This is part five in the series. It can be read as standalone but makes the most sense when you read it in order. The order is: Letters, Autobiography, Futile, Worst Day, Health, [the unnamed, unwritten part seven]
Rory hated doctor's offices. The chairs in the waiting room were uncomfortable, the wait was always obscenely long, the magazines were generally months, sometimes years, out of date, children were always running around and stealing things from people and chewing on chairs and throwing things, and there was always some dumb kid show on TV (today it was Rugrats, which she had to admit, amused her just a bit).
"God I hate doctor's offices," she muttered, picking up a magazine to distract herself. Six months old.
"You agreed to come," Jess pointed out.
Rory grumbled something incoherent.
"Come to think of it, why did you?" he asked. "I mean, you were so adamant about not coming. What changed your mind?"
Rory opened her mouth, but before she could give her vague answer, a nurse stepped out and called her name.
"See you in a bit," she said, leaving him with the magazine as she followed the small Hispanic woman into an exam room.
--
She had been with the doctor for a rather long time, as she explained her condition and what was wrong now.
The doctor had agreed with what Jess had said, she shouldn't be this sick yet.
The doctor took some test, drew some blood, then left, telling her it would be about a week before they had the results.
But in her heart, she knew what would happen when she got that call in a week. She knew exactly what they would say.
--
"So?" Jess asked as they exited the office.
"They ran some tests. We'll have the result in about a week."
--
Just as promises, Rory received a call from the doctor, though it was two days later that she expected.
Regardless, the phone call had told her exactly what she had expected it to.
"We'd like you to come back in so we can discuss your options at this point."
"What options?" she asked, even though she knew exactly what he meant. In his mind, there was only one what to treat this, and she would die before she let that happen. His idea of options and hers were very different.
"Was that the call?" Jess asked, walking out of the bedroom with his laptop in hand.
"Yep," she said, somewhat solemnly.
"Well?" he asked, setting the computer on the counter.
Rory took a deep breath and began.
--
"Not an option," Jess told the doctor.
"Jess," Rory warned. She had only agreed to let him come in with her as long as he kept his mouth shut. "Let me handle this."
"Fine," he huffed, backing down.
"Not an option," she told the doctor.
"You only have six months left, Ms. Gilmore. And even that's stretching it. You can't possibly expect-"
"I said it's not an option," she repeated.
"You will only cause yourself more pain if this is the path you choose."
"Then I guess I'll suffer. I'm not giving up this baby. If I give her up now, we both die, no matter what. If I keep her, there's a chance that she'll survive."
"A very slim chance. It is pointless to put yourself through all the extra pain with a chance so small. You'll both die before the child even has a chance."
"At least I'm giving her a chance," Rory says, exiting the room, Jess not far behind.
"You don't know Rory," he says, turning back to the doctor. "She won't stop fighting until that baby is born."
--
"Hey Rory," he called, catching up with her in the parking lot. She moved surprisingly fast sometimes.
"Sorry, I just had to get out of there."
"No. Don't apologize. They're jerks. They don't know you."
The ride home was relatively silent, the only sound coming from the cars outside and the slightly obscene cab-driver screaming out the window at anyone who even looked at him funny.
"What happens to a person to make them that angry?" Rory asked after the driver dropped them off and sped away.
"Maybe he was dropped on his head a few to many times as a child," Jess suggested as they stepped into their apartment.
Rory smiled for a moment, then her face fell. "What happens if they're right?" she asked him.
"What?"
"What happens if they're right? What if I'm not strong enough and I put myself and the baby through all that pain for nothing?"
"Not gonna happen."
"But-"
"No buts. You were so sure of yourself half an hour ago. Don't give up on me now. You are strong enough."