Ch 91
"You look tired, babe."
"I am, I didn't sleep well last night at all," Kurt said, yawning.
"I thought you'd sleep on the flight, maybe. Guess not?" Blaine asked, knowing good and well that Kurt tossed and turned all night.
"Too short. By the time I get settled and comfortable they're saying 'put your tray tables up…' and all that. I'll catch up tonight, don't worry."
"We're almost there. You can hang out in my old room and nap if you want to? I don't want you to be miserable." Blaine offered.
"It's ok…"
"Too much caffeine, Kurt?" Cris asked worriedly.
"Nerves…too keyed up probably, Cris. All this stuff with moving and work and Jeff and…well, you know," Kurt smiled. He was surely not going to tell her he was having nightmares about Blaine's dad showing up drunk and starting a fight that turned way too harsh. He wouldn't be shaking those thoughts off anytime soon.
He'd woken in a cold sweat, shaking and heaving for air and couldn't force himself back to sleep. It was just as well, though, as he feared he'd go right back into that dream and start it all over again. He certainly didn't want that. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," he smiled.
Cris had picked the three of them up at the airport in Columbus, having already been in Ohio to start her packing. Cooper had slept on the flight and he was sleeping again in the car for the short drive from the Columbus Airport to Westerville. Kurt noticed Coop's mouth gaping open as he snuffled and snored and he snickered, as did Blaine. Cris looked at him fondly, then rolled her eyes and grinned. Kurt took the opportunity to grab his phone and take a short video, sending it to Maggie back home. With any luck, she'd send it around a bit. Lord knew Coop deserved nothing less.
They continued driving, entering an area of large homes that had Kurt raising his eyebrows and glancing around almost nervously. Did real people actually live in homes like this? Three or four of his own home back in Lima would fit inside one of them! These weren't homes, they were mansions…estates, even. When they pulled up a long driveway off the road, Kurt nearly swooned. Now THIS…this was living.
"Cooper, we're here," she said, but he didn't budge. "Cooper!" She said again, shaking his arm.
"Hmmm…what? I'm up. Are we here? That's not nearly a long enough ride, Mom. You should move farther from the airport…seriously," Coop yawned.
"I'm pretty sure that's the purpose of your visit, meathead," she grinned, mussing his hair. "Now get your butt in there and help me pack up the last few boxes."
"Yes ma'am…so bossy!"
"It's my job to be bossy, I'm your mother." Cris said with a sassy grin. "Now listen up," she said as she pulled into the driveway, heedless of Kurt's wide eyes and gaping mouth, "I want you to get this done with as much haste as possible, packing your stuff up, that is. That's the main reason you're here. The actual movers will be here first thing tomorrow morning to load most of the big stuff onto the truck, and I figure we can handle any boxes that get packed after they leave. I don't want you leaving anything here that you want, do you hear me? It wouldn't surprise me one bit if your father burned the place to the ground tomorrow- that fool!"
"Sweet mother of all things holy…" Kurt muttered as he stepped out of the car and onto the driveway. He stood before the massive home, staring blankly, unable to even articulate what he was thinking and wondering what it would have been like to grow up in such a place. "Blaine…."
"Yeah…I know. Just…can we not?" He said with a grimace.
"But…." Kurt began, but stopped when he saw the pained look on Blaine's face. Clearly this place held very few, if any, fond memories for his boyfriend, and he didn't want to make him discuss anything that caused him grief.
They walked up to the covered front entry, over cement pavers in custom patterns that wove through the most astounding front flower garden Kurt had ever seen at a private home. He was in awe, and wondered how it would look in the spring with all the flowers in bloom. At this point, everything was dying off, probably from lack of care since Cris had been gone, and the fall colors were starting to poke through. Cris unlocked and pushed open the front door and Cooper followed in behind her. Blaine paused, standing eight or ten feet back from the door as if seeing something there that Kurt wasn't.
"Honey?"
"See that bench? My dad beat me unmercifully in the house, then dragged me out to this porch and slammed my head into that bench, only to leave me there alone, unconscious, until my mom found me. Then he told her it was a hate crime…that's when they sent me to Dalton…." He trailed off, breathing heavy now. Kurt walked up to him and timidly wrapped his arms around him from behind, setting his chin on Blaine's shoulder.
