Chapter 13

Surprising Emily Gilmore

Making her way around the room, Emily was still stunned as the various guests greeted her and wished her a very happy birthday. She couldn't believe that Lorelai and Richard had pulled this off. She had suspected nothing. Lorelai had been acting odd recently but that was to be expected. She'd never imagined it was because Lorelai was tricking her into planning her own birthday party.

"You've really outdone yourselves on this one," Douglas laughed, one arm around Natalie's waist, the other holding a glass of champagne.

"Yes, Emily, dear, your face was simply priceless," Natalie smiled.

"I just … I can't believe you led me on for so long about that ridiculous woman," Emily spoke to Lorelai, who was standing next to Natalie.

Lorelai just shrugged, spotting Rory as she walked towards them. Emily's back was to her but Richard caught the slight nod his daughter gave him. "I had no idea that this was the other surprise you were referring to earlier," Emily smiled at him.

"There are many things that you don't know," he spoke mysteriously as Emily looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Would you like a glass of champagne?" Rory asked, stepping next to her grandmother and holding a glass out to her.

"Why thank you, Rory," Emily commented automatically, taking the glass from her. It took a few seconds for her conscious and subconscious minds to collide. As the shock registered across her face, she turned to her granddaughter once again. "Rory!" she exclaimed.

"Hi, Grandma," Rory smiled sheepishly.

"You're here!" Emily grasped her champagne glass firmly as she encircled her granddaughter in her arms, hugging her tightly.

"Of course I'm here. You think I'd miss this party? The word on the campaign trail is that this is the party of the year," she teased.

"Oh Rory," Emily sighed, touching the side of her granddaughter's face.

"Happy Birthday, Grandma."

"I just … I don't know what to say to any of this," Emily stumbled, at a loss for words to describe her elation as she looked at the people before her.

Sliding his arm around her slim form, Richard squeezed her gently, kissing the side of her head. "The fact that you are actually speechless is worth it all."

Lorelai walked into the kitchen to find her Aunt perched on a stool and deep in conversation with Chef Andy as he worked on a sauce.

Hope looked to Lorelai as she came closer. "Do you know your chef spent time in the Peace Corps?"

"No, I did not," Lorelai replied glancing over the tall, sandy haired man. "Go Chef Andy."

Hope continued, "In fact he was assigned to a school in Cameroon that was funded by your parent's foundation. He made the best grits I've ever tasted."

Lorelai shook her head and smiled. "There is no where you haven't been, is there?"

Hope rose from the stool. "Oh there are a few places. So is it finally time for me to see my sister?"

"Yep, you're on deck," Lorelai replied as they walked through the door.

Lorelai paused at the end of the hallway under the stairs and motioned for Hope to stay there. Then she stepped into the next room and scanned the crowd for her mother. Spotting her in the middle of the room, she shot her father a piercing look. Emily needed to turn around or she'd see Hope before they wanted her to.

Richard glanced around him for a moment then saw Claude and Monique Clemenceau behind him. "Emily, look who's here," he said gesturing in their direction.

Emily smiled to her friend. "We'll talk more later, Jean." Then she turned around with Richard and greeted the Clemenceaus.

Once Emily's back was to them, Lorelai steered Hope into the main room and positioned her directly behind Emily.

In a loud, clear voice Hope remarked, "Emily, still one hot number. Is this what I have to look forward to in a few years?"

Emily stopped midsentence as her brain quickly placed the voice behind her. No, it couldn't be, she reasoned as she quickly turned around. As soon as she saw who it was, her eyes began to sting with tears. "Hopie!" she cried wrapping the shorter woman in her arms and hugged her tightly.

Hope hugged her back with a bright smile.

Emily blinked several times to hold back the tears glistening in her eyes.

Rory and Luke had moved to stand on either side of Lorelai who wrapped one arm around her daughter's waist, her other hand resting on Luke's shoulder. Both women wore identical grins as they watched the two sisters embrace. Richard was grinning too. He could finally relax. His carefully orchestrated plans had come to fruition. All that was left was to enjoy the party with his wife.

Finally stepping back just enough to look at her sister's face Emily kept both hands firmly on her shoulders. "Hope, it's so good to see you."

"We really got you didn't we?" Hope asked, her eyes gleaming.

"You certainly did." Glancing around at her family she addressed them all, "So you all were in on this together?"

"It was all Dad's idea," Lorelai explained.

"Yeah, he arranged to fly me in for the party about a month ago," Rory chimed in.

"Me too," Hope added.

