Before Rory: A Gilmore Girls Prequel

Chapter 10

Sunday, October 7, 1984

The last couple weeks of Lorelai's pregnancy went slowly. Her discomfort grew at the same rate as her stomach. Over her mother's many objections, she did her best to stay in her bedroom in an effort to avoid dealing with the stairs. The new maid, Silvia, came up to check on her every couple hours under Emily's orders.

With only three days left until her due date, lounging on her bed had become the new normal. The lunch hour was approaching and Lorelai figured Silvia would be up any minute. While she waited, she debated on whether to read or watch television.

Laughing out loud, she grabbed the remote. Flipping through the channels, she stopped on a rerun of Quincy.

A knock on the door came. "Miss Gilmore, it's Silvia. May I come in?"

Lorelai struggled to sit up. "Yes."

Silvia saw Lorelai's anguish and rushed to help. "Let's get you in a sitting position so you can eat easier. What would you like today?"

"A pepper sandwich, please."

"Coming right up."

About ten minutes later, Silvia returned with Lorelai's lunch. "Here we are. Do you need anything else?"

Lorelai shook her head as she bent her right leg, on which she balanced the plate.

"Okay. I'll be back up in a little bit."

"Thank you, Silvia."

Returning her attention to the show, she absently picked up the sandwich and took a couple bites. She noticed that some crumbs had fallen on her sweater so she brushed them off.

At that moment, a sharp pain shot through her abdomen.

She lowered the sandwich to the plate, leaning forward.

"Ow," she quietly said.

The pain came a second time, several minutes later.

Lorelai had a feeling she was in labor. She set the plate aside and fought to stand up. From what she gathered, she had plenty of time to get to the hospital before the baby arrived. She waited a few minutes until Silvia came back to collect her plate and told her that she was going to a friend's house for a while.

Silvia's look clearly showed she questioned Lorelai's decision but she didn't press. She helped Lorelai put on her shoes before asking if she needed anything else.

Lorelai shook her head.

Silvia walked to the bedroom door, turning to look at Lorelai once more before leaving the room.

Lorelai went to her desk and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. She scribbled a note to her parents and stuffed some cash from her top drawer in her pocket before making her way downstairs.

Once outside, she tried to walk as normal as she could to the bus stop, which was a couple streets over. It took her nearly ten minutes to reach it. Sitting on the empty bench, relief filled her when she saw the bus turn the corner. As soon as the doors opened, she asked the driver what stop she needed for the local hospital then sat in the nearest empty seat.

Pains continued to radiate across her stomach. Though Lorelai knew she in the early stages of labor, the contractions were getting slightly worse as time passed. Breathing deep, she hoped to make it to the hospital soon—before her parents realized she was gone.

°°°°°°

The automatic doors of the emergency room slid open, allowing Lorelai to enter. She found the registration desk and told the staff she was in labor. With a clipboard containing intake forms, she was instructed to sit down and complete the paperwork.