January 1921
Blaine
Blaine rolls over in bed, and when his arm reaches out to wrap around Kurt, it sinks into a cold pillow. Blaine wakes up fully and remembers that it's Saturday. He notices that it's 7 AM, which means that Kurt has already left to go to Mitchel Field.
He lazes in bed, recalling the conversation that they had last Saturday evening. Kurt was so excited when he returned from the airfield, filled with talk about the latest fighter planes, the civilian flying club, and Lieutenant Elliott Gilbert.
"Elliott is such a good flyer… Elliott knows everyone and introduced me to so many people… Elliott had me try an Oreo cookie. Have you heard of those?…. Elliott invited me to come each Saturday... I'm definitely going to join the flying club…. Elliott..."
Blaine presses the heel of his hands into his eyes as he tries to get a hold of his emotions. It's not that he doesn't want Kurt to have separate hobbies and friends, because he really does. He's been down this road before when Kurt had insisted on living at the boarding house. Joining the tennis club was his best decision ever. Not only did he get fitter, but he met some new friends and gained some independence. He knows that he and Kurt can't do every single thing together.
Blaine also knows that what he's really worried about is Elliott Gilbert, who seems to have become an important person in Kurt's life so quickly. It doesn't help matters that Elliott is tall and handsome. He's clearly interested in Kurt, judging by the way he behaved at the Hamptons Horse Show last September, and Blaine doesn't understand why Kurt doesn't see this. However, Blaine knows that Kurt loves him. Blaine trusts Kurt, and he needs to stop being ridiculous.
He quickly showers, dresses, and heads downstairs to the kitchen. After eating a light breakfast, he takes out all the ingredients to make a cheesecake. Earlier in the week, he gathered the courage to speak to the owner at the local bakery, who was only too happy to share his cheesecake recipe. He gets out his new Kitchenaid mixer. When he was at the restaurant supply shop earlier in the week, he noticed this new appliance for home kitchens and couldn't help but buy it. What better way to christen it than with his first attempt at making a cheesecake.
Once the cheesecake is prepared, he places it into the oven and makes note of the time. He wanders aimlessly around the place, looking for something to do. He and Kurt are tidy people by nature, and they spent a couple of hours yesterday cleaning their home from top to bottom. He now wishes that they had gone out and had fun instead, leaving the cleaning for him today. He goes through the music discs, but nothing suits his fancy. Perhaps he'll go to the library and borrow some new books. It's a pity that the tennis club is closed during the winter months.
When the telephone rings, Blaine rushes to the corridor to answer it.
"Good morning, Blaine. It's Rachel. Are you doing anything special today?"
"Hi, Rachel. No, I have something in the oven, but it should be finished baking in half an hour."
"Oh, good. You must come over as soon as you can. Yesterday, I bought some new sheet music. I even managed to get the score for a new musical, 'Irene'. It would be great if you could accompany me on the piano and help with the backup singing. Kurt can come as well."
"Kurt is at the airfield all day, but I would love to come. I'll see you in an hour."
When Collins, the butler, opens the front door, he immediately sends Blaine to the music room. He discovers Rachel sitting on the floor with music sheets scattered around her. She's wearing a black shirt with a huge gold bow emblazoned on front and a maroon A-line skirt. Not for the first time, he wonders where she finds her clothing. Rachel should really do all her clothes shopping with Kurt in the future.
Rachel immediately jumps up and gives him a hug. "Blaine, I'm so happy that you could come!"
"Good morning, Rachel. Thank you for inviting me. I was at loose ends, wondering what I would do today. I can't wait to see Carole. I have a little present for her."
Rachel takes the parcel from Blaine. "She's already had her morning nap. Finn bundled her up and took her for a stroll in the park. I suspect that they are in a tea shop, keeping warm. He was worried that we would be too noisy for her."
Rachel opens the parcel and takes a Raggedy Ann doll from the box. "Ooh, this is lovely, although she's a bit young to play with her."
"I thought as much, but the doll can sit on her dresser and keep Carole company until she is older."
