Our journey has once again come to an end with our final chapter of story 3, 'Husbands and Other Partners.' We appreciate all the kind reviews and hope that you have enjoyed the story as much as we have enjoyed writing it. The next installment is in progress but we don't have a set date for when it will be ready. Thank you in advance for your patience.

Chapter 14

Hot Chocolate and New Beginnings

Lorelai bounded down the steps in her lime green pajama bottoms and the matching green, blue, and pink striped top. As she walked towards the kitchen, the yellow star on her behind shimmered with the light. Turning to Rory's room where Hope was changing, she knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Hope called back, walking over to open the door.

"You want some hot chocolate?" Lorelai asked, standing in the doorway. "Rory and I are going to have a mug before bed."

"Sure," Hope smiled. "That would be lovely. I'm not really tired yet."

"Neither am I," Lorelai agreed.

At that moment, Rory came around the corner. Her Obama t-shirt and over-sized brown sweatpants caused Lorelai and Hope to laugh.

"Don't you look cute," Hope commented.

Rory looked down with a shrug. "They give this stuff out to us when it is left over. It was the only size they had."

"Maybe you should leave them for Luke when you go," Lorelai suggested. "I don't think they really fit you, Sweetheart."

"Does Luke even vote?" she asked.

Lorelai shrugged, "I don't know."

"Where's the hot chocolate?" Rory asked.

"In the box," she responded quickly, following Rory into the kitchen. Hope strolled in behind them and took a seat at the small kitchen table.

"Your house is very quaint," Hope commented, looking around. "It reminds me of the first home that Gerard and I lived in when we were in Granada just after we were married."

"You have such a cool life," Rory gushed, opening a cabinet. "Wow, Mom, there's food in here!"

"Luke brings stuff over sometimes. I think the hot chocolate mix is in the next cabinet maybe," she offered as Rory moved to open the cabinet and found the box.

"Sorry we don't have anything fancier," Lorelai apologized, setting a mug down in front of Hope and turning back to the stove. Picking up the teapot, she moved to the sink to fill it with water.

"I'm sure I'll have a whole week of fancy once I get to your mother's house," she smiled. Patting the mug, she reassured, "This is fine."

"So, you and Mom are going to paint the town red, huh?" Lorelai asked, placing the kettle on the stove and turning it on.

"I don't have anything in particular planned. I would like to visit a few places, though."

"Like what?" Rory asked, sliding into a chair at the table, putting the box down in front of her in order to open it up.

"There was a park that your Grandmother and I used to visit frequently when we were little girls. I don't even know if it's still there or if I remember how to get to it, but it would be nice to try and find it."

"I'm sure Grandma remembers," Rory added. "She remembers everything."

"That's very true," Hope laughed.

"Tell us something about Grandma. What she was like when she was growing up?" Rory prodded.

Hope sighed. "I don't really know where to start."

"Did you guys always get along?" she asked.

"Mostly, yes. We were three years apart in school but we spent all of our time together at home. I think I just followed your Grandmother around so much that she finally accepted that I wasn't going anywhere and learned to like me," Hope smiled.

"Did you like Grandpa when they started dating?"

"It was a while before I actually met your Grandfather. Emily kept him pretty much to herself, but I certainly heard about him. It was Richard Gilmore this and Richard Gilmore that every time we were both home from school." Hope paused as she remembered, a smile on her face, then she laughed. "Oh, she'd get so angry with him, too. That's how I knew she was serious. She'd never cared enough about anyone else to get so angry with them."

Lorelai laughed too, "They have got the arguing down to an art form."

Hope nodded. "Personally I think they just do it so they can make up later. They even got into an argument the first time they met, but I'm sure you knew that."

"Well I didn't," Rory chimed in. "I bet it's a good story."

"It is, and it's one your grandparents should tell you," Hope replied with an enigmatic grin.

At that moment, the teapot started to hum and Lorelai stood up as the humming grew louder and louder until she took it off the burner.

Hope burst into amused giggles, "You have a tea kettle that plays music?"

"It doesn't just play music," Rory explained seriously, "it sings. You should have seen the picture on the box. I think that's why Mom bought it. She thought it was going to have a little face on the lid that sang."

Flipping the dial to the off position, Lorelai slid back into her seat. "It does have a face, look," she held the kettle up for them to see the little holes in the spout lid that looked like a smiley face, then she flipped it back and poured the boiling water into the three mugs as Rory passed around the packets of hot chocolate mix.

"Spoons!" Rory remembered, getting up to retrieve them from a drawer, which she found to be empty.

"Other side," Lorelai corrected her. "Luke likes them on the left," she explained.

Taking the spoon Rory held out to her, Lorelai stirred the mixture into her cup and waited for it to cool down. Looking at her aunt as she prepared her hot chocolate, she smiled. "I saw you and Andy dancing," Lorelai prompted her.

"Yes," Hope smiled wistfully, placing her spoon on the table. "He's a very nice man."

"He is indeed," Lorelai agreed, lifting the mug to her lips. "It's not often that he gets out of the kitchen."

"Well, I'm sure he noticed how pathetic I looked standing there all alone and was just trying to be a gentleman," she reasoned, shrugging it off, though the idea of him lingered in her mind.

"Richard, you are sure you told Jennifer to expect everyone for brunch? I'm not going to get up tomorrow morning and see a blank look and an empty refrigerator, am I?" Emily asked as they walked through the front door and into the darkened foyer. Only small lamps scattered around the house kept it from being pitch black.

"Trust me, my Dear. Everything went according to plan for your party. Brunch will be in order as well," he replied helping her off with her coat.

Emily took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I'm sorry," she apologized as he hung her coat on the hall tree and removed his own, hanging it next to hers. "I guess I'm just excited about Hope and Rory being here. I still can't get over you planning that whole party and flying them in to surprise me."

"It is a shame Rory has to fly back tomorrow afternoon," Richard remarked, placing his arm across her shoulders and guiding her towards the stairs.

"Yes, it is," Emily agreed. Together they climbed the stairs.

"Lorelai and Hope seem to be having a good time together," Richard observed.

Emily laughed lightly. "Well that's either very good or very bad."

"I should hope the former," Richard replied with a chuckle.

Emily entered the bedroom first, flipping on the light as she passed through the door.

Richard followed calling out to her, "Emily."

She paused in the doorway to the dressing room and turned back to him.

Slowly he approached her. "I am sorry I've been so selfish these last few weeks when I should have been supportive and proud of you. You and Lorelai have become quite a team and I know how important that is to you."

"Thank you, I appreciate you saying that." She took a step closer to him and brought her hand up to the middle of his chest, looking up at him, "though I never intended to make you feel like you weren't very important to me too."

Richard wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting on the small of her back. "That's good to hear."

Extending her finger, she drew it up his chest then to the side of his neck and up to his face where she cupped his cheek in her hand. "I have been doing some thinking though and I have decided to free up some time in my schedule, resign from a few committees, perhaps cut back on my involvement in others. Any ideas what I'll do to fill the time?"

Richard's eyes sparkled as he pulled her body closer. "I have a feeling I can come up with a few. I wouldn't want you getting bored now."

"Oh no," Emily answered, her voice low and throaty. "That would definitely be a bad thing. Care to give me a hint what these ideas of yours might be?"

"Oh, I think that can be arranged," he brought one hand up to her face and covered her lips with his in a brief, tender kiss, followed immediately by a much more passionate one.

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