Concerned about April's worsening pain and fever, Luke called their family doctor. After hearing about her symptoms, particularly the pain that had shifted to her lower right abdomen, the doctor advised him to take April to the emergency department immediately to rule out appendicitis.

Luke hung up and grabbed his truck keys.

"Come on, kid. We're going to the hospital."

April groaned but was feeling too miserable to argue.

By the time Luke pulled into the emergency department parking lot, April had stopped arguing about whether she needed to be there.

That worried him more than anything.

His daughter, who could debate the finer points of molecular biology for hours and had once argued with him for twenty minutes about the correct way to load a dishwasher, was sitting quietly in the passenger seat, one arm wrapped around her stomach.

"You okay, kid?"

April gave him a tired look.

"You've asked me that approximately seventeen times."

"Eighteen, actually."

"Great. We're keeping statistics now."

"Learned from the best."

She managed a small smile, but it disappeared when she shifted in her seat.

Luke noticed immediately.

"Pain getting worse?"

"A little."

"Okay. Come on."

He got out and hurried around the truck to help her.

"Dad, I can walk."

"Didn't say you couldn't."

"You're hovering."

"Get used to it."

April rolled her eyes but accepted his hand.

The emergency department was relatively quiet for a Friday evening.After checking in, they were directed to a row of chairs near the triage desk. April sat with her knees drawn slightly together, her arms folded protectively across her abdomen. Luke sat beside her, looking around with an expression of deep suspicion. Hospitals had never been among his favorite places.

"April Nardini?"

A nurse appeared in the doorway.

April stood carefully.

"That's me."

"Hi, April. I'm Sarah. Come on back, and we'll get you checked out."

Luke immediately followed. The nurse smiled.

"And you are?"

"Her father."

"All right. April, are you comfortable having your dad come with you?"

April glanced at Luke. He looked almost offended by the possibility that she might say no.

"Yeah," she said. "That's fine."

"Great. Right this way."

The examination room was small, with a examination table, a chair, and several pieces of medical equipment.

Sarah gestured toward the table.

"Have a seat, sweetheart."

April climbed onto it while Luke took the chair beside her. "So," Sarah began, pulling up April's information on the computer. "What brings you in tonight?"

"Stomachache," April answered.

"And a fever," Luke added immediately.

April sighed.

"Dad."

"What? You do."

Sarah smiled.

"That's helpful information. How high was the fever?"

"102.2," Luke replied.

Sarah nodded and turned back to April.

"How long have you been having abdominal pain?"

"Since this afternoon."

"Where did it start?"

"Kind of around my belly button."

"And where does it hurt now?"

April pointed toward the lower right side of her abdomen.

"Mostly here."

Sarah's expression remained pleasant, but she became a little more focused.

"Any nausea?"

"Yes."

"Vomiting?"

"No."

"Diarrhea?"

April shifted uncomfortably.

"No."

"Any burning when you urinate?"

"No."

Luke sat silently beside her. So far, he was impressed. Sarah had managed to ask all the questions he'd been struggling to get April to answer without making his daughter angry. Then came a question he hadn't anticipated.

"When was your last period?" April froze.

Her eyes immediately darted toward her father.

Luke stared at the nurse. For a moment, nobody spoke. Then April's cheeks turned bright red.

"Um..."

Sarah glanced up from the computer.

"Do you remember approximately when it started?"

April looked as though she desperately wished the floor would open up swallow her whole.

"Do we really have to talk about that?"

Sarah's expression softened.

"I know it's a personal question, but it's important when someone your age comes in with abdominal pain."

April glanced at Luke again.

"Dad?"

Luke blinked.

"What?"

She gave him a meaningful look.

He looked back at her, completely confused.

"What?"

April closed her eyes.

"Oh my God."

Sarah smiled gently.

"April, would you prefer to answer some questions privately?"

"Yes, please."

Luke finally understood.

"Oh! Right. Yeah. Of course."

He stood up so quickly that his chair scraped across the floor.

"I'll just... go outside."

April covered her face with one hand.

"Dad, please stop talking."

"Right. Not talking. Leaving."

He headed toward the door, then turned back.

"You need anything, sweetie?"

"DAD!"

"Okay! Going!"

The door closed behind him. Sarah waited until Luke was gone before turning back to April.

"Better?"

April exhaled.

"Much."

"Your dad seems very concerned about you."

"He's normally not this bad."

Sarah raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

April considered that.

"Okay, maybe he is."

They both laughed softly.

"Now," Sarah continued, "about your period. Do you remember when your last one started?"

April answered quietly.

Sarah entered the information.

"Are your periods usually regular?"

"Mostly."

"Any unusual bleeding or cramping?"

"No."

"And is there any possibility you could be pregnant?"

April's eyes widened.

"What? No!"

Sarah remained perfectly calm.

"Okay."

"No, seriously. Absolutely not."

"That's fine, April. I ask everyone these questions when they're relevant."

April stared down at her hands.

"I'm not... I mean, I've never..."

She trailed off, her face burning.

Sarah gave her an understanding smile.

"You don't have to explain anything you're uncomfortable discussing. I just need accurate medical information so we can take good care of you."

April nodded.

"Okay."

"And for what it's worth, there's nothing embarrassing about any of these questions."

April gave a weak laugh.

Sarah returned with a thermometer and blood pressure cuff. "All right, April. Let's get your vital signs." She wrapped the cuff around April's arm and checked her blood pressure and pulse.

"Your heart rate's a little fast, which can happen with fever and pain." Then she glanced at the thermometer.

"Since your fever was quite high at home, I'd like to check your temperature again. For this assessment, I'd recommend a rectal temperature."

