Chapter 6: Eyes on the road

The Huntzberger residence, Manhattan, Thursday 17th of June 2021

- Oh, Pierre, my favorite wine-pusher. I can't wait to be able to drink these fine drops again when these two are born. Thank you.

Odette and Pierre arrived about 30 minutes late for dinner at the Huntzberger's. Pierre brought the best French wine from his wine cellar. Odette brought an extraordinary bouquet of sunflowers. Rory was greeted in French with kisses on both cheeks. Logan was finishing up something in his study. Everything was like it used to be.

- Come on in, Pierre will you please take care of the drinks, then I will get Logan.

- Oh, Cheri, let me get that work dork of a husband of yours. J'insiste, Odette insisted gesturing for Pierre to have Rory to sit and relax.

Odette knocked at the door to Logan's study, - Logan? puis-je entrer?

- s'il vous plait

- Pierre is mixing drinks and getting Rory to relax. Wrapping up, are you?

- Answering some e-mails about The Correspondent-merge, just wanted it to be there when the CET-workday starts soon.

- But that isn't what tonight is about, is it?

- Not at all. We need your thoughts on something that is not really business and not really personal. I would rather wait and present it all over dinner.

-Sure. Viens

Logan logged out and put out the lights, before he closed the door to his study.

After drinks and starters, the steak and fries were served with Pierre's red wine. Rory was the one to initiate the inevitable talk this dinner was all about.

- Mitchum came to talk to us, some time ago. He wanted to talk about the consequences following his candidacy to governor. He was really straight forward. Well, you know Mitchum, he doesn't sweet-talk anyone. Not even his closest family, Rory took a look at Odette to see if there was any initial reaction, but she was just listening

- He feels that The Magna is in his way to political power, Logan stated.

- He didn't say that, Logan

- But he meant it, Ace!

- Well he feels that we should sell The Magna in order to protect the family from all the ugliness that might come from politics.

At this point Odette was getting a sense of where this was going, - Merde! You wouldn't do that?

Logan shook his head, - No. We are not gonna let him win this one. We went through too much to get here.

- Dieu merci, Odette and Pierre both exclaimed in unison.

Both Rory and Logan smiled in relief. It felt good to know for sure, that their partners in crime felt that strongly about this too. This was not easy, and they needed their friends now, both personally and in business. Mitchum had a point, politics did raise the stakes. But that didn't mean that they should let the media control their lives. But knowing Mitchum he would only contribute to making it harder on them.

- This is a Mitchum Huntzberger Classic, for sure. And yet it surprises me that he would do this.

- Odette, Mitchum Huntzberger got to be a media mogul due to his ability to take what he wants and destroy whatever comes in his way, Logan states soberly.

Logan knew that Odette knew this and understood this world like he did. But sometimes it helps the situation along to state the obvious for everyone to hear and be reminded.

- But you are his son, Logan. Not some anonymous no-name standing in his way.

- I'm not doing what he wants me too, O. He is not in control. He can't handle not being in control. This is basically just an excuse to get me back under his control.

- This is an act of fear? Seriously, Logan?

- Fear of not being in control, you could say that. He believes that if he works hard enough and does what is needed, he can take control of everything in this world.

- One thing is believing that it would be possible to exercise control to that extent. Perusing it is a completely different matter.

As Pierre was listening and taking it all in, the questions started to form in his mind.

- What is the degree of truth in Mitchum's point? How much is manipulation? How much is real and inevitably? How much can he really make happen, just because he wants to?

- Unfortunately, there is some truth to the fact we will be more newsworthy. Isolated that is not a problem. But the function and status of politicians is different from the one we know today. Today we are known as business people and socialites. It is likely that what we saw on the Tonight Show on Tuesday, was only the tip of the iceberg. And it is likely that you two will be drawn into it along with us!

