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Rory and Lane sat on the back patio, the warm sun filtering through the trees as they watched Steve, Kwan, and Ricky chase each other around the yard. Their laughter echoed in the air, mixing with the rustling leaves and the faint sounds of a neighbor mowing their lawn. Rory leaned back in her chair, sipping on a hot cup of coffee, while Lane stretched her legs out, enjoying the rare moment of calm amidst the chaos of motherhood.
The two women chatted, catching up on each other’s lives—Lane sharing stories about juggling work, her artistic aspirations and kids, Rory venting about her latest freelance assignment. Their conversation was easy, punctuated by the occasional interruption from the kids yelling for attention or showing off their latest discovery, like a particularly shiny rock or a leaf that vaguely resembled a dinosaur.
Just as Lane was recounting a funny story about Zack trying (and failing) to make a special breakfast, they heard the crunch of gravel in the driveway. Zack appeared, balancing several grocery bags in his arms, his usual goofy grin lighting up his face.
“Hey, Rory!” he called, giving her a casual wave before walking over to Lane. He leaned down and kissed his wife on the forehead, his eyes sparkling with pride. “Babe, I got some of those pads you like. They were on sale.” He raised the bag triumphantly, clearly pleased with himself.
Lane couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re such a dork, but thank you.”
“And,” he added, digging into one of the bags, “I grabbed snacks. Chips for you and Rory, and those little chocolate things you like. Thought you could use a treat.”
“Best husband ever,” Lane declared, giving him a quick kiss before he headed inside to put the groceries away.
Lane tore open a bag of chips and handed it to Rory, who accepted it with a smile.
“Hey, did your period change after you had Ricky? Mine got so much heavier. These new pads I found really help, though.” She shoved a handful of chips into her mouth as she spoke.
Rory nodded absent-mindedly, her attention drifting to her phone as Lane continued. “Seriously, it’s like a crime scene every month. Zack’s lucky I haven’t sent him to the store with a list titled Emergency Supplies.” Lane chuckled, but when she glanced at Rory, she noticed her friend wasn’t laughing—or even listening.
“Hey, what’s up?” Lane asked, her brow furrowing as Rory stared at her phone with wide eyes.
Rory swallowed hard and glanced up at Lane. “Lane, I’m late.”
Lane blinked, confused. “Late? For what? I thought we were spending the whole day together.”
Rory shook her head, a frown tugging at her lips. “No, not late for something. My period is late.”
“Oh.” Lane froze, her face shifting from confusion to realization. “Ohhh. Do you think you might be…” She trailed off, her voice soft.
Rory’s mind was already racing. “I don’t know,” she muttered, the words tumbling out in a rush. She tried to remember the last time she’d marked anything on her calendar, but her thoughts were a blur.
“Well, do you have any symptoms? You know, like, nausea or being extra tired?” Lane pressed gently.
“I don’t know.” Rory shook her head, her hand gripping her phone tightly.
“Are you going to take a test?” Lane asked.
“I don’t know.” Rory’s voice grew quieter, almost to a whisper.
“How do you feel about this, Rory?” Lane leaned forward, searching her friend’s face for some kind of clue.
“I don’t know,” Rory repeated, her voice breaking slightly.
“Do you think Jess will be thrilled?” Lane asked hesitantly, trying to find some positive angle.
“I don’t know!” Rory finally snapped, her voice sharper now. She immediately looked apologetic, sighing deeply. “I’m sorry. I’m just… I don’t know what to think. I didn’t plan for this. I wasn’t even thinking about it.”
Lane leaned back, her hands raised in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. I’ll stop with the questions. Clearly, I’m not helping.”
Rory gave a half-hearted laugh, her emotions swirling in a mix of confusion and uncertainty. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice Ricky toddling toward her until he climbed into her lap, wrapping his small arms around her.
“Hey, honey,” she said softly, stroking his hair as he snuggled against her. “Are you tired of playing?”
Ricky shook his head firmly. “I’m hungry,” he announced, his eyes already fixed on the bag of chips in Lane’s hands. Without thinking, Lane handed the bag over, and Ricky grabbed a handful, devouring the chips eagerly.
“Well,” Rory said, smiling, “Uncle Zack just came back from the store, and he’s making sandwiches for everyone. How does that sound?”
“Yummy!” Ricky grinned, crumbs clinging to his face. Rory chuckled, brushing them off as he wriggled out of her lap.
Before running off, he glanced at Steve and Kwan, who were giggling as they tackled each other onto the grass. His expression turned thoughtful as he watched them whisper and laugh about some secret joke. “They always have each other,” he said, almost wistfully. Then he perked up. “Maybe I could have a sleepover here sometime. Then I’d have someone to play with all the time, too.”
Rory smiled, ruffling his hair. “I’m sure they’d love that.”