April stared at her.

"A... what?"

"A rectal temperature," Sarah repeated gently. "It's one way to get a reliable core temperature reading."

April's face immediately turned crimson.

"Seriously? I'm eighteen!"

"But... I've never had that done before!"

"Not that you remember?" April shook her head.

"Maybe when I was a baby, but definitely not recently."

Sarah smiled reassuringly.

"It's a quick procedure, and it shouldn't hurt, although it might feel uncomfortable. I'll explain everything first."

April hesitated. She understood the importance of an accurate temperature, but the thought of the procedure made her stomach twist with embarrassment.

"Okay," she whispered eventually. "But... can you get my dad?"

Sarah looked slightly surprised.

"Of course. Would you like him to come back afterward?"

April shook her head.

"No. I mean... before."

"You want him here during the procedure?"

April nodded, her cheeks burning even more.

"I know it sounds stupid. I'm eighteen, and I should be able to handle something like this on my own, but..."

Her voice trailed off. Sarah sat beside her.

"April, there's nothing stupid about wanting someone you trust with you."

April looked down at her hands. "I'm kind of scared," she admitted quietly. "And really, really embarrassed."

"That's understandable. I'll go get him."

"Wait!"

Sarah stopped at the door.

"Could you maybe not tell him what we're doing? I want to tell him myself."

"Of course."

A moment later, Sarah opened the door.

Luke was standing directly outside.

"Mr. Danes?"

He immediately straightened.

"Yeah? Everything okay?"

"April would like you to come back in."

Luke didn't need to be asked twice. He hurried into the room."Hey, kid. What's going on?"

April was sitting on the bed, looking thoroughly miserable.

"Dad, I need you to promise mr something."

Luke frowned.

"Okay..."

"Promise you won't laugh."

"April, why would I laugh?"

"Just promise!"

"Okay. I promise."

April took a deep breath.

"Sarah needs to take my temperature."

Luke blinked.

"Okay?"

April stared at him.

"Rectally."

There was a moment of silence.

"Oh."

April covered her face.

"Oh my God, Dad!"

"What? I didn't say anything!"

"You said oh!"

"Well, I wasn't expecting that!"

"DAD!"

Luke held up both hands.

"Okay. Sorry."

Sarah intervened gently. "April hasn't had this done before, at least not that she remembers, and she's feeling a little nervous."

Luke's expression immediately softened.

"Hey, kid. You don't have to be embarrassed."

April gave him an incredulous look.

"Dad, I am literally about to have my temperature taken in the most embarrassing way imaginable, and you're standing right here!"

"Well, you asked me to come back!"

"I know!"

Luke pulled his chair closer.

"Do you want me to leave?"

April shook her head immediately.

"No!"

"Okay. Then I'm staying."

"But you can't look."

"Wasn't planning on it."

"And no comments."

"Got it."

"And you can never, ever tell Lorelai."

Luke almost smiled.

"April—"

"Promise!"

"I promise."

"Okay. Let's just get it over with."

Sarah drew the privacy curtain and explained how she would keep April covered throughout the procedure.

Luke moved his chair beside the head of the bed.

April reached for his hand. He took it immediately.

"You okay, kid?"

"No," she whispered.

Luke squeezed her hand.

"Want me to step outside?"

April shook her head.

"Please don't."

"Not going anywhere."

Sarah helped April get comfortable lying on the side and maintained her privacy.

April stared determinedly at her father.

"This is so humiliating."

Luke brushed a strand of hair away from her damp forehead.

Sarah smiled reassuring. In one swift motion she pulled April's sweatpants and underwear down. Just as much as absolutely necessary. She then carfully put some Vaseline on her innocent rosebud.

April tightened her grip on Luke's hand.

Luke was considerably more embarrassed than he cared to admit. He'd barely gotten used to discussing periods and other teenage girl problems, and now he was sitting beside his eighteen-year-old daughter while a nurse prepared to take her temperature rectally.

This was definitely not something anyone had mentioned in the parenting books.

He wasn't sure where to look. The ceiling seemed like a safe option, but staring at it would probably make April even more self-conscious. Looking at the nurse felt awkward, too. So he settled on keeping his eyes firmly on April's face.

When Sarah explained the procedure, Luke felt his own cheeks growing warm. He cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

The nurse took the thermometer and put it into place. April could feel the cold intruder pushing forward. It was just so embarrassing! Sarah quietly continued the assessment, checking that April was comfortable. Nobody spoke during the entire procedure. The alarming beeping of the thermometer broke the awkward silence.

A moment later, Sarah announced that she was finished. April immediately pulled the blanket securely over her lap and buried her face in her hands.

"You handled that very well."

April groaned.

"Please don't congratulate me."

"Fair enough."

"Your temperature is 102.6, you definitely have a significant fever.", Sarah announced.

April stared at the ceiling.

"Great. At least my complete humiliation was scientifically productive."

Sarah laughed softly.

"That's one way of looking at it."

She finished documenting the assessment and stepped out to update the physician.

Luke remained beside April.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then April turned toward him.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"We're never talking about this again."

"Okay."

"Ever."

"Got it."

"And if Lorelai asks what happened at the hospital—"

She studied his face suspiciously. April sighed and leaned against his shoulder.

"I can't believe I made you stay." Luke wrapped an arm around her.

"Hey. I'm glad you asked me to."

April looked up.

"Really?"

"Really."

"But it was so embarrassing."

"I know."

Luke kissed the top of her head.

"Anytime, kid."

April smiled faintly.

For a moment, April felt safe enough to forget her embarrassment. But as they waited for the doctor to return, Luke couldn't shake the feeling that the worst part of the night might still be ahead of them.