Carole knows that she has absolutely no right to be upset. But sometimes, she just can't help it. Their family isn't conventional in the least, but it's a family nonetheless, and despite the rather odd circumstances, the four of them had managed to make it work. Sort of.
That's a lie. Things were working out better than Carole could have ever dreamed. And the only reason that's true is because she'd only really been worried about Finn, and how he would adjust living in a new house with a new family and a brother with whom he didn't share the most spectacular history. She'd never given a second thought to Kurt.
Finn had become accustomed rather quickly to their new lifestyle, accepting Burt as his father figure, and going to him about things concerning football, girls, and cars. Carole thoroughly enjoyed watching her son and her husband bond over things like that.
She only wished she had that type of relationship with Kurt.
It was understandable, at least, that Kurt didn't accept her as readily as Finn had accepted Burt. Unlike Finn, Kurt had been older when his mother died. He remembered her. Had memories. He'd known his mother. Finn hadn't known his father. Kurt didn't need a new mom. He had one. Finn didn't know the difference. It was for this reason that Carole felt like a horrible person for wanting more than what she was given.
It wasn't like Kurt was rude to her, because he wasn't. He was polite, and kind. He asked her about her day, and gave her stellar fashion advice. But beyond the niceties exchanged across the dinner table, Carole and Kurt didn't share much more. They never went on outings on the weekends, or sat together and discussed the royal wedding, and how beautiful Kate had looked in her bridal gown.
She's kind of jealous of Burt in that way. That he was able to say that he truly had two sons. Carole could only smile faintly and say she had a son and a stepson. There is a difference. At least there is to her. And whenever Kurt thanks her for making dinner then disappears to his room to do homework or call Blaine, it isn't anymore apparent to her.
She doesn't know how to make an effort without seeming to try too hard. Kurt can smell insincerity a mile a way, and she doesn't want him to think that she feels obligated to try and bond with him. She wants him to know that a relationship with him is something that she really and truly wants.
Kurt doesn't need her like Finn needs Burt, and sometimes that hurts a lot more than it should.
Carole knows she's a good mother, especially for raising a son by herself for sixteen years, but she is honestly stumped as to what her next move should be. She asks Kurt about how things are going in school, what is going on in Glee club, and about how Blaine is doing. But beyond that, she feels like there isn't much more to say. And as much as Carole would like that not to be true, it is just a simple fact. She's learning to accept that Kurt is simply too old and too independent to need her. Finn is fragile and child-like in a way that Kurt never was, and the need for a father-figure had always been there. Hence his latching on to Mr. Schuester and Burt. Kurt never really needed anyone, especially not her.
AN: Short and sweet Carole angst based off of a promt on the glee_angst_meme on livejournal. Please review to let me know what you think!