But I'm A–!
The Huntzbergers have a different reason not to want Logan and Rory together.
PS: 'But I'm a Gilmore!' redone.
Obs: To be on the safe side, be warned about accidental incest.
Notes:
"Words" – regular conversation
'Words' – quotes and such, thoughts too
Scenario 12 – Family Ties
Once upon a time...
... There was a beautiful, poised but bored young woman called Francine. She was married to Straub Hayden, a man with a budding reputation as a fierce and ruthless international law expert, and he was– He was everything a woman of their circles should desire in a man, but she didn't quite like him that much. Her family had approved of him, and he wasn't a bad man, maybe a little rude, but hey, that wasn't so bad. Now, if only he could be as passionate about sex as he was about law...
Such was the woman that a dashing Eli Huntzberger met one fine night. They had met before, of course, they belonged to the same circles after all, but she was several years younger than he was, and by the time she looked good enough for a few tumbles, he was married and she was off to college. Such a shame, whenever she smiled honestly, he thought she looked stunning.
This time they met was the decisive one in their lives, however. She was so tired of being Mrs. Hayden, and he had little to no interest in his wife, or his usual mistresses. It was a lovely gala, and their spouses were off in their own little worlds, and they met in the balcony.
All was innocent at first, it was the first time they truly spoke, after all, but Eli couldn't help but compliment her, and she delighted in his flattery, all too used to Straub's lack of interest. Soon enough, she touched his hand and they made hasty plans to meet in a week in a yet to be established location.
That was how they started the most torrid affair in either of their lives, though it did not last long. Eli had responsibilities to his family, and had to go away for several months, and Francine soon discovered she was carrying a child. As she continued to have intercourse with a dutiful Straub, she had no idea whose it was, but– Eli was married, he was a child and a life, and she was just another of his conquests, so when she saw him again, already heavily pregnant, she stole a moment with him in another balcony and told him goodbye.
There was never anymore talk of 'them'.
Then came Christopher, and what a darling boy he was. Sweet and gentle, if a little too clung to her skirts all his life, and Straub seemed fond of him, so all was good.
Flashforward thirty something years when a widowed Francine received the most distressing news.
Her granddaughter Rory, a blight in the family tree, was dating young Logan Huntzberger, Eli's grandson. That– That was not to be borne! It would not do at all!
Sure, she had never DNA tested Christopher, if it got out that she was doing it, it would be– It would cause too much of a scandal, and the whole Lorelai Gilmore/Christopher debacle was hard enough to get rid of, if anyone discovered she had– That her son wasn't Straub's– Dear oh dear, everything would be ruined!
... But. She could not possibly allow Rory and Logan to continue with their relationship. Whether they married or not, it was extremely likely that they were having pre–marital relations! She was Lorelai's daughter after all, it was completely reasonable, and she knew Mitchum and Eli's reputation, Logan couldn't be such a lamb. No, no. They were having sex, and she might be– Oh Lord, no.
With quick fingers, she called Eli for the first time in nearly forty years and advised him to sit down, then told him of the possibilities that Christopher was in fact his. The old man was dead silent on the other line, and when she continued on and talked about his grandson and her (their) granddaughter dating, he finally snapped out of it, bellowing how it couldn't continue, there was no way he would allow them to keep at it!
He screamed at her to come to dinner as a special guest, and he barely told her when and where before he hung up on her. The nerve! But, she had always liked that about him. Passionate. Hum.
Francine arrived at the Huntzberger mansion early, and was delighted to see Eli hadn't changed much in spirit over the years. His daughter–in–law Shira seemed vapid and dull, so Francine politely ignored her and turned to her daughter Honor, who was obviously nervous beside her boyfriend Josh. Not nervous because of her, no, maybe she had news for her family that she feared would be ill received? She was drinking, so not a kid. The girl kept looking at her hand and– Oh. They were secretly engaged, how sweet.
