May 3, 2017
9:00am
Columbia Presbyterian Hospital
New York City, NY
"Are you ready for this?" Logan asked as he wiped down the back of Rory's hand with an alcohol wipe.
"Why are you putting the IV in my hand instead of the inside of my elbow?" Rory asked.
"Because it makes it easier for you to hold the baby. If the IV is in your elbow, you have limited mobility, and it's harder for you to get comfortable, and acclimated once the baby is born. It hurts a little bit more, going in, but we should be able to pull it shortly after you deliver Ayribella. And you'll be getting all kinds of good drugs, so you honestly won't even feel it after a while. You will probably completely forget that it's there."
"I guess that makes sense."
"You guess?"
"No, it does make sense. Thank you for actually taking the time to explain it to me rather than just doing it like most nurses would."
"It's not like I have anything else to do. I have all the time in the world. You are my entire focus right now. My world revolves fully around you. Are you ready?"
"About as ready as I'll ever be."
"Ok. . . Let's do this. Don't look at your hand, ok? Just focus on me. Or on the wall behind me."
"Do you want my help?" Lorelai asked.
"Sure." Logan answered, picking up a thermometer looking thing off the table next to him, and aiming it at Rory's hand.
"What's that?"
"It's a vein finder. Do you want to help?"
"Can I play with pretty laser light?" she asked, seeing the beam on Rory's hand, showing the veins running through it.
"As long as you keep this aimed right at Rory's hand so I can see what I'm doing." Logan said as he handed the tool to Lorelai. "Just push the button, and keep it aimed on Rory's hand."
"Hey, this is pretty cool! Can I play with this when you are done?"
"Until Paris catches you."
"I want one! Do you know how much fun this would be to freak people out with?!"
"I'm not sure if you can get one without a medical license."
"Do you have one of these at home?"
"Not at home, but I have a couple of them in my office."
"Can I borrow one for a while? My mother would completely freak out if she saw this!"
"I'll think about it." Logan chuckled at his mother in-law's childish antics. "Alright Ace, you are going to feel a pinch. Just focus on me and breathe through it."
"Hey Rory, you never told me how your shopping trip went yesterday." Lorelai told her. "Where did you guys go?"
"We went to a couple different baby stores in the city."
"Did you buy anything?"
"We did. It's not like we actually needed anything, but Logan and I hadn't actually done any shopping for the baby together. We had both bought a bunch of stuff separately, but things have been so crazy that we realized that we hadn't actually bought Ayribella anything together, so we spent the day baby shopping."
"What all did you buy?"
"We found the cutest outfit to bring her home in. And we bought it in two different sizes, just in case. We got a fluffy Chenille blanket, extra pacifiers, a few other outfits, and a bunch of hair bows."
"Don't forget about the rocking recliner that we got for our bedroom." Logan commented.
"Oh yeah, I fell in love with this recliner at the baby store, but I didn't like the color, so we asked if it was available in any other colors. They had to order it from another store, but it should be delivered Friday morning."
"What color did you choose?"
"It's off white with flowers, and will match our bed set really well. It's gorgeous!"
"The entire thing is made with memory foam, and is the softest thing that you've ever sat in, in your life. I wouldn't be surprised if we end up sleeping in it from time to time." Logan added.
"And the thing is extra large. It fits both of us with room to spare. It is seriously amazing! I kind of want to get another one for the living room."
"We should. I can call and order a second one today if you want me to."
"But what would we do with the chair that is in the living room right now?"
"We can move it downstairs to the game room, or put it in your Mom's room. I think the new chair will be more comfortable with the baby, and you fell in love with it, so it's worth the cost."
"Do you have a picture of it?" Lorelai asked.
"It's in an email on my phone." Logan told her as he finished placing Rory's IV, making sure to flush the line with saline before capping the end of it.
"Did you bring any of the new stuff with you other than the going home outfits?" Lorelai asked.
"They're in the suitcase." Rory told her. "I got everything washed and packed up before you got to the house."
"What else did you guys do other than shopping?"
"We went to a really nice lunch, and caught a movie. It was the perfect date day."
"It sounds like you had a good time."