Ricky nodded, satisfied, and ran after them.
Lane smirked, reaching for more chips. “Well,” she said, taking a bite, “apparently Ricky’s not completely against the idea.”
Rory shot her a look. “Lane.”
Lane chewed innocently. “What? Just making an observation.” She paused, her expression softening. “You know, you remember when I found out I was having twins, I almost passed out. I mean, Zack and I were still figuring out how to be married, how to be adults, we could barely handle one kid, let alone two at the same time. But now? I can’t imagine life without them. They’ve got each other, and somehow, that makes everything easier. Even when they’re driving me crazy."
Rory listened quietly, her gaze drifting to Ricky as he chased after Steve and Kwan, his laughter ringing out across the yard. Lane’s words lingered in her mind, echoing her own unspoken thoughts. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like for Ricky to have a sibling—someone to share secrets with, to laugh with, to always have by his side. The idea felt both overwhelming and strangely comforting, like a door she hadn’t realized was slightly ajar. She shook her head slightly, as if to clear the thought, and turned back to Lane with a small smile. “You’re a good mom, Lane. I don’t know how you do it.”
Lane shrugged, her grin returning. “Eh, you just make sense of it as you go. Like everything else in life.”
For a while, Rory pushed her earlier worries aside, focusing instead on the warmth of the afternoon, the sound of laughter, and the simple joy of spending time with her friends. But as the sun began to set and she hugged Lane goodbye, the lingering questions in her mind returned.
On the drive home, Rory made a spur-of-the-moment decision. She wasn’t sure if it was panic, curiosity, or some mixture of both, but instead of heading straight to her mother’s house, she turned into the parking lot of the drugstore. She parked the car and sat there for a moment, staring at the glowing sign. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly before she finally exhaled, unbuckled Ricky from his car seat, and placed him on the ground. Together, they walked hand in hand into the store.
The familiar jingle of the drugstore bell greeted her, followed by a cheerful, “Hello, Richard!” Rory froze as she recognized the voice. Of course, Kirk was working. Ricky waved enthusiastically, and Kirk stepped toward them with his usual exaggerated professional look.
“Hello, Rory,” he added. “How can I assist you today?”
Rory’s stomach dropped. Her plan to discreetly buy a pregnancy test crumbled instantly. She knew if she bought one there, the entire town would know before she even opened the box. Panic set in.
“I—uh—just needed some of these,” Rory stammered, grabbing the first item she could find on the nearest shelf.
Kirk glanced at the item and raised a brow. “Cotton balls?”
“Yes,” Rory said, nodding far too quickly. “You only notice you've run out of them when you need them, you know?”
“True,” Kirk said thoughtfully as he placed the bag into a basket for her. “Anything else?”
“Uh, yes!” Rory exclaimed, her voice a little too bright. She darted down an aisle, blindly reaching for something else. “This!” She returned, holding up her find.
Kirk inspected it. “A toothbrush.”
“Yes, toothbrushes! You can never have too many, you know,” she said with a forced laugh.
Kirk nodded in agreement. “Absolutely. Once, Lulu threw out my old toothbrush, and I didn’t have a spare. I had to rush down here to buy one in the middle of the night and they didn't have the soft bristles one, so I had to buy the hard bristles one, my gums were bleeding for weeks. Now, I keep a stockpile. You really can’t be too careful.”
“That’s...fascinating, Kirk,” Rory said with a tight smile, inching toward the counter. “So, that’ll be all. How much is it?”
“Just these two?” Kirk asked, following her closely.
“Yes. Just these two,” she confirmed, desperate to escape.
As Kirk began ringing up her items, Rory glanced around nervously, making sure no one else she knew had walked in.
x
Lorelai was waiting patiently by the stairs, her arms crossed casually as she watched Rory approach. The moment Rory set Ricky down, he bolted toward his grandmother, who knelt to scoop him up into a warm hug.
“There’s my little man!” Lorelai exclaimed, squeezing him tightly before he wriggled free and darted into the house in search of Luke.
Rory followed close behind, greeting her mother with a quick kiss on the cheek.
“So, how was your day?” Lorelai asked, slipping an arm around Rory’s shoulder as they walked toward the house.
“Oh, it was… eventful,” Rory replied cautiously.
“Eventful?” Lorelai arched a brow, her tone dripping with curiosity. “That sounds ominous. Should I be worried?”
“Not yet.” Rory gave a small, tight smile. “Can we go to Hartford tomorrow morning?”
“Sure… but why?” Lorelai asked, suspicion creeping into her voice.
“I’ll explain later,” Rory said quickly, sidestepping the question. She picked up her pace, following the sound of Ricky’s voice. By the time she reached the kitchen, Ricky was already perched on a chair, happily munching on apple slices that Luke had cut for him.