"We don't have to be here. We can go right now if you want to, and I'm certain your mom and Cooper will both understand. Or…or you can go and I'll stay and help. Anything you want, babe. I don't want you to be miserable, and I can see this upsets you."
"It does…but only as much as I allow it to. He can't hurt me now…he's not here, I don't have to live here, and I don't ever have to come back here if I don't want to. After today, this place is part of my history and…" Blaine broke off, his voice cracking and uncertain. Kurt squeezed tighter. "Let's just get this over with," Blaine said, and walked up to the front door looking as if he'd rather be shoving his hands through a meat grinder.
Kurt followed him inside staring around him at the grandeur and opulence that was the Anderson home. Cris and Cooper were somewhere close by, as Kurt could hear them, but he couldn't see them. Blaine stood still in the entry, staring around at his former home and taking everything in with a critical eye.
"Come upstairs with me?" Blaine finally asked, turning toward Kurt and grabbing a handful of boxes leaning up against the wall, yet to be folded into their final shape.
"Sure…whatever you need," Kurt smiled, taking his free hand.
Blaine led him up the steps and down a long hall which turned and continued down another hall. Blaine's room was at the end and the door stood open. He paused a ways away from the door, unsure of what he'd find. Had his dad gone into his room and destroyed anything and everything? No, surely his mom would have told him if that had happened. He approached the door cautiously anyway. Reaching the room, he grinned, seeing that everything looked to be in perfect order, just the way he'd left it. Odd, he was certain his dad would have….well, if he'd even cared to do so. Maybe Blaine was such a small blip on his radar that he didn't even care to bother. For whatever reason, he was thankful.
Kurt smiled as he stepped into Blaine's room. He looked around in wonder, seeing the room for what it was…a bedroom which had housed a young boy who grew into a young man there. He envisioned a wall of hand drawn cartoons, maybe of cars or super heroes tacked up above the bed at one time. There were trophies on shelves which also housed an impressive array of books that Kurt was itching to get his hands on and look through. The door that led to the hallway was one of four in the room and Kurt was curious as to where the others led. Surely one was a closet…possibly a bathroom as well…but the one next to the window caught his eye. Walking over to it he realized it opened onto a balcony that he'd seen on the front of the house as they pulled in.
"This is actually the master suite…but dad hated this room. He said if he wanted everyone to see him sitting on his porch he'd put up a billboard in town with his picture on it. He insisted on the bedroom at the back of the house instead. Their balcony overlooks the golf course…"
"I like this room, it suits you," Kurt smiled. And it did. The cream colored walls with dark green and burgundy accents should have been outdated, but it was carefully designed and clearly expensive. Kurt couldn't help but eye the plush sofa under the front window and wondered if a young Blaine sprawled out on it while he read or talked on the phone, maybe to some adorable boy he was crushing on, maybe to Cooper when he'd already gone off to school. He wondered how many times he huddled in this room afraid that his father would be in any moment to abuse him, threaten him, ruin his childhood as no father ever should. He squeezed his eyes closed at the visions and plastered a smile on his face, turning toward Blaine again. "So…tell me what goes with us and what doesn't... and hand me a box?"
"First and foremost…" Blaine grinned evilly, walking to his closet. He pulled the door open and stepped inside, leaving Kurt leaning against the post of his bed. When Blaine emerged from the closet, he was hold a garment bag out to Kurt, who took it with a curious grin. "Open it." Blaine smiled.
Kurt laid the bag on the bed and began unzipping it slowly, giving Blaine a curious glance, but after only pulling the zipper halfway down, his eyes went wide and he realized what he was seeing. He let out a short puff of air that came out as a half gasp and half laugh. Pulling the zipper all the way down, he grabbed the hanger and pulled Blaine's Dalton blazer from its cocoon and held it up, smiling proudly at Blaine.
"There are so many bad, bad things going on in my head right now, Blaine Warbler…" Kurt grinned, biting his lip and giving Blaine a sexy smile. Blaine approached him and unbuttoned the jacket, slipping it from the hanger and putting it on, noting that it was just a bit snug now. The uniform pants hung from the hanger as well as his blue and red striped tie, which Kurt eyed possessively. "I think it goes without saying that this…" Kurt motioned to the bag, the pants, the jacket and tie, "THIS all goes home with us." He winked and Blaine blushed a bit holding his arms up to check the length.
"I'm not sure it still fits, though."