Blaine glances at the sheet music covering the floor. "Do you need some help deciding what to sing first?"
"I've already decided which songs we are going to perform before lunch. I hope you're staying for lunch. I've already told everyone that you are."
Blaine laughs at Rachel's enthusiasm. It's certainly what he needs today to get himself out of his funk. "Yes, of course, I'll stay for lunch."
The next hour zooms by as Blaine plays the piano while Rachel sings. He has missed spending time with Rachel, and it's a fun way to pass the time. They only pause for breath when Finn enters the room.
"Hi, Blaine. I've been sent upstairs to let you both know that lunch is ready." He goes to Rachel and gives a her a quick kiss. "Carole fell asleep on the way back from the park. Nanny is with her in the nursery."
When they enter the dining room, Blaine is surprised to see his grandmother already seated. He immediately goes to her and gives her a peck on the cheek. "Granny, I hadn't realized that you were going to be here. It's so good to see you again."
"Is it, Blaine? I thought you were avoiding me," June Dalloway replies, pursing her lips.
Blaine looks at her sheepishly, because he kind of was avoiding her. "I've been really busy with the new restaurant. There was so much to do before we could start the renovations."
"When can I see it?" June asks.
"Finn's crew started demolishing the old kitchen this week. It's extremely dusty and quite a mess."
Fortunately, Finn pipes in with an amusing story about how the Polish workers found hidden cash behind the old shelving structure in a storeroom. They promptly gave it to Blaine, who split the money fairly amongst the crew. It turns out the money was from the Civil War era and is no longer legal tender. They plan to use the bank notes as wallpaper for the staffroom.
"And what is Kurt contributing to it all?" June asks.
Finn replies, "He's sort of the mastermind behind the scenes. He's got this schedule and things. Each Friday, I've got to tell him what we've done and what we plan to do the following week. I also give him receipts of any money I've spent."
June smirks. "So, he's got the cushy office job."
Blaine mentally rolls his eyes. Why does Granny make everything Kurt does sound less than adequate? "That isn't entirely fair, Granny. Kurt is doing a great deal of planning for the restaurant area as well. His role will get busier once the basic structure is in place. He'll be in charge of the restaurant front, and I'll be in charge of the kitchen."
"I'd still like to see this place that seems to occupy all your time," June insists.
Blaine now feels guilty that he's been avoiding his granny and remembers Uncle Hiram's comment about her influence in Manhattan's society. "How about we make a standing lunch date on the first Saturday of each month? We can visit various eating establishments in Manhattan and check the competition, and I can tell you what is happening back at my restaurant. Once the debris is cleared, and the basic kitchen is in place, I can cook for you at Westerville's, and you can give me your opinion on new dishes."
Blaine thinks that his granny has never smiled so broadly before. "That's a marvelous idea, young man. I already have a restaurant in mind that we can visit next month. Of course it'll pale in comparison to yours."
When Collins enters the dining room carrying a soup tureen, the conversation shifts to current events, the weather, and Carole's newest developments. When they finish the last course, which consists of raspberry Jello with tinned fruit cocktail, Blaine decides that he's never going to serve this at Westerville's.
Rachel wipes her mouth with the linen napkin and sets it down on the table. "It's time to wake Carole up from her nap."
Blaine immediately jumps up to pull out her chair. "Can I join you?"
Rachel takes Blaine by the hand and leads the way up the stairs to the nursery, where Carole is sleeping soundly. Rachel brushes her cheek with a hand to gently wake her up. Carole smiles and kicks her feet as her mother picks her up. After a few minutes, Rachel asks, "Do you want to hold her?"
"Yes, please!" Blaine replies. He sits in the rocking chair and holds out his arms to take Carole. Blaine rubs his nose against hers and speaks sweetly to her. "When the weather is warmer, I hope your mommy and daddy will let me take you to Central Park. I'll swing you at the playground, and we can build castles in the sandbox. When we get tired, we can sit in the shade of one of the elm trees. Does that sound good, baby Carole?"
