They danced under the moon in a half built boat as heaven's confetti softly fell around them. They didn't notice the cold. The kisses were the kind that warmed you all the way through, melting, endless, ecstatic kisses that seemed to go on forever.
They tripped on giddy feet through the gathering snow eager to revel in their newfound joy. Feeling the rise of exhilaration with each step that carried them towards greater celebration.
Then cold feet of reality kicked them solidly out of euphoria and they were hand in hand staring at the door of an innocuous looking garage and contemplating the future in a very different way. Lorelai felt the flush of excitement settle to an ember in her stomach taking a back seat to anticipatory nerves.
Lorelai gave Luke a darting sideways look as they paused as one. "We have to tell them. Right?" her voice held just a tinge of anxiety.
Luke was shaking his head gently in the affirmative but his grip on her hand tightened making the world around them come more sharply into focus. "They'll find out anyway."
She gnawed her bottom lip in thought "We want them to know, they are our friends. They'll be happy for us." Somehow it came out less of a statement and more of a question. There was a long pause as if they were each contemplating the truth of those words. Happy was an understatement and that was exactly what worried her. She shot another glance at Luke's resolute countenance and then hedged a little "Maybe we should wait."
Luke gave her a skeptical look.
"Maybe we should just elope." This time her smile was bright and hopeful and all together insincere.
Luke's lips twitched upwards but his voice was reluctant "I'd rather face a group of rabid jackals then tell Miss Patty that we eloped without her knowledge."
Lorelai pursed her lips and huffed "Yeah, I guess you've got a point."
They stared in tandem at the door again for a beat before Luke continued "It's probably a moot point anyway. Knowing the spy network around here I'm surprised they aren't out here waiting for us with handcuffs and truth serum."
She grimaced "I know. I know." And she did know but it didn't stop her from wanting to selfishly keep this moment just for herself a little bit longer. She knew deep down she was afraid that saying it out loud would tarnish it's shiny newness and make her start to doubt. "We have to tell them... but why not just wait until tomorrow, let this be our night." Her tone had turned wheedling but his face remained set and the look said he wasn't going to budge. She sighed, "Okay, okay, I know you're right." Her voice turned a tiny bit sulky "Since when did you become Mr. Town Spirit anyway?"
Luke just shrugged but secretly he wanted it done, he wanted the words captured by ears other than his so that he would no longer fear that this was all just a dream that any moment he would awaken from. Not that he didn't trust Lorelai, he did, but it never hurt to have witnesses.
Lorelai took a deep breath and crossed her arms but her feet wouldn't move. Luke watched for a moment and then gave a little cough. She didn't look at him but tightened her arms and spoke again her eyes glued to the garage doors "Okay, remember that time when we were talking about phobias and I said that nothing really scared me, well except for giant spiders and lizards of course, and that dream I once had of Kirk in a tutu wearing the hippo head..."
Luke's brow furrowed "That was a dream? I thought that's what he wore to the Founder's Day costume contest last year."
Lorelai grimaced and gave a little mock shiver "Right, you're right, in the dream he was wearing just the hippo head...much scarier."
Luke sighed, "You just couldn't keep that one to yourself could you?"
Lorelai shrugged but her smile was a tiny bit evil "Sorry but if we're going to get married then we have to get used to sharing everything and I do mean everything."
Luke gave a gruff snort "Are you trying to frighten me away already?"
Lorelai's eyes widened in a parody of innocence and she gave him an admonishing look "No, of course not. I just want to be sure that you know what you're getting. As I understand it there is no return policy on marriage." She ignored his snort "Anyway, my point was that I have a new phobia to add to the list... here's a hint, it involves bells, people humming here comes the bride every time I walk down the street and inane conversations about the yardage of taffeta needed to cover the town and weird discussions of cake decor."
Luke gave her a funny look "You love cake."
She grimaced "I love EATING cake, discussion of the twenty thousand possible shades of frosting and whether daffodils or roses look better in marzipan, not so much."
Luke shook his head stubbornly "You're just afraid to tell the town we're getting married."
She put her finger to her nose "Ding, ding, ding, you got it on one. That's why I love you, you're quick on the uptake."
"Let's just get it over with, we'll tell them together, it will be fine."
Lorelai muttered, "Yeah sure fine, we'll only be outnumbered 2 to 30 what could possibly go wrong? Margaritas, paint and a bunch of escaped circus freaks, nothing scary about that... if you're Alfred Hitchcock."
He pulled her arm until her hand came free from her defensive posture and let his hand slide down to grasp hers, He drew here around to face him and put a hand to her cheek "You know I'm not a big fan of the town hoopla thing but you and I both know we have to tell them. Besides Rory is in there."
She groaned a little but let her forehead fall to meet his "Nobody likes a bossy fiancé."
His hand came up and lifted her chin until her eyes met his. "I love you Lorelai and we're getting married, crazy as it may sound this is the one time I want to tell them all how happy we are." He got a mischievous little gleam in his eyes and a smiled slyly "Besides, can you imagine the look on Taylor's face."
She smiled wryly "Therapy needed after watching Kirk model wedding dresses, 200 dollars a session. Seeing Taylor turn the exact shade of an eggplant when we say our I dos...priceless."
