Gilmore Girls: More in the Life

Chapter 93

April had been considering talking to Anna when Luke called with the news about Lorelai. Upon asking if there was anything she could do, Luke declined, saying that Lorelai needed to rest and that he would let her know when he learned more.

Relaying to Anna about the accident, Anna pushed a deep breath out as she worked on arranging shelves at the store. "That's scary. I hope that they can keep Lorelai from going into labor again. The best thing is for the babies to stay in for as long as possible."

April harrumphed. "Yeah, I don't want anything to happen to my brother or sister." As she said the last word, she eyed her mother intently. A flicker of emotion passed through Anna's gaze, though it was gone as quick as it had come.

Anna quietly commented, "Yes, that would be terrible if something happened to the twins."

April nodded absently, trying to read her mother's face. "I'd hate if I never had the chance to get to know them."

Anna's expression hardened, as if she knew what April was doing. "Uh huh. That would be awful." She busied herself with lining up clothing on a rack, clearly uncomfortable with the line of conversation.

A couple moments passed, during which April grew agitated with her mother. Huffing, she rolled her eyes and spoke up. "Mom, I know about the baby you gave up at seventeen."

Anna said nothing. Instead, she closed her eyes, as if doing so would prevent the conversation from going any farther.

"Mom, why didn't you ever tell me?"

Anna turned, her expression conflicted. "What was I supposed to say about it, April? That I was young and foolish, thinking I knew better than my own mother had taught me? That I thought teen pregnancy would never happen to me? That when it did, I was worried I had thrown my entire life away for one quick romp in the back of the quarterback's truck?"

April's voice was quiet. "Why didn't you tell me anything about it? I found out by chance when your long lost daughter came looking for you but found me."

"She came here?"

April nodded. "She came in the day you went to that craft fair. She is who I was asking you about. The girl that reminded me of someone who stuck with me. I ran into her at the coffee shop so I asked her if we'd met before. She told me we hadn't but said it could be that we're sisters when I said I felt like I knew her from somewhere."

Anna looked shocked. "I didn't know she was here. A man came by, asking questions. I never knew it went beyond that."

"She hired a private investigator to find you."

"Did she say what she wanted?"

"All she said to me was that her interest in finding her birth parents was piqued when she did an assignment her senior year. Apparently you wrote her a letter the day she was born and signed it "Anna N." so she had a starting point for you. She didn't mention anything about her father."

Without being asked, Anna told April about her first daughter's father. "His name was Jason Hileman. He was the star quarterback of our school's football team and he had eyes for me since I was a cheerleader. We dated on and off for months, each date resulting in him pressuring me a little more to sleep with him. One of my friends overheard Jason made a comment about it and she was concerned I'd give in so she told my mom. My mom forbade me from seeing Jason anymore, which only made the desire to be with him stronger. I sneaked out of my room that night and met up with Jason. He told me we'd drive around to give me a chance to tell him what had happened. The next thing I knew, we were parked on an old country road. We climbed in the bed of the truck and wound up sleeping together."

"What did Grandma say when she found out you were pregnant?"

"I took four over the counter pregnancy tests at school before I honestly believed I was pregnant. I went home that afternoon and immediately told my mom. She cried, said she was only trying to protect me when she said I wasn't to see Jason anymore, that pregnancy was the very thing she was trying to prevent. As hard as it was, she called Jason's mom to let her know. All of the adults handled it very well, which surprised me. Everyone agreed that adoption was the best plan, though I was heartbroken at the thought. Logically, I knew I couldn't care for a baby but, emotionally, I didn't want to give up my child."

"How many years are between she and I?"

A bittersweet smile tugged at Anna's lips. "Six."

"So why didn't you tell me?"

Anna smiled a sad smile. "I didn't want my mistake to color how you viewed me. I didn't want it to change anything." She paused. "I didn't want it to disappoint you."

April moved closer to her mother, reaching around her for an embrace. "It wouldn't have changed anything."

"Does it now?" Anna whispered.

April pulled back. "A little. It's hard to reconcile the mother I've known with the fact that you've had another daughter out there who I knew nothing about."

Nodding, Anna responded. "I understand. I just hope you can forgive me from withholding that from you all these years."

Unsure of what her mother's response would be, April extended an offer to her. "Would you like to meet her? I'm meeting her tomorrow evening at the coffee shop on Main Street."

Anna's gaze whipped to meet April's. "Really? Did she ask you to bring me?"

"No, but you're who she wants to meet. And I think you need to meet her."

Anna couldn't help a single tear from making its way down her cheek.