It was finally Friday night and Emily was coming over for dinner.  Rory was very nervous, as was I since this had been her house before.  The house was barely recognizable since we'd redecorated most of it.  It was less formal and stuffy, but still in great taste.  It was modern comfort.  It really felt like our home now.

The doorbell rang and I went to answer it.  Rory was getting slower these days and met us in the living room.  Emily was looking around in awe, but it was hard to tell because she hadn't said anything besides a generic greeting.

"Hello, Emily," I said greeting her.  "Please, come in.  May I take your coat?"

"Logan, it's wonderful to see you," she replied as she handed me her coat.

"Grandma," Rory welcomed Emily and attempted to give her a hug.

"Rory, you look radiant.  Pregnancy suits you," she said, complimenting her.

"Emily, please have a seat," I said motioning to the couch.  "Can I get you a drink?"

"Thank you, Logan.  I'll have a martini," she replied, still looking around.

"What do you think, Grandma?  I know it's different than you had it, but do you like it?"

"If I didn't know better, I'd think this wasn't the same house!  It has a much younger and relaxed feel to it," she said.  She took an extra moment and smiled.  "I like it!"

"Really?  I was afraid you'd hate it because it's so different.  I'm so relieved," Rory replied.

"It's a perfect place to raise your family," she said with a smile as she took the drink I handed her.  "I always knew you two would end up together.  It was written in the stars."

Neither of us had expected such a positive response from Emily.  It made out Friday night dinner quite pleasant.  She seemed pleased with the dinner choice and actually enjoyed the cookies and ice cream.  She may enjoy many of the finer things in life, but can find joy in the simpler things as well.  Rory seemed relieved that she'd been so receptive to all of the changes.

The following day, Emily left for Stars Hollow, and I was on deck for the stressful family dinner that awaited me later.  I wanted to pretend like I didn't care what my parents thought of me and my life, but I couldn't help feel as if they still held my future in the palm of their hands.  Somehow, Rory seemed almost zen-like about my parents' impending arrival.  I was extremely nervous, and I didn't want to disrupt the delicate balance I had going on with my dad.  Despite everything, Mom was completely unpredictable.  I had also been worrying about the tension that Honor had mentioned.  Apparently, my emotions were blatantly obvious.

"Are you ok, Logan?"

"No....yeah....do we really have to do this, Ace?"

"I think it will be good for all of us.  I don't want your parents to miss out on Little Ace's growing up like my father's parents did for me.  I met them once and they were horrible to me and Mom.  It was hurtful and wrong.  I never had the chance to get to know them, and they never wanted to know me.  While the circumstances are a bit different, I don't want the same outcome," Rory confessed.

"I just don't want this to turn into World War III between my parents.  Honor said things have been tense, and that's not good for Dad.  He's doing better, but I don't want anything to set him off.  We've been getting along much better and I'd like to keep it that way," I replied.

My parents arrived, and we settled in for drinks.  Dad was abiding by the doctor's orders, and joined Rory on Team Club Soda.  I handed Mom a drink, and poured a scotch for myself.  During drinks and dinner, there were dull and mundane conversations.  I picked up on what Honor had said about my parents being cool and tense towards each other.  One our way to the living room for a digestif, Rory held me back.  She didn't look like she felt well at all, which concerned me.

"Logan, I'm not really feeling so well.  I'm getting these waves of indigestion.  They keep getting worse," she said.

"Are you sure you're ok?"

"I think so.  Just don't know how long I'll last at this point."

"Do you think, maybe, you are having contractions?"

"I don't think so, but it's not like I've ever had them before to know what they are or what they feel like," she replied.

"Maybe we should go to the hospital, just in case," I suggested.  I clicked on the contraction tracker app on my phone and began timing.

We were almost in the living room when Rory nearly doubled over.  She had a pained look on her face. 

"Rory, are you ok?" Mom asked with genuine concern.

"I don't know," Rory replied through clenched teeth.

"Logan, go get Rory's bag.  We're going to the hospital," Mom said to me, and turned her attention back to Rory.  "You are having contractions, dear."

