Gilmore Girls: More in the Life

Chapter 62

Emily awoke with a start. She looked around her rented room at the Dragonfly Inn, peeking around for indications that morning had finally arrived. No sunshine spilled around the curtains. No sounds from neighboring rooms or the hall could be heard. She turned to spy the time on the red alarm clock and sighed. It was only three in the morning.

Anxiousness filling her, Emily threw back the coverlet and sat on the edge of the bed in the dark. She was restless. Tomorrow— or rather later this morning— was a meeting with Luke, Lorelai, and the architect to plan the layout to the apartment remodel.

Funny, she never would have thought that she would be planning to live in a small town. She recalled telling Lorelai years before that small town charm was nice for a weekend but she had no desire to have a neighbor drop by with a pie, wanting to chat. Since Richard died, she had been craving human interaction. She supposed that was why she hadn't fired Berta. Knowing that Berta was aware of the loss she was experiencing, Emily found that keeping the help was better than hiring a new one. It was unspoken that her periods of sadness were the new normal. A normal that she could frankly do without.

On top of still grieving the loss of her husband, Emily remembered the worrisome events of the last week that she had still not shared with Lorelai or Rory. She knew she should but she just couldn't bring herself to vocalize anything until she knew for sure what was going on. Hopefully the expected phone call would come sooner rather than later.

Realizing thinking relentlessly about all that was wrong wouldn't right anything, Emily shook her head and reached for the novel she had picked up from the bookstore in the mall. It was a mystery by an author she adored. Laying back down, she found herself engrossed in no time, taking her to a whole other world. However, she couldn't shake the sadness that enveloped her.

*****

Stepping into the bare apartment hours later, Emily felt unease shift through her. She moved to the table and brushed off the seat before sitting. Luke and Lorelai would be up any moment but she found that wanted a few quiet moments to see the space alone. She had never been in Luke's apartment before and was surprised by the size. From the way Luke and Lorelai talked, it was a tiny, dark hole in the wall. She seemed to remember her daughter talk of an expansion of sorts before she and Luke had gotten together. Based on what she saw, though, she couldn't tell a difference between old and new.

Foot falls on the steps alerted her to the arrival of the others. She stood, anticipating greeting those she was meeting with. Lorelai opened the door and smiled when she saw her mother.

"Mom, you're here."

"I am. I just wanted a chance to look around on my own."

Luke and another man joined them. "Hi Emily."

"Hello Luke." Emily shifted her attention to the unknown man. "You must be the architect. Hello, I'm Emily Gilmore." She held out her hand.

"Yes I am. The name's George," he said as he shook Emily's hand.

Something in Emily's demeanor didn't quiet jive with Lorelai but she held her tongue. Now wasn't the time or place to quiz her mother.

The four sat at the table and began talking ideas. Emily was vocal with what she did and didn't want. "I want wainscoting in the living room and dining room but not substandard wainscoting. And no laminate flooring. I want solid wood."

"Dining room? You realize this isn't a mansion, right, Mom?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Yes, Lorelai, I understand this space we are presently in that will become my apartment isn't a mansion. But I would like a dining room with real wainscoting."

Lorelai held up her hand. "Okay, I understand what you want. But is there going to be space for that?" She looked at George, who suddenly appeared to be uncomfortable.

"Well, it would depend on the layout chosen but unfortunately I can't foresee being able to accommodate a separate dining room with this small area without sacrificing space somewhere else."

Emily again rolled her eyes. "Not a separate dining room. More like a kitchen on one side and a dining room the other."

Lorelai stared at her mother in disbelief. "So...an eat-in kitchen?"

"No, not an eat-in kitchen. A kitchen on one side and a dining room on the other. Are your ears not working today Lorelai?"

"They're working just fine, Mom. Thanks for asking." Lorelai looked at Luke, silently asking what was with Emily.

Luke shrugged his shoulders before turning his attention to George. "Is that doable? A kitchen on one side with a dining area on the other?"

George, fighting back a smile, nodded. "Yes, I think we may be able to configure that into the apartment. Emily, I have taken the liberty of bringing several layout options with me. If you like any of them, we can use that design. We can also start from scratch and draw up plans that meet your wishes."

Emily accepted the layouts that George was offering to her. She glanced through them but none felt right to her. She liked some aspects of one layout and others on another layout. She motioned toward the two. "Would we be able to combine these? Have the kitchen and dining room," she paused, shooting Lorelai a dramatic look, "on the left side of the apartment but add these features to the living space and bedroom on the opposite?"

George hesitated, fearful of rejecting Emily's suggestion. "We could but I'm afraid that would give the apartment a cluttered feel due to the wall placement. What about this—"

Emily abruptly stood. "I told you what I wanted. If I wanted something else, I would have suggested something else. I'm paying for this remodel. I don't care how cluttered you think it will be. I want my apartment to be how I want it to be. If you can't do that, I suppose I'll find somewhere else to live." She turned and stalked out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her.

Stunned, the others sat for several moments before Lorelai broke the silence. "And that, my friends, is Emily Gilmore."