"So what brings you here Mrs. Huntzberger?"
"I'm married."
"Congratulations." Commented the attorney without giving it much thought.
Rory stared at the marble ground, "When women walk into a divorce attorney's office they don't expect to bombarded with congratulations. Isn't this suppose to be a secure place for unhappily married people or should I just go back to my place for that?"
The dark-haired attorney nodded at his amateur mistake. He seemed innocent and fresh out of law school, that was the reason there was an older more experienced lawyer that was presiding over the consult but he didn't say a word, he was only there to ensure that the young man was following protocol.
"I suppose you'll like to be referred to as Miss Gilmore for the remainder of this meeting." Laughed the young lawyer with one nervous glance at his boss.
"That would be best." She responded.
"Right. Then call me Warren, it's my less formal name but again what brings you here?" He repeated.
Rory took a deep breath and began, "I need to terminate my marriage."
"Alright," responded the young attorney and he began to look through paperwork on his desk and referencing his notes. Rory was starting to regret the fact that she showed up to the office . She need a full-fledged divorcing machine, one that was well versed in the law and had legally separated over a dozen hostile couples before. She didn't desire this amateur that looked like he needed to brush up using his law school books.
"When did you marry?" He finally asked.
"Two weeks ago when I was visiting L.A."
"I would need your full legal name and your husband's as well as both dates of birth."
She gave him the information which he quickly typed into his computer, only momentarily hesitating to hide his shock at the name Logan Huntzberger.
"Well it's all here," he said looking at his computer screen, "You were married June 24 in Clark County, Nevada with Judge Novack presiding."
A shock wave rushed over Rory before she was able to fully formulate a sentence.
"That can't be me. I was in California not Nevada. I mean I woke up in California," she said shaking her head despite the accuracy in her words.
Warren stared between her and the computer before turning it around so that she could get a view of the marriage license that showed up on the screen.
"Is that your signature in the bottom right?"
Not only did she recognize her handwriting but Logan's as well. She remained baffled with confusion and only nodded.
Warren continued, "Well Miss Gilmore we can proceed from here in many ways, we can try and get the marriage annulled or we can go for a divorce but to figure out which is the best option I need to hear a bit more about June 24th in Clark County."
Perfect. This was just about the time they were going to realize what a drunken psychopath she was. Would they believe her? As divorce attorneys they must have heard crazier stories than this.
"I can't tell you anything." She stated simply.
He sat back in his chair lost in her mysterious nature.
"Miss Gilmore if you want us to represent you we have to know everything about the relationship. Every detail. Every thing that you thought insignificant. Every gesture he made. How the judge came off. It's all really very important."
"I really can't tell you anything." She continued.
After seeing him running a hand through his hair Rory decided to explain. Her attorney needed to know the truth no matter how ridiculous he thought her to be after wards.
"I'm not a gold digger, I'm not crazy or irresponsible or anything that you might think but I can't tell you what happened that day because I don't remember."
She measured his response to her words but his expression remained unreadable. He kept quiet, urging her to go on.
"I went to California for a job interview and a day later I leave the state married. I don't know how it happened. Not the slightest cute. The night before I was upset over how my day was going and I went to a bar. I'm hardly ever a drinker but I sat there and had the nastiest alcoholic beverages because I thought it would help. Then my booty call left me and I suddenly I wake up naked and he tries to tell me its okay and that he would never do anything I don't want but I was naked and so was he!"
This time Warren glanced at the older attorney in the room who was now listening intently as well but Rory's ranting continued unfazed.
"It's funny isn't it? How some girls spend years planning and obsessing over every detail of their weddings and I can't even recall mine long enough to tell my divorce attorney! I tried. Before I came in here I sat in my car for hours trying to remember anything and I still couldn't but I guarantee that he remembers everything down to the last second."
"Are you both communicating?" Interceded the older attorney.
"Are you kidding? He doesn't even know I'm here."
"Have you both stayed in contact with each one way or another since you left?" Asked Warren.
"He's left me voice-mails and text messages telling me that we need to talk about things, he even went as far as calling my grandparents and telling them the news! He's such an asshole but even that was low for him because he knows Hartford talks and now my mom's knows too and shes upset with me. Look, I just want this to go away." She said on the verge of tears.