Rory tried to explain the best she could. She didn't know a lot about what was coming, but she knew that it most likely would be personal, - The part about the press and the security is not manipulated. The manipulation he is doing is more about his type of answer to this problem than the facts. He is a journalist. He was shortlisted for a Pulitzer in his twenties. This is what he does. He decided to make us feel like we are completely irresponsible if we don't take his offer. Make it look like we are willingly choosing to be the target. He uses fear of something happening to our children, to make us take the decision, he wants us to take.

Logan was completely in awe to Rory's insightfulness to the situation. She saw through Mitchum and his methods like a pro. But still he felt that she was a bit too sober in her judgment, - He can make it happen. He can do whatever he pleases. The question in place is: How will we react to and live with his doing. But that is the question no matter what we do. Making the decision to be on his team, will not be a dance on roses either.

Pierre was watching Rory as Logan spoke. After 5 years of working closely together, he knew that oppression was the one thing that Rory and Logan react to with very different strategies. Logan opted for fight, Rory for flight.

- What are your thoughts on his manipulation strategies, Rory? Pierre felt great compassion for the girl, who made sure his wife and Logan never had the emotional room to build a relationship, during their engagement. They had always supported each other in all the craziness that came along with their marriages. Love had never been easy on either of them. But they both got to marry the great love of their lives, and for that, they were great full no matter the baggage that came along.

Rory shrugged and looked resigned, - I have a hard time feeling anything, Pierre. I know what is right and wrong, and feeling doesn't help the situation anyway. If we surrender to Mitchum's will then we imprison ourselves on a life sentence. And that is a whole lot worse than fear of the unknown. I basically lean on my husband and hope that his instincts are better than mine. And since he doesn't have twins in his belly to mess up his instincts, I believe that it is the better strategy, Rory said with a wink.

Logan smiled at Rory and kissed her forehead, as he whispered under his breath, - We can do this, Ace. You and I.

As they all sat in silence, with only a soft Sinatra song in the background, Odette and Pierre looked with a mix of love and compassion at their close friends, that had become their family too. They knew that Rory and Logan had made up their mind about this. But they didn't know what was to come for any of them.

After their dessert, they moved on to the living room for Rory to be able to rest better in the couch. Logan had brought out the best scotch and a real coffee with caffeine in it, since Rory couldn't have any alcohol due to the pregnancy.

- Lorelai, mon Cheri. I know that you want to handle Mitchum with your splendid brain, and I do understand that you would want to make decisions that way. But tell me, what are really the fears of the mother to be? Pierre had his arm protectively placed around her shoulder, and starred into the thin air, at the same nonexcising spot, that Rory looked at.

She didn't say anything for a while. She just sat there all quiet. But after a while, she turned and looked directly into Pierre's eyes, before speaking, - That Mitchum will be in charge of our lives. That he can make a call and decide that Logan have to fly to London in an hour. That he can occupy all Friday nights with family dinners. That he can destroy our family with anything he decides, anytime he pleases.

I don't fear the press. I am the press. I don't fear the public. I am that too. I understand those too. But I fear the mysterious mind and will of Mitchum Huntzberger.

I don't know what our options are, Pierre. But I know that giving Mitchum the power to rule our lives, is not an option.

It was evident to Pierre, that the determination in Rory's eye was real. The one thing in life, that she really feared, was being controlled by Mitchum Huntzberger.

- Then we will stand strong beside you. We will fight this war together, Rory.

The chapters to come are a lot more fun:

Chapter 7: "Are we not in Stars Hollow anymore?" is the birthday party that Honor and Lorelai are having for Leia. I promise that it will be crasy. Between Lorelai's fantasy and Honors AmEx Black Card great things can happen ;-)

Chapter8: "The thirty-something-party". Is the grown-up party following Leia's birthday party...

Chapter 9: "We are all fools in love". Is about April and Finn.

Chapter 10: "In the meantime". Starts at Rory and Logan's wedding spring 2017 and tells the stories we missed until spring 2021. It will likely become 3 chapters since there are some very good stories hidden in that period of time, we don't want to miss. The wedding, Leia's baptism, a crazy LDB new years party in Great Gatsby style and the budding romance between April and Finn.