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Friday, February 3, 2017

Huntzberger Publishing Group

11:45am

"Where do you think they went?" Lorelai asked as she stood with her parents, in the reception room.

"Probably to an office somewhere to discuss things. That was quite the bombshell." Richard told her.

"Wow, did anybody see that one coming?" Christopher asked, joining the Gilmores' conversation.

"The man had to retire sometime." Emily told them.

"But you would think that it would be something that they would have talked about. Rory and Logan knew nothing about it. Hey Doyle, where did they go?" Lorelai asked as Doyle passed by the group.

"I think they're in the clinic, but they may have gone up to Rory's office." Doyle answered.

"Did you know anything about this?"

"Not at all. I have a feeling Honor knew though. All I can say right now, is that you guys had better be prepared for a media nightmare, because it's already started outside.. If you want me to, I can get you out of here pretty easily right now, but it's going to be more challenging as it gets later in the day."

"We have Logan's party tonight." Emily told him.

"I know. I'm not sure how that is going to go over at the moment. We are beefing up security, but there is no telling what all is about to go down. Excuse me, I need to take this call." Doyle said as his phone started ringing in his hand. "You've reached Doyle."

"Lorelai, where is Luke?" Emily asked.

"He's helping Sookie with the food. Big events like this aren't really his thing."

"Hey guys, big day today!" Paris said as she joined the group.

"Hey Paris! You look great!" Lorelai told her.

"Thanks Lorelai, so do you. Hello Emily, Richard. It's been a long time."

*~ * ~ * ~ * Fifteen Minutes Later * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Are you ready for this?" Logan asked as Honor and Josh followed his parents out of the clinic, surrounded by security.

"It's not like anything has changed at all. I've been doing the job for months." Rory told him.

"But?"

"But I wish we had at least known about this ahead of time. I can't believe they just dumped this on us in front of everyone.

"This is my Dad's style though."

"At least we were prepared for it."

"That's true. But now we have all kinds of press to deal with."

"What do you want to do about that? You're the professional here."

"We just need to face it head on. We can't exactly hide from it. Like you said, we knew it was coming eventually, and we've been preparing for it. We just thought that we had more time, and that we'd have to force him out."

"So we just answer all the press questions then?"

"We kind of have to. We can try to gloss over them, or refuse to answer, but avoidance isn't going to do us any favors. We just need to face it. Give them an answer without giving too much information."

"I'm hungry."

"There is a ton of food in the reception room. Should we go face the music?"

"Can I just hide in the kitchen, and stuff my pregnant face?"

"Probably not, but you can try."

"How long do we have to stay here? I already need a nap."

"At least until we can give clinic tours to the hospital board, and the news crews. I might be able to get you out of here sooner though. We'll play it by ear."

"I hope there's cake."

"Baby wants cake?"

"Chocolate cake and ice cream."

"Should we go talk to Sookie? I'm sure if there is something you need that she didn't bring, someone will be happy to run out and grab it for you."

"Baby needs food."

"Security should be back in a minute."

"Do we really need security to escort us across the lobby?"

"I'm honestly not sure at this point, but do you really want to risk getting mobbed as soon as we walk out the door?"

"Hey Babe?"

"Yeah?" Logan answered as he paced through the office.

"Come here."

"What's going on?"

"The baby is kicking, and I can actually feel it with my hands. Come here. Put your hand right here." Rory told him, taking his hand, and pressing it to her stomach. "Do you feel that? That little bump?"

"That's her?"

"That's her. That's our daughter." Rory smiled, watching the expression of pure joy spread across Logan's face.

"Ace . . . I . . . I don't even know what to say right now."

"I know, right?!"

"This is amazing . . . This is absolutely amazing!"

"Should I call my mom?"

"She'll probably want to come feel this."

"Hand me a phone?" Rory asked as Logan reached into his coat pocket with his free hand, to retrieve one of the phones that was in it, handing it to Rory.

"Hey Mom?" Rory started as soon as Lorelai answered her call.

"Rory! Honey, are you ok? Where are you? What's going on?" Lorelai asked, panic evident in her voice.

"I'm fine. Everything is fine." Rory said very calmly. "But I need you to come to the clinic right now. Have security let you in. And bring Grandma with you."

"What's going on? Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, everything is fine. I promise. Just come to the clinic. You've gotta see something."

