Rory burst through the heavy door, the cool night breeze instantly hitting her hot face. Her head swam, her heart beating loudly in her ears. Her throat had all but closed up, her chest heaving heavily as she tried to catch her breath. She pulled out her phone shaking. She had to get out of there, and fast. She started to dial her mom's number, but quickly deleted it. She was at Friday Night Dinner, and letting her grandparents in on this was not something she wanted to do right now. She typed out a quick text to Paris and sent it, hoping that she was still awake. She and Doyle's apartment was only about thirty minutes away from East Hartford.
"Rory?" Logan called out, running. "Rory, wait!"
Logan reached out to put his arm around her and she physically recoiled at his touch. "We have nothing to talk about." She sneered.
"Rory please. Let's go inside and talk about this. It's freezing out here."
"I hear it's pretty warm where you're from." She snapped.
Logan sighed. "Rory, you're overreacting. I meant to tell you. . . I really did. . there was just never a good time and. . ."
Rory looked up at him, the betrayal reflecting clearly in her big blue eyes. "You were going to tell me? When? In our wedding vows? At our grandkids graduation? Logan, you asked me to MOVE IN WITH YOU. You trust me enough to live with you, but not to know that you're working for your father again?!"
"It's a job! I can support you and our child! I was waiting for the right time. I didn't want to ruin a perfect day by telling you because I knew you'd be upset. . ."
"You knew I'd be upset? Logan, do you know me at all?!"
"YOU'RE UPSET RIGHT NOW!" He bellowed.
"I'm upset because you LIED to me! I don't care where you work! True, absolutely anywhere else on earth would be better than back at Huntzberger Publishing, but I didn't care. I care that you hide things from me. I care that in just a few short months we're bringing a baby into this world, and you still can't trust me enough to tell me the truth no matter how bad the truth is. That hurts Logan! A relationship needs trust to survive. . . and we have none!"
Logan opened his mouth to apologize, when a small silver sedan sped up to them. The window rolled down, and Paris stuck her head out. "Let's go Rory."
Rory started towards the car, when Logan grabbed arm. "Rory, wait. Please?"
Rory shrugged away from him. "You've said enough."
Paris stepped out of the car. "Look Huntzberger if I miss American Idol voting because of you, I will hunt you down." She turned to Rory. "If Sanjaya wins Doyle will never let me live it down. How does he keep placing?!"
Logan sighed. "Paris she's fine. I'll take her home."
Paris rolled her eyes. "Did you know that a recent Harvard study showed that a fetus can feel the effects of maternal stress? Everything that she feels, your baby feels. You are nothing, and have been nothing but a big source of stress for Rory ever since you entered her life. She should have been done with you when you cheated on her back in college."
Logan sighed. "That was years ago Paris.. . .and I didn't cheat, we were broken up."
Paris scrunched her nose. "Ok season 3 Ross. It doesn't matter. What I'm saying is you're not good for her."
Logan glanced at Rory, A fresh set of tears erupting down her cheeks. "Rory please. talk to me. Please." His voice cracked "Rory, I love you. We belong together."
Rory marched over to him. "You don't love me Logan. You don't lie like that to someone you love. We're not soul mates. . . .we're not destined to be together." She glanced down at her stomach, rubbing it softly. "we're just two people who shared DNA and are now stuck together . . . just like my parents."
Rory sat down in Paris' car. "Let's go Paris." she said, never taking her eyes off of Logan.
…
Kirk swiveled around on the barstool. Slapping the counter. "Lulu here will take a shingle with a shimmy and a shake, and I'll take Adam and Eve on a log."
Luke stared at Kirk, blankly. "What now?"
Kirk rolled his eyes. "Really Luke? You can't understand classic diner talk?"
Luke glanced over at Lulu. "WHAT is he talking about?"
Lulu giggled. "We just got cable. He's addicted to the Food Network. "
Kirk nodded in agreement, "You know Luke, if you add a little pizazz to your menu, Guy Fieri would be here in a heartbeat."
"Guy who?"
"Diners, drive-ins and dives Luke! Get with the program! Your kitschy decor, small town charm. . . he could really put you on the map."
Just then Rory and Lorelai bust through the door.
Oh My God I'm so glad you're here." Luke muttered.
"Coffee please." Rory called out as she eased herself into a chair.
Luke sat two mugs down on the table. "I just put a fresh pot on, it should be done soon."
Rory grabbed her stomach, and smiled. "Luke! The baby really likes your voice. Come here you can feel them kicking!"
Luke scrunched up his face in disgust. "I'd rather discuss Boy Ferrari with Kirk."
Luke walked into the kitchen, visually disturbed by Rory's suggestion.
Lorelai glanced over at Rory, gauging her mood. "I'm surprised Logan didn't come today." She said, trying to tiptoe into the topic carefully. By the time Lorelai had arrived home from Friday Night Dinner, Rory was already home, showered, and in sweats. She had explained that Logan had lied to her but had made it very clear that she did not want to discuss it any further.
Rory rolled her eyes. "I don't want to talk about him."
" I honestly thought he was stepping up. I thought he would be there no matter what happened between you two. Could have fooled me."
Rory sighed. As mad as she was at Logan, she hated to hear her mother talking bad about him. "Logan didn't know about my appointment today."
Lorelai's eyes grew wide. "RORY!"
Rory shrugged. "I'm not ready to deal with him yet."
"You don't want to deal with him yet? Rory, that's selfish and immature."
Luke returned to the table with a hot pot of coffee. Rory glanced at the pot as he began to pour and grabbed his hand. "What are you doing?!"
Luke shot her a confused look. "I'm assuming you want coffee?"
"That pot has an orange handle." Rory said, still not letting go of his hand.