"It fits well enough for you to have it on for 30 seconds…long enough for me to remove it from your body and-"
"Oh, you're up here, ok. I was looking for you downstairs," Cris smiled as she walked into Blaine's room. Both boys jumped at the intrusion and blushed deeply. "I thought you might….what? What did I miss?" she asked, grinning and looking between the two. "You know what…I don't wanna know." She winked. "So I thought you'd want to take some of this stuff…or most of this stuff with you, but whatever you don't want, Blaine, will be donated or auctioned off. Your father can't stay in the house, and there's no reason for him to, I suppose. All alone in this big house-" She paused, thinking, her eyes cast downward. "Then again, maybe he wouldn't be alone. He wasn't before, why should that change now?" she said, giving a huge fake smile and a roll of her eyes.
"Mom…be done with it, ok? You're way too good for him and you deserve better. I know it, Coop knows it, and you know it, too. Someone will come along and sweep you off of your feet, I'm certain of it." Blaine announced, walking toward her and slipping his arms around her gently.
"What if I said someone's already swept me off of my feet, little one?" She asked softly, unsure of his reaction. Blaine pulled back quickly, looking her in the eye, his smile dimming a bit as he did.
"I'll um…I'm gonna just…is there something to drink downstairs?" Kurt asked, heading for the door. This wasn't his business and anything Blaine wanted him to know, he'd tell him later on. "I'll just…yep." He finished with a wink to Blaine, slipping out the door and down the long hallway in search of Cooper or the kitchen, whichever came first.
"Mom?"
"Please don't be angry, Blaine, I-"
"I'm not angry, not at all, I just…I don't want you to jump into anything with someone who might hurt you. It's not as if you're some pauper who has nothing to offer anyone, ya know?"
"Are you saying a man would only want me for my money, Blaine Anderson?" Cris asked, affronted.
"NO! God, Mom, no…that's not at all what I'm saying. I'm saying you're Cristina Beckett Anderson, and your name alone carries a bit of prestige with it, and…and I know this has been hard for you, all this crap with dad, and I don't want you to jump into something without knowing who you're dealing with. That's all, Mom, I worry about you. I'm just really glad you're moving to New York so I'll see you more often. Wait…if you're seeing someone, but you're moving up there…?" Blaine left the sentence hanging with a curious eye.
"You haven't even asked me who I'm seeing, Blaine." Cris stated, somewhat sadly. Blaine sighed.
"Ok, sit with me," he said, leading her over to the sofa under his windows which overlooked the front yard. "Tell me about him," Blaine instructed, patting the seat next to him. She gave him a fond look, rolling her eyes and sat down on the edge of the sofa. With a deep breath, she began.
"Blaine, I've known him for a while now, really…for a really long while. I will tell you, honestly, that I have never cheated on your father during the entirety of our marriage, especially while I was blissfully unaware of what he'd done to you boys. Through the drinking, the anger and the cheating…I stayed faithful to him. But I left when I found the journal. There was more than one, Blaine. There's a box of them…all of them detailing the things he's done, women he's been with, shady business dealings…" she trailed off, eyes squeezing shut and huffed out a breath.
"Mom, you don't have to…"
"But I do. I want you to understand and not think less of me, my baby. I read them…each and every single one, before I confronted your father. I took the box to a friend and asked him to hold it for me, without stating what was inside. I trusted him not to look and he didn't. For all he knew it was full of old shoes." She laughed. "I brought the most damning one with me when I confronted your father that evening, Blaine, and he was angry…so very, very angry with me. I knew he would be, so I had called my attorney, William LeGrange, to be here, just in case he went off the deep end…and as you now know, he did. Your father was unaware of his presence, as I'd asked him to just stay out of sight unless I needed him.
William called the police and the paramedics after George shoved me down the stairs. As soon as he made his presence known, your father went a little berserk, and he attempted to assault William as well. I can't say what might have happened, Blaine, had William not been here with me that evening. I shudder to think that maybe your father might have….well, let's not revisit that night. Suffice it to say that I'm grateful that he was here. William rode with me to the hospital and stayed by my side until they set my arm and released me. They took your father to jail that evening, Blaine, and of course he posted bail, but I gathered what I needed and prepared to leave before he came home. William offered me a place to stay until I was able to have your father removed from the house legally. He has a rather large home, and is a widower, so he had an extra room. Now don't you think, for even one minute, my love, that your mother was doing anything immoral while there. I have more respect for myself than that. But until your father was gone, and who knew how long that would take, I accepted the offer to stay….somewhere safe."
