"Oh my God, your room is so much bigger than mine! And you have a balcony!" Kurt gushed, leaving Carole's suitcase near the doorway and rushing over to step outside. He looked down at the bustling Miami pier with a wide smile.
Carole joined him at the railing, linking her arm through his. "It truly is lovely. I'm glad you suggested this."
Kurt shrugged, and turned to face her. "It's time to make some new traditions, while still honoring the past. Dad would have liked that."
"Maybe we can go to a warm place for Christmas whenever you aren't working on a show. I don't mind being in New York either," Carole said, hugging him close. "You are as much my son now as Finn was, Kurt. You know I love you with all my heart."
Kurt could feel his eyes filling with tears, and from the way Carole sniffed, she was getting emotional too. He was sure this would be happening a lot the next week and didn't hold back. "Love you too," he said with a wobbly voice, squeezing her tight.
It was a few minutes before they pulled back, looking for tissues to wipe their faces and blow their noses.
Kurt took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "So, what do you want to do now? Would you like a nap or to go get some food or a drink? I'd like to show you around the ship too. I don't have to get ready for work until after supper."
Carole smiled. "Just give me an hour to settle in a bit and change. Then maybe we can get lunch before we explore, OK?"
Nodding, Kurt made arrangements for when and where to meet later on, before leaving Carole on her own.
...
"Carole, here's a few more of my friends," Kurt said, as Sam, Sebastian and Blaine joined their table. It was full now, with Tina, Mercedes and Rachel on Carole's other side. He introduced them to his stepmother.
"My word, do they only hire supermodels to work on this ship?" Carole said, giving them a friendly look.
Sebastian chuckled. "I like your step-mom already."
Carole gave them a speculative look. "Kurt, you must be having a good time, with so many handsome men to choose from."
Kurt sputtered, almost choking on his cheesecake. "Carole! I'm- "
"-picky," Blaine said, laying a hand on Kurt's forearm. He gave Carole his most charming grin. "We are all after Kurt, but he isn't easily impressed."
Her gaze took in the way Blaine's hand was still on Kurt's arm. "Hmmmm... and what do you do on this ship, Blaine?"
"He is the musician in the piano bar," Tina supplied.
"Really, he's quite amazing," Mercedes added, "he can sing and play almost any song requested from memory."
Rachel nodded. "And such a beautiful voice. We really should do a duet sometime."
Carole seemed bemused by their eager praise. "And Sam and Sebastian? Are you musicians too?"
Sam shook his head. "Only in our off hours, for fun. I run the climbing wall and Sebastian is the ship's doctor."
"Really? You seem too young to be a doctor," Carole peered at Sebastian a bit closer.
He shrugged. "Kurt mentioned you are a retired nurse. I can show you around the medical center if you are interested."
"Maybe tomorrow," Blaine said, "tonight she's coming to my show."
Carole chuckled, loving all the attention. She reached around Kurt to pat Blaine's hand. "Tonight, I'm watching Kurt's show, but maybe we can come by after."
...
And she'll promise you more than the garden of Eden
Then she'll carelessly cut you and laugh while you're bleeding
But she brings out the best and the worst you can be
Blame it all on yourself 'cause she's always a woman to me
Kurt wrapped his arm over Carole's shoulders, hugging her against his side. She already had a tissue out, pressing it against her face as tears streamed down.
"Are you OK," Kurt asked softly. "We can leave if it's too much for you."
Carole shook her head. "No, no... it's lovely. Blaine is singing it so well. You know how much this reminds me of your Dad."
Kurt understood, taking her hand for the rest of the song.
Blaine finished to a round of applause, and said he was taking a break. Within a few minutes, he settled in the chair beside Kurt.
"That was wonderful, Blaine," Carole said, her eyes showing how touched she was.
He looked pleased. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. My favorite artists to perform are Billy Joel, Freddie Mercury and Elton John."
"I'll be back in a second," Carole said, rushing towards the washroom.
Kurt sighed as he watched her go. He felt a hand on his forearm and looked down to see Blaine's resting there.
"Are you doing OK? It must be hard seeing Carole so upset." Blaine asked, concern showing in his amber brown eyes.
Nodding quickly, Kurt was surprised to feel wetness on his cheek. He scrambled to grab a paper napkin to wipe it away and dab at the corners of his eyes. "We already had a good cry when I showed her to her room, but obviously lots of feelings are being pulled up. We haven't seen each other since the funeral, even though we talk on the phone and face time often."
Blaine shifted closer and took Kurt in a loose hug. "Let it out. It's healthy. Your Dad was an incredible man you both loved a lot."
The words pushed Kurt's emotions over the top, and he tucked his face against Blaine's shoulder, taking deep breaths. Trying to control himself. He could feel Blaine's hand lightly stroking up and down his back.
A couple minutes later, he sensed movement nearby. He sat back up, Blaine's arm shifting to rest along the top of his chair.
Carole's eyes were a bit red from recent tears, but she gave them a warm smile. "Sorry for all that."
"It's OK, don't worry about it," Kurt said, reaching out to take her hand.
She squeezed it tight and didn't let go. "I'm really happy I came. It's good to see you with your old friends and your new ones," her gaze shifted to Blaine. "Creating a family wherever you are."
