The long road home

Chapter 11: Everything changes

Rory's mind was distracted as she finished getting ready for dinner with her Dad.  She had promised him dinner last week when she had gone to his office to talk to him about how he felt about her mom raising her alone, and she was really regretting making those plans right about now.

Rory got the text that he had arrived and quickly went downstairs to meet her dad.

"Hey there, kiddo!  How's my girl?" he asked as he enveloped her in a hug.

"I'm okay.  Hey, I'm not really feeling much like going out.  What would you say to take out from Luke's and having dinner in the apartment upstairs?"

"Sure, whatever you'd like, Ror.  That sounds great."

Once they had settled in the upstairs apartment with their food, Christopher slowly began to look around and notice that the apartment looked a lot like Rory's space.

"Ror, is there a reason that all of your belongings seem to be here?" Christopher asked.

"Actually, there is, Dad.  Luke is letting me stay here.  It's good for him and Mom to have some space, and it's good for me not to feel like I'm intruding.  I'm also going to be staying a while, so this works well."

"You're staying here?  That's wonderful, Ror!  It's so good to have you back home!  When did you decide to stay?"

"About that, Dad.  I'm sorry about the conversation in your office last week.  I wasn't trying to hurt you, but I really needed to know how you felt about Mom raising me.  God, this is hard.  Dad, I'm pregnant."

"You're pregnant?  Whoa, kiddo.  That's unexpected.  Care to fill your dad in on what's been going on in your life?"

When Rory finished bringing her Dad up to date, he just sat back quietly for a moment, taking it all in. 

"So, I assume that you'll lecture me now on how irresponsible I am and tell me that I have to tell Logan?"

"I think you're probably doing a pretty good job of lecturing yourself, kiddo.  Look, Ror.  I know that we haven't always had the best relationship, but you're my daughter.  I would do anything for you, including giving you unwanted advice.  In all seriousness, you do have to tell him, Rory.  What if we had never gotten the opportunity to know each other because your mom had chosen not to tell me about you?  It wouldn't be right."

"I know, Dad.  You're right, Mom's right, Luke's right, Lane's right.  I know that I have to tell him.  I just don't know how, and I don't want to ruin his life."

"Oh, sweetie.  You're not going to ruin his life.  He's an adult and can make his own choices.  He can still carry out his family's plan for his life even after you've told him about the pregnancy, or he can choose to change his life to be closer to you and the baby.  Either way, he needs to be allowed to make that choice."

"You're right, I know you're right.  I promise that I will tell him, okay?  I have my first doctor's appointment later this week, and then I will tell him."

"You're doing the right thing, kiddo."

"Thanks, Dad.  And thank you for dinner tonight.  I really didn't want to be alone."

"You know that I'll always be there, Ror.  Now, you've been yawning all night.  How about I let you get some rest and I will check on you after your doctor's appointment later this week?"

"Sounds good, Dad.  Thank you.  And Dad?  I love you."

"I love you, kiddo."

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