The Anderson Family ValuesPart 1"Remind me, why is it you can't come over tonight?" Kurt asked Blaine sitting across from him at a freshly cleaned table at Ohio's Lima Bean. Blaine gave him a guilty look taking a sip of coffee before answering his question.
"We're having a family dinner tonight." He answered emphasizing on the 'family dinner' part, he rolled his eyes and went on. "It's all part of a bonding thing that my mom wants us to try." Blaine looked over at the busy desk where people were ordering their drinks. He began to wonder if anyone of those people would have a stack of family problems as high as his. Of course he loved his family, especially his younger sister and older brother but things were so strained and he felt it was all his fault. Ever since he came out as being gay things had just gotten worse and worse, the Anderson's were once seen as a perfect family. People complemented them on how close they all seemed, how lovely and polite their children were, how handsome and hardworking the father was and how beautiful the mother. However now, anyone who knew them walked by with a polite smile on their face, thinking 'Thank god my family never turned out like theirs.'
"I guess I can understand." Kurt said bring Blaine's attention back to him. "Just call me after and tell me how it goes, will you?" He took his hand and squeezed it tightly in his.
"Of course." Blaine replied smiling at him.
Later that evening a majority of the Anderson's sat around the table. Sat next to Blaine was Alice the youngest of the children, a gorgeous, talented girl with deep drown eyes and the trademark Anderson family dark curls. She looked down at her empty plate, her leg swinging beneath the table almost nervously. Across from her sat the eldest son, Ryan. A handsome twenty year old who spent most of his time studying at University to become a doctor, when he wasn't there he escaped the family troubles by staying with his long-term girlfriend Stacey. Next to him was their mother, Tanya, still beautiful despite the lines of stress and age appearing on her face, she pattered her fingers on the table impatiently, quietly annoyed as next to her was a seat at the head of the table where her husband should have been sitting. Blaine let out a sigh, they had been waiting for almost half an hour. All sitting tensely awaiting Richard Anderson's arrival. The dinner sat in the middle of the table would be getting cold.
"Can we just eat?" Alice mumbled quietly, not her usual confident self.
"No!" Their mother snapped. "This is a family dinner, I told your father about our plans. He'll probably have just been kept back at work." Her eyes moved to the door of the well designed dining room. The room was much like rest of the large house that the family stayed in, well furnished with expensive items and filled with family pictures of happier times which the whole family hated but wouldn't dare say. They were well off in many different ways but a good relationship was something they found hard to maintain.
"You honestly still believe he's going to show?" Ryan finally said sick of waiting.
Tanya sighed, shaking her head. "Fine, you kids eat but leave some for your father and I. I'll have dinner with him when he appears." With that she left the room and the children started to dig in to the meal their stay at home mother had been working on all day for this special family dinner.
"I knew this would happen." Ryan said filling his plate with potatoes. "Do want some Alice?"
"Yeah, please." She answered quietly.
"Hey, don't worry about it to much ok. He's an idiot for not showing but you can't say you didn't expect it." He said trying to comfort her.
"I know, to be honest I'm kind of glad he didn't come. It would have been awkward anyway." Alice said. Her brothers smiled in silent agreement whilst they all began to eat. "Oh gosh, it's freezing!" She laughed almost back to her old ways.
"Are you guys up for putting this down the drain and telling mom we're going out for some bonding time when really we're getting pizza?" Ryan suggesting, poking at the cold beef on his plate.
"Yes." Blaine and Alice said in unison. The three of them quickly put their plan into action and were out the door soon enough. Unknowingly to them Tanya had figured out exactly what they had done but rather than it annoying her it made her smile, this to her proved that there was still hope left in her family. Her children got on perfectly and that was enough to keep her happy for the time being. She grabbed a cloth and began to clean the empty plates awaiting the arrival of her husband.
"Well I am officially stuffed." Blaine said coming out of the pizza restaurant his brother and sister at either side of him. They all laughed as they slowly walked along the pavement.
"Let's just walk around for a bit, work off the food. I'm not in any hurry to get home anytime soon." said Ryan, he didn't need an answer to know that his younger siblings would agree with him.
"So Ryan, have you made any plans as to how you're going to tell dad about the whole University/Stacey situation?" Alice wondered. This was a good moment for them all to catch up, she always enjoyed times like these with her brothers despite the fact her father wasn't the best topic of discussion it just was just nice to be able to talk about things with someone. Not a lot of people had the closeness she shared with them so she took full advantage of it.
"I don't know how." He sighed. "I mean what way is there to tell your father that you dropped out of University to be with your girlfriend who you got pregnant."
"That's true, but in a way Stacey getting pregnant was a godsend, you never wanted to be a doctor." Blaine added. "And plus you two have been together since you were sixteen at least it's with someone you love." It was dark out but they continued to walk feeling safe in each others company.
