But We Are Gilmores...
April 2017
West Port, CT
It was 8:30 am when Emily Gilmore decided to rise out of bed. At first, she was a little confused, waking to unfamiliar surroundings. After a minute or two, she remembered she was no longer in the peaceful confines of her Nantucket sanctuary, but rather in a room at The Dragon Fly Inn.
Emily got dressed at a leisurely pace and proceeded downstairs for breakfast. "Good Morning Mrs. Gilmore," the waiter greeted as she sat down at her table. He handed her a menu, "The breakfast specials are listed to the right, but if there is anything you would like that is not on the menu, Pauline said she could see what she could do."
It's good to have connections, Emily thought as she sipped her coffee and perused the menu.
About an hour later Lorelai appeared, dressed in a dignified "proper" outfit and obviously very annoyed. "Good morning mother, I hope you slept well," She said a bit sarcastically.
"Lorelai, it's too early in the morning to start. And remember we are doing this for Rory?"
"Ugh, for Rory," Lorelai adds dramatically, "what did we do to deserve this kind of treatment? She owes us big time. BIG! TIME!"
"Yes. I know." Emily responded, rolling her eyes, "You've said that a million times...and," she added emphatically, " YES, Rory does owe us."
Shira Huntzberger's baby shower for Rory was a month away. In an effort to 'create an occasion that Rory would enjoy', Shira invited Emily and Lorelai to a tasting at their club in West Port.
Having loosened her ties with the Connecticut social set, Emily was not too keen on giving in to the beckonings of the Grand Dame, but this occasion was tied to Rory, so Emily complied.
"Whhhhyyyyyyy?!" Lorelai demanded when the subject was first brought up a little over a week ago.
"Because" Emily lectured, "Shira is going to be an in-law of sorts. She can make Rory's life and our lives either pleasant or hellish. I choose pleasant, and attending this lunch will at least set Rory on the pleasant path. It's the first invitation, and the first invitation is important. After this, you can go on ignoring the Huntzbergers as much as you want. So practice your happy face and deal with it!"
Putting on a happy face was something that Emily has not had to do in a while. However, because she was well trained in this social norm, Emily was able to easily put herself in 'gracious guest' mode. This is a happy occasion, Emily coached herself as she got ready, happy indeed. Yet, with the cloud of Rory's situation looming so overwhelmingly above her, it was hard for Emily not to be worried. It wasn't enough that Rory was unmarried and pregnant, but also not permanently employed, and living in a studio apartment. Sure there were temporary and freelance jobs, and the memoir (which Emily wasn't too happy about), but nothing steady, nothing solid. A child needs to have stability, she remembered herself preaching to Lorelai over and over again.
But this time Rory wasn't 16. Rory was an adult. Rory had to find a way to deal.
It wasn't as if Rory did not have options financially speaking. Thanks to the arrangement made by her great-grandmother, Lorelai I, and now Richard, Rory always had the financial backing to live a comfortable life. Yet, she eschewed the easy way, choosing to live off the money she made from working, saving the money from her trust funds for a "rainy day." Now that there was a baby on the way, Emily wondered how Rory's attitude would change; you couldn't find a bigger storm than a child. "How times have changed," Emily muttered to herself as she and Lorelai proceeded through their 45-minute drive to West Port.
"What?" Lorelai asked.
"Oh, sorry I was just thinking aloud."
'About what?"
"Oh, how times have changed. In my day if a girl got pregnant, you got married. Now it's 'co-parenting'. I just can't wrap my head around it."
"Well the times they are a-changin'"
"And you're ok with this?"
"Yes, it's better than having to force a relationship. I've seen enough toxic "keep it together for the kids" marriages to know that it isn't the answer to everything. Rory and Logan are working it out."
"You know, she would be set for life if she married him. Even if they ended up divorced we could prenup it to guarantee that she could be comfortable for the rest of her life and beyond. In my day women would see that as a 'win'."
"Yes, but that day has passed and also that's not the way Rory sees it."