"Mom, you know he's not going to just up and leave the house-"
"He has no choice, Blaine. The house is mine, it always has been. It was a wedding gift from your grandfather, and he made your father sign a document stating that the house would remain in my name and my name only. If at any time the marriage was dissolved, he would get nothing from the house or anything in it unless I approved it. I'll be selling the house and I'm certain your father has enough money of his own to find a place. Personally I don't care, and I will take any and all furniture from the house that I want…or that you boys might want. It's not his, it never has been." She stated flatly. Blaine was taken aback. He'd had no idea, all these years, of the arrangement.
"So William…"
"Yes, William." Cris said with a wide smile and a girlish blush to her cheeks. "He's a kind man, Blaine. He makes me happy and he respects me. When I'm in Ohio, I stay with him, but you need to know, there has been nothing untoward, as he respects that the divorce is not final and I'm, technically, still a married woman." She blushed. "Call me old fashioned, perhaps, but I have my principles."
"Whoa, ok, don't…I don't want to…uh….let's just keep it neutral now, can we?" Blaine said, fighting the urge to childishly put his hands over his ears. "Uh…please don't.…I don't want to know. What else? If he lives here and you move to New York, then what?"
"Bill….I call him Bill…he retired last year. He kept a few accounts, and mine was one of them. I'll eventually have to find a new attorney, but oddly, as one's standing downstairs and shares my last name, I don't think that'll be too hard. If Cooper isn't comfortable with handling my legal affairs, then I'm certain your friend Nick would be of some help, or he'd know someone I could call. But for now, Bill will continue to handle things for me. I'd like for you to meet him, Blaine…since he'll be living with me in New York City," she stated tentatively. Blaine's eyes went wide.
"Um….ok…." he said, sucking his lower lip into his teeth and scratching the back of his neck, uncertainly. This was, indeed, the oddest conversation he'd ever had with his mom. But, he tried to remind himself that she was a grown woman, and she had every right to companionship and happiness. He wanted her to be content, happy and for her to enjoy life to the fullest. If she was happy with this 'Bill' then so be it. He'd meet him, take his measure and let her know how he felt about it then. He knew, very well, that if he'd been dating someone she didn't approve of, he'd have surely heard about it. He would give her the same courtesy.
"You'll meet him, then?"
"Sure…I suppose that's ok, and only fair. If he makes you happy, Mom, then that's what's important, ok?" Blaine said, pulling her in for a hug. Wow…this trip home was getting more and more uncomfortable by the minute. She stood, running her fingers through his hair and giving him a fond, motherly smile.
"My boys will always come first, Blaine, always. I have no doubt that you'll like Bill. He's a good man and I think you'll get along just fine. But you and Cooper…you'll always be my first loves."
"Love you, too, Mama." Blaine smiled, and Cris grabbed a box and began folding it into shape.
"Kurt…where's Blainey?" Coop asked, packing dishes and pans into a box.
"He's uh…he's upstairs speaking with your mom about um…" Kurt faltered, unsure if Cooper was aware of his mom's relationship yet.
"About Bill? It's ok, I've known for a while now. A friend of mine saw them out to dinner one night and called me. She doesn't know that, but she's already told me about him anyway. I don't know how Blaine's gonna feel about it, but I'm alright with it. Mom deserves to be happy, and I'm sure she hasn't been for quite a while with my dad." Cooper grinned, wrapping another plate in paper and shoving it in the box.
"Do you think Blaine will be upset? I can't imagine him not wanting her to be happy." Kurt asked.
"I think it'll hit him square in the gut for about 24 hours and then he'll settle in and meet Bill tomorrow night for dinner and all will be well. The guy who saw Mom and Bill having dinner? We went to law school together. Turns out, his dad is friends with Bill and says he's good people…top o' the line. I'm not worried. Mom may have stayed too long with dad, but she's not stupid. She wouldn't allow anyone to take advantage of her. Although I wonder how long she's going to blame herself for not knowing what dad was doing all those years."
"He hid it all well, then?" Kurt asked, wanting to know as much as possible about the situation without having to ask Blaine.