Shaking her head, Emily released her sister and stepped closer to her husband. Without any regard to the many people that surrounded them, she reached up and took his face in her hands guiding it down to hers and planting a kiss on his lips. She then looked lovingly into his eyes. "Thank you."

Richard brought one had up to rest on her waist. "You are very welcome."

"I still can't believe you did all of this," Emily gushed, looking around the room as Richard guided them skillfully around the dance floor to the light melodies of Beethoven. The evening was nearly over and dessert was being cleared from the tables. The orchestra had disbanded and a sole pianist was now filling the room with elegant soliloquies.

"I simply had the idea. It was all Lorelai," he repeated. "Well, you and Lorelai. She is apparently a master manipulator, our daughter," he grinned, looking down at her. The look in her eyes was unmistakable. She was happy, elated. His hand rested against the small of her back and he pulled her closer, his other hand holding hers tightly as she laid her head against his shoulder. "The look on your face when you realized that Hope was standing behind you made all of it worth it."

Emily felt the smile tugging at her face, the thought of her sister being in town causing her a wave of immeasurable happiness. "Now I know why she didn't answer the phone when I tried to call her yesterday," she concluded.

"And why you heard female voices in the background when you called me last night," he reminded her.

Emily lifted her head, pulling back to look up at him. "You were with Lorelai and Hope?" Richard nodded. "Now we know where our daughter gets her manipulative abilities from," she teased.

"Oh no, my dear, that's all from you," Richard insisted.

Lorelai looked around the room, making sure that everything was in order. It actually seemed as if there was nothing she needed to do at this moment.

"Would you care to dance?" came a familiar voice from behind.

"Michel," Lorelai gasped, turning around. "What are you doing here?"

"I left the concert early so that I could make it back in time to wish your mother a Happy Birthday," he explained.

"You left Celine Dion for my mother?" Lorelai smiled. "That's so sweet. Does she know you're here?"

"Celine?" he asked.

"No, my mother," Lorelai sighed in amusement.

"Oh, no. She is dancing with your father. I didn't want to interrupt," he explained. "Care to join me?" he asked, motioning toward the dance floor as he held his arm out to her.

Taking it, Lorelai smiled brightly and followed him out a few feet.

Rory sat in a chair at an empty table, watching the people around the room. She knew nearly everyone here, which surprised her. Spotting a bright fuchsia gown passing a few feet in front of her, she smiled as Bob Sutton walked past her and nodded politely. Ah, so that was the Barbie doll wife that her grandmother had mentioned. Rory smiled slightly, remembering the Friday night dinner from just a few years ago. Things felt so different now than they had when she'd left. She had been worried about Emily and Lorelai, worried that they'd never see each other. Oh, how things had changed. Not only did they see each other nearly every day but they also seemed to enjoy it.

She looked out at her grandparents dancing, chatting casually as they swayed perfectly to the music.

"I'm not a spaz on the dance floor, you know…"

Rory shook herself from her thoughts, looking up at Luke who was standing next to her.

"What?" she asked.

"Your mother claims I'm a spaz on the dance floor," he clarified.

"That's because she needs someone to blame when she falls down," Rory joked.

"You want to…?" Luke held out his hand, nodding with his head to where everyone was gathered.

"I'd love to," Rory smiled, taking his hand as he helped her up from her seat.

Leaning against the doorway where she had been hidden before the party, Hope searched the crowd for her sister. Finding her in the center of the room dancing with her husband, she smiled. Emily had definitely been surprised. That one moment had made the whole trip worth it, seeing her sister's face, holding her in her arms, the tears in her eyes. She hadn't realized just how much she'd missed her until she saw her. It was different when Emily and Richard would come visit her in France or somewhere else around the world. Yet here at home in Connecticut, it just felt different. She'd forgotten how at ease she felt here, the pressures of her role and standing not quite as strong. Not that she didn't love all of the work she did and the traveling that came with it. Yet now that Gerard was gone and their friends were retiring and moving away, it felt lonelier than it ever had before.

"If you can overlook the smell of chocolate and whipped cream radiating from my clothing, I'd be delighted if you'd indulge me with a dance…"

Hope turned around, smiling at the sight of Andy behind her. "How can I resist a man who radiates chocolate?" she teased, her eyes sparkling.

Andy felt an odd flutter in his stomach as she looked at him, casting it aside as she linked her arm around his and accompanied him to the dance floor.

