Chapter 13
Richard parked his motorcycle in the driveway and took off his helmet as he approached the front door. After he unzipped his leather riding jacket to help cool off from the warm summer evening, he stood at the door for a good five minutes before mustering up enough courage to ring the bell. It's not as if he'd never been there before, but he was extremely nervous about spending one-on-one time with his dad. He rang the bell and waited. Richard thought he heard a faint voice from the other side of the door, so he hesitantly touched the handle and gave it a little turn. He opened the door and peeked his head inside.
"Hello?" he called out cautiously.
"I'm in the kitchen. You know the way," Logan responded casually.
This is totally weird. What the heck is going on? I thought they had a maid, he wondered. He shrugged his shoulders, set down his helmet and hung his jacket on the coat rack near the front door. In the kitchen, Logan was unpacking a bag of groceries.
"Hi," Richard said timidly. Suddenly, he had no idea what to do or say. The man before him was the father he never knew, but had dreamt of it. Never in his thoughts did he ever imagine what they'd actually say to each other. He stood in the doorway in an awkward silence.
Logan stopped unloading the bags and turned toward his son. "Hey," he replied quickly. There were very few times when he'd ever found himself at a loss for words, but they usually involved Rory. His son stood before him, rendering him speechless as his mother had done that fateful night in New Hampshire. When he'd invited him over for dinner, he hadn't really thought through any sorts of topics of conversation.
"Hey," Richard said as he gave a strange wave and slight smile. Dude, you already said hello to him, he chastised himself. "So, uh...um...how are you, sir?"
"Sir?"
"I mean, ummm... Logan," Richard replied unsure of what he should call him.
"Logan?" he asked. "I guess that's what I told you to call me before, didn't I?"
Richard nodded his head. "If you'll excuse me, I need to use the restroom."
He made his way to the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Could this get any worse, he wondered silently. Maybe Mom has some advice.
Richard: This is a disaster. I don't know what to do or say. Everything is awkward and I'm stuttering! HELP!
Staring into the mirror, he tried to read his own face, but it only made him more confused. Splashing water on your face always seemed to help clear up confusion in the movies. Maybe I should try it, he thought. He set his phone down and turned on the water. After splashing his face, he looked into the mirror again. Nothing.
Rory: I don't really know what to tell you. It's not like I've been in this situation before. Just be yourself!
Richard: Thanks, Mom!
Meanwhile, Logan finished unpacking the groceries for their dinner. He started pulling out what he needed for cooking. What am I so nervous about? He's my son and he wants this, so get your shit together, Huntzberger! he thought. Richard is the son I've always wanted. Why is this so hard for me? He took a deep, cleansing breath just before his son came back.
Richard walked back into the kitchen to find Logan standing in front of an extremely large stock pot. He noticed the cutting board on the counter next to him with two lobsters on it. Logan saw the slightly confused look on his face.
"Oh, no, you don't like lobster?" Logan asked worriedly.
"It's not that, it's just I didn't think you'd be cooking or that it would be this fancy," Richard replied.
"Cooking isn't beneath me, if that's what you're thinking."
"Not at all!" Richard said quickly hoping he didn't offend Logan. "I just didn't..."
"For the record, I don't normally do most of the cooking. The maid went home sick, and I certainly didn't want anyone to catch whatever she had," Logan said.
Once again, they'd fallen into an uncomfortable silence. Richard thought about the advice his mom had given him. Be yourself, he thought. But how? It was easy at home, but this wasn't his home. It was the house of his father and best friend, who just happened to be his half-sister. Then it hit him.
"Can I help?" Richard asked.
"That was actually the plan," Logan stated. "I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all. I actually enjoy cooking," he replied.
Logan looked a little shocked. "I know you didn't learn that from your mother," he said with a smile.
"I certainly didn't," Richard agreed with a chuckle. "Actually, Papa Luke taught me how to cook."
"That explains it. Luke definitely knows how to cook. His burgers are some of the best I've ever eaten," Logan recalled.
"He taught me a lot more than burgers," Richard explained. "He's really a whiz in the kitchen! He used to help out Nana Lorelai at the Dragonfly when Sookie was transitioning back full-time."
"Did he ever teach you how to cook lobster?" Logan asked curiously.
"No, he didn't. It was one thing he never got down, but I remember him raving about some lobster he had one time in Martha's Vineyard."
A grin slowly crept across Logan's face. He knew it was from the Valentine's day they'd spent together many years ago. "Well, making lobster is a time-honored Huntzberger family tradition. It's in our blood," he paused. "I'd like to pass that on to you."
Richard was speechless. He didn't know he'd be welcomed into the family so quickly. It felt a little foreign to him, but he was excited at the opportunity. He'd finally have the chance to bond with his father, and learn about his side of the family.
"I'd be honored," he replied to his father.
Logan felt an instant sense of pride as he began teaching his son how to make the perfect lobster. He took him through step-by-step. Bye the time they'd finished, the two men had perfectly cooked lobster, mashed potatoes, and bruschetta. Logan hadn't intended for a repeat of the dinner he'd once cooked for Luke, Lorelai, and Rory, but it seemed that Richard's mind had thought much like his own. Before they sat down, Logan retrieved a bottle of wine and opened it.