"He was very, very careful, Kurt. He was an abusive alcoholic and he tormented Blaine and me for so many years. Each and every time he'd tell me to keep my mouth shut or my mom would pay for it, and I did. Every time. It was mostly me until I left. I thought it had been only me, and not Blaine at all, but I was wrong. Fear kept our mouths shut, and it's something I will never forgive him for…not for me, not for Blaine and not for mom."
"He sounds like a very disturbed man." Kurt said quietly, shaking his head as he wrapped plates, mugs and cups in the thin paper on the counter.
"That's putting it mildly, and the sooner we can get her out of here and up there with us, the better it'll be for everyone involved. So…we pack!" Cooper said, tossing a glass pie plate to Kurt without warning.
"Cooper!" Kurt exclaimed loudly, barely catching it, but dropping a plate in the box at the same time. "What the…what is wrong with you! Sheesh!"
"Think fast, Kurt. If you wanna hang with the Andersons, you gotta think fast, man!" Cooper laughed. "And listen, I know I've apologized to Blaine a hundred times, but I owe you an apology as well for those piano photos. I asked everyone to delete them…I shouldn't have done that, and I'm sorry for it. NOT that you're still not the most adorable couple ever next to Mags and me, but it wasn't my moment to share."
"Coop…about that…" Kurt trailed off, wrapping the pie plate in paper to pack it. "Do you um….do you have uh…"
"Do you want me to send YOU those photos, Kurt? There's an awful lot of skin…." Coop teased him.
"Yes. Yes I do. Now send them to me, shut up and never speak of it again. Then and only then will you be forgiven." Kurt blushed, turning to leave the room, his face flaming red. He could hear Cooper laughing behind him as he fled the kitchen.
"I don't know, Kurt, I mean, it's great to have 'em and all that, but what am I going to do with show choir trophies in our apartment? The huge one is in a case at Dalton. I don't really need 'em, but I don't think anyone else wants 'em either, so it's not like I can donate them to anything. But I don't want to just throw 'em away, either," Blaine rambled.
"I think you should bring them with you. We have the storage room in the basement for now, unless you decide to make that into apartments later on, but we can keep them down there if you don't want to display them or get rid of them now. What about these?" Kurt asked, holding up yearbooks. "In the box with the rest of the books or somewhere else?"
"With the rest of the books. I want to keep the majority of them on the shelves in our room if that's ok?"
"Always…whatever you want, honey, you know I don't mind," Kurt smiled at him. Blaine stared for a moment giving Kurt a fond look full of so much love.
"Thank you."
"It's no big deal, Blaine, it's a shelf-"
"No, I mean thank you for coming with me. I don't know that I'd get through this without you here by my side. There are so many memories and it feels like everything I see, touch or pick up has some memory attached to it…not all of them good," he grimaced.
"I don't ever want you to have to come back here, Blaine. If this place holds that many horrible memories for you, then we need to get this done, get away and stay away. We'll get it all packed up and on the truck and go home…our home…where he can't touch us or what we have." Kurt said softly, wrapping his arms around Blaine from behind. They stood in front of Blaine's dresser, seeing each other in the mirror, and smiled.
"Our home…."
"Yep…ours," Kurt said, and kissed Blaine's neck behind his ear. "Ours….." he breathed again, nipping at his boyfriend's ear lobe.
"Don't stop…"
"Don't wanna…." Kurt continued to nip and kiss at Blaine's neck until Blaine had had enough and spun in his arms to wrap his arms around Kurt's neck and pull him in close. Kurt wedged Blaine between himself and the dresser and made sure they were touching from mouth to knees as he took his time exploring Blaine's mouth, kissing and licking and sucking on Blaine's bottom lip as he pressed his hips into Blaine's. "Oh God, I want you…" Kurt whispered, eyes closed.
"Mmhmmm…." Was Blaine's only reply as his hands slid up under Kurt's shirt and over his sides. "…so much…."
When Blaine nipped at Kurt's collarbone and caused him to yelp, they both chuckled guiltily and glanced at the door. It wouldn't do for Cris to walk in on them grinding against one another in Blaine's boyhood bedroom.
"I heard that! Remove yourself from one another before I come in or pictures are fair game, boys!" Cooper yelled as he came down the hall. Both breathed out a frustrated sigh, backing up just a hair yet not moving from their spot. "You almost done in here for tonight? Mom wants to grab a late dinner and head to the hotel."
