Fairytales Do Come True: My Happy Ending

I'd left New York in pursuit of my dream, to become an overseas correspondent. I didn't quite manage the overseas part, but I got a job at the New York Times, and although I wasn't actually a correspondent, I was a reporter, a journalist. I was doing something I loved, and I was happy. At least… I appeared to be.

I left my one true love back at home in Connecticut after I graduated. I didn't belong in his world; his parents loathed me with great passion.

On my flight to New York's JFK airport, people asked me what was wrong. I was distant, forlorn, and they probably recognized me from all the newspapers' society pages and the tabloids. Star was my personal favorite.

The headlines still gave me chills when I thought about them.

Fairytale Love Put to an End When Family Steps In

and

Gilmore/Huntzberger Romance No More

I hated them, I hated them all. They'd taken all I ever wanted, all I ever needed.

It was my first day at the Times. I applied for this job incognito, under an alias. Leigh Denmore, melding together the last names of my parents: Gilmore and Hayden.

They told me, 'You look a lot like that Rory Gilmore. Are you related to her?' The answer was always no, but I'd always wanted to shout. 'I am Rory Gilmore!'

Then it happened, the Times was acquired by a big time company—Huntzberger Media Enterprises, Huntzberger Publishing Group. They usually went for smaller, struggling papers, but this time, they went in for the kill.

I saw him at the meeting with the new bosses. He smiled at me; I made no recognition of him. I couldn't, I would've cracked if I did.

He asked to talk to me too many times to count about my supposed past, but I pretended to have no idea what he was talking about. It hurt too much to be reminded. I would rush out of the room in or near tears.

But I'm still hoping that I'll be with you somehow, somehow.

He announced his engagement, or rather, his parents did. She was dumb, blonde, and a piece of arm candy. Exactly what his parents wanted for him.

I was at his engagement party, per my grandmother's request. I took my best friend Janine with me. Janine was captivated with my old frivolous and luxurious lifestyle.

She hung back while I caught up with old friends whom I'd lost touch with after graduation. Colin and Stephanie were married with a baby girl on the way; they promised me that I was to be her godmother. Finn had settled down with Rosemary, she'd finally gone home with him. They had a three month old boy, Alex, growing to be just like his dad.

It made me smile that all of my friends were happy, but deep down, I was hurting. Logan and I, we should have been with them with a little Lori or Matt in my arms. Instead, Logan had some illiterate blond skank who couldn't tell the difference from Greenspan and Greenland on his arm, and I was alone and buried in my work.

Now I regret the day we met.

He saw me, and I waved. He waved back.

A month later, the tabloids broke out into frenzy.

Huntz Breaks His Engagement! Could It be an Old Flame?

Was it? I didn't know.

He kissed me, and I was whole again. That missing piece in my heart was finally filled. I was happy, truly happy for the first time in so many years.

On April 17th, 2010, I became Lorelai 'Rory' Leigh Gilmore-Huntzberger.

Gilmore and Huntzberger Finally Wed, Families and Companies Merge

Finally, I laughed when I read it. I didn't like it, but it was true. You finally got married. The two of us had dated two years, been apart four, and engaged one. It was seven years before we were finally married.

Two last headlines appeared in newspapers owned by Huntzberger Media. Both were celebrated.

Baby Boy Born to the Gilmore-Huntzberger Family… Everyone Celebrates Birth of Matthew Elias Gilmore-Huntzberger

(This one was from the New York Times on September 15, 2012. Front page news)

And

Beautiful Little Blond Born on May 25, 2014: Lorelai Savannah Gilmore-Huntzberger

I smile as my little Lori cries. This is the life I dreamed of—my happy ending.