A Thanksgiving dinner at Lorelia's home where all four Gilmores, Luke and April, Sookie and Jackson are present. Somebody brings up the topic of a baby's first steps and one story leads to another until Sookie asks…
"Do you remember Lorelia's first steps Mrs. Gilmore?" Sookie asked innocently.
"Of course she doesn't"
"Of course I do"
Lorelia and Emily said at the same time. Lorelia looked at Emily in surprise and seemed disconcerted. Emily saw the look and in her annoyance began the tale a little more eagerly then usual.
"Lorelia was rather late at learning to walk. Her head was a little too big for her body as a child and it affected her balance a little."
"Great," Lorelia murmured annoyed at her mother's obvious pleasure and everyone else's rapt attention.
"Well one time when Lorelia was about 18 months old her grandmother requested our presence in London for some event or another. We were going to take Lorelia with us, but her grandmother forbid us to take her. She said it was very unhealthy for such a young child to rise to such high altitudes." With this last sentence Emily's voice rose in a high pitched mocking tone.
"I remember that" Richard entered the conversation suddenly and quite enthusiastically. "It was the first time Emily had ever left Lorelia for more than a couple of hours. She was a wreck. She called the nanny every hour while we were gone."
"Oh, Richard" Emily tried to stop him. "I did not call every hour."
"Oh yes you did." Richard continued totally nonplused by his wife's discomfort. "Yes, she did. When we finally got back Emily ran up to Lorelia's room, not even stopping to take off her coat."
"I did not run" Emily tried to intercede again.
"You ran" Richard declared. "She ran. When she got up to the room, the nanny put her down on the floor. The look on Lorelia's face…" Richard sighed in remembrance. "It changed to pure joy when she saw Emily. She got so excited. Without even thinking about it, Lorelia started walking towards Emily. She got halfway there before realizing what she was doing and fell onto her face." Richard chuckled then sighed again. "I'll never forget the look on her face when she saw Emily." He looked at his wife and daughter who were staring intently at their peas. "Well," He said huskily.
"Well," Emily echoed. "I'll go get some more bread." She got up and left the room. After a moment of silence, Rory began a conversation about the benefits of frying meat instead of boiling it, which Luke and Sookie vehemently entered into. Lorelia looked at her father who was watching Rory in bewilderment and awe and then slipped out of the room. All participants at the table noticed and perked their ears to listen while pretending not to notice.
In the Kitchen Emily was standing by the counter with a loaf of untouched bread in front of her.
"Mom?" with Lorelia's entrance Emily suddenly got busy.
"Mom?" she tried again.
"Yes?"
"Did you really call every hour?"
Emily closed her eyes and nodded.
"Why?"
"Why?" Emily turned around. "You were my daughter, you were a baby. I was responsible for you and I was leaving you."
"Oh, so it was only out of sense of responsibility that you called?"
"Yes, no, what difference does it make?" Emily asked agitated.
"It makes a lot of difference mom. I grew up feeling that my mother took care of me out of responsibility and duty." Lorelia paused for a moment trying not to cry. She couldn't believe she was saying this especially to her mother. "For the first time in my life I heard a story that showed you acting in a way that seemed to be more than responsibility. Was it mom; was it only out of duty?" Her last words were barely audible.
Emily looked briefly at her daughter and quietly said her name. She couldn't say anything else. Lorelia looked up at her mother and sighed.
"Forget it." She was about to walk out when her mother's quiet words stopped her.
"I did it out of love."
Lorelia was so shocked she couldn't turn around.
"Lorelia, you're my daughter, my baby girl. I was never told; no one ever told me how much you could love a little baby." Emily paused for a moment to collect herself. "I was taught to be responsible not to be loving. I love you so much it scares me Lorelia. I know it sounds silly but…" Emily couldn't continue. Lorelia was crying, she couldn't believe her ears. Emily wanted to go to her daughter and hold her as she had done when Lorelia was a very small girl but she didn't. She couldn't remember how.
"I know we haven't gotten along and you don't like me very much at times, but…" Emily paused again. "My intention in life is not to make you miserable Lorelia. I have only ever interfered in your life because I want to see you happy." Lorelia turned to her mother.
"I am happy mom."
"I know," Emily said quietly. "I see that now."
Lorelia smiled in amazement and wiping her tears started to walk out.
"But Lorelia, how can I make you happy?" Emily asked with almost pathetically. "You are happy because of Luke and Rory. How can I contribute to your happiness?"
Lorelia turned back around.
"You just did. What you just said made me happier then you'll ever know. Now let's go back in there because they'll begin to think we got attacked by the bread."
Emily's rolling of the eyes pressed Lorelia to continue.
"Oh, no or that we got captured by Peruvian Indians who took us captive mistaking us for bread."
"Take this inside Lorelia" Emily said patiently holding out the bread. Lorelia smiled took the bread and walked inside continuing to talk about Peruvian Indians as she walked with Emily smiling behind her.