Hey Everyone,

I am so sorry that I've been away for so long. My mental health took a HUGE hit during Covid, and it's taken me a long time to even think about writing again. I've mostly been reading, and binge watching Netflix. Is anyone ready for season 6 of The Resident? Holy cow, they changed so much in the last year! LOL I just finished watching Season 4 of Virgin River the other day, and I can not wait until season 5 is released. I have so many questions! Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with me through this very long story. I have somewhere around 10 chapters already written, that I am going to eventually get uploaded. I usually like to wait at least a few days between updates, just to gauge the reactions coming in via comments. I love to hear all about what you thought of everything. What characters do you like, what story line? What was it about each chapter that you liked? Feel freet drop me a paragraph if you want to, I honestly don't mind getting long messages. It actually encourages me to keep going. I love hearing all of your thoughts.

As for me, I am doing alright. I've got a team of doctors that I am working with, trying to recover from Severe Depression and Anxiety. It's been really hard for me. Some days are better than others. Today, has been alright. Last week, I spent most of the week in bed, because I just couldn't force myself to get up. It's been a HUGE challenge. I am taking several medications, and I have a really great support system around me. It's just been difficult for me, because I honestly have no idea who I am anymore, and I don't even know how to go about figuring that out. I've got a facebook page where I am sharing my struggles with my mental health, as well as being a special needs parent. If anyone is interested in joining me on my journey, look up Digging Myself Out; My Journey Back From Depression. It is a completely anonymous page, and I am not sharing any names, or anything identifying. Mostly to protect myself, and my family, but also because of crazy people . . . I don't need to be a target. So anyone who is interested in what I've been dealing with for so long, feel free to check that out, and of course feel free to leave me your thoughts and stuff over there as well. I am happy to answer any and all questions as best as I can. And if you are struggling as well, I am right there with you in the trenches. There is help available, you just need to reach out. I know how hard it is. I struggle with it every day. But things will get better.

Anyway, on to the story!

Rothschild Residence

May 24, 2017

5:00pm

"Mom and Dad should be here in about ten minutes." Logan said as he carried Ayribella into Honor's living room, with Rory just behind him.

"Forgive me if I don't jump for joy and start dancing." Honor sighed as she lounged on her couch, with her feet up, and her new baby laying on her chest.

"Why are we doing this again?" Josh asked.

"Because our psychotic parents won't stop calling and hounding us about seeing your new baby." Logan told him.

"Why have we not changed our numbers yet?"

"Good question." Rory commented.

"Come on you guys, they are just excited for their new grandbabies." Donna told them as she walked into the room, and headed directly for Rory, pulling her into a hug. "Hi Honey. You look great! How are you doing? Is everything going alright for you?"

"I'm alright, thank you Donna."

"I've got dinner cooking in the kitchen, but I wanted to come say hello. Do you mind if I steal Ayribella for a few minutes?"

"Feel free." Rory answered.

"Hey Josh? Would you mind grabbing the bouncer and the lounger that I bought for Ayribella? They're in the hall closet." Honor asked, looking to where her husband sat in the chair next to the couch.

"You bought more stuff for Ayribella?" Logan asked.

"For when she's here. You guys shouldn't have to lug stuff back and forth across the street for Ayribella all the time. I've got clothes for her too, upstairs in her nursery."

"In HER nursery?" Rory asked.

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I got bored a couple weeks ago, and I might have set up a second nursery, just for Ayribella. I figured we do so much together, and we practically live at each other's houses, so I thought it might be nice for Ayribella to have a bedroom here too. It's right next to Maxwell's room. I didn't want anyone to have to run back to your place to get stuff that she needed, so I stocked her room with all of the same things that I have for Maxie."

"And now I feel bad that I didn't even think to do that at our house." Rory spoke up.

"Hey, don't feel bad at all. You have more than enough going on, and you are over here more than I am at your house. Plus, you've always got a house full of people, and you don't have the space. Don't even think about buying more stuff, just for Maxie. I forbid it!"

"Plus, she already bought extra stuff to store at your house, for when we are over there." Josh told them as he got up from his seat and headed to get the items that Honor had requested.

"How am I not even surprised?" Logan asked.

"I would have turned your old room into Ayribella's, but I didn't feel comfortable putting an infant down in the basement, all alone."

"Yeah, that probably isn't the best idea."

