Chapter 53
On Monday, Mitchum sat in his Hartford office trying to figure out how to save his family's company. It had been losing money for the last three years. He made some bad investments and hoped that if he acquired a few new publishing houses it would help him bring in more revenue into his company.
The Kindle had been hurting his business since he did not join the rush to have his books published digitally. By doing this he lost writers and revenue. He decided to buy up smaller publishing houses. He found three publishing houses that in 2005 were bought by the Hayden's and belonged to Straub Hayden's family. He needed to own these companies. When Straub Hayden died his wife inherited these holdings along with the Law Offices. The eldest son Christopher Hayden received an inheritance from his grandfather in 2006 and became very rich. Christopher joined the boards of the companies and invested in the Web Based programs, helping the three publishing companies to go digital with their books. Now these publishing companies were worth more than people imagined. Mitchum knew he had a daughter but didn't realize that Rory Gilmore was his daughter, since she never used the Hayden name even though it was on her birth certificate. He needed to own these companies, it would put HPG in the black again and making his company again one of the leading publishing houses in the world.
When Mitchum realized that he needed more money he decided to encourage his son Logan and heir to the HPG fortune to marry the Fontane daughter. She was the perfect socialite, though very shallow, he decided that the business deal would benefit his company and the Fontanes. What he didn't realize was that the Fontane's had been embezzling money and were in debt with the Russians and involved in an international money laundering scam. Though he was unaware of it when it happened he was very upset when his son broke his engagement with her. It didn't take him long to figure out who the alleged father of Odette's child was. After the engagement of Logan and Odette broke up Mitchum became desperate. He was relieved that it didn't take Logan long to find someone else. When Logan became engaged to Keira Sheppard, a beautiful socialite who came from old money in Boston and whose parents were also rich doctors, specializing in neurosurgery and infertility, Mitchum was happy. He thought this could also bring money to the business and guarantee that Logan would stay on. However, Logan again broke off this engagement. Now with Logan removing his money from the family business and starting his own, he needed to find a way to guarantee the income to the company. He knew the family members on the board will be upset with him and he may lose his seat as the chairman of the board.
Becoming desperate, Mitchum approached Acelot Gerrard, Ace listened to Mitchum but instead took the job at CBS, by that time he had met Rory and had fallen in love with her. Mitchum decided to tell him his knowledge of his affair with Odette and then told him that since the child she was caring was not Logan's than it must be his, He was surprised when Ace refused the job telling Mitchum he would have nothing to do with her or his company. To Ace she was just a fling, she meant nothing to him and he knew the child couldn't be his. She was a shallow socialite who wanted his money.
Mitchum was in shock when he heard that Acelot was killed in France. He had reached out to him again on that day he was killed. He was more surprised to see Rory Gilmore at the funeral and his son talking to her. After talking to people at the memorial, he found out that Rory was engaged to Ace Gerrard and the daughter of Christopher Hayden. A week after the memorial, Mitchum had his private investigators investigate Rory and Ace's relationship. She was engaged to Ace, and a producer at CBS news. He was shocked to find out that she was very wealthy, not because she was a Gilmore and had a trust fund, but also, she inherited all of Ace's wealth. She also was the oldest grandchild of Straub and Francine Hayden and will inherit a large portion of the Hayden estate along with the three publishing companies. That's when he decided it was time for him to encourage Logan to get back together with Rory. He knew his son was still in love with her, and he could see the two of them bring HPG into the 21st century. However, he didn't realize it would be so difficult.
He was shocked at the reaction Rory had when seeing him, and her reaction to her grandmother. He knew that Logan and Rory were friends now, but he needed them to marry.
Rory entered the studio and was so happy to see Brie and Dan. They had returned from their trip to France and they seemed closer than they were before. Dan came into her office and sat down.
"Well, was your trip successful?" she asked Dan.
"I found information about the story that Ace was working on. I will be meeting with Liam, Christopher and Charlie later. I am sure they will be including you in the meeting."
"Good, was the story he was investigating the reason he died?" she asked him hesitantly.
"I don't think so, but witness say that he was sitting with two women when the truck came barreling towards them. He pushed one woman out of the way when he got struck by the truck and was killed instantly."
Rory placed her hand on her stomach and sat there. She didn't cry, but felt the baby kick. Dan looked at her with concern in his eyes.
"Rory are you ok?"
"Yes, he didn't suffer than?"
"I don't think so," Dan told her.
Just then Rory's cell phone rang. She looked at it and noticed it was Dr. Lawson's office calling her.
"Dan, would you excuse me, I have to take this call, it is the Doctor's office."
