AN: I'm very grateful for the reviews!
Sitting at the communal table, just between Owen's best friend Mike and Elijah, Caleb's son and across from Charlotte's sister Charli whom he'd met earlier, provided Logan with an interesting opportunity to listen into what people spoke about Owen. He almost felt like eavesdropping, only really feeling the need to keep up the conversation a few times when silence lingered a little too long. Elijah was clearly just hoping to be somewhere else, but Mike kept retelling college and teaching stories that involved Owen, one particular story about him pranking his student on April Fools day especially having caught Logan's attention.
"And there I was standing in front of Owen's class, all dressed in a lab coat and goggles about to randomly pour some colorful chemicals - esentially colored vinegar and some baking soda solution, into a vial. A real mad scientist's kind of vibe, you know," Mike described in a hoarse tone. "And then I made up some elaborate story on how the atoms in the vial are forming the beginnings of an universe," he added with a deep chuckle.
"So essentially you were playing God," Logan commented.
"Yeah!" he replied, appreciating his side comment. "And at the same time Owen was in my classroom trying to convince a bunch of 7th graders that the government had just issued a new law which meant that they had to go vote on the presidential the very next day and he was giving them a crash course on how important their votes were," he added.
All this reminded Logan so much of his own youth. Sure, there had not been any flashy costumes, venues or sinking any yachts, but it had that same playfulness about it and there was no doubt where both him and Owen had gotten that from. For a moment he felt like a privileged spoiled brat, beginning to realize with how much crap he'd been able to get away with when growing up - all the millions lost and legal crises averted.
"So Logan, any good pranks in your past?" Mike asked a minute later, having taken a big bite of gravlax.
"Ah… there's a lot. One time me and my buddies stormed a classroom at Yale with an ongoing lecture and acted out this big drama to a girl we knew claiming she'd broken both of our hearts, snuk out on one of our beds that morning - a real mexican novela with some dash of British drama when it came to the choice of words. So we pretend-fought over the girl, flying over the professor's desk and what not. Then and one point Finn, my friend, barges in in a Scotland yard outfit, blowing on a whistle, ready to take us away insisting Rory give me and my other friend back our balls," Logan said laughingly, adding, "It's really something you should've been there for, maybe I'm not telling it that well."
"Sounds hilarious," Charli commented while Mike's mouth was full.
"It was, Rory really hated that we did, I guess she was embarrassed, but she's admitted later on that it was kind of funny thinking back," Logan said, and took a sip of water. It had taken Rory years to admit it in fact, but that was besides the point.
"So where is Rory?" Mike asked, knowing all too well that they were married.
"She's back in New York. She's expecting twins and she's on a half-voluntary bed rest at the moment, one of the twins is sort of pushed up under her ribs so it's kind of painful," he explained.
"Ugh," Charli reacted, clearly being some years younger and not really yet thinking about kids.
"Yeah, that's about the right reaction," Logan chuckled.
"So when is she due?" Rose asked over Mike. Rose had met Rory too once, and even though it had been brief, she was still curious.
"Technically early September but realistically we can hope she'll make it to August," Logan replied. "Have you guys got any kids?" he inquired from Rose and Mike casually.
"We're not supposed to tell yet," Mike whispered, clearly a little tipsy already, and then got elbowed by Rose for telling. Logan got it - they didn't want to steal Owen's day and it might have been early, but clearly Mike was excited about it.
"Congrats," he whispered after a few seconds when Rose was talking to someone else.
"Thanks, man," Mike replied.
As the first course was taken away from the table, the evening's host, who apparently was a friend of the bride, who'd introduced herself as Alexandra, got up and announced:
"Attention everyone!" she clinked a fork against her wine glass. "Now starting from the person sitting next to the bride and groom, may every third person rise, take their glasses and move to your left to the next vacant seat," she instructed.
Logan realized soon enough that he was one of those people, and he took his water and moved left. As a pleasant surprise it was Catherine's seat, which meant he was now sitting right next to Owen.
He nodded in greeting again, almost feeling like he should be congratulating the happy couple once more.
"I hope you are enjoying the evening," Owen said.
"It's been great," Logan replied, slightly exaggerating. Sure, it was fine, but he couldn't help but to deny he was missing Rory painfully.
"So Owen tells me you have like this big media company?" Charlotte asked, somewhat innocently.
"I guess the verb 'have' could be interpreted in a few ways, but pretty much. It's a family business," Logan explained. He did have the majority of stocks and control over what went on in the company by being on the board but more and more he didn't like to think how he 'owned' it - without the employees who did the actual work the place wouldn't function and more and more he felt like not wanting to take much credit for it.
"So what kind of media? Anything I might know?" Charlotte asked. Clearly she hadn't been reading up on the Huntzbergers just yet, which was probably a good thing.