"Yes, I know. Believe me, widowhood has opened my eyes to the realities of being that dependent. I understand why she is keeping him at arm's length. I understand her to need to establish herself independently. There is no worse feeling than having the rug pulled from under you, no matter what the circumstance. I don't know Lorelai, I vacillate between thinking that Rory is being brave and smart, to thinking she's a total idiot."
"Well if it makes you feel any better," Lorelai said with a wide smile, "I feel the same way."
They arrive at the club, where they were promptly met by the valets. "Hmm, fancy..." Lorelai mockingly observed as they walked into the grand entrance.
"Lorelai, manners, " Emily scolded.
"Sorry, defense mechanism."
Lorelai excused herself to go to the ladies room leaving Emily to head to the dining room alone. "I'm here to meet Shira Huntzberger," she informed the hostess. Leading her to a less crowded corner of the dining room Emily was surprised to find not Shira, but Francine Hayden.
"Francine, what are you doing here?"
"Shira invited me. You didn't know?"
"No, she didn't tell me. I wonder why?"
"Maybe because I am Rory's grandmother too?"
Emily knew that Rory and Francine had reconnected and even had lunch a couple of time. Nevertheless, a few weeks of contact did not establish the title of grandmother, Emily thought. What is Shira up to?
"Oh well," Emily replied trying to keep her composure, "how did she know to call you?"
"Maybe Logan told her that Rory and I were talking? Or maybe she heard it through the grapevine. You know how fast news travels in our circle Emily, especially when it involves the Huntzbergers."
"True," Emily said, a little upset with herself for forgetting the gossip circuit, "news does travel."
"So, anyway, how are you?" Francine asked fondly, "It's so good to see you. Nantucket seems to be agreeing with you."
"Yes, well sometimes one needs a change of scenery to gain some perspective on life," Emily responded in a surprisingly warm way.
"Yes, I know. Widowhood is a very jarring experience."
"Indeed it is."
At that moment Shira arrived. "I'm so sorry ladies. I am always late for everything, even appointments I make."
"It's no problem Shira," Emily replied, "It gave Francine here and I some time to get reacquainted."
"Oh, so you don't see each other much? Really?"
"Our lives and schedules are not as in tune as in the past." Francine chimed in.
"Well thank you for coming. I thought it would be nice if we had a little sampling of everything we were going to serve at the shower. I thought perhaps buffet style, that way people could mix and mingle as they would like, what do you think?"
"Shouldn't we wait until Lorelei get here? What is keeping that girl? I better call her."
"Oh Emily, don't worry about Lorelei, she's with Mitchum. I saw them engrossed in a conversation at the bar."
"Mitchum is here?"
"Why yes," Shira said in an unconvincingly nonchalant way.
Emily immediately went on high alert.
A few moments earlier, across the club, Lorelei emerged from the ladies room and was about to make her way towards the dining room when Mitchum Huntzberger approached her.
"Excuse me, Lorelai Gilmore?"
Lorelai looked at Mitchum surprised, "Yes?"
Extending his hand he replied, "I'm Mitchum Huntzberger Logan's..."
Taking his hand Lorelai finished Mitchum's introduction, "...father. Oh, nice to put a face with the name."
"I hope the face doesn't disappoint."
"Well if it did, would I be telling you that?"
"Touche Lorelai, touche."
"So, did you come here with your wife? Will you be joining us for lunch?"
"No, party planning is not my cup of tea. Shira would veto all my ideas anyway; she's very particular when it comes to event planning."
Then why and I here? Lorelai thought, "Oh well then, I don't want to keep them waiting," she told Mitchum.
"Come join me for a drink."
"But my mother and Shira are waiting."
"Oh, they can get along without you. Come on, I insist."
"Well, if you insist."
Lorelei and Mitchum went to the bar where Mitchum guided them to a quiet corner which rendered Lorelai suspicious. The waiter soon arrived to take their order.
"I'll have a scotch neat. Lorelai?"
"Scotch at 11:30 in the morning on an empty stomach? Sure why not! I'll have one too!"
