Authors note. I thought I had cleaned up that horrible formatting stuff earlier! Sorry about that.
this is due to requests. I had some pretty silly thoughts to start with, but after lots of thinking (overnight) this is what finally came through.
Definitely meant to be over the TOP!
Logan and Odette's Wedding day:
Logan was peeking out from the sides of the church into the crowd, "Good god, there must be over 500 people out there", he muttered. Finn grinned
"Yup, more like 750 from what I heard last."
They peeked again, safely in the middle of the groom's side where no one would notice her sat Rory. Logan just hoped that being in the middle of the crowd would afford her the anonymity she would need when Finn interrupted the service with the news.
"How? How did you talk me into this, Finn? We really should have just sent a telegram. Her Mom is getting married in 3 weeks and if she isn't there, well she will be a widow and.."
"Don't worry about it. Just think of it as your parents only need to spring for one wedding reception this way. You know Shira will want a party and" Finn looks out again into the sea of faces and the smile he has turns into a beam, "Hey, did you know they invited Emily Gilmore?"
"No, way, shit, no way, Finn! Where?"
"Ha! Man - look at your face Mate, but yeah, seriously, she just sat down next to Rory." Finn is doubled over laughing at the expression on Logan's face.
Colin looks at Finn in hysterics and sees Logan's face is slowly draining of blood. "What is going on, Logan?"
"Oh, nothing, everything is just going great. My wife is here with her Grandmother, but everyone out there, including Emily, thinks I am getting married to a French heiress. I mean the yacht incident is so child's play compared to this. I am too old for this."
"Yeah, mate, you should have seen his face when I told him Emily Gilmore was here."
Colin pulls on the curtain, "Where? Who the hell thought that was a good idea?"
Finn is once again laughing so hard. Logan grabs Colin's arm, "next to Rory and the Joker," he says pointing to Finn.
Finn puts his hands up, "Hey, I just saw her, it was not my idea."
Colin takes a deep breath, and a look of relief passes over his face for just an instant before he turns to Logan.
Meanwhile, Rory looks over to see her Grandmother joining her in the church. "Grandma?"
"Well, good evening, Rory, I didn't expect to see you here."
Rory leans over to give her a small hug, "well, that is two of us. What are you doing here?"
"I honestly don't know; I received a last-minute invitation with airline tickets included and a reservation at the Savoy. I landed yesterday and at the hotel was an envelope that said to sit on the groom's side and look for you, but not to contact you. What are your friends up to?"
"Grandma I have no idea."
"What is that on your left hand?" Emily takes Rory's hand and admires the rings. "Logan?"
Rory blushes and nods, putting her finger to her lips. Emily imitates her and the two begin to discuss the upcoming nuptials for Lorelai and Luke.
The minister steps out and motions for the men to join him at the front of the church. Colin is about to say something, but Logan turns away, he looks toward Rory and their eyes meet, they smile, both look like they are going to pass out from nerves. He can tell she is questioning the wisdom of having her at the church, but Colin had insisted it would be fine, more than fine. Logan also realizes that while Colin asked the right questions about Emily, he didn't seem that surprised. He looked back at his friend again to see him with a grin.
"Remember Logan, ladies first," Colin says as they move out to join the minister.
Logan's heart starts to pound, why had Colin insisted that Rory be there, what the hell does 'ladies first' mean, why isn't he upset about Emily and why didn't they just send a telegram? Logan smiles again at Rory and then hears the music start to play. He takes note - flower girl, ring bearer – who are these kids? he guesses he would have gotten to know them, but then he remembers it was supposed to be Honor's kids in the party, oh, at least Honor is next; she is looking at him with horror in her eyes. What the hell is going on? He knows she is no fan of Odette, but not like this and then he sees her, the crowd stands up, a low murmur starts to come from the bride's side of the isle. Odette is walking with a stranger, that is not her father, Logan looks at Colin and then back again at Odette and then to Colin who is grinning like an idiot. "Colin is that?"
"Yup, it sure is, that is my Dad."
Logan looks past Colin to see a man standing off to the side of the alter.
30 days before the wedding; Logan is at work planning his trip to the US and winning back Rory.
Colin and his father are at the law office waiting for Odette and preparing to make the final changes on the prenup that will be signed the day before the wedding.