Both attorney's shared a look before Warren handed her tissues and asked, "Have you both been together before?"
Rory nodded, "We dated three years ago."
"Was it serious?" Asked the older attorney.
"He proposed to me before but it didn't work and he moved to California."
"And why did you go to California?" He further questioned.
"I told you, a job interview."
"And what did you do when you saw him in the same place?"
"I was drunk. I don't remember."
She had a feeling that this wasn't going well for her.
"Is there any reason you can think of not being married to Logan Huntzberger? Is he abusive in anyway?"
She was taken aback by the line of questioning, "God no! He's not that kind of guy...I just can't be with him...are you going to help me or not?"
The attorney's shared the same look again before Warren decided to speak up this time.
"Due to the nature of this case and the facts you just told us, it's required that you have one month of marriage counseling before we can get the ball rolling on anything, you know, standard procedure to ensure that separating is the best course of action."
She remained still, "Not interested."
"Miss Gilmore it's required by the law in the county your marriage license was given. I could try and influence the situation so that you only have a couple weeks but it's still necessary."
"I can't talk to him." She stated adamantly.
Both men remained composed despite the decision of the stubborn woman in front of them.
Warren changed the topic, "Legal representation will be four hundred dollars."
Rory's eyes widened, "A day?"
"An hour and if you want the both of us to look over your case it's double that."
Rory looked down at her fingers wondering how people could afford to get divorced everyday with these fees. She didn't see that type of money until the end of the week when she used it to pay for her apartment, utilities, and food. She couldn't imagine making that much money an hour.
"I can't afford that kind of service." She explained still not looking up from her hands.
Warren felt sorry for her. It was obvious that she had made a huge mistake rushing into a marriage in her drunken state, now she had to literally pay for her errors. As if the trauma of waking up to an ex boyfriend wasn't enough. She was truly beautiful. Even with her rants and tears her eyes were still the brightest blue he'd witnessed. Her lips where cherry red and pouty after the recent crying. Throughout the entire meeting he had been trying to keep eye contact and not gawk at the tops of her supple breast that were accentuated in her type of dress.
He wanting nothing more than to give her good news. Perhaps even offer to work for free if it meant he got to see her smile but his boss spoke before he could utter a word.
"Then you'll already have something to speak about with your husband because it seems that he might be able to help you with the costs."
She snorted, "Oh that's rich of you." Apparently he knew of Logan's background.
She grabbed her purse to leave her free consultation.
"Come again Mrs. Huntzberger." Said the older attorney.
Warren sat back in his chair appreciating the view that came from working in an influential law firm in Manhattan. He had a good view of the Empire State Building from his office, he often stole glances at it during his day reveling in the fact that a law student from Missouri could somehow end up in the big apple. He still couldn't believe he had made it all the way here, living in Park Avenue and having lunches in five star hotels. It wasn't his style but it certainly was different from anything he had encountered.
His job had always been the most important thing seeing as how it paid for most of his travels to Missouri to visit his aging parents. With so much work he hadn't found the time to meet many women and now he couldn't seem to get one particular one off of his mind. How strange that Rory Gilmore had only been in his office for less than an hour and already had him hooked. Putting the husband aside and her lack of good judgment while intoxicated, she came off as a very nice girl. Definitely not an attention seeker or an opportunist, she was nothing like the money crazed parasites that he attracted in the big city. Rory was a rare find.
With one more look at the Empire State Building he gathered the courage to turn his chair all the way around and grab the phone, he was going to ask Rory and work up the nerve to ask her to dinner. She was getting divorced anyhow, what could it hurt? Right when he had a hold of his office phone it started to ring. Bewildered, he answered it and heard the terrified voice of his secretary hollering on the other end.
"Sir Mitchum Huntzberger is on his way to your office, I tried to stop him but he wasn't waiting I'm sorry!" Cried the hysterical secretary.
Before she could continue her series of apologies his office door swung open to reveal a very enraged and tall man.
"Are you Warren Kennedy?" He demanded.
"I'm sorry sir, if you would like you talk you have to make an appointment."
"Of no relation to the actual Kennedys' I assume, otherwise I would have known you a lot earlier. None the less, I know you are representing a Rory Huntzberger. She's my daughter in law as of two weeks ago." He spat.
