Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls is the creation of Amy Sherman-Palladino.
Chapter 31: Guess Who's Coming to the NICU? Part III
Hartford, Connecticut, St. Joseph's Hospital, Sunday, May 21, 2017, 12:00 pm EST
"Mom! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Incensed, Logan stared angrily at his mother sitting across from him. Mitchum's gaze, at once both curious and pensive, shifted between his son and his wife.
"I have to admit I'm with Logan on this one, Shira. Was that absolutely necessary?"
"Mitchum, you know as well as I do that it was necessary." Her brittle smile in place, Shira looked at Mitchum as she spoke before directing her eyes, as well as her next words, to her son. "Logan, how could I not say something? What Rory did was unconscionable. Not telling you for months that you were going to be a father? More than unconscionable; it's unforgivable."
"So you're upset on my account?! You're laying this bullshit -what you just dumped on Rory- on me?!" Logan shook his head with a frustrated snort. "Great. That's just great."
"Not to mention all the time and money that went into the wedding. It was the event of the season. There were many influential people invited-"
"You're upset about your cancelled wedding? There was a ton of insurance! How about I reimburse you and Dad and Lamontagne for whatever isn't covered?"
"Logan, you're missing the point."
"So enlighten me!" Logan's raised voice echoed in the expansive space of the floor's open design and multi-story ceilings.
"Keep your voice down," hissed Shira. "There's also the scandal. Your reputation has been tarnished, Logan. Wait until your first test at HPG - after your father steps down. When you need the backing of the board and the shareholders. You may not have the easiest time getting their support."
"There's no scandal! You're being ridiculous! And if there is a scandal, who the hell cares? Any publicity is good publicity, right?" Logan shot a quick look at Mitchum. "My image is no different than it was before. I'm the millionaire playboy, remember? Whether the stories are true or not, there's always gossip pairing me with someone. Before the engagement. After the engagement. How's this any different?"
"But Logan...you're not seeing the big picture. How could she not say anything? All those months? Your father - and Mitchum," Shira paused to glare at her husband, "I'd appreciate you backing me up on this." She returned her measured gaze to her son. "Your father and I have discussed it. We can only conclude she decided not to tell you and only changed her mind when the baby was born prematurely." Shira shrugged. "Maybe she was afraid of karma."
Logan sighed heavily. Draining. Incredibly draining. "If anyone should be afraid of karma, it's you and Dad."
"Logan, you need to think about this." Reaching across the table, Shira placed her hand on Logan's arm. Without saying a word, he fixed his eyes on her hand. "What she did. It's not the act of a stable person. I mean it's a small world, our world. Connecticut. Martha's Vineyard. Nantucket. We'd eventually hear that Rory Gilmore had a baby and I would've known within seconds of seeing him that he's a Huntzberger. So, what was the point of not saying anything but to hurt you? And us?"
All of a sudden, Logan felt exhausted. Talking to his mother often felt like the intellectual equivalent of using his head as a battering ram. Rory was upstairs. Lucas was upstairs. Even Honor was upstairs. There were no fewer than three other people in that building he'd rather be with a million times over. His desire to leave that table outweighing every other consideration, Logan decided to just come clean about the blocked phone.
"Rory tried to tell me. After she learned about the baby she sent me a dozen messages asking me to call her. And I didn't." Logan sighed; extricating his arm out from his mother's grasp, he brought his hand up to run his fingers through his hair. He continued to stare blankly at the table. "Because I'm the idiot who lets other people mess with his phone. Okay? You happy now?"
Shira, a bewildered look on her face, turned away from Logan to exchange a look with Mitchum before bringing her attention back to her son.
It was Mitchum who spoke.
"Logan. Enough with the guessing games. What the hell are you talking about?"
Lifting his gaze from the table, Logan brought his eyes back up to his mother, then his father before settling his sightless gaze back on the table in front of him.
"Somebody blocked Rory on my cell. That's why I didn't know about Lucas until now. She sent me a bunch of messages asking me to call her. She tried to get me over here so I could actually..." Overcome with emotion, Logan paused to clear his throat. "So I could be here to help her. See her. And him. Feel him kick. Go to the doctor with her. All that stuff. Not to mention just to be here to support them. Considering how things were before and during the birth, I'm sure I could've done something to make it less stressful for her. But I wasn't given the chance. Because I'm an idiot."