"No.  It's too early!  I'm only 33 weeks and we haven't even picked out a name yet!  I can't be going into labor now!  I'm not ready for this," she said, barely getting the last words out before the pain seemed to come over her again.

"I'll go get the car," Dad said, excusing himself with an expression of obvious discomfort.

I returned with her bag and we headed out the door.  I was in shock that this was starting so early, and it made me worried about the baby.

"Hello, Lorelai," I said.  "It's Logan.  Rory started having contractions, and we are taking her to the hospital."

"Oh, wow, Logan.  What's going on?  Where are you going?" she responded.

"We'll be at Saint Francis in about 10 minutes if you want to meet us there," I replied.  I didn't want to get into the details right now, or over the phone.  I wasn't even sure what was actually happening at this point.

"We're on our way.  Keep me posted," she said.

"Call me when you get there, and I'll let you know where we are."

"Thank you for calling my mom," she said before another wave of pain appeared to have come and gone.

"Just keep breathing, Rory.  You're doing great," Mom said.

My mother was acting strange, and I've never seen her like that.  She was almost motherly and supportive.  This must be the glimpse Rory saw when they were dress shopping.

The drive felt like forever.  My dad had a very bad case of road rage, which was not good for him post-heart attack.  He was obviously pissed at the slow drivers, and more so in this already stressful situation.  Usually drivers used the posted speed limits as guidelines, but tonight, they were going unusually slow.  Rory seemed amused and distracted by his rants and swearing.

When we arrived, I got her a wheelchair and pushed her to the maternity reception desk on the fourth floor.  The nice nurse checked us in and showed us to a room.  My parents waited in the family area.  Nurse Shelley started taking vitals and asked Rory questions.

"When did you first start having contractions?"

"About 3 hours ago, but I thought it was indigestion," she answered.

"How far apart are they?"

"The times vary from three to six minutes," I said after she stared blankly at the nurse.

It was a good thing I had begun timing them, although it was really only an estimation.  I couldn't tell exactly when they started or ended, but I could see by her facial expressions when she was having a contraction.  I couldn't believe that I'd had a clear enough head to remember to do it.

"Are they getting closer together?" Nurse Shelley asked.

"No, they are all over the place, not consistent," I said.

Nurse Shelley started hooking monitors around Rory's protruding mid-section.  There was a machine printing out papers indicating the levels of Rory's contractions as well as the baby's heartbeat.  They were constantly flowing with paper.

"I'm going to check to see if you are dilated at all.  Do you recall if you were at your last appointment?"

"The doctor said I was at a 1 last week," Rory replied.

I stayed up by her head and held her hand while the nurse checked.

"I'd be generous to say you were at a 2, so I don't think there's been much change.  Just try to relax as best you can and the doctor will be here shortly," she said and left the room.

"Knock, knock," Mom said.  "I just wanted to check to see how you were doing.  Don't worry, it's just me.  Mitchum completely freaked out with Honor and wouldn't even come near the room with Logan."

There she goes again with the motherly attitude.  Where the hell did this come from? I wondered.  Rory didn't seem too happy with my mom's presence.  I didn't want to put under any other undue pressure on her.  This situation was already stressful enough.

"She's doing ok, Mom," I replied for Rory.

Mom didn't seem to pick up on the awkwardness that Rory was clearly projecting.  She started taking on even more of a motherly role.  She held Rory's other hand and stroked her hair.  It seemed oddly calming to her, so I left it alone.  It was best not to pick a fight, and she was trying to help.

"You're doing great, Ace, just keep breathing," I said just before my phone rang.  "It's your mom."

"Hello, Lorelai."

"There's some sort of traffic jam on 84.  I have no idea what's causing it, and it doesn't seem to be letting up," Lorelai replied exasperatedly.

"Any idea when you'll get here?"

"I have no clue, and no idea what's causing it.  The freeway looks like a parking lot."

"I'll let her know, and I'll shoot you a text if I figure out the stall on the highway," I said, ending the call.  "Looks like your mom and Luke are stuck on the 84.  They are trying to get here as soon as possible, but traffic is at a standstill."

"No, this can't be happening!" Rory said, gritting through pain and tears.  "She has to be here for this!"