"I know, I am happy about it. though it wasn't planned things always happen for a reason. I just need to figure out how to tell dad. Telling mom was easy but I know it's putting pressure on her that he doesn't know yet." He looked down at the stone pavement. For two years he had been living his fathers dream of becoming a doctor but he didn't have the guts to tell him that it wasn't what he wanted. Ryan looked at his brother, he admired him for coming out and being open about being gay. He knew it wasn't just some silly phase and honestly he was glad for him. However their father hadn't been so joyful about it, it was almost embarrassing the way his father had acted. Quiet at first, then trying every thing he could to see if he could change him but it was stupid to think fixing cars and a few football games would change anything.
"And what about New Directions?" Alice continued to question them. "Are they treating you well?"
"Yeah it's going pretty good, they've accepted me mostly with open arms." He answered. Suddenly he remembered something. "Hey guys, I forgot to tell you!" Blaine jogged to stand in front, stopping them in their tracks. Alice smiled at Ryan. "You are now looking at the male lead for McKinley High's production of Westside Story!"
Alice squealed, clapping. "You're playing Tony?" Blaine nodded taking her in his arms as she came over to hug him. "Congratulations!"
"Well done, Blaine." Ryan congratulated him, hugging him once Alice had been pulled away from her tight hold.
"We better get tickets!" She giggled pointing her finger at him.
"You definitely will, I promise." He told them. "We better start heading back before mom gets worried." He mentioned looking down at his watch before they turned back and headed towards the car.
"You know, I've also got a little announcement to make." Alice teased.
"Oh yeah, what's that?" Blaine asked her, playing along with her.
"You know how I tried out for the Glee club at St. Mary's?" She began to tell them. Alice had just recently joined St. Mary's High School for girls, she was a sophomore and was keen to join as many clubs as she could. "Well, not only did I get in but they promoted me straight away to lead singer!" Her face lit up as her brothers both hugged and congratulated her.
"Wow, I'm really going to have to up my game." Laughed Ryan, both shocked and happy about his families number of achievements. They drove home slowly, talking and laughing most of the way doing the same as they walked in the door. The house was quiet and reeked of tension, they realised their father must still not be home. Blaine opened the living room door and found Tanya sitting on the clean, white leather sofa staring up at the clock. She wiped her eyes quickly before standing up and greeting them with a faint smile.
"Mom, are you ok?" Blaine asked coming over and putting his arm around her.
"Of course, don't be silly. No need to worry about me. What were you three up to?" She asked quickly changing the subject. They fell silent, looking at one another half in wonder about their mother and half unsure what excuse to use.
"We went to the movies to see that new film." Ryan quickly thought. "You know the one about, uhm, zombies?"
"You kids." Tanya said putting on a brave face. "I don't understand how you bring yourselves to watch things like that." She laughed leaving the room, deciding to distract herself from her worries and annoyance by doing the washing she had left aside this morning so she could plan her meal. Her children watched her awkwardly, worried about their poor, stressed mom.
It wasn't until 10pm that evening until Richard Anderson finally staggered in the door. Ryan, Blaine and Alice were sitting comfortably on the sofas watching a movie when they heard him coming in, it wasn't long before the patter of their mothers feet were heard coming down the stairs. They exchanged worried looks.
"Where have you been?" Tanya snapped from behind the door.
Ryan began to speak quietly. "Maybe we should-"
"Where else would I have been, Tanya?" Richard mumbled drunkenly, almost laughing. He noisily took off his coat and shoes.
"But how can we-" Alice was interrupted.
"Look at you Richard, you're a mess." Tanya spoke, the anger obvious in her voice.
"I love you too, honey." He laughed again.
"We were meant to have a nice meal with the kids tonight. I was worried about you." She ignored his sarcasm.
"A nice meal?" He questioned, now shouting. "One of them is gay and another has a split personality. I only have one and a half nice kids." It wasn't often that Alice's problem was brought into these arguments that occurred often between her parents, however today it seemed it was and it broke her heart. The families strain had had a huge effect on Alice, especially when her father found out that she had known all along that Blaine was gay. The two had once shared a very close father-daughter relationship but as he pushed her away more and more she began to mentally breakdown. Memories of being dragged to hospital flashed into her head, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and taking pills every day to prevent it.
"Richard you are drunk, please go to bed and sleep it off."
"Don't tell me what to do, you're not my mother." Richard shouted before falling through the living room door. "Oh hello, nice family." He mumbled.
Alice put her face in her hands before running past him and heading up the stairs. "I see we have the bad side of her today then." He laughed shaking his head. Blaine stood up quickly glaring down at his feet and shoving past his drunk father, following Alice's footsteps. Richard rolled his eyes and made his way to the kitchen grabbing a bottle of wine from a cupboard and drinking from it. Upstairs Blaine sat on his sisters bedroom floor, she cried into his shoulder as he did his best to hold his own tears back. This was not the first time they had been in the same sort of position this week, in the past 5 days Richard had came home drunk for 3 of them and on the other 2 he had drank at home. One thing was for certain, Richard Anderson, once known as a handsome hardworking father of three was now a bitter and raging alcoholic.