With that he brought his gaze back up to his parents.
"Logan. I'm sorry, son."
"That's what happened? That's why you didn't know?" The truth seemed to have a strange impact on his mother; Logan thought Shira looked uncharacteristically somber at the blocked phone reveal.
"Yeah. That's exactly what happened. So the next time you feel like unleashing vitriol on the person responsible for this mess, Mom, just blame me. But don't ever speak to Rory like that again." Logan pointedly kept his eyes glued to his mother as he spoke. He wanted there to be no misunderstanding at who this directive was aimed at. Finally, tearing his gaze away from his parents, he thought he recognized a figure walking in the distance of the open lobby. "I'd ask you to consider the fact that Rory and I are already pretty torn up over it. So you might want to just consider avoiding the topic altogether."
Before Shira had an opportunity to reply, a new voice suddenly rang out.
"Is this a party? Subjecting more lucky people to your hostess skills, Shira?"
"Emily!" Caught off-guard by the appearance of Rory's grandmother, Shira's greeting was far from eloquent. "You're here!"
"Yes. Yes, I am. And isn't it marvelous how, at your age, you can still state the obvious with such a childlike sense of wonder?"
At Emily Gilmore's arrival at the table, both Logan and Mitchum stood.
"Emily," Logan nodded in greeting.
"Logan. Mitchum." Emily bestowed her most haughty smile.
"Hi Emily," Mitchum attempted to steady the awkwardness. "You came over at rather an odd moment."
"Oh, did I? My daughter had to take a phone call so she and I were standing right over there." Emily paused to turn and point towards the area by the information desk. "I was making small talk with the dolt behind the desk -his name is Cleighton, by the way - when I noticed my granddaughter abruptly jump up and tear out of here like a bat out of hell." Emily smiled. "Was that an odd moment for your family? I'd think it quite commonplace by now."
Logan's eyes sought Emily's.
"Lorelai?"
"She went after Rory and Honor."
Logan sighed.
"Now. Is someone going to tell me what that was all about? Or do I need to request the hospital's security footage?"
"Why don't you have a seat, Emily?"
Logan gestured to Rory's vacant seat. As Emily nodded imperceptibly, Logan walked around to hold her chair out for before reclaiming his seat at the table. Mitchum, too, sat.
"Thank you, Logan. Lord knows where you get your manners from, but they are appreciated."
Once seated, Emily gazed in turn, appraisingly, at the three Huntzbergers.
"Well? Is anyone going to say something? I wasn't serious but I'm sure they'd hand over the security film if I asked. I may no longer be on the board but I'm still a donor."
"My mother bought Rory a watch."
"A watch? What kind of watch?" Though she directed her words to Logan, Emily focused her gaze on Shira. "Notwithstanding your mother's often questionable taste, I have a hard time envisioning my granddaughter being that upset over a gift. No matter how awful."
"It was a lovely Arpels and Van Cleef Alhambra Vintage Watch with a white mother-of-pearl dial, black satin strap, and white gold for the buckle and crown," offered Shira with a tense smile.
Emily gave Shira a look similar to one Logan had seen Honor give her dog upon discovering him blissfully drinking from the toilet bowl. It was not a good look. Though he kept his expression neutral, Logan found himself thoroughly enjoying his mother being subjected to the Emily treatment.
"First, it's Van Cleef and Arpels. How you can own so much of it and not even know the proper name is beyond me. Second, I know my granddaughter. She's not into expensive jewelry. If she liked the watch, she would've said so. If she didn't, she would've pretended she did because she is polite. Why would receiving a Van Cleef and Arpels watch upset her?"
"It was what my mother said when she gave Rory the watch."
Emily turned her head to meet Logan's eyes.
"What did she say?"
Logan sighed. Not that he would mince words -even if he wanted to - there really was no way to sugarcoat Shira's little speech. It pained him just to repeat it.
"She said Rory needed a watch because how else could she allow eight months to pass without letting me know about the baby."
