AN: Here is the next installment of The Way You Look Tonight. I know it took a while to update, but I am a full time student and its been difficult to juggle my school work and other responsibilities with writing. I'm trying to get out chapters for About Time and The Storm, but I'm not making promises on when because I am heading into finals time, and I'm stuck on those stories currently.
Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and encouragement, it means a lot to me.
I have received a lot of PMs asking me if there is going to be more to the story/is it going to be finished. I understand that I haven't updated some of my stories in a while, but this is my newest story, it will be finished. Please be patient.
Enjoy! And don't forget to review!
Logan cleared his throat. "Mom, Dad, all I've ever wanted is for you to be happy for me. I know that that is never going to happen unless I do exactly what you want me to do, but then I won't be happy." He slipped his hand into Rory's and pulled her hand out from behind her back.
"Rory and I started dating again last year and have been living together for quite some time." He saw both of his parents getting ready to interrupt him and held up his hand to silence them. "Before you launch into one of your tirades, let me finish. I love Rory, she makes me happier than anything else in the world and I refuse to let both of you get in the way of our relationship again. Last month I asked Rory to marry me and she said yes."
Shira quickly glanced down at Rory's hand and saw her mother-in-law's ring resting on Rory's finger. She felt the steam coming out of her ears.
For Rory and Logan each second of silence felt like an eternity, but they had no choice other than to wait for the reaction.
Suddenly Shira's voice could be heard throughout the ballroom. "YOU DID WHAT?!"
All eyes in the room snapped to Shira Huntzberger. Shira noticed that everyone was looking at her and lowered the volume of her voice, but the tone of her voice indicated that she was still clearly irate.
"Logan Elias Huntzberger." Shira took a step towards her son. "How could you possibly think that this girl is good enough for you? Have you completely forgotten about her past? About her parents?"
Before Logan could open his mouth and rip his mother to shreds for speaking so poorly about Rory, the sound of a microphone turning on echoed through the ballroom. He smirked knowing that the Hayden's would do a far better job of knocking down his parents than he ever could. He leaned down and whispered into Rory's ear, "Get ready Ace, its show time…"
Rory groaned. She did not want to deal with this, but she knew she had to. She turned and looked at her grandparents and her father standing on stage, this is going to be a disaster.
Francine Hayden had been waiting to hear Shira Huntzberger's shriek indicating that Logan and Rory informed them of the engagement. As soon as she heard the yelling, Francine stepped up to the microphone.
"Good evening everyone. I hope that you all are having a wonderful time at this magnificent event organized and hosted by Shira and Mitchum Huntzberger. Can we please give them a brief round of applause for all they have done to organize this event supporting the printed and media arts?"
The room turned to look at the Huntzberger's who quickly put on fake smiles and nodded graciously at the thankfully applause. When the applause died out, Francine continued. "Now, I know that is not customary to have anyone other than the host and hostess speak at an event, but the Huntzberger's kindly agreed to allow my husband and myself to make a special announcement concerning our family." Francine gestured for Straub to step up to the microphone.
Straub quickly glanced over at Logan and gave him a slight nod, indicating that he would need to bring Rory up to the podium soon. "Yes, Good evening everyone. As you all know, I am Straub Hayden, and this," he gestured towards Christopher, "is my son Christopher Hayden. After much discussion amongst our family, and even more convincing of our granddaughter, we have decided to name our eldest granddaughter as heiress of our family company. She recently informed us that she would love to be named our heiress, but she wanted us to make the announcement at an event that was important to her."
Shira Huntzberger was not paying any attention to what Straub Hayden was saying, she was too busy trying to locate the Hayden Heiress and trying to figure out how to undo this disastrous engagement. She knew the girl had to be around somewhere, but there was no one in the room that she didn't recognize, the girl must have slipped out to the bathroom before the announcement, there was no other way to explain why Shira couldn't identify the girl.
Turning her attention back to the Hayden's she decided to be patient. "We've decided to announce at this event because it is our granddaughter's favorite charity. Now, without out further delay…" Francine cleared her throat and smiled, "It is my pleasure to introduce my granddaughter, and the Hayden family's heiress, Lorelai Leigh Gilmore-Hayden III."
Shira and Mitchum Huntzberger couldn't breathe. There was no way this was true, there was no way that their son was dating the Hayden Heiress and they didn't know it, there was no way that they told the Hayden Heiress that she was not good enough for their son. This was a disaster.
The entire room looked at Rory as Christopher walked up to her and Logan so that Christopher could lead her to the stage. Logan kissed her on the cheek, "breathe Ace, you got this." Rory smiled and took her father's arm to walk to the podium.
Rory stepped up to microphone, petrified that she had to speak to this room full of people. She quickly looked at her family, all of them smiled to reassure her; she also saw Shira and Mitchum out of the corner of her eye. They were both torn between seething anger and utter mortification.
She looked back to the audience and smiled. "Thank you all for you kind applause, I really do not have much to say, other than to my family. Grandma Francine and Grandpa Straub, words cannot convey how touched and honored I am that you chose me to carry on both your legacy and the work of the Hayden Law Group. I promise you that I will make you proud."