At that same time in the dining room Emily, Francine, and Shira were settling in. After making pleasant conversation, the waitstaff proceeded to present small plates of various dishes; baby green salad, four different kinds of quiches, vegetable dishes, a fruit tray, twelve kinds of pastries. This along with choices of Mimosa, Bloody Marys, champagne, and sparkling drinks made Emily quite full and sleepy.
This was all before the dessert and coffee.
"So Emily, how is life in Nantucket? Peaceful I hope?" Shira inquired.
"Yes, it's quite lovely. There is nothing like the ocean to wash away the stress." Emily replied.
"We do miss you. We used to have so much fun at our events remember?"
"Oh yes, I remember."
"I mean just last week, at the Heart Association fundraiser, we were all talking about you and how much we missed you, weren't we Francine?"
"Well, we were reminiscing about last year's fundraiser, when we honored Richard. He did a lot to help fund the Heart Center at St. Joseph's"
"Yes, I remember," said Emily
"I am so hoping that Rory enjoys this shower." Shira continued, "This is really her occasion to be introduced to 'everyone'."
"Everyone?"
"Oh, you know our circle. Now that she will be somewhat part of the family, she will need to get up to speed. I mean I know you are out, but Rory is at a different place in life. Don't you agree Francine?'
"Agree with what?" the confused Francine asked.
"About Rory getting to know people. She will be expected to show herself at events before she knows it." Shira somewhat condescendingly informed.
"I am not sure how much she will be involved in that world. Rory has her own career and other interests to think about." Emily added
"Well, yes. But you never know. Motherhood has a way of changing one's priorities. Suppose after the baby is born she would want to stay home and care for him/her herself? What is a break turns into years? She needs to have a fallback. It's good for her to have options. Don't you agree?"
"Yes, it's true, but Rory can find her own options."
"Oh, I'm sure she can," Shira said preciously, "I am just showing her an additional path, that's all. So what are her plans, Emily? Logan is so stingy with information."
"They are co-parenting. Apparently, that is all the rage now."
"So Rory is moving to the city to be near Logan?"
"I don't know."
"So Logan and Rory have worked out arrangements?"
"I don't know."
Shira was now frustrated, "Well what do you know Emily?"
Emily passive-aggressively responded, "What I said before, they are co-parenting."
"Well, I don't like it."
"Excuse me?"
"I don't like it, and I am surprised that you are not feeling the same way."
"Well Shira, I have learned that people are going to do what they are going to do. Why fight it?"
"But it's not...traditional. I mean, people are already talking, saying that they are both being irresponsible, treating their situation like a reality TV show. There are some that are chomping at the bit for this situation to explode. It all just so disturbing."
"Why do you care what people think?"
"It's not so much of what people think, it's just that it's so...not proper. It's not good for the baby. Children need stability. Francine, you agree with me right?"
"WWwwell..." Francine nervously tried to answer.
"...I am sure that Rory and Logan will make sure that happens." Emily interrupted
"Are you sure that is going to happen?" Shira asked
"I am sure that Rory is not out to make life difficult for Logan."
"Well, she already is. Come on we all know how he feels about her. He would give her the world if she let him, and yet she is stringing him along. What more does she want?"
"She wants for nothing. Whatever reasons why Rory is choosing not to get involved with Logan, those are her own. I do know that she has been very honest about how she feels, so she is not stringing him along. If Logan cannot deal with the reality, then that's his problem."
"Well, how do we know she won't make life difficult for Logan later on?"
"The same way we know that Logan won't make life difficult for Rory."
"Rory would be set for life if she married Logan. There are advantages to being an Huntzberger, she will never need for anything."
"Yes, but we are Gilmores, so she is already not in need."
"More importantly", Francine chimed in, looking at Emily meaningfully and then to Shira directly, "We are Rory's family, so whatever happens, she will be more than fine."
Back at the bar, Lorelai was nursing her scotch, carefully considering Mitchum. "Ok...Mitchum. Why am I really here?"
"What do you mean?" Mitchum answered innocently.
