What Happens After Vegas

22. One last goodbye

When Emily Gilmore took her last breath on October 3rd, 2018 it shook the family. They had never thought she would go this soon. She always had been stubborn after all.

When Rory went to plan the funeral a few days after coming to terms with her grandmother's passing, she found out that Emily had done all the planning herself, from the eulogy down to the guest placement, like she knew it was going to happen all along. All Rory had to do was set the date of the burial and send out the cards.

Logan saw his wife sitting at her grandfather's desk she had inherited with her head in her hands. He walked over to her and began massaging her shoulder. A small smile formed on her lips as she breathed out and finally relaxed a little. She released her head from her hands and placed them on his hands.

"Have you heard from Luke?" Rory asked her husband.

"He called a while ago, your mom is doing better, she is eating again," Logan reported.

"That's good," Rory sighed.

"Speaking of food, I ordered pizza, that way we won't have anything to clean up and I thought that since the kids are with my dad and Celia tonight we could make use of the bubble bath," Logan said. "You deserve to relax after all this planning." He kissed her softly on her hand that still rested on his on her shoulder.

"I didn't plan a thing. Grandma already planned everything, down to the tiniest detail. All I did was set the date and send out the cards."

"You still deserve to relax, Ace. From everything that happened with Steph and your grandmother's passing, it's been a rough couple of months," Logan said softly, looking into her blue eyes that glinstered with tears.

Rory placed her hand on his cheek and stared deep into his light brown eyes, "what did I do to deserve such an amazing man as you," she whispered, kissing him softly. "Thank you."

"There is no place I would rather be."

He took her in his arms, hugging her tightly, at this moment, even though everything around them seemed to crack and break, this moment was absolutely perfect.

•

The weather outside was dark and gloomy, grey clouds covered the sky like a veil as raindrops fell and splashed onto the stone tiles.

Rory stood in the arms of her husband as they looked outside, watching as the rain dropped.

"Are the kids dressed yet?" Rory asked.

"All we have to do is put on their shoes and their coat and they are ready to go," Logan answered.

"I look okay, right?" She asked again.

"You look amazing, Ace. Try to calm down a little," Logan said as he held her.

Today it was time. Today they were going to bury the beloved Emily Gilmore.

Rory lingered in the comforting arms of her husband a little while longer before she went to grab the shoes of their kids. Logan helped her to put them on.

She smiled softly at him, grateful for his help.

"Ready to go? I told Luke we'd meet them outside," Rory mentioned.

"We weady, mommy,"  Tory said.

•

"Hi, Luke," Rory hugged her step-father as Logan greeted his mother-in-law and gave her a hug. "Mom!" She saw her mother and tears came in her eyes as the two of them collapsed in a hug.

Mitchum joined them and bid them condolences before picking up Tory, and when Chris joined he did the same with Richie as Logan held Chris Jr. his hand.

Just before the burial, they closed Emily's oak casket and Mitchum and Chris took the kids to the first row of chairs.

It was time to walk the casket down the aisle, while time to say goodbye by Andrea Bocelli played in the background. Logan and Rory at the head and Luke and Lorelai at the bottom. 

 They reached the front and sat down in the first row with family.

"Welcome. We are here today to commemorate Emily Gilmore. I had the pleasure of knowing this woman for the last year. Emily Gilmore was quite the spitfire, she took life by the horns and found a way to always get what she wanted. About two months ago she came to me, she told me that she had a feeling something was about to happen that would most likely would end up with the result of her death, still it shocked me that a few days later the news arrived in the paper that someone had set a fire at the Whaling Museum where she worked and one of the guests had told the reporter that there was this brave woman who was in a coma because she saved a little kid from the raging fires, next to the article was a picture of Nantucket's hero. Two months later her granddaughter contacted me and told me of her grandmother's recent passing. Emily Gilmore, a Corporate wife, chaired on the boards of multiple charitable organizations, Docent at the Whaling Museum, and at the end, a hero," the priest ended his speech and sat down on his chair. Meanwhile, a song came over the speakers, Time by Tom Waits. "Now, if Lorelai Gilmore would come up here?" 

"You can do this, mom," Rory encouraged.

Lorelai got up and let go of Luke's hand. She adjusted the weird microphone thingie and started speaking, "Hello, everyone. I'm Lorelai Gilmore, Emily's daughter. I know she would have been glad that all of you are here today to remember her. Normally this would be the part where I would tell some sweet, heartwarming story," she stopped to compose and take a deep breath. "Truth is, my mother and I never had the greatest bond, always bickering, judging each other, and all that. I would never say I hated her, I loved her, I just hated the world she lived in, society, the world I ran away from when I was 16. When my father died little over a year ago, mom mellowed. We just began to form a normal relationship and now we can't. We miss you mom, I hope you found dad up there and that you are at peace. You will be in our hearts forever."

The song jealous of the angels by Donna Taggart started playing.

Logan, Rory, Mitchum, Chris, and Luke joined Lorelai around the casket. Chris holding Chris Jr, Mitchum holding Richie, and Logan holding Tory. Rory adjusted the microphone while the priest handed the others a thin candle to hold. To light the candle they held it in the one that stood on the casket.

The song came to an end and Rory started talking. "Emily Gilmore was my grandma. She watched as I grew up. When my mother and I had a fight she was there for me, cared for me. She may not always have done it in the most conventional way, but she did. She made sure I got great opportunities, without her, I wouldn't be where I am right now. So if you are her grandma, thank you for all the things you gave me, we love you and we will miss you." She couldn't continue and almost choked on the tears. Rory took in a shaky breath and said one last thing, "I promise that I will tell my kids about you so no one will forget you and when they ask who you are I will say she was your great grandma, and even though she is not here anymore she will always love you."

Rory took the candle out of Logan's hand when she joined his side and he wrapped that arm around her. They stood around the casket until the priest was done speaking and then blew out all the candles. The first two rows with family stood up and all grabbed a bouquet of flowers since it was now time to bring Emily Gilmore to the cemetery and lower her into the ground.

In the cemetery, everyone got the chance for one last goodbye and after they gathered in Logan and Rory's home for coffee or tea and they all shared their best Emily story.

--
Did you cry?
Uhm what no. Why would you ask? *loud sob*