So sorry for the long long wait, but Covid-19 got to us, and nothing has been as it should. We are all doing fairly alright, still tired like hell and we can't smell or taste anything still, plus concentration is at a minimum so things doesn't work as fast as I want.
I hope you will like this chapter, I am actually very very happy about its outcome.
On to the story - Enjoy
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The trip back to the States where not pleasant for anyone, Lorelai wasn't talking to anybody, she ran her Walkman out of battery and when that happened, she just went to sleep. Christopher tried to read and succeeded for the most part. A few rows behind them Richard and Emily were seated, and Richard had a close eye on his very pregnant wife, she only had five weeks left of her pregnancy and was suffering from a lot of different problems, swollen ancles, stuffy nose, pelvic pains, lower back pain and of course the hard Braxton hicks. Emily tried to rest as best as possible for the long flight home, tried to ignore the gloomy feeling the family had left Paris with.
Upon the return to Hartford, the Gilmores had Christopher driven home to his parents' house, Lorelai was not in the mood to give a proper goodbye to him, she sat with her arms crossed over her extended belly and looking the other way. Richard and Emily exchanged a few words with the Hayden's before going home.
As they entered the Gilmore house, Lorelai swung her small bag behind her and practically ran upstairs, Emily looked after her as she herself moved into the living room. She sat down with a sigh.
"Are you alright my dear?" Richard asked
"Yes, yes I'm fine, everything is just tightening up. This is for sure the last time I will travel at 8 months pregnant." She replied as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
"I read somewhere that they may start banning women from traveling in their last trimester soon, due to too many deliveries in air. So, traveling will have to be better planed in the future." Richard said as he pointed to the bags for the driver to take upstairs.
Emily started laughing, he looked at her quizzically "What is so funny Emily?"
"I will never be pregnant ever again Richard so that will not become an issue for us, whether they do decide that or not."
"You never know."
"Oh yes I know Richard. This will be the last child we'll have, believe me." Emily got to her feet and walked over to stand in front of Richard "I love you, but no matter what, this is the last time I will go through this." She kissed him and patted his chest.
"This wasn't exactly planned Emily, so it could happen again, statistically." He ran his hands up and down her arms smiling at her.
"You've already beaten the odds with this one, no such luck happens twice."
"I already have." He stated
Emily looked at him with wonder "What do you mean, I'm not following you here?"
"Well, if you look at it statistically, then just the simple fact of getting you pregnant is a miracle every time it has happened. You and I have already beaten the odds three times and out of those times only one of them we aimed for and it took some time for it to happen. So, don't dismiss it that quickly." He winked at her.
"You do know that absence is the easiest way to avoid pregnancy right!" she smirked at him
Richards eyes widened upon her remark "Do not joke about that my love, I clearly remember the time after Lorelai's birth and I am not looking forward to the time after this little one's arrival on that point, but I will endure it with grace."
"Like last time." Emily laughed
"Yes, like last time." He confirmed with a raised chin.
"Richard you practically climbed the walls from when Lorelai was a week old." She tapped her finger on his chin.
His puffed-out chest deflated, and he smiled at her "You had me waiting for two whole months! And what is a man to do, his wife just delivered their baby and are at all times of the day presented with full naked breasts and a glowing woman." He explained
"I was feeding your offspring." She looked at him with a raise eyebrow
"I know, and I know all my thoughts was wrong but you…." He stopped himself midsentence and looked down at the floor.
"What is it Richard?" she cupped his cheek and forced him to look her in the eye.
"Nothing dear." He gave her a quick kiss
"It's not nothing when it has you not finishing your sentences. Tell me please? It sounds like I did something that upsets you a great deal."
"It's silly and inappropriate."
"Now you really have to tell me." She locked eyes with him "Richard?"
"It was just, when you were expecting Lorelai you didn't really want to be intimate for the last long part of the pregnancy and it was hard to watch this amazing progress a pregnancy is, seeing that tiny baby after it was born, seeing all that followed your entrance to motherhood and knowing that I was not needed or wanted at that point." He sighed
"Oh darling you are very wrong here." Emily tilted her head and looked up at him.
"Please do elaborate on that my dear."
"I was worried while expecting Lorelai, I didn't know anything, I was worried something might go wrong if we….you know….I didn't want to jeopardize anything, that is why I didn't want to be…intimate. As you might have noticed I'm wiser this time around and I am pretty sure that you are not suffering the same." She looked at him with raised eyebrows and smiled warmly at him as he shook his head "And you are very much needed and wanted – I do not want to let you think otherwise, I was new to it all with Lorelai and I didn't think really." She explained
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I wasn't the only one entering a new phase, you became a father the same instant I became a mother, but I may not have left room for you to fully get into that role. I only wanted you to not experience any problems with tiredness, sleepless nights, feeding issues and so on, because I wanted you to be completely rested and ready for work every morning, so that is why I didn't ask for your help." She kissed him softly
"So does that mean that you will ask me to take nightshifts this time around?" he smiled
"No dear, I still want you to be able to do your job and I will do mine. But I will promise that I will let you be more hands-on this time."
