The Other Gilmore

The Arrival and a Heart Attack

"I know the basics. Enough to get me around, but that's about it."

"Fair enough. Are you my neighbor?"

"Yes. I live across the hall. But, I'm also a coworker."

"A co – oh! You're a dancer?" Frankie asked excitedly.

"Yes. I'm Oliver. Pleasure to meet you. You're Francesca, correct?"

"Yeah, but Frankie's fine. Only one person in my life calls me Francesca."

Oliver grinned as they shook hands. "Sounds like a story."

"Kind of. My ex, Finn, would always call me Francesca because he said it was beautiful."

"He's not wrong."

Frankie grinned. "I'll have to thank my mom for naming me that, then."

"I suppose you will."

"Do you want to come in?" she asked, stepping aside slightly. "I just finished unpacking, but there's not much here right now."

"I was actually instructed to collect you. We're going to have a meeting at the ballet."

"Oh, okay. Um...now?"

"In about an hour, but I wanted to introduce myself first. I'm assuming by your reaction you didn't know that was happening?"

"No, I didn't," she replied with a chuckle. "I'd love to shower before we go. Is that okay?"

"Of course, take your time. This meeting is really more of a 'meet the newbie' kind of thing," Oliver said. "So, really, it doesn't start until you get there. Today is all about you."

"Oh, God," Frankie groaned, throwing her head back. "I hate these kinds of things."

The man grinned and shrugged. "I doubt you'll have to deal with another one. At least this way, it's out of the way early."

"That's very true."

"Alright, I'll leave you to shower. If you need anything, I'm across the hall, and I'll come back to get you in an hour."

"Great. Thank you, Oliver!"

"Any time."

Once Frankie was showered and dressed, Oliver picked her up and they walked to the ballet, which wasn't too far from their apartment building. After meeting everyone and enjoying the afternoon with her new coworkers, Frankie made her way home, collapsing on her bed and quickly falling asleep.

A few weeks later, after getting more settled into a routine, Frankie was just leaving rehearsal one night when she got a call from Lorelai.

"Hey, mom," she greeted cheerfully. "How are you?"

"Um, not too good, to be honest."

Frankie stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, concerned. "What's going on?"

"Your grandfather collapsed in one of his classes at Yale today. Rory was there, thank God, so she called an ambulance. He's at the hospital right now, but he had a heart attack."

"I'll get on a plane and come home," Frankie said, beginning to rush home.

"No, hon, no. You're not coming home. I'll keep you posted on everything, but you're not coming home."

"Why not? It's Grandpa."

"And you're in Paris doing something extraordinary. He's not going to want you to come home, I know him."

"Mom..."

"Frankie, seriously. We'll be okay. I just wanted you to know. Stay in Paris and focus. If things get worse, then yes, come home. But if he gets better, then there's no reason for you to be here. Me, Rory, and your grandmother are here, and your grandmother is like a tornado, just whipping through people and taking charge of everything. There's honestly nothing for you to do here right now."

"Are you sure? Because I'll go to the airport right now –"

"I know you'll go to the airport right now," Lorelai started, cutting off her daughter, "but honestly, we're okay. I just wanted you to know."

"Okay. Please let me know if I need to get on a flight home, okay?"

"I will, you have my word."

"Okay."

"I love you, kid."

"I love you, too, mom."

Frankie arrived home and anxiously paced her apartment, waiting for news about Richard. She was so immersed in her thoughts that she barely heard her phone ringing on the counter.

"Hello?" she said, finally answering on the last ring.

"Hey, it's me," said Lorelai. "Just an update, he has to have surgery. They just wheeled him away, so it's gonna be a while before we hear anything else."

Frankie let out a sigh as she closed her eyes. "Damn, okay."

"The blockage was worse than they thought, I guess."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"Well, thanks for the update, mom."

"Of course, Frankie. I'll let you know when he's out. He asked about you."

"He did?"

"Yeah. We got to see him briefly before they prepped him for surgery, and he asked how it was going for you in Paris. He's really excited to come see you perform."

Frankie smiled, gazing out her window at the city lights. "I'm excited, too."

"It's probably super late there, huh?" Lorelai asked, leaning against the wall next to the vending machine.

"Yeah. But that's okay."

"Hon, get some sleep. I promise I'll call when we hear anything, but don't stay up for hours just waiting alone."

"Okay," Frankie yawned. "You're right."

Lorelai chuckled, shaking her head. "I'll call you later. Night, Frankie."

"Night, mom."

Frankie was jolted awake around three in the morning by her phone, and she scrambled to find it in the dark.

"Is he okay?"

"He's fine, kid. He's gonna be fine."

"Oh, good," Frankie breathed, closing her eyes and leaning against the headboard.

"I have someone who wants to say hello to you."

There was a short pause, then a low voice sounded from the other line. "Hello, Frankie."

"Hi, Grandpa," she said cheerfully, a large smile spreading across her face. "I'm so glad you're okay, and I'm so, so sorry I'm not there."

"No need to apologize, dear. I'm fine. Your grandmother is going to take wonderful care of me, and your mother and sister have been here in your stead."

"I know, but –"

"Frankie, I wouldn't want you to come all this way just to sit in a hospital. You're doing what you love in a new place. That should be your focus."

"I promise I'll come back and visit as soon as I can."

Richard chuckled. "I think I'll be the one visiting you first."

"That sounds like a plan to me," Frankie said with a grin.