New Beginnings

Act 3 ch 16

"Richard, please! We are starving" Emily yells from her seat at the dining room table.

Richard's currently in the kitchen cooking for his family for what might possibly be the first time. "I will be right there, Emily" he yells back.

"This is ridiculous" Emily comments. "Mom relax" Lorelai tells her. "He woke up this morning and suddenly just had to have this dish that his grandmother would make him" Emily says.

"Yeah, well we all understand the cravings" Lorelai replies.

"It's a family secret" Richard tells from the kitchen. He's been very secretive about the whole meal, which is only driving Emily even crazier.

"Well, last time I checked I was family" Emily points out. "He having fun, grandma" Rory says. "I saw an open can of cream of mushroom soup. Nothing good can come if that" Emily tells them.

"Alright now I'm a little scared" Victoria says.

"Here we are, a treat for the masses" Richard walks in with a bowl of...something. "Smells good" Victoria looks at it.

"Oh, this was my favorite thing to eat as a boy. My gran used to make this for me whenever I was feeling a little sad, you know if my cricket team lost or a girl I fancied turned up her nose at me" Richard serves his granddaughters first. "Well then load me up, because there was this really cute chick at the pharmacy today I used my best material on her and nothing" Lorelai jokes. "Richard at least let Pina serve it" Emily tells her husband.

"No comment on my lesbian hilarity. My, how far we've come" Lorelai says.

"Pina will serve tiny, proper servings. Johnny Machete needs to be presented in a heap" Richard explains. "Johnny Machete?" Rory asks.

"That's the name of this vile concoction" Emily answers. "It's delicious" Victoria says. "It's not bad" Lorelai nods.

"It's twelve different colors" Emily points out.

"Come on mom, eat it" Lorelai tells her. "It looks like someone already did" Emily responds.

"Emily" Richard says. "I'm sorry. I'm happy you're happy" Emily replies. "And to prove it, I will take exactly three bites of this before I throw it out" she continues.

"Thank you" Richard thanks her.

"You're welcome" Emily says before hesitantly taking her first bite. "So, good food, good company, now let's move on to good conversation. Girls, what's new in your lives?" Richard asks.

"Well...funny you should mention it" Rory says putting down her fork. "Now?" Victoria asks. "Why not?" Rory shrugs.

"Okay, grandma, grandpa we have some really big news. We got our college acceptance letters back" Victoria says.

"And I mean we already planned on me going to Yale but now that I've officially gotten in it's officially set in stone that next fall I will be a Yale bulldog" Victoria smiles. "Oh Victoria, that's amazing. You're going to love it" Richard says with a big smile.

"Really, congratulations. You belong there, always have" Emily smiles at her granddaughter. "Thank you" Victoria smiles back. "Rory however had a more difficult time deciding" she continues.

"Yes, but after giving it a lot of thought I have decided. I am going to Yale" Rory announces.

Richard and Emily make eye contact across the table but neither one say anything. "Did you hear that? Yale" Lorelai says.

Richard and Emily however have learned by now not to express any excitement when it comes to Rory and Yale, Victoria and Yale sure but never Rory and Yale. "I'm going to Yale" Rory repeats. Both of her grandparents just keep eating.