Chapter 3

                                    

                                          
Mom! You're finally home!
                          
I ran to the door as fast as I could to greet Mom. We jumped into each other's arms like we hadn't seen each other in forever, even though it had just been a 2 week honeymoon to Turks and Caicos. From what I had heard on the phone through our daily exchanges, the trip seemed to have gone well.
                          
"Oh, Rory! How have you been, sweetie! Hows everyone." Said Mom enthusiastically.
                          
By everyone, she obviously meant the baby. I still hadn't told Luke, or many other people for that matter. The only person I had told in the meantime was Lane, because I wanted some good doctor recommendations for my first ultrasound, which was scheduled for tommorow.
                          
Mom came inside the living room and collapsed on the couch. She looked exhausted, but happy. She looked so happy, I had never seen something like this since her and Dad's relationship. 
                          
"Soo, how's it been down in Lil Ole Stars Hollow?" Asked Mom.
                          
"Oh, you know. Same old, same old. I'm still working at the Gazette, and it's fine for now but I think it might be safe to start looking into more long term positions for after the baby comes-" 
                          
I quickly covered my mouth, hoping that Luke hadn't heard my slip up. But, unfortunately, I had his attention.
                          
"Baby? Who's baby? Rory, are you having a baby? Interrogated Luke
                          
Mom gave me a reassuring smile, and I sighed.
                          
"Yeah, I am." I said, shrugging my shoulders, trying to not make it as a big deal as everyone who I had told thought it was.
                          
"Surprise?" Said Mom. 
                          
Luke just stood there, looking like my fish did in the third grade when Mom forgot to feed him for a week.
                          
Finally, he cleared his throat and came to sit on the couch beside me.
                          
"Wow! Congrats, I didn't even know you and Logan were still together."
                          
"Um, well, we're not. He's actually engaged, to a rich french woman. He has no idea." 
                          
"Rory! You have to tell him! Trust me, I speak from experience when I tell you that hiding a child from someone is one of the worst things you could possibly do."
                          
I looked at the ground, embarassed. I knew I was being selfish, and Logan should have been the first person to know. It just seemed so weird. The man that I once was wildly in love with in college was getting MARRIED. To a rich, beautiful woman who his parents actually liked. 
                          
"Look, I'll do it. Soon, I promise. I just don't want to ruin his marriage.
                          
"Ooh, maybe we can reinact Wedding Crasher!" Exclaimed Mom.
                          
Luke raised his eyebrows at her in a "Be serious Lorelai, your daughter's a mess" way. 
                          
"Okay, I'll take your word for it, Rory. But do us all a favor and take it easy on yourself, okay? You're gonna be great." 
                          
I thanked him and he gave me a pat on the shoulder. He got up and started carrying the luggage back upstairs.
                          
"So, Rory! Ultrasound tomorrow, how are we feeling!" Said Mom as she turned to face me.
                          
"Oh god, so nervous." I replied.
                          
She comforted me, and for the rest of the day it was just the two of us, watching movies and eating junk food as usual. This always felt good, like a family ritual.

                          
The next morning, I woke up to the sound of Mom snoring lightly beside me. I rolled over, and picked up my phone off the ground. It was 9:30, and my ultrasound was at 10:45 in Hartford. We needed to get going.
                          
"Mom! Wake up, we need to go!" I said, nudging her slightly. 
                          
She woke up and jolted up from the couch. I ran to the bathroom and got all ready. This felt like my first day at Chilton all over again. Everything was a mess, everyone was scrambling and I couldn't find my hairbrush. I just opted for a simple low bun hairstyle. 
                          
20 long minutes later, Mom and I managed to get ourselves ready and out the door. She got into her Jeep and I got into the passenger seat. Everything felt so deja vu. I even spotted the place where I had carved out my initials in the seat leather so many years ago. This all felt so weird. Why couldn't life be as simple as when I was 16? 
                          
We arrived at the doctor's office 10 minutes "fashionably" late, according to Mom. I walked to the front desk, and the receptionist told me to take a seat. Mom took the seat right next to me. I waited impatiently and nervously for 5 minutes, until the nurse came out of the ultrasound room and called for Rory Gilmore. 
                          
Mom and I got up, and she gave me a hug before following me and the nurse. When we got into the room, she asked me to get up on the chair and pull up my shirt. I did everything that she asked, and then she put the gel on my stomach. It was cold and slimy, kind of an annoying feeling. 
                          
The nurse took her wand and put it down on my stomach. Mom and I both glanced at the ultrasound. There it was, a fuzzy black and white for now but in the future, it would be a kid. My kid. 
                          
After taking a few photos, the nurse wiped off the cold gel and went to get the OB. A couple minutes later, a woman with short black hair and bright green eyes walked into the room. 
                          
"Rory Gilmore? I'm a friend of Paris. I don't usually take in clients like...you, but Paris insisted. I'm Doctor Hanna Mayfield, OB-GYN." She said.
                          
"Hi doctor, it's so nice to finally meet you. You came highly recommended." I replied.
                          
She nodded, and got straight to examining the ultrasound. Mom looked at me with a confused look, and I shrugged. Sure, she was a scary woman but Paris had told me that she was the best Obstetrician in the whole state.
                          
Then, Doctor Mayfield turned around and told me the best news I had heard since I peed on the stick
                          
"Well, Rory, it appears that your baby is perfectly healthy."