"I am very good with my hands!" he laughed and let his hands glide around her and gave her behind a squeeze.
"I know that and remember that when I tell you diaper duty is yours for the day!" she winked and stepped away from him "But now I need to go to bed, this tightening is getting worse, will you join me?"
"I will after locking up and getting a few phone calls done." He kissed her deeply.
Emily broke of the kiss and took a step towards the stairs "Alright, goodnight."
"Goodnight." Richard looked after her and got to work on the things he mentioned.
An hour later he entered the bedroom and simply looked at his sleeping wife, she had a peaceful look on her face but her entire body showed signs of restlessness. She turned a couple of time, her feet moving around constantly, and her hand grabbed the extended belly as movements were noticeable. The night consisted of restlessness for the both of them, Richard was tuned into his wife completely and every time she turned, kicked her legs, twisted around, anything he woke up, he tried several times to put his arms around her to try at least to keep her from tossing and turning, but it didn't help. Around six in the morning Emily woke up, she needed to use the bathroom, Richard was wrapped around her, so she had no other choice than to wake him.
"Darling, I need to get out of bed." She started but Richard didn't budge "Richard." She tried in a sing-song voice and he grunted but pushed his head further into the pillow, Emily smiled "Richard, you really need to move now." She said a little louder and finally he jerked up.
"What's wrong?" he said
"I just need to go to the bathroom." She ran a hand down his face in a loving manner.
"Oh sorry." He started and released her from his grip "You were so restless for the entire night that I tried everything to hold you in place just so that we could get a little sleep." Richard reasoned.
"I'm sorry, but this little girl here is moving around so much at the moment, I don't think it was all that wise to be traveling at this late stage in pregnancy." Emily said as she got up from the bed "Just look at my feet, they are so swollen."
"But are you feeling alright?" Richard started to move across the bed towards her with a worried expression on his face.
"Not really dear, but don't worry." She turned and looked at him "Please!"
Richard nodded and look down for a minute, he looked up again to follow Emily with his eyes as she walked to the bathroom, he could see the trouble she had walking, her elegance was not diminished but the swelling of her feet clearly hurt as she moved around. As she returned from the bathroom Richard was sat on the side of the bed, hands folded hanging loosely between his legs, head hung as well. He lifted his head as she closed the door.
"Emily, I do worry, don't ask me to never do that. You are eight months pregnant, we just returned home from Europe and you have been tossing and turning all night, you can hardly walk and…."
"Richard don't." she held up a hand and he stopped. He got to his feet and walked to her, hugging her to him the best he could with the obstruction of her extended form.
"I think we should pay Joshua a visit." He mumbled with his head buried in her neck and hair.
"Why?"
"Just to be on the safe side alright."
She pulled back a little and looked him in the eye and what she saw in them made her smile at him and reply "Whatever you want Richard."
Richard knocked on Lorelai's door and entered when a 'yeah' came from the other side.
"Lorelai, how are you feeling?"
"Tired and hungry." Was her short answer
"Alright, but nothing that worries you?" he asked
"No." she shook her head and moved her pillow a little then she quickly turned towards her father "Is something wrong with mom since you ask that way?"
"We are leaving for Joshua's office in about an hour, she is not feeling to well. But she says that I shouldn't worry so neither should you sweetheart. I just want you both to see the doctor if something is bothering you."
"Besides being tired all the time and being fat and the fact that I keep wanting apples, than no."
"Lorelai you are not fat, you are pregnant."
"I'm heavier than mom is, and I was smaller than her before this, so I know when I'm fat." Lorelai snapped
Richard had learned the hard way not to argue with a pregnant woman, even if that woman was his daughter, so he accepted defeat and held up his hands in peace and backed out of the room. "Alright, as I said we are leaving for the doctor's office shortly, if you feel the need or want to come with us, just for a checkup then please do so alright."
"Sure. But I won't." Lorelai got up and walked into her bathroom.
Richard looked around the room sadly before leaving it. Standing out in the hallway he sighed deeply, wondering where he had gone wrong with Lorelai, she was 16 and very pregnant, in fact she only had about two and a half months left before she would make him a grandparent. As he stood there in his own thoughts, wallowing in his thoughts it all was interrupted by a scream from his wife.
"RICHARD!"
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Uuuhhh drama huh - what do you think will happen now? Did you like it? Leave a little word.
