A Second Chance

Chapter 20

Christmas, Matthew's 6th birthday, and New Year's all went by quickly and by the time February rolled around, the triplets were 5 months old. Rory went back to work after New Year's, but only from home.

On Logan's birthday, Rory got up early to make him a special birthday breakfast. Over the years she and Logan had gotten into the tradition of making each other breakfast in bed on their birthdays. With Matthew, of course. She also took Ryan with her since he was awake when she got up. All the babies were on the same schedule, but Ryan always seemed to wake up before Noah and Julie.

"Should we get you a bottle or would you rather just eat your hand?" Rory asked and Ryan just shrieked which she interpreted as 'feed me, mother'. She fed Ryan before moving on to make breakfast which she put on a tray so she could bring it upstairs. Usually she and Logan woke up at 6:30, if the babies didn't wake them before, so around 6:20, Rory went back into their room and put the tray on the dresser. "Go wake up daddy" she said quietly and put Ryan down on top of Logan.

Logan was asleep but still instinctively out his hand on Ryan's back so he wouldn't fall, which Rory thought was sweet. It took Logan a moment to actually wake up and realize what was happening. "Hi there" he laughed.

"Happy birthday" Rory said and leaned down to kiss Logan.

"Thank you" Logan smiled.

Over the next few minutes, Noah, Julie, and Matthew all woke up. Rory and Logan fed and changed the babies before everyone snuggled up in their bed to have breakfast. The babies couldn't actually eat it, but that didn't mean they couldn't be included. 

"I like Logan's birthday" Matthew said

"Why's that?" Logan asked

"Because we get to eat breakfast in yours and mommy's bed. It's fun" Matthew said. "And then grandma comes"

Rory didn't feel the need to remind him that Lorelai would be coming to babysit.

——

"How were all the babies born at the same time?" Matthew asked Lorelai as they ate ice cream. Rory and Logan had gone out to dinner for Logan's birthday and Lorelai was watching the kids. The triplets were already asleep (hopefully for the night), but Rory promised Matthew that he could stay up a little later to have some time with his grandmother since most of her attention would be on the babies until they went to sleep.

"Because they're triplets" Lorelai said

"But why?"

"Because they were all in your mom's tummy at the same time"

"How did they get in there?"

"Um...that's a question for your mom"

"Why?"

"Because it's complicated, and it's something that she should explain to you" Lorelai said. She wasn't sure how much he knew about the subject and she really didn't want to tell Matthew something that Rory don't him to know. She also just didn't think it was her place to have that conversation with Matthew.

Matthew was quiet for a few moments. "What's stronger, me or 20 parrots?"

"What?"

"What's stronger, me or 20 parrots?"

"Um...ok..." Lorelai said. It was a weird question and she wasn't quite sure how to respond. "Do you mean who can lift more or who would win a fight? Because I think you're probably stronger than 20 birds, but if they all started beaking you at the same time, they'd probably win"

Matthew giggled. "You're funny"

——

February turned to March, and March turned to April. One Sunday morning, Rory found herself sitting alone in a cemetery. It was the 7th anniversary of the day Matt died. She didn't visit his grave as often as she used to, but there were days that she felt she needed to. This was one of them. Matthew had asked to go with her, but she didn't want him there that day...she knew she'd cry and didn't want him to see it. So she promised to take him later in the week.