Shira Huntzberger hung up the phone. Just as quickly, she picked it up again, dialing her husband's work number. She told his secretary who she was and waited nervously, tapping her foot against the floor and twirling a strand of blonde hair.
"Shira? What's the matter, and can you make it quick? I was in the middle of something important," Mitchum Huntzberger's voice came onto the line, sounding a little annoyed.
"Logan has a girlfriend," she blurted out, and for the second time in that hour, that statement was met with a very long silence.
Shira snapped her fingers for the maid and ordered her to fix her a martini. She waited for Mitchum to speak with her foot still tapping. And then, finally -
"A girlfriend? Logan? Our son, Logan? Are you sure this isn't just wishful thinking?" Mitchum asked his wife, sounding skeptical.
"No, Mitchum, it's not. Honor just told me over the phone that she met his girlfriend and that they are both coming to dinner tomorrow for Honor's announcement," Shira said, and then accepted the martini from the maid and downed it.
"Well. Maybe that boy has finally started to settle down and get serious," Mitchum mused. "Who would have guessed?"
"That's not all," Shira continued, "It's Rory Gilmore, Mitchum."
"Gilmore? Richard and Emily's granddaughter?"
"Yes. This could not be more disastrous! I mean, he must be serious, he's calling this girl his girlfriend, and she wants to work, Mitchum! Haven't you heard Emily bragging about her at every function she's ever attended?" said Shira anxiously, clearly annoyed that Mitchum wasn't more frazzled by her announcement.
"Well, Shira, that's only to be expected. She never could brag about her daughter, could she?" Mitchum pointed out reasonably.
"That's another point! This girl hasn't been brought up properly. She doesn't know a thing about high society or how to run a household! That's what a Huntzberger wife must do, Mitchum, don't you think I know what it requires? She wants to be a journalist, travel the world, but what about when it's time to have children?" Shira took out a cigarette with her shaking fingers and managed to light it on the second try.
"Shira, children?" Mitchum asked doubtfully. "It's much too early to be thinking about them and marriage, Logan's never even had a real relationship before. I don't see this as lasting."
"Well, it shouldn't be given the chance!"
"Fine, Shira, I'll take care of it."
"What does that mean?" Shira asked suspiciously.
"It means I'll handle the situation. Now, don't be horrible to this girl at dinner, Shira," Mitchum warned, "You don't want to turn Logan against us anymore than he already has."
"Oh, please I'll be fine. It's your father I'm more concerned with."
Mitchum swore. "Look, Shira, I have to get to a meeting. Just…tell my father nicely, I beg of you. Don't turn him against the idea, let's save the conspiring to just the two of us, okay?"
"Fine," Shira agreed.
"What else did Honor have to say?" Mitchum asked.
"Nothing really. I think they're going to announce that they're engaged," Shira said.
"Already?" Mitchum asked.
"It's been three years. I've already booked the Japanese Tea Garden for next spring; that should be enough time to plan. I must admit, she sounded happy on the phone, once she got over her initial frightened tone both of our children adopt when they speak to us," Shira went on, laughing a little at the last thought.
"Alright. I'll be home later, Shira we can discuss the plan then."
Shira said goodbye to her husband and hung up the phone. She put out her cigarette and went to find her father-in-law. This was not going to be a fun conversation. Though Mitchum seemed to be unbothered by her news, she knew Elias was going to be enraged by Logan's new conquest. No, girlfriend, she reminded herself, shaking her head. It was rather hard to get used to.
"What did you say?" Elias Huntzberger stared at his daughter-in-law, who reeked of smoke, he noticed. A sure giveaway that things were not at all fine.
"I said Logan has a girlfriend, Dad," Shira said, smiling thinly.
"No, dammit, who did you say his girlfriend was," Elias slammed his fist on the table. Did these people think he was an invalid? Of course he understood the concept of a girlfriend. But surely even Logan wouldn't betray his family this way.
"Her name is Rory Gilmore, Dad."
"Rory Gilmore, Lorelai Gilmore's great granddaughter?" Elias questioned, narrowing his eyes. Shira was squirming a bit.
"Yes, Dad. Her grandparents are Richard and Emily, you remember, Richard was Lorelai's son," Shira continued.
"Well, that's unacceptable!" Elias declared.
He'd read her article in the Yale Daily News about the Life and Death Brigade. At the time he'd been amazed that she had been able to gather so many facts, and was suspicious of insider help. It sounded too much as though she had been there herself. This just proved it: Logan had helped her! He'd probably even let her tag along...this was unacceptable. Completely unacceptable.
"Dad, Mitchum and I have it covered," Shira said.
"Oh, well if Mitchum has it covered," shot back Elias.
"Dad, please. We're going to be polite to her and tackle Logan later, on his own. Just let us take care of this."
"I can't believe Logan…of all this jokes and games…" Elias muttered. He got up and stomped over to the drinks, fixing himself one. He glared at the maid, Maria, when she approached him. Maria backed off and exited the room in a hurry.
"I wouldn't worry about it, Dad. Logan isn't the type to be serious," Shira consoled him, relaying Mitchum's arguments despite her own misgivings.
"Precisely why we have to take this seriously! You're sure Honor knows what she's talking about? But she isn't always the sharpest," Elias countered, and glared when Shira rolled her eyes.
"Really, Dad! Of course Honor knows. Logan introduced Rory as his girlfriend," Shira said, eyeing the draw where she kept cigarettes handy longingly.
"Of all things….first this Josh will be marrying into our family, and now when we think it can't get any worse, Rory Gilmore, working woman from a small town enters the scene. Look out, Huntzbergers, we're going down the drain," Elias finished and downed the rest of his drink before throwing a look of disgust at Shira and exiting the room.
A/N: Ok, disappointed with no reviews for the first chapter, so PLEASE if anyone is reading this, review and let me know what you think or else I doubt I'll continue this (and there'll probably only be 2 more chapters anyway, Mitchum and Logan). If you're too lazy to login, that's fine, review anonymously, I (sadly) do it all the time! Thanks if you are a lurker and read this far, just please…review? In celebration of it being less than a week until new episodes? looks hopefully
Disclaimer: I forgot this in my other chapter – sorry – but I know everyone here knows that ASP and the WB crew own Gilmore Girls and the characters and any dialogue or themes or plots used in this or any of my stories. Stars Hollow's just my literary playgroud :)