"Would you like a glass?" he asked his son without thinking.
"Umm, no," Richard replied. "I'm not twenty-one."
"You'll have to forgive me. After being in London for so long, I'd forgotten the legal age in the states is twenty-one," he apologized with a laugh.
"It's ok."
Logan poured himself a small glass of wine and began eating. Richard followed suit minus the alcohol. The two noshed in silence for a few minutes. Both felt awkward and didn't know what to talk about.
"So..." Logan started.
"Yes?"
"Your mom says you're going to Yale," Logan said.
"I am. It was a no-brainer. Mom went there, and Great Grandpa Richard went there, too," he replied with a smile. "Then I found out you went there, and it reinforced the idea that going there was the right decision."
Logan beamed. "And you're planning on playing tennis?"
"I'm going to give it a try my first year. I hope I didn't make a mistake by not turning pro," Richard said.
"I think it's a wise decision to get an education, although, my twenty-something self may have had a different opinion," Logan joked.
The awkwardness had melted away into a pleasant conversation as the two got to know each other. The natural flow followed them through dinner until Richard's phone started buzzing.
"Sorry, I know it's rude to leave my phone on at the table. Great Grandma Emily drilled that into my head," he apologized profusely and turned his phone to silent. Before he put it back in his pocket, he checked to see who the message was from. Ironically, it was from Vivienne. Instead of reading it, he shoved his phone back into his pocket.
"Your Great Grandma Emily is a force to be reckoned with," Logan replied. "I'm not into the formalities. Feel free to check your phone. I know it's a lifeline for you teenagers!"
Richard laughed and pulled his phone back out. He felt the color draining from his face.
Vivienne: I'm super bored tonight. Want to hang out? I'm in your driveway.
"You alright?" Logan asked.
"Yes, I guess. It's Viv," he replied as he texted her back.
Richard: Nah, not tonight. I'm not at home.
"Oh," Logan said quietly. "She's at her aunt's this weekend. I guess she'd be your aunt, too."
"Honor?"
"How did you - Viv or your mom?"
"Mom first, but Viv talks about her as well," Richard replied.
Vivienne: But I'm already here! You can't say no when I'm already here! You said you didn't have any plans. My cousins are home and driving my aunt crazy.
"Is something wrong?" Logan asked after he noted the frustrated look on Richard's face.
"Sorry, she's very persistent," he replied quietly.
"I'm well aware," Logan said with a laugh.
Richard: I'm not home. I'm in Stars Hollow at my grandma's house.
He hoped the lie would calm her, and send her back to her aunt's house. He was wrong.
Vivienne: Fine. Your loss. I'll be at home if you get bored.
"Great, now she's made at me," Richard grumbled. "Oh, crap!"
"What?" Logan asked.
"Viv's on her way...HERE! I haven't told her about any of this, and oh, boy, is she gonna be livid when she finds out that I've been keeping this from her!"
Shit! Logan exclaimed silently. "I haven't told her either, and she won't take this well if she walks in here and finds out this way."
"I'd better get going then," Richard said frantically picking up after himself.
"I'll get stuff cleaned up, you go ahead and get out of here," Logan suggested.
"Are you sure? I mean, I can help clear the table," Richard offered.
"Don't worry about it, son," Logan replied without even thinking about what he'd just said.
Richard stopped dead in his tracks. Did he really just call me son? he wondered excitedly. He decided it must have been a slip of the song and went about helping Logan.
"There," he said as he set the final dish in the sink. "I'm gonna head out now."
Logan walked him to the door. Richard grabbed his jacket and helmet. Where in the hell did those come from? Logan asked himself. Does he ride a motorcycle? I can't believe Rory would let him ride one of those damned things! I guess he is eighteen now.
Richard threw on his jacket, and put his helmet under his arm. "Thanks for dinner...um...Logan," he said and held out his hand.
"You're welcome. I'm glad I got to teach you how to make lobster," Logan said with a smile, but in the back of his mind he was still a little angry at the fact Rory let him ride a two-wheeled death trap. He closed the front door, and felt the frustration building. Sure, he may have been a little reckless in his vehicles and driving style when he was younger, but he'd never even considered a motorcycle. I'll have to have a chat with Rory about this, he thought.
As he got on his bike, Richard started thinking about the evening. It had a bumpy start, but things had gotten better by the end. Maybe this is gonna work, he thought. Then he started thinking of Viv, and how she was going to take all of this. They'd been such good friends, and now he was keeping the biggest secret of both their lives from her. He wanted to share this with her because he hated sneaking around and lying about it. I know Mom said that a parent should tell her, but I don't know how much longer I can hold her off. She really put the screws to me the other night, and it was painful, he thought.
Reluctantly he put on his helmet and started his motorcycle. A couple of cars drove in the opposite direction of him on his way out of the neighborhood. Unbeknownst to Richard, one of the two cars that drove past him was Viv. Oh, my god! That was Richard! What in the world was he doing at my house? He lied to me and said he was in Stars Hollow! That dirty, lying rat! Wait! Could this be the important dinner my dad was talking about? He'd made it sound like it was a work dinner, she pondered. Maybe it's time for me to turn up the head on both of them! That'll teach them to sneak around and lie to me! I wonder who will crack first.