"Is everything okay, Rory?""
"Yes, I just need to go in for some routine tests." she told him. Rory got up and took her phone out of the office so that she could talk privately.
"Hello, this is Rory Gilmore," she said as she answered the phone.
"Rory, this is Gabby. Can you come in at 11:00 this morning? They are going to do another ultrasound, the BBP again and take more blood. They also will be testing for Gestational Diabetes and you will take an oral glucose test. Will Marty be able to bring you here?"
"I am not sure, can't I come on my own?" she asked.
"I would rather you have someone with you Rory, these tests will take a long time. And remember to drink the water before you come in."
"Oh, I will call Marty now, Bye Gabby and I will see you in an hour."
Rory immediately hung up and called Marty. She called his cell instead of going through the office. Marty was expecting a call from her, so he answered on the first ring.
"Hi Babe, is everything alright?" he asked.
"Gabby called, and I have to go in for test at eleven. She doesn't want me to go alone and I was wondering if you are available to go with me."
"Yes, I will be there with the car in half an hour. What test are they doing?"
"Ultrasound, blood work, the BBP and the Oral glucose test," she told him.
"Ok, make sure you start drinking the water now and I will be there by ten thirty."
"I love you, Marty," she said with a smile.
"I love you too, Princess, and don't worry everything will be fine."
She hung up her phone and went to the mini fridge in her office and took out two bottles of water. She got up and walked out into the newsroom and found Quentin, Dan and Brie talking to each other. Quentin was offered a job as a newscaster and was now on their team. As she approached, Brie came over and hugged her.
"I missed you," Brie said as she gave Rory a big hug, "Rory you have gotten big, since I last saw you." As she was hugging Brie the baby gave a kick. Brie felt it and started laughing.
"I guess the baby doesn't like it when I talk about his Mama," she chuckled.
"I came out to tell you that I won't be around the rest of the day. Brie can you do the producing today? I have to go in and have some more tests."
"Sure, are you going to be okay? Do you want one of us to go with you?" she offered.
"Thanks, but Marty will be here soon to take me, and I will be in later or I will call."
She returned to her office and sent Charlie an email letting him know that she would be going to the doctors to have tests done.
Liam and Logan were sitting in their office at the new ACE News station in Queens.
Logan was still in shock over what he had heard yesterday when Liam had him go with him to Jess' store. After Liam and Marty left, Tristan explained to them what his role was in the investigation and how he will reopen the case considering the new development.
Marty and Tristan never told the others of Rory's connection with Tristan or that she knew him. After Tristan left Jess, Colin, Steph and Logan sat there and talked. Logan was in shock he needed to find out what his father's involvement was with the Fontane's and what was the reason for the dinner fiasco at Emily Gilmore's home Friday night. Logan and Jess told Steph and Colin what had happened on Friday and how Marty decided that Logan needed to know what his father's involvement with the Fontane's was.
"He tricked me into attending this dinner with a family friend. I was furious with him when he pulled up to the Gilmore home."
"Why did he bring you there?" Liam asked him.
"In his mind he thought he could convince me that Rory and I should be together. Liam, you know how I loved her, but she is in love with Marty. I know that now. I would rather have her as my friend then go through the rest of my life without her in it."
"So why does he want Rory in your life?"
"I don't know." Logan admitted.
"But I am tired of being his puppet. That's what he does he manipulates people. He is a master manipulator and he has manipulated me my whole life. Not anymore. Liam, I am going to help Dugrey with this mystery."
"What was Rory's reaction?"
"I have never seen her like that before. She was angry. She stood right up to her grandmother and told them both off. The Rory I knew in college never would do that. She would have let her grandmother manipulate her, but she wasn't going to have anything to do with either one of them. She never trusted my father, he hurt her once and that was one of the reason she told me she couldn't marry me, it was my family," he told them sadly.
"Logan, I am afraid things will get worse before they get better. I think your family company is in jeopardy. You may need to attend the board meetings for HPG more regularly now, and find out what Mitchum's plans are. You, Marty and Rory may need to talk so that she realizes what is going on," Liam tells him.
"I don't want to see her hurt. I am afraid what she will do when she finds out about Ace's involvement with Odette. Are you sure the email that Jess translated is correct? That Ace had DNA sent to that family? I never trusted Odette, she was so manipulative."
"Well, let's table this conversation for later. Is Doyle still coming in at eleven?" Liam asked Logan.
"Yes, in fact he should be here shortly."
Just then the secretary for Logan and Liam called letting them know that their eleven o'clock appointment was there.