He let his lips mold to hers again and linger for a long moment before they pulled apart. Lorelai gave a little sigh half happiness, half regret that the moment was over. Then she straightened her shoulders and grasped his hand a little tighter "I don't know, maybe we shouldn't go in there without a proton accelerator or a unlicensed nuclear accelerator strapped to our backs. You saw Ghostbusters, who knows what could be in there waiting for us."
Luke squeezed her hand and rolled his eyes "Come on Dr.Venkman, let's get this over with."
She gave him a proud smile. "See now that reference was almost worth it."
The party lasted for a week and it was Luke's worst nightmare come to life. There were balloons and streamers covering every available surface. The town troubadour seemed to have forgotten every song but the theme to Love Boat, and anything sung The Supremes, The Temptations or Marvin Gaye. It was like a Motown convention had come to town. There were polls taken on everything from the kind of flowers Lorelai should carry to the length of the aisle and Kirk had taken it upon himself to hold Best man auditions much to the chagrin of everyone within a five mile radius.
By Friday Lorelai thought that eloping was sounding better and better.
"So explain to me again why we can't go into Luke's?" Rory said from her half crouch behind the stairs of the gazebo.
Lorelai lowered the binoculars that she had been training on the window the diner and shivered delicately before she whispered in a frightened voice "Because, they're in there."
Rory was unimpressed "And who exactly would they be? You're not on your alien invasion kick again are you? I'm going to have to take away your Sci-Fi channel viewing privileges."
"No, no, this is much worse than talking plants and star gates, the whole LLL is in there look for yourself." She proffered the binoculars "Yesterday I barely made it out of there with my clothes on when Kirk pulled out his tailor's measuring tape and that is the last time I let them treat me like a full size voodoo doll, I still have marks from that sewing pin." She rubbed her hip petulantly then glowered in the direction of the diner "Besides I swear they were trying to fit me for a house arrest bracelet yesterday under the guise of trying on jewelry."
Rory laughed unapologetically "Well, you do have a record of sorts."
Lorelai shot her a dirty look "Come on, not you too, I'm reformed I swear, no Runaway Bride this time. I wouldn't do that to Luke."
Rory wisely changed the subject "The LLL huh, is that anything like the KKK?"
"Much much worse." This time the shudder was meant to be melodramatic.
Rory shook her head and laughed, "They're just excited. You can't blame them, they've been waiting a long time for this."
Lorelai glared at her "Whose side are you on any way?"
Before Rory could answer there was a piercing whistle behind them and Kirk's voice bellowed across the square helped along by the bullhorn he was carrying "I found her. Lorelai is here, no need for the amber alert, call off the search dogs before they eat Mrs. Bergman's front step again."
Rory and Lorelai whirled with guilty looks on their faces but Lorelai's quickly turned accusatory as she spun towards Rory "I knew it, you're an informant, you're a double agent, I should have suspected it otherwise how would they have found us so easily?"
Rory gave her an exasperated look "maybe it has something to do with the fact that we were hiding in plain sight in the middle of the town square, ever think of that Sydney?"
Lorelai narrowed her eyes "I knew I should have searched you for a wire, you've got that shifty look around the eyes."
Rory rolled her eyes "You're paranoia is starting to show mom."
Kirk interrupted officiously "Sorry to interrupt Lorelai but if you'll just join us in the diner, we have some blueprints of the cake table that we need your input on."
"The cake table needs blueprints?" Lorelai's eyes widened slightly.
Kirk gave a little shiver of horror "Of course, do you know how many wedding tragedies have occurred because of insufficient support measures for the cake table? I won't go into the gory details; they're too horrible to contemplate. Suffice it to say I had this nightmare last night that involved you being crushed by fifty pounds of chocolate icing and fondant ribbons and it was not a pretty picture, could have given those CSI guys a run for their money."
Lorelai rolled her eyes expressively at Rory as she asked sweetly "Has anyone ever told you that you need to get a life Kirk?"
Kirk look startled at this question "Then who would prevent you from being squashed into oblivion by your wedding cake?"
Lorelai sighed as Rory snickered "Fine. I'm bend to the will of the LLL. Lead on good sir."
Kirk gave her an admonishing look "Didn't anyone tell you we changed the name? Now we call ourselves the Happy Endings for Luke and Lorelai committee."
Lorelai raised an eyebrow as she took in this moniker and then smiled slowly "So you're the HELL Committee?"
Kirk looked thoughtful; "I hadn't thought of it that way but yes."
Lorelai couldn't stop a helpless snort in Rory's direction "Somehow that's surprisingly fitting." She started after "You coming kid? I might need back up in there with those hellions."
Before Rory could answer the phone in her pocket rang. She gave Lorelai a little shrug and pulled the phone form her pocket with an insincere smile. "I better get this, it might be important." She gave a little wave "You go on, I'll catch up."
"Traitor." Lorelai hissed "Just for that I'm going to let Kirk pick the color of the bridesmaid dresses, I hear he's had his eye on some very nice magenta taffeta."
Rory just rolled her eyes as she flipped open the phone,
Lorelai gave a sigh and turned to gesture to the Diner "Lead on George Burns."
Kirk frowned "I think he played God not the devil..."