"Sir, I'm not allowed to give out client information." Combated Warren, rising from his chair to match the outraged stranger.
"Go ahead Warren, this is Mitchum Huntzberger in case you weren't aware. His donations are part of the reason you earn a paycheck with this firm so it would do you well to let go of client confidentially and be respectful of his presence." Interceded his boss from the door frame.
Warren knew there had been something off about his boss earlier in the meeting with Rory. He hadn't been suppose to say a word, he was a mere observer but somehow his curiosity on the case proved to shift his loyalties.
"Clarence Oswald," greeted Mitchum with a slightly less menacing nod, "thank you for the call."
"It was the least I could do for that son of yours."
"Does she know yet?" Asked Mitchum gravely.
Clarence only shook his head with appropriate seriousness and Warren looked in on the site with complete amazement. Had these older men just barged into his office to discuss concealed topics? What on earth would have caused this scene?
The two men shared a moment of silence before Mitchum sent one petrifying glare in his direction behind the desk.
"You will not represent her in any way, shape, or form. You will act as if she never existed and destroy any evidence that she was ever here. If she for any reason tries to contact you or returns with any intent to continue this divorce you will do everything you can to ensure that she doesn't take any legal action."
"She's my client." Warren stated incredulously at the old man's demands.
"Boy, you want to listen to what I say, not only because your relatively new in this position but because I hold your license in my hands. One call and you will never be able to practice law in the east coast again. You'd be free to go back to the dirty dull boxed-in state you came from."
So he already knew his background...Warren remained absolutely still with disbelief. It was better not to move when those Huntzberger eyes stared back at him, almost daring him to move an inch out of place.
Clarence only smiled, "Have you spoken to Haggerback?"
"He prompted me to this very room." Answered Mitchum referring to the chief lawyer, founder, and CEO of the law firm.
"Perfect." Informed Clarence.
"Indeed."
Mitchum would not let his gaze leave Warren for a second and almost immediately both old men were boring there eyes past his newly bought five hundred dollar suit. Warren was new to this lifestyle, new to the authoritative power figures and real men that ran New York City, and they knew that. So they stared, wondering if he'd be the type to break from instruction.
After what feel like the longest minute of his life, he was gone. Mitchum had left the way he came and left so many unanswered questions. Warren could only stay standing in absolute shock of what a Huntzberger had the ability to do. Rory was in for it, this father-in-law looked a no nonsense aristocrat.
His boss, Clarence, noticed the expression on Warren's face and chuckled before saying, "Yes I had that same look on me with my first encounter fifteen years ago. Despite what it may look like he's a real big family man, cares too much for Logan if you ask me."
"Why was he here?" Warren finally managed to choke out.
"His son didn't write up a prenuptial agreement. Half of everything stored up in the banks belongs to Rory as of June 24."
He believed it.
Warren ran to the farthest window in his office and concentrated all of his vision down to one spot. Below the number of flags that hung around the exterior of the firm, on the right he noticed Mitchum Huntzberger already speaking on his cell phone before entering a black non-intrusive car. The driver pulled out into traffic quickly, after all, time was money.
Warren let out a long sigh after a moment. Who was he kidding, Rory may be exactly what he needed but she was a Huntzberger and he couldn't keep denying it.
Leave your message at the sound of the beep.
…
"Rory, this is like the thirteenth message I leave behind now and I'm starting to feel like maybe it's beginning to be a trend. That's nearly one for every day since I last saw you but hey maybe the fourteenth one will be a charm and you'll credit me and return at least one. Or who knows, maybe after one more week you'll start to feel sorry for me...I know I do. Anyways, no pressure. I get that your busy working and doing all these single reporter type things but I would just like to remind you that your married. To me. Hey, someone's got to remind you. Look, I'm moving to New York. I have a brownstone over there and I'm staying at on fifth avenue. I went ahead and decided that if this whole marriage thing was going to work out it might be beneficial if we were on the same part of the country. But anyways, there's a key hidden in between the door frame and the door, just in case you wanted a repeat of that night seeing as how we didn't get much of a honeymoon," he laughed nervously before continuing, "Your so much better at talking than I am...maybe you should take over in the next message? Just a thought...anyhow I have to go. Take care Ace."