Life as it Should Be

June 25th, 2017

Stars Hollow, West Hartford

"Don't worry Mamma's coming!" Lorelai yelled as she ran from her house and jumped into the back seat of Logan's car next to Rory. While the drive to the hospital was typically 30 minutes, for the nervous and adrenaline pump Logan, it took only 20. The trip would have been shorter if it weren't for the bumps on the road and Rory yelling at him to slow down.

Rory had never been more happy to see a hospital as she was that evening. Once they arrived and checked in Rory's anxiety subsided knowing that in a few minutes the magic anesthesiologist would appear with her magic epidural.

However, things did not go as planned. Upon her initial exam, it was determined that Rory 7 cm dilated and in transitional labor, making it too late for an epidural. "I guess all those stories about swearing like a sailor on leave and doing the splits on a crate of dynamite did not help huh?" Lorelai told Rory apologetically after a rather lengthy wave of pain.

"No, not at all," Rory said exhaustedly.

"Sorry kid," Lorelai responded.

"I'll exact my revenge later. Right now, I'm so tired."

"You're doing great Ace," Logan interjected, " You're making this look easy."

"You're such a liar," Rory replied.

"Maybe, but I know you can do this," Logan said encouragingly. "I know you know you can too."

Later on, when asked to reflect on the whole experience of labor and delivery Rory would describe it as profound, yet traumatic. There were moments during the ride to the hospital and their time in triage when nervous energy sent her, Logan, and Lorelai into extremes of laughter and utter panic. Yet through all of the emotion, she also felt a sense of clam thank mostly to the encouragement and care Logan and Lorelai provided as she fought through every labor pain.

While she felt like it was for much longer, in the end, her labor only lasted for two and a half hours. Just a little before midnight Dr. Miller informed her it was time to push. With Lorelai holding one leg, and a nurse holding the other, and Logan by her side holding her hand and providing support, Rory began to push. And just like that, it was over before she knew it. After three pushes Rory felt the stage sensation of being completely emptied. She and Logan watched as the doctor placed a bundle covered with a blanket on her chest. They looked to see their baby open its eyes and looks straight into their souls and start to wail.

"Oh my God" The weeping Lorelai exclaimed, "He's just so beautiful!"

He, both Rory and Logan thought. HE...I have a son.

Rory felt Logan kiss on the head and watched as he cut the umbilical cord. While the delivery team continued their work cleaning-up both Rory and the baby, Rory took the moment to lie back and feel her exhaustion. Logan went back to Rory, wrapped his arms around her and gave her another quick kiss. "You did it Ace... " He whispered to her proudly, "...and you were amazing."

Lorelai, who left Rory's side to help the nurses tend to the baby, returned with him in hand. She gingerly put him in Rory's arms and sat down to admire her daughter and her child; it made her tear up more.

With Logan sitting next to her, Rory cradled her baby and breathed him in, "Hello there." she said, as she let him grab her finger. Never in her life had she felt this happy and content. Everything was as it was supposed to be. Rory vowed to herself that she would remember every detail of this day, even the parts that really really sucked