That same night at the Huntzberger mansion:

"Mitchum!  Is that you?"  Shira shrieked from upstairs as Mitchum hung up his overcoat.  He had had a long day and did not feel like dealing with his wife right then. He knew she had heard of Logan's marriage by then. And he also knew that Shira knew he had already known about it. Mitchum figured she was up for a fight.  He groaned and ignored her first call.  He walked into the kitchen to find his dinner.  He found a platter with some sort of herbed chicken, mashed potatoes, and spinach with almond slices.

"Mitchum?  I know you can hear me,"  Shira called again, the voice getting closer.  Mitchum hear footsteps coming down the stairs as he heated the plate in the frig. "There you are,"  Shira said entering the kitchen.

"Good evening, Shira.  How was your day?"  Mitchum asked with mock interest as he watched the seconds tick down on the microwave timer.

"Don't you 'good evening' me!  You knew!  You knew what Logan did in Vegas.  And you knew about that Gilmore girl!  Or, should I say that Gilmore-Hayden girl?"  Shira accused.

"I'm tired and hungry, Shira.  I'm not playing games.  Please just tell me exactly what your problem is with all this because I am sure you have one,"  Mitchum said taking his plate out of the microwave.  He took it to the counter, sat on a stool, and looked at Shira.  Shira was looking a bit disheveled.  She was in leggings and one of Logan's old sweatshirts.  Her hair was still styled from earlier in the day, but had lost it's perfect form.  It looked a little wild with stray hairs flying everywhere.  Her face and lips were bare of makeup.  Oddly, Mitchum found her more attractive this way.  It was the real Shira.  He had liked and been attracted to the woman he met years and years ago in a bar.  She was free and confident.  He had come to despise the phony, immaculately groomed woman with an attitude she had become. 

"Mitchum!  You know exactly what I am talking about!  You let them set me up,"  she pouted.

"I did not let anyone 'set you up', Shira.  Yes, I knew the kids got married.  And, yes, I knew Rory was not only a Gilmore, but a Hayden too.  I found the latter detail out on my own a while ago when I was following her career,"  Mitchum said taking a bite of the chicken he had heated up.  "This is really good. What is this on here?  Rosemary?"

"Oh, how the hell would I know?  I didn't cook it!"  Shira said.  "Why wouldn't you tell me those two things?"

"Shira, you aren't exactly easy to talk to.  You only hear and see what you want, not what anyone actually says.  And you had already made your mind up about Rory.  You and Dad decided what was best for Logan without even consulting me or asking my opinion.  He is my son and I had no opinion or say in his life, except for the business part.  Why would you have listened to me now?"  Mitchum answered calmly while still eating his chicken.  He sampled the mashed potatoes and said, "Yeah, I definitely think it's rosemary.  Do me a favor, keep this cook.  I like it."

"Do you a favor?  Like you did me a favor?  You let Emily and Francine humiliate me!"  Shira exclaimed dramatically.

"Oh don't be a drama queen.  I am certain you were not humiliated.  You know how to handle yourself.  Hell, you've been pretending to be a society lady for years.  You have that phony smile and talk down perfectly,"  Mitchum said polishing off the potatoes and the last of the chicken.

"I have not been pretending to be anything!  I am Shira Huntzberger, your wife!  If you didn't spend so much time in California with HER, perhaps you would care more about things here and this family.  Elias and I had to plan for the future, ensure the Huntzberger legacy,"  Shira said.

"This has nothing to do with California, Shira.  I tried for years to care about my wife.  I tried to make us a real family, not some stupid figureheads.  But my wife was too concerned about being Shira Huntzberger, so I gave up and concentrated my energies on work,"  Mitchum said standing and carrying his plate to the sink.  He turned towards her with sad eyes and a depressed expression.  He said, "God, what happened to you?  What happened to this Shira?  The one in sweatpants and messed up hair?  I could talk to her.  I used to like to talk to her.  Now I live with a mannequin that is always worried about keeping up or beating the Joneses.  You don't care about anyone but yourself,"  Mitchum's sad expression faded as he pulled himself together.  More stoically, he said, "Logan is happy.  Rory is, and always has been, a good thing for him.  Maybe now that you know she is a Hayden too you will give her a chance.  And maybe you can have some sort of real relationship with your only son before it's too late.  I've gotten the chance to know the kid lately as a son, not a prop we drag out to make a good impression.  He miraculously, despite our influence, grew up to be a fine man.  You should really get to know him, Shira."