"Publishing houses, newspapers, a few tv channels, news portals…," Logan began to list, realizing that Owen's wife was probably just being polite. "Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, The Independent, Macmillan, Truncheon - so some big, some very small," he tried to sum things up with places he thought she might know or some that were more topical to him.
"Ah.. sounds like a lot of work," she responded.
Logan shrugged, taking a sip of wine.
"So how does it feel to be married?" Logan asked the both of them.
"Honestly.. We talked a little about this before, but it doesn't feel all that different really," Owen replied, glancing briefly at Charlotte.
"It's probably because we've been cohabitating for a while already, only a formality really," Charlotte added.
"Still, I'm happy we did it," Owen replied, giving his wife a kiss.
"Me too," Charlotte replied. The two certainly looked good together - clearly in love and happy, which Logan was only pleased to see.
"Owen tells me we're coming to visit you before we leave for London," Charlotte added.
Logan chuckled. "Well, I'm not forcing you, but you are very welcome. Rory was sad to miss this, and she would really like to meet you too," Logan replied.
"Oh, and if you don't mind, could you send us some recommendations where we could stay on the 15th, maybe not too far from your place, we have a flight out in the morning," Owen added practically.
"Well, if it's not too inconvenient, you could stay in our nursery to be, there's a bed in there and everything. It's not quite a guest room anymore, but you'd be welcome to stay. Or I could just book you something - I have a friend who owns a hotel nearby," Logan explained, almost biting his tongue at the last part. Was this flaunting his and his friend's wealth? He really didn't want to make them uncomfortable.
"I'm sure the nursery will do fine," Owen replied, having glanced over to Charlotte briefly.
"Good," Logan smiled. "So Charlotte, I don't think I've ever asked, what is it that you do exactly?" he asked.
"I'm a nurse, I work at a pediatrician's office," Charlotte explained.
"Ah, that's a tough line of work," Logan commented.
"Well it would be if I'd still been working at the ER, but at the pediatrician's it's mostly quite relaxed," Charlotte replied.
Logan nodded in response as the waiters began to bring in the next course - caramelized butternut squash with ravioli.
With each course the same people would change seats until Logan made it to somewhere halfway through Charlotte's friends, being thankful that he hadn't ended up next to Mae, the drunk bridesmaid but instead the one he hadn't spoken to before, Izzie.
"So you're from New York?" Izzie asked after they'd briefly exchanged names and pleasantries. She had a much more modest look compared to the other bridesmaids who'd clearly taken their time at hair and makeup, her short hair only pulled back slightly with a few flowery hairpins.
"Well technically Hartford, but I live in New York, yes," Logan replied, delaying the replay a moment as he finished his bite of his lavender blackberry cake.
"No kidding!" she exclaimed. "I actually went to Watkinson for a few years. I lived with my mom in Hartford for a while, New York after that, but I came to live here with my dad here in Portland when I went to high school," Izzie added openly.
"I actually went to Watkinson too for a while, well truthfully, just for a few months but still. I was kicked out of a lot of places," he admitted.
"Ah, so you're the troublemaker?" she teased. Izzie was at least ten years younger than he was, hence making it nearly impossible they'd ever been at the same school at the same time or run in the same circles.
"I'm excellent at getting myself in trouble, or so I like to think at least," he added.
Izzie laughed.
"So where did you live in New York?" he asked, trying to hold up his part of the conversation.
"Yorkville. It was close to my school," she shared.
They continued to talk for a while, somehow she'd been the person at the table with whom there had been the least bit of awkwardness - or maybe it was just that Logan had warmed up a bit, the glass of wine and the champagne earlier, and he didn't particularly feel the need to show his best sides when it came to actual family, even if it was by distant association. They talked about New York in general, cool clubs and off-the beaten path tourist attractions. He told how his sister had a place in Cousins Island and how he used to come to Maine a lot more when he was a kid, without going into too much detail on the reasons. Logan talked how he'd travelled a lot, and he could tell she was a little impressed by that, but that hadn't really been his intention - it just sort of flowed out of him. Izzie talked about her two Samoyed dogs that she had at home and how she worked as a sous-chef in Portland. As a surprise the person they both knew, though Logan only really by Lorelai's association happened to be Sookie, Izzie having worked in her kitchen briefly years ago.
Alexandra organized a game of 'How well do you know Owen and Charlotte?', which Logan wasn't particularly good at, truth be told. But thanks to the game he learned about Owen's orienteering hobby and that his favourite book was one of Jess' books, which made him almost choke - small world. He also learned that the two had met as she'd moved into his apartment building at the time, him having helped her carry a few boxes of books, which they'd bonded over.
Soon the happy couple were on the dance floor doing their first dance, the love between the two was evident. They danced to Cat Power's 'Sea of Love', the song's draw being its simplicity, as was the whole event.
