It's been a while but I'm finally going to conclude this story. So far I've edited the story, changed some parts, hopefully fixed any errors and added extra content. It's still a working progress but I have made my chapters longer as one reviewer suggested. I hope you like the alterations so far and enjoy reading Wide Awake. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed my story, I really enjoy reading what you think.
Wide Awake
Chapter One - The Beginning
"Rory is there anything wrong, you've been quiet all evening," Emily inquired. "Nothing's wrong Grandma I guess I'm just tired," replied Rory evasively. Emily looked closely at her granddaughter, searching her face. She noticed her eyes were a little red which seemed to back up her statement.
"You go home, have an early night and next week I expect you to be chatting up a storm just like your mother." Rory's face coloured at the mention of her mother but fortunately Emily didn't seem to notice. "Goodnight Grandma and thanks for dinner."
"Your very welcome, drive home safely and tell your mother I expect to see her soon." Rory nodded uncertainly as she waved goodbye. Once she was inside her car she let out an exhausted sigh, then slowly drove away.
As she reached home she couldn't help another sigh from escaping, the house seemed empty, empty and cold. Rory opened the door and hesitantly walked up the stairs. Her mothers bedroom door was slightly ajar, so Rory peered inside. Lorelai was fast asleep, her breathing shallow. A chink of light from the window illuminated her pale face and gave her a strange ethereal appearance. Rory lingered in the doorway, staring sadly at her mother. Finally she slipped into the room and gently laid down on the bed beside her. Watching her sleep a tear slowly trickled down her cheek, she wiped it away turning her face and digging it into her pillow.
She was woken in the early hours of the morning by a crying baby, she turned and noticed her mother was missing. Rory jumped out of bed and followed the sound. Opening the door adjacent to her mothers room she slowly walked into the nursery. Lorelai was settled in the rocking chair beside the window gently rocking her baby as she whispered words of comfort. "Mom I could have helped, why didn't you wake me," asked Rory as she smiled at the sight of her mother with her tiny baby brother.
"I didn't have the heart to wake you, you looked so peaceful."
"Next time wake me, I don't care how peaceful I look. You go back to bed, I can handle William." said Rory.
"No I need to be with him, I need him to know who I am," Lorelai pleaded. "He knows you, trust me he knows you and he loves you," said Rory firmly.
Lorelai smiled at Rory's words as she gently transferred the little boy to his big sister arms. She kissed his forehead then Rory's cheek affectionately as she moved slowly back to her room. Rory watched her go as she rocked William sadly, fighting to keep her tears at bay.
Once William had eaten and fallen back to sleep she left to check on her mother. Finding her fast asleep she laid down beside her and grasped her hand smiling when she felt Lorelai squeezing back.
Later Rory was feeding William when Lorelai slowly appeared beside her. She held out her arms and Rory skilfully passed him over to her. "Have you taken your pills," Rory asked as she handed Lorelai William's bottle. "Fully medicated sweets," Lorelai confirmed.
"And your okay not dizzy or anything. You can tell me if you are, I want you to be honest with me," said Rory hesitantly. "I'm fine Rory, really I'm feeling fine," said Lorelai as she noted the uncertainty in Rory's eyes.
"How was it at your grandparents last night," Lorelai asked trying to change the subject. "Grandpa was away on a business trip so it was just me and Grandma. She really wants to see you and Will, she was dropping hints all-night."
"Your Grandma only wants to see me to gloat about Luke and as for William she never even came to see him when he was born."
"You told her you didn't want her there and she came she just showed up while you were sleeping."
"She did, I didn't know," Lorelai replied a little surprised. "Williams her grandson, her first one ever of course she came. You need to make peace with that and start allowing her access to him."
"Soon," Lorelai replied softly. "Mom you need her as much as she needs you, especially now," said Rory. "You and William are all I need, please I don't want to talk about Emily anymore."
Rory had something to add but seeing the look in her mothers eyes she quickly changed the subject. "So I talked to Sookie yesterday, she said everything is fine at the Inn. She said there's nothing to worry about and that she's dropping off some meals so we won't starve."
"She's been a godsend lately and you Rory, you've been an angel. I don't know what I would've done without you," said Lorelai sadly. Rory smiled as she reached around her little brother to give her mother a much needed hug. "Nowhere else I'd rather be," she said firmly.
A few hours later Rory was just putting William down in his crib when someone knocked on the door. She rushed down the stairs mindful that the noise might wake her mother, who was napping on the sofa.