"Alright, I'm on my way." Lorelai said as she ended the call. "Mom, I need you to come with me."

"Why? What's going on?" Emily asked.

"I'm not sure. Rory just said that I need to come to the clinic right now, and that I need to bring you with me."

"Well, alright then."

"Let's go! Lead the way!" Richard said, holding his arm out in the direction of the door, then following his wife and daughter out of the room, and across the lobby to the clinic door.

"Hey James, Rory just called and asked for me to meet her here. Would you mind opening the door for us?" Lorelai asked as the trio stepped up to the door.

"Sure things Miss. Lorelai." James answered, swiping a security card over the scanner, and opening the door.

"Hey Rory? Where are you Honey?" Lorelai called out as they entered the office.

"Office!" Rory answered.

"Sweetie, we came as fast as we could. What's going on?"

"The baby is kicking. We knew that you would want to be here."

"No way! Really?!" Lorelai asked, her voice full of excitement, turning to see her parents' faces light up as well.

"Really! Come here, put your hand right here." Logan said as he stepped out of the way.

"Oh my gosh! Hi baby! It's Nana! Hi sweet girl!"

"This is the coolest thing I've ever experienced." Logan told them.

"Can I feel?" Emily asked.

"Of course!" Rory told her.

"Mom, come right here." Lorelai said as she reached for her mother's hand, and placed it where her own hand had just been.

"Oh wow! Rory! Honey this is so amazing! Ayribella, it's Grandma Emily! I am so thrilled to finally get to feel you kick! Richard, you've got to feel this! This is incredible! Come here! Put your hand right here where mine is. Do you feel that?"

"I do. Hello Ayribella! This is your Grandpa Richard! Wow, Rory, this is definitely an incredible experience. Congratulations Honey!"

"Thank you Grandpa! I am so glad that you three are here for this. I was dreading the day I would have to call to tell you that it finally happened, and then have to wait for you all to get here."

"Well Ayribella picked a mighty fine day to make her little presence known."

"Yes, she really did. This is the best birthday present I could possibly ask for." Logan spoke up. "I am so incredibly happy right now!"

"Speaking of birthday presents." Lorelai started. "Care to tell us what the heck happened out there?"

"Apparently my dad decided to retire, effective immediately."

"Did you know about it?" Emily asked.

"Nope! We honestly thought that we would have to force him out later this year when he tried to fight us to let him come back."

"So the plan was to never let him come back then?" Lorelai asked.

"Originally it was to get him better, and eventually let him. But then, as we learned more and more about the way he was doing things, and with all the trouble we've had with certain family members, we didn't want him undoing all of our hard work, just to make us have to redo it all later on. I'm not sure how my Dad was able to run this place with all of the outdated equipment. And it's really no wonder he had a heart attack with all of the extra work that he was doing. It's taken about 5 different people to replace him. My dad is a complete control freak and refused to let anyone actually do their jobs. Rory does exponentially less than him, and is now able to write and edit whenever she wants to. She's actually able to be the boss, and not be a micromanaging dictator. We've given all of the employees the freedom and ability to actually do their jobs, without having to ask us for permission on every single thing. The papers are going to print hours before the daily deadline hits, and they have better, more informed articles in them. We've also been able to move more and more stuff online without it being a fight for subscriptions and readership. Plus, we've been able to focus on obtaining the rights to our first book, and we are working on starting a magazine. Things are going really well here, and having my Dad come back in to screw it all up, would have been severely damaging to not just the business, but to all of the employees as well. It just isn't a risk that we were willing to take. We've been preparing for a fight for a couple months now." Logan explained.

"So what happens now?"

"I'm not quite sure. My Dad said that he is transferring everything into Rory's name, so I guess we'll be meeting with lawyers next week to get all of the details all hammered out."

"Have you contacted your legal team yet?" Richard asked.

"Collin is here, so I'm sure he's already on top of it." Rory told them.

"You two sure have a lot going on lately." Emily told them.

"We do. It's a lot happening all at once." Rory agreed.

"We were planning to go out of town for Valentine's Day next weekend, so we'll see how all of this affects that."

"Where are you guys taking off to?" Lorelai questioned.

"I'm not sure yet. I just decided to go on the way here this morning. We've been so busy lately that we just need a break."