Logan envied this simplicity - despite an absent father Owen did have it all - loving family, he was respected at his job, clearly he didn't lack erudition or ability to make friends, he now had a wife and all the without giving a damn what anyone else thought. There was no need to impress anyone, or hide from the press, making Logan realize that maybe Owen having been kept away from all that crap, had been the best outcome.
As he pondered he'd barely noticed that about half of the guest had already joined the happy couple on the dance floor, the music having picked up, playing Edward Sharpe The Magnetic Zeroes.
"Come on, I want to dance," Izzie insisted.
Logan didn't want to be the guy who sat at the table all night alone, hence he complied, the next hour largely involving upbeat songs by Maggie Rogers, The Cranberries, American Authors, M83 and Fleet Foxes. With some breaks in between Logan talked to some more people, including Owen - and it was clear that he was blending in nicely, most of the people now knowing his relationship with him and seemed to have accepted it even without having said out his last name, which he was relieved of.
Alexandra organized another game on the dance floor, where Charlotte had to identify her new husband among a selection of men just by touching their faces. And naturally by the resemblance Alexandra had thought it was a good idea to add Logan into the game. He could only be grateful for his laziness as his stubble was notably rougher than Owen's, which really didn't leave much doubt that he wasn't the guy.
After some time, Logan settled back into the table and just peoplewatched, fidgeting his phone for a while, but he knew Rory was probably asleep already. He didn't want to be the first one to leave, after all he really appreciated the invite and it really was fun, just not half as fun as it would've been with Rory there.
It was then the bridesmaids clearly had taken upon themselves to make sure no man was left seated for very long. It was first Charli who dragged him to the dance floor again, and he went along with it, feeling relieved it wasn't Mae. At some point she excused herself and Izzie swapped her out having just returned from outside, where she'd been taking some evening photos with the bride and groom. A few songs in it came time for the slow dances and while he felt that perhaps that was his cue to hit the road, Izzie convinced him to dance some more. And they did, Logan trying to stay neutral.
"You know, Logan, it sucks coming to weddings alone," Izzie noted at some point. She was clearly a little drunk, not staggering or blubbering but a little flirty, which Logan had tried to ignore until now.
"Can't say that I disagree," he replied.
"So maybe…," she began, while her fingers that were on his shoulder gently brushed his neck. "Maybe we should just cut the alone part out of it," she suggested.
"Ah.. wow, you don't beat around the bush, do you?" he chuckled. "And don't get me wrong..," he said before she had a chance to interrupt, adding, "you look beautiful and easy to talk to, but you see I have one of these," as he drew her attention to his wedding ring. "And my wonderful wife is at home pregnant with our kids right now, and that really wouldn't make me a great husband, would it?" he explained, friendlily.
Clearly Izzie had already noted the ring but had decided to proposition him anyways, and he couldn't deny that he was flattered - it truly had been a while since he'd been subject to something like this, but he wasn't that guy anymore.
As the song ended the two parted, Izzie clearly feeling a little embarrassed. But Logan just felt relief and after he said goodbye to the happy couple, and a few others along the way that he'd talked to during the evening, including Catherine, he drove off. He was glad that he had come, but he was glad to be heading home the next morning as well.
In Manhattan, Rory was laying in bed, struggling to sleep. A day of sitting at home, playing with Finny, eating and watching tv, wasn't really wearing out her energy that she seemed to have, so she had trouble getting to sleep. Having Celeste over had been great and she'd tried to help Celeste with her drawings a little - her having to choose which one's she was going to put into the book as the final selection.
"You're not sleeping either, huh?" Rory whispered to her unborn babies in the darkness of their bedroom, as the two seemed to be nudging her rhythmically.
"You two need to really start getting along better than that," she urged, hoping maybe they'd listen to reason and baby B would soon position herself in vertex like baby A.
"I wonder which one of you will be Emma?" she asked quietly, pondering whether maybe they'd let her know. With their distinct positions she could actually tell their nudges apart now - baby B hitting upwards or sideways against her left side and baby A to her right side, unless of course they'd moved again since Paris had been over.
There was no nudge in return.
"I still don't have that other name - any suggestions?" she chuckled. "How about Elodie?" she began to list, pausing in between. "Olivia?" she suggested. "Ella? Ivy? - Nah, that's too much like Evie," she added. "Or maybe you like Lorelai? That's my name too, and your grandmother's name and your great-great-great grandmother's," she explained, as she stroked her bump.
"Maybe Leigh?" she suggested a few seconds later. She couldn't possibly know whether that was a conscious nudge or not, but at that point she felt a light kick in her left side.
"You like that, huh?" she pondered in a whisper. She kind of liked the idea of keeping the names of their family in use, already having decided on Emily, Emma by nickname, for one of them. And in a way, seeing the way baby A seemed to be a little bigger, more demanding even and she had to admit the name Emily kind of suited her.
"I think we need to ask what daddy thinks of it," she added, feeling another nudge.
"Yeah, I miss him too," Rory sighed finally.