"So anyway, don't feel obligated to buy anything for us, or even use anything here, but it's all here for you, in case you need it." Honor told them.

"Thank you Honor, that was very sweet of you." Rory told her. "We can use one of the rooms upstairs in our place, for Maxwell. I don't mind at all. I'll let Grandma decorate."

"Rory, you don't need to do that. I only did it over here, because we have most of the family gatherings here, to keep my parents out of your hair. And my house is bigger than yours, and we have plenty of space. Plus, I don't constantly have family coming to visit that I need rooms for. I guess it's the benefit of you guys living across the street, and not having other siblings or relatives that we are close to. You guys know that you are welcome here anytime. And I meant it when I told you last year, that I wanted to be Ayribella's nanny. I expect for you to use and abuse me."

"I say this with love Honor, but you're crazy!" Logan told her.

"Here you go!" Josh said, as he came back to the living room carrying a white baby bouncer with a rose design on it, and a matching doc-a-tot lounger.

"They're so pretty!" Rory smiled as Josh set them on the floor next to where they had the same things stored for Maxwell.

"I fell in love with the doc-a-tot fabric, and I went and found some that matched, and had Donna make a bouncer cover for me. The cover that came with the bouncer was cute, but this is so much better! And it's softer." Honor told them.

"I love it! Thank you Honor. That was very sweet of you. I am going to wait a few months before abusing you though. You need time to get your bearings. And my Grandma added a nursery to my office for Ayribella."

"I heard something about that. She was asking me which baby gear was best."

"You haven't seen it yet?"

"I haven't. She told me that she would let me know when the remodel was done."

"It looks absolutely amazing! Completely different than it was when your Dad was running things."

"It no longer looks like a dungeon." Logan told her. "And the black marble toilet is gone too."

"Oh my God, that thing was completely terrifying! Whoever agreed to make that thing for him, should be shot. I was afraid that Dad's precious toilet was going to come to life one day, and swallow me whole." Honor told them.

"I was afraid to even walk into that bathroom. It is so much better now though."

"What was wrong with the bathroom?" Josh asked.

"Josh never saw Dad's horror throne?" Logan asked.

"Josh is smart and stays away from HPG as much as he can."

"I think I had only been there once before the two of you took over." Josh told them.

"So my Dad custom ordered this black marble toiled back when Logan and I were in high school. It came from somewhere in Europe, and it weighed a ton. That thing was completely intimidating and sadistic looking. The day I saw it for the first time, I was afraid that the toilet was going to come to life, and attack me or something. It was seriously scary looking. It was like a giant vampire that was waiting to suck all your guts right out of you. I made up excuses about why I couldn't use Dad's bathroom, and would sneak around to use one of the others."

"I avoided that bathroom too." Rory told them. "Just opening the door freaked me out."

"It's probably a good thing that I never saw it then." Josh commented.

"Consider yourself lucky." Logan told him. "The office is much more welcoming now. Emily has done a great job making it less threatening."

"That's awesome! I am excited to see it. Maybe I'll come by in a couple weeks." Honor commented.

"We are going to be publishing the baby announcement in the next week or so. Carlos suggested we wait until a full 9 months post heart attack and wedding, just to stave off extra grief from busy bodies."

"That is a really good idea. Maybe we should publish a joint announcement, if you don't mind. It might take some pressure off of all of us."

"That is a good idea."

"Just let me know when you are ready to work on your announcement, and I'll help with it."

"That would be great." Rory agreed.

"Are you guys still heading to Stars Hollow this weekend?"

"We are. They are throwing a big party for April, and Mom thinks it is a good time to introduce Ayribella to the town."

"That sounds really fun."

"And overwhelming."

"But it will be fun. You love going home to Stars Hollow."

"I know. Things are just different now. I haven't been back since Christmas, and I think I've only been there maybe 3 other times in the last year."

"Well you have a lot going on now, and not as much flexibility as you used to. That all happens when you grow up. But at least you live close enough that you still see your Mom all the time. It could be a lot worse. You've only seen your Dad what, twice in the last year?"

"I think 3 times. But normally I only see him once or twice a year. I've been trying to be a good sister to Gigi though, now that she's older, and make an effort to see her. We just both have a lot going on."

"Well, the nice thing is that she's older now, and can travel alone to come see you. It's not such a big deal for her to jump on a train."