“Hi, Luke,” Rory greeted him softly, gratefully accepting the cup of coffee he handed her.
“Hey, Rory,” Luke replied warmly, his no-nonsense demeanor softened by the presence of Ricky.
Rory sat by Ricky's side, picking one of the apple slices for herself as she spoke to her son. “Ricky, finish up so I can give you a bath and we can call Dad before bedtime, okay?”
“Okay, Mom,” Ricky said obediently, his focus entirely on the apple in his hand.
The three adults lingered in the kitchen, chatting idly as Ricky ate, his small face scrunched in concentration. Luke occasionally chimed in with his dry humor, and for a moment, the atmosphere felt light and normal, as if Rory wasn’t quietly carrying the weight of her worries.
Later that evening, after finishing her phone call with Jess and putting Ricky to sleep, Rory wandered back to the kitchen. She found Lorelai waiting for her, arms crossed and an impatient grin plastered on her face.
“Spill, kid. I’m dying here,” Lorelai said, cutting straight to the point.
Rory hesitated, avoiding her mother’s gaze as she sat down at the table. “Well… I realized today that my period is a few days late.”
Lorelai’s grin faltered for a moment, and she sucked in a quiet breath, studying her daughter carefully. “Okay…” she said slowly. “And?”
“And I tried buying a test, but Kirk was at the drugstore,” Rory said, her voice tinged with frustration. “I couldn’t risk the entire town finding out before I even know for sure. You know how he is.”
“Of course. Classic Stars Hollow,” Lorelai quipped, but her tone was softer now, careful. “How do you feel about all this?”
“I don’t know.” Rory shook her head, her voice trembling slightly. “I wasn’t expecting this. Jess and I have never talked about having kids. I mean, he loves Ricky, but Ricky was already in the picture when we got back together. He didn’t really have a choice, and now…” She trailed off, staring at the table.
“Honey, breathe,” Lorelai interrupted gently, reaching across the table to squeeze her daughter’s hand. Though her own mind was racing with questions, Lorelai knew she needed to stay steady—for both of them. “First, we’ll go to Hartford tomorrow and get a test. One step at a time, okay? We’ll figure out the rest together.”
Rory nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. “Thanks, Mom,” she whispered, leaning into her mother’s embrace.
Lorelai held her tightly, resting her chin on Rory’s head. “You’ll be okay, kiddo.” she said softly, pressing a kiss to Rory’s hair before pulling away. “Now, get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.”
Rory managed a small smile as she stood. “Goodnight, Mom.”
“Goodnight, babe,” Lorelai replied, watching her daughter leave the room before finally letting out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.
Breakfast was unusually quiet the next day. The silence was punctuated only by the occasional crunch of toast, sips of coffee, and Ricky's energetic chatter as he gave voices to his food. Luke asked a question or two, but sensing the tension in the room, he chose not to pry. He agreed to take care of Ricky for the morning while the girls went on their secret mission in Hartford.
x
When Lorelai parked in front of the drugstore and turned off the car, she glanced over at Rory. "Alright, here are your options: do you want me to come with you? Do you want me to go in while you wait here? Or do you want to go alone?"
Rory hesitated for a moment, then flashed a nervous grin. "Together, mommy, please," she said in an exaggerated baby voice, a mix of banter and anxiety.
Lorelai chuckled, unbuckling her seatbelt. "Together it is."
The two entered the drugstore, heading straight to the aisle with female products. Lorelai scanned the shelves. "So, which one do you want?"
"Yes," Rory deadpanned.
"One of each. Got it," Lorelai replied, ready to grab the first box.
But before she could touch the item, a familiar voice called from the counter. "Rory? Lorelai? What are you doing here?"
They froze mid-motion, their eyes locking in mutual dread before turning to see Emily Gilmore standing by the counter, eyebrows raised.
"Hi, Mom," Lorelai said, her tone forced and overly casual.
"Hi, Grandma," Rory echoed, her cheeks flushing.
Emily crossed her arms, her sharp gaze flitting between them. "Well? Are you going to answer my question, or should I assume you're up to something?"
Lorelai scrambled for an excuse. "Oh, you know, just picking up some... essentials." She grabbed the nearest item off the shelf without looking.
"Essentials?" Emily repeated, clearly unconvinced. "Don't they sell... whatever that is... in that hick town of yours?"
Lorelai glanced down at the item she'd grabbed—a box of lavender-scented foot soaks. "Ah, well, these are a special kind they don’t carry in Stars Hollow," she replied, her voice dripping with fake enthusiasm.
"And New York doesn’t have these either?" Emily asked, her gaze shifting to Rory.
Rory stammered. "Well, Jess is out of town for a book launch, so I decided to spend the weekend in Stars Hollow."
Emily looked unconvinced but didn’t press further. "Fine. How long are you staying?"