"Well you definitely deserve one!" Emily agreed. "What is the plan for the rest of the day? You have a room full of people out there."

"I need a nap!" Rory told them as she slouched down in Logan's large overstuffed leather chair that sat behind his desk.

"You have a couch upstairs." Lorelai told her.

"I know, and it's calling my name."

"Lorelai, don't be ridiculous! Rory can't possibly go take a nap right now! She's got a room full of reporters and board members that are all waiting for her to make an appearance!" Emily snapped.

"What would happen if I didn't?" Rory sulked.

"Unfortunately my dear, that just isn't a feasible option for you right now." Richard commented.

"I thought you wanted cake?" Logan chuckled.

"I do want cake. But I want a nap too. Mom, is there ice cream?"

"You need ice cream?" Lorelai asked.

"I'll find you some. What kind to you need?" Logan asked as he reached for his phone.

"Rainbow sherbet." Rory answered as her grandparents just looked at her, shaking their heads in amusement.

"Hey Finn? You're here at HPG right?" Logan asked after dialing his phone. "Good, I need you to do me a huge favor. Rory needs ice cream. Would you mind running down the street for some rainbow sherbet?"

"And a sandwich from Firehouse Subs!" Rory added.

"And now she wants a sandwich from Firehouse subs too . . . What kind?"

"Turkey ranch and swiss."

"She says Turkey ranch and swiss . . . Thanks Finn. I owe you one." Logan said as he disconnected the call. "Finn says 'your wish is my command'."

"Will you call him back and tell him to get me a pickle too?"

"Firehouse always gives pickles with their sandwiches. And they're the good pickles too."

"I know, but it's Finn, and he'll eat it! Finn loves pickles!"

"I'll text him and tell him not to eat your pickle."

"We should just buy a bucket of those pickles."

"I'm pretty sure we wouldn't be able to eat them all."

"Yeah, but we could give most of them to Luke. I'm sure he can use them at the diner."

"Rory, I'll stop by Firehouse on my way back to your house and buy you a bucket of pickles, if that's what you want." Lorelai offered.

"I do, I really do! Thanks Mom."

"Is there anything else that you need?" Richard asked.

"Maybe some help getting out of this chair."

"You're already having trouble getting up?" Emily asked.

"No, but I'm wearing heels, and this chair is really comfy. Logan, I'm stealing this chair."

"No you aren't."

"Oh yes I am!" Rory insisted.

"No you aren't because I already ordered you one of your own with massage features on it. It will be here sometime next week."

"Spoiled!" Lorelai exclaimed in mock outrage.

"Your birthday is coming." Rory told her.

"So I get a chair too?"

"We'll talk." Logan offered.

"We should get you guys out there. Everyone is probably wondering exactly where you disappeared to." Emily told them.

"Hey Mom, trade me shoes." Rory said, holding her feet out toward her mother.

"What?! Why?"

"Because you're wearing wedges and they're a lot more comfortable than my heels.

"Uh yeah, that's kind of the point!"

"They're designer!" Rory offered.

"What designer?"

"I don't know. Honor bought them. I think she said Christian something. Or was it Louis Vuitton?"

"Would that be Christian Louboutin?" Emily asked.

"I don't know, maybe."

"Are the bottoms red?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Lorelai, they're Louboutins." Emily told her. "Your daughter has Louboutins."

"Can I have them?" Lorelai asked.

"Don't tell Honor?" Rory told her.

"Rory, those are thousand dollar shoes!" Emily scolded.

"That I rarely wear. At least Mom will appreciate and get some use out of them. They just sit in my closet collecting dust. Please Mom!"

"Are you sure you want to give me these? Because you may never get them back."

"That's ok, because Mitchum just gave me all his money, so I can buy myself new ones." Rory told her.

"And if you only wear them to work events, they can be used as a tax write off." Richard added as Emily and Logan just shook their heads, watching Rory and Lorelai trade shoes.

"You are the only CEO in the world who has no desire to invest in quality products." Emily told her.

"How about I give you my new credit card, and you can go crazy." Rory offered as Logan helped her out of the chair.

"Can I use it too?" Lorelai asked.

"Sure, why not!"

"Yay! I'm going shopping this weekend!"