"Dad this has got to work. We have to make sure we give them the out."
"Colin, I have been married so many times, trust me, I know how to make a prenup that will keep them both their respective heirs, cut the strings from their father's, and let them finally marry the people they really love."
"Ok, so let's get to work on those special sentences."
A knock on the door …
"Mr. McCrea, Odette is here to see you."
Odette walks into the office with a man next to her. She smiles at the lawyers and then turns to her companion and speaks with him for a moment after which he turns and leaves the office.
"Good afternoon, Andrew, Colin, that was Maxim, and we are" she puts her right hand out, it has a solid simple ring on it "married. How do I get out of this mess with Logan?"
The two men smiled at each other.
"Good afternoon, Odette and Congratulations." Replies Andrew.
Colin chimes in with congratulations and thinks about how that was fast, but it wasn't really; he is Odette's Rory – her love, but not the family name her parents had planned on. The prenup now included a phrase that made it ambiguous about who they needed to be married to, just that they needed to be married and by them being married they were now released from any and all family obligations to include being told where they must reside and or work and that all money and assets held in trust were also now fully released to the married individual.
They explain the adjustment, show her the paragraph where that one phrase has been changed.
"So, while the rest of the contract will be null and void about us because we are not married, that will hold as long as we get our parents to sign?"
"Yes, exactly."
"Ok, my father has been looking forward to finalizing this contract, we will sign at the rehearsal dinner. He will be in tomorrow with his attorney to read it through one last time. Make sure you show him and discuss the paragraph about Logan and I having children and them being raised either in France or with a French nanny. I have been pretending to hold out on that this entire time, making it my sticking point so it looked like I was not going to go against my husband's family and time in America. He will be so happy and not want to risk any changes now that we added that. He won't think about the rest."
Colin smiles, "Yes, we added your children paragraph and then there is the one added for Mitchum that includes the Lyon newspaper."
Odette smiles, "Yes, Daddy will sign the paperwork giving the newspaper to Logan as his wedding present, right after we sign this. Then he will be out of the newspaper business and just in publishing. My mother's family gave him that newspaper on their wedding day and now that they are divorced, he has been looking to off-load it. All he cares about are books."
They all shake hands.
The day before the wedding
Colin and his father have a room in the Savoy set aside for the signing of the prenup. Colin has been in Logan's ear that it is safe to sign, he shows him the line about just the need to be married, the line that he had added a month ago for Odette. Colin has been dying inside not telling Logan he is free, but he knew that if he did Logan and Rory would call this all off and he had to leave it on for Odette's sake. God the French just love their drama.
"Colin, you are sure this is iron-clad?" Logan whispered in his ear. Colin nods and blinks in the affirmative. "Ok, man, I am trusting you."
Logan sees Odette making her way over to them. She smiles at Colin, "Merci!" she whispers in his ear as they say hello. Turning to Logan she smiles at him and as they touch cheeks, he hears her say, "we will be ok."
Logan goes to say something, but Colin interrupts and pulls him away. "Logan my man, come on – let's lift a glass to the signing of a beautiful future."
The parents have just walked into the room. Andrew pulls out his pen, "Well, shall we make this official."
Shira tittles, "Oh, I am so excited for these two, they make the perfect couple. Logan, darling, you are going to be so happy, I am so happy." It is obvious that Shira is completely in her own little world. Mitchum and Pierre are signing the document, both excited about their respective concessions. Marie signs the document and turns to Odette, "I hope you have a better husband than I did."
Odette kisses her mother, "Oh, mother, I can assure you, I absolutely do."
"Then my dear, I am happy for you, but I don't think I should stay."
Odette grabs her mother's hand, "Mother, you definitely want to stay, this is going to be the event of the year, and trust me, you will appreciate it the most."
Her mother looks at her in a quizzical way, she has been her daughter's confidant that Odette is not in love with Logan. It had taken Marie until Odette was engaged before she could get out of her loveless, arranged marriage due to her marriage contract.
"Well, my dear, if you say so."
Shira signed and turned around beaming, "oh, just think Marie tomorrow this time we will be family. I am so excited."
Marie just closes her eyes for a moment and then plasters on her best smile, "yes, Shira, it will be lovely."
