A monthl later Rory started her job at the New York Times and the next Friday Lorelai came to have lunch with Rory.
"Hey" Rory said when she opened the door. "I'll be ready in a minute"
"Ok" Lorelai said. She was standing in the kitchen while Rory got her stuff together and noticed the bowl of mini KitKats on the counter. "What's with all the little KitKats?"
"My newest obsession" Rory said. "It changes all the time. Up until a few days ago it was watermelon and that was the only thing I could eat without vomiting. Logan says the chocolate is better"
Lorelai chuckled. "Pregnancy's fun, isn't it?"
"Oh yeah, between the puking, the crying, and the exhaustion, I'm having the time of my life" Rory said sarcastically
"That all gets better" Lorelai said.
"I hope so" Rory said. "I think I'm driving Logan crazy"
"Well, that's what he gets for knocking you up"
"Mom"
"What? He got you pregnant and now he gets to deal with the crazy. That's how it works"
Rory chuckled. "Let's just go"
While they were at lunch Lorelai caught Rory up on everything that was happening in Stars Hollow and Rory told Lorelai about her new job. While they walked back to Rory and Logan's apartment Lorelai asked what she'd been doing to ask the whole time. "Have you spoken to your grandparents at all?"
"Nope" Rory said. She hasn't bothered to reach out to her grandparents since the night she told them she was pregnant. She figured it would just end with more yelling.
"They've been asking about you" Lorelai told her. "How you're doing. How the baby's doing. How your job is going. I don't know what to tell them"
"You can tell them that in 29 weeks they're gonna be great grandparents, and they're delusional if they think that pretending it's not happening will change anything"
"I'll just tell them that you're fine" Lorelai said. She could tell Rory was mad, so she dropped the subject.
"Whatever you want" Rory said. When they walked into the lobby of the apartment building they were surprised to see Richard standing there. She tried to ignore him and just walk past him to the elevator, but he wasn't gonna make that easy.
"Rory, I'd like to apologize" Richard said. Rory was still standing with her back to him. "I should have defended you that night. I may not agree with your decisions, you're an adult and they're yours to make"
Rory stayed quiet.
"Please" Richard said
Rory turned around and looked between Richard and Lorelai "I don't know what you want me to say"
"Whatever you want" Richard said
"I found out that I was pregnant the day before my college graduation. It took me a while to get over the shock, but once I did I was actually really excited. So after I saw a doctor who confirmed that everything was fine, I decided to share my very exciting news with my family, and you know what happened? Everybody turned against me" Rory said. "You and grandma didn't even care what I had to say, you guys just wanted to tell me that I was doing everything wrong, and my father basically told me that I ruined his life. But now you come here and you want me to just forgive you. Like I haven't spent the last month crying every single day because my family hates me. Pretend that none of it ever happened, and we can all just go back to normal now. Right? That's not gonna happen". Without saying anything else Rory got in the elevator and went upstairs.
'Sorry' Lorelai mouthed to Richard before following Rory.
"Don't" Rory said when the elevator door closed.
"I wasn't going to"
——
The next Wednesday was the 4th of July and Rory and Logan had 2 different events they were going to. One was a barbecue that Honor and Josh were having and the other was in Stars Hollow which was the first stop.
"Hey" Lorelai said when she found Rory and Logan walking around the town square
"Hi" Rory said
"How's that baby doing?"
"Baby's fine" Rory said
"Good" Lorelai smiled. "Hi Logan"
"Hi" Logan said
"So what's our first stop?" Lorelai asked
"Luke's" Rory said.
"What for?" Lorelai asked
"She didn't drink coffee this morning because she wanted to get it at Luke's" Logan said
"Well, he has the best coffee and I've been craving it forever" Rory said.
Lorelai chuckled. "Come on, crazy lady, let's get you your coffee"
After spending a couple of hours in Stars Hollow, Rory and Logan drove to Honor and Josh's house in Hartford where they were having a barbecue.
"Why do mom and dad look pissed to see you?" Honor asked Logan quietly.
"Probably because they are" Logan said. Honor gave him a confused look. "Rory's pregnant"
"Congratulations!" Honor gasped
"Thank you" Logan smiled
"You as a dad. Who woulda thought?"
"Not me" Logan exhaled. Despite his excitement about the baby, he was nervous to be a father.
"So mom and dad are mad because you're giving them a grandchild?"
"They're mad because it's Rory" Logan said. "And because we're not married"
"Well, they can go suck it. I'm happy to have a niece or nephew" Honor said
Logan smiled softly.
"So why are you just standing here, creepily watching everyone?" Honor asked
"I'm trying to make sure that our not so pleasant parents stay away from my fiancé" Logan said. He knew that Rory could hold her own against his parents, but she was very emotional at the time and on top of it -even thought she was excited- she was stressed about being pregnant, and giving birth, and being a mother. He was pretty sure his parents talking to Rory would end with her crying.
"Smart" Honor said. "Well, I'm gonna go. Enjoy your stalking". Honor god a glass of water and brought it to Rory. "Here"
Rory glanced at the cup and then back at Honor. Every drink she'd been offered the whole time she'd been there had either been alcohol or coffee. Including drinks that Honor offered her. "He told you, didn't he?"
"Maybe" Honor grinned. "Congratulations"
"Thank you"
"How do you feel?"
"Right now I feel fine" Rory said. "But me again in 15 minutes, you might get a different answer"
"Yeah, it's brutal, isn't it?"
"Wait. Are you-?"
Honor smiled and held her finger over her lips. "We haven't told anyone yet"
"That's great! Congratulations!"
"Thanks" Honor said. "When are you due?"
"January 18. You?"
"February 10th" Honor said. "It's cute that they'll be close in age. Like twin cousins"
Rory chuckled. She was glad to have another person on her side.
Honor noticed Shira walking over to them. "Walk away. Now"
"What?" Rory asked, but before Honor could answer Shira was already standing next to them.
"Hi Honor" Shira said. "Rory"
"What's up, mom?" Honor asked, hoping to keep Shira's attention off of Rory.
"Actually, I wanted to talk to Rory" Shira said.
"Me?" Rory asked
"Yes, you" Shira said. "I know we've had our differences, but you're carrying my grandchild and that makes us family"
Rory and Honor exchanged a confused look. Neither of them had ever seen Shira be that nice before, especially not to Rory. "What?" Rory asked.
"I would like to apologize for the way we've treated you in the past, and if you're willing, I'd like to put it behind us and start fresh"
"Um...ok" Rory said
"Wonderful. How would you and Logan like to come over for dinner on Friday?" Shira asked
"I uh- I'd have to ask Logan"
"Just let me know"
"Ok" Rory said and shira walked away. "That was weird, right?"
"Very"
——
"And then she invited us to dinner on Friday" Rory said. She was telling Logan about her interaction with Shira as they were getting ready for bed. "It was weird"
"Do you wanna go?" Logan asked
"Do you think she means it?" Rory asked. If shira was actually ready to put everything that happened behind them and start fresh then Rory was too.
"I think she wants to know her grandkid, and she's well aware of the fact that at the current rate, that's not gonna happen" Logan said.
"So we should go" Rory said. She didn't know what was gonna happen with her grandparents or with her dad, but she knew that she didn't want her child to grow up feeling like their family hated them just for being born. She knew what that was like and she didn't want it for her kid.
"Ok" Logan said.
"I mean if they're trying, we should too, right?"
"Yeah. We should"