Rory buried her face into my chest and I wrapped my arms around her. I kissed the top of her head, while Mom quietly rubbed her back. I was worried about Rory and the baby, but this version of my mother was blowing my mind. Who was this woman and what has she done with my mother? I thought.
"Lorelai, I'm Dr. Schmidt," he said as he entered the room.
"She prefers Rory," I chimed in.
"Sorry, Rory. How are you doing?"
"The pain sucks," she replied bluntly.
"I'm going to take a look at your contractions," he said, pausing and looking at the papers printing out behind her. "Your symptoms suggest you aren't in actual labor. I think you might be experiencing what's know as Braxton-Hicks contractions."
"So, I'm not going to have the baby tonight?" she asked and sounded a little relieved.
"Probably not. This is your body's way of warming up and practicing to give birth. We generally see this in pregnancy as you get closer to your due date."
"Is this going to last for the next seven weeks?" Rory asked sounding concerned.
"It shouldn't. We'll keep you here for a while longer for observation, just to make sure since you are close to your due date. Generally, we see them subside after a few hours," he assured her.
The doctor left the room. Rory began to calm a bit, and I was filled with relief. I just hoped that this couldn't continue for the next seven weeks.
"I'm going to grab something to drink and check on Mitchum. I'll let him know you are ok," Mom said excusing herself.
"Thank you, Shira," Rory said with a small smile. She flashed a smile in return.
"How are you feeling, Ace?" I asked softly.
"I don't know. The contractions seem to be going away, but if it's a prelude of what's to come, I'm scared. I'm not sure I can do this birthing thing," she replied.
Finn slid into the room quietly, which is definitely not his style. He had a very worried look on his face.
"Finn, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"Our boy texted me, and I came as quick as I could, Love," he replied, nodding in my direction.
"I told you that you didn't have to come," I replied. I didn't tell Rory that I'd messaged the guys in the car on the ride here. I didn't think any of them would should up, but leave it to Finn. He'd always had a soft spot for Rory.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world. You guys are family, and so is she," Finn replied, pointing to her stomach.
"Oh, Finn! You are the sweetest," she replied and held out her arms to him.
"I will be here whether you like it or not," he whispered to Rory, just loud enough for me to hear as well. "Besides, there are a lot of hot nurses here!"
"That's our Finn," I said laughing. "And how many numbers have you collected so far?"
"None.....yet," he replied. "Mother is top priority."
"Wow, in all of the years I've known Finn, no one has ever been more important than collecting numbers. This is high praise, Ace," I explained with a smile.
"Finn, I'm so touched. Little Ace is so lucky to have great people like you in her life," she said.
My phone rang alerting me to a text. "It's your mom," I said to her. "Finn, can you stay here with Ace while I go get Lorelai?"
"I'd be delighted," Finn replied.
"I'll be right back. I'm going to meet your mom in the family area."
"Have you given any thought to a name for the baby?" Finn said as I left the room.
"Finn!" I chastised from the hall. The man was always working an angle in some form or another. He was one of my best friends, and the one who cared about Rory almost as much as me.
I walked down the hall to the family waiting area, where I met up with Lorelai and Luke.
"Have we be summoned to see the Wizard? I'm going to ask him for a brain!" Lorelai said jokingly. "What are you going to ask him for, Luke? Courage? A heart?"
"I thought we were going to see Rory," Luke replied sounding confused.
"We don't have a Wash & Brush Up Company, so you'll have to see him as you are," Logan said playing along with Lorelai's bit. He led them to Rory's room. She appeared in the doorway before the rest of us.
"Mom!" Rory shouted.
"No baby, yet?"
"She's not quite ready to make her debut, but she's go the dramatic thing down already," Rory replied.
"Well, she's a Gilmore. What did you expect?" Lorelai asked.
"I know, I know. I'm looking forward to the splits on a crate of dynamite," Rory said.
"I sense some sarcasm in your voice, daughter of mine. Do not mock for you, too, will feel this pain!"
"That's what I'm afraid of," Rory stated.
The doctor came back into the room. He told Rory that she could go home, but he recommended bed rest because of the intensity of the contractions. She signed the discharge papers. He suggested Rory follow up with her regular doctor this week. A different nurse came in to take off the monitors. She also brought a wheelchair. Rory changed into her own clothes and begrudgingly sat down for her ride out of the hospital. It reminded me of being discharged after my Costa Rican misadventure. It was finally time for me to give her the same overprotective treatment she bestowed upon me.
"Bedrest? Is he kidding me?"
"Ace, it's for your own good! I'll make sure we've got plenty of people to help care for you," I said.
"Who's got that kind of time? Or are you hiring extra help?"
"Whatever we need to do, we'll do it," I replied.
"Let me be the first to offer my services," Finn said.
"Michel can cover for me at the Inn for a few days," Lorelai offered.
"I would love to help in any way I can," Shira stated.
There was a moment of silence due to the unexpected offer from my mom. The motherly attitude was still foreign to me, and I couldn't be sure if it was sincere, or an act. I rolled the dice and hoped it was a true change of heart.
"Mom, I think that would be wonderful. I think Rory would agree that she'd be better off with friends and family rather than strangers," I said.
"I agree, Logan, but I'd rather not be on bedrest," she replied.
"That's not an option right now. Let's get you home for now, and we can work out the details tomorrow."