"Hotel?" Kurt said, raising an eye toward Blaine, who shrugged, not having been let in on the plan either.
"She doesn't want to stay here…not in the house."
"I …ok. I guess…I'd just planned on staying here tonight." Blaine said, forehead creased.
"You talk to her about it, then, but I know she's booked rooms already." Cooper said, backing out of the room.
"Yeah, I'll…there's no reason for the expense, though." Blaine said again. Kurt just nodded in agreement. "Plus, I'm kinda wondering about leaving the house empty tonight. He knows we're in town…."
"Good point, but talk to mom, man. It doesn't matter either way to me."
In the end, Blaine and Kurt returned to the house after dinner and Cris and Cooper went to the hotel. Blaine wasn't thrilled about leaving the house empty with his dad around. All they needed was for George Anderson to decide he was going to see what was going on in 'his' house and come back to snoop. Chances are he'd come inside and wreak havoc. Plus…Blaine had some ideas of his own about the evening.
"So tell me, why did you really want to stay here instead of the hotel?" Kurt asked, arching an eyebrow. Blaine snickered and blushed.
"Can't get anything past you, can I?"
"Nope…spill, Anderson."
"I um…I may or may not have an unfulfilled fantasy of making love to a drop dead gorgeous man in my boyhood bedroom…maybe defile the shower afterward? It's not something I was ever able to do…bring anyone 'home', nor would I have wanted to until I found 'the one'…." Blaine trailed off with a sweet grin. "And since I've found him, and this is my last weekend here, I thought maybe…you know…"
"Yeah…I know….believe me, honey, I DO know…." Kurt answered, his voice husky as he lead Blaine up the stairs to the bedroom, swaying his hips in front of Blaine as he went, holding his lover's hand in his own. In the bedroom Kurt kissed him slowly and softly. He brushed his fingers up the sides of Blaine's face and slid them back into his hair, gripping there, but not tightly. He felt Blaine deepen the kiss and his heart soared. Blaine's mouth was heat and hunger and need all wrapped into one.
Heart rate racing, Kurt concentrated on taking his time and drawing it out until he knew he couldn't any longer. "Give me a minute?" He smiled with a sultry glance from under his lashes and headed for the en suite bathroom, breath panting slightly, tossing a kiss over his shoulder. "Be ready and waiting for me, love…" and the door clicked shut. Blaine wasn't sure what to expect, but he wasn't going to be clothed when Kurt returned either, so he hastily shed everything he had on, down to his boxers and settled back against the headboard of his bed just watching the bathroom door, one leg out straight in front of him and the other bent at the knee, propped up a bit.
Get it together, Hummel…you can do this. This is Blaine, the love of your life, the man you live with and sleep with every night. This is the beautiful stranger who wrote songs for you and held your hand until you were ready for more. He's the amazingly kind and goofy guy who gave you free reign to use his body any way you wanted until you were comfortable enough for sex. He's the man you've admitted to yourself that you want to spend every day for the rest of your life with….that means every night, too, Kurt.
Pull yourself together, put on your sexy, big boy pants and go fulfill every fantasy that stunningly handsome devil can throw at you….and start with these two little shreds of fabric that might just make his night.
The lights were out in the bedroom and the door finally, oh God, finally, opened a crack. Only the dim light from the moon shown through the bedroom window and, at first, all Blaine could see was the beautiful outline of Kurt's body leaning on the frame of the door as it slowly swung open. When his eyes adjusted and he got better look, the breath left his lungs and he had a really hard time making it return.
"Fuck…me. Oh, shit, Kurt….Oh God….." was all he managed to get out. There stood his beautiful Kurt wearing nothing but Blaine's Dalton tie and a teeny tiny pair of barely-there navy briefs. The striped tie was tied perfectly, yet hanging a bit loosely around his pale, perfect neck. His fingertips were idly stroking his rigid length under the flimsy cotton as his eyes bore into Blaine's from across the room. Kurt tilted his head a bit and grinned, biting his bottom lip. In a voice Blaine had only heard once before, much lower than his usual higher, speaking voice, Kurt set his heart to hammering.
"Tonight you're gonna sing for me, Warbler, and we're gonna hit all kinds of high notes together." Kurt purred.
