Rory was at her desk in the Yale Daily News office typing furiously. She was trying to get her article finished before Paris came back from her exam. People were filing in and out of the room and she would wave but didn't take her eyes off her screen.
"Now that's some serious focusing," Logan teased.
Rory looked up and saw him holding out a coffee, half sitting on her desk. "When did you get here?" She asked, taking the coffee he offered.
"Just a minute ago, you look beautiful when you're intense."
Rory shook her head, "Well I'm trying to finish my article before Paris comes back. She wants to lock the final 2005 edition tonight, so unless you want to get roped into helping I suggest you leave."
"I thought I could take you out to dinner."
"Not tonight."
"Come on Ace, I've been playing it slow with you. I know you're also seeing that writer guy. Let me take you out somewhere nice after a stressful Paris session. I know a great place in New York."
"I'm not playing hard to get, I have a family thing tonight. That's why I'm rushing. I need to finish this so when Paris gets here I can help with layout stuff and be done by five."
Logan smirked, "Family thing? Isn't the writer part of your family? Kind of a weird country relationship you got going there."
"First of all, Jess and I dated before my Mom married his Uncle. Second, Jess and I aren't dating. We're working on some projects together. Third, I have a holiday thing at the Gilmores tonight so Jess won't be there and finally I really need to work right now!"
Lohan sighed and his voice became serious, "I miss you."
Rory softened and met his gaze, "We will have dinner this week. I promise I will call you tomorrow to set something up."
Logan kissed her cheek, "I'm out of here. Gotta run before Paris sees me."
Rory smiled as she watched him leave.
"Tell me again why we're celebrating Christmas so early?"
"Oh my Gawd! Not this again," Lorelai sighed. "My parents travel over Christmas. They are leaving on Tuesday and won't be back until January. Since Rory had a late exam on Friday, we're having Friday night dinner on a Sunday and this is our Christmas celebration with my parents."
"Seriously Luke, she's gone over this like three times," April said from the backseat. "Oh, I forgot to tell you that we need to do a quick target run tomorrow. I read the car seat manual and it said that in some cars the cushions are uneven and you can steady the base with a pool noodle. So we need to get a pool noodle just in case."
"It's December, do you really think they will have pool noodles in stock?" Luke asked.
"Well we have to check, they have a million uses for little kids."
Luke and Lorelai shared a smile as April continued talking in the backseat.
"When you don't want them to roll over you can have one on either side of the baby and they act as bumpers. You can cut a small to medium size piece off the end, then slice it down the middle and it goes on to a door preventing it from fully closing so the baby won't get their fingers caught in the door and you won't accidentally lock the baby in its room by himself."
"Wow, you really looked into this, hu?" Luke teased.
"I just got into a Google vortex, I read the manual and then looked up some safety stuff about babies and kids so I just kept reading."
"You're going to make a remarkable older sister," Lorelai told her.
Luke glanced in the rearview mirror and saw April's face light up.
With that, they pulled onto The Gilmore's driveway and April rushed to the door.
"It still freaks me out seeing someone so excited to be here," Lorelai said to Luke as they grabbed some Christmas gifts from the trunk.
During dinner Lorelai kept shifting in her seat and Emily would tell her to stop fidgeting. Now they were more comfortable in the living room having dessert and exchanging gifts.
"April, your gift is over there," Richard smiled and pointed over her shoulder. "It's a bit heavy so you should just go there to open it."
April jumped up and hurried over to the gift, "The wrapping is so pretty. I'll try not to rip it too much."
"Nonsense," Emily smiled. "Gift wrap is meant to be ripped."
April tore the paper away and squealed, "Oh my god a telescope!"
Emily stood and made her way to April, "Now I don't know much about these things but the man at the store said that this one was the best he had. The astronomy class at Yale has the same one, so it must be great!"
"Wow, thank you so much!" April said as she hugged Emily. She then made her way over to Richard, "Thank you!" and hugged him as well.
"Well, after our long talk about constellations I figured this might be to your liking."
