Three

In Memoriam

Dark clouds loomed over the Gilmore mansion the next morning, November seventh. It was a Thursday, two weeks since Richard's death. Today he was being laid to rest. Walking up to her parents' home, Lorelai was somber. This was one of those days she always knew would come, but was never ready for. As much as the relationship she shared with her parents was strained, she had admired her father from a very young age. He was a very strong man, and she knew that he worked tirelessly to support her and her family.

Lorelai walked up to her parents' door. This was one of those days she always knew would happen, but was scared to face. Emily opened the door somberly. "Hello, everyone. Please come in,"

The Gilmore-Danes family entered the mansion, and for the first time since Richard's death, it was filled with people. People Richard knew from all sorts of places: his business partners, his golf buddies, even a few of his college classmates were in attendance. Luke, Lorelai, and Rory attempted to make chatter with them all, but secretly hoped they could just get to the service without much fuss.

After the brief cocktail social, the funeral gatherers headed to the church for the service. The old church was decorated with many pictures of Richard and some of the things he used most often, like his golf clubs, a few books, and some of his ties.

Lorelai and Luke, as well as Emily and Rory, were allowed to sit in the front rows of the church pews due to being Richard's closest family. After it was made sure that everyone was seated and in the right place, it was time for Emily to give the eulogy. She stood slowly and walked to the speaking podium, arranging her note papers carefully. With a deep breath, she began to speak.

"Hello and welcome, everyone. I'd like to thank you all for coming. Many of you know me, but for those that don't, I am Emily Gilmore, and I was blessed to be Richard's wife for the past sixty three years. I can say with a hundred percent certainty those were the best years of my life. We certainly had our ups and downs, even a short separation, but no matter what, something always led us back to each other in the end, and that was love," Emily started. She took a look at her note papers and continued. "Richard and I met when we twenty, in college, at a Yale party. He often said that he, 'loved me from first glance that night,' and knew we were going to get married, even though he was engaged to another women at the time. We started dating three months later, were engaged six months after, and were married two years later. Then, when I was twenty six, we had our beautiful Lorelai Victoria. We were in over our heads a bit with her when she was young, as she would act out and spill things on the beautiful clothes I had made for her. She's a little spitfire, but we love her," Emily glanced at Lorelai, who now had her arm around Rory.

"Richard was the hardest worker I ever knew. His businesses were his life, and there were many moments in our marriage where it was obvious he needed rest, but he would press on even through to the early morning to make sure a project was done or a correspondence with a partner was handled. Still, he found time for his hobbies, taking great pleasure in a good golf match or reading a good book. I will miss him every day of my life going forward, but I know he's in the best place now," Emily was now visibly emotional, and she stepped away from the podium and took her seat with her daughter, granddaughter, and son in law. Lorelai shifted closer to her and gave her a quick hug, before standing and walking to the podium to give her own remarks.

"Hello, everyone, I am Richard's daughter, Lorelai, and I am so glad you all could make it here today to be with us as we celebrate and honor the man that was my father. Even though our relationship was strained, he did his best to make me a priority and make me feel special in all the ways he knew how. He used to take me with him to the golf course and I'd get to drink a smoothie while he golfed and we talked, or he would take me with him to his office and I would draw him pictures while he had calls and projects," Lorelai recounted. "It wasn't huge lavish gestures, but small things that helped me know that I mattered to him, that meant the most," she smiled, looking up at the ceiling quickly. She hoped that somehow, some way, her dad was hearing her.

"When I had my daughter at 16, I remember not wanting my parents to be involved in her and my life much due to the tumultuous relationship I shared with them, but I soon realized that was a selfish way of thinking and allowed them to see her on holidays. Even though they were disappointed in me for getting pregnant so young, they loved her so much. And now, they're helping her achieve her dreams,"

'On the day my dad died, he told me that he was proud of the woman that I had become. For those of you that knew him, you know he wasn't the type to say those kinds of things often. That was the last thing he ever said to me, and he slipped away just over thirty minutes from that moment after falling peacefully asleep, holding my mother's hand.. No death is pretty, but my dad was the most dignified man I knew, and I like to think the way he died was the final way he wanted to show that. I will miss him so much," Lorelai thanked the audience and returned to her seat.

Rory was the last one to give remarks. She was nervous, and her hands were shaking as she went to the podium. She wasn't sure that she wanted to talk in front of so many people, but knew she would regret it later if she didn't.

"Mom," she mouthed once up at the podium. "I don't know if I can do this,"

Lorelai caught her gaze. "You got this, babe. I love you,"

Rory cleared her throat and looked down at her notes before beginning, "Hi, I'm Rory, Richard's one and only granddaughter. Grandpa was someone I looked up to from a very young age. I knew he was smart, and I knew I wanted to be smart, too. So I would ask him about the books he was reading and he would tell me about them in the easiest words he could, or, more recently, we would talk current events at our weekly Friday night dinners. That is one of the things I will miss the most,

"I would like to thank my grandparents for helping me achieve things I could never do alone, and for always being there for me the best they could. I love you both so much," Rory ended her short speech and returned to the pews, relieved it was over. Lorelai hugged her.

"I'm so proud of you," Lorelai said. "I know that wasn't easy,"

After Richard's graveside service and a dinner out with the guests, Lorelai, Luke, and Rory returned to the house. Rory was once again preparing to go bed, since she had had a long and tiring day. She had her phone in the bathroom with her and was listening to music while she was washing her face. Suddenly, it lit up with a text. She dried her face, and picked her phone up to read the message.

"Hey, Ace," the text read. "It's Logan,"

Rory gasped. She hadn't heard from Logan for about four years, when he sent her a birthday message for her twentieth. She texted back quickly, "Hey! Nice to hear from you- what's up?"

Logan responded, "Well, I'm in Connecticut for a while visiting, and I was wondering if you wanted to meet up for lunch,"

Rory thought to herself. Many years ago, she would've flinched at the thought of an ex wanting to see her again, but Logan was someone she really did love. She texted, "Sure, but please, not at Luke's. I don't want the whole town to know."

A few seconds later, Logan sent one final message. "I totally understand that. We'll meet at the Italian place in Hartford, that's far enough away. Meet me there at one tomorrow,"

Rory texted her agreement and then walked out of the bathroom. She lied down on her bed and turned off the bedside light after shouting goodnight to her mother. She had to get her beauty sleep, tomorrow was a big day.