"We've had a great last week together." Logan told her. We got massages, and Rory got a facial, and had her hair and nails done."
"She told me about your spa day. I have to admit, I was pretty shocked that you sat there with her while she got primped."
"It was fun, right Ace?"
"Logan got a manicure and pedicure too."
"Wait, Logan has nail polish on his nails?"
"His toes are light pink."
"I was going to say, I haven't noticed anything on his fingers. How in the world did you convince him to get his toe nails painted?!"
"I did it for Ayribella." Logan spoke up.
"Really?" Lorelai asked skeptically.
"Rory wanted me to do something different, and take a chance. I've convinced her to do enough crazy things, and it's just nail polish. No one ever sees my feet, so it's not like they'll ever know."
"Take your shoes off. I have to see this phenomenon."
"I have pictures on my phone." Rory told her.
"Good girl!"
"I told you she would demand to see it." Rory chuckled, looking to her husband.
"You two are very strange." Logan told them.
"Mom, open your present, I want to see what Paris got you."
"If you insist." Lorelai grinned as she moved across the room to grab her gift off the table, carrying it back to Rory's hospital bed where she set it down, and reached into the bag, to pull out her gifts. "My first Nanna snuggles." Lorelai read, admiring the picture frame she had removed from the bag.
"That is adorable!" Rory told her, seeing the purple frame with white baby designs on it.
"I need like 5 of these! I'll need it next to my bed at both your house and at home, one on my mantle, one on my desk at work, and one in Ayribella's room."
"We will make sure to get a picture of you together, as soon as she is born." Logan assured them.
"Pink fuzzy socks! Mommy is a happy camper!"
"What else is in there?" Rory asked.
"Cool a new coffee cup, and it says 'World's Best Nanna'! I'll use this every day! And it looks like there is a second one . . . 'World's Best Poppa'. Luke will be thrilled. This is so awesome! I love getting presents!"
"Is that it?"
"Nope! There are some fancy K-cup coffee flavors, red vines, Mallomars, a gift card for Sephora . . . Oh, this is awesome! Look at this adorable picture!" Lorelai gushed, holding out a framed picture of her with Paris' twins. "I love this! Oh, and on the back it says 'We love you Nanna Lorelai'. This is so sweet!"
"I'm almost jealous." Rory told her.
"Paris said that there are presents for us too." Logan reminded the women as Lorelai started to put her gifts back in the bag.
"Did Paris say where your gifts are?" Lorelai asked.
"No, but I'm going to guess that they are in the closet, because she said that she put extra hospital gowns in there for Rory.
"I feel like I am wearing a fancy dress instead of a hospital gown." Rory told them.
"I'm pretty sure that is the entire point of custom gowns." Lorelai commented.
"It is super comfortable! I really like it."
"Hey, you guys have a surprise out here." Paris said, as she slowly opened the door to Rory's room.
"What kind of surprise?" Logan asked, then saw two little kids walk into the room, followed by their Nanny.
"I know that you don't want any visitors after the baby is born, but I thought that 5 minutes with the twins would be ok. They miss you guys and wanted to give you your gifts."
"Nanna!!!" the twins cheered, as soon as they saw Lorelai.
"Munchkins!!!!!" Loreali said excitedly, crouching down on the floor and holding her arms out for the kids. "I've missed you two so much! Thank you so much for my presents! I love them! I can't wait to put our picture on my mantle."
"We wuf you Nanna!" Catherine said as the twins practically threw themselves into Lorelai's arms.
"I love you guys too! Thank you for coming to see us today. Do you want to go say hit to Aunty Rory and Uncle Logan?"
"We got presents!" Bradley excitedly told her.
"You got presents?"
"For Atty Ory and Unca Ogan!" Catherine added.
"Well then, why don't you go give them their presents."
"Come here guys." Logan said, holding his arms out toward the twins.
"Unca Ogan!!!" Bradley squealed, darting toward him.
"Thanks for bringing them by Mariqua." Rory smiled, looking toward the twins Nanny, who stood next to Paris.
"Of course! They wanted to bring you your presents themselves. They wouldn't let Mommy leave the house with them this morning, would you guys?" Mariqua asked the kids.
