Chapter 29: The Gang's All Here
Ten minutes later, Luke was back in the waiting room, trying to distract himself by watching TV when he heard some call, "Luke."
He looked up to see a worried-looking Emily walking towards him. As she neared, he stood up and said, "Hi, Emily. I take it that Rory got a hold of you."
"Yes, she did," Emily replied.
"I'm sorry. I would have called myself, but I didn't have your number with me, so I asked Rory to call you when I spoke to her," said Luke.
"I understand," Emily replied, curtly. "What happened?"
"I don't know," Luke explained, "she said her stomach was bothering her, but thought it was indigestion. Then suddenly she collapsed in pain."
"That's just like her," Emily said, with a shake of her head. "I told her she should see a doctor."
"When was that?" Luke asked.
"Last week, when she and Rory were over for dinner," Emily replied. "She was sick then." Emily looked around and asked, "What do the doctors say?"
Luke shook his head and replied, "So far, nothing to me."
'That is just typical," Emily responded. "Why to these people insist on keeping everyone in the dark?"
"I don't know," Luke answered. "But I did see her a few minutes ago."
"You did?" Emily asked. "How was she?"
Luke shook his head and said, "She was pretty out of it, and still in some pain."
"Oh, dear."
"But I was only there for a couple of minutes, when they came and got her for some kind of tests."
"What were the results of these tests?" Emily asked.
"I haven't heard yet," Luke answered. "I'm not even sure if they are back yet."
"Well, I'm going to find out," Emily said, then turned and headed for the desk.
Luke fell into step with her. As they neared the desk, he could see that nurse Culpepper was still there, but on the phone. The nurse saw them approach, and held up a finger, asking them to wait. Within a few seconds, she completed the conversation, looked up and asked, "Yes, Mr. Gilmore?"
Surprised, Emily looked at Luke and asked, "Mr. Gilmore?"
Slightly embarrassed, Luke said, "I'll explain later." He turned back to the nurse and asked, "Nurse Culpepper, could you tell us if my wife is back from her test yet?"
"Please, call me Beth." The nurse consulted a large grid on the wall with various labels and writing on it that made no sense to Emily or Luke, then said, "I'm afraid she's not back yet."
"When will she be back?" Emily asked.
When the nurse looked at Luke he said, "This is Mrs. Gil… This is Lorelai's mother."
The nurse nodded and said, "I'm afraid that I don't know how long she'll be gone."
"When will we be able to talk to the doctors?" Emily inquired.
"I'm afraid I don't know that either."
"Well, I find that totally unacceptable," Emily declared. "I'll just see if I can find someone who knows what is going on." Emily picked up her purse, turned to Luke and asked, "Are you coming with me, Luke?"
Luke thought a second then said, "Why don't you go ahead, and I'll wait here. That way if they show up here, we have it covered."
"Suit yourself," Emily shrugged, and then she said turned and headed through the doors.
After she was gone, Luke looked Nurse Culpepper, and said, "Sorry about that."
"No problem," the nurse replied. "If you want to go sit back down, I'll try and let you know when they bring her back up, or you could wait in her room."
"Thanks," Luke replied. "I'm expecting some people, so I think I'll wait here."
Luke returned to the waiting room, and was just about to sit down when he heard someone call his name.
He turned and saw Rory heading towards him, with Kyle close behind. Rory hurried up to him and put her arms around him in a quick hug that Luke returned. When Rory pulled back, Luke could see her eyes were red from crying. "How is she doing?" Rory asked.
Luke told Rory what he knew, which he admitted was not much. He concluded with, "She's having some test run now."
While Rory digested what Luke said, Kyle walked up behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder. Luke held out his hand and said, "Hey Kyle."
"Luke," replied the younger man as he took Luke's hand.
Rory looked around then asked, "Is my grandma here?"
"She got here about fifteen minutes ago," Luke answered. "She's off trying to see if she can find out anything."
As they started to take seats, Rory asked, "What about the…" She paused for a second, biting her lip, and then asked, "What have the doctors said?"
Before Luke could reply, they heard someone say, "As usual you can't find a doctor around this place to tell you anything." They looked up to see Emily approaching.
"Grandma," Rory said, as she stood. Rory wrapped her grandmother in a tight hug, burying her face in her shoulder.
"Hello, Rory," the elder Gilmore said, returning the hug.
"I'm scared," Rory said.
Emily rubbed Rory's back and said, "I know. I am, too." Then Emily pulled back, but while still holding Rory at arms length, she smiled and said, "But don't tell your mother I said that. She may think I'm getting soft in my old age."
Rory smiled, while she tried to blink away the tears. As they moved to seats, Rory said, "Grandma, I wanted to apologize for the things I said at dinner last week."
Emily shook her head, patted Rory on the knee, and said, "Rory, that's the furthest thing from my mind right now." Emily turned to Rory's boyfriend and said, "Hello, Kyle."
"Hi, Mrs. Gilmore. Did you find out anything?"
"Only that every year it gets harder to find out anything in this place," Emily replied.