Finally, Logan and Odette set their hands, and then the lawyers, all 6 of them sign as witnesses. Andrew puts the pen in his breast pocket and lets out a sigh. "A toast to the end of being single and the beginning of married life."
A chorus of "here … here" each person having a different take on what had just been said.
wedding day again
Logan looks from the man in the wings, back to Colin and back to Andrew walking Odette down the aisle. He sees Pierre sitting in the front pew looking like his world had just imploded.
"What the hell is going on, Colin?" Logan whispered again.
"Ladies first, my good man, ladies first."
The minister still had his stupid smile, Mitchum was scowling, what was his attorney doing walking Odette down the aisle. Shira was oblivious.
Andrew stands between Logan and Odette, not handing her off.
The minister continues to smile and starts the simple ceremony, "Who brings this woman to be married to this man?"
Andrew looks back at Pierre, there is no response. So, Andrew replies, "I bring this woman."
The oblivious minister questions the response, but checks his notes, on the last-minute request of change from the bride. He is puzzled by the order but remembers she is French, and her friend insisted that in France everything is 'ladies first'.
"Are you Odette free, lawfully, to marry Logan?"
Odette squeezes Andrew's hand and leans on him for support, she takes a deep breath, "No, I am not."
As Odette has started to speak Maxim walks out from the side. She takes his hand as Andrew steps away.
The minister is about to ask Logan the same question when he realizes that the answer is not what he expected.
"Excuse me?"
Odette clears her throat. The microphone is on and everyone can hear them clearly, "Logan, this is my husband Maxim, we have been married for 6 weeks now. I know I should have told you earlier, but going forward with this, it was the only way to dissolve the hold our families had over us. I am sorry to have done this to you, but I couldn't do what my mother did, I couldn't marry someone I didn't love."
There was clapping coming from two places in the sanctuary, Marie, and Emily.
Shira grabbed Mitchum's arm, "what is happening?"
Mitchum was really scowling now, " I don't know, but I am going to find out."
Odette spoke loud and clear, "thank you for the support, mother and whoever you are, please sit down. Everyone, we are grateful you came today, and we want you to enjoy this evening, the party will continue. Maxim and I married six weeks ago, and we have been looking forward to celebrating with all of our friends, family, and work associates. Thank you, Colin, for helping us finally be together."
Odette reached around Logan to squeeze Colin's hand.
During the speech, Finn had gone to retrieve Rory, he knew that Logan was going to need her by his side. "Come on Luv, your husband needs you."
"Finn, what is going on?"
"I have no idea, but obviously Colin does, and my guess is this is going to get more interesting in the next few minutes."
Rory let herself be led to the side of the steps, her eyes on Logan.
Logan saw her and his eyes lit up, Colin had known about Odette and Maxim, he knew that it would all be ok for Logan and Rory, the press would focus on the person who spoke first and was married the longest. He reached his hand out to Rory, who slowly made her way up the steps to take her place by his side.
"I guess this is the right place to be honest about love, Odette, this is Rory, she has been my wife for the past 4 weeks. I really wanted to tell you, but" they both looked at Colin and he grinned at them.
"Attorney-client privilege," he said.
Odette's eyes were sparkling. "Well, how about we renew our vows, both of us?"
"I like how you think." Said Logan and with that, the minister saw a new slip of paper placed on his book:
Ladies first:
'I, Odette / Maxim, take you, Maxim / Odette
then Lorelai / Logan, take you Logan / Lorelai
They made their way through the vows; the cameras were rolling and photographers clicking. Those in attendance were excited to be there, Honor was beaming at her new sister-in-law and Finn was beside himself that he got to walk Luv down the aisle.
Emily was looking up and talking to Richard, "his blonde hair and her blue eyes, Richard."
Mitchum had texted his attorney, "what can we do?"
Right after the announcement had been made that both couples were already married, Andrew sent the buried text to all the lawyers and reminded them they signed yesterday.
These marriages were legal, the prenup was iron-clad and the language didn't require that Odette be married to Logan or vice versa for them to be free of all family obligations.
3 weeks later in Stars Hollow
Logan is sleeping in Rory's bed, dreaming of his new family.
Rory is sitting on the gazebo with her mother, seeing her so happy now married to Luke. She knows this is the perfect time …
"Mom"
"Yeah?"
"I'm pregnant"