Logan witnessed Emily's mask briefly falter. In that fraction of a second, her eyes reflected the hurt she felt on Rory's behalf.
"Isn't that interesting? I thought we'd established Rory tried to get in touch with you? To let you know about the baby? But there was a misunderstanding?"
"She did. And there was."
"Well, it wasn't good enough, Emily. Obviously. It's ridiculous for a family like ours to find out about the next heir in this way. We're laughingstocks. Not to mention we're out a substantial amount of money on the wedding. Then there's everything Logan has missed out on. Seeing his own child being born. These are not things a family recovers from easily."
As Logan watched his mother, he officially dubbed her in his mind The Most Awful Human Alive. She was using his own painful admission at missing out on Rory's pregnancy and Lucas's birth as a justification for gifting Rory with the snarky watch.
"Logan, did you have insurance on the wedding?"
"Yes."
"Do you feel embarrassed? Do you perceive yourself a laughingstock?"
"No. With the exception of the past half hour, I'm actually pretty happy these days."
"Do you feel Rory deliberately kept you in the dark about the baby?"
Similar to his admission to his parents, at Emily's line of inquiry, Logan found himself choking up at his emotions. Silently he shook his head. Emily must have saw something in his eyes. Or maybe it was the fact that he couldn't even verbally respond to her question. Her gaze as she looked at him softened briefly before the cold mask dropped once more and she returned her focus to Shira and Mitchum.
"Honestly, Shira, do you never tire of being the smallest, most petty creature in the room?"
"Emily, this isn't personal."
"Shira." With the one word, Logan watched his father essentially muzzle his mother. Mitchum settled his gaze on Rory's grandmother. "Emily. Logan just explained to us the reason why he didn't know about the baby until last week. Lacking that detail, the issue of timing -why the late notification? - was a serious head scratcher that put Rory's actions into question. But," Mitchum gestured with a hand, "now that it's been explained, we understand. It's a tragic loss but no one here is to blame."
In a flash, the reasons for Logan's reticence at sharing the truth about the blocked contact with his parents flooded back to him. Although he remained 95% certain it was Odette who blocked Rory, he hadn't forgotten that Rory had thought Mitchum a likely candidate. For that matter, he'd only eliminated Shira as a suspect because he regarded her as lacking the technological proficiency necessary to execute the action.
"See Emily? There's no need to make this personal."
"Of course it's personal. My great-grandson deserves a chance to be brought up in a family with both his parents there to love him. Don't you agree?"
"Well, of course. It's just this whole thing has caught us off-guard. As far as we knew, Logan and Rory hadn't seen each other in years. Then we learned last year that they were back in touch." Logan's head shot around to look at his mother. She knew? His father told her about seeing them at The Dexter House in London? "No contact, and then all of sudden news about a baby. You can't deny that Rory can be quirky at times."
"Please. You have monthly liposuction and weekly Botox. If they're not sucking it out, they're sticking it in. Everyone knows 'spa' is your euphemism for 'detox'. You carry on like you're descended from royalty yet your family tree can't be traced further than a 1950s Greyhound station in Duluth. Shall I go on?"
"No! I don't see why you feel the need to attack me."
"No, you don't. Do you? Maybe it's because I know my granddaughter is a sweet girl. She isn't on par with your level of viciousness and I feel the need to step in." Emily shot a look at Logan. "Although maybe someone else ought to be looking out for her."
"Hm. Whomever could you mean, Mom?"
Logan internally grimaced. Lorelai. Once again, Logan and Mitchum both rose to their feet.
"Lorelai! How's Rory?"
"Rory's fine, Mom." Lorelai's response was clipped.
Logan offered Lorelai his seat, the one next to Emily, which she accepted. He moved over one spot, to the chair left vacant by Honor.
"Hello." Shira smiled. "I don't believe you and I have ever met. I'm Shira Huntzberger."
"Lorelai Gilmore."
"This is my husband- "
"Yeah. Mitchum," Lorelai half-heartedly waved to Mitchum at the other end of the table. "I've already had the pleasure."
"Hi, Lorelai," nodded Mitchum. "Good to see you again."
"Is it? You're a lot quieter than I remember."