"Actually not to confuse the issue but I think he played both...kind of like Hayley Mills in the Parent Trap. You know that's what I really need right now, a twin, then you could torture the twin and I could only do the fun scenes. Damn my mother for only having one of me."
Kirk's tone was conversational "You know I hear they are getting close to cloning humans, that might solve your problem. I'm thinking of having myself cloned one day."
The last thing Rory heard before their voices trailed off as they headed for the diner was Lorelai's heartfelt "God help us."
She answered with a laugh still in her voice. "Hello." The urge to giggle didn't last long and died in her throat as she recognized the voice on the other end of the line. "Dad? Uh... hi..." It was as much a question as a greeting.
Christopher felt the sting of that surprise and hesitation clear in Boston but he persevered. He was calling for a reason and he wasn't going to let a little bruise to his ego stop him from accomplishing his goal. He was nervous though and he had to force his voice over the slight tightness in his throat. He went for brevity so as to not prevent the agony for long and got right to the point "Rory, uh, hi, I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time. I was calling to see if you were available to have lunch next week sometime." He cursed inwardly the minute he heard the words leave his mouth, he sounded like some sort of stiff businessman setting an appointment with a client. He pushed on though in an attempt to cover his discomfort. "My treat of course." He slapped himself on the forehead on the other end of the phone and wondered when he'd been possessed by his father.
There was a beat of surprised silence and then Rory found her voice "Lunch?"
Christopher sighed almost inaudibly; clearly this conversation was not getting off to the start that he had hoped for. He couldn't keep a tiny bit of tartness out of his reply "Yeah, lunch, you know that daily ritual where you sit down at a table and consume food and a nearly illegal quantity of coffee."
Rory couldn't quite contain a tiny smile and her voice took on a dry note "I think I'm familiar with the concept. I believe maybe the surprise was incorrectly inflected. What I meant was lunch with YOU?" The emphasis was more than clear this time.
Christopher almost chuckled but sobered quickly when he remembered his purpose "Yes. Lunch with dear old dad...minus the old part of course. I've been thinking that it's about time that we got together and...talked."
"We're talking right now." Rory said feeling a little leery about the idea of sitting down across a table from her father after all that had happened in the last few months, their discourse had been strained at best before her grandparent's re-wedding but nonexistent since and she wasn't sure that breaking that silence was such a good idea right now.
This time the sigh was audible and Rory could almost picture Christopher scrubbing a hand over his face in frustration "Look Rory I have great respect for the Gilmore silent treatment as a choice weapon but don't you think it's time to lay down the weapons and hammer out some sort of truce? If the Middle East can do it surely we can too."
"We're not at war." She said defensively knowing even as she said it that the statement wasn't entirely true.
Christopher knew it too "I didn't mean it that way, I just thought it was about time to open the lines of communication again. I've missed you. I just want to know how you are doing. That you are okay."
"I'm fine." The response was automatic but something of his words had gotten to her and Rory bit her bottom lip uncertainly before she finally said "We've gone long periods without talking before, why is this so important to you?"
Christopher gritted his teeth against the slap of that slight accusation in her voice and answered as honestly as he could "You're my daughter Rory and although I might not always have been the world's greatest dad that means something to me, it has always meant something to me even when I was really, really bad at showing it. I have things to say to you and I want to say them in person." He hurried on when the silence lengthened,
"You don't even have to talk, you can just listen. How bad could it be? Free lunch, all the coffee you want and the only price I ask is a little face time." His voice bordered on cajoling and Rory felt herself weakening despite the litany of all the reasons that it could be very bad.
"I don't know..."
Christopher heard the note of capitulation even if it was still couched in hesitation and breathed a little sigh of relief. He knew if he could just get her to listen to his apology he could get things back on track with her, he was good at apologies and apologizing to Gilmore girls was something he had made into a near art form. Feeling more confident he pushed onward "Look Rory, I just want a chance to clear the air and I think it's better done in person. You can pick the time and the place... I'll even wear clown shoes and a big red nose if it will get you there. Just give me a chance to say what I have to say, that's all I'm asking."
She considered for another long moment. "Fine, but it's got to be in Hartford and I'm driving my own car."
Christopher could hear the relief bubbling out of his own voice "Of course, whatever you want. Your wish is my command."
"Montgomery's in Hartford" she said with little preamble eager now to end the stilted conversation and saying the first fancy restaurant that came to mind from hearing Logan mention it as his father's favorite. "When?"
"How about Tuesday, nice neutral day, Tuesday."
"Okay, Tuesday. I'll meet you there at 12."
"High noon it is kid" there was a little pause "and Rory"
"Hmm?"
"Thanks."
"I'll see you there." She hung up without another word and then stared for a long moment at the phone as if wishing the conversation undone or the day to be Wednesday with the lunch from hell far behind her. Then she resolutely stuffed it back in her pocket and tried to push all thoughts of family battles from her head.
She plopped down with a heavy sigh across from her mom and when that failed to elicit a response from Lorelai whose eyes appeared glued to some sort of action going on at the counter she grabbed a French fry from her mom's plate and bit in rather savagely.
"Did you say hi to lover boy for me?" Lorelai asked her attention still distracted.