Finally, the moment of truth. Logan and Rory came into the room after a harried Honor. Francine's granddaughter looked stunned to see her there, but politely greeted her as she was introduced to everyone in the room.
Looking between Rory and Logan, the similarities were– Disturbing. The eyes were somewhat similar, though he was very blond and she very brunette, she was pale and he was healthily tanned. He smirked and she smiled, he was smooth and charming and she was awkward and try–hard at best. No, maybe– Maybe she was wrong, maybe Christopher was Straub's and she was wasting her time.
But then– Then she looked at Eli, and he was staring at the girl like she was a ghost, and by God, what could he possibly be seeing?
When dinner was announced, Francine and Eli walked ahead as quickly as they could, and just as he pulled the chair out for her, he leaned into her ear and said very quietly: 'she looks exactly like my mother'. And that answered that.
Damnit.
"Before anything else" – Eli said, getting up and startling the rest of his family – "I would like to toast Mrs. Hayden for her delightful company this evening. We are old friends, you see" – Logan scrunched his nose up, as if instantly sensing what kind of 'friends' they were.
"Yes, we have known each other for a long time" – Francine agreed, staring straight at her granddaughter – "Even before my son Christopher was born"
"That's right, we were friends not too long before he was born"
Shira stared from one to the other, Honor raised a curious eyebrow, Josh looked lost, Logan looked a little pale and Rory simply frowned.
"When you say... 'Not too long'...?" – Logan started cautiously.
"Not too long, Logan" – Eli repeated with a huff.
"You know!" – Francine interrupted whatever Logan was going to say next – "You should meet my granddaughter Georgia, she is such a lovely girl. Blond, blue eyes. I don't know where she gets it"
"Sherri is blond" – Rory said quietly.
"Ah, yes, her mother is blond too, of course" – Logan stared at Eli and Francine.
"Hang on. Ace, your dad's a brunet, right? I saw his picture before"
"Yes, he is" – she answered confusedly.
"And Straub Hayden was a brunet too, right?"
"Yes...?" – Logan looked back at his grandfather, who just shrugged.
"Oh, c'mon. No, it can't be"
"Logan, son, what are you talking about?" – he ignored her, as usual.
"Seriously? And now is the time you chose to talk about this?"
"I am hardly saying much of anything, Logan. Just that Francine and I were dear friends many years ago, before her son was even born, and that her son's second daughter is a blue eyed blond, like her own mother"
"And Ace has blue eyes too"
"... Like my mom" – Rory mumbled, glancing at Francine as if putting an ugly little puzzle together. Suddenly, she widened her eyes and snapped her head to Eli and at Logan, who was as pale as her.
"Wow, look at the time!" – Logan said loudly, staring at his empty wrist – "We should get going, right Ace?!" – they were on their feet in a flash – "Mom, Honor, Josh, great to see you guys" – he refused to look sideways to Eli and Francine – "It was lovely to see you again, Mrs. Hayden, bye everyone" – he said hastily and ran off the door with Rory, who mumbled a few words of thanks and goodbyes.
"Why, I never–!" – Shira exclaimed – "Why on Earth are they running off like that?" – Honor shook her head in disbelief and threw back her drink. She turned to her fiancée with a contorted expression.
"Your grandma wasn't 'friends' with my grandfather back in the day, right?" – she whispered, and Shira was too busy telling the maids to remove Logan and Rory's plates to notice, but Eli and Francine sure did. They traded looked and clinked glasses.
With their spouses long gone (well, not that long for Straub, but anyway), Francine and Eli decided they should give being friends another try. It had been such a long time since Francine had such a nice friend, after all. She could use a nice friend, a really nice friend.
... So yeah, I went there.
After this, there is a little trilogy of increasingly disturbing (accidental) incest and then I'm done with the whole subject, or at least I have nothing else to write about it, I think I'll have milked the last drop, unless someone has any more suggestions, I'll be a-o-done with it, to some people's glee. ;)