5YL Let the Encore Commence
Part 92
While part of the country was sleeping, Blaine Anderson once again proved why he's co-headlining the festival circuit this summer. Blaine's unique blend of pop-rock which he's made a style of his own, brought a packed house down to close out the first night. Just as he's done at previous shows, the set list was changed once again, only repeating a few songs from previous shows. By keeping the set list fresh you can see the pure enjoyment in not only Blaine's performance, but that of his band. It also keep fans on their toes, unsure of what they're going to hear.
And since he's in California, I know a lot of you were probably wondering if older brother, Cooper, would be in attendance, he was, along with his fiancée. Cooper was front row, beaming with pride as his brother performed before an energized crowd, hanging on every word that came out of Blaine's mouth. They also erupted the moment the camera panned in on Cooper, as Blaine began playing one of his hits from Cooper's movie. Needless to say, I wouldn't be surprised if the Anderson brothers each added a bit of hardware to their shelves at home, as they've proven to be quite the force. Though for Blaine, hopefully he and Sebastian have room given the accolades Blaine's already collected. While the reaction to his brother being in the audience was quite the pop, it paled in comparison to when Cooper took the stage with his brother. Although he was a bit reluctant to join him, once he did, the brothers gave the audience something to remember.
Before Hiram could read any further, Carole made her way into the kitchen. "Good morning." He said as he set the paper aside. "Sleep well?"
"I did, but that shouldn't be a surprise given I've slept well each night I've been here." She replied as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "Again, I don't know how I will ever be able to repay yours and LeRoy's hospitality."
"It's what friends are for." Hiram told her. "Should I ask how things are going in therapy?"
"Better, though anytime Kurt gets brought up, he still gets a bit defensive." Carole said in response. "I understand his need to help him, but at the same time he needs to accept Kurt's problems are brought on by his own actions, not Blaine, not Sebastian." At the mention of their names, she saw him glance at the paper. "What now?"
"If you're asking if Kurt's done anything to make the news, no. But, one can only hope Burt doesn't have today's paper accessible in the shop, or at least the entertainment section."
"Why is that?"
"There's a review of Blaine's performance last night, along with a few pictures." He told her before passing the paper to her. "You may want to read it yourself."
Having Cooper Anderson in the house wasn't the only surprise last night, as Blaine's husband, Sebastian, was also. And while the audience tried to get him to come on stage and join his husband for a song, would've loved to hear the charity single live, Sebastian stayed ensconced in the wings. Yet the stage camera panned to him a few times during songs in Blaine's set where it's been stated Sebastian was the muse.
By the time she finished, Carole took a deep breath. "Now you know why I hope Burt doesn't have the paper around."
"If that review isn't enough to upset Kurt, the picture taken afterwards of Blaine, Sebastian, Cooper, and his fiancée would push him over the edge." She said to him. "The only thing that would've been worse would've been if the four of them had been joined by Patrick and Kate. The way they've so lovingly accepted Sebastian into their lives, still irks him."
"Maybe it's because from the start, they didn't question Sebastian's feelings." LeRoy said as he walked into the room. "It's no secret, Patrick in particular, didn't believe Kurt loved Blaine." He paused for a moment as Hiram looked up at him. "I'm…"
"No need to apologize, you didn't say anything I didn't already know." Carole told him. "Patrick made it pretty clear where he stood, while Kate wanted to believe him, for Blaine's sake. Yet Kurt pushed the narrative of Patrick's displeasure of Blaine's "choice of life style" on why he didn't approve of the marriage. Little did we all realize, only Patrick had his eyes open to what was actually happening."
"He had everyone fooled, almost. Yet given Blaine and Patrick's rocky road, it was easy for him to play it off, and for others to believe it." Hiram admitted. "Once again, hindsight is twenty/twenty. This wouldn't even be an issue now, except Blaine and Sebastian are having to deal with his antics."
"I must admit, I'm surprised Kate and Patrick aren't with their boys, as it's rare they're in the same pla…what don't I know?" She said upon noticing a change in both of them. "LeRoy? Hiram?" LeRoy thought back to the conversation he'd had with Blaine, and decided to speak up.
"Kate and Patrick actually are in California, but there's a reason they didn't attend Blaine's show last night." Hiram looked at him and smiled, believing Carole was the best defense. For if Burt truly wanted to show he's changing, this was the perfect opportunity. If not, at least they tried to lessen the possible outburst. "They felt it best, if they all weren't caught together."
"Why could that possibly be best given everyone knows how close they all are."
"Because people would wonder why they just so happened to be in California, for presumably no reason." Hiram chimed in.
"So, they didn't go just for family time." Carole said, and they each shook their heads. "So, why are they there?"
"Cooper and Whitney are getting married today." LeRoy told her, making her smile. "It was important to Cooper that their big day fly under the radar until they are ready to announce it."
"Guess he's more like Blaine than I realized, as he doesn't seem shy around the cameras."
"He's not, but this is a personal moment which they only want to share with loved ones. Hence why he's been so vague when asked about his upcoming nuptials to Whitney." Hiram stated. "Also, Blaine's his best man and..."