"Exactly. And it was even easier while April was living in Boston, going to school. She spent time with Gigi whenever she could, and would pick her up to come out here whenever Gigi was free. It's just going to be different now that April isn't out there with her."

"Yeah, but your Dad could still put Gigi on a train to come see you, whenever she is free."

"That's what I'm hoping for. She is spending the summer in Paris with her Mom, so I probably won't get to see her again until at least the fall."

"Maybe you should go to Paris then."

"Maybe. We have a lot going on this summer. We'll see how things go. I already have a lot of traveling coming up."

"Well I was serious when I told you last year, that I would travel with you, to help out. Give me a few weeks to adjust to having a baby, and then I'm all yours. Little Man and I can pack up and go with you, anywhere you need to go."

"Honor, I could never ask you to do that."

"Well it's a good thing that you didn't ask then. I volunteered." Honor told her.

"I have plenty of time off, that I can take from work, so I'll come too." Josh spoke up."

"It would be fun for all of us to do something together." Logan chimed in.

"Yeah it would. We haven't done anything, just the four of us in a long time."

"Well, it's not just the four of us anymore. We've got the babies now." Rory reminded them.

"Yeah, but the babies are pretty helpless and easy to travel with. They are mostly just extra baggage, and cute pictures." Honor chuckled as they head a knock at the door.

"You didn't give Mom the code?" Logan asked.

"I'll give her the code to my house as soon as you give her the code to yours."

"Not a chance in hell!"

"Exactly! Would you mind going to let them in?"

"Do I have to?"

"Well no, but if you don't. They'll start pounding on the door and blowing up both of our phones. We already pay Blake and Stevanie enough to put up with those two, do you really want to have to double it because Mom and Dad are being even bigger jerks than usual?"

"You realize that Blake and Stevanie make almost as much as I do, right?"

"Yeah, well, babysitters aren't cheap. But better them than us, right?"

"I just texted Blake the code and told him to come on in." Josh spoke up, when Logan still hadn't moved from where he had sat down in Honor's oversized recliner that sat at the side of the couch, with Rory next to him.

"You're a life saver, Josh."

"You are so lazy." Rory said, elbowing her husband, then handing their daughter to him.

"Please, like you aren't comfortable right now. My getting up would disturb you."

"And annoy your parents, right?"

"It's a twofer!" Logan said as they watched Josh leave the room to go greet Mitchum and Shira.

"Hey, it's time to play nice now." Honor spoke up.

"I'll play nice when they do. What's for dinner?"

"Donna has been in the kitchen for hours."

"Oh yeah! I forgot that Donna is staying with you guys. We actually get a home cooked meal."

"Please, you act like you've been starving or something. You get a home cooked meal every day."

"Yeah, but I'm always the one cooking it."

"That's not true. Rosalinda cooks half the time." Rory told him. "Would you rather have me cooking dinner for you?"

"You know how to make like 3 things."

"And that is 3 more than my mother."

"Some days I wonder how you even survived growing up with Lorelai."

"We ate at the Inn every day until I was like 10, and we had Sookie and Luke. Mom rarely had to cook for me."

"Where are your Grandparents?" Honor asked.

"They were out with some friends tonight."

"Anything to avoid the Huntzbergers, right?"

"They've actually had it planned for a couple weeks."

"Where is my new baby?" Shira's voice carried through the house as she followed Josh through the foyer toward the living room.

"Ten bucks says they brought loads of crap that you don't need." Logan spoke up.

"You can't make a bet on something that we all know you are right about."

"What is Logan right about?" Mitchum asked, entering the room with Josh next to him and Shira just behind him, followed by Stevanie and Blake.

"He's right about dinner being absolutely delicious. Donna has been cooking for hours." Honor smiled as her parents moved toward her, giving her a kiss on the cheek, before looking down at the baby laying on her chest.

"Honor, you have a chef, why would you make Donna take care of dinner?" Shira asked.

"My Mom sent Louis home." Josh told her.

"Honor, honey, how are you feeling?"

"I am doing well. How are you, Mom?"

"I am doing much better now that we are finally allowed inside. It took forever for one of you to come answer the door."

"Josh texted Blake to let you guys in. Rory and Logan had just gotten here and he was helping them get settled."

"Now how come Blake gets your lock code, but not your mother and I?" Mitchum asked.

"Because we know that Blake won't show up unannounced at all hours of the day and night." Logan commented, under his breath, earning a chuckle from Rory.