"It wasn't Logan." Rory said shortly, unreasonably irritated about the whole thing.
The tone snagged Lorelai's attention "Who was it then?"
Rory scuffed the toe of her shoe against the table leg and stared contemplatively at the cold fry in her hand "Dad."
"Your dad?" Lorelai's eyebrows went up in surprise.
Rory gave her an undeservededly short response "Of course, whom else do you think I would be talking about?"
"Okay, okay, chill out Willis, I was just trying to get the facts straight." Lorelai took a bite of fry and chewed contemplatively now focused completely on her daughter's miserable expression "So, what did the excommunicated want?"
"Lunch."
Lorelai tried for a note of humor "And he needed you to explain the procedure?"
Rory gave her a dark look "Lunch with me...in Hartford."
Lorelai went through a rapid succession of emotions but settled almost immediately on feigned nonchalance "Oh. So are you going to go?"
Rory stared at her fry as if trying to bend it with her mind like the kid in the Matrix then finally looked up and met her eyes. "Yeah. You aren't mad?"
Lorelai gave a little sigh of regret that Rory felt guilty for talking to her dad just because of her convoluted history with him and not for the first time wished that her life could just be simple. She laid a hand on her daughters and for once was serious "Look we had plenty of reasons to be mad at him and he deserved a good silent treatment but I don't expect that you're going to lock up your relationship with him and throw away the key, he is your father, at some point you'll have to talk to him again," she paused and couldn't help a slightly lighter note "who knows someday you might need part of his liver or something."
Rory gave her a nonplussed look "Excuse me?"
"You know what I mean, family is family whether you like it or not."
That got a raised eyebrow "I think being engaged has addled your brain."
She shrugged and grabbed another fry "Look it's up to you, of course, but if I were you I'd go, get it over with, no time like the present and all that jazz, It's just lunch, go, order lots of food and chew everything a hundred times, you'll hardly have to say a word trust me, that trick got me through a zillion obligatory dinners with my parent's country club cronies. I'll even lend you my flask that is cleverly disguised as a purse if you think it will help."
"Because drinking in the middle of the afternoon is the healthy adult thing to do."
"It got me through more cotillions than you could imagine."
"Gee mom thanks for the sympathy."
"Listen, I just had to sit through a fashion show of my potential wedding night lingerie with Kirk as the model. Gives whole new meaning to the term Full Frontal, so don't talk to me about sympathy."
Rory ate another fry for lack of a better retaliation. She really didn't want to win this particular game of one-upmanship. Lorelai suddenly grabbed her arm across the table her eyes riveted back on the entrance to the diner where Kirk had just burst in, a pair of playboy bunny ears still on his head but otherwise clothed with a stack of index cards and headed for the counter. He grabbed a fork immediately and began tapping it against a water glass in front of him "Ladies and Gentleman, if I could have your attention..." he cleared his throat when all eyes turned towards him expectantly and then began with a great flourish to recite from a piece of paper clutched in his hand.
After the first few lines Lorelai leaned over with a gleam in her eye "You so owe me a buck."
Rory glared and whispered back "I do not... you cheated...I'm sure of it and cheaters don't get paid."
"I'm only going to say this once so you'd better get it on the record the first time." Lorelai paused for effect "I did NOT cheat."
"You're telling me that Kirk came up with Jimmy Stewart's speech from A Wonderful Life all by himself?" Rory gave her mom her best skeptical look keeping a straight face with difficulty as Kirk waxed dramatic.
Lorelai gave an insulted sniff "I never mentioned it to him, not once."
Rory's eyebrow climbed "Uh huh, and you're telling me there was no subliminal suggestion made at any point in the last 48 hours?"
"Your suspicions wound me. You think I would really stoop that low for a lousy buck?'
"Yep." Rory paused and then her eyes narrowed and her finger pointed accusingly "Wait, I just remembered, the DVD wasn't in the case, I wanted to watch it last night and it was missing...You lent him the movie. That was dirty."
Lorelai gave her a haughtily affronted look "Hey, I do not remember anything in the bet that said that I couldn't lend a friend what is possibly the best seasonal movie for this time of year, so sue me for being a good pal."
Rory crossed her arms and gave her a mother a stern look "No way you're getting my money on this one. That was clearly in violation of the spirit of the wager."
Lorelai sniffed again "You're just a sore loser."
Rory refused to rise to the bait and turned back to Kirk's one man show "So what do you think, will Luke go for it?"
"Nah, it was just fun to manipulate Kirk like he is my very own marionette and I am the puppet master. I think it's a tough call at the this point, the Mae West and the Mick Jagger were a little too out there even for me but Kirk's Katherine Hepburn impression was so dead on I think he could give Cate Blanchettt a run for the Oscar. Personally I'm still leaning towards the Woody Allen and the Karl Marx though."
"Sure, because there is nothing like a communist and an atheist to toast a wedding the right way."
"Exactly." Lorelai grinned as she settled back in her chair for the rest of the extemporaneous speech.
Rory was nervous and when she was nervous she always arrived early a habit which she was currently cursing as she was forced to make her third loop past the valet station at the restaurant. "Great" she muttered to herself "Pretty soon they're going to call in security because they think I'm casing the joint."