They spent the next few minutes talking, till Luke looked up and saw Nurse Culpepper approaching. When she neared, she said, "Mr. Gilmore?"
Luke started to reply, but when he caught the questioning look from Rory, he said to her, "I'll explain later." He turned back to the nurse and asked, "Yes, Beth?"
"They're bringing your wife back now," the nurse explained. "In a few minutes you can go back to see her, but…" Nurse Culpepper looked around the group then continued, "But we need to limit it to two people at a time."
"Thanks, Beth," Luke said.
The nurse turned to leave, but stopped when Emily asked, "What were the results of the tests?"
The nurse shook her head and said, "No, I'm afraid…"
Emily interrupted her by saying, "Yes, yes. You can't tell us anything. Do they teach you to say that in nursing school?"
"Yes, ma'am," the nurse replied. "In the same class where they teach us how to deal with pushy family members." Then she turned and walked away.
With a shocked expression, Emily stared after the woman as she walked away. Everyone else sat silently, unsure how to react. Finally, Emily turned back to the group, shaking her head, but with a slight smile on her face.
They sat quietly for a moment, till Rory cleared her throat and asked, "So who gets to go back?"
They sat exchanging unsure looks. Emily broke the silence saying, "It should be Rory and Luke, I suppose."
"Are you sure, Emily?" Luke asked.
Emily refused to meet Luke's gaze when she replied, "Yes, I'm sure that she'd rather see you than me."
Before Luke could reply, Kyle said, "The nurse is waving to you."
They all looked up and saw Nurse Culpepper standing by the door, waving at them. Anxiously, they all stood, looking between each other, before Emily spoke, "You two go ahead." Then she sat back in her chair.
Luke nodded to Rory who turned to leave. He took one step to follow then stopped. His gaze shifted between the door to where Lorelai lay, and her mother. Desperately he wanted to follow Rory but instead he said some of the hardest words he had ever spoken, "Wait, Rory." When she turned back to him, he said, "Why don't you take your Grandma with you?"
Emily stood, then expectantly said, "Are you sure, Luke?"
"Yeah," Luke nodded. "I saw her earlier, you go ahead."
Emily looked at Luke for a long moment, then stood and said, "Well, if you're sure, Luke?"
"Sure. Go ahead."
Emily only nodded, but the look in her eyes was of extreme gratitude. She joined Rory, then said, "I'll just be a few minutes, then you can go in."
Luke watched them leave the room, then with a heavy sigh sat back in his chair, and returned to contemplations about life, death, and the specter of life without Lorelai.
Ten minutes later, Luke was back in the waiting room, trying to distract himself by watching TV when he heard some call, "Luke."
He looked up to see a worried-looking Emily walking towards him. As she neared, he stood up and said, "Hi, Emily. I take it that Rory got a hold of you."
"Yes, she did," Emily replied.
"I'm sorry. I would have called myself, but I didn't have your number with me, so I asked Rory to call you when I spoke to her," said Luke.
"I understand," Emily replied, curtly. "What happened?"
"I don't know," Luke explained, "she said her stomach was bothering her, but thought it was indigestion. Then suddenly she collapsed in pain."
"That's just like her," Emily said, with a shake of her head. "I told her she should see a doctor."
"When was that?" Luke asked.
"Last week, when she and Rory were over for dinner," Emily replied. "She was sick then." Emily looked around and asked, "What do the doctors say?"
Luke shook his head and replied, "So far, nothing to me."
'That is just typical," Emily responded. "Why to these people insist on keeping everyone in the dark?"
"I don't know," Luke answered. "But I did see her a few minutes ago."
"You did?" Emily asked. "How was she?"
Luke shook his head and said, "She was pretty out of it, and still in some pain."
"Oh, dear."
"But I was only there for a couple of minutes, when they came and got her for some kind of tests."
"What were the results of these tests?" Emily asked.
"I haven't heard yet," Luke answered. "I'm not even sure if they are back yet."
"Well, I'm going to find out," Emily said, then turned and headed for the desk.
Luke fell into step with her. As they neared the desk, he could see that nurse Culpepper was still there, but on the phone. The nurse saw them approach, and held up a finger, asking them to wait. Within a few seconds, she completed the conversation, looked up and asked, "Yes, Mr. Gilmore?"
Surprised, Emily looked at Luke and asked, "Mr. Gilmore?"
Slightly embarrassed, Luke said, "I'll explain later." He turned back to the nurse and asked, "Nurse Culpepper, could you tell us if my wife is back from her test yet?"
"Please, call me Beth." The nurse consulted a large grid on the wall with various labels and writing on it that made no sense to Emily or Luke, then said, "I'm afraid she's not back yet."
"When will she be back?" Emily asked.
When the nurse looked at Luke he said, "This is Mrs. Gil… This is Lorelai's mother."
The nurse nodded and said, "I'm afraid that I don't know how long she'll be gone."
"When will we be able to talk to the doctors?" Emily inquired.
"I'm afraid I don't know that either."