Blaine nodded. "The cruise ship crew is like that. Most of us work with the same people for years, and we spend our free time together. There are people here from all over the world."
One more squeeze and she got up. "I'm a little tired now. Goodnight, you two."
Kurt jumped up, offering to help her back to her room, but she declined. He sunk back down in his chair as she left.
"Maybe it was a mistake to invite her here," Kurt said softly, almost to himself.
Blaine sipped his water. "How has she been doing, the past few months?"
Shrugging a shoulder, Kurt looked a bit lost. His eyes seemed almost too large in his face. "Over the phone, she seemed OK. She has a lot of friends in our town, and some of them are divorced or widowed too. She even joined a bowling league."
"I think this trip will be good for both of you. You'll be able to spend lots of time together, talk about the past, but also make some new memories. I'll help, we'll all help," Blaine said earnestly.
"Thanks," Kurt said, his eyes meeting and holding Blaine's.
It took everything in Blaine to hold back from leaning in and kissing Kurt right then. His eyes were such a stormy blue, drawing Blaine in. Wanting to kiss him softly, distract him from his sad thoughts. Show how much he cared.
But Kurt had already clearly stated he wasn't interested. It would break the fragile friendship they had forged in recent weeks to kiss him when he was so vulnerable.
"Um," Blaine looked away, and fumbled to think straight. "I better get back to work."
Kurt managed a smile, but it was a bit wobbly.
Back at the piano, Blaine launched into a song from Little Mermaid, the audience chuckling as they recognized it.
Look at this stuff
Isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?
Wouldn't you think I'm the girl
The girl who has ev'rything?
Blaine had picked it to cheer Kurt up, something fun and familiar. He had also asked the bartender to make the largest, most ridiculous cocktail he could, with chunks of fruit and fancy straws sticking out of the enormous glass. He chuckled as he saw the expression on Kurt's face as it got delivered and winked at him when Kurt shot him a glare.
He sang the song, loud and proud, channeling his inner mermaid. Merman?
Feeling good as Kurt started eating the fruit, taking long sips of the drink, and seeming to get into the song.
When's it my turn?
Wouldn't I love
Love to explore that shore above?
Out of the sea
Wish I could be
Part of that world...
Blaine finished off the song, his eyes on Kurt, and then had to look away. What would it be like, being part of Kurt's world? Living in New York, Kurt at his side, walking down those crowded sidewalks and riding in the subway?
"Um, thanks, thanks...," Blaine said, smiling to the audience. "And now, since it's almost Christmas, I like to sing a song that is very popular in England this time of year. It's a duet though, so maybe you can all encourage a friend of mine to join me? Kurt Hummel...!"
Blaine threw his hand out towards Kurt, and everyone's heads turned that way. Kurt froze, having just taken a big bite from a spear of pineapple, his eyes big and unblinking at the sudden attention.
"Come on over here, Kurt! You can bring along your drink," Blaine grinned at his friend fondly.
The audience was cheering and encouraging him, so eventually Kurt nodded and walked over, just shaking his head at Blaine for putting him on the spot like this.
A server grabbed his half-done drink from the table and put it on the top of the piano with a napkin. Florence had her cellphone out, and Blaine knew she was recording this. Blaine winked at her. He'd be asking for a copy later.
It was Christmas Eve, babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me
"Won't see another one"
And then he sang a song
'The Rare Old Mountain Dew'
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you...
The song started out slow, just Blaine singing with his piano. He was pretty sure Kurt would know it, since he was such an Anglophile. He finished the second verse, and was almost holding his breath. Would Kurt sing? Did he know it? The speed of the song picked up.
They've got cars big as bars
They've got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you;
It's no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me Broadway
Was waiting for me...
Blaine grinned widely as Kurt belted the verse out perfectly, and the audience was swaying and cheering along.
"You're a bum, you're a punk," Kurt sang, his eyes twinkling with mischief at Blaine.
"You're an old slut on junk, lying there almost dead, on a drip in that bed," Blaine sang back.
"You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot. Happy Christmas, your arse, I pray God it's our last."
Sure, it didn't have the charming flirting of 'Baby It's Cold Outside', but this cheeky Christmas song has certainly cheered Kurt up.
Tomorrow was Christmas Day, and Blaine was playing a few sets of Christmas carols all over the ship during the day. Maybe he could convince Kurt to join him in a few more duets.
The piano bar was closed tomorrow, but there was a big Christmas show that evening that Kurt was a part of, along with his Broadway group. Blaine was going to watch it with Carole.
They finished the song, and Blaine took Kurt's hand to do some bows to the audience.
One of the servers put a stool on one side of the piano, and Kurt moved over to it. He stayed there for the rest of the set, enjoying his massive drink and singing along to the songs along with everyone else.
...
-'Always A Woman To Me' by Billy Joel, from the 1977 album 'The Stranger'.
-'Part of You World' from the 1989 Little Mermaid soundtrack.
-'The Fairytale of New York' by The Pogues, featuring Kirsty MacColl. This 1987 song is extremely popular in the UK. "Fairytale of New York has been crowned the greatest Christmas tune of all time by music lovers. The Pogues hit featuring Kirsty MacColl ranked above Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You and Wham's Last Christmas." (The Mirror, Nov 2018).