Rory opened the door and gasped when she saw the imposing figure of Emily on the other side. "Grandma," Rory announced taken aback. "Good afternoon Rory, well are you going to let me in," she asked imperiously. "Oh sure come in, I'm afraid were not too tidy at the moment. William really takes up all our time."
"Where is my little grandson," Emily asked as her sharp eyes assessed the clutter in the hallway. "You just missed him, he's upstairs taking a nap. Why don't you come in the kitchen and I can get us both a drink," asked Rory. Trying to avoid the living room where her mother was sleeping.
"I'm fine really, I just had a coffee before I left. Where's your mother, surely she's not back to work already."
Rory sighed as she leaned up against the wall, "Mom's sleeping too," she suddenly confessed. Emily looked surprised as she wondered towards the living room, picking up some of William's toys on the way.
Once she reached the living room she noticed Lorelai laid out on the sofa and let a sudden gasp. "Something's wrong," she muttered under her breath.
"What Grandma," Rory asked, unclear what she had said. "Something's wrong," she repeated a little louder as she turned to face Rory.
Rory paled at the question desperate for an escape and cursing herself for opening the front door in the first place. "Nothing's wrong," she answered, shocked by her own inability to spin a convincing lie.
"Nothing, nothings wrong Rory. Your mother looks dreadful, why she's white as a sheet." Emily announced as she leaned over her daughter. "Grandma nothings wrong," Rory whispered, concerned that her mother would wake.
Emily had stopped listening and was now pulling back the blanket that covered her daughter. She gasped again when she saw Lorelai's frail body underneath and quickly pulled it back into place.
"What's going on," she asked angrily. "Nothing," Rory repeated trying to stifle a sob, "Everything's just fine Grandma."
At Rory's utterance Lorelai was woken by the sheer volume both women had been creating. "Rory what's wrong," Lorelai asked as she lifted herself up into a sitting position.
Immediately realising what was upsetting her when her eyes rested on her mothers disapproving face. "Mom," Lorelai gasped in a panicky voice that was not her own. "Lorelai what is going on," Emily practically shouted. Causing Rory to shift on her feet as though getting ready to run.
The next second the wails of a baby could be heard over the baby monitor. Lorelai stood up and without another word marched up the stairs towards William's bedroom. She settled the baby as she rocked him, whispering about his wonderful timing and kissing his sleep flushed cheek.
Rory appeared in the doorway, anxiously pacing and watching to see if her grandmother had followed her upstairs. "I think we have to tell her," Rory suddenly whispered.
"No, she'll want us to move back in with her. I don't know about you but I'll never go back there, I can't. We'll just have to make something up."
"She knows your not well," said Rory sadly. "How?" asked Lorelai puzzled.
"She may not be your ideal mother, but she is a mother. She saw your face and put two and two together. She knows your keeping things from her, just like you would know if I was."
Lorelai slumped back in the rocking chair, William still snuggled tightly in her arms. "Mom, are you okay," Rory asked as she knelt down beside her. "Dizzy," was all Lorelai could manage as she looked down at William, who was smiling happily up at her. Rory took the baby and gently placed him back in his crib. She helped Lorelai up and steered her towards her bed in the room next door.
Lorelai laid down closing her eyes, as Rory reached for the pills by the bedside. "Mom you need to take one of these and then you'll feel better." Lorelai swayed as she tried to take the pill Rory offered. Once it was down she fell back onto the bed and sighed.
"Are you feeling any better," Rory asked uncertainly as she pulled a blanket over her mother. "I'm fine," she replied. Her words contradicting her appearance as she clutched her hand to the side of the bed. Rory waited with her until she heard her grandma call out from the staircase. "Go back to her, really I'm fine," said Lorelai softly.
Rory reached Emily before she could ascend the stairs and pulled her back into the living room. "Look Mom's really busy with William. She's fine really, I just think she misses Luke. When he left she was down for a while, lost weight and stopped going out. But she's getting back to her old self and I'm sure she will come back to Friday night dinners soon."
Emily looked uncertainly at Rory as she struggled to keep up with her granddaughters sudden statement. "If anything was wrong you'd tell me wouldn't you," Emily asked softly. Rory took a deep breath she hated lying to her grandmother, but she couldn't tell her the truth not now anyway.
"I'd tell you if anything was wrong," she said trying to look as sincere as always. "Thank you," said Emily as she reached for her purse and made a move to leave.
Rory walked her to the door and waved goodbye, unnerved by the guilt she felt as Emily drove away. "I'm Sorry," she said softly as she watched the last glimpse of Emily's car disappear into the distance.