"Excuse me?" Confused, and slightly concerned, Shira glanced back and forth between Lorelai and her husband.
"Your husband. Mitchum. He's a lot quieter than I remember."
"Whatever makes you say that?" Shira let out a nervous titter before shooting expectant looks at both Mitchum and Logan, silently asking for an explanation. Finally Logan filled in the blanks.
"I was at the Martha's Vineyard house one time with Rory and her parents when Dad came by to get me. There were some meetings in London he wanted me to attend. He was vocal in his request that I leave."
"When was this?"
"Valentine's Day 2006," answered Lorelai.
"Oh." Mystery solved, Shira was anxious to change the subject. She returned her tight-lipped smile to Lorelai. "Well, Lorelai, it's a pleasure to meet you. It's hard to believe we never met in all the years Logan and Rory dated. We should've had you over for dinner. I was remiss."
"Uh. Well, after the pleasure of meeting your husband, I'd describe it more as benignant."
Logan watched as his mother puzzled over Lorelai's reply. It was obvious she didn't know what benignant meant. She smiled uncomfortably.
"Yes, well…"
"As parents, Lorelai, we all have to step in once in a while." Mitchum just couldn't allow a criticism of him go unaddressed; he, after all, did know what 'benignant' meant. "I'm sure you must've had moments like that."
"Mitchum and I often had our hands full with Logan. He wasn't always the responsible person he is today."
Logan internally winced. Shira pretty much lined that one up for Lorelai. Three…two…one…
"Yeah, because knocking up my daughter while engaged to another woman is just so responsible."
"Well, it's not like it happened without her consent." Shira lowered her voice. "And probably by her design."
That was a new insinuation. Logan's eyes widened as they zeroed in on his mother's.
"Mom! Are you- "
"Oh no you didn't! Logan. Allow me." Lorelai shot Logan a quick 'shut up' look before bringing her focus back to Shira. "Did I hear you right? She-Ra?"
"It's Shira. I'm just saying let's not be naive. There's no such thing as an accidental pregnancy nowadays."
"I'll have you know my daughter -"
"Your daughter -"
"Hey! Ladies," interrupted Mitchum. "We're in a hospital cafeteria. You two think you could settle down?"
"Lorelai, I can tell you from experience, you're just wasting your breath." Emily opined with a dramatic sigh. "I realized years ago that the human life span doesn't afford sufficient time to talk sense into Shira. The sooner we end this, the sooner they'll leave and we can go see Little Lucas." Emily smiled at the Huntzbergers. "You do realize people just tolerate you? That if you didn't come with all those fun little Huntzberger trappings, neither one of you would have a friend in the world?"
As Logan watched, he saw his mother's mouth gape open in surprise. His father, he saw, drew his lips down in a grim line. Overwhelmed by the absurdity of the situation he found himself in, Logan smothered a laugh.
"You agreeing with that, Logan?" Mitchum bit out the words harshly. "Need I remind you you're one of us?"
"Nonsense." Emily's gaze was full of warmth as it fell briefly on Logan. "Logan and Honor are delightful. Unlike you two, they'd have friends even if they were poor."
Momentarily speechless, Logan forced a response through his lips. "Thank you, Emily."
"You're welcome."
Logan's mind fell back on his mother's latest insinuation; that Rory had somehow gotten pregnant on purpose to "trap" him. It was beyond ridiculous for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which Rory's perception that their relationship "trapped" her far more than it did him. But his mother's latest psychotic rant about the pregnancy not being an accident did call to mind the debate about Jung. It made him want to say something to them – all of the in-laws -about it, too.
"I actually believe this wasn't an accident." A pin dropping could've been heard at his words. Logan could sense Lorelai, to his left, shooting daggers at him. Emily's mask was solidly affixed. Logan ignored them, instead focusing on his parents. This message was primarily for their benefit, after all. "I don't mean it that way. This wasn't a set-up. I just believe it was supposed to happen. Rory and I were supposed to happen. We're off-schedule but we're happening." Logan pulled his eyes from his parents long enough to meet Lorelai's gaze before flicking his eyes to Emily. "Rory and I have a son now. We're a family. Either you're on-board with that," he looked pointedly at his mother as he delivered his final thought, "or you're not. But we're not gonna keep going down this road. So I suggest everyone get used to the idea."