"You got us presents?" Logan asked as he lifted Bradley up onto his lap, then reached toward Catherine. "Catherine, do you want to come sit with Aunty Rory?"
"Come here baby, I don't bite." Rory told her, holding her arms out, seeing the little girl hesitate.
"She might be afraid of your IV." Paris said, stepping up next to her daughter. "Catherine, are you scared of Aunty Rory's hand?" Catherine slowly nodded her head. "Do you want Mommy to hold you, and you can say hi and give Aunty Rory her present?" Again, Catherine nodded, so Paris picked her up, and carried her over to stand next to Logan and Rory. "There is nothing to be afraid of. Aunty Rory just has the IV in her hand, so she can get the medicine she needs to help her have the baby."
"It hurt?" Catherine asked.
"Nope! Not at all. Do you want to touch it?" Rory asked. Catherine quickly buried her face in Paris' shoulder.
"It's ok baby. You're ok." Paris said in a calm voice, kissing the side of her daughter's head. Mariqua, would you mind handing Rory and Logan their gifts?"
"Yes, of course." Mariqua answered, moving toward Logan, and handing him the two bags she had carried into the room.
"Thank you!" Logan smiled, handing one bag to Rory. "Bradley, how about you help me open this?" Logan asked the little boy on his lap. Bradley eagerly reached into the bag, and started pulling things out, dropping them on the bed in front of him as he emptied the contents out.
"Wow, someone is sure excited." Rory chuckled.
"Unca Ogan, look!" Bradley said as he proudly handed Logan a pink folded piece of material. Logan unfolded it to find to see a t-shirt that read Girl Dad.
"Thanks Paris, I'll wear this when we head home." Logan beamed. Next, Bradley handed him a pair of black socks similar to Rory and Lorelai's, a picture frame that read Daddy's Little Princess, a gift card to his favorite restaurant, a bag of his favorite coffee, and some snacks. "Paris, this is awesome, thank you! I love it all!
"You are very welcome. The kids picked out the shirt and snacks."
"How come Rory got the big bag?" Lorelai asked, admiring the much larger bag that sat next to Rory on the bed.
"You'll see." Paris told her.
"Alright, I guess it's my turn. But I have to say Paris, you've already done so much for me today, you honestly didn't have to do any of this." Rory told her.
"Don't be ridiculous. My best friend is having a baby. I DID have to do this. I would have given you all of this at your baby shower, but you asked that people not bring you presents, so I made a large donation in Ayribella's name instead."
"I saw that. Thank you so much."
"I also have a fund set up through my office where patients can donate to Moms For Moms in other ways."
"I noticed that. Thank you for your generosity."
"I found out after putting out the donation jar, that a few of my patients have received baby supplies from them. I had no idea that some of the people receiving help were people that I actually know."
"That's amazing! I'm really glad. They asked me to speak at their summer event in June."
"Really? You are doing it right?"
"I am."
"Good. They asked me to speak as well. I am also one of the event sponsors this year."
"Yay! I won't be alone!"
"We should plan our speeches together."
"Remember the disaster that happened last time we tried to do that?"
"You mean when I asked why you chose the font you did, and you told met hat it was because you were on 'the crack'?"
*~ * Flashback To High School * ~ *
Chilton's Bicentennial Celebration
HEADMASTER: And it is with great pleasure that I introduce two young ladies that epitomize the very best of what Chilton has to offer.
RORY: Paris, are you okay?
HEADMASTER: Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Paris Gellar and Rory Gilmore.
[The crowd applauds as Rory and Paris walk onto the stage]
RORY: "Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then do something. Don't just stand there, make it happen." Lee Iacocca. "Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one." Malcolm Forbes. "Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught." Oscar Wilde. These are only three of many countless views on the expansion of the human mind. I personally believe in all of them, and fortunately for me, so does Chilton. An institution not just because of age and standing, but because of ideas. Because it encourages ideas and it will accept nothing less than everything you have to give. This is the place where our lives start.
