Time After Time - A Gilmore Girls Fanfic #1

Chapter 20

Lorelai stood at the foyer with her coat already on, checking her watch for the third time. "Rory! You're going to be late!"

"Hold on," Rory called from the bathroom. Almost an entire minute later, Rory finally emerged, her cheeks red. "I'm ready for the nausea to stop now," she said in a weary tone.

"It will. Soon," Lorelai said, holding out Rory's jacket and purse.

As they headed out onto the porch, Rory asked, "Why were you waiting for me? Don't you have to get to the inn?"

"Well..." Lorelai began, slinging an arm over Rory's shoulders. "I was thinking, since I have the morning off..."

Rory stopped and gave her a knowing look. "You want to come with me."

Lorelai scrunched up her nose and squeezed her hands together. "Please, please, please," she began to sing. "Let me, let me, let me. Let me get what I want this time."

"Okay, okay. Just promise me you'll stop singing," Rory said, shaking her head as she unlocked her car and climbed in.

Lorelai practically bounced on her way to the car, flashing her daughter a wide smile from the passenger seat.

"Shame on you for abusing The Smiths for your own gain," Rory said as she started the car and began backing out of the driveway.

"Just count yourself lucky I didn't get to Boyz II Men. You would have had to vomit again." She took a deep, steadying breath. "Besides, it's not everyday I get to meet my first grandchild."

The car came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the street, Rory seemingly frozen at the wheel.

"Rory?"

She turned her head, her mouth open, her blue eyes wide. "I... I think..." She pursed her lips and nodded. "Yup. I'm definitely freaking out."

"Well, judging from the way you're white-knuckling it right now, I'd say you're right."

"I don't know if I can do this," Rory said.

"Of course you can do this. You just lift your foot off there that thing called the brake, and start doing that thing people call the driving. Though, the way some people drive, it should be called racing. Or, if you're Mrs. Kim, steamrolling."

Rory's eyebrows knotted. "That's not what I meant."

Lorelai reached over and patted her daughter's arm. "I know what you meant," she said gently. "And you know you can. There has never been anything you haven't been able to conquer."

"Actually, there's been plenty of times—"

"Rory," Lorelai cut in. "Just breathe. It'll be okay. We are just going to the appointment right now and then you'll have plenty of time to freak out later on."

"Okay." Rory took a deep breath and gave a resolute nod.

"Want me to drive?"

"No. I got this. I can do this." Rory looked down and lifted her foot. "Step one, off the brake..."

An hour later, Lorelai stood beside the exam table, trying to remain quiet—trying being the operative word—while the doctor ran the ultrasound scanner over Rory's lubed-up stomach. But as soon as the black and white image came onscreen, showing nothing but a stippled white landscape with a black area in the middle, she squeaked.

"We haven't seen anything yet," Rory said.

"Yes, we have. Your uterus," Lorelai said, pointing. "And what a lovely uterus it is. So shapely and womb-like. It looks very fertile and nurturing, don't you think?"