"Enough said, as Blaine standing up for him would only add to a possible circus." Carole said. "Is an announcement being made?"
"From what we know, yes, but we're not sure when." LeRoy told her. "Now you know why, Kate and Patrick kept their distance."
"It also explains why Sebastian made a trip cross country for the weekend, when he didn't join Blaine last weekend when he was closer." Carole replied, earning her quite the look. "I freely admit I keep tabs on that stuff for my own sanity, sad as that may sound."
"Given your situation, it makes sense. Allows you to brace yourself for any possible outbursts." LeRoy said in response. "You also now know why Kate didn't necessarily talk about her weekend plans."
"Let me guess, Xavier and Victoria are there as well since the two of you are in charge of the fundraiser." They each nodded. "They really are one big, happy family, aren't they?" She then sighed. "I hope that didn't come off as catty as it sounded, as I'm happy for them, it's just…"
"We know." Hiram assured her. "Things never came close to being that way when Blaine and Kurt were married." She nodded. "How do you think Kurt's going to take this bit of news?"
"In his typical manner, he'll say something nasty, particularly about Blaine standing up for Cooper. Take credit for the two being close. And while he might've encouraged it, Blaine and Cooper are the ones who fixed things between them. In the long run, Kurt regretted it as Cooper wasn't his biggest fan."
"Because Cooper loves his brother, and is protective of him." LeRoy said. "But of course, Kurt's going to attempt to inject himself into Cooper's moment."
"He still craves that spotlight." Carole stated. "I believe that's his other issue with Blaine, outside of Sebastian. Blaine's living the life he always dreamt of, yet now…"
"He brought this all on himself, as he was living a pretty good life before he went off the deep-end." Hiram reminded her. "If he could've simply left well enough alone, meaning Blaine being with Sebastian, he'd still be in New York, living his life, but…"
"He couldn't, I know. Kurt simply can't accept Blaine's new life, his success, and that he's not a part of it." She told them. "Or that Sebastian, is. Yet he denies how it all makes him feel." Carole then sighed. "I wish Burt would realize Kurt being in Lima is a bad thing, but not because of the problems he's caused."
"How so?"
"Because every bit of media around here covers Blaine, making it almost impossible for Kurt to avoid updates." Carole replied before taking another sip of her coffee. "Are you sure Cooper's keeping his wedding quiet?"
"Yes." LeRoy told her. "As every interview, up to his latest, he's been extremely vague when asked about his wedding. According to Rachel, the rumor mill is predicting they're getting married in the fall since there's a break in Blaine's schedule. Little do they realize, Blaine's schedule was planned out to accommodate the nuptials. Goes to show Cooper's fans don't necessarily know the timing of Blaine's and Sebastian's wedding." Carole couldn't help but laugh. "You do realize they did it that way to help it fly under the radar."
"I figured as much, and based on everything which had happened up to that point, I don't blame them. They were entitled to have their day without interference." Carole said in response before taking a deep breathe, then getting up. "Do either of you believe I'd be crossing a line if I stopped by the shop, give Burt a heads up, but I wouldn't share the upcoming news."
"Actually, no." LeRoy told her. "I'm sure he'd appreciate the heads-up given some of the backlash he's had to deal with regarding Kurt's behavior." Carole smiled, before going to transfer her coffee into a travel mug. "For your sake, hopefully Kurt's not there yet." They watched as she glanced at the clock on the wall. "Let me guess, he comes in about the same time daily."
"Yes, and I still have an hour before he arrives, which gives me plenty of time to talk with Burt."
"Hopefully he appreciates the gesture." Hiram told her. "We know you want things to work out between you."
"I do too, yet when it comes to this situation, actions speak louder than words. And Burt's got plenty to prove." LeRoy and Hiram simply looked at one another in response, before telling Carole they'd see her later at the fundraiser.
Once she left the kitchen, Hiram took his husband's hand. "We did the right thing, even if Blaine didn't want us getting involved."
"Agreed, though should this backfire, Blaine's not the only one we're going to have to explain our actions to." LeRoy replied. "Not only am I certain Sebastian's going to have to plenty to say, but…"
"Rachel, and I say our daughter first, as Patrick, Kate, Xavier, and Victoria could more easily put themselves in our shoes." Hiram chimed in. "For everyone's sake, and I include Kurt in this, I hope Burt is receptive to Carole's attempt to mitigate the situation."
"Agreed."
By the time she arrived at the shop, she was a bit surprised to see it was relatively busy given it was still rather early. After saying hello to those waiting, she made her way behind the counter and towards the garage where she presumed Burt was already at work. As she rounded the corner, Burt just so happened to step out from beneath the car he was working on, instantly smiling upon seeing her. "Good morning." Burt said to her, as he reached for a towel to wipe his hands. "Must say, you're the last person I expected to see this morning. What brings you by?"
"I came to talk, but you're busier than I remember you being at this time of the morning." In response, Burt chuckled. "What's so funny?"