Logan walked out and shook Doyle's hand and the two men walked back into the inner office where a conference room was set up. Logan offered Doyle some coffee or a drink and Doyle took the coffee. Liam immediately shook Doyle's hand, the three men sat down at the round conference table.
"I want to thank you for accepting the job as our news director. I have been impressed with your work, Doyle and I think you will definitely be a great fit to our news program," Liam told Doyle.
"Well, thank you for giving me the opportunity to join your team. This is a good fit for me since I will no longer have to travel as often to the West Coast. It has been hard on my marriage," Doyle told them.
"Yes, how is Paris. Every time I saw you two the last few weeks, I never had a chance to talk to her," Logan smiled and asked him.
"Paris is doing well. We have two children and I miss them when I have to travel so much."
"Doyle, how soon can you start? We want to start hiring the rest of the team and we want you to be directly involved with that," Logan told him.
"Right away. My last script for the spring was written and they are filming it now. I can now devote my time to do what I love the most and that is the news."
"We were thinking of going to the Yale Alumni reunion and doing some networking. It is the first weekend of November," Logan told him.
"I think that is a great idea."
"Great, well let's show you your office and I have a few resumes we can go through some of them are Yale graduates. You might know them or Rory might. They said they were staffers on the paper. But I don't remember them."
Liam shook Doyle's hand and Doyle and Logan walked out of the conference room towards the office that Doyle would have.
Liam's phone pinged, and he saw that he got a message from Gabby. He smiled. He really enjoyed spending Sunday with Rory, Marty, and Gabby. He never laughed so hard at Rory during Movie Night and her rules. Marty and Rory decided to initiate Gabby and Liam with the Marx brothers. Marty and Rory knew all the lines of Duck Soup and they told them the story about the Marx Brothers' marathon.
G - Rory is coming in shortly for the tests.
L - How is she doing?
G - I am not sure, I told her to make sure Marty comes with her.
L - Can I see you tonight? Dinner up on the roof?
G- Sounds romantic, of course? What time, I should be home by 6.
L - How about 6:30?
G -What can I bring?
L - Yourself.
G. - LOL, I will pick something up and some Rosé
L - Sounds great see you then.
Marty and Rory entered the doctor's office at 10:30. She finished her bottle of water when the nurse called her into the office. They were led to the room where the technician was set up to take her ultra sound. She had just got on the table when the door opened and in walked Gabby. She walked over and smiled at the two of them.
"I will be doing the ultrasound today," she said to the technician.
The technician walked out and Gabby had Rory pull up her shirt as she squirted the gel on her belly. Gabby began to move the ultrasound wand around her belly, sitting at the computer she began typing information recording the size. She turned the monitor so that Marty and Rory could see the baby. They both were smiling at the baby.
"He is beautiful Rory," Marty told her as he kissed her forehead. They listened to his heartbeat and felt relieved.
"The good news is that he is strong, and he is growing right on schedule. Everything looks good. But Rory I am worried about the stress you are under and your high blood pressure. After talking to Dr. Lawson, we want you to have the glucose blood test done and the BBP test again," she told her handing paper towels to Rory, so she could clean her belly.
"How many pictures do you want?" she asked them.
Marty answered immediately with a smile "Eight would be great Gabby."
"Ok they will be at reception, I am going to bring you to the lab for blood work next. The bathroom is right outside this door, and Rory could you also leave a sample. The cup is already there. Just put your name on the label and attach it to the cup."
Rory left the room and went to the bathroom. Marty looked at his sister with concern in his eyes.
"Gabby what is going on? Is this normal for you to do this many tests during pregnancy?"
"Yes and no, first Rory is an older patient, so we need to check for Gestational Diabetes, her blood pressure is high, so we need to make sure she doesn't have Preeclampsia. I might suggest she cut back on her hours at work or take a leave of absence for a while."
Rory came out of the bathroom and looked at both Gabby and Marty. They both smiled at her and walked to the lab where she will have her blood test. After that she went back to the room where the technician had set up the machine to do the BBP test. Since this is her second time doing this test she knew what was expected. When that was finished, she was given a glucose drink and told to go to the waiting room and drink it. While they were doing that both Rory and Marty were checking their messages. After an hour her blood was drawn and tested.
Gabby suggested that they leave and come back around 5:30 when she will have the results of the tests. Marty escorted her out of the office and asked her where she wanted to go for lunch. They decided to go to the Ground Support Cafe and grab a sandwich. It was two thirty and Rory was beginning to feel tired from the stress of the test. They sat down and ordered their sandwiches and drinks. As they were sipping their drinks, Marty took her hand.
