And the reactions did not disappoint.
"Is that Rory's Mom?" Logan asked as they watched Lorelai and an unknown woman take to the stage. "Who gave her a microphone at a society event?"
"Even I know that's dangerous," Finn quipped.
"I think that's Tristan's Mom." Colin said, as they tried to listen. "I didn't think they knew each other well enough in high school to have met any parentals?"
"Rory mentioned those play practices, and some high school society parties before so they probably both attended those." Poppy answered, knowing the couple best.
"Mate did she just double barrel name Reporter girl?" Finn asked shocked.
"Did you know?" Colin asked Logan, as he turned seeing how his friend had paled.
"No, it honestly never came up. She didn't have a good relationship with her dad, and even when I was introduced, I only caught his first name." Logan answered, downing his scotch.
"Shit, Mitchum is going to kill you," Colin murmured.
"He can't say anything. He treated her awfully," Logan said defensively.
"Yeah mate, but we all know he will blame you for not finding out," Finn said, clapping Logan on the back, trying to be supportive.
"I'm missing something here, aren't I?" Poppy asked.
"Yep, I'll explain while we go get a fresh round." Finn said, leading his girlfriend away, trying to explain the society hierarchy to her.
"Who is that with Victoria DuGray? I don't recognise her?" Shira asked, knowing her husband knew everyone.
"It looks like Rory Gilmore's Mom but it couldn't be her, so I'm not sure who it is." Mitchum answered, trying to listen to the speech for a clue.
"Did she just say Lorelai Leigh 'Rory' Gilmore-Hayden the third?" Shira asked paling.
"I think so." Mitchum managed to stutter out.
"Did we tell a Hayden she would never understand life in society?" Shira whispered.
"Okay, we need to act normal. We can recover from this," Mitchum hissed. "We need to find out if Logan knew, and kept it a secret from us. Hang on, he was going to Gilmore's engagement party, that means he should be around here somewhere."
"So act normal, and not like we just found out our son treated one of the richest heiress' like crap?" Shira asked, trying to ensure she knew how to play the crowd, she always had been good at that.
"Yes, we need to pretend to be happy for them." Mitchum said, forcing a smile on his face. "And find Logan."
"I think that is our queue," Tristan said, pressing a kiss against Rory's temple, knowing she hated these events.
"Let's go get it over and done with." Rory said, letting Tristan lead her towards the stage and their mother's.
Tristan pulled her up onto the stage, and they both greeted their mother's with hugs and kisses, before Tristan wrapped his arm around Rory's waist and they both turned to face to congregation of friends and acquaintances.
"Hi everyone. Thanks for that introduction Mom, and Lorelai, although I suppose I can start calling you Mom now as well?" Tristan asked, looking at Lorelai as she just stuck her tongue out in response, as Emily looked on in horror and the crowd laughed.
"Thank you everyone for being here to celebrate Rory and myself taking this step, we really appreciate the support. When this wonderful woman fell back into my lap a few years ago, I knew I needed her in my life, even if I had to play the long game. It may have taken since I was fifteen years old, but now we are here, I'm planning on never letting her go." Tristan said, leaning over and pressing a kiss on the top of Rory's head.
"As Tristan said, we really appreciate you all coming tonight to celebrate. I feel like I just stepped out of some of those books I help publish. This is all a dream come true, I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with the man that Tristan has grown into." Rory looked up at him, adoration clear on her face for everyone to see. "I love you," she murmured pulling him down for a kiss. She led him down from the stage to the dancefloor, to share a dance as the band began a slow song, perfect for them to dance too.
"I feel like we are on display," Tristan whispered in her ear.
"That's because we are." Rory said, laying her head on his chest and closing her eyes as they swayed.
"I don't like it." Tristan said, "can we at least put on a show?"
"You mean do more than a hug and shuffle?"
"Yea."
"Sure, as long as you lead," Rory said, raising her head and watching Tristan signal the band for something more uptempo.
He pushed her out into a twirl, before pulling her in with a laugh.
"You planned this." Rory said accusingly while laughing.
"Maybe," Tristan smirked, starting to lead her through a foxtrot that had enough dips and lifts it could almost be swing.
"I didn't know Rory could dance like that?" Francine whispered to Emily from where they were watching on the sides.
"She didn't use to be able to. I remember her cotillion it was such a struggle to get her to learn that fan dance.
"I think that is all Tristan," Richard interjected from beside them.
"A strong partner does make all the difference," Francine agreed, continuing to watch the couple.
"They look so happy." Emily said with a smile, watching as Tristan gave Rory a kiss as they came out of a final dip, before they were swallowed by the crowd of people wanting to offer them further congratulations.
Finn and Poppy were the first of their friends to find them, having detoured on their way to the bar.
"You look amazing!" Poppy said giving Rory a hug. "Finn tells me you have been holding out on them, Logan and Colin are reeling from the revelation that I don't quite understand." Poppy said, with a shrug.
"To sound uncouth, it means Rory went from likely to inherit quite a bit of money at some point to inheriting multiple businesses, houses and a shit ton of money, and none of us knew." Finn answered his girlfriend looking around to make sure no one but Tristan and Rory heard him.
"It's okay Finn. I kept it quiet on purpose. I was never going to go into any of the family businesses fulltime. And I hate the fakeness of society. I didn't want people being nice to me simply because I will be richer than them when my family die." Rory said, quietly to her friend.
"Okay, so why does that have Logan looking like he might have an aneurysm?"
Rory and Tristan both burst into laughter at that.
"Because Logan's family very much do care about this kind of thing, and his family were awful to me while we were dating, and Logan and I also didn't end on good terms. They are probably going to be mad at him for the loss of the potential increase in standing they could have had if I joined their family."
"It pretty much would have been the ideal conclusion of a dynastic plan, as you have heard the guys and I joke about." Finn added.
"Which is exactly why it was kept quiet. I didn't want to be just seen as some kind of acquisition and merger." Rory said, as Tristan kissed her cheek.
"Okay, I think I understand. Tonight alone you guys have given me enough plot bunnies to write three more novels!" Poppy stated.
"Have we?" Rory asked warily, thinking of the potential fallout.
"Not like that. Don't worry, I have no plans to change genre. Just some new subplot ideas," Poppy tried to reassure her friend, suddenly aware how her comment could have been taken.
"We need to go get the drinks we promised to return with," Finn said.
"We'll see you again before we leave. Good luck with the crowd," Poppy threw over her shoulder as she watched Rory and Tristan get swallowed up by well wishers.
"I think we need to leave before Mitchum finds me," Logan said, when Finn and Poppy returned.
"You don't want to talk to Rory and Tristan?" Colin asked.
"No, I think I'm in too much shock. I'm hurt she kept something so big from me. I don't think I could be civil or aware of the crowd if I spoke to her now, which is why I want to be gone before the Dark Lord finds me." Logan replied honestly.
"I don't know whether to be impressed that you recognise all that, or sad that you don't think you can hide it," Poppy said, reaching out and giving Logan a small back rub.
"Come on, let's go find somewhere else that Logan can drown his sorrows, and regroup." Finn said, trying to rally the group.
"Have we seen everyone we have to?" Tristan muttered into Rory's ear.
"I think so. Are we saying bye or escaping?" Rory asking, knowing which answer she wanted to hear.
"Escaping. I think we are both done with people being all over us for the night."
"I'd be okay with you being all over me for the rest of the night," Rory whispered into his ear, placing a kiss just below it.
"Definitely escaping," Tristan said, leading her to the exit where he knew they would find taxi's waiting.