"Donna….you're Donna, right?" Nick asked at the desk with a big grin.
"I am, darlin', what can I do ya for?" the nurse asked with a bright smile.
"I need to know who's been bringing in food…I mean, like, every person who's contributed, because I can't begin to thank you ladies enough….and Jimmy….God, I can't forget Jimmy. I'm told it was him who made that tortellini earlier in the week and damn, that was some good stuff!"
"Yeah, he's pretty good in the kitchen. His boyfriend's a chef at some fancy-pants place uptown. He's learned from the best. Honey, you don't have to thank us. I don't want you to think everyone's talkin' about you, but Vivian let us in on the situation. You live here and the rest of your family doesn't. Jeff's family is also out of town. We get it. You're alone here most days except for those two handsome, fine things who visit on the regular. I know you don't wanna leave him to go get food, and we're all happy to help out. Besides, the entertainment is payback enough. You have a voice like an angel, love. Now go on in there, back to your man, and Jessica will be here with your dinner in about 30 minutes." The nurse smiled, patting him on the shoulder.
"And how do you know she's bringing something?" Nick teased.
"She's on the schedule for tonight, hon."
"Just because she's working doesn't mean-"
"Oh no, this schedule…the 'feed the handsome devil in 306' schedule" she nearly cackled, holding up a clipboard with an honest to goodness spread sheet of names and dates and meals on it.
"Oh my God, Donna! You can't…I don't expect anyone to…oh my God." Nick said quietly, stunned, and very much touched by their kindness and generosity.
"Honey, it was voluntary. Nobody's on here who didn't wanna be, so you just go sit your butt back down in there with blondie and Jess'll be right in when she gets here." She said, giving him a motherly look of sadness and hope all wrapped into one.
"I'm so very grateful to each and every one of you…I truly am. If there's any way I can thank you all, please….you know what, I'll find a way. I will…."
"You might try, but there's no need. I can't imagine what you're going through, Nick. Married one day and he ends up in here. I know it can't be easy. You go hold that boy's hand and we'll take care of everything out here. But you know what? If you want to thank me, I have a request. How about a little Nora Jones…Come Away With Me?" Donna requested. Nick just smiled.
"I'll see what I can manage. Thank you…and please thank everyone else for me as well." He said, and returned to Jeff's room across the hall.
Nick grabbed his phone, put his ear buds in and looked for the song on YouTube, practicing the notes and learning the words. He wasn't overly familiar with this one, but for Donna, he'd make sure he didn't screw it up too badly. Shortly thereafter Jessica came in with his dinner for the evening, a bowl of thick, hearty chili with crusty bread to go with it. It smelled divine, and just for good measure, he stuck the bowl under Jeff's nose, letting the smell of it drift up toward him. Jessica just laughed at him and rolled her eyes, stepping out of the room with a wave.
"I dunno, Pretty Boy, this is some good stuff. If you wake up for me I'll share. I'll even give you more than half." He said before setting the bowl down again and picking up his guitar to work on Nora Jones for Donna. "C'mon, babe. It's been 5 days now and I'm missing you more than I can say…" Nick trailed off. Just for good measure, he strummed a few notes of the old Leo Sayer song and sang softly to his husband.
"….I love you more than I can say….I'll love you twice as much tomorrow…ohhhh, love you more than I can say….."
With that, he set the guitar down and dug into his dinner, Jessica standing outside the door with a grin. That man…he sure did love his husband. He hadn't left for more than 10 minutes all week. She just hoped Jeff woke up soon and they could go home. She knew he had to be losing his mind with worry and a broken heart. She felt badly, standing outside the door, eavesdropping, and they all did it…all the nurses…every one of them, just listening.
It was heart-warming to hear Nick talk to Jeff day and night, as if the blonde man was sitting there replying…responding…keeping up his end of the conversation. Nick just babbled on, assuming Jeff could hear him, telling him what was going on in the world, reading to him, telling him what they'd brought him to eat and how amazing the staff was. He implored Jeff not to give up, to come back to him, to heal up and open his eyes. He told him every day how much he missed him, how much he wanted to hold him and how he missed the feel of Jeff's body flush against his own at night. And he sang to him….God, that man's voice. He sang softly to Jeff every day, different songs, different tempos, but every morning and every night ended the same.
"When your legs don't work like they used to before…and I can't sweep you off of your feet…will your lips still remember the taste of my love….will your eyes still smile from your cheeks….."