It wasn't until the fifth turn that she recognized a familiar Volvo signaling in front of her and breathed a sigh of relief as she pulled to a stop just behind her dad's bumper. The relief lasted until her dad saw her and waved. She raised a hand in a tentative return wave and then took a deep breath. All the thoughts from the past few days flew through her brain. What would she say, what would he say, how could this possibly end in anything but another big mess? She let out the breath in a whoosh when he knocked on the window and after a slight embarrassed smile she turned off the car and slid reluctantly from her seat.
Christopher leaned on the top of the car on the opposite car and gave her an equally uncertain smile. "So you want to drive around a few more times and case the joint for your big hold up or you want to have lunch?"
She tittered a little nervously at how closely their thoughts matched and closed the door resolutely. She could do this. Despite his many faults and numerous mistakes he was still her dad and she could at least do him the courtesy of sitting through lunch with him.
She pasted a wan smile on her face and handed off the keys to the valet as she rounded the car. She stopped a couple of feet from Christopher and twisted her fingers in front of her a bit nervously as she looked at him. "Uh, hi."
He cleared his throat a little "Hi." He stepped forward in a customary greeting hug but stopped halfway into the gesture leaving them clasped in an awkward half hug. He coughed again in embarrassment as he backed up a step after a tense moment. Silence reigned with a heavy hand as they looked at each other, neither entirely certain about how to proceed. Finally Christopher gestured at the door to the restaurant with one hand. "Shall we?"
Rory started out of her daze as if given an electric shock. "Oh, yeah...I mean yes. We don't want to be late for our reservation."
Christopher cracked a small smile "Right, I hear these four star places have a strict tardy policy and we might end up doing the dishes in detention."
Rory just blinked up at him, once, twice as his smile died.
"Sorry, I forgot, strict moratorium on humor until after the first course." He gestured again at the door. "After you milady." She headed for the door and he followed with a muttered epithet under his breath "damn... tough room, she got that from her mother. Nothing like a Lorelai scorned to make you feel as unwanted as dog hair on her sweater."
Rory gave him a funny look as they reached the maitre' de but then returned her gaze to the very tall man in the fancy uniform behind his small podium. Christopher spoke up when pierced by the man's haughty gaze that all but accused him of any number of unnamed sins. "Uh, reservation for Hayden please."
"Right this way sir." The man's haughty features melted into a semblance of a smile that came off more as a grimace and Rory was reminded of Lurch from the Addams family. She had no doubt that Lorelai would have been snapping her fingers as they walked just to irritate the poor guy and she suddenly wished she was anywhere but here, face to face with her newly re-estranged father with too many taboo subjects and no ability to joke loosely as they always had before. She gave Christopher a little sickly smile as Lurch directed them into the dining room.
She followed the imperious giant mutely her mind racing yet again over what they could possibly say to one another. She couldn't talk about Luke and her mom for many obvious reasons, she didn't want to talk about Logan after their last unfortunate run in and she couldn't even talk about Stars Hollow because all that went on there these days was wedding planning and celebrations. What did that leave? The weather which had been annoyingly mild and had provided hardly any fodder for discussion, sports about which Rory knew little and cared even less...how about a good session of Yale trivia. She sighed at the inevitably painful hour that was to come. Maybe if she just ate really fast they could cut it to thirty minutes and her self-inflicted incarceration would be over sooner than expected. She kind of doubted it though, Lurch and his monkey-suited crew didn't seem all that disposed toward fast food eating. What she wouldn't do for a hamburger and fries right now...much better suited to scarfing than some teensy tiny salad that had to be eaten in itty-bitty bites.
She looked glumly around the cold, elegant room and wondered how well hidden the emergency exits were and whether she could sneak out of one on the pretense of going to the ladies room. Her eyes were just sailing past a pair of men at a table in front of them as they marched through the restaurant when the one facing her dropped his menu and revealed a very familiar face that startled her right out of her escape plan hatching.
Saturday night at his father's party had been every bit as bad as Logan had expected... and then some. It seemed that every annoying, obsequious butt kisser that his father employed, and he had a penchant for them so they made quite a posse, had collected for the gala event. He'd known from the second he stepped into the room that his father had two goals in mind that had led to his requested presence there. First to rake him over preferably scorching hot coals about his tardiness and second to marry him off to the first blue blooded, pedigreed, money dripping bitch that matched the breed standard post haste and his choice of potential suitors had gone from insulting to down right frightening since the last one of these little mating rituals.
Logan deliberately stopped for a drink as he met his father's narrowed eyes across the room and then just as deliberately turned his back on him and retired to a dark corner of the room where he spent the rest of the evening deliberately insulting every woman under the age of thirty five who made it within ten feet of him. He was sick of the game, sick of playing by his father's rules and had told him exactly that when Mitchum had finally cornered him for a tongue-lashing. The night had gone down hill after that aided by too many scotches and too few friendly faces. He wished he'd had the guts to bring Rory with him that would have shown his father once and for all. Unfortunately between exchanged barbs, avoidance maneuvers and slogging down scotch by the quart he hadn't quite gotten around to mentioning Rory.
