The Other Gilmore

Au Revoir

Frankie walked into the kitchen one morning, rubbing her eyes with a yawn. She stopped abruptly at the sight of the table. Rory had taken it over, laying out all her books and study materials on the surface.

"Jeez, Ror, can you even see the table under all that?"

"Huh?"

Frankie chuckled, shaking her head. She walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a mug, filling it with coffee, then sat down next to her sister. "What are you studying?"

"History and calculus right now. Science and English later."

"Got it. Have fun." She got up, grabbing a Pop Tart on the way out of the kitchen, and walked back to her room.

Frankie skated to Ms. Patty's after school, taught a few classes until the evening, then made her way home. When she got there, the house was empty, but there was mail sitting on the table by the phone. Sifting through it, Frankie saw a letter from Juilliard addressed to her. She ripped it open and read it, walking over to the couch and sinking down. She sat there, staring into space, until Lorelai and Rory came home.

"We're home!" Lorelai called, walking into the living room. "Oh! Frankie, you scared me," she said, placing a hand over her heart. "You okay?"

Frankie nodded, looking up at her mother with wide eyes, then handed her a piece of paper.

Lorelai furrowed her brows in confusion as she took the letter from Frankie, reading it over. "Oh. Oh, my God. Frankie." She looked back at her daughter, their expressions mirroring each other's.

Suddenly, Frankie sprung up, squealing, and began jumping up and down with her mother.

"What's going on?" Rory exclaimed, rushing into the room. Lorelai just handed the letter to her in response. "Oh, my God! Frankie!"

"I'm going to Paris!" the younger twin cheered. "I'm gonna study under some of the best ballet teachers all summer!"

"This is incredible! We have to celebrate!" Lorelai said, grabbing her daughters' hands and dragging them into the kitchen, when she suddenly stopped.

"What? What's wrong?" Frankie asked, confused.

"I just realized, we're not gonna see you all summer," the mother said sadly.

"Oh." Frankie looked down at her feet. "Right. We were supposed to go to Europe together."

"Hey, hey, hey. We're not letting the fact that we're gonna be separated this summer deter us from celebrating you, Frankie. This is huge. I'm so proud of you!" Lorelai hugged her daughter tightly. "We'll see each other. Rory and I will go to Paris, and the three of us will do all the stuff we were planning on."

Frankie smiled and nodded. "Sounds perfect. I'm gonna call Jess real quick. I told him I was applying to this. I just want to let him know."

Rory and Lorelai's faces fell, which didn't go unnoticed by Frankie.

"Um, Frank, I need to tell you something." Lorelai led Frankie to the kitchen table and they sat down.

"Okay?"

Lorelai cleared her throat before speaking again. "Jess is gone, honey."

Frankie cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, he's gone. Luke told me this morning."