Rory looked to Richard and Emily, "and to my maternal grandparents, Richard and Emily Gilmore. Without you, I would not be where I am today. You fed my love of learning and encouraged me to reach for the stars and realize my dreams. And my parents, Lorelai Gilmore and Christopher Hayden, your support and guidance over the years is the reason I am able to stand here today, confident enough to accept the responsibility of being the Hayden heiress. I love you both and am proud to be your daughter. Finally, I would like to thank my boyfriend Logan Huntzberger for encouraging me to reconnect with Francine and Straub several years ago."
She paused and looked at Logan, indicating that he should come on stage. "Logan, if it wasn't for you, I would not have a relationship with this part of my family and I would have missed out on so much. Thank you for being not only a caring boyfriend, but also for challenging me to go outside my comfort zone, and helping me to become the woman I am today. I promise you all that I will do everything within my power to carry on the proud history of the Hayden Law Group. Thank you."
Logan ascended to the stage and moved to her side. He kissed her cheek and smiled at her, "I'm proud of you Ace." The room burst into applause, it had been a long time since a newly named heir or heiress had delivered such a heartfelt speech thanking the people who raised them and made them into the person they were. It was refreshing to hear such genuine humility.
Logan stepped up to the microphone before it was shut off, "before you all return to the wonderful festivities and dancing, I have one last announcement that I have been dying to make." The room quickly fell silent and all eyes were glued to Logan Huntzberger. They all knew about the tumultuous relationship that Logan had with his parents, about the revolving door of girls that used to grace Logan's presence, and about how the line of girls had quickly disappeared and the tension between Logan and Mitchum had grown when Rory Gilmore entered Logan's life.
He cleared his throat and smiled at Rory, "I consider myself to be the luckiest man in the world that Rory Gilmore gave me the time of day, saw through my arrogant façade and, after much convincing, agreed to go out on a date with me. The past two years have been the most wonderful years of my life, and it thrills me to know that I will get to spend the rest of my life with her."
Logan held up her hand, "a few weeks ago, I asked Rory to marry me and she said yes. We are engaged and wanted to share the news with all of you before the announcement was made in the paper."
The room burst into applause, and Logan and Rory just stood there smiling happily, enjoying the congratulations.
As Rory, Logan and the Hayden's left the stage, they were quickly met by Lorelai, Richard, Emily, Elias, Honor and Josh. Before anyone could congratulate Rory for such a touching speech, Shira and Mitchum joined the group with large smiles on their faces.
Shira spoke first, "Rory, congratulations on being named as your grandparent's heiress. We are both so happy for you." She leaned in to hug Rory and give her a kiss on the cheek. Begrudgingly, Rory accepted the gesture and hugged Shira back.
Mitchum moved to shake Logan's hand, "congratulations Logan. You and Rory make a fine couple, she is an excellent match for you." But Logan refused to take his father's hand, and just glared at both of his parents.
"Oh for goodness sake, cut the crap Mitchum." Elias snapped at his son.
Mitchum was aghast, "what are you talking about Dad?"
Elias turned to Rory, Logan, Honor and Josh, "Would you kids please excuse us? Leave us to this, and go enjoy the party with your friends." He kissed Rory on the cheek, "I want you to finally be able to show off that engagement ring."
Rory smiled at him, "Thank you Elias."
After they departed, and Lorelai and Christopher excused themselves, Elias turned to the group. "I recommend that you keep voices down. All of the DAR is listening in right now." He looked at Mitchum, "I'm ashamed of you Mitchum, your mother and I raised you better than this. We raised you to never look at anyone as beneath you, your mother is rolling over in her grave at your behavior. You know that Rory is good for Logan, the boy has finally started stepping up and assuming his responsibilities, he has changed for the better and it is all because of her. He wants to be good enough for her; he wants to be her Prince Charming. He loves her. Get your noses out of the air and realize that your son is happy, and that your future daughter in law is a wonderful person who isn't after Logan's money or the family name."
Shira began to open her mouth and Francine held up her hand to cut her off, "before a single word comes out of your mouth Shira, let me clear a few things up. Straub and I are both aware of how you and Mitchum treated Rory, telling her she wasn't good enough for Logan, that she wouldn't make it as a journalist, that her background made her unsuitable for Hartford society. And don't think for a minute that you can change your tune now just because you know that Rory is a Hayden. Rory's last name shouldn't make a damn bit of difference in how you see her or treat her. She is a beautiful, intelligent, kind person, who is going to go far in this world. Unlike you Shira, who only got where you did because you got pregnant."
Straub looked at Mitchum, "do not think that Rory or Logan can't see right through both of you and your crappy façades. Rory and Logan make each other incredibly happy, in spite of everything you have done to them. Our families may soon be joined together, but it is in name only. Until you earn my granddaughter's forgiveness, you will not have our acceptance."
Francine took her husbands arm, "if anyone in this group isn't good enough to be in the family, it is the two of you. Now, if you will excuse us, Emily, Richard, Elias, Straub and I would like to go celebrate with our granddaughter and her fiancé."
Shira and Mitchum watched the elder generation walk away and stood there speechless. Shira finally turned to her husband, "Mitchum, what are we going to do?"
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