Nor had the occasion presented itself in the next couple days after his parent's had flown off to some to do in New York and he had headed back to the Connecticut house for some much needed quiet sans dear old dad. He'd put the party out of his mind and amused himself with a few good books and numerous conversations with friends. Rory had told him in great colorful detail about the carnival of wedding planning, Finn had called from Japan where he had supposedly fallen madly in love with a girl who liked to dress up like an anime character and Colin had even called to exhort him for suggestions about what to get Stephanie for Christmas. All in all in had been a surprisingly relaxing holiday break so far. That was until today when he'd gotten the curt summons from his father's secretary to meet for lunch at exactly 11:45 sharp. The don't be late or else was pretty much implied and for once Logan had complied.
In fact over the past few days he had saved up a good number of choice conversation topics and for once he wasn't going to shy away from the gun pointed at his head. He was going to tell his father exactly what he thought of his manipulation and attempts to control every aspect of his life.
It started as it always did with curt greetings and a silent battle of wills, menus up, weapons discreetly sheathed but ready to draw at a moment's provocation. Logan felt one fleeting instant of regret that this is what his relationship with his father had come to but then shook it away resolutely. They would never have anything more than this if he didn't stand up to him.
He didn't know exactly why he had been called here today or what new axe his father had to grind with him but he was about to take control of the opportunity and get some things out in the open that had been in the closet for far too long. He lowered his menu slightly and started to speak in a firm cold voice. "I don't know what your agenda is for this meeting Dad but there are some things I need to say to you so I guess I'll be the one to get this party started."
Taking a deep breath he dropped his menu the rest of the way to look at his father but instead met startled blue eyes just in his line of sight over his father's shoulder, the accompanying voice gave him a little chill "Logan?"
Logan had never believed in all that nonsense about your life passing before your eyes in an instant. But then he'd never really had much of a life to lose before Rory entered it, the Rory that was now walking towards him with her eyes pinned on him in surprise.
"Ace?' He stood before he could stop himself in some vain attempt to cut off her advance towards the table. In some desperate idiotic corner of his mind he almost thought that if he could deflect her quickly enough he could avoid what was an inevitable mess.
As soon as she was a step away from the table he grabbed her by the hand and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek. She seemed confused by this but recovered quickly and smiled at him. "Logan, I didn't know you were going to be in Hartford today, you should have called me we could have gotten together."
His mind raced in panic as he heard the menu drop at the table behind him and he debated the delicate balancing act that he would have to accomplish if he were going to get out of this alive. He thought fast, winging it was a sort of specialty of his so he should have been prepared for an instance just like this but one thought kept tripping up his agile mind and that was the picture that floated into his mind's eye of Rory's sea blue eyes painted with hurt. He spit out the first thing that came to mind "I thought you would be busy with all the wedding planning and dress fittings and all those other important things that have to be figured out by a maid of honor."
She smiled at the thought of the crazy town celebrations which she had told Logan about in great detail on the phone last night, she'd been laughing so hard she'd barely been able to get out the re-enactment of Kirk's Godfather speech. She laughed a little now, feeling the tension in her shoulders ease a bit and Logan let out an internal sigh of relief when it appeared his attempts at distracting her attention from his dining companion had been more successful than anticipated.
She rolled her eyes playfully "Trust me there are only so many tiny bride and groom cake toppers that one can look at before one goes completely cross-eyed, even the most loyal and devoted daughter has to have a lunch break now and again." The smile died instantly and her eyes widened as she remembered the real reason for the lunch break. "Oh God..." she whispered in horror just as a man stopped behind her right shoulder. A man that Logan suddenly recognized from their last unfortunate meeting as Rory's father.
Christopher's voice was deliberately light. "What's all this talk about weddings? Is there something I should know about you two?" he asked it with a playfully suspicious tone. Then without room for an answer from the squirming uncomfortable Rory or the astonished looking Logan he smoothly continued. "Don't worry kids, your secret is safe with me. My lips are sealed." He gave them both a conspiratorial wink that was met by horrified stares and then held out his hand "Nice to see you again Logan." When Logan just stared at the outstretched hand for a beat like he had just proffered a deadly snake rather than a handshake Christopher gave an easy smile "Don't worry, this time I just thought we should meet formally before I start in with the threats."
Logan forced a tiny smile but didn't know what to say, in fact had no chance to do much of anything but grasp Christopher Hayden's hand and see his life flash before his eyes in Technicolor for the second time in five minutes. There was a not so discrete cough behind him and the whole trio spun as one towards the older blonde man who was sitting at the table still with a considering look on his face. He smiled with oily smoothness and stood regally and meticulously brushed at what Rory was sure was an imaginary speck of lint on his impeccably tailored suit. He spoke to Christopher first, man to man as if Rory and Logan were mere children to be seen and not heard. He proffered a hand in greeting "I'm Mitchum Huntzberger, it seems you already know my son who apparently has forgotten his manners this afternoon." He barely spared his son a glance but Rory saw Logan's jaw clench in reaction to the jab.
"Christopher Hayden" Christopher said falling instantly into the role he'd been bred to play from birth. He instantly disliked the man with the cold calculating brown eyes but he knew how the game was played and he wasn't about to let his daughter become a casualty of it due to his ineptitude just when they had a chance of getting back some of the relationship they had lost in the past months. His hand shake had just the right amount of force, just the right amount of give to tell the man that he wasn't about to bow and scrape just because the other man seemed to think he was due a royal welcome. Their grip released and he was about to turn to introduce Rory but she beat him to it.