"Because Blake is in charge of your well-being and making sure that you both aren't overly stressed out."

"Sorry, I didn't see your text message." Blake spoke up as he set the boxes in his arms down on the floor next to the couch.

"I'm sorry Blake, I didn't know that they loaded you up." Josh told him.

"It's all good. How are you guys? Are you doing alright?"

"We are, thank you for asking." Honor answered. "Thank you for bringing my parents over to see our new baby."

"Of course! It was the least that I could do. How was your labor? I heard that one of the doctors delivered their first baby while you were there."

"How the heck do you know about that?!" Logan asked.

"My friend Maddie works in L&D. She knows that I work for your family."

"Honor, I thought you had the same doctor as Rory? How could you let someone with zero experience, deliver your baby?!" Mitchum's voice boomed, interrupting the conversation.

"Well, I guess it's good to know that my parents think of me as having zero experience." Logan commented.

"Logan, what in the world are you talking about?" Shira asked.

"The hospital was short staffed the night we were there. Logan drove me over since Josh was helping you out, and decided to stay to help out. He delivered his first baby, and he did an amazing job!" Honor proudly explained.

"Now why would anyone let a doctor with zero experience, deliver a child?!"

"Wow, the insults just keep on coming! There's really nothing like a proud parent, is there?!" Logan sighed.

"Logan, you had no business delivering another woman's baby. You should know better! You could be sued for malpractice!" Mitchum told him.

"Well then it's probably a good thing that I've got that expensive malpractice insurance, to make it all go away."

"Your father is right, Logan. You shouldn't have been delivering anyone's baby, without the proper licensing." Shira commented.

"Hey, no! We aren't doing this right now! This is NOT pick on Logan night!" Honor loudly interrupted. "Logan did an amazing job delivering that baby, and he had every reason to be there. There will be no lawsuits, and there will be no more insulting, of anyone, for the rest of the night! Do I make myself clear?!"

"If Dad wants to talk about babies being delivered, maybe it's time that he came clean to Mom about Israel."

"What about Israel?" Shira asked, as Mitchum suddenly jerked his head in Logan's direction.

"Israel is a country, in the middle east. I've been there on business, a few times." Mitchum told them.

"Israel is also the name of a 7 year old . . ." Logan added. "In Rome . . ."

"Now Logan, why do you know any 7 year old's? You don't have another illegitimate child out there do you?" Shira asked.

"I only have one child, mother. And she is NOT illegitimate."

"Logan, you were just talking about a 7 year old little boy, in another country. We all know your past, Dear. You can't possibly be angry that we assumed that you might have another child out there."

"Wow! And now I'm being called a dead beat father! Thank you, Mom! Thank you for that wonderful compliment! But unlike some people in this family, I would NEVER bail on my child! Come on, Rory. We're leaving." Logan said as he rose from his seat, and holding his arm out toward his wife, to help her out of the recliner. "Honor, call me after they leave."

"Logan . . ." Honor started, but stopped when she saw the look on her brother's face.

"I'm sorry Honor. We'll see you guys later." Rory said, giving Honor a small smile as Logan stepped past his father, with Ayribella in his arms, and Rory just behind him.

"Logan, where do you think that you are going?!" Mitchum asked, his voice irritated.

"The hell away from both of you!" Logan snapped. "Expect a visit from my attorney."

"Logan, it is extremely rude to walk out on your family." Shira commented as Logan led Rory past her.

"What is even ruder, is to cheat on your wife, and father a child in another country, who you've kept secret for the last 7 years. But then again, I'm sure that I wouldn't know anything about that, so why don't you ask your loyal husband to tell you all about it."

"Logan, how dare you speak to your mother like that!" Mitchum barked.

"I'll be sure to apologize after you tell Mom all about Israel. Have a nice night!" Logan commented over his shoulder as he led Rory out of the living room, toward the foyer.

"Logan . . . Are you leaving already?" Donna asked, as Logan passed by her on his way through the foyer.

"I'm sorry Donna. We'll talk later." Rory told her.

"Is everything ok? I heard yelling?" Rory just shook her head as they moved toward the door, and Logan threw it open, and stormed outside. "Let me know that you guys are alright."

"I will."

"I'll bring you over some dinner."

"I'll let you know when he calms down." Rory said as she stepped through the door, reaching to close it behind her.