"I think she'd like that very much," Rachel confirms.
Blaine holds her up in the air and jiggles her a bit, and Carole gurgles with delight. He wrinkles his nose when a most unpleasant odor fills the air. "I think that someone needs a diaper change."
Rachel goes to the doorway and cries out, "Nanny! Where are you? Carole needs you at once!"
When the nanny scuttles into the nursery, Blaine hands over Carole immediately.
"Why don't you go downstairs and have coffee with the others?" Rachel suggests. "I'll be a little while because I need to feed Carole."
Blaine makes his exit and heads to the parlor, where Uncle Hiram and LeRoy are reading the newspapers. "Did Granny leave?"
"Yes, she had a few things to do this afternoon. Finn is escorting her home," LeRoy replies.
"I think you were very wise to make a standing date with your granny. She might be difficult at times, but she can also be your greatest ally," Uncle Hiram comments. "Now, tell me all about Kurt and the flying club. I assume that he's there today as well?"
"Last week, Kurt's presentation about his experiences in the Great War was a huge success. After flying the newest fighter plane, he told some more stories at the clubhouse afterwards. They have already made him an honorary member of the civilian flying club. It seems as if I'll be alone most Saturdays now."
Blaine flops his head back on the sofa and looks up at the ceiling. Alone on most Saturdays doesn't sound very good at all.
"I'm sure you'll fill those Saturdays very quickly."
"I'm not so sure about that, Uncle Hiram. There is no tennis during the winter, and I don't really want to join a gym. I've always had my music, but I don't have a piano. I need to save all my money for the restaurant. And every other thing I think of, I want to do with Kurt."
LeRoy exchanges a smile with Uncle Hiram. "This is what happens when life gets busy. There was a time when Hiram was busy building the business, and all our spare time revolved around Rachel. It takes time to get into a rhythm of when you do things separately and when you do things together."
Uncle Hiram says, "A rather interesting chap gave a presentation at the Men's Club last week - Ernest Coulter, who's a court clerk here in New York City. He has observed that many boys passing through the juvenile courts come from fatherless homes. He reasoned that a steady man's influence could help to curb their abnormal and sometimes criminal behavior. He has formed a Boys' Club where boys can participate in a range of fun activities, and each one could have an adult who would act as a mentor."
Uncle Hiram stands up and goes to the credenza and picks up a brochure. "The purpose of the talk was to raise money, and I plan to give a sizeable donation. I know from first-hand experience that it isn't easy raising a child when your spouse has died. I've noticed that you have a way with babies, and your mother has told me how good you are with Cooper's children. You would be such an excellent mentor for a young boy who needs some guidance."
Uncle Hiram gives the Boys' Club brochure to Blaine, who puts it inside his jacket breast pocket. He has a lot going on in his life at the moment, so he'll have to think about it.
Blaine is startled awake when he hears the front door open. He sets down his book that is lying on his stomach, and sits up straight in the armchair. He rubs the sleep out of his eyes, and looks at the wall clock to see that it is 10 PM.
Kurt rubs his hands and shivers. "It's cold out there. I hope I didn't wake you up."
Blaine looks over to see Kurt bend over to take off his boots, and his eyes linger on his butt and long lean legs. No matter how many times he sees Kurt, they are a wonder to behold.
When Kurt turns around, his cheeks are rosy, his eyes are sparkling and his pouty lips look so kissable. "I did wake you up."
Blaine shrugs. "I was reading Dream Psychology by Sigmund Freud. It turns out most everything in my dreams really just represents a penis."
Kurt's sweet laughter fills the air. He gives Blaine a kiss before flopping on the sofa.
"If you're hungry, there is some leftover ham and salad from dinner."
Kurt rubs his tummy. "I ate with the lads from the flying club. I'm really full."
"Too full to eat a piece of the cheesecake I made especially for you?" Blaine cajoles.
"That's so sweet of you, but I already ate a huge slice of pineapple upside-down cake. I'll bring it to my English class for the students tomorrow."