"Just until tonight," Rory said quickly.
"Well, stop by before you leave, and bring Richard. I haven’t seen that little boy in ages," Emily said with a wave of her hand. She paused, her sharp gaze lingering on Rory for a moment longer than necessary. "And Rory, if there’s anything you need to tell me, now would be the time. I’m not getting any younger, you know." With that, she turned and left, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.
"Bye, Mom," Lorelai said, forcing a smile.
"Bye, Grandma," Rory added, her voice faint.
As soon as Emily exited the store, Lorelai turned to Rory with a smirk. "That was close."
"She's onto us," Rory said, wide-eyed.
"No, she's not. She’s just… Emily," Lorelai said, waving it off. "But you really should’ve let her know you were around. Avoidance only makes her more suspicious."
"I know, I know," Rory muttered, grabbing her forehead. "I just didn’t expect her to be here! She’s always in Nantucket these days."
"Hey, it’s fine. Stop by for a quick visit before you head back, and she’ll let it go." Lorelai started tossing a variety of pregnancy tests into the basket. "Now, let’s get out of here before she comes back."
Rory’s eyes widened in realization. "Wait. I can’t take these home."
Lorelai stopped mid-step. "What do you mean you can’t take them home?"
"Luke and Ricky will see them!" Rory exclaimed. "They’ll ask questions. And then they’ll know."
Lorelai raised an eyebrow, incredulous. "So, what’s your plan? You gonna smuggle them in your jacket like contraband?"
Rory scanned the store, her eyes landing on the restroom sign near the back. "I’ll just… take the test here."
Lorelai groaned, handing her the basket. "Fine. I’ll pay for these. You head to the bathroom before I start questioning my life choices."
Rory nodded, grabbing one test and darting toward the restroom.
When Lorelai reached the cashier, she handed over the basket with a tired smile. "Hey, do you mind if my very indecisive daughter uses your restroom real quick?"
The cashier raised an eyebrow but handed over the keys without comment.
Lorelai sighed, watching Rory disappear into the back. "Parenting. What a joy," she muttered to herself as she swiped her card.
Rory emerged from the bathroom, her face a mix of exhaustion and uncertainty, clutching the test in her hand. Lorelai watched her carefully, the silence thick between them.
"So...?" Lorelai ventured, trying to keep her tone light despite the tension.
"It's negative," Rory said softly, staring at the test as though it might change if she looked hard enough. Lorelai let out a quiet sigh of relief, but before she could respond, Rory added, "I think I should take another one, just to be sure." Without waiting for her mother's input, she grabbed a different brand from the basket and disappeared into the bathroom again.
Lorelai leaned against the counter, arms crossed, tapping her foot as she waited. When Rory returned, her face betrayed nothing.
"Negative," she repeated, her voice almost a whisper.
Lorelai studied her daughter for a long moment, her expression softening. "Rory," she began gently, her voice low. "Did you... did you want it to be positive? Because, you know, if you did, that’s okay. And if you didn’t, that’s okay too. And if you’re not sure, well, that’s also okay. Basically, whatever you’re feeling is okay. Except if you’re feeling like getting into CrossFit. That’s never okay.”
Rory's eyes flicked up to meet hers before dropping to the floor. She swallowed hard. "I-I don't know," she admitted, her voice trembling. "I didn’t think I did, but now I feel I kind of do..." She trailed off, her eyes glistening. "I don’t even know if he would want this," she added, her words barely audible.
Lorelai stepped closer, placing a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Sweetie," she said softly, "the only way to know is to talk to him. And if this is something you want, you’ll decide the next steps together. But don’t carry this alone, okay? And if you want to get into CrossFit, we can talk about getting you institutionalized."
Rory nodded slowly. "I’ll talk to him when he gets back," she said, her voice steadier now. "But not about CrossFit," she clarified quickly, trying not to laugh at her mother's quip.
"When’s he back?" Lorelai asked, keeping her tone neutral.
"Next Friday," Rory replied, finally meeting her mother’s eyes.
"Alright," Lorelai said with a small smile. "Promise me you’ll let me know how it goes, okay?"
"I promise," Rory said, exhaling deeply.
Lorelai picked up the basket, still filled with the remaining tests, and glanced at Rory. “Well, looks like we’ve got ourselves a little pregnancy test stash here,” she said with a soft smile, trying to lighten the mood. “You might want to hang onto these, you know, just in case. We can hide them in your car,” she said as she filled Rory's purse with the tests. "How about we head back to Stars Hollow now? We've had enough excitement for a drugstore trip and it's still early, we can have lunch and plan something fun to do with Ricky."
Rory laughed lightly, the sound breaking the tension. "Yeah, let’s go." She looped her arm through her mother’s as they walked out discussing what afternoon activities they should take Ricky to.