The Other Gilmore

Thanksgiving

A week before Thanksgiving, Lorelai decided to call Frankie. They hadn't spoken in about a week, and she wanted to check in.

"Hello?" Frankie said sleepily into the phone.

Furrowing her brows, Lorelai checked the time. "Are you just waking up? It's two o'clock in the afternoon."

"I was taking a nap. What's up?"

"Uh, okay. I was just checking in. But I also wanted to make sure you're coming home for Thanksgiving."

"I'm fine, but I don't know about Thanksgiving."

"What? Why?" Lorelai whined. "I thought you were coming home. Don't you have at least a few days off?"

Frankie shrugged, closing her eyes. "I just don't know if I want to travel this year."

"Oh, Frankie, seriously? You don't want to travel? That's your excuse?"

"I'm not super psyched about being second place to Rory again, either," she responded curtly.

Lorelai's expression softened. "You know that's not gonna happen."

"Do I? Rory's back. Your best friend. Your right-hand man. You don't need me anymore. I'm the 'other Gilmore' so I'm expendable. You only needed me because Rory wasn't around."

"Frankie, that is not fair. I need you just as much as I need Rory."

"Whatever, mom."

"No, not 'whatever.' You are not expendable, okay?"

Frankie just rolled her eyes, not wanting to discuss the matter further.

Taking the hint, Lorelai sighed, gazing into her coffee mug. "Will you be at Thanksgiving?"

"I don't know."

"Well, when you do, would you please let me know?"

"Yep." With that, Frankie hung up the phone.

"You don't know if you're going home next week?" Kayla asked from the doorway.

"Don't really want to deal with it."

"Well, if it'll make things easier, I'll be there."

She looked over at Kayla and sighed. "I don't want the questions."

"What questions?"

"The 'are you okay' questions."

Kayla shrugged. "I get it. But people care about you, so you're gonna get them regardless. Would you rather deal with those questions, or the 'where were you' questions?"

"I guess," Frankie replied with a sigh. "I'll think about it."

A few days later, Lorelai called again.

"I saw your father."

"Oh?" Frankie said as she filled a glass with water.

"His grandfather died and left him a lot of money, apparently."

"And this has to do with me, how?"

"He wants to set us up with something. Your sister says she wants him to pay for Yale. He's offering a castle in Ireland, or a Bentley, whatever we want."

"Can I think about it?"

"Yes. We're meeting up with him on Thanksgiving so we can all talk. Have you decided on whether you're coming up or not?"