Scanning the room Lorelai noticed that her mother was sitting alone at their table near the dance floor, a rare occurrence tonight. Taking the seat next to her, Lorelai reached for a cup and poured herself some coffee from the silver pot on the table. "More coffee?" she asked.

"Yes thank you," Emily replied shifting her gaze from watching her sister and husband dancing to her daughter.

Lorelai poured. "So, enjoying your birthday party, Mom?"

Emily smiled at her daughter. "Yes, very much."

Lorelai laughed. "You would not believe how many times you almost caught me. As a matter of fact, you did on several occasions."

Emily thought for a moment then laughed herself. "In the stables with the horse?"

Lorelai nodded still laughing. "Darn good thing animals like me so much. I could have been trampled. And then you tried to book another party for tonight. I thought for sure the jig was up then and there when I had to invent Mrs. Fritzen-Heimer."

"Oh that name, how did I not know that name was a fake?" Emily shook her head.

"I don't know. I'm just glad it worked," Lorelai answered.

"It's just as ridiculous as all those names you used to give your dolls when you were five. What were they again? Miss Fussbudget?"

"Ahh, Mrs. Fussbudget, please," Lorelai corrected laughing. "Miss Flibbertigibbet, Miss Whoseits, Mrs. Dunklefritz, and Ms. Cadywompus, my tea party club."

Emily smiled indulgently at her daughter, her memory filling in the picture of the curly haired little girl holding tea parties in the sunroom. "And then you maneuvered me into making all the plans for this ..." she gestured around her.

"A stroke of genius if I do say so myself," Lorelai said proudly.

"You do know what they say about payback, Lorelai?" Emily questioned, a menacing eyebrow raised and her eyes glittering.

Lorelai cringed and reached for her coffee cup.

Luke shifted his weight uneasily as Richard walked towards him. Putting on a polite smile, he unconsciously reached up to make sure his tie was straight.

"I hope you're having a good time," Richard smiled, extending his hand out to Luke.

"Yes, sir, I am," Luke answered, nodding his head as Richard stopped beside him.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me 'sir'?" Richard chuckled. "You are less than two months away from being a member of this family. Call me Richard, please," he insisted for what felt like the millionth time.

"Sorry," Luke laughed a bit uneasily. "My mother was very strict on manners and old habits just die hard. I'll work on it," he promised.

"Good," Richard smiled.

They stood side-by-side for a few moments, a bit of an awkward silence between them as they watched the guests mingling.

"This is a really great party," Luke stated. "Emily looks very happy."

"Yes, she does," Richard agreed, his smile widening at the mention of her. "I think she was completely taken by surprised."

"It would seem so," Luke nodded. "She definitely wasn't expecting her sister to show up."

"Yes, I'm very happy I could arrange for Hope to visit. She and Emily always have such a wonderful time together."

"She's definitely something else," Luke noted.

"Hope?" Richard asked. Luke nodded. "That she is. The work she's done in her lifetime is quite amazing. And she's actually one of those rare people who does it for no recognition but just out of the goodness of her heart and because she truly enjoys it. You should try and spend some time with her … that is if you can pry her away from my wife," he noted in a playful tone.

"Yeah, she was telling me a little bit about some of the stuff she did in South Africa during apartheid. And then some demonstration or something she participated in in Somalia."

"She has lived a very unique life. She and Emily are very different in so many respects. Yet when they are together, you get the impression that they've never even spent a day apart." Richard watched his wife and her sister across the room, Hope's arm around Emily's waist as she told some sort of story. Emily laughed, her eyes crinkling beautifully. "She needs someone. Someone who will go shopping with her and do all the things that a husband isn't any good for," he joked.

"That's what I've got Sookie for," Luke agreed. "The fact that there is another human being out there who can handle Lorelai and talk her down from a ledge makes my life a lot easier sometimes."

"She gets it from her mother, you know…"

"Gets what?" Luke asked.

"The quick wit and the dramatic flair," Richard informed him.

"I'd assumed that," Luke laughed.

"I hear the wedding plans are going smoothly," Richard commented, spotting Lorelai as she walked to where her mother, aunt, and daughter were gathered together.

"Yeah, I think so. I really just let Lorelai do whatever it is that she wants," he shrugged.

"The fact that you have learned that lesson before getting married is going to make your life much easier, son," Richard smiled. "Much easier."

Thanks to Ann Y. Mous, RiskaSG, DiehardJavaJunkie14, LorLukeAlways, lillienprinzessin, Morzsa, swimmerluver, Addicted to TV, tannamom, and Gilmorefan for the reviews! We're very glad you guys are enjoying the story!