Shira was then left alone in the kitchen.  The sad look that Shira saw on Mitchem's face haunted her.  And his words rang in her head.  She sat on the stool Mitchum had vacated.  For the first time in years, Shira thought about her son and husband as people and not pawns to be used to her advantage.  She remembered when she and Mitchum had met and how things were so different in the beginning.  She didn't care for the guilt and shame she suddenly felt.

She dug her cellphone out of the pocket of her sweatshirt.

Back in California the next morning

Early the next morning, Logan and Rory were roused out of their sleep by the piercing ringing of the house phone.  Logan clumsily pulled his arm out from under Rory and reached towards the nightstand knocking over a lamp in the process. Rory jumped waking to the crash of the lamp.  She sat up next to Logan to hear who was calling at this early hour.

"Hello?"  he said with sleep still in his voice.

Shira's shrill voice filled the room loud enough for Rory to hear on the other side of the bed.  Logan grimaced and moved the phone away from his head.  "Logan!  Thank God you are there!  I tried calling your cell phone all night.  You didn't answer!"  Logan fumbled for his cell phone.  He held it up and saw several missed calls.  He had purposely silenced it the night before knowing Shira would call.  "Why weren't you answering?" she demanded.

"Mom, I was on the road, coming in from L.A.  We got in late and went to bed,"  Logan said sighing.

"WE?  I assume you mean you and your wife?"  Shira asked.

"Yes, I do mean me and RORY, my wife,"  Logan said leaning back against the pillow and holding the phone between his and Rory's heads.  Rory rolled her eyes as she listened.  She had known this call was coming and braced herself for Shira's insults.

"Is Rory there now?"  Shira asked.

"Yeah, she's next to me.  Why?"  Logan asked suspiciously.

"Hello, Rory.  I just wanted to congratulate you both and welcome Rory to the family,"  Shira said shocking Logan into silence.  He just stared at the phone not sure what to say.  Rory didn't want to speak until Logan said something.  "Logan? Logan?  Are you still there?" Shira asked.

"Yeah, Mom.  I'm still here,"  Logan said.  "Uh, thank you."

Shira laughed uncomfortably, "Emily and Francine are making plans for a small ceremony and reception here when you two return.  I'm sure it will be lovely.  Be sure to tell them I would love to assist if they would allow it."

"Ummm, yes, thank you, Shira.  Yes, my grandmothers are taking over the planning for me on this.  They both have impeccable taste, so I am sure it will be great.  I am pretty sure they have everything under control, but I will tell them,"  Rory said cordially.

"Yes, both of your grandmothers do have unmatched style and class,"  Shira said.  Then she hesitantly said, "I had no idea you were Francine's granddaughter, Rory."

"Mom, it doesn't matter who she is related to!  I love Rory and wanted to marry her.  This wasn't some society blending of families!  We don't care about the names or proper matches!"  Logan said getting defensive of Rory.

"Logan, I wasn't going there, really I wasn't.  I was actually going to apologize," Shira said softly.

"Apologize?  For what, Mom?"  Logan asked with his guard up.

"For my treatment of Rory years ago.  I did, and still do, want the best for you.  However, I was too concerned with names and status at the time to care about your feelings or needs.  For that, I apologize," Shira said meekly.

Logan was silent again, not certain how to answer.  "Wow.  Thank you, Shira,"  Rory said filling the silence.

"Where's this coming from, Mom?"  Logan asked still not quite believing what his mother was saying.

"Your father and I talked last night.  He helped me to see some things that I lost sight of over the years,"  Shira said.

"What the hell was that?  Do you think she's drinking this early in the day or something?"  Rory asked after Logan hung up the phone.

"I have no idea,"  Logan said.  He paused, his forehead wrinkling as he said, "She actually sounded sincere, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she kind of did.  Is this a trick?  Or is it because she knows I am a Hayden now?"  Rory asked.

"I have no idea.  I gave up trying to figure out my parents years ago.  But she claimed it wasn't.  It's just hard to believe Shira is suddenly not concerned with status or names.  I mean, this is the woman that wouldn't let me play with a boy in third grade because he was at the school on scholarship,"  Logan said.

"That's awful.  Kids thought I went to Chilton on scholarship at first.  Poor kid.  I hope he's successful now,"  Rory said sympathetically.

"Oh yeah, he's a corporate lawyer.  I believe he may make more than me!"  Logan joked.  "Well, whatever, we'll deal with Shira when we get home."  Logan got up and pulled on a shirt.  "You've been up for a full 35 minutes with no coffee!  As your husband, it is my duty to remedy that situation,"  he said as he kissed her and headed for the kitchen to start the coffee.