Gilmore Girls: More in the Life

Chapter 72

       

April had arrived with sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures. Rory was enjoying the fresh air, along with not having to wear jackets anymore. Hers had gotten to the point it no longer buttoned and she didn't want to buy a new one to wear only for a brief period of time.

Rory's due date was approaching— she had roughly ten weeks until Lora arrived. Part of her was excited; she couldn't wait to hold her daughter in her arms and smell her newborn smell. The other part, though, was terrified. Was she ready to be a mother? She supposed it didn't matter if she felt ready because, like it or not, she would be one sooner rather than later.

Within a month of learning the baby was a girl, Rory had planned the room design. The walls had been painted a medium shade of teal with one wall having bright pink horizontal stripes. Excited to create a one-of-a-kind atmosphere, she purchased vinyl appliques for the walls. One contained the baby's nickname in a beautifully girly white font which was placed above the crib. She stuck various sized white hearts around the name, as well. Another wall held a large light pink tree.

Rory's favorite part was on the wall that shared the bedroom door. There was a large empty wooden frame, hung and waiting for a picture of Logan and Lora. Beside the frame, these words could be found: I never realized how much I loved your father until I saw how much he loved you.

Seeing Logan's excitement upped the ante for her. She tried to imagine Mitchum shopping for either Honor or Logan. The image wouldn't come. Neither did one for her own father. Granted, Christopher was sixteen when Rory was conceived so he was grappling with having a child at such a young age in relation to the stance his unbending parents had taken. Shopping was likely the last thing on his mind.

Rory thought it helped Logan that Luke had taken a special interest in creating a special world for his babies. The two began spending afternoons off preparing for the babies' arrivals and making things that he hoped would make the mothers' lives easier while the two transitioned into the new roles that awaited them.

Today was yet another OB appointment. They were all routine by now. Thankfully, in the weeks since she was found unconscious, nothing had manifested itself to cause other problems with the pregnancy. Rory felt confident she would continue along according to plan.

Wanting to be with her every step of the way, Logan had made himself available to her every need. He had no complaints about picking up most of the household duties in addition to working from home. One of the upstairs bedrooms was now his office, as he didn't want to take over the one Rory had created for herself. She had to admit; it was nice having an office that was hers and hers alone. Somewhere she could close the door and work on her book without distractions. It helped that Rory felt her grandfather's presence in the room. Every time she sat at the desk, it was as if he was right there, encouraging her. Just like he did when he was alive.

Grief suddenly overwhelmed her. She didn't just lose her grandpa. She lost a friend, a supporter, a mentor, an inspiration. Since his death, her grandma mentioned several times how big Richard's presence was and how its absence loomed large. Emily was right.

Looking back over the last year leading up to Richard's death, Rory cringed thinking of the life she led. She had little work and even littler money. She had an apartment in Brooklyn that she rarely stayed at. She gallivanted around, looking for a story, for a pitch that was always elusive. Why didn't she just give up the apartment sooner, relocating back to Stars Hollow? She could have had so much more time with Grandpa. Not that they could have anticipated his third heart attack.

Needing to be close, to feel Richard, Rory wound through the house and into the office. Just moving into the room was enough to bring goosebumps as her eyes landed on a photo of her grandparents she placed on the corner of the desk. She did not, however, wrap the bowtie around the lower portion of the frame.

Rory smiled.

Richard still made his continued presence in her life evident.

Spying the time, Rory knew they needed to get moving to her appointment. She grabbed her phone and called Logan, who was upstairs.

"Ace? Something wrong?"

"No, it's just time to go."

"You called me to tell me it is time to leave? When we are both in the same house?"

"I am not about to waddle up those stairs just to come right back down if I don't have to. Get your handsome booty down here to your pregnant fiancée and help her put her shoes on."

Logan chuckled. "Your wish is my command."

Rory took on a mock defiant tone. "That's right. You, after all, are who caused this in the first place!"