Before Rory: A Gilmore Girls Prequel

Chapter 16

Wednesday, October 8, 1986

Rory began mumbling and moving in her sleep, causing Lorelai to wake up since they shared a bed. Seeing it was four in the morning, she reached over and gently rubbed her daughter's back. Instead of it having the soothing effect she aimed for, Rory woke up and sleepily looked over.

"Mommy," she whispered as she snuggled closer to Lorelai. "Is it my birthday yet?"

Putting her arm around Rory, Lorelai smiled. "Yes, it is but it's still very early. Go back to sleep, sweetheart."

"I'm not tired," Rory replied with a yawn.

Chuckling, Lorelai kissed the top of her head. "I beg to differ. If you stay up now, you'll be a monster by lunch."

Rory stuck her bottom lip out in a pout.

"Put that thing away or a fly will land on it," Lorelai said.

"Ewww!" Rory covered her head with the blanket.

"How about I tell you a story?"

The blanket came down and Rory's lips curved upward. Lorelai glanced at the time again and saw it was 4:03. The time Rory was born.

"Let's see. Want to hear about the day you came into the world?"

Rory nodded, her eyes heavy with sleep.

"At exactly this time, two years ago, I was laying in this same position. Only I had a huge, fat stomach and big fat ankles, and I was swearing—"

"What's swearing?"

Lorelai paused. "Something you can do when you pay taxes. Now back to the story...."

°°°°°°

Sunday, October 8, 1989

Time marched on and, before they knew it, Rory was turning five. As had become the tradition, Mia let Lorelai throw a birthday party at the inn and most of the employees made it a point to join in the festivities.

Lorelai always tried to make a big deal about Rory's birthday. Growing up, the annual parties were less a party and more a societal function. She didn't want that for her daughter. She wanted Rory to know that her existence was not something to be regretted, but instead, celebrated.

Beginning when Rory turned two, every birthday began with a retelling of her birth. It was something that Lorelai personally loved. She never wanted to forget those moments when she first laid eyes on her daughter and how she immediately knew her life would never again be the same.

The pain was something she could have done without. Whoever said women forget the pain after seeing their baby was crazy. Lorelai never forgot. But she does agree that Rory made the pain worth it.

Rory made all the struggles worth it.

°°°°°°

Taping streamers in the banquet room, Lorelai stretched haphazardly on a step stool. She was struggling to get the tape to hold, which was causing her to reach farther than her comfort zone allowed.

Movement from behind startled her, causing her foot to slip. Lorelai grabbed onto the wall, which helped recover her footing. She turned around to find Mia with her arms crossed.

"Why in the world would you try to tape those streamers up on your own? Rick or Lance could have helped you."

Lorelai climbed down the steps and faced her boss. "They're working. I didn't want to ask anyone on the clock for help."