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December 2007
It had fallen to Jess to make all the arrangements. Usually, he and Rory shared the tasks that came with the holidays, from turkey to gifts to decorations and everything else in between. This year was so different.
Rory had tried to get some things figured out in advance but November saw her enormously large with her pregnancy and so very, very sick and tired, much more than she ever had been with Jack.
When finally the day came for her to give birth to their daughter, there were complications and things really came down to the wire. Jess honestly thought he was going to lose them both, Rory and Victoria, yet by some miracle they came through.
“After all this, when I finally get out of here,” Rory said definitely from her hospital bed, “I am determined, we are going to have a great Thanksgiving and the most amazing Christmas.”
“Yes, we will,” Jess promised her, kissing her lips.
With help from Luke and Lorelai, Thanksgiving was as good as it could be, with Rory home but still very delicate and wobbly, and a new-born to take care of. Still, Jess was determined to make the rest of the holidays everything that Rory wanted.
So it was that he became his wife’s own Christmas fairy godfather, decorating the house with even more red and green and glitter than usual, as well as doing as much as he could to help with the baby and Jack too.
On the day itself, they got up early, Jess carrying Jack and Rory cradling Tori as they went downstairs to sit by the tree and marvel at the gifts left by Santa. Of course, even Jack didn’t really understand what was going on and Tori certainly had no idea, but it meant the world to Rory and to Jess, just to be all together like this.
“You know, for a while there...” Rory stalled, lip quivering and she had to swallow hard before she could go on. “I’m just glad we’re here, all four of us.”
“Me too,” Jess agreed, putting his arm around her and pulling her closer to kiss first her cheek and then the baby’s head. “Merry Christmas, Tor,” he said to the little girl. “I promise, you don’t get it now, but you will. You’re gonna go nuts about this time of year. Right, Jack?” he said to his son then who happily tore into a present, sending paper and ribbon in two different directions.
“It’s going to get crazy,” said Rory, laughing at the very idea. “Next year, the year after, when they’re both running around and getting over-excited.”
“Crazy is right,” said Jess, nodding his head, “but you’re looking forward to it, aren’t you? Come on, I know you are.”
“Really am,” Rory admitted, leaning into his side. “A few years ago, I never could’ve imagined my life turning out this way. A husband and two kids, this soon? You and me making it work? It didn’t seem possible.”
“Right there with you.” Jess sighed. “But it’s pretty cool actually,” he said, laughing when Jack looked completely bemused as to how his hand was now completely stuck to his gift. “Here you go, kid,” he said, moving to detach gift from child and then paper from gift. “Hey, check this out. Now you’re gonna look just like daddy,” he said, looking to Rory with a grin.
“That was the idea,” she said of the mini leather jacket her husband now held in his hands. “Merry Christmas, Jess.”
“Merry Christmas, Rory” he replied, kissing her one more time.