PARIS: You know, it's funny, me standing here before you right now. I've thought about nothing else for four years but this school, this big important school with all of its history and tradition and really super teachers. And I dedicated myself to it completely, heart and soul, believing in its power, believing in its ability to get me where I needed to go. Harvard. I thought of nothing else. Many of you out there can attest to that fact. I was on my way and nothing could stop me. And here's the really funny thing – after four years of slaving away, I go home today and I found this. [holds up an envelope] I'm not going to Harvard. I got the tiny envelope, the one that reads, "Sorry, Paris. We're not interested. Try again next year. Love, Harvard." And the thing that's really funny here is, who in the world deserves to go to Harvard more than me? Have you seen how hard I've worked over these past four years? I mean, can anyone here believe that I'm not go. . .
RORY: Okay.
PARIS: And I have to tell you that if you asked me which of those two events I thought would be the least likely to happen, it would not be the not going to Harvard.
RORY: Thank you and good night.
PARIS: I'm being punished. I had sex, so now I don't get to go to Harvard.
RORY: Paris, come on. [leads Paris off the stage]
PARIS: She's never had sex. She'll probably go to Harvard. She's a shoe in. Pack your chastity belt, Gilmore – you're going to Harvard!
RORY: Come on!
*~ * End Flashback * ~ *
"Wow! How come I never knew about any of this?!" Logan asked, feeling quite amused.
"It wasn't exactly my proudest moment." Paris told him.
"And here I was believing that your first time was with the dead dude in college."
"How did you even know about that?!"
"Paris, the entire school knew about it! Rumor was that it happened while you were with him."
"Oh my gosh!" Rory cracked up laughing.
"No Huntzberger, that man was NOT brought down by my vagina."
"Wow, alright, there are children in this room!" Lorelai reminded them.
"And my children know exactly what a vagina is too." Paris told them.
"Alrighy then, we need a change of subject." Rory said, trying to calm her laughter as she dug into her gift, and pulled out a white porcelain picture frame.
"That is for your first family photo." Paris told her. "I made sure that it matches the other frames in your family room."
"Pairs, I love it! Thank you!"
Next, Rory pulled out a white shirt with pink writing that read Auntie, CEO, Mommy; Living My Best Life.
"That is awesome!" Logan told her, admiring the shirt.
"I love that!" Lorelai agreed, taking the shirt from her daughter.
The next thing that Rory pulled out was a thick folded material. When she opened it up she found 3 t-shirts and a onesie, all matching with the words Gilmore Girls written on them, with silhouettes for Emily, Lorelai, and Rory on them.
"Mom, check this out!" Rory said, holding a shirt out toward her mother.
"As soon as I have a picture of Ayribella, I'll have an iron-on made of her silhouette, to add to the shirts." Paris told them.
"These are amazing! How in the world did you pull this off?!" Lorelai asked.
"I had a little help from Rosalinda. I'll also have a few more shirts made for Aryibella, in different sizes, just so you can all match for a while."
"This is incredible! Thank you Paris!" Rory smiled. "I absolutely love these!"
"Hurry up and finish opening." Paris instructed her.
"Yes, Ma'am!"
Rory also received a picture frame that matched Logan's, with the words Mommy's Little Angel written on it, bunch of Rory's favorite snacks, and a fluffy blanket that perfectly matched the one Paris kept in her office, that Rory had fallen in love with, and threatened to steal on several occasions.
"Paris, thank you so much! I really love all of this!"
"You actually have one more present that should be here in the next few minutes."
"I do?"
"I hired you a birth photographer. I know that we talked about it, and that you weren't going to do it, because you said that Lorelai would take plenty of pictures, and you really didn't need one, but I wanted you to have one anyway. I have the most incredible pictures from when the twins were born, and I wanted you to have that experience too. Lorelai is here to enjoy meeting her granddaughter. She doesn't need to focus on anything else today. Chastity will blend right in, and you won't even notice that she is here. She's been doing birth photography long enough that she knows all the ins and outs of giving birth, just as well as I do. She won't be in your way at all."
"Paris, that is amazing! Thank you!" Logan told her.
"Alright munchkins, it's time to say goodbye." Paris told her kids. "Next time you see Aunty Rory, she'll have a new baby for you to play with."