Luke pulled the pot back. "Wow they sure do teach you advanced topics at Yale."
She rolled her eyes at Luke's smart remark. "The orange handle means it's decaf. I'm not stupid."
"Not stupid, but you are pregnant."
"Luke!" Rory whined. "I'm allowed one cup a day!"
"I found the Cafe Busto in the garage! Do you know what you're doing to your baby?!"
Rory sighed loudly, crossing her arms defensively. "Great, now I have to finish this conversation without coffee."
Luke shot Lorelai a confused glance.
Lorelai shook her head. "Rory didn't tell Logan about her doctor's appointment this morning."
"Rory!" Luke sputtered, appalled at her actions.
She glared at Lorelai. "I already told you I don't want to talk about it."
Lorelai crossed her arms defensively. "In case you forgot that birthing video we watched, becoming a parent is doing a lot of things you don't want to do."
"He lied to me for months!" Rory pouted.
"So what. . .you're just never going to talk to him again?"
"I guess he'd never lie to me again that way."
"Rory! You can't just shut him out! He's the father of that baby whether you like it or not"
Rory took a slow sip of her coffee, wishing so much that it was caffeinated. "He's not shut out, but I need to think about what I share with him. He wanted me to move in with him but couldn't tell me that he worked for his dad? I didn't want him to go back to HPG, but I'm more mad that he didn't tell me, than the fact that he went back."
"I agree he should have told you, but Rory, he's not perfect. Nobody is perfect." Lorelai said softly, putting her hand on Rory's. "But that's still his baby. There have been plenty of times that your dad has screwed up royally, but I've still kept him around. . . because he's your dad."
"You raised me by yourself and we were fine."
Lorelai's eyes widened. "I raised you by myself because I didn't have a choice! You have a perfectly wonderful man, who is practically begging to be in your child's life, regardless of your and his relationship status. That is something you don't want to throw away."
Rory rolled her eyes. "At the end of the day this is my baby. I'm responsible for them. I choose who is in their life, and any decision I make about Logan directly affects them. I don't want my baby to have two parents for the sake of having two parents. Logan is begging to be around, but this is the easy part. Let's see if he still wants to be around when the baby's screaming, and I haven't slept or showered in three days, and there's a blonde with perfect non breastfeeding boobs just waiting for him to look her way." Rory slammed her coffee cup down on the table, sloshing liquid everywhere. " I don't want Logan in and out of the baby's life! I DON'T WANT MY BABY TO HAVE A DAD LIKE I HAD!"
Suddenly the whole diner was looking at Rory. She grabbed her coat. "I'll be home later." and she bustled quickly out the door.
…
"I'm telling you Suga, Myrrh Low is the perfect name." Babette said, thumping a cantaloupe.
Lorelai nodded, smiling politely. "I'll pass that along to Rory, but I think she's going in another direction."
The woman shook her head. "She said the same thing when I suggested Moonbeam for a boy last week."
Lorelai placed an apple into her basket. "Well Moonbeam Gilmore certainly rolls off the tongue!"
"You know you're such a good momma! Rory has some big shoes to fill! I'm sure she's talking your ear off, learning all about how to be a good mom."
Lorelai froze. Actually, it was quite the opposite since Rory's outburst at Luke's a couple weeks ago. Rory had become a shell of her former self, quiet and withdrawn. She stayed holed up in her room, shuffling out every so often to use the bathroom or raid the fridge. Lorelai hadn't gotten much more than a frosty "fine" or "yeah" out of her and she absolutely hated it. she glanced down at her watch, not even noting what time it read. "Well would you look at the time! I need
to get home to Rory, she needs her apple!"
Babette hugged her, the strong powdery scent of her exclamation perfume choking Lorelai. "I'll swing by later with some kugel for her. That baby loves my kugel!"
Lorelai forced a smile on her face and waved goodbye. The cashier was a new guy, a young kid with way too long hair that hung in his face. Lorelai silently rejoiced, she was not in the mood for mindless chit chat. She quickly paid for her groceries and left the store. She placed her groceries into the seat of her jeep when her phone rang. She fished it out of her purse, and her heart fluttered. Rory was calling her.
"Rory? Hey! What's up? Did you need some from Doose's?" She was practically beaming. However as soon as Rory spoke, Lorelai's happiness dissipated.
"Mom, something is wrong."
"What? What do you mean? Something's wrong with the baby?"
Lorelai could hear the panic in Rory's voice. "The baby's not kicking. They've not kicked all day."
Lorelai felt a little on edge, but kept her cool. "All day? Are you sure? You probably just didn't feel them."
"No Mom, I haven't felt anything all day. The doctor said I should feel them move at least ten times, in a two hour period. I noticed I hadn't felt anything all day, I even drank some orange juice to get them going. I've been laying on my side, drinking ice water for two hours now, and I haven't felt anything!"
"Well maybe the baby is stubborn like you or maybe the baby misses Logan's voice."
"Oh my gosh Logan. . . I didn't let him go to that last appointment with me. . . what if there is something wrong with the baby and that. . . what if it was the last appointment?" Rory's voice cracked as she said the last sentence, realizing how horrible this situation could be.
"Rory, I'm sure the baby's ok, have you called your doctor?"
"The doctor wants me to go to the emergency room."
Lorelai's heart leaped into her throat, slowly strangling her. Surely this was a fluke? The baby was just being lazy? "Get dressed and i'll be there in five minutes to pick you up." Lorelai started up her jeep, flying out of the parking spot before it was even fully out of park.
"Mom?" Rory whispered, her voice tiny and insecure.
"Yeah?"
"I'm scared."
Lorelai swallowed hard, taking everything she had not to reply with "me too". She cleared her throat, "It's going to be ok baby. I'm almost there."