"Rory, if the doctor told you that you had to take time off work, what would you do?" he asked her with concern in his voice.
She looked at him with surprise. "I don't know. I remember they put both Sookie and Lane on bedrest for a while. I remember for Lane she was pregnant with the twins, and she was so bored. Marty why are you asking me this?"
"Well Gabby is concerned; your blood pressure is high, and she is concerned that this might be the beginning of preeclampsia. We are both worried about your health and the babies."
"Oh, don't worry. I am ok."
Rory had the sudden urge to call Paris or her Grandmother. She thought about it and decided that after lunch that they should go back to their apartment.
"Marty can we go back to the apartment. I want to lay down before going back to the doctor's office."
They finished their lunch and they returned to his apartment. She kissed him and went to the bedroom to lay down.
"Princess, I am going to the office and reply to a few messages and make some phone calls. Will you be ok while I am gone?" he asked her as he stroked her back holding her against his chest.
"Yes, I think I will go to sleep for a while. Marty, I love you.".
Kissing her he pulled the comforter over after she laid down. He told her that he would be back by five and closed the door to the bedroom. He quickly called his car service and by the time he got to the lobby the car was there and brought him to his office.
Rory closed her eyes and fell asleep. The movement that the baby had begun to slow down. She remembered the shape of his face and his nose. The baby was sucking his thumb today. Slowly she drifted off.
"Hey, Ace, how's our little boy doing today?" Logan said to her.
He had just walked into the house. It was her grandmother's home and he walked in with a brief case. She was sitting in a rocking chair rocking the sleeping baby in her arms.
She saw him walk over to her and then bent and kissed the baby on the forehead. He then leaned in and kissed her on the lips. She responded to his kiss, then his face changed, and it was Tristan. Tristan picked up the baby from her arms and laid it in the bassinet that was beside the rocking chair.
"Where is Marty, Tristan? Where is Jess, Finn and Logan?"
"They all left you, Rory. But I'm here," Tristan said.
She looked at Tristan and then the door opened. In walked her Grandfather, and her mother. Her Grandmother walked from the kitchen with Mitchum. She looked around and started to yell for Marty. A fog started to fill the room and Rory grabbed the baby from the bassinet. She had to leave and ran out the door. She headed towards Stars Hollow and walked up and down the street calling for her mother. Sookie opened the door to her house and walked out. She guided Rory up the stairs to her home and sat her down.
"Sookie where is my mother?"
Sookie didn't answer and just hugged her.
Rory sat up in her bed and looked around the room. She put her hand on her belly and felt the baby move. She recognizes where she was and looked at the clock. She had been asleep for thirty minutes. She got out of the bed and went to the bathroom. After a few minutes she walked into the kitchen and took a bottle of water out of the refrigerator.
Picking up her phone she called the only one who would understand what was going on.
"Jess, I'm scared." and she began to sob into the phone.
"Rory, where are you?" he quickly asked her. He hadn't heard her this upset since her mother had died.
"I am at Marty's apartment."
"Where's Marty? Didn't you have a doctor's appointment today?"
"Yes, we went earlier this morning. They did test, and I must go back at 5:30. We had lunch and then I came back and took a nap. Marty returned to his office to do some work"
"Ok, I will be right over. Turn on some music or the television."
"Thanks, Jess," she hiccupped into the phone.
Jess got off the phone and quickly texted Marty telling him about the phone call he just got from Rory. He left and was at the apartment in five minutes.
Jess knocked on Marty's door and Rory opened it. He took one look at her and pulled her into his arms.
"Ror, what happened?" he asked her as he shut the door behind him.
"I had another dream and this time I couldn't find Marty or my mom. I was in Stars Hollow and I went to see Sookie. I kept asking her where my mom was, and she sat me on a chair and gave me a sad smile."
"You know where Marty is, he is at the office and he will be right over. I texted him and told him that you called crying."
"Jess, no, you shouldn't bother him. He has too much to do."
"Ror, he wants to be with you. What are you afraid of?"
"I can't do this Jess, I can't raise this baby alone. What was Ace really doing in France?"
"Rory, you can do this, and Ace would want you and Marty to raise his son. He would want you to give the baby brothers and sisters."
"Jess, something isn't right, why is the FBI involved? What are Mitchum and Logan doing back in my life? Why is Tristan back in my life? The next thing you will know Dean will be knocking at my door," she told him.
"Now that would be funny," Jess chuckled.
She put her head on his shoulder and finally voiced her fears, "They might make me stop work. What will I do?"
"Who will make you stop work?"
