learned your lines, and if you had to forget your lines, you shouldn't have broke into Farmer in the Dell."
"The audience liked it," she said with a half smile.
"Lorelai," Richard said, swallowing hard to keep from laughing himself. "Your mother is right. That was very immature."
"Well, I liked it," she muttered as we walked into the house. We walked her to her room and kissed her goodnight. "It was a good program," we both said simultaneously.
"Thanks," she said and turned into her room. We walked into our room and shut the door where we could hold it in no longer, we both collapsed on our bed laughing.
The benefit concert was lovely, and afterwards we went for some late drinks. Richard and I were exhausted when we got to our room, having not slept earlier really because of my visit to the park. Truth be told I was a little nervous to go to sleep. Richard seemed to sense my feelings. "I'll be right here Emily. I'll be right here the whole night," I nodded and leaned into him. We changed into our pajamas and climbed into bed. Again, I went into his protective embrace and it took only minutes before I was asleep.
I did wake up hours later—but it was not because of the dream. It was because I heard a sound, a sound I have only heard a few times in the forty years I've been married to him. Richard was crying—Richard was sobbing. He was turned away from me, towards the window and his big shoulders were shaking.
"Darling, Darling, what is it? What's wrong?" I said, turning him back towards me. He seemed embarrassed that I had caught him. Were the dreams coming to both of us now? It didn't look like he had slept at all though.
"Richard, Darling—tell me what's wrong,"
He looked up at me and said in a shaky voice, "Promise me that you won't ever leave me."
Where in Heaven's name was this coming from?
I took his head in my hands and looked into his eyes. "I won't leave you Richard, I won't leave you ever." He broke down again and I cradled his head against my heart.
"I won't leave you." I said again.