Nick sang until he was hoarse, and then slept, only to start again the following morning with the same words, his smile bright and his hopes renewed that today would be the day. Today, Jeff would open his eyes and come back to him. Every staff member on the floor was pulling for him, of course, but this patient….this one held a special appeal for them. They all wanted to know the man who had such a hold on Nick's heart. He must be pretty damn special to warrant this kind of devotion and attention from such an attentive husband. They couldn't wait to find out for themselves.
"Last bite, Pretty Boy. You sure you don't want it? This is phenomenal chili….just one more recipe I'm gonna have to ask for, because let's face it, when you're better and we go home, I'll either be doing a lot of cooking or we'll be living on take out. We both know that gets old, though, right? Going…going…gone! Ok, next time. Last bite of bread, which tastes like someone baked it just before handing it to me, and it's downright orgasmic, baby.
Speaking of which….remember when we were in the elevator and you made that face when we were discussing that new little store down the street from the penthouse? We were going to go shopping there for some…fun things…if I recall, and I'm not going alone, so you better get your sweet ass back here with me. Seems we have some things to try out if our conversation that evening is anything to go by? You said you were fine with…." Nick paused and glanced up to the door to make sure they were alone. "You said you were fine with the handcuffs, and I'm damn sure not gonna let that one slide by. I mean, even just talking about it had you on your knees in the elevator before we ever hit our floor. That was…intense…Jeffie. I miss that. I miss playing with you, pleasing you, making you scream. Don't leave me here alone too long, baby, or our first time 'back' may be…uh…wow, kinda powerful, ya know? Let's face it, I haven't found the need to do that to myself since you've been in my life, and I'm damn sure not starting up again with it now. I want you to do it. You're responsible for every, single sexy thought I have, so you need to take care of it. I miss your hands, love…." Nick trailed off, leaning down to press a warm kiss to Jeff's lips.
"I miss your voice…your beautiful eyes…your smile. I miss the way you always change out the tie I've laid out, and don't think I haven't noticed," Nick grinned. "Mom and Bay went home Wednesday. She's starting up with school and…and I'm feeling alone, here, babe. Kurt went home to Ohio with Blaine to help Cris pack and move her things up here. I just…I don't want anyone else here, Jeffie, I want you. I'm so tired of your mom giving me looks like this is my fault…maybe it's my fault…maybe…maybe I need sleep, because I'm beginning to think some thoughts that I know you'd scold me for, but baby I miss you…God, I miss you so much. I just want to see you smile, ok? I miss that more than anything else…your beautiful smile. Come back to me, Pretty Boy." He smiled at his husband and walked over to the sink in the room to rinse his dishes and clean them out as best as he was able. He dried them off and left them sitting on the sink.
Nick brushed his teeth, changed into sweats and made up his bed for the night. Picking up his guitar, he played their song one more time, then set the guitar down over the chair as always, kissed Jeff goodnight on his forehead, raised Jeff's fingers to his lips and kissed them as well, and laid down to get some sleep.
"I love you, Jeffie…always. Goodnight, baby." Nick said as his eyes closed and he smiled just to have had one more day by his husband's side.
As Nick rolled over to get comfortable, he missed Jeff's finger twitch as it settled on the stark white bed sheet.
A/N - So C told me that she reads on her phone, and that apparently, if you do that and you're following that way, sometimes the whole chapter doesn't download...which would blow...if you missed some stuff, ya know? So be careful with that :)
Also, Suzanne went over this chapter for me, and then I went back and added some things, which she hasn't seen, so mistakes are mine...as always.
And...smut seemed totally wrong after Jeff's little twitch there, so uh...next time, ok? :)
MOST OF ALL...Thank you...HUGE thank you, to anyone who went to Kindle and got Surrendering Ian and read it! I've gotten some really heartwarming notes from a few of you (Verashch, I'm talking about you, too ) that truly made my day. It's written under my pen name, CJ Dixon, so if you want to check it out, please do so...and as always, your feedback is always, always welcome!
Lastly, have an absolutely stellar weekend, you guys! :) Thanks for all of your reviews, kind words and comments! If you review as a guest, I can't reply, but please know that I got it, and thank you! You guys truly are the best readers I could ask for! ;)
GLEEEEEE tonight! :D