*~ * ~ * ~ * Five Minutes Later * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"So Rory, what is the first thing that you are going to do as your first official act as CEO?" a reporter asked as Rory stood answering questions in the reception room.

"Actually, I am going to eat some ridiculously good food, and then I am going to go home and take a nap."

"You don't have any big plans of something to do for the company?"

"I honestly don't. I've been interim CEO for several months now, and I've been making a lot of changes, so there really isn't anything big for me to do that I haven't already done. I guess it's a huge deal that I'm now the official CEO, but for me, I'm still just the same small town girl that I've always been. This job may be exciting and glamorous to a lot of other people, but to me, it's still just a job. I don't see myself as being any better than anyone else. Heck, I just traded shoes my mother because hers are way more comfortable. Fancy and flashy just aren't my thing. I might be the boss here at HPG, but if you look at the articles in our papers, I've written a lot of them. There is a piece I've written in each of our papers every single day, and sometimes two or three. I'm also editing, and doing paste up. I'm not one of those desk managers that sits around instructing people. I am someone who believes in leading by example. Nothing is too good for me. If I am going to ask one of my employees to do something, I need to be willing to do it myself."

"Even the head editor of most newspaper offices don't do any of the writing or editing."

"Exactly! But that's not me. I was the editor of my college paper when I went to Yale, and everyone who worked under me will tell you that I did exactly the same work that they did. I am very hands on with my staff. My assistant and I actually share responsibilities. We do all the same work."

"Wow! So what happens when you go out on maternity leave? Have you thought that far ahead?"

"I actually have, and I've been slowly preparing for it. I've been banking stories for a few weeks now, and I've got a good team in place, so I'll be able to take some time off, but still work from home when I want or need to. I'm really not worried about it at all."

"Do you know what you are having? When are you due?"

"I'm due in early summer, but that is the only information we are sharing. Sorry."

"Is your husband and family excited to be adding a baby to the mix?"

"They are actually over the moon. I think my husband is actually the most excited. Him and my Mom both."

"Rory Love, here is your sandwich." Finn said as he stepped up to Rory, and handed her a paper bag. "And no, I didn't touch your pickle."

"Finn, thank you! I totally owe you one!" Rory said taking her lunch from him, and placing a kiss on his cheek. "I'm so sorry, this is my good friend Finn Morgan. Finn, this is Karen from New York Today. Finn was just catering to my pregnancy cravings."

"Hell Finn, it is very nice to meet you."

"And you as well my dear." Finn said, shaking the reporter's hand.

"Finn, have you known Rory very long?"

"I have actually. I've known her since college. We both went to Yale together."

"Tell me a little bit about Rory. What is she like as a person?"

"Tell you about Rory . . . Well . . . She is my best mate's girl. Has been for what? The last twelve or so years?" Finn asked, looking toward Rory who just nodded her head. "Rory is kind of like a mother, or a big sister to me. She's one of my very best friends. She always keeps us blocs out of trouble."

"So I take it Rory is responsible then."

"Yes, definitely. Very responsible. Very calm, very smart. She's articulate. Warm and encouraging. She's the brains of our group. She's the logical one. She likes to think things through, and plan ahead. And she is a lot smarter than I am. Smarter than all of us."

"What do you think about Rory taking over running HPG?"

"Rory will be great! She'll be amazing! She already is. Completely fabulous! There is nobody better. Especially not this guy." Finn said, pointing his thumb toward Logan as he joined the group. "Rory can definitely run the company better than this guy. He's more likely to blow it up than to run it successfully."

"Gee, thanks Finn!" Logan laughed as he slid an arm around his wife.

"Hi, I'm Logan Huntzberger."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Logan. I'm Karen O'dell from New York today."

"I know that show well. I used to watch it all the time while I got ready for work."

"Oh, excellent! I was just interviewing your wife and friend here. Congratulations on opening your clinic!"

"Thank you, thank you so much." Logan told her.

"You must be super excited to get things going. When do you see your first patient?"

"Monday morning actually. We just launched the app to allow employees to start making appointments, yesterday."

"Sorry, if you'll excuse me, I need to go eat something." Rory told them.

"You go, I've got this." Logan told her.

"Thank you so much Rory, it was pleasure to speak with you." Karen told her.

"Thank you, you as well." Rory smiled.

"I'll go with you." Finn said offering Rory his arm to escort her across the room.