"Point taken, Logan." Mitchum nodded and abruptly rose to his feet. "Shira, we need to get going. I have things I need to take care of. On London time."
"Of course, Mitchum."
Following a quick, abbreviated round of curt goodbyes, Logan watched as his parents made their way to the exit. It was with no small amusement he realized his discomfort at finding himself alone with Rory's mother and grandmother paled in comparison to the relief he felt at his parents' departure. Pulling out his phone he saw several texts from Honor – including one asking him to record Emily? Things seemed to have gone well in the NICU. Shaking his head in bemusement, he noted the most recent text indicated Rory was going to pump milk while Honor was busily bookmarking baby retail websites on Rory's tablet. Rory wanted to feed Lucas at one so she wanted Logan to return by that time. That gave him about thirty minutes. Since there didn't appear to be a pressing need for him to go upstairs at the moment, he took it as fate delivering an opportunity to him to improve things with Lorelai and Emily. Maybe.
"Well. That was interesting." In reaction to her observation, Logan's gaze shot to Lorelai, still seated to his left.
"Yeah. My folks are nothing if not good for the occasional rubbernecking." At Lorelai's puzzled look, Logan supplied the missing piece of his metaphor. "Train wreck. It was a train wreck."
"Ah," she nodded. "I'm gonna get a coffee. Anybody want anything?"
"I'll have a coffee, Lorelai."
"Sure thing, Mom."
A few minutes later, Lorelai returned with three coffees and a small bag of mini donuts which she set on the table.
"Got you one, too, Logan."
"Thanks."
"So, how was your trip in, Mom?" Lorelai took a sip from her cup.
"Fine, Lorelai. It was an executive charter plane. Very nice. So much faster than the ferry and driving. I'm happy I discovered it." After sipping her coffee, Emily asked, "Is Luke coming?"
"He's overseeing some stuff at the annex for me. Plus April's coming in today."
"We'll have to settle on when you're all coming out to Nantucket."
"Well, the baby needs to be released first. And even after he's out, he'll have checkups so Rory and Logan probably won't be venturing far from Hartford for at least a month. Isn't that right, Logan?"
In mild shock at the ease with which Lorelai and Emily were including him in the Gilmores' summer plans, Logan nearly missed providing a timely response.
"Yeah. He's got at least a week in the hospital and then there'll be follow-ups." Logan took a mouthful of his coffee. "Thanks again for the coffee, Lorelai."
"No problem. So your parents haven't changed." Lorelai set a steady gaze on Logan. "Though today was my first time meeting your mother so maybe that's not fair of me to say."
"I wouldn't say that," Logan replied, smiling.
"Please. Shira's a human time capsule."
"Do you have a plan on how to deal with that?" Pausing, Lorelai looked meaningfully at Emily before turning back to Logan. "Parental disapproval can be tough on a couple."
"Why are you looking at me, Lorelai? I gave you and Luke my blessing years ago."
"I was thinking of Gran, actually."
"Oh. Yes. Your father's mother was a thorn in my side until the day she had that life-changing event in 2004."
"What happened to her in 2004?" asked Logan.
"She died."
"Mom!"
"What Lorelai? You're the only one in the family allowed to make jokes?" Emily fixed her gaze on her daughter. "That woman contributed to your father and I separating. That he was blind to what she put me through- that she could be venomous to me all that time, with Richard never seeing it." Emily shifted her gaze to Logan. "She gave Richard a letter the day before our wedding begging him not to marry me. Fifty years we were married. She poisoned forty of them. He finally defends me at a dinner and she drops dead the following week, leaving him devastated and me picking up the pieces." Emily rolled her eyes at the humorless irony. "Logan, don't be blind to it. And don't let Rory fight alone. Even if she thinks it's her battle. Believe me. It's important. To this day I remember each time Richard took my side. And those are the loudest 'I love you's' I ever recieved from him."
AN: Whew. Now, tell me that wasn't fun? What do you all think happens in the next chapter? Do Logan and Rory fight? Or do Logan and Rory kiss? Thank you for reading/reviewing.
08/29/2017