"The doctor, my blood pressure is high. I took tests today and they are worried about me and the baby. I can't lose him. This is the last part of Ace that I have."
Jess held her as she cried. He also understood why she was afraid.
"Rory, listen to me. There is so many things you can do. You are not alone, and I want you to think about what you did after you graduated from Yale. You joined the campaign and made a name for yourself. You became a successful journalist and then went on to be a successful producer. Your mother raised you to be an independent woman. You're going to be an amazing mother. I am here and so is Marty who loves you. You also have Finn, Colin and Steph."
Rory started to dry her tears, suddenly the door opened and in walked Marty. He looked worried and he was a little jealous that she called Jess and not him. Marty walked over to them and knelt in front of her.
"Ror, Princess, I am here."
Rory looked at him and said, "I had a dream and I couldn't find you. I took the baby to Stars Hollow and I was looking for my mother. Sookie took me into her house. But Marty when I asked Tristan where you were, he told me everyone left."
She continued to ramble about her dream. How Mitchum and her grandmother were there and how her grandfather and Mother walked into the house.
Jess looked at Marty and they both nodded. The stress was getting to her. Marty was concerned because she would be going to the Hartford Charity Event at Chilton this weekend with her father. He hadn't told her, but he wouldn't be able to go with her. While he was at the office his mother called to tell him that his father was going into the hospital to have open heart surgery on Friday. Marty was going to leave Friday morning with Gabby, so they could be with their mother while their dad had surgery.
"Babe, don't worry. Jess and I are here, and we aren't going to leave you," he told her.
He walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a beer for both he and Jess and an ice tea for Rory. He sat beside them on the couch. She sat up no longer laying with her head on Jess' shoulder. She smiled at him and took the ice tea.
"I am sorry guys, I am so hormonal. Jess you're right. I can do this. It's when I want to talk to my mother, my best friend, she's not there."
"I know, but I am your best friend and I promise you that I will always be there for you. You can call me anytime," Jess reminded her.
She hugged Jess and walked into the bathroom.
Jess explained where her anxiety was coming from. Marty told Jess about the trip on Friday he now must take to Florida. He asked him if he thinks she will be okay to go to the function with Christopher, when Rory went into the bathroom.
"I would call Christopher tonight and tell him about the appointment today and her fears. Let him know and if he wants I am available to attend in your place."
"That's sounds like a good plan."
Jess stayed a little while longer and talked about having dinner together on Thursday. Marty walked Jess to the door.
"Marty, you are the best thing that has happened to her. Don't leave her, she needs you now," Jess told him as they shook hands.
Marty closed the door and walked into their bedroom. She was sitting on the bed looking at their picture that was in the shell frame that Steph had given her. He pulled her up into his arms and hugged her. Taking her face in his hands he kissed her on the lips and told her, "Princess, we will get through this together, I promise."
Marty and Rory gathered their jackets and left soon after and returned to the doctor's office. This time they saw both Dr. Lawson and Gabby.
"Rory, the good news is that you don't' have Gestational Diabetes. But you need to be monitored for Preeclampsia," Doctor Lawson told her.
"I want you to have your blood pressure checked daily. If you see it become elevated again, you need to call us immediately. Now Gabby said that you signed up for a Yoga class and you had a prenatal massage?'
"Yes, I did," Rory responded.
"Good, start that Yoga class this week and I suggest that you have a massage weekly, that might help keep your anxiety down. However, if you blood pressure goes up again, we might need to hospitalize you and then have you change your work schedule," Dr. Lawson told her with a smile.
"Ok, I will, and Thank you for seeing me today," Rory said.
"Ok, so every Monday I want you to come in and have your urine checked for extra protein and have us check your blood pressure. Meanwhile, Gabby will give you the blood pressure machine that will hook up to your computer and send us the information daily. If we see any change, we will call you immediately to come in. You are to check your blood pressure in the morning and in the evening. I want to see the difference during the day."
They stood up to leave, and Dr. Lawson went and gave her a hug.
"Rory everything will be fine. I trust Gabrielle completely and she will be able to help you set everything up."
Shaking Marty's hand, she left the room. Gabrielle smiled at them and she followed them out to the reception area. Gabrielle went and got the blood pressure unit and then had them book her appointments for 9 am for the following Monday.
"I will see you in about forty-five minutes to help you set the blood pressure machine up," she told them.
"Well we will have dinner for you, how does Mexican sound? If Liam is around, invite him over too." Rory told her.
Gabby looked at her brother who smirked at her.
"Ok, I will."
She leaned in and hugged Rory and kissed her on the cheek. She kissed her brother and they left.