"Just the moment, and you should know, I'm never too busy to talk to you. Also, we tend to be busy in the mornings lately, as word spread that Kurt doesn't come in for another hour or so."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. At least my customers have found a way to deal with an awkward situation without taking their business elsewhere, or at least a majority of them." Burt told her. "Now, should I be concerned?"
"We can…"
"Carole, the oil is draining, I have time. What brought you by this morning?"
"I wanted to let you know it would be best to take the entertainment section out of the paper if you have it available, as…."
"That was quite the write up on Blaine's show, wasn't it?" His response clearly catching her off-guard. "I'm trying to be more proactive, rather than reactive. I even had one of the guys set up an alert on my phone for news regarding Blaine."
"You did?" Burt nodded. "I didn't know."
"It's something I should've done a long time ago. I knew Blaine had made a name for himself, but I didn't realize the impact he's made."
"While his music put him on the map, his openness of what he's been through, is what's made the impact." Carole said to him. "He's proof that no matter how perfect one's life might seem, you don't always know what's going on behind the scenes. Which is why he's such an advocate for reaching out, and reminding people not to be ashamed to ask for help."
"And, my son was one of the causes behind him needing help, and I…"
"Burt, you're not the only one who didn't see what was going on."
"I know, yet I was the last accept it happened, even…I don't know how things got to this point Carole."
"I know, but beating yourself up over the past, isn't going to change things. You can…"
"I can only try to change the present, I know." Burt said as he went back to the car. "Now, not that I'm not happy to see you, is there another reason you came by?"
"You might want to stay on your toes the next few days as something is coming up that's probably going to set Kurt off." Instantly she heard him sigh, and his shoulders fall. "I'm sorry."
"Not your fault. Guess you're not able to tell me what is coming?"
"It's not really my place, heck, I'm sure I was only informed to try and stop another possible fit from Kurt." Carole told him. "Knowing what I know, Kurt's going to have a strong opinion about it."
"Is it Blaine related or him and Sebastian?"
"They're part of it. I wish I could say more, but…"
"It's alright. I've gotten pretty used to being left out on things because of how Kurt's behaved." Burt told her. "Speaking of troubles he's caused, do you know if Will and Emma have worked things out?"
"She doesn't really talk about it, yet Will has picked her up a few times, so they're probably working through it. You do realize, Kurt wasn't the biggest issue between them."
"I do, yet Kurt didn't help the situation." Burt said in response, to which she only could nod. "I really am trying Carole."
"I know, but…"
"I have a lot to make up for." Burt chimed in. "Not only to you, but others. I'm not going to let him play me again."
"I hope not, but he plays on your love for him, which isn't right." Carole said before looking up at the clock. "I should probably get going, in case he arrives early."
"Probably a good idea." Burt replied, before moving to lower the car. "Carole, thank you for coming by, it means a lot to me, as I know you didn't have to."
"I came by to remind you we're in this together. You don't have to bear the weight of this mess on your own."
"Thank you, but I'm the one who let the situation escalate thinking I knew better."
"You believed your son."
"Yes, but once shown the evidence, along with what I saw, I should've done something. Per my therapist, my inaction gave Kurt approval he craved, which encouraged him." Burt said to her. "He's helped me see where I went wrong, and helping me learn how to change."
"I'm glad you're listening to him."
"I'm sorry it took things getting to this point, as he's said things you and others have. For that, I'm sorry." He then looked at the clock. "You should go, the van will be pulling up soon. See you Monday?"
"See you then."
While this was happening in Ohio, Sebastian was sitting on their balcony with a cup of coffee, listening to the waves come in, as Blaine slept. While he would've rather been in bed with Blaine, he was too awake and didn't want to risk disturbing him as he was sleeping so peacefully. He'd only set his cup down when a message came across his phone from Hunter.
Remember to enjoy this weekend, everything else is noise.
Also, if you're reading this now, put your phone down and get back to your husband.
Sebastian couldn't help but laugh, before glancing back in at Blaine who hadn't moved since he got out of bed.
I will.
I'm only seeing this now as I didn't want to disturb him as my fucking inner clock wouldn't let me sleep longer.
Jet lag sucks, regardless of direction you're traveling. Please tell me you're not in bed.
Yes, it does. I'm out on the balcony, enjoying the peacefulness.
You're not mad I told Carter, are you?
No, I already told you that, and neither is B. It was the right thing to do.
Just making sure. Now go back to bed, you'll thank me later.
Are you implying something sir?
No, I know you, and your husband.
Talk to you on Monday, and congratulate the happy couple for me!
Sebastian simply looked at his phone, yet he really couldn't argue with what Hunter said, as he had a point. So, he decided to go back in, since outside of going to the beach, they had no responsibilities till later, plenty of time to take a nap if they needed.
I want to apologize for essentially vanishing, yet my life was turned upside-down in a sense at the start of July. My father died unexpectedly and, I'm still processing it. And rereading seemingly happy chapters, wasn't where my mind was at and I didn't want to risk changing them due to what I'm currently dealing with.