Rory's eyes had widened to saucer size when Logan's companion had introduced himself and now she leapt in joyfully, forgetting all social niceties and grasping the older man's hand and pumping it exuberantly "Mr. Huntzberger, the Mitchum Huntzberger, I can't believe I'm finally getting to meet you. I am such an admirer of your work, the exclusives you've gotten in your career, Madeline Albright, Margaret Thatcher. You are an icon. When I was ten my mom had laminate that story you did about the Mikhail Gorbachev because I read it so many times the ink was starting to rub off." She beamed at him. "It is so nice to finally meet you in person."
Logan cursed his luck as he saw his father's eyes go sharp with calculation and then that nasty little cat with the canary smile began at the corner of his mouth. Of course to the casual listener he was all urbane charm as he smiled down at the young woman with the excited blue eyes and the porcelain complexion. "It is certainly nice to meet a young woman with such discerning journalistic taste." Rory blushed a little as he continued smoothly. "I assume with that intellect that you must be a friend of Logan's from Yale."
Rory hesitated a second as if confused by the comment. "Yes." She paused and a tiny frown marred her forehead and then quickly smoothed out as she smiled sheepishly as if she had only just realized her mistake. "I'm so sorry, god I am so rude, and I ramble when I get excited, genetic defect." She abruptly realized that she was doing it again and clamped her lips shut before smiling again. "I'm Rory Gilmore."
There wasn't even a flash of recognition in the eyes that were so similar to Logan's and that threw Rory a little off balance. She cast a tiny sidelong glance at Logan with a hint of confusion in her gaze before she focused back on his father and what he was saying. "Well Miss Gilmore it is a pleasure to know that my son is finally starting to make some distinguished acquaintances at that school, I hope you can give him a few pointers on journalistic enthusiasm he seems to find it amusing to snub his nose at the idea of a byline when ever possible."
Rory was disconcerted by the obvious lack of recognition that her relationship with Logan was anything other than as a co-worker but she rallied and pressed on with a bright smile and a dangerous look in Logan's direction. "I'll do my best sir."
She waited a beat for Logan to jump in, waited a second beat for him to correct his dad, to name her as his girlfriend but there was nothing but silence that filled those beats.
Logan was frozen by the look of calculated satisfaction in his father's eyes when he saw the opening and was powerless to stop it even as he saw his father draw breath to press home the advantage. He did it so smoothly, so coldly that it barely stung until after the fact. He nodded pleasantly and withdrew his hand from Rory's with precision reaching into his suit pocket for a business card and his cell phone. He handed the card to Rory with a little smile. "We're always looking for interns in the summer. Give my office a call and we'll be glad to give you an application."
Rory looked at the card her head reeling with the odd twists and turns of events in the past moments. "Uh, thanks."
Mitchum nodded "My pleasure to help a rising journalistic star on their way up the ladder." He flipped open his cell phone "Now, if you'll excuse me I have a phone call to make that simply can't wait, pardon my rudeness."
"Oh, uh, sure." Rory nodded, not knowing what else to say.
Mitchum smiled as if pleased with the interaction and nodded at them before imparting his final shot "Again, nice to meet you Christopher, Lori, hopefully our paths will cross again." And he turned, well aware that he left the wounded and bleeding in his wake and smiled to himself.
Rory gaped at his back for a whole second and then turned wide uncomprehending eyes on Logan her mouth working but not making a sound. Logan seemed similarly frozen in place and it was Christopher who finally leapt in to save the day. Super dad to the rescue Rory thought with a dazed mind.
Christopher put a hand on Rory's back and reached the other hand out to Logan "Logan, good to see you again, I think we best be going though before the Addam's family guy over there comes after us with a fork." He gestured to the highly impatient maitre'de who was hovering a few feet away and then steered Rory down the aisle with a gentle push.
Rory nodded without speaking fearing that she had lost all power to do that and pushed her feet numbly forward. Her mind was racing, raving, screaming inside her skull. They had been dating for months, he knew her mother, he knew her father, she'd told the idiot she loved him for god sake and yet there his father sat obviously never having heard of her existence or her involvement in his son's life. She didn't know what to do, what to say, all she knew was she wanted to run as far away from the clink of crystal and the soothing Chopin in the background and the smell of the lilies gracing the tables with their white linen overcoats.
She fell into the seat that he held out for her and stared blindly at the white line of the napkin folded so delicately in front of her. Then finally she looked up; saw the look of concern in her father's eyes. The look that said that he would gladly stride back across that twenty feet of space and punch Mitchum Huntzberger's lights out for hurting his little girl and all of a sudden all the months of tension and disagreement, awkward moments and heated words melted away and there they were, a daughter who loved her dad despite his faults and a father who only wanted her to be happy. Nothing like a little emotional trauma to bring a family back together.
She even managed a little smile as she leaned across the table and used every ounce of will power at her disposal to keep her voice steady "I love white linen and tiny forks as much as the next girl but do you think maybe we could take a rain check on the fancy lunch?"