"I mean my mother and I were invited here under the guise of planning a party for Rory, which we are not hosting. Your wife claimed that she needs help, but according to you she is a party planning Nazi, and then you show up and spirit me away to the bar and now we're drinking scotch. I don't know, why do I feel like I am Freddo and you are taking me fishing?"
Mitchum smirks, "Freddo...funny."
"But I'm not too off the mark am I?"
"You're very perceptive Lorelai Gilmore. No, you are not off the mark; I did want to have a discussion with you."
Why all the smoke and mirrors? Why all the intrigue? You know we have phones in Stars Hallow.
"I just wasn't sure if you would agree to meet with me."
"And why is that?"
"Because I want to discuss this situation with Rory and Logan and how we can influence them in making better decisions about their lives."
"Ah, yes, you're probably right, I would have ignored you. Ok," Lorelai said raising her glass, "well we're here so hit me with it."
"We need to figure out how to get those two together."
"Why? They seem to be doing fine on their own."
"For now, but once the reality of the baby hits them, it will get more complicated."
"In what way?"
"Well, Logan doesn't have a job that is portable. He has just hit a stride in his career and is pretty much ensconced in New York. Rory is not. Rory can go anywhere, and as we know, traditionally, the children go where the mother goes."
"And you are thinking that Rory will take the baby away from Logan."
"That is a fear."
"Let me assure you, it is unfounded."
"How? I have not heard any news as to what Rory has decided for her future. "
"Well, she's wrapping up her current job, and it's been pretty intense. I don't think she has the physical and mental energy to see past next week."
"I offered her a job. She has not responded."
"Hence, my previous comment?"
"This is a golden opportunity that is being handed to her, and she is not jumping at it. Why not?"
"Because of the person who is handing it to her? You two don't have quite the sterling employee-employer record."
"That's water under the bridge. I'm only looking out for her best interest."
"And your son's."
"No, I am looking out for our grandchild's best interest. I am looking out for the best interest of that family."
"Look, she doesn't have all the facts. She needs to consider other options, then she can make a decision. She is a very deliberate person."
Half, laughing and smirking Mitchum responded, "Oh really, she is huh?"
Lorelai very offended replied, "Yes, she is. Just what are you implying? And chose your words very carefully Mitchum!"
"Well if she were deliberate, then does that mean she planned to be in this position? She wanted things to be this way? Because my impression is that this situation was a result of carelessness."
"In which your son was also an active participant."
"He never meant for this to happen..."
"...And neither did Rory!"
"...I mean he was engaged..."
"...and, need I remind you, he willingly put that little "inconvenience" aside to be with Rory..."
"...We've done everything we can to make this easy for her, and she is still being difficult."
"Whoa, whoa, so are you saying that all this stress and angst is all my daughter's fault?"
"If she would just accept this plan, be it they get married, or she takes the job, then this matter would be settled."
"Look, I understand that you are concerned for your son and his relationship with his child. I can assure you that Rory has no intention of making that relationship difficult for him. She knows what it's like to grow up without with a father. She turned out ok, but she did miss her dad when she was growing up. She would never inflict that kind of grief on her kid if she could help it. I could easily turn this argument around and ask how do we know that Logan will keep up his end of the bargain?"
"Excuse me?"
"Well, if we are going to based things on past behavior, then let's talk about Logan! He doesn't exactly have the most sterling record now does he? One could say he doesn't seem to take commitment seriously. Putting aside all his oat-sowing before he got together with Rory, like you said he was engaged, on the verge to be married, and yet chose to have an affair with my daughter. For all I know Rory will make all these sacrifices to make sure that they have a relationship only to have him choose to go another direction. How do I know that all of this devotion that Logan is displaying is not for show? How do I know that he won't abandon Rory and the baby when the first opportunity for another woman comes up? How do I know that he won't essentially abandon them to concentrate on becoming Master and Commander of the media world?! You're so worried about Rory's ability to hold up her end of the parenting bargain, can you guarantee me that Logan will hold up his?"
Mitchum is quiet for a moment. "No, I can't"
"Well then, seems we are at a crossroads."
"We can open a lot of doors for Rory."
"Yes, but we are Gilmores. We open our own doors."