Blaine folds his arms across his chest and pouts. He feels a little bothered that he has gone to so much effort to bake a cheesecake for Kurt, who only plans on sharing it with his students. "You didn't tell me that you were teaching tomorrow. I thought you were only teaching the Polish men for an hour after work."
"That's true, but I'm doing a special Sunday afternoon class for their wives. They need to learn English, too."
"But when do I get a chance to see you? I was hoping that we could spend tomorrow together."
Kurt narrows his eyes. "Blaine, you see me all the time. We work together. We live together. We sleep together. I don't see what the big deal is if I do things without you."
Blaine gets up and sits next to Kurt. He takes Kurt's hand and gathers the courage to say what's on his mind. "I don't have a problem with you doing things without me, far from it. I can see how happy you are when you teach or spend time at the airfield with Elliott."
Kurt's eyes flash in anger. "Oh, is this about Elliott? I spend time with lots of men at the airfield. I don't know why you are so fixated on him. Don't you trust me?"
Blaine has a lot more on his mind than just Elliott, although he's ashamed to admit that he is a bit jealous of the man. "Of course I trust you. You're taking everything I say the wrong way."
"So how am I supposed to take it?"
"I-I miss you. I miss… I miss having fun with my best friend. It seems that all we ever do together is work, do stuff around the house, or sleep. It leaves very little time for us to spend alone, just being us."
Kurt scooches closer to Blaine. "I miss that, too. It's been ages since we had fun in the bedroom."
Kurt stands up and tugs at Blaine. The next thing that Blaine feels is Kurt's lips against his, giving him a toe-curling kiss.
"I think there is a large comfortable bed calling for us," Kurt purrs and heads toward the stairs, swinging his hips.
Blaine turns off the lights and checks that the front door is locked. He didn't mean that he missed having sex with Kurt, although it has been a while since they've been physically intimate. He misses hanging out in coffee shops, listening to music, and talking about the happenings in their lives and how they feel about it. However, maybe having sex again will lead to all the other things they've been missing.
Blaine climbs the stairs, eager to connect to his soulmate in any way that is on offer.
A few days later, Blaine has all the ingredients set out to make Somerset chicken. There aren't too many options of fruit available in January, but Kurt enjoys anything made with apples. Things aren't perfect between them, but their talk on Saturday night has helped. Kurt has made a point of making it home on time for dinner each day, and they have been spending time talking with each other about things that don't revolve around the restaurant.
When the doorbell rings, he's puzzled by who it might be. Blaine opens the front door, and he is surprised to see four burly men and a large delivery truck.
"Sir Blaine Anderson?"
"Yes, that's me."
"We have a piano for delivery."
"But I didn't order a piano."
"I'm supposed to give you this letter, which explains everything."
Blaine takes the letter and begins to read.
Dear Blaine,
We very much enjoyed having you for lunch last Saturday and listening to you play the piano for our dear Rachel. It reminded us of those fond days when you were living with us, filling the house with your lovely music. It seems only fitting that your new home should be filled with music, too. Consider this your housewarming gift from all of us to you.
Love,
Uncle Hiram and LeRoy
Blaine quickly looks around the living room, and he settles on a corner that is far enough away from the fireplace but would allow him to view the street as he's playing. While the delivery men bring in the upright piano and position it, Blaine's fingers twitch by his side, anticipating the moment when he can play.
After the papers have been signed and the delivery men have left, Blaine sits down on the piano bench and lifts the fall board, revealing the ivory and black keys. He begins to play warm-up exercises that his fingers have memorized, and sound wafts in the air. He still needs to prepare dinner, but he'll allow himself the time to let music fill his heart once again.
Author's notes
Many thanks to my fantastic betas - Fearlessly, Lilyvandersteen, Dblmalfunction. I made the last-minute edits and performed the final proofreading by myself, so all mistakes are mine.
I'm HKVoyage on Tumblr.
Next up: Blaine visits the Boys' Club and makes a new friend.