Christopher smiled in relief that Rory had snapped out of her fugue state and then shook his head in the negative when an idea dawned on him "I'll do you one better, I think what we need here is a change of venue, some place without William Randolph Hearst over there where we can eat our weight in grease."
Her smile brightened fractionally "I could use a burger and fries right now, maybe some pie and a chocolate milkshake..."
He smiled good naturedly as held up a hand to stop the litany "I know just the place and lucky for us it's just down the street."
The relief was like a bright beacon on her face. "That sounds good." She paused then and glanced around just as she noticed that a waiter was headed their direction "But how do we get out of here without making a scene."
Christopher just smiled knowingly "Oh, don't you worry kid I'm a pro at this. I lost count long ago of the number of fancy restaurants that your mother and I snuck out of. Even as a kid she wasn't a big fan of the tiny salads and delicate soup slurping. There was even one time that involved crawling through air ducts but I won't bore you with the clandestine details."
She laughed a little helplessly "I'm a novice at this so you'll have to walk me through the whole sneaking out of a fancy restaurant thing."
"No need, I've got a plan and you'll just slow me down. You excuse yourself and go to the ladies room and I'll meet you there." He checked his watch "In two minutes."
She nodded and then whispered surreptitiously "Should we synchronize our watches or something like in the spy movies?"
"A proud day for fatherhood." He rolled his eyes and then shooed her with a little wink just before the waiter reached their table.
She went, careful to take a path that did not walk her by the table where she could see Logan and his father now in what appeared to be heated discussion. She was so not ready to deal with that. For now she was all for drowning her doubts in pie and coffee.
Christopher was true to his word and two minutes later they were ducking out the side door of the restaurant and making a run for it.
They were winded and even laughing a little by the time they slid into a booth at a diner two blocks from the restaurant.
Christopher flipped open the menu with some relish and glanced up at her "The grease quotient in this place could even give the fabled Luke's a run for its money I promise."
Rory smiled a little trying resolutely to push thoughts of Logan and his father from her mind. "Those are fighting words where I come from, good thing I worked up an appetite with that little jog over here."
"Not to mention I seem to remember Gilmore's assuage their pain with junk food quantities that would make Andrew Weil gasp in shame."
Rory's smile faltered slightly "There is that."
The waitress took their order and then there was a moment of awkward silence as they looked at each other across the chipped Formica and Rory played with her fork unsure what to say now that the ice was broken but so many new problems had reared their ugly heads.
Christopher took a healthy swig of the hot coffee the waitress had just poured before he cleared his throat ""So... I know I'm not your mom and I don't have a million witty repartees for the situation but do you want to talk about it?"
Rory continued to toy with her spoon "You mean the fact that my boyfriend's father, the boyfriend that I've been dating for several months and just professed my love for, has never heard of me. No, I'd really rather not rehash that if you don't mind but thanks for asking."
Christopher debated for a moment and then ventured another comment "I don't mean this as a defense or anything but I kind of know what it's like to grow up with parents like that so maybe you should at least wait to hear his side of the story before you indict him. You know, just cut him a little slack."
Rory scoffed at that "This from the guy who wanted to beat him to a pulp at first meeting?"
Christopher held up both hands to say you got me "It was the scotch talking I swear."
Rory sighed, "I know and I know you mean well but can we just change the subject to anything else, please. Let's talk about the weather, sports, Yale, Gigi... anything but Logan."
There was an awkward silence for a beat as the waitress brought their food and then Christopher gave a little self effacing laugh and picked up his fork and toyed with it for a second before looking back at Rory and jumping into the subject he had been dreading "So your mom is getting married huh?"
Rory froze mid bite and cursed her big mouth. "Darn, I was really hoping you didn't hear that."
"I have ears like a bat when I want to." He said with a half apologetic smile. Then he gave her a serious look "I want her to be happy that's all, I love your mom but I just need to know that I didn't ruin everything for her with my stupid selfish shenanigans."
Rory looked at him silently for a solid minute and she could see that he was sincere and realized that it was as much of an explanation or apology as she ever needed, finally she put her fork down "Well it does seem like the day for the unveiling of secrets."
It was two hours later and they'd eaten their way through at least a third of the menu before they were headed back to the restaurant valet to try to get their cars out of hock. Christopher's car came around first and he turned to Rory with a warm smile "Do you want me to wait until they bring yours around, you never know what kind of riffraff might be lurking outside a fancy place like this."
She shook her head but she was smiling "No, that's okay, it shouldn't be long." This time she was the one to step forward and initiate the hug.
Christopher felt better than he had in months as his daughter's arms tightened around him and he swore that this time he was going to do everything in his power not to screw up again. They parted at last and he turned to get in his car. He paused as her voice stopped him "Thanks dad, you were great today."
He smiled with a little half wave "We're even. As long as you promise you won't be a stranger... you know I do have that new fangled thing called email...even a cell phone."
"I promise." She said with a smile "Say hi to Gigi for me as well."
He gave her a little nod "Give my congratulations to your mom and Luke."
Rory nodded in return "Consider the message delivered."
"Love you kid."
"You too dad."
She still had a hand up in a wave as her own car pulled forward in front of her. Her hand was out reaching for the key from the valet when a voice stopped her.
"Rory, wait."