"Well, I find that totally unacceptable," Emily declared. "I'll just see if I can find someone who knows what is going on." Emily picked up her purse, turned to Luke and asked, "Are you coming with me, Luke?"
Luke thought a second then said, "Why don't you go ahead, and I'll wait here. That way if they show up here, we have it covered."
"Suit yourself," Emily shrugged, and then she said turned and headed through the doors.
After she was gone, Luke looked Nurse Culpepper, and said, "Sorry about that."
"No problem," the nurse replied. "If you want to go sit back down, I'll try and let you know when they bring her back up, or you could wait in her room."
"Thanks," Luke replied. "I'm expecting some people, so I think I'll wait here."
Luke returned to the waiting room, and was just about to sit down when he heard someone call his name.
He turned and saw Rory heading towards him, with Kyle close behind. Rory hurried up to him and put her arms around him in a quick hug that Luke returned. When Rory pulled back, Luke could see her eyes were red from crying. "How is she doing?" Rory asked.
Luke told Rory what he knew, which he admitted was not much. He concluded with, "She's having some test run now."
While Rory digested what Luke said, Kyle walked up behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder. Luke held out his hand and said, "Hey Kyle."
"Luke," replied the younger man as he took Luke's hand.
Rory looked around then asked, "Is my grandma here?"
"She got here about fifteen minutes ago," Luke answered. "She's off trying to see if she can find out anything."
As they started to take seats, Rory asked, "What about the…" She paused for a second, biting her lip, and then asked, "What have the doctors said?"
Before Luke could reply, they heard someone say, "As usual you can't find a doctor around this place to tell you anything." They looked up to see Emily approaching.
"Grandma," Rory said, as she stood. Rory wrapped her grandmother in a tight hug, burying her face in her shoulder.
"Hello, Rory," the elder Gilmore said, returning the hug.
"I'm scared," Rory said.
Emily rubbed Rory's back and said, "I know. I am, too." Then Emily pulled back, but while still holding Rory at arms length, she smiled and said, "But don't tell your mother I said that. She may think I'm getting soft in my old age."
Rory smiled, while she tried to blink away the tears. As they moved to seats, Rory said, "Grandma, I wanted to apologize for the things I said at dinner last week."
Emily shook her head, patted Rory on the knee, and said, "Rory, that's the furthest thing from my mind right now." Emily turned to Rory's boyfriend and said, "Hello, Kyle."
"Hi, Mrs. Gilmore. Did you find out anything?"
"Only that every year it gets harder to find out anything in this place," Emily replied.
They spent the next few minutes talking, till Luke looked up and saw Nurse Culpepper approaching. When she neared, she said, "Mr. Gilmore?"
Luke started to reply, but when he caught the questioning look from Rory, he said to her, "I'll explain later." He turned back to the nurse and asked, "Yes, Beth?"
"They're bringing your wife back now," the nurse explained. "In a few minutes you can go back to see her, but…" Nurse Culpepper looked around the group then continued, "But we need to limit it to two people at a time."
"Thanks, Beth," Luke said.
The nurse turned to leave, but stopped when Emily asked, "What were the results of the tests?"
The nurse shook her head and said, "No, I'm afraid…"
Emily interrupted her by saying, "Yes, yes. You can't tell us anything. Do they teach you to say that in nursing school?"
"Yes, ma'am," the nurse replied. "In the same class where they teach us how to deal with pushy family members." Then she turned and walked away.
With a shocked expression, Emily stared after the woman as she walked away. Everyone else sat silently, unsure how to react. Finally, Emily turned back to the group, shaking her head, but with a slight smile on her face.
They sat quietly for a moment, till Rory cleared her throat and asked, "So who gets to go back?"
They sat exchanging unsure looks. Emily broke the silence saying, "It should be Rory and Luke, I suppose."
"Are you sure, Emily?" Luke asked.
Emily refused to meet Luke's gaze when she replied, "Yes, I'm sure that she'd rather see you than me."
Before Luke could reply, Kyle said, "The nurse is waving to you."
They all looked up and saw Nurse Culpepper standing by the door, waving at them. Anxiously, they all stood, looking between each other, before Emily spoke, "You two go ahead." Then she sat back in her chair.
Luke nodded to Rory who turned to leave. He took one step to follow then stopped. His gaze shifted between the door to where Lorelai lay, and her mother. Desperately he wanted to follow Rory but instead he said some of the hardest words he had ever spoken, "Wait, Rory." When she turned back to him, he said, "Why don't you take your Grandma with you?"
Emily stood, then expectantly said, "Are you sure, Luke?"
"Yeah," Luke nodded. "I saw her earlier, you go ahead."
Emily looked at Luke for a long moment, then stood and said, "Well, if you're sure, Luke?"
"Sure. Go ahead."
Emily only nodded, but the look in her eyes was of extreme gratitude. She joined Rory, then said, "I'll just be a few minutes, then you can go in."
Luke watched them leave the room, then with a heavy sigh sat back in his chair, and returned to contemplations about life, death, and the specter of life without Lorelai.