Luke was stunned. It wasn't that long ago that he was sure Richard and Emily would hate him forever. They even suspected that April and Anna were grifters coming after Lorelai's money and his Diner. But all that seems so far away now that they had practically taken April in as their own. He stood and quietly thanked Richard, shaking his hand while April explained to Emily why this was a phenomenal gift.
Lorelai kept changing positions, standing, sitting, legs crossed, pillow behind her back. She tried to hide it because she was pretty sure that she pulled a muscle during her and Luke's steamy sex session this afternoon.
"Mom, are you okay? Is your back bugging you?" Rory asked, looking up from her new tablet that her grandparents got her for Christmas.
Emily looked at her daughter and then her watch.
"Okay, my turn to give you your gifts," April announced to Emily and Richard.
"You didn't have to get us anything," Richard smiled.
"It's Christmas!" April answered. She handed them each a box and sat down. Richard marveled at the book on World War Two that April picked out. "I also included my essay on FDR, I got an A+."
"I can't wait to read them both. Thank you April."
"Oh my, this scarf is gorgeous!" Emily gasped.
"Lorelai said you can't go wrong with blue because it is Yale's colour. But I honestly really just liked the design. It seemed unique but elegant."
"Thank you April, it's lovely."
"I must say I feel truly spoiled tonight," Richard smiled. "Rory gave us a framed copy of the Yale Daily News and told us she 's now editor! April's wonderful gifts and the picture frames from Luke and Lorelai,"
"With the promise of a professional photo of our new grandson as soon as possible" Emily added.
"Yes, Mom. We won't forget the picture, I promise." Lorelai smiled.
Luke noticed the look on her face and leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Are you okay?"
"Fine," She nodded. "I think our little afternoon delight just left me with a pinched back. Don't worry, I know someone who would be happy to give me a massage later."
He kissed her cheek and his attention was pulled from his wife when Richard began speaking again.
"Now, Lorelai, your gift is outside."
"Dad, I'm not five anymore, I know the snow is not a gift for me."
"Very funny, come with me young lady!" He stood up and motioned to the door. "Everyone, come on," he urged.
The family followed and Emily rushed to Lorelai's side, "This gift was my idea. I hope you like it."
"Yes, and it is for you and Luke," Richard added.
"Oh man! I gotta share my gift," Lorelai whined jokingly.
With their coats on, the family went outside and saw a brand new silver Honda Pilot with the biggest red bow on the hood.
"A car?!" Lorelai gasped, "You guys got me a car?"
"I wanted to get you one when you graduated business school, but your Mother thought you wouldn't take it then. But Luke and I spoke, and neither of us liked the idea of how old your car is and that you have such thin and flimsy windows for the Winter months. Your mother insisted that our grandchildren deserved to be comfortable and she didn't think your Jeep would fit April and the carseat nicely."
"Wow, you guys are so generous!" April said.
"Yeah," Lorelai added. "Mom, Dad, this is so incredible! Can I drive it, Noooooo Ow ow ow," Lorelai grabbed onto the hood of the car.
"Okay, we're going to the hospital right now," Emily demanded.
"What? Why?" Luke asked.
"Are you all this clueless?" Emily snapped. "My daughter has been in pain all evening. I started timing her pains and now we're at every seven minutes, let's go!"
"Mom, calm down," Lorelai insisted. "It's back pain. I'm not feeling contractions in my stomach."
"Labour pains can sometimes start in the back," Emily said, "That's how it was for me when I had you!"
"I read that in the book!" Luke suddenly was nervous. "We don't have the bag here!"
"Yes we do," Lorelai said. "Remember April said that after week thirty-six I should just take the bag with me everywhere? It's in the trunk."
Luke smiled at April, "Good thinking, kid!"
"Okay! Luke, get Mom into the back of your car. You stay with her, April will sit in the front and I'll drive." Rory instructed. "Grandma, Grandpa you'll have to follow."
Everyone started to follow Rory's orders.
While Rory drove to the hospital April started the phone tree, calling Sookie and Lane. Sookie's job was to call Patty and Babette. Lane was to let Caesar and they would figure out a work schedule without Luke for a few days. Before long, all of Stars Hollow was eagerly awaiting news of their newest resident.